April 28, 2012 - What I've Done

As I wrap up the Four Month Blog about expanding my business, I wonder if I've over analyzed everything. It will be really interesting to see the outcome of all the work I've been doing. So far, business has improved, and I think if I put as much into my third business as I have with the first two, that would grow too. I've only recently added new merchandise to that shop.

The past four months, I've taken a hard look at my flower jewelry business. I've considered my buyer base, and adjusted my product accordingly. I've considered selling wholesale and to see if it's profitable, I've made a spreadsheet of cost of materials, including packaging, and time to create to calculate entire cost of each item. I've decided to invest in a website to have a more professional presence, and redesign my packaging for retail display. I designed a logo/watermark and re-imaged my graphics and business cards.

I really don't think I've done more than anyone running a business should do.

For the past four months, I've also been preparing to go out and get product design clients. For that, I've been working on a new Design Portfolio Website. It still needs a bit of work, like a contact form, but It will be there soon. For that, I know my clients well and know just what to put on the site, but it helped doing a little research on designing a killer online portfolio. After I designed it first time around, I did a lot of redesigning. You really can't clutter up the site with 50 tabs of all your categories. It should be clean and simple and say I'm good and I want to design for you.

I did not accomplish all I wanted to in the past four months, I didn't meet all of my goals. I will have a wrap of my goals and accomplishments, probably Monday. But I really did accomplish a lot, and I am not only pleased with my work, but the fact that I was able to post here every single day of the four months.

April 27, 2012

Another fun filed listing day today, but today, I've almost finished with my packaging design. I hope it ends up being successful. Here's what I've come up with. Two types of packaging, box or hanging display. The boxes are kraft recycled paper brown and will be stamped on top with the same pattern as the cardstock backing in the acetate pillowbox. The boxes will be brown, the cardstock will be gray and it will coordinate with my business cards.

I bought a print background stamp to use on the cardstock. I wanted the pillowbox to kind of feel like a corsage box and the faintly printed cardstock, will look kind of like the print coated tissue that florists use to wrap bouquets with. I hope it all comes together.

I wasn't sure what I should use to tag my flowers in the boxes, a business card is too big, but I've cropped them down and they work perfectly. I love how they turned out. Everything is on it's way and I should have it by next week. I can photograph the packaging and get it all together for the brochure.

I can easily assembly line stamping paper and boxes. I have a nice paper cutter too that can make quick work of cutting the cardstock inserts. And as I've said, I have a binding machine to get the brochures together.

How much more can I accomplish in 3 days?

April 22, 2012 - How I Created My Flowers

I had been making jewelry from stones, but realized that there was too much competition in that market. I tried making jewelry out of scrap fabric, because I liked the idea of recycling, but I really wanted something unique, desirable and that meant something to me personally. I'm not exactly sure what came first the flower (horse) or the fabric (cart). I guess I decided that flower jewelry would be wonderful. I really love flowers. That was one of the reasons I was hired to design Tiffany style lighting.

After I thought about flowers, I thought of material. This all really came together fairly quickly. I had a few pieces of eco felt around for experimentation. I really didn't like the texture of it. It was kind of rough and snaggy. The first flower I wanted to create was the Poppy. It was a flower easily recognized by shape alone. I had some glass rondelle shaped beads that would be perfect Poppy centers. I really didn't plan on going any further than just adding Poppy flowers to my line. 

I wanted the Poppy's to have a little shape to them, and remembered that this felt was made of plastic and that plastic can be heated and shaped. As a girl scout leader, we used to cut up certain colorful plastics and melt them in shaped metal containers to make pins and things. We also used heat to spiral curl the lanyard plastic. You coil it around a nail and dip it in boiling water. The plastic then holds it's new shape forever.

I thought that maybe if I held the felt into shape and flamed it with a lighter, it could work. It took a while to get the process exactly right. The flowers have to be flamed inside and out and shaped a certain way. The heat also made the texture of the fabric more compact and less snaggy. I used to singe them more for shading, but found that too much makes them look dirty. After I successfully made the Poppy flower, I challenged my self to the Shasta Daisy and the Bachelor Button, two more of my personal favorites. 

I worked on creating my favorite flowers like the Peony, which is a bit more complicated with several layers, and the Magnolia. But one of my real favorites would be a bit harder to accomplish. The Helleborus has lovely subtle shading and patterning on the flower. Although many flowers do, they can still be recognized by their shape alone.

I had an idea. What if I could paint the fabric with durable acrylic paint. I thought it would be best to wet the fabric flowers and paint them, so it would be more like watercolor. It took a bit of time to get the right amount of wetness, but they turned out beautifully. When they dried, I shaped them with flame and the heat set the paint perfectly.

I have recently found that my flowers can be machine washed and dried without harm. I think that the daisies with the vintage painted wood centers might not make it through the wash, but most of them would.

Since my first flower Poppies I have experimented with handmade and hand painted centers and adding the flowers to crocheted headbands and skinny scarves. Some styles have stayed and others have hit the curb. One thing I can say, is that creating these flowers, from my own process with recycled or renewable materials, gives me no end of joy.

April 20, 2012

I'm late with my post again and today I am blown away with the fact that blogger has completely changed format. I hope it's for the best, but I'm not really sure how I'm going to do all the posts I normally do. Things just don't look right here.

Today I did a lot of sewing. I decided, that although I want to either live off my jewelry, or my designs, I still need to make money off my sewing. I may not like sewing much, but it's what sells the most so I'm going to make the most of it, while I'm growing my other businesses.

I made a new apron with some fabric I have a lot of. Sitting on the shelf, might as well get some use out of it. I have 2 versions of retro aprons, one is the Ruffle (my daughter's design) and the other is the Sweetheart (my design).

My pattern is designed to use a 15" piece of 45" fabric, so it's a little more economical and less expensive. So I thought I'd make the less expensive version.

I also made a few Chef's Aprons that I will photograph with different pockets. I don't have enough listed and I need to add some of my better fabrics, like the Beatles and some Biker fabric and maybe more versions of Star Wars. I'd love to add the new Marvel Comic fabric, but that's getting harder and harder to find.

I love to add more Bow ties too. This is a great time of year for men's gifts. Graduations and Father's Day. I don't think I can really give up any of the things I do. I think I just have to be happy, selling it all.

April 14, 2012

I am so determined to accomplish as many of my goals as possible. I started this post to make a decision about weather to continue with my handmade floral jewelry, or go back to product design. I've improved my shop and my product line, and I've made a lot of contacts in the lighting industry. Contacts I haven't made in years.

I will say one thing. I planned to only prepare to go out and drum up more business. I planned to get ready to offer my jewelry wholesale and to contact clients for product design. This is what I have accomplished. Without actively going out and finding more work, I have made $800 more this March than last March. Not all profit though, I have reinvested a lot of in back into the business. But it's nice to have it to reinvest.

I can honestly say that reevaluating what I was doing with my business helped so very much. I increased my line of brooches, and have sold so many. If I reach out to the right audience, I can sell the headbands and bangles too, I'm sure.

April 6, 2012

Amazingly, I got a lot accomplished today. I edited a lot of Flower photos of new product and listed quite a few too. I was able to finish my new Bow Ties and take really nice pictures of them too. I'm very happy that I bought the fabric and pulled these together.

Somehow the Bow Ties seem to relate more to jewelry, than Aprons or accessories to me. I really like making them. I need to find more fabrics that would be very enticing to men.

I also signed up for a social media blitz workshop at handmadeology. It's supposed to be for Etsy shops, but I think the basic info is good for anyone. First day was nothing I didn't know, but I'm sure it will get better. I'll let you know.

I really have to finish my two big things for my jewelry presentations, packaging and brochure. There are a few things I need to do to my flower jewelry website, but mostly that's good to go.

April 5, 2012

Today I had the opportunity to work for a good part of the day on a lot of projects. I don't get that often. I have been trying to put together some merchandise to photograph for a while, and I keep having setbacks. Granted, some of those setbacks are sales, so I can't really complain. Other setbacks are design projects that I'm getting paid for, and I can't complain about that either.

I did get a lot of photography of new items done. I have a lot more to do. And with photography, comes editing. I really like photo editing. I could do it for a living if I could find a job, but finding the time now has been difficult. I'm pretty pleased with my merchandise, but most of it really needs modeled photography. I thought I would be ready by this week, but I'm not anyhow. I still haven't crocheted my white lace headband for wedding yet.

I also made some new Bow Ties, well, not actually made, because before I got them finished, I had some interruptions. I bought some rare fabric in fat quarter that cost me $10 with shipping per fat quarter. I rarely if ever pay $10 a yard for fabric. But after cutting the fabric, I found I could get at least 10 ties out of each piece. At $20 a tie that's $120 per each $10 piece. Not all profit, because of other material costs, but still good odds. I suppose I should do a spreadsheet on cost/dollar per hour of my sewn items too.

I also came to the realization today, of what it really was that I disliked the most about my design career. There are so many people involved with your day to day work, that are basically sales people. I really don't like typical "sales people". Not that I don't sell, or have the ability to sell by con, I just don't like it. I'm pretty up front and honest, and in most cases, I don't see the need to tell stories about what you need from a person. I feel like I'm being fed stories by my client, and I really don't feel it's necessary. I think that sometimes, they are so used to playing the game, that they just don't know when to shut it off.

The thing is, I've known my client for a long time, and I really like them. Just wish they would be a little more open with the product, instead of telling me what they think I want to hear. The other issue is that I have great intuition, so I know when they're not being up front. That's my main problem I suppose. I can't be sold a line of goods from a salesman, because I know when it is a line of goods.

I guess if I want to do designs though, I'll just have to deal with it, one way or the other.

March 31, 2012

I feel like a huge weight has been taken off my shoulders. I think I'm caught up with my product designs. For the past two months my client has been feeding me projects one after the other and with only a few days to complete. I'm not even sure there isn't more, but I think there isn't for now. I am sure there will be changes to be made, but those won't be as hard as the original designing, because I've been making changes so the designs for the first retailer, while designing for the second retailer.

I think these presentations are only done annually, but my client is keeping me in the dark right now. There may be other product to design for them at other times of the year though.

I worked on my design portfolio website today, all day, and there is still a LOT to do to it. I was just taking the images I'm posting and putting a copyright banner over the client info and design number. Then posting the images on the pages. I don't like the format as I have it, so I'll be working to redo them all soon. I think I'm going to limit myself to an hour or two a day, and at the end of the day, so I don't spend all my time in front of the computer. After all, I do have to make a few more jewelry pieces if I'm to do a photo shoot this week. Not sure, it's good Friday so not sure the model is really available.

Hopefully today I get some time to work on my jewelry, and take some pictures. I also have some new items to make with fabric I have, and a few orders I have to do. I spent a lot of the day watching the baby for my daughter too. That was also a good time to work on the portfolio website.

I had to take a day of mindless work, to rest and refresh. I hope I'll have energy tomorrow.

March 26, 2012

It's been a very dry week for business. Life has been crazy though, so I guess that makes up for it.

I was thinking about writing again just now. I had a writing teacher that said you should never use cliches, that all of your writing should be fresh and new. He said how horrible Soap Operas were, because they are 90% cliche. At the time I thought, that's what they were supposed to be. So because of that, when I put in any cliche phrase into my writing, I think it's bad. I'm starting to rethink that one. I think it's OK to put a tiny bit of cliche into your writing. It might just be a comfortable familiar thing to the reader. Or maybe it brings the writer to the level of the reader in the reader's eye. And after all, how can you avoid a string of words in all situations.

OK enough of the writing over thinking.

I was so behind in my work, that I had to do quite a lot today (and will tomorrow too). So I planned to cut and sew and cut and shape flowers and finish my designs and send them off. I woke up in the morning to a new Vistaprint add for postcards half off. I wanted to make the cover of my mini brochure out of a small post card, so.... on top of my huge todo list, I added finishing my brochure cover. I had one almost finished so I finished it and uploaded it. It was the wrong size. I have no idea how I got the wrong template, but I did. I had to redo the whole thing. I think I might have been planning to use the bigger size, but I thought the smaller will be better now. And it will cost less.

The nice thing about the post card, is that I can also sent them as a post card. So I ordered 100 for now. They match my website and I have a binding machine, and paper cutter, so I can whip up 4 page little brochures. I'm very excited about them. I guess I'd better hurry and make my packaging, so I can take pictures and get it in my brochure and on the website. I'll have two options for wholesalers, recycled kraft box or hanging clear pillow boxes.

I've definitely taken too much time off of my project and it's time I got it in gear again.

March 23, 2012

I've been so crazy busy with work and life, I completely forgot I wanted to start making some art again. I think I'll start small, like ACEO (postcard) size works. Flowers I think. Just to get back into it. I think I'll buy some pencils. They seem to be reasonable on eBay, just hope they don't get fractured. I need some decent paper too. Maybe someone has some pre-cut ACEO for pencil on Etsy. I like a nice smooth hot press for colored pencil. I need something that I can do in about 20 - 30 minutes while I'm taking a break out in the sun. I can't use my computer there. It will be fun.

I spent almost the whole day dedicated to my design drawings. I started with invoices. My daughter keeps asking shy I haven't sent them yet. It's not that easy, you have to have an invoice in the first place, to fill in.
I had designed an invoice for my consulting work, on MS Excel, but that was not quite right. So two hours later I had finished the form and put in the items for payment. They will be much easier to do now, but still will take a little time. It really doesn't matter what you are invoicing for or who you are invoicing, even a standard form really has to be modified to fit the circumstances. And apparently I was a bit rusty and the Excel part.

The rest of the day I had peace and quiet, because the whole family was out for the day. I spent the quiet time getting my drawings finished. Then at the end of the day, I realized that the sewing machine was sitting untouched and I should have done my sewing. That was really dumb. Oh well. Now I have to fight with my daughter for time on the machines. I really don't have much to do, and she has to go out Sunday again to take her boy to see a Dr.

It's almost April. I have one month to finish my brochure and my design website. Very hard to do when your workload has doubled and near disaster hits every day. But I'm going to try my best. I guess I should finish my taxes and send that in too. Do I really need to sleep?

March 22, 2012

Life gets in the way part 365. Yes, that's the days in a year. I suppose I should say 366, because this is a leap year. How lucky we are to have an extra day to screw up things with. If you didn't get that sarcasm, it was.

I started the day cutting flowers in the sun. It was beautiful and peaceful. But my daughter needed me to watch the baby so I had to help. So much for flowers. Then I finally got the baby to rest and sleep. Next to me, because she relaxes better and sleeps sounder that way. I actually sang her to sleep. First time, I was shocked.

I was able to crochet a couple of denim blue headbands while she was sleeping. Good progress. Not exactly sure what to do with the white. I want something really lacy so I have to design that. Maybe with a lacy peak that falls down to the hairline.

I planned to work on more flowers and at night when the family was asleep, working on finishing my lighting drawings. My daughter took the baby and her eight year old down to the beach. He was playing with a friend.  He was trying to tow her on a boogie board, by the cord. We told him that she was too heavy and to stop because the cord might pull out. Right then and there it did and the plastic T that holds the cord to the board snapped forward right into his left eye.

That was the end of that evening of progress. His parents scooped him up in hes soaking wet T-shirt and bathing suit, grabbed the baby car seat, diaper bag and took him to the emergency room. They almost released him and then saw blood pooling in his iris. Parents had to take him to Cleveland to a better emergency room where they had to wait for several hours to see a Doctor and a few to be released. The accident was at 4pm, they got home at 1am.

While they were gone I had very little word. I couldn't think to design, I was pacing, and then decided to put my energy into mindless cleaning. I got more work done around the house than I had done in a very long time.  I was very far behind because of the cold and flue of the past months. I guess that all worked out, but I was already behind on designs, and they asked me to do more.

All things considering, it was a fairly productive day.

March 21, 2012

Today was my daughter's birthday. She was gone shopping, so I was home alone. But the past few day's had been so hectic that I could barely move.

I did a little work on designs and a little blogging. I will be working on some new flowers and headbands tomorrow, too. My deadline is almost here.

I must say that other than loosing weight, which I have lost a tiny bit, I've really done well at meeting my goals. I guess I really should pull out that goal sheet before I say that though. I guess that's another thing on my list.

I did set up a tentative date for more photography. I have such pretty things and the weather is getting so nice. Can't wait to shoot more. I also better get making those samples to ship to shops. I think I'll send actual samples to shops I really want and just sheets or booklets to other stores and if they are interested I will send samples. So many things to think about.

March 18, 2012

Today was a crafting day. I also worked a bit on my next design project. I have to get them in by the end of the week. A few phone calls, one from the person I am designing for to discuss the project, and one from my cousin to arrange visiting my sick cousin. I understand he has a terminal illness, but is feeling very well considering. Terminal doesn't mean the same thing it used to. Many people with terminal illness can live longer than those without. As I've said before, my son who we were told would not live to adulthood, has outlived many of his friends.

I was reading this wonderful post on Handmadeology about Offline Marketing for Online Businesses. I can't even begin to tell you how much Handmadeology has helped me put together my approach to promoting my business. It's almost as if they are reading my mind and know the next stem in my progress. Are you watching me Tim?

Speaking of watching me. I've noticed that certain places like Groupon, Facebook, Vitacost and of course eBay and Amazon, seem to know what I'm browsing and coincidentally send me ads in key places. I even get ads on Google or AOL that relate to emails I get. I'm not sure I really like being spied on like that.  I suppose one day I'll have to invest in software that block spying, because my freeware doesn't seem to be doing the trick.

Back to Handmadeology. The post is about cross promotion and using shops or other venues to get your product seen. I hadn't considered this before. It's about not just taking your wares to a shop and dropping it off to sell, but also offering a service to your shop. For instance, I have a fairly large following on Twitter. I suppose I should grow that following locally too. But I could promote the business that I might sell at too. I could promote myself to local papers and say that my product is available at .... cross promoting them as well.  It's just brilliant.

I know you would like to think that your product alone is what would sell you, but we live in the real world.  Remember that Our past president couldn't pronounce the simplest of words and got all D's in school. It's not all about the product, a lot of it is the packaging.

I also think that I need to be using this information in my everyday life. Even in my design business. I need to sell myself. I've been working on my design portfolio website, and haven't even made a front page yet. I finally  realized what it is I need to do to promote myself. High End design at Low manufacturing cost.  Brilliant epiphany.

March 1, 2012 - March Comes in Like a Lion

You're starting to know so much more about me than anyone else does, I might as well let you in on a little secret. I promised myself if anything happened, that I had some free time on my hands, I would write a book. Well, for the past four years, I've had lots of time on my hands, but no book. The main reason I'm writing all this down, is just to prove to myself that I can write, four months every day.

It's March, that means I've written for two of the four months everyday. Go me! That in itself is quite an accomplishment. But have I accomplished my goals?

Here's a wrap, this week has been heartbreaking and amazing. There were so many ups and down this week. I haven't had such a roller coaster ride in a long time.

The downs were that our car died, after we put so much money into it. Money we didn't really have to spare. $2000 for a car that only lasted three months and barely that is not good. And then there was the shooting in Chardon. The community we spend so much time in. The school that my daughter's brother in law went to. The school she was considering sending her son to, because his school doesn't have the best programs for him.

First positive was that on the weekend I found I got my Power Seller status on eBay and then Top Seller and later this week I rolled over 1900 feedback with a 99.4% positive rating. Darn that .6% of people who just have to be negative.

And then there were the sales. This week was amazing. I can't believe how many sales I had on all my shops, and at the end of the month. The nice thing is that most of my sales were on Artfire which means I don't have to pay those ridiculous fees on eBay.

Lastly, I got a design commission. I guess updating my profile on linked in payed off. I'll give you a little tip, even if you are a handmade artisan. Join linked in and make as many contacts as you can. Updating your profile sends out notification to your contacts. This reminds people who you are and what you do.

It's been quite a week and I can't wait to see what else March has in store for me.  

February 19, 2012

I suppose it's just the flu, sinus infection, cough, headache, muscle aches and cold lasting well over 2 weeks, but I'm ready to pack it all in. I'm remembering Maslow's hierarchy of needs and my jewelry is about at the lowest rung of the need ladder. But I guess that's where marketing comes in.

I really have to create need and desire for my product, my flowers. I sometimes think it would just serve me better to do something to earn money, a little closer to base needs. If I asked my friends what they need, I know most would say money. I'm pretty good at making facsimiles, but I might go to prison for that.

So I either have to create a driving desire to possess my product or move a little closer to basic needs, like air, clothing, food, or even love, shelter, health. I know, maybe the flowers should be edible, no, maybe they can be made with like rose quartz crystals to bring love.

Oh I know, they are pretty durable, maybe they can be bath scrubbies. I'd have to mkce the centers with plastic findings instead of metal though. If they were glow in the dark, you could use them as locaters. Maybe I could make them Solar and led lighted, and they can be used for airplane landing strips.

No, I just think they should be pretty flowers that make you feel special wearing them. That is if I don't decide to do something else. Like – what do people need, not want need. People need ______. OK so maybe want – people want _______. I just need to fill in the blanks.

Oh I'm tired and I'm tired of being funny. I just want to earn enough money to live in a tiny place of my own and afford meager food. I can do so well with that. Yesterday I fed dinner to 5 mouthes on about $6 worth of food. I was so proud of myself. Pulled pork on buns and coleslaw. We actually had leftovers for lunch too. Maybe I should write about how to live on a very tight budget. That could get published.

February 16, 2012

Sometimes I hate that I have the kind of mind that can calculate how much profit I make on an item and how many I have to sell to make X amount of dollars. But in so many ways it's better, because this way I can see which of my items are best to offer wholesale.

I first have to calculate the cost of materials for each item. Then I have to calculate the time to make each to figure out what my dollar per hour rate is.

So I took my profit and divided by how much time to make the (necklace, brooch, etc) then multiply by 60 (minutes in an hour) that way I can see how much profit per hour.

In order to make 30,000 a year off broaches, I would have to sell nearly 7000 of them a year and work 65 hours a week crafting and packaging. That is at a 50% off wholesale. My profit and $ per hour on my venue are great if I could sell anything. Wholesale could be a viable option if I can sell at a bit higher price and pick up speed on my production. Nice to know there are variables.

Let see, if I made 10 pieces a day at an average of $8 profit each wholesale. That's $80 a day or for 5 days $400 a week, or $20,800. That's manageable, but not a lot of money. OK, I just figured that I can live on that. And it would be about 3000 pieces a year or 50 a week. Working only 5 days a week too. The publicity might even increase shop sales at which I make a much larger profit.

If I could place 20 pieces in 150 stores across the country that's manageable. I think I could make more than that and find more stores. It's a big country.

I suppose I'm not factoring everything. I did round up cost a lot, and I didn't include time for promotion and customer contact. But I also think that wholesale sales of less expensive items can lead to sales of more expensive items.

I can also sell at craft shows, but I need low cost items that I can sell pretty reasonably. I think a simple tie headband with single flower would sell well. They can also be worn on neck.

One of the things I found interesting, and I only did the calculation for 4 different items, was that although some had a much higher profit, $ per hour was less on them. I'm going to go over a few more items tomorrow and make some decisions. With the spread sheet I'm making, I can actually see if new items will be worth offering at all.

I'll post how I came to my results on Cinders Says so others can see how they're doing if they want to. Sometimes though, if you have another income, and you're doing this for fun, I think it's best not to go into it this deep and be blissfully unaware.  

February 7, 2012

I am so excited about my website. It is not perfect yet but It is almost just what I want it to be. I still need to finish packaging and show examples and clean up my bio and some of the information, but overall I love where it's going. I'm not crazy about it changing daily, but I'm not really promoting it yet.

I'm using it as a gateway to my Artfire shop and the Artfire shop as a Gateway to the website. I really rather have my items for casual sale on Artfire and my Shop and Wedding sales through the website. Which reminds me, I need to do a Bridal Page.

I'm really excited about tying up my website. It will drive the direction the rest of my packaging and brochure. Oh and I'm going to do baby props too.

I want to keep the website simple, but there is so much more to do with it. And then there's the design website to do and I gave myself a deadline of February 15^th to learn the new CAD program. Too much to do in too little time. I need to ask others that have set up websites if they are getting any business there too.

February 5, 2012

Once again I'm torn with my decisions. A week ago I was positive I needed to sell my flowers and feeling so positive that I could. This week I have my doubts. February and March are the worse months for sales for me. Last year I sold a lot of old gold jewelry to make ends meet. This year I have none left. Not really sure what I'm going to do.

I've been working on my website and have changed the fonts and re made the banners so many times it's not funny, and in reality the changes are so minor I don't know that anyone would even notice the difference. I'm so anal about things like that. Even after I tweak things I'm still not happy.

Remember when you were a kid and things were so simple. There were no choices to make, you just did what you were told, ate what was put in front of you, went to school and spent your spare time playing. I think I need to dream about playing with the neighborhood kids tonight.

I don't think I mentioned this before. I had quite an imagination and a lot of ambition as a child. I also knew how to delegate, and I don't know where that talent disappeared. Every summer, I organized some big event, a circus, a puppet show, some kind of huge money making event in our back yard, Actually I had a stand of something or another going on all the time. I'd sell lemonade, or comic books Sometimes I'd just haul out everything I owned on our front lawn and waited for sales.

The circus was fun. I was a fortune teller, in a tent made from laundry poles and blankets. Friends were in charge of the animals, a cat and several jars of insects, Other friends performed. We didn't have too many customers, other than younger siblings, because most of the neighborhood kids were involved.

You would think that someone who was that clever, industrious and totally in charge as a kid, wouldn't be so dysfunctional as an adult. Maybe if I dream about being a kid, I'll find some clarity.  

January 31, 2012

I have a little confession to make, well, besides the fact that I have just not been motivated to do something with my flowers since I was booted off of Etsy. One of the reasons I don't make longer necklaces is that the flowers sitting on chain tip. They sit nice close to your neck, but if they are hanging on a chain they tend to go all wonky. There I said it.

So, I guess if I want to make longer necklaces, it's back to the drawing board. The flowers sit well on a crocheted or fabric band, but I think chain would be nicer (although more expensive as I'd need twice as much for each necklace. I'd love to come up with some kind of recycled eco bead that I could wire. Maybe that mass of dryer lint we always have.

Back to the flower pendants. I could either make a “ballast” on a single flower, with maybe a stone hanging from it's chain loop, or I could make some kind of posey pouch that the flowers hang from, like a little envelope with chain on either side and filled with 2-3 flowers. I kind of like that Idea. I think most of the necklaces need to be simple. Maybe a tiny flower vase or handmade “stems”

I have another confession. I hate artificial flowers, or silk flowers. Always have. You might think, “why is she making artificial flowers and trying to push them on other people”? I think of my flowers as not reproductions of real flowers, but little impressions of the flowers we love. Kind of like an impressionistic painting. I love paintings of flowers, like Van Gogh's Sunflowers or Art Glass flowers, like the ones L. C. Tiffany made in his mosaics.

I'm glad I'm writing this blog, because it's giving my mind clarity about what I want to do with my flowers. And I'm finding that that is my heart's desire. Which is a good thing to know. Is it starting to show?

I was also inspired today by this post on Handmadeology by Tuckoo and Moo Cow. It's short, so please take the time to read it. I think this is why I haven't sold much, and what I am missing.

January, 28 2012

I can't believe January is almost over. I've been spending the whole month working on whether I can possibly support myself at my craft, or if I need to take a 9-5 job again. As I don't have a husband to help me with health insurance and things like a roof over my head and food in my belly. I find I need to sell more than I am selling, if I ever want to move out on my own. You single artist/crafters know what I mean. Most single artist/crafters have to have a 9-5 just for insurance. Bless us all.

I'm taking 4 months to mull things over, refine my offering, and get a design portfolio together so I can go back to my full time career. I'm also finding that about the only money I am making right now is on my sewn items, aprons, pillowcases, bow ties etc.

I've found that because sales have been low on my felt flowers, I have lost motivation. I realized that maybe these are something that people have to see in person, to want to purchase. I also am thinking that I have designed some things that are so unique that the general population won't really want to wear. They are pretty, but not for everyone. I've been working on new configurations that will sell better, and getting new photography.

Today, I designed a simple brooch. I am very pleased with it, I am working out designs for bangle bracelets too. And I added more single flower necklaces. I also think I need to design more long necklaces, as not every woman has the neck for chokers. I'm on a roll.

I'm working very hard on the branding and packaging too. I've got a box and an idea. And I will be tightening up logo, ads and packaging.

As for supporting myself? I'll continue to sew and I will be working on my design portfolio. I'm hoping that I will use it for consulting work, rather than full time work. That way I can pull some income and still sell my flowers. Or I could find a wealthy single old guy with a heart condition. Either way.