Make A Living Selling Jewelry! That's it!

One should take a nap with the intent of getting rested. It didn't happen for me today. I layed down on my bed and tuned in a football game. I had a cat curled up nearby and rain coming down outside on a cold November day. I closed my eyes and there must be a chalk board in there, cause it was as if I was writing, "I wonder how many pieces of my jewelry will have to be sold in order for me to make a living?" That's ridiculous! These are the types of questions I get from myself all the time. I keep driving toward some kind of goal here and it's always like unveiling another piece of the puzzle that will become my dream job! I want to work from home and make jewelry for a living. I plan to blog as well, which I am slowly becoming familiar with. I started in October 2007. By the end of the year, I could not only spell blog, but I knew what other letters it took to make it the full two words from which it was derived. Now I am getting a little more brilliant each day. By tomorrow, I should have some new jewelry posted. With such incentive I have just got to get moving!

The Copper Cat Clutch

You know, the first time I met TSURUBRIDE was at the Etsy Columbus Team Meeting. She said, Hi I'm Meghan and handed me her clutch. She makes the neatest clutches! Just pop over to the Etsy Team Columbus blog and you'll see what I mean! You're gonna love it! http://etsyteamcolumbus.blogspot.com/ And don't forget to register for a chance at our $10.00 gift certificate drawing!

Converting a Bedroom into a Sewing and Beading Hobby Craft Room

Sadly, my son has decided to spread his wings and move out. {{{RECOVERY!!!}}} This should be FUN! So it's time to change his bedroom into a sewing and beading hobby and craft room. There's a lot that I can do to make myself more organized, so while we're cleaning the room up, I am thinking of how the room should be arranged. The Plants are beautiful and I don't mind sharing the space with them. That will be fine. There is a Passion Flower Plant that is just delightful to see in the winter! Oh yes, I'll be happy to share. I've made a special note to include a shipping area. I want an organized space in the space where I can assemble a package for shipment. I think I can include a section with all the jewelry that I have listed on http://www.etsy.com/. And there should be a printer up there. I think the whole computer should be moved up there. The crown of the room however, is going to be my sewing table! Hallelujah! I get to have a sewing room! This is fantastic and the timing couldn't be better. I am planning to retire into self-employment by selling jewelry and something I've sewn. I think right now, I will be sewing and selling purses and totes. I'm still thinking about it though. Of course, the ironing board now has a home since it has to be with the sewing machine. Yay! I'll certainly have to include a table are for beading and I'm going to have to get that installed soon. It's getting cold outside! I have lived in my garage studio all Summer and now it's time to move into the house and bead where its warmer. It's kind of a bummer moving things in and out of each area, but to be outside in the Summer is so priceless and until the garage gets some more insulation, I think I'll just keep moving back and forth. Now I need to have a little room for my light box and a little room for any other craft or hobby I decide to pick up and that's all the room I'll need! Sounds like it's going to be a little crowded in that room! My husband insists on a stereo system and television which may have to go on shelves on the wall. Well, I'll start taking some pictures and let you know of our progress as we go along. I am looking forward to being organized in my own room. This should be FUN! I'm sure gonna miss my son, but that goes without saying. Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog.

Beaded Jewelry Inventory to be SOLD at Craft Show!

Fall Craft Shows are merely preparation for the Holiday Shopping Season. Children have gone back to school. They need to raise funds for the trip to Washington D. C. or Camp in the Spring. The Athletic Boosters might need new Football Uniforms. The Band Boosters might need new band uniforms. The Craft Shows scheduled at the High Schools are usually a means of fund raising for a school group. My inventory should be a great addition to a craft show where people are shopping for Christmas or Hanukkah presents. My inventory should be written down. Taking jewelry to the Fall Craft show means having a listed inventory. One has to know what one has doesn't one? Yes. Although, it wasn't until the last craft show that I did over the Summer that I had an actual written down inventory. I don't know why it took so long, but it is necessary. Very necessary. I know that I have posted items on Etsy.com and sold them that I had never inventoried. Wow! It's amazing to think about that, an now that I have to track every penny, I can't ever do that again. This has been a weakness of mine as I was so unbelievably excited about creating jewelry, I couldn't possibly think about silly little business aspects like having an inventory. So before I get my inventory to my Fall Craft Show, it has to be written down on paper.

THEME: What is the theme of your Autumn Craft show table?

My Autumn Craft Show Table will be neutral with just a small amount of color other than my jewelry. I think that some recognition for the season is really an easy way of decorating for a craft show. Tying the arrangement to the season gives it an anchor. Something to grasp. Perhaps a feeling of solid ground. That leaves the customer comfortable and they go about trying on my jewelry and writing checks. Let's be honest. We want those checks. We prefer cold hard green cash, but we will take checks and credit cards too. More money, more beads, more jewelry, more customers. And so the cycle goes. After the type of display has been settled on then it's on to adding the merchandise to the table. Groupings are good. Themes are good. And displays can be concocted of anything. Ever the creative entrepreneur, I have continued, successfully, to figure out the displays without spending a dime. A couple of years ago, I wrapped thick pieces of wood that my husband cut from a log in green fabric. They looked like giant candy disks with the ends of the fabric twisted and held with brightly colored ribbon. The bracelet and earrings looked great on its flat surface. My husband has made a couple of wooden displays that I've used to display my jewelry on as well. Neatness and uniformity count when displaying my work. I have the entire day to arrange and re-arrange and get each piece positioned just right. Of course if I am really busy, I needn't worry about it!

Preparing for The FALL Craft Show

I have to face it. IT'S FALL. Sadly or happily, it's fall. Time to gather my house plants and move inside. We've had a wonderful summer outside in our back yard. It looks lived in. Now it's time to look around for some craft shows. I know it's late in the season, but there are still some openings somewhere. Calling around at the high schools and churches in the area is a good place to start. I like the FALL craft shows because they are usually inside where you don't have to worry about having a tent and you don't have to worry about the weather. People are in a festive mood too. Since I sell beaded jewelry, I can pack all my jewelry into a case. It still takes some time to set up everything though. It's my little store. It should look nice, neat and organized. When I get to the show, I'll set up my table. A long skirt will go around the table that will serve two purposes. It looks pretty and inviting and it serves as a storage place for my things. To the skirt I will add my table cloth. There won't be much in the way of glitz at this point because I don't want to detract from my product. It is Fall though, and one must make some concessions and look like FALL in the store. So a few leaves are added. That should be good for now. Stay with me and I'll tell you how I prepare the rest of my store.

I am Ready to SEW But the Fabric Attracts Lint and Cat Hair

I am ready to sew! Are you? My first project was a tote. It still is a tote. It's made of a heavy gorgeous dark green upholstery fabric. The fabric attracts lint and cat hair. Does anyone know of a fabric treatment that will cut down on the amount of lint and cat hair that is attracted to this cotton fabric? I plan on finishing the tote and washing it. I think if I let it soak in some fabric softner, that it might help. I don't know though. If it fails it'll be good sewing practice.