Well, according to mLee's forum post (http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5155984) it's bad luck for three years if you don't update your blog on Friday the 13th, so here I am!
Sales have been completely nonexistant so far this month, but that's ok, because I have plenty of things to work on! I've started advertising on Project Wonderful, but I think I mentioned that last time. I have an animated gif I made for my ad in photoshop - it's not all that special, but I think it rocks, 'cause, well, it's the first one I've done, and I'm a dork! :) I've been trying to show it off here, but for some reason it doesn't work!
I'm also working on a mirror - it's going to rock when I get it done. I'm starting to really feel like I'm developing a style with my mosaic artwork. I've got a few "signature" patterns, and the mirror incorporates them. It's pretty big, so it'll be a while before it's completed.
Well, I really ought to get back to work... :P
Friday, July 13, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
New Glass Pendant
Well, I finally added my newest glass pendant. I've been relisting a ton lately, and then I realized my RSS feed did not update when I relisted. On the off chance that anyone's RSS'd my shop, it'd be nice to add a new item for people to look at! Maybe that's a way to help my sales. :)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Status Check!
So...how am I doing?
Goal 1 is to post once a week. I'm here!
Goal 2 is to make ten sales. It doesn't look like that's going to happen at this month...I haven't had a single one! There's still time, and I have heard that it gets slow in the summertime. I'm working on building up my inventory in the mean time, though, and other "business" pursuits.
Goal 3 is to have one store willing to take my goods on consignment. I've emailed three stores at this point. One of the stores, a local store, told me that they weren't accepting mosaic artists at this point, but that they would keep me in mind. Of the two other stores, one is solely online, and another is located in Boston. I haven't heard from either of those yet. I did develop a brochure that detials my lines a bit better:
I'd like to add a candle holder line and a memo holder line as well, and then of course there's my OOAK (one of a kind) artwork that I need to get into galleries!
Also, I explored some advertising options over the weekend. I decided to go with Project Wonderful, and I've already placed one ad. This campaign is pretty cool - you bid on different advertising spots, and they place your ad whenever you are the highest bidder. You can set spending caps, too, so you don't exceed your budget. My ad now is pretty basic - I need to figure out how to make animated GIFs, because some folks have those done very well, basically as a slideshow that showcases each individual type of work.
There's one more thing I wanted to mention - I'm trying to think out whether it's best to describe my work in terms of medium - like glass, mosaic, and resin - or in terms of use - home decor and jewelry. I'm still going back and forth on this, but I probably ought to decide something soon!
Goal 1 is to post once a week. I'm here!
Goal 2 is to make ten sales. It doesn't look like that's going to happen at this month...I haven't had a single one! There's still time, and I have heard that it gets slow in the summertime. I'm working on building up my inventory in the mean time, though, and other "business" pursuits.
Goal 3 is to have one store willing to take my goods on consignment. I've emailed three stores at this point. One of the stores, a local store, told me that they weren't accepting mosaic artists at this point, but that they would keep me in mind. Of the two other stores, one is solely online, and another is located in Boston. I haven't heard from either of those yet. I did develop a brochure that detials my lines a bit better:
- Leaded Suncatchers
- Earring Holders
- Stained Glass Letters
- Mosaic Letters
- Glass Embedded Resin Pendants
- Dye Embedded Resin Pendants
- Stacked Gems Stained Glass Pendants
- Stick Stained Glass Pendants
- Stained Glass Tile Earrings
I'd like to add a candle holder line and a memo holder line as well, and then of course there's my OOAK (one of a kind) artwork that I need to get into galleries!
Also, I explored some advertising options over the weekend. I decided to go with Project Wonderful, and I've already placed one ad. This campaign is pretty cool - you bid on different advertising spots, and they place your ad whenever you are the highest bidder. You can set spending caps, too, so you don't exceed your budget. My ad now is pretty basic - I need to figure out how to make animated GIFs, because some folks have those done very well, basically as a slideshow that showcases each individual type of work.
There's one more thing I wanted to mention - I'm trying to think out whether it's best to describe my work in terms of medium - like glass, mosaic, and resin - or in terms of use - home decor and jewelry. I'm still going back and forth on this, but I probably ought to decide something soon!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Wow...
Think I can do this more often than once a month? Let's try! My goals for the month are:
1. To post in this blog once a week. :P
2. To make ten sales.
3. To find one store willing to take my crafts on consignment or wholesale.
I emailed my first store today...haven't heard back yet, but we'll see! I haven't had any sales this month yet, but it's the summer slump, and it's early yet.
I have started a new store to hold my resin jewelry, since that's so different from the glass. Check it out at http://resinjewelry.etsy.com. No sales there yet either! But here's a taste of what's in that store:
1. To post in this blog once a week. :P
2. To make ten sales.
3. To find one store willing to take my crafts on consignment or wholesale.
I emailed my first store today...haven't heard back yet, but we'll see! I haven't had any sales this month yet, but it's the summer slump, and it's early yet.
I have started a new store to hold my resin jewelry, since that's so different from the glass. Check it out at http://resinjewelry.etsy.com. No sales there yet either! But here's a taste of what's in that store:
Friday, June 1, 2007
Craft Fair Tomorrow!
And I am praying it doesn't rain all weekend like it's supposed to!
I'm nervous and excited all rolled into one - I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight - although that's probably a good thing considering we'll have to get up at four am to leave in time!
I'll post how it goes over the weekend either tomorrow night (if I have internet access) or Sunday night when the show's over.
Wish me luck!
I'm nervous and excited all rolled into one - I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight - although that's probably a good thing considering we'll have to get up at four am to leave in time!
I'll post how it goes over the weekend either tomorrow night (if I have internet access) or Sunday night when the show's over.
Wish me luck!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Perspective
So that last post was a bit maudlin. It could be worse. I could be working 80 hours a week for pennies in some sweatshop somewhere.
How Do You Guys Do It?
Well, I'm at the day job today, and I want to know the secret.
The large majority of folks that do their art full time, or full time with a part time job, had a full time job at one point, before their art started to become self-supporting. But wow, that's rough! How do you possibly work one job that's 40 hours a week (46 if you count the commute and the half hour unpaid lunch breaks) while creating, preparing for craft fairs, actually going to craft fairs, marketing artwork, shipping artwork, and maintaing a website? And it's not like I'm doing a whole lot of other stuff - I spend about an hour or an hour and a half with my husband before bed each night (usually while working on a project) and hardly ever clean house or go out with people. I feel burnout coming on...
I'll do it because I have to do it...because this job is driving me insane and I'd rather jump off a building than continue to go to it for the next 44 years. I'd almost rather jump off a building than stay here another year. I've just got to make the art work. Before they fire me or I lose it.
The large majority of folks that do their art full time, or full time with a part time job, had a full time job at one point, before their art started to become self-supporting. But wow, that's rough! How do you possibly work one job that's 40 hours a week (46 if you count the commute and the half hour unpaid lunch breaks) while creating, preparing for craft fairs, actually going to craft fairs, marketing artwork, shipping artwork, and maintaing a website? And it's not like I'm doing a whole lot of other stuff - I spend about an hour or an hour and a half with my husband before bed each night (usually while working on a project) and hardly ever clean house or go out with people. I feel burnout coming on...
I'll do it because I have to do it...because this job is driving me insane and I'd rather jump off a building than continue to go to it for the next 44 years. I'd almost rather jump off a building than stay here another year. I've just got to make the art work. Before they fire me or I lose it.
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