Saturday, September 15, 2012

Things with Wings

My poor little neglected Etsy shop has finally been fluffed up just a little!  I should re-name my shop THINGS WITH WINGS, because my two main subject matters are little feathered birdies and be-winged angels. 

I'm trying to get into a big juried holiday craft show, and they really want a website or online shop to view for consideration, rather than just a few random pictures.  The deadline to register is today.  Gulp.  So, I've been scrambling to finish up those soldered shadowbox charms that have been started weeks ago, and also scrambling to include a few of my angel paintings in my shop.  For the show, I plan to have a bunch of original paintings, but will focus on offering mounted prints and cards.  That part isn't done yet, but at least I have scans of everything, including scans of originals that have long been sold.  I just need to figure out a production line process for cranking out a lot of inventory, but I realize I just don't work--or even think --that way. Also, my soldered work is so very time-consuming, it's not even funny.  I probably make pennies per hour on those sales, but I just truly love making them.  Just wish I could crank them out faster, and streamline the process somewhat.  I'll get in a groove eventually, I hope.  I find out if I've been accepted on September 30, and if I don't make it in, it won't be the end of the world.  In fact, it will give me plenty of inventory for the much, much smaller scale holiday show my friend Chris and I do every November. 

But for now, I'm going to keep adding to the shop, and hoping for a few sales there as well.  Being so new to selling in the Etsy world,  I'm struggling with whether I should open a second shop or not.  Even though both of my offerings are feathery, it feels clunky to have both things together in one shop.  Maybe I should have a separate shop just for paintings and prints.  And the existing shop just for soldered stuff.  Well, I'll sit and ruminate over that for a while, but in the meantime everything will get lumped together, so those judges can see it all in one place.  Wish me luck!  And come visit my little shop! :-)

P.S. Not all of my new stuff is feathered....I've also been playing around with old crusty watch faces and pewter hearts to tuck in my shadowboxes.  Not everyone wants to "put a bird on it", I reckon!

9 comments:

  1. Beautiful work! I checked out your Etsy and I don't think those things look clunky together at all! I vote you keep it as-is and just put pendants and paintings in two different sections so it is convenient for the folks who are more interested in one than the other.

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    1. Thanks for the input, Kathy! Several others have said keep it all together, too, so that's what I think I'll do.

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  2. Everything you create is just gorgeous!
    You're so incredibly talented. I can't imagine why you wouldn't be chosen for this show!
    I agree with Kathy, keeping it in the same shop but different sections would also work.
    Have a great day:)

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  3. Thanks so much! Fingers crossed about the show...

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  4. Your creations are always gorgeous. I know how much time you put into every piece and you can tell that your heart is in it. I wish I had more time to fill the shelves of my Etsy shop and have thought about another shop too. One for jewelry and one for found treasures. One of these days...

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  5. HI Maggie! :-) YEP... it is YOUR Roloff Farm. I couldn't believe how pretty it was out there. Have you seen the big barn out by the little church? HOLY COW! I believe it's original... and couldn't believe how fabulous it was. I could live in it, I swear!

    Do you live in Beaverton? I was quite impressed with that 'lil town too. So pretty and clean. I kept telling the Hubbs "I could live here".. :-)

    Shannon actually met Mr. Roloff at the place where she goes tanning and gave him her soon to be Hubby's card.. He's a painter and told Mr. Roloff he'd be happy to do some painting out on the farm. I think he's been in quite a few episodes of the re-do. I hadn't seen the show before so when the invitation came with the note that it would be taped for TV I had to buzz right on over and check it out. I still laugh out loud every time I think of Matt asking Amy to give him a big smoochy kiss and she snapped back and said "why"??? Hilarious. So good to know they're doing so well. They were wonderful to the families of the newlyweds and EVERYbody loved them.

    Have fun at the pumpkin patch. I think it opens next week. We saw lots of pumpkins up on the hill.

    Huggies!!!

    Spencer

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  6. Keeping my fingers crossed for you! I know how stressful it can get at times like this but you have done just about all you can to make your dream come true! And no wonder those charms take so long... your work is perfection! There are quite a few out there don't come close to what you do! The person that buys them will have a piece of quality jewelry!! Best of luck to you!

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  7. Hello!
    I accidentally discovered your blog..è I was thunderstruck!
    I am experiencing recently soldering creating jewelry, but in Italy there is still little information on the techniques to be used, I do I arrange with some tutorials here and la..Ma one thing I can not understand it, maybe then help me!
    How gets the weld creating those shots that I see on your jewelry?
    Maybe it's a technique?
    thanks if you can help me ..

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