Crafting and the Clever Idea
I had to work at my crappy library job today and outside there was the typical Saturday farmers’ market, but also, there was a craft fair going on. Actually, these crafters are usually a few blocks away at a lazy little park that I’m afraid doesn’t get much traffic, so I guess for the holiday season they decided to cut them some slack and let them team up with the market.
Of course, no big surprise, there was lots of jewelry there. I ended up buying some sushi for moi, a couple of gourmet doggie snacks for my baby boys, and some adorable hand-painted salt and pepper shakers for the house. (I have a good amount of holiday decor out right now).
Okay, I promise….I’ve got a point coming…but..
So, I showed one of the gals I was working with my little shakers. They are glass with little snowmen painted on them, tiny, cute, and only $4.
She looked at them and said, “Oh, cute. Of course, all she did was buy these at the dollar store and paint them.”
Yes, true enough, but….and now I’m about to make my point…..
She did that. She came up with something clever, yes, maybe easy, but clever, and it works, and she was selling a good number of these puppies let me tell you.
Sure, I could have made these (and I apologize I’ll try to take a picture for you), but the here’s the thing or things:
- She actually “did” it, as compared to the gal I was talking to who said she could but obviously wasn’t.
- Her idea is simple, but simple can be good.
- She found a good niche - glassware, plates, etc. - all hand-painted with kitchy stuff like snowmen, palm trees, and pineapples (I live in Flordia) and it works.
I could go on, but I think this is an interesting lesson or two for jewelry makers who want to or are already selling their jewelry. Nuff said for now.
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POSTED IN: Jewelry Business Tips, Jewelry Design Careers
4 opinions for Crafting and the Clever Idea
Cyndi L
Dec 2, 2006 at 10:10 pm
I had to go in to my cr—y library job today too Tammy…but there was no neato fair outside to ease my burden ;-)
Tammy Powley
Dec 2, 2006 at 11:11 pm
Well, if it helps at all, I could barely find a parking spot at 8:30am! Of course, it’s downtown, so that’s kind of the norm around there.
Miachelle
Dec 2, 2006 at 11:34 pm
Your point is well-taken, and good for the shaker lady! Perhaps the critic will one day come up with something of her own, and make a few bucks out of it, appreciating what other people do in the long run.
Meenie
Dec 3, 2006 at 1:24 pm
I agree with you , Tammy, it’s a great lesson :) And something I need to do , too.
I make jewelry, and love doing it, but it’s hard to get enough time to do it. Also, I have some difficulty seeing well enough to do it just anywhere, I have a special table set up with a great light,etc.
But I do have a website where I sell my items and I have sold some things there! It’s such an exciting feeling reading the responses people leave me. It’s a lot of work but well worth it!
Susan Hawthorne (aka Meenie :) )
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