Skip to main content

Days off

It seems strange to take time off from my newborn jewelry business when it's practically the only income I have these days, but I did. Felt myself running out of steam Friday and so did very little the next two days. No sales for days makes me sad and I have to strap down those feelings of inadequacy and loserdom. I know my work is good, I just need to try harder or find better avenues for promotion. Things will come together eventually, but I needed a break. I feel a little guilty, but I think it recharged my creative process a bit. There are a couple of ideas floating around in my head now that I will pull into the physical world. Plus I got to read a book. It was nice to escape into another world for a bit.

Speaking of books, my other blog is really feeling ignored lately so I must go post a couple of reviews.

Comments

  1. We seem to be on the same wavelength a lot lately. I'm feeling very sad and inadequate these days, also.

    I hope your few days off helped. I know they help me. I just have to watch that i make myself go back to work after a few days.

    ReplyDelete
  2. There are days I just have to get away from it all. My muse needs a break and when she returns, things are a lot clearer. Hope your days off helped.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Less than a week

Lately I've been devoting my time to producing work for sale in a spa that's opening soon. It's tough to know what will sell ahead of time in this market, so I'm making a variety of things (many photos posted to my portfolio here). This means my online shops have been quiet and nothing new has hit them for a while. If business takes off, I'll know better where to spend my time, but for now it's tough filling all the mouths. Here's some shots of some new things for the spa - I just love my little hang tags and stuff. I'm using 26ga brass wire to hold them onto the bracelets and stuff. Kind of funny and I don't know that I'll continue, but I was at a loss the other day and duh - I'm the Wire Smith for heaven's sake. Anyway...I'm off to my mom's. She's helping me make a bracelet display for the spa.

Jewelry Making Tools

Part of the mystique of jewelry manufacture is the tools. I admit it, I love new tools. I love good tools. Finely worked tools that have special and often obscure purpose. Sometimes I just go through catalogs looking at stuff and wonder what the hell a person does with such a gadget. I remember spending a lot of time as a little girl at my dad's workbench, messing with his tools (lord help me if I misplaced any). A while back while on a visit to my folks' house I spied dad's coping saw (frame saw/jeweler's saw) in his workshop and told him I coveted it. He laughed and said I could buy one for about $10 at Lowes. He's right of course, but that old one looked sweet. My own tool collection is modest and consists largely of the inexpensive variety. Until this craft starts to pay off, I can't justify the expense when money is put to better use buying materials (Christmas is coming and you never know what Santa will bring – Lindstrom, hint hint). But every

Paid Advertising

It's been something I've been contemplating for months now as it seems I get more and more lost in the sea of online jewelry sellers. I've read every online handbook, marketing blog, thread, website and tip sheet I can stand, have been doing as they preach and it hasn't made a difference. Views at both shops are low no matter how I massage my descriptions, keywords and tags or participate in the venue's SEO efforts. Direct emailing didn't work out. Optimizing the way this blog is seen by Google hasn't made a noticeable change, although that does take some time I'm told and I could be condemning it prematurely. Back when it was available to the individual, Google Base didn't work. Participating in online fashion and shopping communities hasn't made a dent. Tapping into online communities in which I am a member, but not as an artist hasn't worked either. Ditto my consignment efforts that I was so excited about. Plus there's the whole t