Why Didn't I Think of That?
Darn! I missed the boat on this one. Not only a cute idea, but probably some very helpful tools available at
this site on Etsy. Of course, I'm too lazy and cheap to order and try any of them. It's not like there's a whole lot of number crunching that needs to be done at this point. But bonus points for creativity for the CPA who thought of it first. I'm "hearting" him. ;-)
Labels: Jewelry Making
Shameless Self-Promotion
I've updated my banner over on
my Etsy site and am so excited about it, I just have to share. I'm a complete novice at this stuff, so using the free tools at
bannersketch.com, and an image I found on
this site a long time ago, I was finally able to put together the image that I originally had in mind for my banner. Up until now, I've limped along with a banner I generated on one of those
random text generators, but was never really completely happy with it. I loved the colors and the image, but it was difficult to read the text.
Before
AfterIn addition, with some helpful suggestions from my friend,
Jen, I'm working on improving the photography on that site. It's been frustrating trying to work out the white balance, lighting and just overall picture quality. While I'm happier with some of the more recent postings, this is very much still a work in progress. Given the limitations of my camera, I think I'm going to forego trying to achieve a true white background, much as I like the effect of "floating" jewelry, and devise a more interesting but still somewhat neutral background. If anyone has any ideas, I'm open to any and all.
While I'm not very productive yet, I'm certainly not having any difficulty keeping up with sales, so feel free to stop by anytime. ;-)
Labels: Jewelry Making
My First Sale!
Yesterday, I had my first sale on
Etsy! And there was much rejoicing! I would link to it, but I don't want to spoil the surprise for someone who reads here...it was her husband who did the shopping. ;-)
Today, I hand carried the parcel to the post office (rather than ask my rural carrier to pick it up...at
Jim's suggestion...don't forget to give your carrier a special thank you at this time of year).
As I was preparing the package for shipping, I realized just how unprofessional I was, without business cards, without shipping labels, and with nothing but recycled tattered boxes for shipping. So today, I picked up some free shipping supplies (free boxes and labels) at the post office and ordered gift boxes and satchels online. Now I need to work on some business cards. I realize it may be another month or two before my next sale, but still...
Oh, and this afternoon, I'm making a light box for my photography sessions, thanks to
Eric for sending the link on how to do that. Then I'll be adding something new to my shop. <*/advertisement>
Labels: Jewelry Making
Let There Be Etsy!
I am officially open and ready for business!
Come see.It was a tedious process of photographing the pieces yesterday, some new and some very old (things I made but never wore), and coming up with semi-adequate descriptions and prices. I changed the prices on things multiple times before deciding that it would be easier to come down than to go up, if needed, hoping that nobody would get wind of the site until I was finished with my tinkering. Of course, by the time I finished, I could tell visitors had come and gone, but no interested buyers yet.
I really need to work on the photography (angles, perspective, backdrops...although I did have fun with various props lying around my house, and pixels), and it's probably time to fork out the extra bucks for a high-speed connection at home. The dial-up is killing me when it comes to uploading photos.
Anyway, it was fun setting this up. Now, I just need to start making stuff. And selling it. :-)
Labels: Jewelry Making
Resurrecting An Old Hobby
Once upon a time, when I seemed to have more "free" time, I took up beadwork. Mostly woven beaded earrings, like
this. That was many years ago, back in the 80's. Over the years, I added to my bead collection and took a silversmithing class at a local rock shop (a small class of 6 students where we got one-on-one tutoring in the art of using a torch, to melt perfectly good pieces of silver). Then we went on a cleaning spree, clearing our basement of much junk. After the air cleared, I was no longer able to find my trunk of beads and accused my husband of burning it in the giant bonfire.
Two years later, my husband pulled a giant bin out of the storage room and ta-da...there are my beads! And my crayon shavings, sorted into baggies by color (what ever was I planning to do with those?!). And a few bags of assorted makings for holiday wreaths that had become nesting material for the local rodents...shudder. I was thrilled though to have the beads back. Ever since my friend,
Jen, took up beading, I have been a bit envious and had even offered to send her some of my old beads if I ever found them since I seemed to have lost the time or inclination to do anything with them. It turns out most of my beads were only small
seed and bugle beads which Jen doesn't need. She does
wonderful work with individually beautiful beads. I do have a few strands of fresh water pearls that I purchased every time I visited Chinatown in San Francisco, but I'm not ready to give those away yet (sorry, Jen! :-). So with those as inspiration, I sat down with my beads and began playing. Then I went to Michaels and bought $121 worth of "pretty" beads and spent an entire day beading (over the Thanksgiving weekend):
From ThisTo This
It was very therapeutic and I'm thinking now about the possibility of turning this into a business that I could do while living on a boat out in the middle of the ocean. I may have to look into the whole Etsy thing. More to come, I'm sure.
Labels: Jewelry Making
