New Aspirations in 2015

Today's Silver Price: $18.33/t.oz.

I've recently relocated to sunny Florida. I've said goodbye to the cold grey skies of Long Island, NY. I am currently settling in to Palm Harbor, which is in the Tampa Bay area. While I am enjoying the blue sky and the warm sun, it's also time to focus on developing my business and creating higher quality jewelry.

I've just signed up for a jewelry metalworking class with Dunedin Fine Art Center (www.dfac.org) and I'm so excited! It starts February 24th and there will be a 3 hour class every Tuesday night for 6 weeks. So now, instead of buying components and putting them together, I will be able to fabricate my own components! The class teaches soldering, stone setting, piercing, forging and hammering. One of the biggest things I am looking forward to learning are the finishing techniques like filing and polishing. Also I need to find out how to keep copper from tarnishing. I've made some copper cuff bracelets in the past but they get dull very quickly.

I'm aiming to create more artisan quality jewelry this year. I want to move away from the silver-plated pieces I have been making, and get back to sterling silver jewelry. 

New skills and a greater focus on social media marketing (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) will hopefully lead to a prosperous year! 

Below are some of my recent designs:

Ciao for now, and Happy New Year! 

Goodbye 2013!

Today's Silver Price: $19.49/t.oz.

2013 has been interesting, but I'm looking forward to 2014. I hope to start selling paintings and entering some gallery shows in the next year. I have some new jewelry design ideas as well that will be coming to my Etsy shop very soon!

Sales in my Etsy shop have steadily increased in the last three years. I hope 2014 blows all of past years totals out of the water! Seeing as I only started using Twitter and Instagram over the summer, I think I can drastically increase my sales for 2014.

I believe 2014 will be an amazing year for me creatively. A new chapter begins tomorrow!

I hope everyone has a fun and safe New Year's Eve celebration, and I hope everyone has a joyful, successful and amazing 2014! 

Holiday Shopping

Today's Silver Price: $19.55/t.oz.

My Cyber Monday sale seemed to generate a ton of traffic in my Etsy shop. I didn't actually get any sales that day though. What's interesting is that I had an order placed right before the sale started, two orders placed the day after, and another order today. So in summary, my 20% OFF sale increased shop views, but did not get me any orders on Cyber Monday!

I've been trying to stay on top of my social media marketing lately. I read recently that Facebook is one of the best ways to promote an Etsy site, and that you should include a photo in every post. 

In an effort to create interesting posts with interesting photos, I've been playing with some photo collage apps on my iPhone. The picture below was my first attempt. I used an app called *Collage*. I wanted to show the creative process of making wire hearts for a necklace, and wanted to include all the steps in one photo. I posted this pic on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:

Then I found a better app called 'Instapicframe'. It has more options. This was the updated pic:

I used 'Instapicframe' again this morning. I wanted to show several images of my yoga jewelry in one picture:

So far I am enjoying making these collages! Hopefully they will help to increase traffic in my Etsy shop! 

Cyber Monday Sale!

Today's Silver Price: $19.93/t.oz.

I'm currently running a Cyber Monday sale in my Etsy shop. 20% off all items with coupon code CYBER2013. Sale ends at midnight tonight. The coupon code must be entered at checkout. 

This is the first time I've had a sale in my shop! Lets see how it goes! 

Social Media Blitz

Today's Silver Price: $23.78/t.oz

I've recently started using Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest to promote my Etsy shop. It's probably been a few months now, and I've seen an incredible jump in views of my shop. And the results are immediately seen. When I post on Twitter or Instagram, I see an increase in views that same day. On days when I haven't posted anything new, my Etsy views are often zero. Even small blurbs on Twitter can lead to shop views. I believe the social media posts have led to purchases, however I cannot be sure as there is no way that I know of to track how a specific buyer came to my shop.

I've read that in order to use Twitter and other social media sites to successfully promote a webpage or business, you must post often. Regular posts keep people interested in your feed. This type of discipline is something I've struggled with in the past and will have to overcome. Even when I'm lazy and don't feel like posting, I need to post even a tiny snipet, inspirational quote or a photo to try and hold the attention of potential customers. This obviously applies to blogging as well, so I will do my best to post here regularly.

Today I updated my LinkedIn profile. I figured that promoting my Etsy shop through this outlet can't hurt. When I created the account, I didn't think I would use it much as it seems to be a site for business connections. However I've come to realize that if I want to pursue self-employment, I'd better start promoting myself as a creative entrepreneur. I've chosen to list myself as an artist. I have always shyed away from identifying myself with this term, but now I feel that I can embrace it and live it. I am a designer, I am a painter, and overall I am an artist.

I've become fed-up with my 9-5 office job, so I am now intent on developing my business and working towards self-employment. My very wise aunt says, if you throw enough mud at a wall, eventually some of it will stick. So I'm determined to throw as much social media mud on the internet wall as I can!

Below are some of the recent items I've listed in my shop, and at the bottom is a photo of my creative process!

Silver Plated Bracelet

Sterling Silver Ring

 

Double Strand Silver Plated Necklace

Etsy Postings for 6.2.13

Today's Silver Price: $22.26/t.oz. (WOW!)

I've had a tough time getting back into blogging. I'll do an easy one tonight... below are the latest additions to my Etsy shop. A lot of the silver-plated components used in these designs I purchased from Etsy sellers, so that's pretty neat. Also, I'm liking the solid black background in the newer pictures. I think the older pictures are using backgrounds that are too busy and they take away from the jewelry. I think I'm going to continue using solid black backgrounds, or white backgrounds with a very subtle design on them. I'd like to re-shoot the older listings eventually to create a uniform look in the shop, but who knows when I'll get to that!

Just posted these on Etsy tonight:

Silver Leaves Necklace

Silver Leaves Earrings

Diamond Shaped Earrings 

Hematite & Silver Earrings

Back to Work!

Today's Silver Price: $28.97/t.oz.


I got married in June of 2012. This is my first post since. No more excuses. No more distractions. Time to get back to business! I've had a few sales on my Etsy shop in the last couple of months so it has gotten me excited again about creating new jewelry.

Yesterday I posted several new items in my Etsy shop. I've recently been making jewelry with supplies I've purchased from Etsy sellers. At first I was annoyed that people were selling supplies on Etsy. I mean, isn't Etsy supposed to be totally handmade or antiques? Then I realized they had created a specific category for people selling supplies. I guess it makes sense, buying supplies from and Etsy vendor, keeping the commuinty spirit. So I've purchased some charms and components that are very affordable and I'm so happy with them!

I'm making an adjustment to my previous blogging schedule. I'll be posting weekly, rather than bi-weekly. I haven't picked a day yet though, so it may be random for a while. I need to figure out what will work best for me, being that I'm not real fond of schedules and set times. LOL.



Here's what I've been up to recently:

Spiritual Charms 2-in-1 Necklace:

Cascading Hearts 2-in-1 Necklace:

Shell Bead Necklace:

Om Charm Bracelet

Silver and Black Beaded Necklace:

Silver-Plated Teardrop Bead Necklace:

Longing for the More Compliated Life...

Today's Silver Price: $33.40/t.oz.


As I sat in my office today under the fluorescent lights and in the dry stagnant air, I realized that I always feel crappy when I'm at work. Physically crappy. Staring at a computer screen all day makes my eyes burn and sitting in a chair that's too big for me makes my whole body unhappy. Don't get me wrong, it's a good job and I am happy to have it (happy to have the steady paycheck), the office is laid back and people are decent. I just feel that it is not not a healthy place. This thought was exemplified today by the wicked headache that descended upon me at approximately 3:15pm... and still lingers in my temples now.

I know that I am in no position to be quitting a full-time job to pursue jewelry making as a career. That is the goal though. Self-employment. Being my own boss. Getting up when my body wants to get up, not when the alarm tells me to get up.

They say that when you own your own business you work twice as hard, twice as many hours. They also say if you do what you love you'll never work a day in your life. Operating a small business is no easy feat. Certainly not the simple life... or is it? Instead of a company of a few thousand, I would be a company of one. One person creating and selling a product. No sales department, no HR department, just me. Simple. Terrifying? Yes, maybe, but still simple. No coworkers means no miscommunications. One person makes the decisions, not a committee or board. One person does the work and one person receives the profits. Simple.

The hard part comes in staying motivated, keeping track of EVERYTHING, performing a juggling act. One person to purchase materials, manufacture the product, market the product, sell the product, collect payment, manage the budget. There would be no one to give me deadlines. No one to assign me tasks. No one to review my performance. Just me, myself and I.

I had a few days off from work recently. One of those days I spent making jewelry. I absolutely LOVE spending an entire day making jewelry. I truly believe that someday this will be my job. Getting up in the morning, having a leisurely cup of coffee (rather than drinking it in the car on the way to the office), deciding not to take a shower, listening to some kickass music, and then when I feel like it, settling down at the kitchen table or coffee table to make some jewelry. (((Sigh.))) The good life.

Silent Tagging Ladders = False Likes

Today's Silver Price: $32.98/t.oz.

I've stumbled upon a rather curious thing on Facebook. Apparently there are FB pages completely devoted to helping you increase your "LIKES," or fans on your small business page. Let me see if I can explain this...

The page is designed as a community page to help small business owners network and reach a wider audience and thus increase business. The page owner will post that it is time to start the Silent Tagging session (woo hoo!). You, using your personal page, post a tag to your business page. You must then LIKE all of the previous business tags before your post. The LIKING of other pages is a requirement in order to participate in this 'tagging ladder.' The idea is that everyone who posts a tag for their page will reciprocate by LIKING everyone else's page. Everyone gains LIKES. You are supposed to post using your personal profile so it looks legit... but it's really not. The session lasts a certain amount of time (e.g. 20 minutes), and then the page owner announces that the session has ended.

It took me a while to figure out what the hell this Silent Tagging and Tagging Ladders were all about. I quickly realized that I did not want any part of it as it is a bunch of bullshit. I tried to participate in a session last night. First of all, I couldn't figure out how to tag my page. I kept typing the business name but the tag did not appear. I checked all my page settings to see if maybe there was a selection keeping me from posting a tag, but had no luck. Having failed at tagging my business page, I was a good sport and LIKED several other pages who had tagged their businesses. And by several I mean 25 to 30.

I soon after realized that I would now be receiving posts and updates from these random 30 businesses that I had LIKED. Now I'm getting posts about handmade hair bows for babies. And sexy lingerie. And clothing for chicks who ride Harleys. And from someone who makes candles. And from someone who makes classy redneck drinking glasses (yes, really).

What was more bothersome was that I realized I did not want a ton of empty LIKES on my business page. What's the point of having 100 LIKES if none of those people are actually interested in the product or want to support me in my business endeavour? The whole point of the LIKE count is to see how many people are really interested in what your doing.

I'm still in the process of UNLIKING those 30 or so pages...

Sigh.


~~~{Blog Playlist}~~~
Florence + the Machine, "Never Let Me Go"
Bjork, "Army of Me"
Bjork, "Headphones"
Florence + the Machine, "Shake It Out"

Silver, Copper, Brass, Nickle, Pewter... All of the Above?

Today's Silver Price: $26.89/t.oz.

Wow-za! Silver prices are pretty low right now! It would be a great time to by materials, but I just don't have the money right now. Christmas tapped me out. Hopefully these prices will remain low into the new year and I can get a good deal when I'm ready to stock up again.

I've been looking at silver-filled wire and components on Rio Grande's website lately. Silver-filled is a silver coating over a base metal such as brass. The coating is thicker and supposedly more durable than silver-plated. I'd like to get some wire and experiment with it. The only problem is an exposed edge would show the brass core, so I would have to be creative to hide that.

I think I will also start using metals such as aluminum, nickle and possibly pewter. Many jewelry suppliers have a large selection of lead-free pewter components. I have to get over the idea that I was only going to make sterling silver jewelry. It just isn't realistic given the price of silver these days. Also I have seen that people will buy costume jewelry, and they will buy it like it's going out of style. Women seem less concerned with high-priced accessories these days.

I've gotten a lot of positive feedback and several sales with copper items, so I will continue to include copper jewelry in my collection.

Another material I need to examine is glass from broken wine bottles. I think with the right tools, ie the right Dremel bits, I can shape and smooth the broken glass pieces into jewelry components.

2012 should be a very constructive and productive year. I plan to learn a lot of new jewelry making skills so that I can expand my product line and attract wider variety of customers... and to satisfy my own creative curiosities! I love learning new things and I love creating something new. I am looking forward to the challenges and triumphs that 2012 will bring!


Have a happy and safe new year, I'll be back in 2012 with more adventures in entrepreneurship!

Plans for the New Year

Today's Silver Price: $28.91/t.oz.

There are a few things I would like to accomplish in 2012 with regards to my business.

Upcoming holidays to plan for:

Valentine's Day, February 14th- lots of jewelry with hearts!

St. Patrick's Day, March 17th- shamrocks, celtic knots, lots of green!

Mother's Day, May 13th- all kinds of jewelry... maybe some pearls? Faux pearls that is.

2012 Business Goals:

Incorporation. I would like to transition from a Sole Proprietorship to a Limited Liability Corporation. When you incorporate a business you completely separate the business legally from your personal finances. I have to do a lot of research on this, I believe I may need a lawyer to incorporate. Also I should meet with an accountant and start paying quarterly taxes if this is to be a real business.

I also have to open a business bank account which I should have done a long  time ago. I spoke to a banker once about opening a business checking account but I did not go through with it. Once I have a bank account I can open a  merchant account, which would allow me to accept credit card payments. At craft shows and fairs the ability to take credit card payments could increase my sales dramatically.

Creative Goals:

Necklaces! I want to introduce necklaces into my jewelry line. Necklaces require more materials and I can charge more for them. I am also looking into using silver-filled wire as a cheaper alternative to sterling silver. I need to increase my working knowledge of copper, I have yet to master this material.

I am planning on starting a collection of hand-painted wooden wall signs for home decor. As my watercolor paintings have received many many compliments and praise, they have not lead to many sales.

Planning: I have to make a list of events I will attend in 2012. There are a few festivals that I know I want to participate in, and I think this will be the year that I start doing outdoor craft shows and fairs.



2012 looks to be a very exciting year. I hope to grow my business and to become a successful small business owner. With some optimism, perseverance and a whole lotta work, I know I can achieve my dream of self-employment!

Forbes Gives A Shout Out To Crafters

Today's Silver Price: $31.35/t.oz.

Over the weekend I came across an article on Forbes.com which suggested that entrepreneurs look to the craft industry for guidance and direction. The article entitled "What Every Entrepreneur Can Learn from the Crafting Industry" discusses the surge in small business development amongst crafters and artisans and how these entrepreneurs have found success.

One of the major tools that an artist or crafter has is their creativity and ability to think outside of the box. Creative and inventive marketing strategies help to promote a new or expanding business. While creative people may not have great business sense, imagination and problem solving skills can go a long way in developing a business. One area where crafters are recognized in having an edge is social media marketing. Many crafters put a lot of time into Twitter posts, Facebook updates, Etsy pages, blogging and other social media outlets in order to grow their business. This is often how crafters and artisans establish a customer following.

The article cites a couple of craft-focused organizations that are aimed at assisting crafters and artisans grow their business and steering them towards success. One of the things I have learned in my internet surfing is that there is a tremendous community of creative minds out there that are eager to help one another. I am finding more and more blogs, forums and conferences that specifically discuss the business of crafting or art and how to be successful selling your creations.

It is very satisfying and validating to see that Forbes has recognized the craft industry as a source of knowledge and experience in the small business field. The article encourages anyone thinking about starting their own business to take a look at crafters for inspiration. Crafters and artisans are motivated by their imaginations and dreams and have envisioned lives lived on their own terms. Creativity and innovation are essential to any entrepreneur in any field so anyone pursuing self-employment should think about connecting with their inner-artist!

Shipping and Handling

Today's Silver Price: $31.80

I've been learning a bit about shipping lately. So far I have only shipped bracelets as those are the only items I have sold on my Etsy site!

I first wrap the bracelet carefully in tissue paper, then place that little package inside a small plastic bag with my business card inside, along with a hand-written note thanking the customer for shopping at Silver Current Designs. Everything goes inside the plastic bag so if the envelope gets wet everything should stay dry. Now I'm not talking about Ziploc sandwich bags here, I have purchased small 4" by 5.5" bags from a craft store. I've been using small padded mailing envelopes from the post office- I think they are 6" by 8" (not sure on that). The envelope costs $1.19, and I get shipping confirmation which costs 80 cents, and the whole thing costs between three and four dollars.

I shipped a package yesterday and it surprisingly arrived to my customer today. She only lived a few towns away but still that was pretty quick for the USPS. At the post office I was expecting lines, people trying to mail huge boxes, general chaos and screaming but there were only a few people in there yesterday. I guess the holiday mailing madness hasn't started yet!

Here's a little secret for you. On my website my items are listed with free shipping. The fact is, I have included the cost of shipping in the price of the item. If I were to sell a bracelet at a craft fair, I would charge the customer $15. When selling the same bracelet on my Etsy site, the price is $19.00 with "free shipping." I think there is something about the phrase "free shipping" that encourages customers to make a purchase. Most people of course will probably realize that the cost of shipping has been calculated into the price of the item... but still that word FREE has magical powers...

I am looking into opening an online account with USPS. This would allow me to print postage labels from home and just drop packages off at the post office rather than waiting on line to pay for postage. I would have to get a scale which could connect to my computer in order to get correct postage for my packages. I don't know that I'm ready for this phase yet. I think if I start shipping orders on a regular basis I will set up an account, but for now I'll just run to the post office on my lunch break.

Holiday Game Plan...?

Today's Silver Price: $33.79/t.oz.

Game Plan: None.

Am I supposed to have one?

During an online forum on Etsy I heard that for the holiday season you should plan for increased sales, therefore you must have increased inventory. The audience members were asking what the experts were doing to prepare for the holidays. The experts suggested simplifying your collection of merchandise- or editing down to the most popular items. Focus on creating items that are proven sellers. Hmmm, I guess this is no time for experimenting.

This makes me think of a presentation I watched on creating your own path to success. The presentation was entitled "Design Your Own Success." The speaker was Sharon Ann Lee who is a cultural trend analyst, writer and artist. The presentation is about 30 or 40 minutes and I highly recommend watching if you have the attention span especially if you are a small business owner. There's also some good life lessons in there. She explains the difference between when "your ass is broke," and when "money is coming out of your ass." Good stuff.

ANYWAY.... One way Lee says we can be more successful is to become more efficient in our work. Lee explains the 80/20 rule, or the Pareto principle. It goes like this: 20% of your work brings in 80% of your results (revenue), and therefore 80% of your work and effort only brings in 20% of your results. She states that you should cut out the 80% of your effort that is not producing maximum results, thus giving you more free time. Interesting theory, however I have yet to determine what 20% of my effort is most profitable.

If I were to compare painting to jewelry making, painting definitely takes more time and effort, and so far has been the least profitable. A painting may take 5 hours, 10 hours or more to complete. Usually a piece of jewelry takes 20-30 minutes to complete and maybe less. So perhaps I should focus solely on producing jewelry? Devote my time and money to creating as much jewelry as possible and put the painting projects to the side. I hate the sound of that. But it may be a sound business decision. Did I just figure out what the 80% to cut is???

And thus ensues the battle between heart and mind!

Multitasking- How Much is Too Much?

Today's Silver Price: $32.80

This past Thursday night I was multitasking. I was watching a live online forum in which the topic was using social media to promote your small business, writing a blog post, posting on Facebook, posting on Twitter, and updating my website. Whoa!

I think at some point doing to many things at once not only becomes overwhelming, but can also be detrimental to your productivity. If you are doing five things at once, one or more is going to suffer because you are not giving the task your full attention. Multitasking can also lead to errors, mistakes or mixups. Details can be overlooked when your are not focused on one thing.

My life is one big multitasking tornado. Working a full time job, trying to develop a business, attempting to keep my home clean, fighting to stay healthy... and have I mentioned that I'm planning my wedding? Yeah. There's a lot going on. So I often have to make a choice as to what gets put on the back burner. Maybe I really need to post new pictures on my Etsy site... but you know what? I also have to get my Save the Date cards mailed out. It's a constant game of prioritization and re-prioritization. Luckily my full-time job does not spill over into after hours- once I leave the building at the end of the work day I don't have to think about it until the next morning. However working full-time only leaves me with four or five hours in the evening to get other things done. So I roll up my sleeves and get to multitasking!

Lately I've been wondering if this is a healthy way to exist, always doing several things at once. My brain is not used to juggling so much and I have become very forgetful. I have to stay organized otherwise it does become too overwhelming. Making 'To Do' lists seems to help keep me on track and remind me of things that need to be done. There are only so many things I can keep track of in my head before they start falling out of my ears. Lol. I often feel as if I am going against my own grain as I believe I am naturally a lazy person. Lazy people are not successful people! All this multitasking is making my schizophrenic. Lazy Sara wants to sit on the couch and watch movies. Business Sara wants to post ten more items on the website and then Tweet about them, post on Facebook about them and blog about them! I suppose if I were not working an office job during the day I would feel less bogged down and would be able to peruse these websites all day at my leisure...  but that's not happening any time soon!

It's hard to find a balance.