Giving v Selling

I'm trying something new. I recently opened a shop on Etsy, but one of the hardest things I do is to try to sell my jewelry. I get a lot of satisfaction just giving it away to family and friends. Here are (some) of my cousins...second and thirds (w/ more on the way!). Kristen is a photographer and takes beautiful pictures (she's on my list of favorite blogs) and uses an owl in her logo. I came across some owl charms on Ebay so snapped them right up so I could send them to her. But I wanted to make a couple of necklaces for her two young daughters...but with a household full of girls I had to make a little something for everyone. And as girls are, they were happy to have another piece of jewelry to add to their collection. Adia, the youngest expressed it beautifully as she pointed to her necklace and stated "hoot, hoot!" What could be better payment than that! P.S. Shannon is working to get her store up and running on Etsy selling handmade purses, aprons, hats, etc. Such a creative family! Check back to find her added to my favorite blog list as well when her store is up and going!

At the family reunion my sister let me know that purple was her favorite color (when I was giving away purple necklaces away to everyone else!). I decided I had to make something specially purple for her as well...and of course, as my sister, she has to love it since I made it for her! I guess that's the beauty of giving jewelry away...less chance of rejection...at least to one's face...

I'm finding that creating jewelry is an art of sorts, and I put a little something of myself in each piece. Sometimes a piece fits together in harmony, other times it's an embarrassment to look back and have to admit I made that monstrosity. Selling one's art offers a sort of validation to one's craft, but oddly, it also feels as a betrayal to one's self. I like making money, I like the challenge of being an entrepreneur, but I also like the freedom to express myself whether it is in harmony or discord, and to grow with one's craft without having to place a value on it. Somethings are just priceless..hoot, hoot!