Oh my word am I tired. I have been up late a couple of nights recently - and when I say late, I mean for me, which is to say I've been up a little past midnight.I think part of my tired is that there is just a lot going on. We are still getting into the routine, or trying to discover a routine, for being back in school and all the additional activities Little Guy has this year. Schoolwork, homework, Viola, Cub Scouts, not to mention he has been invited to participate in GT classes.....oh and he joined chorus. We may actually opt out of the GT stuff, but I really hate to do that because its SUCH a great opportunity and I get the feeling that continued participation is vital to, well, continued participation. Meaning, if we opt out this year, he won't be on the top of the list of invitees next year. That may not be true, but I just get this feeling....
I managed to get down to my bench by about quarter to 7 last night - worked until a bit past 10:30, then came up and put a load in the tumbler. Grabbed a few minutes on the computer, made a snack, channel surfed the tv a bit, let the dogs out, feed the fish, brought the dogs back in.....emptied the tumbler, and went to bed about 11:30 or 11:45. Read for a few minutes in bed - unfortunately couldn't hold my eyes open, and fell asleep. Ahhhhhhhhh. I love sleep. :)
I've been bad today - well, not bad really. But I treated myself to a Panera bagel. I have a love hate relationship with bagels. And when I came in to work and there they were, in their lovely little brown Panera box....and I was feeling grumpy and tired (we had a rough morning at our house with forgotten home assignments and math homework that needed correcting) and I decided to 'treat' myself even though I know that bagels aren't the best thing for me. It was rather tastey though the entire time I kept thinking 'glue'. "This is glue". "Its empty calories with practically no nutritional value and it will basically be glue in your stomach". But it was tastey glue.
For sure.
Definitely won't be a regular on my menu but I'm also not a food nazi. I'm not fanatical about the RAW lifestyle. I am almost 2 months into it and can't see going back to my old way of eating. Ever. I think people keep waiting for me to stop this 'diet', but its not a 'diet' in the way people think of 'diet'. Its a diet only in that a diet is what we eat. My diet is different from what it used to be. Its a much healthier diet and I don't think its going anywhere. :)
Have a wonderful Wednesday all!
Oh, oh, oh, I have question. For those who do shows - what item is your best seller?
Rings? Bracelets? Necklaces? Pins/Brooches? Earrings?
Ok, and this doesn't have to just be for those who do shows - what about your online shops? What type of jewelry sells the best for you?
~Janice
Out of the shows I've done (which is only a handful) Earrings sell the best. I think it is because they are at a lower price point than my rings and pendants. But women seem to always need more earrings.
ReplyDeleteAfter that I would say pendants.
necklaces or pendants for me online. I haven't done any regular shows with primarily jewelry yet. In past shows, I've sold primarily my sculptural leaves in the $18 to $40 price range. People seemed to appreciate Small sculpture and/or wall art in that price range.
ReplyDeleteThanks to BOTH of you for taking the time to comment. I'm fairly new to selling overall - just really began in the past 6 months or so putting some of my work on Etsy. Now I'm tiptoeing into a few small show venues. I appreciate any and all input! :)
ReplyDeleteJanice
earrings usually, but for the last few shows, the wire and bead rings...I sell them for 15 - 20, and only have a few at a time...on Sunday I sold 4!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about the bagel. When I was sick last week I had a few pretzel sticks and thought, this is not even food. This will not give me protein, energy, it just nothing worth having in my body. It felt like there was nothing to back it up when I ate it. No staying power. I think I am so used to eating protein rich foods, that anything else seems like a waste of time. BUT they did taste good :)
ReplyDeleteHi Janice-
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to have found your blog. I have done many shows, and my biggest seller is earrings, hands down. My pendants sell to a specific, small group of clients. Nearly every client collecting my work bought their first piece at a show. I am very selective about what shows I do. I only do one show that isn't juried. My work sells better at juried shows. I think it is important to know the types of shows your customers like to go to. It makes a huge difference. My work does much better at art shows than craft fairs. But regardless, I make sure I have plenty to sell in every price range. Another tip is to price things according to easy dollar amounts and include tax: $5, $10, $20, $25, $50....you get the idea. For whatever reason, the ease of this causes people to part with their money more easily. Especially the $20 price point. Who doesn't go do a show a $20 bill in their pocket? We all do. Well, that's my little tidbit.
Cheers, Dawn
P.S. I always buy rings at shows if I am able to find one that fits. I wear a small size 5.
Just a quick note to let you know I fixed the problem with comments.
ReplyDeleteIt was a 3rd party cookie problem ~ I just figured it out tonight and posted on my blog. :)
Hi Janice!
ReplyDeleteIn general, my experience has been earrings and pendants sell the best as gifts for others, but bracelets and earrings sell best as a purchase for the buyer to keep. (Helpful, aren't I?)
I have seen a big difference between purchases several years ago and now with the economy issues...people come with lists to get gifts and stick to them--not as many sales of the oh-and-I'll-grab-this-for-me-while-I'm-here nature. So I think if you are doing ok with sales right now, it will only get better as the economy improves!
Also, I put out EVERYTHING I have. I don't know if this is true for you, but there are things that I pull out from long ago and think, oh, how ugly!...and am not sure if I should even put it out. I have sold a lot of my older stock at shows...I have left the prices as they were from the materials I used at the time, so it helps that they are a little bit lower on the price scale, but I have been amazed at what I have been able to move. It's almost like a bonus to get rid of the old stuff and still make some sales.
Do you have many shows lined up for the holidays? I am gearing up for my big one now...the cakes are going on the back burner!
Hi guys!! Thanks for all the comments! I did very well with my second show. Sold quite a few items - lots in the 2-40 dollar range, but a few more than that so it was a good experienc. Its really really neat being on the selling end and WATCHING someone get pulled in by a piece. I love most of what I make, so its neat to see someone else love it too and want it enough to spend their hard earned money on it.
ReplyDeleteYAY! :-)