I'm afraid my jewelry endeavors went on hiatus because of my year-long employment (which is now completed). Now that I'm back among the ranks of the unemployed I reflect back to my year long struggle to create an online jewelry business and ask myself if I want to try again? It wasn't my first time running my own business; I did well with my sign business, and ran a golf course/restaurant, many moons ago, but my BachsCrafts was different. Though there was some sense of financial necessity, it was really more an inner expression of self--as art usually is--which makes it personal, especially when it doesn't sell. I  thought it was because my jewelry designs were not very good (and some aren't), or people just didn't like what I made (and some don't), but when I attended a few craft shows I received feedback that was very informative and helpful. I was left to conclude that the jewelry I make is something that has to be seen up close to be appreciated. People like to try pieces on, and having a wide selection to choose from allows for the nuanced preferences of the individual. Having that kind of inventory is difficult for the one-of-a-kind artist. My whole selection, which took me months to create all fit into one small box!
     Craft shows are an interesting way to show one's craft. I sat three days in 100 degree temperatures and sold enough to cover the cost of the booth, but hardly enough to pay for my time and weekend long discomfort. On another occasion, I participated in a farmer's market and spent a pleasant afternoon overlooking Puget Sound; I did quite well selling my wares. It was a great way to find out what the market was interested in, mostly my copper wire wraps.
    Though I can say I ran a "business" (I did have a license and .com), it was hardly a success. It took me months to learn how to create an eshop, complete with SSL certificate (credit card security). It was always curious that the greatest number of "visitors" to my sight were Russians--especially in the light of their most recent incursion on US Banks. I spent hours and hours taking and editing pictures, writing descriptions, and posting products. Jewelry, unlike...let's say...a lawn care business, is quite different in web design. Where a lawn care business web site is stagnate with a main page and couple of links to products and pricing, my jewelry eshop required detailed attention to every item posted. And since I only make one of a kind jewelry, it was a lot of work for every good designed and posted. My eshop required constant attention, sadly, it was only the Russians who paid it any mind!
     Overall, it was fun to create a shop, market goods, and at least have the illusion I was building something. The profit was not in the dollar value of the goods sold, but in the experience of having attempted a dream, even it it didn't fly. I learned what not to do, and how expensive a simple .com at only $1.99 a month can run! The behind the scenes cost of maintaining an eshop was enlightening. The costs included: monthly hosting site, SSL (security for credit card users), templates, and a mess of apps to make your postings easier. This doesn't even begin to cover what it actually cost to get your web site to the top of a search engine, something one doesn't even consider until well into the project. It's a stark (or shark) discovery when you find out that all your hard work isn't even going to be discovered unless you buy Google power--that privilege of having your post listed on the first page, because, really, how many of us every make it to a second page in our search attempts?
     The margin for an artist between cost and profit is slim. Most artist starve or have partners willing to support them in their art. My husband was very generous in his support of my efforts, despite the fact I spent
far more than I ever earned. But, good times have to come to an end. I spent my year basking in my creative juices, then on to get a "real" job. Now that I'm back to being unemployed, I don't have the fortitude to attempt another business run at making jewelry. I'm content to keep it a hobby and sell an item or two on Etsy, or take in a craft fair or two. It's much simpler and less stressful. I make what I want, price it out for what it is worth, and relax if it doesn't sell. I'm not forced into mill production of products I don't care about. As my newly retired sister-in-law says, "I do what I want..."

   

JUNE GIVEAWAY

     Working with polymer clay is so much fun, but challenging on so many levels. This pair of checkered patterned earrings would seem to be a rather easy task, but getting crisp squares and even slices will take a little practice. So I'm giving away my practice earrings working with this pattern. To be entered in the drawing to win this pair of pink and white checkered earrings leave a comment on my blog or go to my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bachscrafts and leave a comment on June's give-away post. The drawing is to be held June 30th. Good luck!

      It seemed a rather simple endeavor—building a web site. Templates are supposed to make it easy, just fill in the blanks…right?! When I saw the picture of this mouse I knew I had to post it as this was what I looked like at various points while building my .com! Web design seemed like a bottomless pit of possibilities and, being the creative person that I am, I felt compelled to explore as many of those possibilities as I was able. At some point I realized I would never create another piece of jewelry to post on my .com if I didn't back off a little and let it rest…as is…

     SEOs, CSVs, SLLs, SQLs, URLS—and the list goes on—of acronyms that I was clueless about. Working with my computer, a server host, a theme host, and various modules sites proved to be rather complicated, and when I finally thought I might have some small handle on the whole process I found that different browsers...taaaa, daaa...work differently. I spent two hours working on making a voucher box appear at check out--a relative simple, straight forward task--when I stumbled upon the fact that it would appear in one browser, but not in another. There was no “fix” to be made! There went two hours I could have been working on jewelry!

     As it stands, I now have a dot .com--www.bachscrafts.com. I've managed to keep my costs down on my “free domain.” After buying host time at $1.99 a month—to get that rate you have to buy several months at a time—I needed to buy an SSL (secure site lock) to encode and protect credit card purchases. To add any of the bells and whistles to my “free template,” took all my will power to resist. On several occasions it possibly floated around in the back of my mind that if I would upgrade my template or add certain modules some of the problems I was having would disappear. I was able to find free modules to satisfy my desire to expand my template beyond the basic Prestashop mold and tweak some of the features without having to risk all by rewriting the html coding. One misplaced comma can dismantle a whole site!

     What really saved me from becoming a totally bald mouse were the Nemo tutorials on You Tube: a step by step guide through the drop down menus in the back shop (as opposed to the front shop which you view on the web.) Prestashop’s back shop has a menu bar of 11 different items, and sub menus beyond count, and that expand with every module added. The drag and drop features of this blog are NOT to be compared to the eCommerce back shop that exists with both the domain host and in the template design itself. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I cried when I came across Nemo’s step-by-step easy to follow—let me emphasis here—visual instructions. And I loved to hear him say that some features were not intuitive, or not working properly--“bugs”—and to realize that I was not a complete imbecile when I did A, then B, but C did not fall into line…so I’ve learned to live with bugs. I guess I could upgrade to a “better” template, but I doubt even that would get ride of some of those pesty bugs!

     I hope you’ll visit my web site (and make a purchase), and though it doesn't stand out as anything terribly creative, I’m rather proud of my accomplishment. From start of project to launch of web site only took me three months! Once I started to figure out the basics it went a lot smoother…thanks Nemo! And thanks to the complication of figuring out shipping costs and linking to the USPS, I found it easier to just offer free shipping for now

. I hope to figure out that module sometime this summer, so while I’m doing that I’d make use of the free shipping feature on my site! Happy shopping!!!

Jazz Proof!

      I couldn't resist taking a small photo shoot of my granddaughter playing with one of my old test pieces of jewelry. Of course I watch her very closely and would not leave her alone with any necklace at such a young age, but I was curious to see just what she would do with it. She figured out how to get it around her neck and to parade around with it like a queen. Quite an accomplishment to secure such a treasure all on her own!

     This last year I've made several Jazz-proof pieces of jewelry for her mother. My step-daughter—herself with three young children--first introduced me to "momma” necklaces and I've made several using polymer clay. My daughter favors the glass pendants that double as a teether and wearable “toy.” I wire wrap the pendant, double and triple thread, crimp at multiply places, and use a mixture of very large and small beads (just in case it breaks). On a rare occasion my daughter will bring me a pre-Jazz design that needs reassembling, but most of my pieces have held up very well. I really do want my designs to last!

     My new motto is: Is it Jazz proof? Of course some of my more delicate pieces will never be totally baby proof, but over all I strive for an excellence in my craft that I hope will last through the generations. My daughter’s newest piece—a Valentine’s Day heart—was a big hit with my granddaughter…you’d think I had made it for her.

     I can't wait for the day my granddaughters can wear their bling with pride--unsupervised!

Two Hearts Become One

In making this design--as is typical--it took on a life of its own. It was a very meditative piece and caused me to reflect on the purpose of having a holiday such as Valentine’s Day and the love it symbolizes. This piece did not come out as I envisioned, and in creating this sturdy piece of jewelry it spoke to me in several metaphors. This design started with two separate hearts, one smaller than the other and thought I could carefully lace them together. But I found that when bringing two hearts together you need much stronger wire. Lightweight and lacy will not suffice to keep them in place. Love needs something that is solid and strong. During the constructing I had to undo some things I did not like. Love must be willing to change and remake itself as necessary or desired. Love will rarely be what we envision it to be. And there were times while in the making I thought this a very dreadful piece and I contemplated scraping it, but again, with a little patience I was able to make it into something beautiful. Love is like that; sometimes it looks revolting and other times it looks amazing. When it is all said and done, love—even at its best--is complicated.

Media Marketing

February Promotion Give-Away
visit:
https://www.facebook.com/bachscrafts

      What a challenge! I opened a Facebook page for my BachsCrafts, have two blog sites, follow Pinterest, have a YouTube channel, and maintain my Etsy shop. I can easily spend two hours a day working promotions from one to each of these sites. And that doesn't even come close to the time I need to spend on on these tasks! My niece, Camas Rain-- https://www.facebook.com/camasrain77 -- has started a business managing the convoluted maze of media marketing for small businesses. She lives on her computer and phone! She's given me a few pointers along the way which keeps me steadily plugging along hoping to gain some piece of that "viral" media that is floating around. In the meantime, I feel robbed of the hours of actually making jewelry. Maybe, someday, if I become "successful" enough I can hire her to handle the media marketing end of things, though I have to admit I find the challenge of winning "likes" fascinating.
    Yesterday I substitute taught in an economics class. I brought out my little travel jewelry kit (I take it everywhere for when there is down time), and used it as a show-and-tell aspect for an introduction to Economics. Production, opportunity cost, scarcity, along with the 3 basic economic questions: What to produce? How to produce it? For Whom to produce? This lead to some interesting discussions. I'm always drawn to why people do the things they do, including myself. Why do I make jewelry? Why do I spend hours online trying to market it? Profit certainly couldn't be my biggest motivation as evidenced by my PayPal account, it must be something else. The desire to create seems overwhelming at times. I've seen it in my husband, niece, and brother--all writers--who burn with an intrinsic motivation to write, even when no one reads what they write. I believe there is something immortal about the arts that draws us to express ourselves in such a way. It might also account for why I try to keep making what I do better. 
     At times I think my goods don't sell because they are not good enough. That might be the case in some designs. I can get rather crazy with trying new things. On the other hand, it's hard to disguise when someone likes a piece of jewelry or their sincerity in saying, "You should sell this stuff!" I understand the economy is sluggish and few have disposable incomes for such commodities (have to get in those lessons), but to get a showing for items--with the least expensive cost--is huge challenge in today's media world...and I'm always up for a challenge!

Happy New Year!

       Having recently moved back to Spokane from NC has left me feeling stunned. I feel like I’m living in a surreal place. I’m closer to family and have had so much more time to create and craft. And what has been especially pleasurable for me is to share my materials and expertise with my children, just as my mom had done for me.

       When I was a new mother starting up my own home it was wonderful to have my mom nearby to help me make curtains and pillows, or refinish chairs. She knew how to hang wall paper straight and fitted properly. She sewed cloths for my children and, on occasion, an outfit for me. If I needed something repaired or remade, she seemed to know how to do what was needed and had supplies ready on hand to make it all better.  She was a wonderful cook and was there to answer any of my many recipe questions. We both had gardens and often canned together. Work was often shared, which made it fun.

      When I lived 2,500 miles away I could not do for my family as my mother had done for me. It was difficult to give instructions over the phone and know that down in my shop I could attend to the problem in a few minutes. A part of me always felt a little "unplugged," so being back nearer to my children and family has left me in a permanent state of euphoria. After years of being unplugged, it didn't take much to make me feel connected.

     This was a great holiday season for me. I think that I have nearly forgotten how to celebrate them. With all the travel required over the years to be with family on the holidays, it has been awhile since I was able to deliver or receive warm baked cookies and bread. I hardly bothered with decorations knowing that no one would be seeing them, including my husband and myself. Holidays felt stark and empty. Now I’m building my decorations one string of lights at a time; what may seem a pathetic attempt at holiday festivities, at times, feels overwhelming to me. There is a real learning curve to knowing how to string a decent set of lights across the lawn. Amazing, they even have light-sensing timers!

     This was my daughter’s first Christmas with her daughter. Nothing like young children to bring out the magic of the holidays! We made ornaments and handmade gifts to ease our budgets since we've both experienced a cut in the hours we work (or at least the paid ones). Even my son got in on the action and made a pair of polymer clay snowman earrings.                                                                                                                                             

      For me, that is what gift giving is about. My mother and I used to start at the end of summer planning what gifts we were going to make. We knitted and sewed, painted and hodgepodged our way to the holidays; and it made them so very special. My tree is still decorated with our odd assortment of handmade ornaments. I wanted to share this with my children, and this was the first Christmas in a long time that I was able to do just that. It was a wonderful feeling to add my granddaughter’s handmade, hand-print ornament to the eclectic mix of decorations already hanging on my tree.

     I look forward to the New Year and the new challenges we face; knowing that I’m surrounded and supported by my loved ones makes it a great start already.  

My handmade gift to my daughter...