Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Added Link to Facebook
Check it out - I've added a link on the right to my Facebook page. I'd love for you to 'like' my page!
Mother's Day Sale!
All items in my etsy and artfire stores are now ON SALE!!! 25% off everything for a limited time only!
I have some shows coming up as well. I'll blog the dates and locations as they are confirmed. Hope to see you!
I have some shows coming up as well. I'll blog the dates and locations as they are confirmed. Hope to see you!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
A kick in the behind is what I needed!
Everyone always tells me that things in life happen for a reason. I guess the events of this week happened for a reason...and I think I am beginning to see why.
Thought I was happy at my place of employment, but the last few months I'd been getting restless and yearning to be someplace other than there. I was working 28 - 30 hours a week and over the past few weeks, my hours were cut to just 6 hours a week. How is a person supposed to meet their financial obligations on just those few hours a week? And my youngest is a senior - with prom and graduation just weeks away. Every time she turns around, she needs more money!
And it appeared that no more hours would be forthcoming in the immediate future, although I was told that if business picked up, I would get more hours again. Was I supposed to just sit and wait? I talked to the manager and told her my intentions of just working until the end of the month, I wanted to cover my teaching oligations there for the coming 3 weeks - but I had not officially turned in my notice. She called me later to tell me that my services were no longer required, as of that day. Hmm. So they fire me before I can quit? And cheat me out of 3 weeks of wages, although not that much money, its still the principal of the thing.
Understandably I was upset - but it's dawned on me that this was a good thing. It's really made me look at my life and where I want it to head - and given me the kick in the behind to get going in that direction. I was stagnant there, never really getting into my studio and doing what I know I can do. I used work as an excuse to not create the things that I could see in my mind - don't have the time or energy. Well now I have the time, and I need to find the energy and motivation.
I'm applying for craft shows for late spring and early summer. Maybe I will get into a couple and that will give me enough money to work on product for the fall and holiday shows. I have so many ideas to work on! And I will be posting more often, now that I have time on my hands.
Thought I was happy at my place of employment, but the last few months I'd been getting restless and yearning to be someplace other than there. I was working 28 - 30 hours a week and over the past few weeks, my hours were cut to just 6 hours a week. How is a person supposed to meet their financial obligations on just those few hours a week? And my youngest is a senior - with prom and graduation just weeks away. Every time she turns around, she needs more money!
And it appeared that no more hours would be forthcoming in the immediate future, although I was told that if business picked up, I would get more hours again. Was I supposed to just sit and wait? I talked to the manager and told her my intentions of just working until the end of the month, I wanted to cover my teaching oligations there for the coming 3 weeks - but I had not officially turned in my notice. She called me later to tell me that my services were no longer required, as of that day. Hmm. So they fire me before I can quit? And cheat me out of 3 weeks of wages, although not that much money, its still the principal of the thing.
Understandably I was upset - but it's dawned on me that this was a good thing. It's really made me look at my life and where I want it to head - and given me the kick in the behind to get going in that direction. I was stagnant there, never really getting into my studio and doing what I know I can do. I used work as an excuse to not create the things that I could see in my mind - don't have the time or energy. Well now I have the time, and I need to find the energy and motivation.
I'm applying for craft shows for late spring and early summer. Maybe I will get into a couple and that will give me enough money to work on product for the fall and holiday shows. I have so many ideas to work on! And I will be posting more often, now that I have time on my hands.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
I've spent all of my free time over the last week getting my two handmade community stores up and running. I hope that you'll go visit them and see what I put out there!
http://www.wolfcreekdesigns.artfire.com
http://www.wolfcreekdesigns.etsy.com
Next project coming up - a facebook page. Plus I have one more website to work on, my main site at wolfcreekdesigns.com, but those projects will have to wait until later this week. I am putting mostly Friendly Plastic things on my handmade sites, since those are unusual and less expensive than my regular, beaded jewelry. I'll put that on my main site.
After the stores are all up and running, I have some fiber bracelets I want to work on. I think you'll like them, they are really different. I'll post photos of them as they progress. Gonna try to figure out how to mix the fiber and Friendly Plastic and beads - should be fun!
http://www.wolfcreekdesigns.artfire.com
http://www.wolfcreekdesigns.etsy.com
Next project coming up - a facebook page. Plus I have one more website to work on, my main site at wolfcreekdesigns.com, but those projects will have to wait until later this week. I am putting mostly Friendly Plastic things on my handmade sites, since those are unusual and less expensive than my regular, beaded jewelry. I'll put that on my main site.
After the stores are all up and running, I have some fiber bracelets I want to work on. I think you'll like them, they are really different. I'll post photos of them as they progress. Gonna try to figure out how to mix the fiber and Friendly Plastic and beads - should be fun!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Yes, I am finally back to my blog! Bet you thought that I'd never come back, huh?
Not sure where it has come from, but I am back making jewelry with a vengeance and enjoying every second of it. I'm making some major changes in my life right now, so maybe that has something to do with it. Whatever the reason, I am back to my jewelry and letting my creativity run rampant.
Want to see some new designs? Head over to my artfire account and see all the new pieces that I've posted for sale. Here's a sneak peak...
This is a Friendly Plastic cuff, made using alcohol inks and antique brass pieces. I adore the art deco feel of this piece, the dragonfly is amazing! This is one of my favorite cuffs so far. I'm gonna hate to part with it but someone needs to give this one a home and love it as much as I do.
Been trying some different finishing techniques with the cuff. I love Jana Ewy's hint on using the resin while the piece is still flat (see her article in the latest Belle Armoire Jewelry issue) - it works great with the ID bracelet pieces. I keep getting the resin too thick on the cuffs (because I love the look of the thick resin) but it makes it hard to get a good smooth bend. And the thicker the resin, the stiffer the bracelet ends up and its hard to get on and off. I need to find a happy medium in there! Next batch I will try the flat resin technique again but not make the resin quite so thick!
Want to see my ID bracelets too? Here's a sneak peek at one..
Jana, thanks so much for the idea on these! I love them and everyone that I've showed them to loves them too! I 'assembly line' the work so it seems to take forever to make them, but once the process is done I have more than a dozen ready to go at once.
I promise I will be back here more often...now that I am excited about jewelry again. I have a few more pieces to upload to Artfire and then I'm be putting some up on Etsy as well, but I haven't finished creating my store there yet - but soon!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Well, I've neglected my blog ever since I created it. I've had some health issues to deal with, so sorry I haven't been around much. But I am dealing with it and will be around more in the future.
Today - made some friendly plastic splash pieces. Am finally starting to get the hang of it and am liking this technique alot. Used some odd sticks that I got off ebay to play with, glow in the dark sticks no less! LOL But once inked can't really see any difference than in using the white sticks.
Also played with the new liver of sulfer patina gel from Cool Tools. Never tried liver of sulfer before - man, it smells bad! LOL Got mixed results from it. The copper looked great, I want to play with that some more. The raw brass - maybe I was expecting too much but I didn't get much of a color change - just a darkening of the brassy color. I tried a couple of sterling pieces, nice finish there, and a couple of nickel silver beads darkened nicely too.
I'll post some photos this weekend of my results. Don't have time to play with the camera today. Still have more jewelry to make this afternoon, got a show coming up quickly!
Today - made some friendly plastic splash pieces. Am finally starting to get the hang of it and am liking this technique alot. Used some odd sticks that I got off ebay to play with, glow in the dark sticks no less! LOL But once inked can't really see any difference than in using the white sticks.
Also played with the new liver of sulfer patina gel from Cool Tools. Never tried liver of sulfer before - man, it smells bad! LOL Got mixed results from it. The copper looked great, I want to play with that some more. The raw brass - maybe I was expecting too much but I didn't get much of a color change - just a darkening of the brassy color. I tried a couple of sterling pieces, nice finish there, and a couple of nickel silver beads darkened nicely too.
I'll post some photos this weekend of my results. Don't have time to play with the camera today. Still have more jewelry to make this afternoon, got a show coming up quickly!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Thoughts on Craft Shows
As I searched today for shows to do this fall, I wondered what the economy is going to be like later on. Will people be spending again or still fearful? This affects the type of shows that I'll try to get into and of course the products that I'll bring.
Scenario A: I focus on small, inexpensive shows - like elementary schools and church bazaars. When I've done these in the past, I've only sold the very least expensive of the items that I make, something in the $10 - $40 range. The entry fees are usually around $25 - $35 so you aren't out much if you don't sell much. But then you don't get the traffic, these shows usually only pull in the most local of customers. No traffic = no sales.
Scenario B: I go ahead with my normal show activity - focusing on large, juried shows. The booth fees are much higher, in the $200 - $350 range, so you stand to lose a great deal if you don't make enough to cover your costs. But these shows generally have much higher traffic, with regular customers. And these people can spend the money when they want to, I've done well at these types of shows with the $60 - $75 pieces.
But with the economy the way it is, do we know what will happen in the fall? You have to decide now if you want to get into the larger shows as they generally have application deadlines months prior to the actual show. I also have to ask off from work - meaning that I don't get paid because I work at an hourly position. If I have a good day at the show, it more than makes up for the lost hours at my job. But take too many Saturdays off and I'm likely to get fired so I have to pick and choose my shows carefully.
This would be an easier decision to make if I wasn't working. I could schedule my larger shows now and then pick up some of the smaller shows at the last minute - and if I don't have a good day at a small show, all I'm out is the small cost of the booth and my time.
When I started doing craft shows 12 years ago, you could still make a good living at it...but it was starting the downturn already. Vendors traveled from show to show, their products were well made and it showed. People came to get the unique because they valued the handmade aspect of the arts and crafts.
Today, there are so many people selling at craft shows, its really hard for anyone to make a living at it. Handmade used to mean something. Now, just about anyone can put something together and sell it at their local craft show or flea market. I see such poorly made things at shows now, it makes me sad. It makes it harder for those of us who do it for a living.
I understand where they are coming from, people need another way to make money in this horrible economy. They've lost their job and can't find another one, or they've had to take a lower paying one. I understand that, and I feel bad for them, but by flooding the market with poorly made crafts, they detract value from what everyone is doing - and everyone loses.
Sorry for the rant. Started this post about choosing shows and ended up on my soap box. That seems to happen alot lately, lol. Sometimes you just have to let it out.
Shari
Scenario A: I focus on small, inexpensive shows - like elementary schools and church bazaars. When I've done these in the past, I've only sold the very least expensive of the items that I make, something in the $10 - $40 range. The entry fees are usually around $25 - $35 so you aren't out much if you don't sell much. But then you don't get the traffic, these shows usually only pull in the most local of customers. No traffic = no sales.
Scenario B: I go ahead with my normal show activity - focusing on large, juried shows. The booth fees are much higher, in the $200 - $350 range, so you stand to lose a great deal if you don't make enough to cover your costs. But these shows generally have much higher traffic, with regular customers. And these people can spend the money when they want to, I've done well at these types of shows with the $60 - $75 pieces.
But with the economy the way it is, do we know what will happen in the fall? You have to decide now if you want to get into the larger shows as they generally have application deadlines months prior to the actual show. I also have to ask off from work - meaning that I don't get paid because I work at an hourly position. If I have a good day at the show, it more than makes up for the lost hours at my job. But take too many Saturdays off and I'm likely to get fired so I have to pick and choose my shows carefully.
This would be an easier decision to make if I wasn't working. I could schedule my larger shows now and then pick up some of the smaller shows at the last minute - and if I don't have a good day at a small show, all I'm out is the small cost of the booth and my time.
When I started doing craft shows 12 years ago, you could still make a good living at it...but it was starting the downturn already. Vendors traveled from show to show, their products were well made and it showed. People came to get the unique because they valued the handmade aspect of the arts and crafts.
Today, there are so many people selling at craft shows, its really hard for anyone to make a living at it. Handmade used to mean something. Now, just about anyone can put something together and sell it at their local craft show or flea market. I see such poorly made things at shows now, it makes me sad. It makes it harder for those of us who do it for a living.
I understand where they are coming from, people need another way to make money in this horrible economy. They've lost their job and can't find another one, or they've had to take a lower paying one. I understand that, and I feel bad for them, but by flooding the market with poorly made crafts, they detract value from what everyone is doing - and everyone loses.
Sorry for the rant. Started this post about choosing shows and ended up on my soap box. That seems to happen alot lately, lol. Sometimes you just have to let it out.
Shari
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