Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Sweating the Details



With all the advertising I've done for my Etsy Shop, I've been thinking "sales are gonna start rolling in any day now". I've had a few small sales, and in the process of shipping out earring sets, I've used up the last of the brown kraft gift boxes I had in stock. Not willing to buy another case of 1000 gift boxes (Can you say "ex-PEN-sive"? ), I've been trying to think of other ways to package pieces in an appealing, yet cost-effective manner. Better to think it all out ahead of time, I figure, rather that panicking when the rush of sales happens, right? Oh, OK... go ahead and call me Pollyanna!

When I injured my hand back in 2005, I was in the middle of several (as in too many to count) fabric dyeing projects. I have yards and yards of silk organza dyed in shibori, as well as plain, colors and patterns. Silk noil? I have a crate of it - yards just sitting there with nothing to do! So, I decided to make some quickie gift pouches and bags - nothing too fancy. I've gotten the time down to 10 minutes a bag, start to finish, but would be happier getting that down to 5 minutes without sacrificing too much quality. I mean, it has to look good when the customer unpacks, right?




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This week, I've also been shoveling out the studio which looks like a bead bomb went off in there. No way could I find the surface of my work table! I've re-bagged and filed beads and metal findings. In the process, I've uncovered some bags of beads that fall into the "what the HELL was I thinking!?!" category. They are absolutely beautiful, but I don't know what to do with them, and when I bought them I had no plan for them. The only excuse I have is that I gazed upon them with lust in my heart at the bead show last January. They have such exotic names: cat's eye jasper, silver leaf jasper, red agate, ruby quartz, keshi pearls, sugalite, sodalite, Labradorite to list a few. The names are melodic, roll off the tongue, ... and the strands rolled straight into my bag. All this added up to: I bought a bunch of stuff and I now need to find something to do with them. Here's a representative sample:




Most of the beads I bought at that show turned out to be large, chunky rondelles, which is strange, because, usually, I like to work with small, twiddly beads. I must have thought it was time to bust out in a different direction. Guess I'd better do that so I can use some of this stuff up, huh?

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**Here's a special thank you to Fete et Fleur, Somepinkflowers, and Rochambeau for featuring me in blog posts recently. I really appreciate it.

3 comments:

Mandy Saile said...

I think those bags are a great ideal because when the person isn't wearing the piece of jewelry they can also store it away safely back in its original bag...which may still contain your business card or tag of some kind and which could mean repeat of name later in years which could mean more sales. Not to mention that they just look really nice. If I ordered a necklace from you, I would be delighted that it came in such a nice bag. I did a fundraiser once when I worked as a gallery coordinator, and the auction pieces were artist made plates...well anyhow, each plate when into it's very own silk drawstring bag which one of our board members made and I tell you, people seemed as tickled pink by the bags than by the art piece they just bought:D

T.Allen said...

What beautiful little bags and a grand idea. Don't fret about sales, if it makes you happy-just keep on keeping on. Etsy as with all art venues can be fickle. BTW if you decide to destash any of your bead supply I'd love a closer look. *Looks over shoulder for angry spouse* Peace.

Kathryn Costa said...

I think the bags and pouches are a lovely way to present your artwork. They are even better than any kraft box. You are a talent for sure.

I laughed when I read the list of exotic sounding beads. I too would be collecting like a squirrel and later down the road pushing myself to actually make something with them. I look forward to seeing what you design.