Wordless Wednesday-- New Creations

Spring Is Here and The Craft Show Season Is Underway!

It's been quite awhile since my last blog entry...time just seems to slip away so quickly these days, what with the making new items, my sons both playing baseball (in different leagues-at different fields) and after a serious bout of cabin-fever, enjoying the occasional gorgeous spring day eats up a lot of my free time.

At least I wasn't totally unprepared for this past weekend's craft show (yes, I had to put a lot of finishing touches on some jewelry) and my preparations also have set me up for the next show, my displays at a couple of galleries, etc.

The one bad thing about an early Spring craft show is that Old Man Winter is often still trying to hang around. That was the case this past weekend... a few days of heavy rains, coupled with a strong wind and temperatures of approx 45 degrees kept many people away from the show. (while the vendors were indoors, many of the other events were held outdoors on the wide-open 190+ acre grounds)

Hopefully, the show I'm doing in April...in Mt. Holly, NJ, will be a bit more "outdoor friendly".
Here's hoping for the best at your Spring Craft shows!

'til next time...

R

Wordless Wednesday- St Patty's Day Edition-New Creations

Sprucing Up My Shop For Spring & Summer...New Items, Ideas

Just when I thought winter was over (according to my last blog entry) and spring was right around the corner, Mother Nature gave us a "not so fast" dose of late winter weather. A couple more snow warnings, coupled with strong winds of the Atlantic Ocean, gave my children a few more days off from school and extended the their school year a few more days (and one day of their upcoming spring break)

Through all of this, I was able to get over to one of my consignment locations, clean up the silver, and add several new pieces to the display despite the less than stellar weather. I think it's really a good idea for anyone offering their creations in a shop/gallery/store, to get in during the slower sales season, to touch base with the owner.

I found the owner of the gallery I just visited, was not rushed and she was able to give me quite a bit of one-on-one time to talk about what she finds her customers looking for, what she would like to see on the displays and she inquired about what ideas I had planned for the spring and summer seasons.

Even though the roads weren't prime for traveling, it was well worth stopping in when the gallery was barely busy. I wasn't rushed, the owner wasn't rushed and we both have clear pictures of each of our plans for the next few months. One shop down, one more to go : )

The cold weather has kept us off the beach for much of the last few weeks. Brutal winds, rain/snow mix, and tide times all made for unfriendly sea glassing opps. Despite the unfriendly weather, I was able to to add a few choice pieces of sea glass through trades and a decent sized purchase from collectors in warmer climates. I now think I have enough jewelry quality pieces to prepare for one or two new consignment opportunities and to increase my Etsy shop to the total number of items I feel good about (28-34 items)
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There was a nice window of opportunity to buy silver components a few weeks ago, and that window has closed for the time being, as the price of silver has climbed more than $1.00 an ounce recently. Watching the prices of silver and gold become a very important aspect of jewelry making and being able to make purchases, especially larger long-term purchases, at lower prices is critical. Buying at the wrong time and paying optimum prices (and having to charge higher prices) can sometimes be the difference in making the sale in a still unsteady economy.

At this point of the winter, I am already planning my spring/summer and early fall shows and fairs and I am waiting for some of the seasonal galleries and shops in the tourists-vacation areas to reopen. I'd like to find a perfect selling opportunity or two in the area, so I (or my hubby) can plan inventory-replenishing trips during the week.

Sunny, 50 degree days this weekend indicate that spring wants to force winter out the door. I'm right where I want to be with my jewelry making. I'm ready...bring on Spring!!

'til next time...
R