girlinworld

Countdown

Well, it is officially my last week at my day job, and I will finally be able to plunge full-time into doing what I love! I am not quite sure that it has even hit me yet. Maybe it will become more real once I hop into my car and head down the highway towards home, with windows down and music blaring. Lately, I've been listening to audiobooks on my long drives to and from work, but come Friday, I am going to blast the tunes and scream out the window to everyone that I pass, for starting Monday, I get to wake up and do exactly what I've been dreaming of doing, for a very long time! : ) I can NOT wait to see what I can do with more time on my hands, more time to work on my jewelry and my business.

After coming home from work every night, I've been designing a catalog for a client in the evenings, along with fulfilling jewelry orders, and trying to create new pieces. It hasn't been working out so well, and I have quickly become worn down and even a bit frustrated, but at least I know that will soon pass. 

The thing I am looking forward to the most, is waking up each morning and taking a nice early walk/jog down the scenic, and somewhat lively athletic trail that meanders through the town I live in.  I am extremely happy that I will have more time to take care of myself, my health, my fitness...  Eventually, I'd like to get a bicycle! And after the trail I will either hit the fitness center for some light weights, or the pool for a refreshing cool-down, depending on the day. Then off to work I will go, and I won't even need to hop in my car to get there. Somebody pinch me please!

In other news, I've received some wonderful feedback on my fairly new Painted Metal line, shown in the layout above, and have even been selected to participate and show my jewelry in a few well known festivals. One that I was pretty excited about, takes place in Vegas, but sadly I will not be able to attend. It is in 2 months and I will not have enough time to prepare. All in due time, I suppose.  I am very excited about my new stuff and can't wait to finally have the time to add to the collection!

Catch up

The Colours rings are doing well, and since the process to make them is a pretty laborious, I've had a knot in my stomach over the past week, because I don't like to get  behind with orders, and I was drowning in ring orders. Yes, it is a GOOD thing. I am finally catching up, and I really can't wait until I am not working my day job any longer, because  I feel I am neglecting my store at times. I really don't like to be away from my jewelry for 8 hours each day, when I could be working on orders, or new designs. 

As many batches of rings as I've made, I am beginning to work out a nice rhythm with them, finding ways to expedite my work. One way, is to listen to faster paced music as I work ; )

Oh My

Ever since the Colours Rings hit the front page, I've been non-stop making orders, and also getting many inquiries from shop owners about selling my ware in their boutiques! I'm feeling quite honored. Stressed out to the max right now, because I am still fighting for the time to make everything, but not complaining though, nooooooo.....not in the least bit. If anything, I am sorry that everyone who ordered rings will have to wait longer than normal to receive them.

I am still working my day job, and trying like crazy to keep up with orders from my store and miscellaneous requests. I feel like a mad scientist, who doesn't get any sleep because I am too obsessed with my work to mess around with that little thing called sleep : ) I get home from work about 6:30 PM and I work on orders til I doze off with the torch in my hand, at which point the house goes up into flames. I go to sleep much too late every night, then I wake up at 6:30 AM and spend about 45 min. packaging up items that need to go out, as well as checking my store, then I get ready for work in 20 min. flat, pop my audio book into the car CD player and head off down the highway to work. I love my audiobooks! They kill time on the road very well. Right now, I am listening to a murder mystery, "Cross" by James Patterson. While at the job, I juggle work, while I stress out about how many jewelry orders I still need to make, or the new and exciting designs for my store I could be working on. At 5:30, I hop in my car, hit play on the audio book, head out on the highway and do it all over again. Did I mention I won't have to do this much longer? Actually, I dedicated a whole post to it!

And again!

I am sooooo happy. My rings made the front page again! I love it, because it brings people to my store who otherwise might never know about it. 

It's ma birthday!

Yes, I meant to write "ma." ; )

Today is my birthday, and I'd like a trip to Greece, thanks! I am not going to make there for this birthday, but I can dream. This is the desktop photo that has been on my laptop for the past 8 or 9 months. Ever since I wrote a research paper on Greece, way back in high school, I've been obsessed with it. I'd love to make it there soon.

Colours Rings Make Front Page

I am super excited that my new Colours Rings made the front page of Etsy today. My store is fairly new, so it is great exposure, and I even sold a few stacks of rings to boot! One thing that I've really enjoyed about being a part of the Etsy community is the kindness of others. More than a few people stopped by my store today long enough to send me a convo telling me they like my stuff and congrats on the front page. I really appreciate that, because people don't have to stop by and say anything at all, but they do.....that's just kinda sweet if you ask me.

Half Stack

There is now a half stack available in the Colours Rings!

In other news, my thanks go to Rebecca over at Rebecca's Annex for doing a little write up on my Painted Metal shop. If you have a chance, check out her jewelry shop on Etsy as well, she's got some beautiful, and very colorful polymer creations.

Just Add Color

Today has been great because I don't have the usual end-of-weekend blahs, and although it is Sunday, it sure feels like Saturday to me. Seeing as I have a few vacation days left at my job that I'd like to use up before my last day there, I decided to take tomorrow off. I will be able to tend to my jewelry all day loooong! 

I made these rings today, in preparation for tomorrow. These will be for my Painted Metal shop. The only thing left to do on these, is add some color, yes, yes, yes....layer upon layer of lovely patinas in a variety of colors. 

I'm Quitting My Job

Why? Because I took this quiz and failed miserably.

Actually, it wasn't that easy. I've thought long and hard about this, and I've decided to do it. As of Tuesday, the 22nd, I will have one month left at my 3 year day job, as a graphic artist. Scary? Yes! Exciting? Hell, yeah! I love the people I work with, and the company I work for, but the time has come. There are a number of reasons why I am quitting. The #1 reason is that I want to make my jewelry business a full-time business, because I am madly in love with it, and I am certain that if I had more time on my hands, I could make a decent living at it. The #2 reason is that I don't make enough money to justify the 8 hours of my life that I spend in the office, and the hour and a half I spend on the road driving there and back, and the price of gas is not getting any lower. Those hours put elsewhere, could really be beneficial. I want to put that time into making and selling more jewelry, taking classes to learn new techniques, attending arts & crafts festivals, etc. Right now, I don't have enough time to do most of these things, and I'd really really really like to spend more time creating new designs.

I don't think that it has hit me, that I am actually going to be self-employed soon. I've been dreaming of this for quite some time. I don't think I was ever meant to sit or stand inside of some building for 8 - 10 hours a day, and have someone tell me what time I need to be there, and what time I can leave, how many times I can use my cell phone throughout the day, or how many breaks I can take, whether I can or can't take a vacation and when I can take a vacation. I know that is the way order is maintained within companies and that there is a reason for that, but I would like to opt out. I wasn't made that way, and it eats me up inside. I want to feel free, and I don't feel free the way things are now. What makes me feel free is waking up and going to my workbench at whatever time I happen to make it there, sipping on a cup of hot tea, while dreaming up new designs, and figuring out ways to make them, then putting them in my store and finding that people really like my jewelry, and are willing to pay me for my creativity and the handmade appeal of such items. And if I should happen to want to stop work and go to the park for a while, or run out to the jewelry supply shop, or take a drive out to the ocean, or maybe I just want to stop and do nothing for a while, then that's what I will do, and I will feel free. Everyone should be able to feel that way, if not all the time, at least for a while.

It is definitely not easy to make a living doing something you love, and it is not easy to know when to just up and quit your day job. If you are not able to make a living yet fully from your craft, I recommend having a backup plan or an additional source of income. I will be relying on my graphic design skills as my additional source of income. I am extremely thankful that I have these skills to make use of, and to keep the cash flowing through my pockets while I make this transition. Before making the decision to quit my job, I was able to find a few companies that I will be doing freelance design for from home, on a regular basis.

As for not having a regular paycheck, I am used to that. Before I got my degree in Graphic Arts, I lived off tips as a bartender for about 8 years. Actually, I never got used to getting paid every 2 weeks, as I do now.

Well, that's it for now, I plan to write more about my transition as time goes on, just thought I'd let you all know that my day job is history. 4 weeks and counting......

Front Page Again!

My jewelry made it to Etsy's front page again. Great free advertising, gotta love it! Thanks go to Chiclurgee for including my bangles!