Business of Crafts

Artist Interview: Dee Janssen

2012-01-12T16:04:00.000-08:00

It's always interesting for me to talk to other artists about what inspires them, how they got started, how they run their business etc. It's my favorite part of doing shows. I get out of the studio and meet people from all over the country who live the same kind of solitary, creative work life as I do, and share a common experience and world view because of it. So I've decided to do a series of interviews to share with you. I've invited artists from all over the country to participate in the series. I think this is going to be fun!

First up: DeeJanssen of Dee Janssen Glassworks.
I first met Dee in person at The Buyer's Market of American Craft after talking for years on the (now defunct) American Craft discussion board. She has been in business for nine years creating distinctive dichroic glass jewelry and jewel toned kiln formed glass plates, bowls and home decorative items.

Describe your business:
I create a different style of glass jewelry using dichroic glass for it’s brilliant and intense colors that stand out from all the rest, adding new lines of functional and decorative glass items for the home and table.

How long have you been in business?

I started working with kiln formed glass in 2001 and went full time in 2003. I sell my work through galleries and gift shops.

How did you get started? When I started I painted t-shirts with my original designs and designed jewelry as an accessory item from mass-produced beads and findings. This led me to the discovery of dichroic glass beads and pendants made by different American artists. Ultimately, the lure of working with glass drew me into my current journey in the world of making my art for a living.

What do people not know about you or your work that you’d like them to know? The combination of color and texture is a prevalent theme in my jewelry as I believe glass wants to be caressed as much as viewed. I’m incorporating this into my new functional items as well - both texture captured within the glass and texture to be felt on the surface of the piece.

How/where do you advertise?

I do some print ads with Niche Magazine or Wholesalecrafts.com Buyer’s Guide and 1 or 2x a month on the wholesalecrafts.com buyer’s page on their website.

How did you name your business?

When I first started out, I had a whimsical name that I felt described my designs. My mentors recommended changing it to something more personally identifying to buyers when I was about to start doing the wholesale shows and after many emails and tossing variations around with my spouse, I chose Dee Janssen GlassWorks.

Do you have a favorite piece, project or idea?

My Hidden Treasures in the Chrysalis shape are my most favorite out of all my favorites. (pictured left)

How much of what you do is fun and how much feels like work?
R&D is ALWAYS the fun part and playing with new techniques or materials even if they don’t end up in a product line. The part that feels like work is the business side and some days [but not many], going downstairs to the studio can feel a bit like work.

Do you sell your products wholesale and, if so, what are the strategies that you use to get your work in stores?

I sell only wholesale at this time. I attend BMAC and Niche the Show as well as maintain a presence on wholesalecrafts.com. Additionally, I do direct mailings either by email via Vertical Response or snail mail with a color postcard to catch the attention of new galleries.

What advice would you give others just starting out?

Don’t use credit cards to keep your business funded. Develop a cohesive product line in your medium and refine it. Learn business computer programs and photo editing skills.

What inspires you?

I'm inspired by colors, nature & textures.

What’s the best/most rewarding thing about doing what you do?

Hearing from the gallery owners how much they like my work and how much their customers like it.

Who was your greatest mentor or inspiration when you started and why?

Sara Creekmore and Nancy Goodenough - they have both helped me either with glass technical issues or business issues and it was their work that really started me on this journey thru glass.

You can find Dee on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @djglassworks. And if you missed her website above it's http://deejanssenglass.com/

Artful Organizing

2011-11-18T12:03:00.000-08:00

Recently my friend Becky, of Seattle Rainwater Soap Company, posted on Facebook that she had just gotten a new cabinet for her soap making supplies. She had recently moved and was getting her new work space organized. Just the mention of this sent me into a frenzy of organizing. This week the studio was in good shape, but thanks to Becky I cleaned out the spice cabinet in my kitchen and an entire closet in the living room.

Okay, I'll confess. If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a bit compulsive about organization. In my studio prints are ready to mount, finished clock faces in a cabinet, magnets, bookmarks and alarm clocks and labels are all organized in alphabetical order on the shelves. Paints and beads and pencils are organized by color. I have lists on the wall of where to find things that are not in plain sight.

Not that my studio doesn't get messy. Oh, believe me - it does.

All the time.

But then there is always a moment after days or a week of being absorbed in other things, when I look up from my painting table or computer, look around the studio and see what I perceive as chaos and I suddenly feel completely and totally frazzled. It's a neurotic reaction I'll admit, but I Cannot Do One More Thing, I cannot focus or relax until everything is back in order.
So the cleaning frenzy commences.
I love feeling organized, but what I love even more is finding ways to make the supplies decorate the studio when I organize them.

For instance, these beads just make me happy, sitting in
their little containers. I leave them out even when I'm not working on a bead project, I love the way they look so much.

And when I found this amazing magic bookshelf for my art books, I was thrilled. The growing pile, while neatly stacked, felt like it had been cluttering my painting table for years. Now, suddenly, they became part of the decor. (By the way, you can get this wonderful bookshelf that makes a stack of books float on your wall at the MOMA store)

And Ikea! Don't even get me started on Ikea. That's where I got these great little drawers for organizing my acrylic paint, not to mention a myriad of other cool little boxes, notebooks, filing supplies and all of my office and studio furniture, including the kitchen island I use for storing supplies and packing orders.

I was looking online yesterday for new ideas and found these. I love them! (If I knit or did textiles, all of my walls would be used for displaying and storing my colorful supplies.) These are actually wine racks. Now how clever is that?

I'd love to hear your studio organizing ideas and solutions. (and if you can post a link to pictures, even better!)

Absolutely nothing to do with Crafts or Business

2011-10-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

This has nothing to do with crafts or business. But it's so much fun I had to share.
I just got the new iphone, and for those of you who aren't aware, it comes with a voice command feature called Siri. It's so smart it's scary. If you haven't yet seen the video watch it here before reading on: Siri Demo
So you get the idea, right? After asking Siri to text friends and call my brother, look for coffee shops near my house and being completely impressed with how brilliant it was, I decided to see how she responded to other questions. The responses I got were so funny, I started scanning the phone so I could share the responses. These are even funnier when you hear her speak her replies, but I hope you'll enjoy them.

From Head to Hands

2011-08-19T15:16:00.000-07:00

I've always been curious about other people's creative process.
When I paint a new design I generally only have a basic idea to start. So I start drawing it in pencil, usually doing a few versions before I settle on one that I like. Once I know I'm happy with it, I outline it in ink. Those steps are a relatively simple process, although it often takes a couple of weeks. But when it comes to the color, for some reason that's a much more organic process. I start by painting the first one or two colors and then I have to leave it alone for anywhere from an hour to a few days.
When I come back I can usually clearly see what the next color or few colors should be. I paint one or two more areas and then I need another break. Again, I'll walk away, let it sit, come back later and add more color. This process takes days or sometimes even up to a few weeks of doing small sections, walking away and coming back over and over again as the design reveals itself to me.
I can never envision the finished design ahead of time. For me it feels like the painting tells me where to go....

I have always wondered if it's like this for other artists, so I asked my friends. I wanted to know, do they start with sketches? Can they see it fully formed in their head before they start working on it and recreate it exactly as they see it? Or do they take it a step at a time like I do? I got so many great replies, I decided to share them here. These responses are from wonderful artists all over the country. You can read their responses and visit their websites to see what they do:

Marienela Borsten, Nela Ceramics: In my media you need to have something envisioned in your mind. Sometimes I don't draw but usually I like to sketch the shapes first. Then I kinda go from there. When it comes to color (glaze) that's another thing and I've had a lot of pieces sitting for months if not years waiting to be "dressed". I've found that the whole process goes faster when I get to "see" the finished piece in my mind. Otherwise, I just ask the piece what it wants to be.

Charlotte Behrens, Charlotte Arvelle Glass
The work comes to me in different ways. Sometimes I see the shape and the color follows and that's usually quite quick on that. Other times like some of the larger pieces it's in my head for days, weeks or months where I can "see" it. Kinda hard to explain. I can usually look up and see it in space in front of me. I've been caught "drawing" in the air with my fingers working on the piece while it's in my head. I think about that design until it's done and when I draw it out it's done. What's weird is that on of my close friends can "see" what I'm drawing in space even the colors sometimes without me saying it. Now that's crazy huh?

Kate Van Herik Tonguis, Sinistra Studio
When I'm dry on inspiration I look at work anywhere I can find it. Then I let what I saw sink in for about a week. It morphs into something else in my head before I make it. I have always thrown my work in my head before I sit down at my wheel so that I have the pitfalls ironed out before I begin. Glaze is something else - sometimes the pot tells me, sometimes the client tells me.

Charan Sachar, Creative with Clay
I am always drawing and doodling new forms for my work and new patterns for my decoration. The forms always remain at the back of my mind and I am always thinking how I can make them. The form, the construction, the process and if extruded then making the die all require a lot of planning. But the cool thing is that after all that planning and extruding my form, the new gestures and curves give me ideas to change things or make something else out of it than what I intended. It is a very dynamic process for me.

Coni Brown, Coni's Cabins Beach Bum Gallery
I do wholesale work for shops in south Fl. 15 yrs.- whimsical beach art paintings on signs, cabinets, lazy susans, tables, etc. I draw whatever beach scenes pop into my mind...then paint sky & water and leave the fun colors on beach houses, boats, clotheslines, etc. for the end!

Cathy Wallace Crain, Crain Art Studio
If I have a construction problem, I stay in bed in the morning with my eyes closed and figure it out. It is that place between sleep & awake...always works for me. I visual virtually everything I do. I rarely draw it out. After the first hr. or so, they take on a life of their own and tell me what to do.

Joanna Craft, Joanna Craft Jewelry
I keep notebooks of doodles and ideas that inspire me. Sometimes I do a more refined sketch of an idea, but mostly I just start working with metal and see how it evolves. These days, though, with the price of silver, I usually do the rough version in copper first!

Dee Jannsen, Dee Jannsen Glassworks
i also have a thing about designing new pieces in my head while I'm trying to fall asleep or just after i wake up. then i try to write it down before the details escape me. i have a notebook for that and a new notebook for potential jewelry cast designs that incorporate my glass as a "stone". M

Mark Rosenbaum, Rosetree Glass
don't do a lot of drawings. I figure out what I want to do, and work it out through the glass. I find that with drawings, I work through the piece and almost seem to skip steps to get to the end piece. Working directly with the material keeps the dialogue going with me and the glass. I think a lot while I am working on other pieces (mindless production). I am working right now on a series of large fruits and vegetables for a new restaurant and I am deconstructing the pieces and then writing down steps to make them look real, but not sketching them.

Amy Peters, Amy Peters' Studio
I do both sketching or working directly with the metal. But sometimes I do the marketing material first. I know...I'm a total marketing geek. But sometimes it's as much about the story and the packaging as the piece.

Angelika Traylor, Angelika Traylor Stained Glass
With my large panels, lamps & commission work I go through days of drawing, rarely sit, mostly pace and constantly walk away from it, I always feel like a caged tiger, very intense. It goes from a rough idea to a sketch then to a full sized drawing, lots of corrections, then all colored in so I don't lose my way when cutting the glass. The small things for my gift line are like play, nice and easy, I sketch it out and refine it, usually can tell if it will be a good seller.

Geri Comstock, Comstock Art Glass
It depends on what I'm making. I spent several months designing and drawing the sterling and fused glass flatware I made. There were a number of fabrication issues that had to be worked out on paper before I could start fabricating the sterling. The matching goblet designs came out of my head without drawing. The rest of my work comes from playing with glass and silver until I get a good feeling about it and make it without drawing anything.

Sandra Kevin - Sandra's Satchels
I have never used a pattern for my satchels. The best advice I ever received was from a sculptor, who said, "let the fabric tell you what it wants to be". My process also involves selecting fabrics. My fabrics select me. It is usually a"love at first sight" reaction. Now and then I have selected something without being head over heals in love with it, but not so much any more. Like any relationship, if it doesn't feel right, down to my toes right, I usually don't get it. Sometimes I'll buy a button and wonder why I bought it, and a week or two later, the fabric that cries out for that button appears. Funny thing, I think the handbags, fabrics and buttons choose me. I feel like I'm just along for the ride. Most of creating is to keep my head out of the way, and just dance with it.

Thanks to Mark Rosenbaum for suggesting the title of this post!

My silly little Journal

2011-07-20T13:03:00.000-07:00

Once again too long has passed. Once again, I apologize. And here I am thinking of starting a new blog. Who am I to think I can pull that off when I neglect this one so much?

Well, here's the thing. I recently started journaling again and am now adding little drawings and doodles that express my thoughts, some personal, some meaningful, some just silly. It feels great to express myself in this way, and I thought it might be fun to share them in their own blog. (I'd be better at updating it, since I journal all the time...) Here's a little preview. I'd love to know what you think.

Is this a blog you'd follow and/or tell your friends about?

You Can't Hurry Love

2011-05-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

Coming up with a new idea never happens when you are looking for it. It always, at least for me, happens out of the blue and at some inconvenient time.

And that's how my new night lights were born. Now, to be honest I have wanted to make night lights for as long as I've been in business. I fell in love with the idea years ago and have a box full of at least 8 failed attempts in my attic that turned out to be too much work, too expensive, or just plain ugly. (I always save botched prototypes for future exploration) So this is not the first time this idea surfaced, it's just the first time it took hold of me and wouldn't let go.

And once again, just as with the magnetic bookmarks, the obsession took hold a month before a wholesale show and once I knew I had to create them I was determined to have samples for ACRE. SO. The past month has been predictably frantic and fraught with mishaps. The designing of the night light covers, while all consuming for the first week, went pretty well. I found a way to make them out of my art sandwiched between two sheets of acrylic. But the rest has been a bumpy ride.

I ordered 100 night lights from a place I trust and as soon as they got here, took every single one out of it's individual blister pack and put it in a bin. That was my first mistake. I didn't notice until a week later when I was trying to put them together that they were cheap imports and the clip that attaches the cover to the light didn't fit. The cover spins and flops around like a ring on your finger after you've lost 50 lbs. So now I've got 100 night lights I can't use and can't return.
Great start, Corwin.

Meanwhile, I still had to get them photographed so I can get them on the website before I leave for the show. So I made one of each design anyway, and got them to my wonderful photographer, Aaron, who had agreed to fit me in for a rush job so I could get the images online before my show next week. He was a trooper about dealing with the covers twirling on the base and super tight deadline. (And as I write this, I realize I should have just superglued the clips on the light to make it easier for him even though that would render them unsellable afterwards).

With just one week until I leave for Las Vegas, I spent the better part of a day calling night light suppliers, only to find that almost no one carries the black lights I want. The places that have a great price on them are out of stock until July and the ones who have them in stock are way too expensive. Apparently (who knew?) there is a night light shortage in this country. The black ones are so scarce that I had to order 250 dark brown lights (they swore they look black!) from one place and 500 black lights from another (much more expensive place), cleaning out both of those suppliers.
Oh, did I mention I had to have them shipped 3 Day Air so I could get them in time? Ouch.

Then, because the black lights are hard to get, I had to pre-order (and pre-pay)1500 of them to get them reserved so they can be drop shipped from the manufacturer when they are made later this summer.

To make matters worse, I calculated my prices based on the cost of the crummy ones that I had every reason to believe would work just fine. AND I already, in my hurry to cover every detail before the show, printed signs for the booth, designed and printed catalog sheets and sent out emails based on that price.

Oy. Learn from my mistakes, my friend. It is too late for me.

Now I'm poised to go to Vegas in a few days and take orders for a product I can't even start making until the day before I leave. I'll get it done. You can bet I will. I won't sleep much and I'll be stressed, and worried and crunching numbers in my sleep. I'll take a little hit on my profits. But at least you'll learn from me. Take this as a cautionary tale.

Do your homework first.
Don't jump the gun.
Test before you print catalogs, signs, send out an email blast... and then test again.

And then hold your breath and jump.

Hopelessy Addicted - my new love

2011-04-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

A few months ago my friend Tom Anderson sent me information about The Landfill Art Project. Founded by Ken Marquis, The Landfillart Project is an international effort inviting 1,041 artists to create fine art from a reclaimed hubcap. The goal is to create a traveling show of 200 of the hubcaps and to publish a book on the project showcasing all one thousand forty one completed “metal canvases.” The book and traveling show will publicly portray the global art community's effort to positively impact the environment through repurposing metal waste into great landfillart.

If you've been following my blog you know that I have recently become obsessed with the beadwork of the Huichol Indians and have been beading my heart out creating lamps, bowls and boxes for the past year. I was so excited about this project I wrote Ken right away and got my hubcap the next week.

I started by filing in the center Thunderbird logo impression with epoxy resin so I'd have a smooth surface to work on. Once that dried I filled the area with a mixture of pine pitch and beeswax and began the beading process. Each bead is applied one at time, embedded in the wax with a tiny awl.

Clearly, it's a very, very time consuming process, but I find it meditative and relaxing. Time flies and hours pass in what seems like minutes. I started in the center and as I finished each area I stopped and let the piece show me where to go. Even when I paint, I'm not the kind of artist who can sketch the final piece out ahead of time. I let it unfold and as I complete each phase I live with it for a day (or sometimes several) until it shows me what to do next.

It took over two months to get the center done. Once I finished the honeycomb floral design it took several days of sitting with it to envision the black and white border with the purple flowers and then figure out how to make it work with beads. It took another month or more to finish the border.

First I tried an orange edge around the black and white area, but after about an hour I could see it wasn't working so I had to remove all of the 200 or so beads I had just applied, then I reapplied the wax and tried the olive green line. I loved it, and as soon as I finished it I saw very clearly what the rest should look like.

By my estimate there are over 6,000 beads in the finished piece. Here are some close ups:

Now comes the hardest part - sending it away.

I never expected that after spending months with this labor of love, I'd find it so hard to let it go. Each day I plan to pack it up and send it to Ken, and each day I think... I'll just enjoy it on the wall for one more day. I mean, really - it looks perfect there, right?

Paying it Forward

2011-03-11T07:13:00.000-08:00

If you know me, you know I love giving things away. It goes beyond the candy I put in all the orders I ship and goody bags I give out at the wholesale shows. I give away a clock every day I work at Pike Place Market, too.

It's always the highlight of my day. I wait until the right person comes along, someone who loves a certain design but can't afford to buy it, someone who is having a bad day or lets it slip that its their birthday. I discreetly put that item in a bag, hand it to them and tell them it's a gift. Often they refuse at first but I insist, explaining that this is a Paper Scissors Rock tradition and ask that in return I just ask that they do something kind for someone else - preferably a stranger. (And for the record I started doing this way before the move Pay It Forward movie came out!)

I believe every kindness, no matter how small makes a difference, and that together we can all make the world a better place. Corny? Sure, but here's the thing. The way I see it, each time we make someone smile, laugh or feel a little lighter, it's a ripple in the pond. Neale Donald Walsh wrote, "You could be the Angel for whom someone is waiting today". The world is a difficult place right now. why not be kinder to each other? What does that really cost us? The truth is, you never know what impact a tiny gesture can make, it could be much bigger than you think.

So I had an idea the other day. I love this tradition so much that I've decided to expand it by starting a Pay It Forward Gift GIveaway Program. Any wholesale buyer who wants to be part of it can sign up. I will note it in their account and from now on, I will add a free gift item to each of their orders, which they can then give to any customer, asking them to continue the chain by doing something kind for someone else.

This is going to be on the honor system, the added item is not to be sold or given to friends. The idea is to extend kindness and generosity when it's least expected, and my hope is that they will feel as rewarded by these gestures as I do.

Studio Tour Continued

2011-02-11T08:59:00.000-08:00

The last studio tour was so much fun I've decided to make it a regular thing. First stop on this tour is the studio of Nancy Giere of NGlassworks in Williamsburg, VA. Nancy makes dichroic glass jewelry. It's so organized and clean!

And for more gorgeous dichroic glass, we'll visit the studio of the amazing Mercedes Brugh. Her company, Frozen Music is in Logansport, Indiana.

And last stop is in Shelton, WA. Ainsley Walden of Go Fish has a sweet little set up - two little cottages and a lovely courtyard where she does her raku firing. One building is for shipping and is her office, the other has a kiln and workspace.

I hope you'll consider sending me images of your studio so I can feature you here. (email images and info to businessofcrafts@comcast.net)

Retail vs Wholesale - sales technique

2011-02-08T14:28:00.000-08:00

I just got back from the New York Gift Show. While there, I watched a few beginners struggle nervously through the first few days. It really brought me back. When I did my first wholesale show I'd sold my art for years at shows and at Pike Place Market, but I had no idea what to say to a buyer. Realizing it was a whole new world, I hired someone with experience to do my first show with me and stood back and watched her for the first two days before I felt comfortable interacting with buyers.

Here's what I learned: You simply can't talk to wholesale buyers the way you do to retail shoppers. It's not effective and it doesn't answer the important questions they need answered about your work and about doing business with you.

Wholesale sales technique and retail sales technique are very different. When you speak to retail customers you’re selling your product. When you sell to wholesale buyers you’re selling that your product sells. Although it is still important, less time is spent romancing your work, explaining technique, the medium and the story of each piece. Instead, it’s your job to help the buyer feel secure that they are making a smart and profitable decision for their business.

Retail customers are often out to have fun. They don’t need to buy anything. ‘Just looking’ is great entertainment. When you talk to a retail shopper you’re measuring if they're really interested, how they react to colors, styles and prices. It’s important to talk to them on a personal level and keep it light. If the customer needs help choosing a clock as a gift I might ask what the recipient's favorite colors are, or if they have cats or a dog, or hobbies that relate to my designs. If they are buying one to take home I might ask “What colors make you happy?” It’s helpful to make suggestions or help guide them towards a decision they’ll feel good about but at the same time I want to also be sure they don't feel pressured.

On the other hand when you do a wholesale show, buyers are never ‘just looking’. Unlike retail shoppers, wholesale buyers come to a show because they need to shop. It's their job. They have a budget, and they need to spend it in order to make a living. They rely on you to help them decide if your work is right for their store and their customers as well as to give them the information and tools they need to sell it. This means listening to their needs, giving display suggestions, and helping them choose the right items for their clientele.

When a retail customer buys a piece that’s been sitting around for months you’re happy to get rid of it. When they walk away from your booth, you probably do a little happy dance of relief. (It’s gone! Finally!) But it’s bad business to sell a wholesale buyer an item that is a slow seller. If it’s likely they’ll end up stuck with it forever you risk losing their trust. They probably won’t believe your recommendations again and you may very well lose the account altogether.

When you think a buyer is making a bad decision, even if it benefits you in the short run to make the sale, letting them know it may not be the best choice benefits both of you. You’re there to make sure both of you profit from the relationship in the long run - you’re a team. You can’t take the point of view that once you sell your work to a store the deal is over. Your wholesale buyers are your link between you and your end customer. If they don’t sell your work well, you both lose.

Wholesale relationships are long term, and it’s important to treat them that way. Establish a trust by being honest and put the buyer’s needs first. By doing this you’ll forge a solid relationship that’s beneficial to both of you.

Obstacle into Opportunity

2011-01-24T15:53:00.000-08:00

I've always said that there is no such thing as failure and that every obstacle is an opportunity. I teach this in all my classes as well. Every stumbling block you encounter can teach you something and tells you as much about what you should do as what you shouldn't.
I've had to learn this the hard way so many times now over the years that I now have a rule. When I hit a wall, a glitch, a tough time, or when I see something isn't working, I allow myself to indulge in three days of panic and worry and stress. But that's it. Then I stop, take out a piece of paper and make myself write answers to these four questions:
Is there something I did to cause this that I now know to avoid?
Is there something I can learn from this?
What gift or opportunity can I find here?
And what do I do now?
Great things come from this exercise. When I first created my clocks (which, if you've never seen them, are prints of my artwork laminated onto foam board) I loved them. But many of the people who picked them up were confused and disappointed because they thought they were tiles. They'd pause, and say "Oh...I thought it was a tile," then put it back down and walk away. I was surprised by this and frankly it upset me. After all my work and excitement about this new idea, I felt like I had to start over.

I stewed a while but then, I realized I could actually turn this into a selling point if I took a positive spin on it. When people walked up to my booth I started addressing the issue before they had a chance to notice it. I'd say "Go ahead, pick one up! It's actually not ceramic, it just looks like it." Out of curiosity they would pick one up and they'd always gasp "WOW! I thought it was a tile!" And that gave me the opportunity to say "I know! Isn't it great? They look like a tile, but they'll never crack or break and you can hang them on a push pin." My sales skyrocketed. And to this day, 15 years later this is still how I approach every single customer. In fact, this is now what I'm known for and what people love about my clocks.

Last year when many people were cutting art out of their budget and buying only necessities, I started to get really scared. But then I made myself stop and ask myself the questions. I realized people still want to shop and people still love art. So my job was to create a tiny little affordable gift that was also functional. I played with lots of ideas and really had fun with it and finally created a line of magnetic bookmarks, a little piece of art that anyone could afford that had a function and purpose. They are now being sold in stores all over the country and even won Museum & More's Gifty Award for Best Gift in the Paper & Stationery category.

I truly believe that every obstacle holds a gift inside of it whether a lesson, a new venture or a new idea. Sometimes it's easier to find it than others, but if you can stop and breath and look for it, it actually becomes fun and exciting to try and turn things around.

Virtual Studio Tour

2010-11-08T10:20:00.000-08:00

I am fascinated with other people's studios and work spaces. I love to see where other artists work, how they organize things, whether they decorate their space or prefer it to be purely functional. I like to see their storage and their furniture, how they utilize the light, whether they like to sit or stand, play music, watch TV or talk on the phone while they create. Some work out of their homes, some in the living room, some have separate studios or outbuildings, others work in the garage. Many studios are work of art in and of themselves. We all make it work and we all do it differently.
So. I emailed some of my favorite artists from all over the country to send in images of their studios for a virtual studio tour. I'd like to do a this every so often. There are so many more people I would like to include. If you would like to share your work space images please email them to me at businessofcrafts@comcast.net

Here is the first edition. Thanks so much to everyone who responded!

This one is from Angela Yoder, Villa Park Hearts in Olympia, WA. When you visit her site be sure to click on 'paper art' to check out her paper buildings.

These next three are Amy Peter's Studio in Avila Beach, CA. Amy has a pretty large operation and several employees. You've probably seen her jewelry in Femail Creations catalog and in stores all over the U.S. This shows her storage, metal stamps and shipping station. To see more of Amy's process, studio and employees, visit her blog.

Next stop: Caitlin Dundon of One Heart Studio, in Seattle. Caitlin's studio is at Venue, a beautiful retail space, where her work is for sale. Venue rents studio space to several wonderful artists.

This is where Bonnie Riconda creates Calico Juno Designs. Bonnie is in Bronx, NY and has been featured in The Knot and Brides magazines, as well as many more.

Colleen MacDonald of BCharmer Designs is right her in Olympia, WA. I was lucky enough to visit this charming little space. It's just beautiful.

Next, we're off to visit Dee Janssen Glass in Broad Brook, Ct.

And back to Seattle, WA to visit Joline El-Hai of Bella Luz. Joline's work is well known in the world of American Craft and is available all over the country.

I bet you want to know what's in that glass cabinet. So did I:

Lisa Richey of Cheap Therapy makes handcrafter paper, journals cards and more in her studio in Lake Waccamaw, NC.

Charan Sachar of Creative With Clay creates his work in Federal Way, WA. How anyone who does ceramics keeps their studio so clean and organized, I don't know.

And another tidy potter, Tali Waterman of Forest's Edge Clayworks creates her work and teaches classes in studio. This studio is this little cottage on her beautiful, secluded property in Olympia, WA.

One more from here in Olympia. Pat Tassoni sent in these of his studio, Pat-Works. At first glance you may think that's a mess, but it's pieces and parts waiting to become one of Pat's amazing creations.

Studio Tour

2010-10-31T14:37:00.000-07:00

I was writing the answer to Lara's great question about how to be prepared for unforeseen emergencies (see below, "Wholesale: It's Not as Scary as you Think") and it occurred to me that the easiest way to answer might be to show you my back stock. And then I decided that while I was at it, I might as well give you a complete studio tour.
So there I was snapping pictures, and it occurred to me that it would be even MORE fun to invite you to share yours, too. I'd love it if you'd send me a picture of your studio or work space that I can share. I don't care if you work on a table in your dining room or have a huge studio with ten employees. I'll set up a virtual studio tour so we can all see each other's spaces. How fun is that?
Here's my little tour:

My studio is two bedrooms with the wall knocked out between them. The left side is my office and painting table. (set up right now with a new beading project)

On the other side is my production area, a shipping station for the smaller orders, and stock and supplies. This table is where I assemble and box the clocks, on the left you can see all the labels. To the left of the desk are the cards and unfinished, unfolded bookmarks.

Small order packing and shipping (large orders get packed downstairs in the shop) and small supplies

Here (just to the right of the work table) is the closet full of finished clock faces, waiting to be assembled.

And this what 3000 alarm clocks looks like. On the doors on the left are tiny shelves of finished bookmarks (about 1200 of them) and on the right, all the alarm clock labels.

Bins of magnets (about 1200 sets ready to ship).

Now if you go outside, across a breezeway and open a door and go downstairs, there is the shop. This is where I do all my mounting, store boxes and other supplies and the clock back stock is here. It's also where I pack up the larger orders. I'm going to spare you the whole tour, but this is just a partial shot of the finished clocks. This wall is about twice this long and there are two full walls like this. These shelves are actually very empty because I just shipped a ton of orders.

This week I'll be refilling all those empty spots.

Okay, now it's your turn. Please send (only one or two) images to: businessofcrafts@comcast.net. I'll put the post together later in the week. And please invite your friends to send theirs too! Be sure to include your name, business name and website so I can post links!

A little bit of fun

2010-10-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

I love my customers. I really, really do. I meet the greatest people selling my work at Pike Place Market and most days I love being there. But there are days - and those of you who sell your art for a living know what I'm talking about - that make you want to pull your hair out. So, my apologies in advance to all of my wholesale buyers and wonderful customers - I really do appreciate you all so much.

But after a long frustrating Saturday at my booth, I was inspired to to find a creative way to vent. So I made this little film and dedicate it to everyone who sells their work at crafts shows.

Determining your wholesale terms

2010-10-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

First, let me apologize for being a bad blogger. I have the best of intentions, I really do - but so many other things really have to come first and this blog always seems to slide down the bottom of my to-do list. I'd promise to be better about it, but I know it's unlikely I'll ever be a weekly blogger. There are always going to be busy times, or weeks I can't think of anything to write about, or when the topics I do want to write about seem like such a big project that I keep putting them off until I have more time. (And when exactly is that, anyway?)

So I'll just trust that you have lots of great blogs you're following and hope you appreciate that there's one that doesn't overload you with posts.

And now, on to the subject of wholesale terms:

Every artist who starts in wholesale has to start by establishing their terms, and most are confused and overwhelmed at the thought of it. So if you don't know what 'terms' means, know you're not alone and relax. I'm going to give you a simple explanation that should make this task a lot easier.

When you start approaching buyers, whether at their store or at a show, one of the first questions they are likely to ask is "What is your Minimum?"

Minimum refers to the minimum amount you require for a wholesale order. Most wholesalers have a minimum opening order – which is the first order they place with you, and a different minimum reorder. Deciding what your minimum will be depends on a few criteria.

1. Every order must be profitable for you.
2. Your minimum opening order should create a nice display of your work but at the same time not require a huge investment for the buyer who is taking a risk on your line for the first time.
3. Your minimum reorder should make it easy for the buyer to restock and replenish their display long before they run out.

Your opening order is always larger, because you want to make sure the store carries and displays a strong mix of your work, enough to show it off and enough variety that there are choices for everyone. You also want the store to make an investment in your work. It motivates them to display and sell it well. Having a few items scattered throughout a store does not show your work well and generally doesn’t sell it as well, so small opening orders don’t serve you or the buyer.

Your reorder minimum should be smaller. My opening minimum is $200, my reorder minimum is $100. I want my buyers to be able to keep my display full and fresh without a big investment and with a smaller minimum they can reorder more often instead of waiting until they run out to reorder. In other words, if they have sold half of their first order, buying another $200 worth at that point might be too much for them. But they can easily refresh and fill out the display for only $100. And when I introduce new items they can easily buy a sampling of those to add to the line.

So, while it’s tempting to require a large minimums, remember that if you do it will not only turn away new buyers who don't want to spend too much on a new line, but it will also take longer for the store to run low which can make it look like your work sells slowly. The faster they see it disappear, the better!

Now, exactly how do you structure your minimum? Really, this is up to you.
You can require a minimum dollar amount or a minimum quantity of items. You can also require a buyer purchase a quantity of each color, each style, each item or each design.

For example: I can require that when ordering magnets a buyer must order 2 (or 6) of each design and order a total of 4 dozen. I allow my buyers to order anything as long as it adds up to my total minimum, but not every artist does. You can require that they order 48 pieces, 10 sets, or for example, a glass earring can be sold in sets of six, with the sets available in a variety of colors.

Some stores might need special consideration. I sell to several stores that only sell pet items or ladybug or horse themed items. For those stores I allow a smaller minimum since they have a narrow focus and I only have a few items that will work for them.
When you set your minimum, figure out what works for you, and then always put yourself in the shoes of your buyer. It’s your job to make sure your policies work for them too. As I have said here before, your relationship with your buyer is a partnership. If they do well, you do well and vice versa.

As always, if you have any questions about wholesale or any other topic please leave a comment or email me at pj@businessofcrafts.com.

Artist Reception Friday Night

2010-08-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that the show I wrote about in March opened on August 20th.

The artists reception is this Friday, September 3rd,in 5-8pm at Childhood's End Gallery at 222 Fourth Ave, in Olympia. I hope you'll stop by if you're in the area. It's a wonderful show. It's also First Friday in Olympia as well as the opening day of Harbor Days. It should be a fun night to wander downtown.

As you may recall, I named the show Let There Be Light. The gallery changed it to 15 Ways With Light. (I still like my name better!)

Here's a sneak peek:

One Little Bowl

2010-07-23T13:57:00.000-07:00

It all started with one little bowl.
Several years ago on a trip to Santa Fe I visited the Museum of International Folk Art. There happened to be a huge festival that weekend and I wandered around in awe, blown away by the weaving, paintings, and especially taken by the intricately etched gourds from Peru. But it was in the museum gift shop that I fell in love.

It was the Huichol beaded bowls that stopped me in my tracks. I was instantly smitten with them, mesmerized by the vivid color combinations, the intricacy of the patterns created by hundreds of tiny little beads, a stunning micro-mosaic inside a hollowed out gourd.

I was on a very tight budget at the time, but I couldn’t leave without one. I splurged on one tiny little bowl, about 2” wide. I remember that when I got home I unpacked it gently and held it cupped my hands, wondering who did this? What is the story, the history? The meaning of the design? How is it done? I set it on my windowsill with a few other collected treasures.

Over the years I picked it up often to marvel at it. I became obsessed, wanting to learn this art and translate it into something of my own. A few months ago the bug got so strong I finally sat down to do some research. I read that that Huichol (pronounced wee-chol) Indians of central Mexico create their art as an expression of their spiritual beliefs. A shaman guides them on a yearly pilgrimage ending in a ceremony which induces a visionary state. Their art derives from their visions. Originally the Huichol decorated the hollowed-out gourds with bits of shell, seeds and stones to use as offering bowls to the gods. When glass beads became available, they began using them.

I then went on to read about they were made, coating the gourds with a mixture of beeswax and pine pitch, applying each tiny bead one at a time, by hand. This is my first attempt, a clumsy practice on the lid of a wooden box. I wasn’t trying to create a cohesive design – just playing with different patterns, getting used to the rhythm of applying the beads, experimenting with color.

Then I went on to my own little (wooden) bowl.

With just two practice runs under my belt, I decided to create some lamps for my upcoming show at Childhood’s End Gallery this fall. (see post below). These two are made from wooden lamps each of which I decorated with about 4,000 beads . They are about 8 inches tall.

The next one started with a papier-mâché dress form. This one is called Party Girl. She's about 18 inches tall with the shade, and I used over 12,000 beads to create her dress. It took endless hours. I secretly pray no one will buy her…

I am working on another larger bowl now and the ideas haven’t stopped coming. I dream of beading furniture, musical instruments, a birdhouse, shoes, the list gets longer by the day. I can’t stop, I’m in love with the process. It’s very meditative and I can totally see why it’s a spiritual experience for the Huichol. Of course, Peyote is also an important part of their ceremonies. I think I’ll skip that part.

Wholesale: It's not as scary as you think

2010-05-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

When artists start out in wholesale most are afraid that they’ll suddenly get overwhelmed with orders and won’t be able to fill them all. This is the concern I hear most often from beginner friends and students. Don't worry! Just take a deep breath and relax. I'm about to tell you about a simple tool that will ease your worries and help you manage your schedule. It's called a production calendar. Your production calendar is the key to preventing overload, show panic, and most importantly late orders.

To create your production calendar you'll first need to figure out how much you can comfortably produce in one week, taking into consideration how many hours you want to work as well as the time you need to keep up with all the other aspects of your business. How many hours do you realistically have to devote to production? How much time do you need to do bookkeeping, pack orders, make phone calls, do paperwork, update your website, etc, etc? You may want to take a month to track how much work you can comfortably produce in that time and then average it out.

You can calculate your weekly quota by dollar amount, by number of pieces or number of orders. Then, using that weekly production goal you can pretty easily figure out what you can ship each week and each day. Some people designate only certain days of the week for shipping, some allow a certain amount of time each day to get orders shipped. This is totally up to you.

Okay, now you have something concrete to work with! Here's the next step:

When you go to a show, bring your production calendar marked with all the orders you already have scheduled as well as any days you’ll be closed, out of town at a show or unable to ship for any reason. As you take each order you'll ask for the date the buyer needs it, and then write the name of the store on the day it’s scheduled to ship. When you reach your limit for that day, consider it closed. If another buyer asks for that ship date simply explain that it's full and show them the calendar and the dates you have available. Together you'll find another time and schedule it in. Handmade buyers are used to this, and are happy to work with you. This is how you manage your work load.

Above you'll see one of my old production calendars. I can comfortably ship 6 -10 orders a day. But when I'm at a show once any given calendar day has 4-5 orders on it I consider it full in order to allow openings for reorders that come in from my regular customers. This way I can insure that I will never be overloaded.

Production is easy to manage if you are doing online sales. You are not going to be slammed with orders the first week you sell on a wholesale site. It just doesn't happen that way. But at a show they fill up quickly because you are writing a lot of orders in just a few days. Don’t worry if your production calendar fills up. That's a good thing! It’s perfectly acceptable to tell a buyer your calendar is full and that the first open date is weeks or even months away. Some artists schedule production 6 months or more ahead of time. You can offer to write a back up order and/or put the store on a waiting list and call them if you get cancellations or have some time open up.

One word of warning: If you schedule an order for a certain date, ship it on that date. If something comes up and you get behind, don't worry, it happens to all of us now and then. But please, don't delay the order hoping your buyer won't notice. Call them, explain and negotiate a new ship date. You've made an agreement and you're a professional. Your buyer depends on you to be good to your word and will appreciate the call. I promise.

A full calendar shouldn't scare you if you've planned it well, and it won't scare your buyers away, either. It's a good thing to have your work be in high demand, it only makes it that much more desirable. When you have a waiting list it's a sign of success. Don't forget that most people who appreciate what you do understand that you make each piece by hand. In fact this is one of the reasons they love it. They know you are not a factory!
So breathe easy, you are in control of how many orders you take and how much work you do each week. You'll come to love seeing a full calendar - it means you've got work to do and your bills are paid.

The Wholesale Jury - what you need to know

2010-05-16T13:17:00.001-07:00

Thinking about getting into wholesale or doing your first wholesale show? I'm going to give you some tips that could make all the difference in whether or not you're accepted to a website like Wholesalecrafts.com or a wholesale show.

Although there are similarities, jurying for wholesale is a little different than for a retail show. Jurors not only want to see your work, but we need to see that you are experienced or at least ready for wholesale, know what you're doing and who you are. A jury wants to see that you have a cohesive line (see the post below), proven sellers, that your work is priced well for the market, that you are

not underselling your buyers, and that your terms are reasonable and that you

have had some experience

selling your work. Many will also want to see your catalog, website, and all of your printed materials to be sure they look professional.

It helps immensely if you've been selling successfully at retail at shows and/or online for some time. In fact I'd even say it's necessary (even if it's not required). This experience is important because store owners need you to tell them your best sellers, to know that your prices are appropriate and fair, and even in many cases to suggest ways to effectively display your work. If you haven't test marketed your work how can a buyer be confident that it sells? How can you? The last thing you want to do is sell work to a store and then have it sit there for months. That store will most likely never order from you again and you've ruined what might have been a long term relationship with a buyer because you didn't do your homework.

For most wholesale shows you'll be asked to list your suppliers (to prove you really make your work by hand) and your best wholesale accounts (to show you have at least a little experience). You'll also be asked to list your terms. If you don't know what terms are or how they work, terms are your requirements for ordering and payment as well as your turnaround time (how long a buyer should expect to wait before you can ship). These terms will appear in writing on any printed material as well as on your website.

If you list unreasonable terms, such as deposits on orders or all orders paid in advance, it will be clear you don't understand the wholesale relationship and your application will probably be denied. Read a book, talk to experienced friends, or hire a consultant for an hour, but learn the basics of wholesale and how it works before you jump into it. You can also look at other artist’s wholesale catalogs and websites to see how they post their terms. I will post on how to determine your terms in the future - you might want to watch for it.

As always, images are key - especially when you are applying to sell online on a site like Wholesalecrafts.com. As a juror, when I see amateur photos I assume you are an amateur artist. Keep in mind, on a website full of beautiful work from all over the country you have but seconds to stand out among the rest. Your images are all you have. Buyers can tell if you are a professional in one glance. And why wouldn't you want to show your work at it's best? (Read the last post below for tips on images.)

Another common mistake we see in jurying for wholesale is pricing. Your wholesale price should be at least half, and preferably less than half of your retail price. Artists tend to forget that buyers have a lot of expenses, from rent & utilities to staff, display, advertising and much more. They will need to at least double your wholesale prices to make a profit. Many stores will mark up 2.25% to 2.75%. Competing with your buyers by underselling them is a total no-no in the world of wholesale and the fastest way to lose an account.

Any smart buyer will check our your retail website before they order from you. Your wholesale buyers are investing in your work and it is critical that you respect them and that they know they can trust you. Every account has the potential to become a profitable and long-term relationship and it's not worth it to try and fool them. Savvy buyers and jurors will look for you online, on Etsy and other similar sites.

If you follow these simple tips you'll be one step ahead of everyone else. If you have more questions about getting into wholesale feel free to email me. You might also want to sign up for my mailing list - I do offer consulting and classes.

And if you haven't yet, don't forget to subscribe to my Hot Tips Newsletter. Every month I send out great free tips and links to resources for artists, from new apps, to places to sell your work, great sales on art supplies and much, much more! Here's a link to the latest issue.

Putting Your Best Foot Forward

2010-05-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

I spent this morning jurying applicants to Wholesalecrafts.com as well as for the American Craft Retailers Expo. If you ask jurors for any show or website, they'll tell you most people make the same mistakes, so I'm going to give you some tips to help you be one step ahead next time:

First of all: Jurors want to see a line of similar work - not a felted belt with glass earrings and a quilted pillow. You need to show us a line that represents who you are in a cohesive collection. If you can't do that you're probably not ready to sell your work, and you're definitely not ready for wholesale.

Considering that artists are visual people, I'm shocked that so many don't realize how important photography is. Everyone wants to think that their work will speak for itself, but here's the thing: jurors can't pick up your work to look closer, turn it over, see the detail, or move it to see how it catches the light. We have only the image you give us and we have hundreds to look at so you don't get much time to impress us. You owe it to yourself to make that image the best you can.

PLEASE, do not send images that are out of focus. I constantly shake my head in amazement at how many artists send in fuzzy images, or images taken from so far away we can barely tell what we're looking at. Most jurying is done on the web now, so remember your images will be small and we can't zoom in on them to see them better.

Do not send images taken on a busy background. We don't need to see your work placed prettily on branches, your work in baskets or birds nests, or your work on wrinkled fabric or sitting in the grass or on a rock. We just want to see your work. We want to see it with no distraction or competition.

We want to see your work close up, well it, with no shadows and no props. We want your work to speak for itself and speak clearly and brightly. The best background is a graduated background (shown below). There is a reason most professionals use it - it works.

This is the image I first used for my magnets:

Not bad, right? Most people think this is fine. And many people send in much worse. But here's what Jerry Anthony did for me:

What a difference! In this image the magnets pop, glow and float off the page. They don't look like a DIY project, they look much classier and way more valuable.

When it comes to photography, this is NOT the place to pinch pennies. Your images are one of the most important tools you have to sell and promote your work. If you are not an expert it will be worth every cent you spend to hire one. It probably doesn't cost as much as you think, and a good image will make your work look it's best, shine above the rest and tell a jury you're professional and know what you're doing.

I'll talk more about jurying soon. Next time - jurying for a wholesale website.

Let there be light

2010-03-24T15:48:00.000-07:00

For years I've had this great idea for a group show called 'Let There Be Light'. I thought it would be really fun to have about a dozen artists each create art that incorporated a working light of some sort. No limitations or rules, except that it must be illuminated in some way. I imagined it would be beautiful and I also thought it would be smart to have a show in which all of the pieces for sale were also functional. The illuminated art would attract people from the street and seeing what artists working in different mediums would create would be totally fun and inspiring.

For years, I imagined it, sometimes I'd tell other people about my dream ("You know what would be really cool?"). I'd come up with ideas for my own pieces and I'd make lists in my head of the which artists to invite. But it was what I call a "Someday Idea". Something you like thinking about doing someday, but never get around to making a reality.

Then about two months ago I happened to read a little story about Beberuhi, a character in Turkish shadow puppetry. Beberuhi is a dwarf who wears a stocking cap with a light hanging at the tip, just in front of his face. The light is to help him search for the truth. For some reason, reading this story got me thinking about the show again... and I got a flash of total inspiration and energy. I decided to make it happen.

First, I spoke to Richenda, the owner of Childhood's End Gallery here in Olympia and she loved the idea. Then came the work of finding the artists - I thought this part might be tough, but within just a few couple of days I had 16 people committed. We met to discuss details and I submitted an official proposal.

I got the word this week - it's confirmed! The show will open August 20th and run until September 26th. Opening night Reception is Friday, September 3rd. (I'll be sure and remind you.) I am totally excited! I have so many ideas for my pieces, the kind of art I've only done for love in the past and never sold. I'm already working on several. So, I thank Beberuhi, he and his hat certainly led me to the light.

Here are the amazing artists participating in the show. Check out their websites!

Pam Corwin (me!)

Nikki McClure

Jay T Scott

Pino Cherchi

Jennifer Kuhns

Joline El-Hai

Bil Fleming

Diane Kurzyna (aka Ruby Re-Usable)

Pat Tassoni

Tom Anderson

Rob August

Ainsley Walden

John Walden

Nancy Sigafoos
Steve Susky

Randi Parkhurst

Great PR Resource

2010-03-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

If you have been reading this blog or getting my Hot Tips Newsletter, you know that when I find a great resource, tip, tool or website I have to share it with everyone I know.

This is one of the best resources I've found in a long time and at a really reasonable price. I just discovered MyMediaInfo.com, a great service for people like us who can't afford to hire a PR firm. I did a free online tour with a great guy named Greg. It was refreshing, not a boring scripted tour, more like talking to a friend. In fact, I can honestly say it was fun. So here's the deal: For $500 a year you get access to thousands of editorial calendars. If you don't know what an editorial calendar is, every publication on the planet has one. It's the schedule of every article that magazine (or blog, or website,etc.) is planning for the calendar year. Using this site you can do a search under any topic and then check for upcoming features that apply to what you do. The site will then send you an email alert two weeks before the deadline so you can send a query to the appropriate editor/reporter in hopes of being included in the article.

For example, did you ever wonder how products get listed in those Gift Guides published in every paper and magazine each year for every possible holiday? On My Media Info you can do a search for 'gift guide' and find hundreds of them and where and when to submit your work for inclusion. How cool is that?

If you have a larger budget, for $2000 (and up) a year there are lots more super cool options. They offer a living database of hundreds of thousands of media contacts in North America that is literally updated over 20,000 times per day. You can create a contact list of every editor and contact for every publication you are interested in and search any TV station for contacts, blogs, magazines. It's all there. (If $2000 sounds like a lot, look into hiring a PR firm and think again. Being featured in just one article can easily pay back your investment and more.)

AND you can explore and use the site for free. I got 10 free searches just for doing the tour. Check it out - I strongly suggest you write Greg Perry directly. He was the best tour guide ever. (Please tell him I sent you!) I'm not sure the others go off the script AND unlike most salespeople he discouraged me from paying for services he didn't think I would need. You gotta love that.

Greg's email is: gperry@mymediainfo.com

Let me know how you like it!

Visiting Hours

2010-02-25T11:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, here’s the scenario.

It’s Wednesday afternoon. I’m in the studio shipping orders. I’ve hired a friend to organize my paperwork for tax time and she’s sitting on the floor sorting last year’s receipts. It’s distracting but I’m managing to stay on task. UPS is due in 48 minutes and I still have about eight more orders to process. The phone rings. It's my brother, who knows if he calls on my business line that I'll pick up. I'm telling him I'll call him back later when I get a delivery from the printer. The driver comes in to tell me all about his new truck which turns into 10 lost minutes. As I attempt to politely wrap up that conversation Rob arrives to deliver 24 alarm clock displays, for which he needs to get paid. He’s waiting patiently for his turn when I see another car pull in. A friend has stopped by to ask if he can borrow my folding table, he walks right in the open door and joins in the conversation.

It’s then that the personal line rings in the other room. I don’t answer it but I can hear my recently widowed friend on the answering machine telling me she’s in the neighborhood and wants to swing by to bring me some of her husband's ashes to scatter on my property.

This is all true. And no, I didn’t make my deadline. Not even close.

This is my challenge every day. I’m sure it’s yours, too. People seem to think working at home is not a real job. That they can stop by to visit, call to chat or entice us to take the afternoon off to go shopping.

The UPS driver delivers every morning and picks up every afternoon, five days a week. Each and every time he wants to stop and visit. Hey, buddy - that’s ten times a week you expect me to take a break to listen to stories about your softball team. And what’s worse, when I am sitting at the computer and don’t look up when he drives in, he tiptoes around, stands outside of the office window and raps hard and loud on the glass right in front of my face. It scares the bejeezus out of me every time. I jump (sometimes even yelp) and he just laughs and launches into some story, shouting it at me through the glass.

Does he not realize I have work to do? Does anyone?

When you tell people you work at home all week I sometimes think all they really hear is the “at home all week” part. They all seem to think it's like running a lemonade stand. We just make stuff and sell it, what's the big deal? I know most folks have no idea at all what it is we do all day, what it takes to do it, how many hats we wear and how hard we have to work.

In my case I think this is (at least to some extent) my fault. Because while I often tell people that I work from nine to five and can’t take breaks, I know I make just enough exceptions to confuse them.

When someone shows up at my door I’m happy to see them. Why wouldn’t I be? While I may groan when I see them pull in the driveway, I open my door and there they are, a sweet friend standing in my doorway smiling at me. Of course I’m tempted…and it feels rude to tell them I’m working and ask them to leave. So I figure hey, I’ll take a short break - just a few minutes. The next thing you know we're sitting on the couch, I offer them coffee and an hour slips by in a blink.

Or sometimes someone calls when I’m not so busy so I take the time for a quick chat and what I intend to be a short call turns into a gabfest. No one made me do it. I could have let the answering machine take it, right? So why wouldn’t they think they could call back the next day? How would they know that as a rule I really can’t take personal calls during the work day?

I know I need to be consistent. I know I have to have more will power when presented with temptation. I know, I know.

This, my friends, is one of the few times I need a boss. A boss who will give me a glare from across the room when I waste time, tell me that I really need to buckle down, deny my requests for a two hour lunch, lay down the law. But wouldn’t you know it, whenever I need her she’s on a break.

2010-01-29T10:35:00.000-08:00

So just sent out the latest Hot Tips for Artists and Craftspeople and what happens? I get a fantastic and timely tip from my friend Becky Boutch of Seattle Rainwater Soap.

Restaurant.com sells discounted gift certificates for restaurants all over the U.S. (and not just franchises). The certificates are a great deal at $10 for each $25 certificate, but on the last week of the month it gets even better. Just enter the code 'BONUS' when you finish shopping and it automatically deducts 80% from your total. Each $25 certificate costs you only $2.00! Print out the coupons and you're off to dinner.

There are restrictions; you can only use one certificate per restaurant per month, you have to spend at least $35 per party, it doesn't include alcohol and the restaurant will add an 18% tip onto your bill, which applies to the full total before the discount. That seems fair to me.

I know this sounds like an ad, but I just love sharing great finds. And this is one of those rare too good to be true deals that really is true. I've now heard from a few friends who use these coupons often. It really works and you still have 2 days to use the coupon code this month.

This is a great deal for anyone, but for those of us who travel and spend a fortune eating out at shows, this is a gold mine of savings. I just found coupons for the restaurants in the Downtown Marriott in Philly, where I will be staying for my next show.

My suggestion: Before every show search by zipcode and pack them along with you. At $2 each even if you end up not using them, on the last day of the show you can give it to a good customer who will be thrilled and remember you next time. (In fact, I think these would be a nice gift with purchase or a thank-you to give to special buyers when they order.)

Work vs Play

2009-12-10T11:44:00.000-08:00

When I tell people I’m an artist most of them seem to have this vision of me standing at an easel all day following my muse. I was thinking this morning about how most folks really don’t understand the difference between creating art for fun and creating art for a business. I love what I do, but contrary to what most people think, I don’t get to paint all the time and I don’t get to paint whatever I want to, and I can’t always do it when I’m in the mood and feeling inspired.

For instance, about two weeks ago I was scurrying about trying to ship holiday orders, and make enough stock for Pike Place Market as well as all my wholesale orders and in the midst of that mayhem realized that my 2010 catalog needed to go to print by mid December in order to have it in time for the winter wholesale shows.

Uh-oh.

So here I was in the middle of the busiest season of the year and I had to find time to paint. Not only to paint, but also to come up with new ideas. And not only did I have to do this in a rush when I was already overloaded (my own fault, of course) but I had to paint what I think will sell, not what I felt like painting. For me that kind of creating is not as much fun, not as inspiring or relaxing and not as rewarding.

It means compromise.

Such as:

Because I hadn’t planned ahead, I had to fit it in at night after working all day making the gears of my business run smoothly. This meant dragging myself back into the studio after dinner when I’d rather be reading my book, out for a drink with friends or just sitting by the fire with the cats.

And then there’s the creative compromise. For instance: I have been resisting the Angel alarm clock request for years. (I believe I wrote about it here not that long ago) Call me a scrooge, but I just can’t deal with sugary sweet cute stuff like angels and unicorns. But I finally gave in this week and decided to do it. And the bowling wall clock? Not my thing really, but I’ve had a lot of requests so I had to get over myself and do it.

Now, the Lizard and the T-Rex were more fun.

And the Dinner Dog wall clock, I loved doing this one.

The little bird magnets and the leaves were fun, too. But the bowling magnets and the skiing magnets? Not so much. Still, I did them – they were on the list and I have to listen to my customers and buyers if I want to make a living.

Now don’t get me wrong. I LOVE what I do. I know this job is about as cushy as they come. I don’t have to risk my life in the coalmines, or sit in a cubicle or answer to anyone else in any way. I can take Facebook breaks and listen to podcasts while I work. I feel absolutely blessed and lucky to be making a living with my art. I say thank you every day. Really. Out loud.

But sometimes I almost forget how much I love painting and long for the days when I did it for that love. When I could drift off into my right brain and feel that meditative, spiritual sense of relaxation and expression that comes from creating from that pure place. If you’re an artist you know that feeling.

So, come January I’m going to dedicate a few days off to painting just for fun, just for me. To remind myself how and why I do what I do and feel that surge of creativity run through my veins again. It's the addiction to that drug that got me where I am today, and I'm long overdue for my next dose.

Home Sweet Home

2009-10-05T16:47:00.001-07:00

I try to keep this blog all business and not get too personal, but there are some times the lines blur.

It's been a tough couple of months. I've been going back and forth to the East Coast where my mother has been in and out of the hospital. It's been a scary ride and there were many times we almost lost her. She's doing better now (still in the hospital but improving) and I am still trying to catch up. This has been the hardest thing I've ever gone through, but at the same time I feel so blessed and grateful for the many lessons I've learned.

1. Yes I can! Being self employed I have always felt like I can't leave my business for more than a couple of days unless it's for a business trip. I've spent over 35 days out of town in the past two months and while it hasn't been easy, I learned it can be done. Friends help out and do what they can, catching up in between each trip has been overwhelming at times, but my buyers and customers have been incredibly understanding. I'm still able to pay my bills and it's all working out. And the bonus lesson: I realized I can take a vacation.

2. It's really okay to ask. I've never been very good at asking for help or support, but I sure had to learn these past 9 weeks. I realized that many people like to be asked. Friends feel helpless when you're in crisis and accepting their help is good for them, too. And when I had no choice I found that others could do things that I always thought only I could do. Apparently I'm not indispensable.

3. I have the most amazing, incredible, generous friends. There really are no words. I am beyond grateful for the cat sitters, the bill payers, the stock deliverers, the order packers, the errand runners, mail collectors and all the amazing people who did thankless jobs like empty rotting food out of my fridge and cleaning the kitty litter box while I was gone. I am also thankful to the kind folks at BMAC who accommodated my needs to set up early and get out fast when that dreadful call came, to all who listened and gave me hugs when I was falling apart, and for my kitties who remind me every day to be quiet and get centered, and guide me there with a nuzzle and a purr.

4. It really is true that you can handle more than you think you can. I never would have imagined I could manage the kind of stress, worry and workload I have this past summer and fall. I found priorities became clear, the choices became easier, family became closer and friends held me up when I was down. When you are in crisis some primal instinct steps in to help you find balance. I learned to breath, that you can only take it one step at a time and that being in the moment is the key.

5. Thank you Verizon. As much I resent my cellphone most of the time (I hate to give out my number and almost never turn the blasted thing on) I have to admit, it was my lifeline while I was away. I cannot imagine managing everything without it while spending 12-14 hours a day at the hospital, 3,000 miles from home.

6. I believe in angels. It's true our healthcare system needs some reform, and I won't go into the countless stories of how many times a day mistakes were made or it took hours to get help. (NEVER let someone you love fend for themselves in a hospital!) But the people in the trenches, the kind, hard working doctors, nurses, PCT's, and PA's at Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut are my heroes. I never in my wildest dreams imagined we'd be surrounded by such wonderful, kind, caring and patient people. There are too many to list, all with wings - but Dr. David Cohan - I may have to make you a cape.

New Contest

2009-09-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

First of all,I apologize for my absence for the past month. I've been dealing with a family emergency and have barely been home since late July. I am home now, things are improving and will post again soon. I promise!

For now, here's the next contest. The prize is the newest wall clock - Leap Frog. And if you tell a friend about the contest and they win - you win, too! Just tell them to include your name and email in the comments section of the entry form.

A Peek into Trade Show World

2009-08-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to show you what it's like to set up for a trade show, so I took mini-videos during different stages of my set up at the Buyer's Market of American Craft. This starts about an hour into set up, after I unloaded all the boxes from the palette, carted the palette out of the way, dragged my tables into position and hung up one curtain. That's about when I remembered that my video camera was in my purse.

This is not the best video, and some of the shots will seem repetitive, but if you look carefully you'll see things have changed. (small changes to you, but a there is lot of work done between each shot.) Setting up a 15 foot booth alone is about a 6-8 hour process. Some artist's set up is simpler and shorter, and some are incredibly elaborate, including the building of walls and other major structures and can take a couple of days.

The last sequence was taken the morning of the show just before it started. I wish could have showed you all the other beautiful booths and interviewed other artists but we are not allowed to have cameras on the show floor during the show. (this is a very good rule, which protects the artists.)

Feel free to ask questions if you have any. Enjoy.

Stories from the Front lines

2009-07-23T12:28:00.000-07:00

Last week at the market a woman stood at my booth looking at the magnets for quite a while. They all look they same and fill a large display stand with a sign that says "Magnets".

After a few minutes she asked "Are these ALL magnets?"

Confused, I hesitated before answering, "Yes, they're all magnets."

"Oh," she said with a pause...and then, "What do they stick to?"

After a stunned moment I answered. "They stick to metal."

"Ohhhh" she said and thought about it for a long minute before asking "Is that all?"

When I told her yes, she left. I'm not sure what kind of magnets she usually uses, but I wish I'd asked.

I am constantly stunned at the questions people ask and the strange things they say at my booth. A few years ago a well dressed middle aged woman told me in all seriousness that she'd love to buy one of my clocks but couldn't because she lived in a different time zone.

Many years ago my friend Jane was selling jewelry at Pike Place Market and a woman spent a long time choosing a pair. When she finally narrowed it down Jane said "You know, you should really try them. Wait'll you seem them in the mirror, they look great."

The woman picked up the earrings, held them (still on the card) up in front of the mirror and said "You're right! They Do look great in the mirror!"

I just love people. It's endlessly amusing and astonishing working with the public.

Then there was the time when my boyfriend and I were selling hand panted eggs and a couple admired them, oohing and ahhing over each design. Finally the wife said "You know, I really love them.....but if you sat on them they would break."

I was speechless, but quick witted Bruce said "Well, I guess if you're shopping for something to sit on, you might want to look somewhere else."

And one my favorites was from another artist, who when asked for a business card answered "You know, I'm all out. But I tell you what - when I get home I'll throw one out for you."

(I'm sure most of you have your own stories. I'd love to hear them. Really, we should compile a book.)

The Fun Part

2009-07-02T14:51:00.000-07:00

I used to have a joke with my boyfriend whenever we found ourselves in the middle of some unexpected adventure, like getting hopefully lost in a strange town, or finding ourselves at a wedding with a bad band and a sleeping drunk at our table. I'd look at him and say "I love this part!". As if we were watching a movie. For some reason it always made us both laugh.

About a month ago I had an idea for a new product: magnetic bookmarks. I was just about to leave for a show in Las Vegas, and before I left for the airport I ran into the studio and made some quick funky prototypes. I packed them along, showed them to buyers and all of them seemed to love the idea.

Now, I've mentioned before that I'm impatient. So I didn't do the easy thing and decide to introduce the new line next winter. I decided to debut them at The Buyer's Market of American Craft in Philadelphia, August 1st-3rd. Which meant I had just over four weeks to design the whole line and have them printed, packed up and shipped, and create a custom point of sale display (which I'll be selling to buyers for their stores.)

Developing a new product line is fun, but it's also exhausting and stressful. And you can always count on the fact that there will be puzzles and problems along the way. So doing it with a tight deadline looming really amps up the tension. I had to design each of the bookmarks inside and out, (that's 24 different designs, folks) research and order the correct magnets (not as simple as it sounds), find a place that could make custom sized clear envelopes, as well as a place that would design a custom resale display and have it delivered in time, then create and print new catalog pages, specials flyers, postcards, signs, webpages, etc. The number of phone calls, diagrams, faxes and samples that I dealt with every day was staggering. It was crazy, every minute seemed hectic, every decision more complicated than I expected. But I did it. At least my part is done - as of today.

1600 magnets arrived yesterday. 24,000 bookmarks and 30,000 clear sleeves are due here by early next week, as is the display prototype. Then I just have to assemble and package about 300 samples, pack them all up and ship them out to Philly by the end of the week.

But you know what? I love this part.

Staycation!

2009-06-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

I work 6 days a week, so Sundays tend to be all about chores and errands and catching up on personal emails, phone calls, etc. The only time I ever take time off is when I go visit family or go to a trade show. And in my book, those don't really count. I have been incredibly busy this year and a little burned out. So have been craving what I think of as 'a real weekend' - two full days in a row of doing whatever I want to do. All day. No requirements, no obligations, no work of any kind. I figure if I can't go away on a vacation, I can pretend I'm on one right here at home, right? So last weekend I did something I haven't done in years. I took the entire two days off.

First, I called two dear friends and we planned a canoe trip down the Black River for Saturday. Diane and Mary arrived at my house that morning and we packed up our picnic lunch and drove to Black River Canoe Trips in Tenino where our rented canoes awaited us. Then we set out on the river, and spent the day laughing, watching heron, eagles, and hawks. It was a fabulous trip. On the way home we stopped in a perfect little small town dive bar for cold drinks, compared our sunburned arms and vowed to plan special day trips more often.

Sunday was a rare treat. I let myself have a lazy morning (no chores allowed, and I had to fight myself a few times as I reached for the windex) and then spent the entire afternoon at the V spa in Olympia where I had scheduled a day of pampering. I started off with a fantastic 90 minute massage. My masseuse was fantastic. She gave me an incredible facial massage she learned in Brazil (which is where she is from). My massage was followed by a lovely lunch of salad, fresh fruit, iced tea and frozen yogurt for dessert. I felt like a princess, sitting in a huge overstuffed chair in my terry robe, being served lunch on a tray in the beautiful little private sitting room.

When they came to get me after lunch, I could barely move. But next was the deluxe anti-aging facial and knew it would only get better. The highlight of that hour was the Self Heating Mud pack which was applied to my spine and stayed on during the facial treatments. It was the strangest sensation ever, and the sounds it made! The entire hour it was bubbling, crackling, popping and even squeaking and felt like tiny fingers and bubbles parading all over my back. I loved it!

By the time I got home I was more relaxed than I remember feeling in years. I spent the evening on the deck reading and ignored the phone and kept myself from checking email. I honestly felt like I'd escaped for the weekend without the hassle of travel.

I love working for myself. I wouldn't trade it for anything, but I have to admit that I'm the toughest boss I've ever had. I never imagined that I'd end up working pretty much every day when I started this business. As most of you know, there's always something that needs to be done and when your business is your passion, it's hard to choose time off instead. But I remembered this weekend that as important as my work is, I need to make more time for me. And I'm putting in for another weekend off soon.

I hope my boss approves it.

Contest!

2009-06-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

Has it really been three weeks since I've posted here? I've been so busy since the show in Las Vegas, it's been crazy.

So instead of a long post on any particular topic I thought I'd share my excitement about my brand new Contests page. I've wanted to add a contest to my site for a long time. I love giving things away! I will not be collecting email addresses, you will not be added to any lists when you enter. But if you want to be notified of future contests you can sign up for the newsletter.

For my first contest I'm offering a supercool combo-prize. One wall clock, one alarm clock, one set of magnets, and one dozen cards. Your choice of design. (That's $90 worth of goodies.) Enter now and please tell your friends!

Off to See the Wizard

2009-05-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

I'm getting ready to take off for Las Vegas tomorrow. I'm not really a Las Vegas kind of gal, I'm going to the American Craft Retailers Expo. It's a beautiful show (If I do say so myself - I'm on the jury) and it's well run by a Wholesalecrafts.com. In it's third year, the show is still growing and it's been really exciting to be part of it from the beginning. I'm looking forward to meeting new buyers, writing lots of orders and seeing my west coast artist friends like Amy Peters, Heather Kraty, Mercedes Brugh, and Kay Young. As I've mentioned before I get to see these friends only a few times a year and I love the camaraderie and community at wholesale shows.

Anyway, I just popped in to leave a note - it's been too long. And I wanted to be sure and let you all know about a really cool and affordable series of classes. It's The IndieBizChicks Summer Business Sessions. These classes meet online every Tuesday night to discuss business topics of all kinds, Each class is led by an expert in the field and the guest list is impressive. Here are just a few:

Jenny Hart, founder of Sublime Stitching
Sue Blatt, co-founder of Renegade Craft Fair
Claudine Hellmuth, founder of Collage Artist
Amy Schroeder, founder of Venus Zine
Casie Metcalf, owner of IndiePublic.com
Laura Allen, co-founder of 15 Second Pitch

Each class is an hour, and the entire series costs only $14.95. How can you say no?

A quick note

2009-05-17T21:10:00.001-07:00

As my friend JR says "I love the Internets!"

You know how you start in one place on the web and it leads you from one great resource to another? Recently I posted a question about blogging to the American Craft Forum. Now, this is a great resource - a fantastic discussion board for working artists. Well known professionals from all over the country share their knowledge on this board, and I highly recommend it.

Anyway - I saw that a wonderful jewelry designer named Nicolette Tallmadge replied with some terrific advice. Although I don't know Nicolette personally, I know of her and I love her jewelry. So I decided to check out her blog and lo and behold, discovered that she's teaching a live teleseminar in just a few days on Twitter. What do you know? I've been looking for a Twitter mentor!

We all know that Twitter can be a great way to expand your audience, your customer base and your image. And this class is a great deal, which is why I immediately signed up and decided to send a special edition of the Hot Tips Newsletter about it. But in case you don't subscribe to the newsletter here's the scoop:

TELESEMINAR:

How to Use Twitter to Get More Traffic, More Subscribers, and More Customers

DATE: Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

TIME: 8:00 PM Eastern Time

(if you can't make it you'll get a link to the recording)

MORE INFO: http://www.craftedwebteleseminars.com

With the class you get a downloadable guide for twitter newbies, the full written transcripts to the call, a full Twitter tools and services resource list, and instructional videos on how to use some of these tools and services. And if you're one of the first 100 to sign up, you'll get a free CD of the class.

For just $17.95 this is a steal!

I love the way the web makes things so easy, so affordable and so immediate. I posted a question, I got answers. I looked a little further and found a class I can take from my own comfortable chair in my own studio which addresses something I've been wanting to learn, taught by someone in my own field. Pretty cool, huh? I'm really looking forward to the class. Maybe I'll see you there!

Two Heads Are Better Than One

2009-05-08T14:22:00.001-07:00

So, as I said, I constantly dream of being able to create things that I simply do not have the skills, knowledge or expertise to make. And gauging from the comments and email from my last post ("Embracing Uncomfortable")

many of you do this, too. It makes sense that our creative minds are always seeking ways to play. Over the years I've been able to satisfy some of those creative whims by collaborating with friends.

For instance, after thinking about it for years, I fulfilled my fantasy of creating a giant wooden clock with my friend Rob. I drew it, he cut it out, sanded and primed it, and I painted it. Dubbed 'Mister Kitty' by my dear friend Amy, he travels with me to trade shows often and sits in front of my booth. (My friend and mentor Julie Ueland calls this 'booth bait' because it gets people's attention from afar.) Last year Mr. Kitty was joined by Dancing Dog. I love them!

I design jewelry in my head all the time. I dream it, I draw it. But let's face it, it takes years to become a good metalsmith and I've got a more than full time job already. So a few years ago at ACRE I approached a wonderful jewelry designer named Joanna Craft and asked if she'd be interested in collaborating. To my delight she agreed and created a gorgeous line of jewelry using my artwork as the images. I can't tell you how thrilling it was for me to see what someone else's expert hands and creative mind did with my artwork.

If you've been reading this blog since the beginning, you know about Spoonflower.com, a fantastic website that allowed me to make another one of my dreams come true. Fabric design has been at the top of my dream list for as long as I can remember. So when I discovered Spoonflower I went wild. But a few weeks ago, my friend Colleen MacDonald helped me take my dream one step further when she agreed to use my fabrics to make some of her wonderful wallets for me.

I love all of Colleen's BCharmer Creations and it was so much fun to work with her. She helped me choose additional fabrics and colored snaps from her incredible collection and voila!

Combining two visions and different mediums can be really exciting and rewarding, whether just for your private collection or to provide additional income for both of you. So I suggest that next time you find yourself wishing you make or create something which you don't have the skills for, find someone who does and start playing. And when you do, please send me the stories and pictures so I can share them here!

And the Winner is.....

2009-04-30T16:53:00.000-07:00

Time to announce the winner of the free alarm clock. Doing a drawing was fun! I wrote each of your names on post it notes, put them in my favorite little bowl, mixed 'em up and picked...

And the winner is.....

Congratulations Claire O'Connor! You'll hear from me soon with details. And thanks to all of you for entering the contest and for following my blog.

I know I've been remiss about posting, there's been an awful lot going on (a very long story). I'm leaving this morning for the East Coast and when I get back I'll post again. Thanks again to all of you!

Embracing Uncomfortable

2009-04-15T10:18:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but often when I see art that inspires me I want to try it. I see a gorgeous handmade purse and I want to create my own, I walk by a booth of amazing lampwork beads and I dream of making them, I open a magazine and there's an image of an amazing batik and I go the art store and price dyes and wax. My list is long: I want to etch glass, design fabric and gift wrap, make jewelry, learn bookbinding and make journals, oh, then there are the birdhouses, garden gates, baskets, kids clothes, scarves, hats and other creations swarming in my over zealous mind. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. But here's the thing. I am going to admit this out loud for the first time: I don't enjoy doing things I'm not good at. And to make matters worse, I'm impatient with the learning process and don't generally enjoy classes. Not good, huh? Obviously, this kind of stops me from moving forward, and before you say anything, I'm well aware that I'm missing out.

I have always said if I have another business I will name it "The Impatient Artist" because I want to do it right now, skip the learning curve and create something beautiful the first time. I want immediate results or I get frustrated and give up.

I ought to know better by now. Not just because I'm a grown up, but also because the few times I have allowed myself to do this have always been a great experience. (See? I'm learning)

A few years ago I finally decided I just HAD to try making beads and found a local lampworking class. I took two 8-week sessions and worked hard at it. My beads? Well...they were terrible. Week after week I watched the other students progress to make perfect round beads, with the holes dead center. Mine were lumpy and uneven. No matter how I tried they always looked wonky and crooked and amateur. But I loved my little rejects - they made me happy. I keep them all in a little bowl and I think they are perfect just as they are.

I've always accepted my limitations with what I imagined to be grace. When I saw portraits, paintings and drawings of people that took my breath away I'd dream of doing my own but I'd think "I can't draw people, realism is not my strength. But that's okay, I have my own fun style." Bullpucky. Truth be told, I yearned to try but didn't want to be the one in the back of the life drawing class watching other people create masterpieces while I struggled. So I just kept doing what I did well and sat in my safe little comfort zone. Yep. I was a big fat chicken.

But then something happened. A friend showed me a huge book of vintage black and white portraits - photographs from the 1800's. My fascination with vintage photographs is worth saving for another post, but I just have to tell you that these images sparked my creative fire like nothing had in a long time. Something came over me. It was like the first time I saw a box of crayons.

I just HAD to.

I heard them whispering to me, but I shook off the "I can'ts" and grabbed my sketchbook. If you're an artist I don't need to explain where time went. There was none, I was just off in that zone, lost, wrapped up in the process and not thinking about good or bad or how to. Pencil hit paper and took me away. A new passion was born and I spent that summer sitting on the deck sketching. And frankly, I love them all. Enough to even show you a few.

So did I learn my lesson and shake off my fears?

Did I get over myself and take a life drawing class?

Um. No.

But today's a new day. I made a vow to myself to Cut That Out Right Now Young Lady. Dance with discomfort, enjoy the first messy versions and and relax a little. Get over myself. And I've recorded it here so it's official, with you all as my witnesses.

Don't let me off the hook.

The Passions and Possibilities Project

2009-04-10T15:34:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that I'll be the guest on Sue Oliver's Blog Talk Radio Program, The Passions and Possibilities Project which airs Wednesday April 15th at 3:00-4:00 pm PST.

I hope you'll join us live, when the show starts, by either dialing into the show’s conference line (347) 205-9038 or linking into the streamlining live video at the website link above. We welcome your questions and comments during the show.

My assistant

2009-04-07T17:32:00.000-07:00

Working with two cats who wander in and out of the studio all day is both a joy and a challenge. Ramona stops in to ask for attention and snacks, making sure I can't miss her as she walks across the keyboard, shedding all over the desk.

Sadie comes in out all day, constantly talking - loud and insistent. She always seems a bit frantic, like Lassie trying to alert me that someone has fallen in the well. Eventually, and without fail, she tries to squeeze onto my lap - pushing herself between me a the desk, which leaves her squished up against me and makes typing impossible. But as soon as I give in and decide to give up on work and spend quality time with her she hears or sees something, and flies off my lap to investigate.

The other day I was about to pack up an order and turned to grab the packing list and Sadie seized the moment to make herself at home. All I could so was give in and grab the camera.

More Hot Tips!

2009-04-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

It was April Fools Day when I got an email from an editor at AOL Home, saying they were going to feature my Barack Around the Clock in an upcoming story on "Obama Home Decor". So I waited all day from someone to confess to the joke. Turns out it's the real deal. I'll be posting here when the feature goes live late this month!

In the meanwhile, here's a sneak peak of some of this month's Hot Tips for Artists Newletter. If these interest you be sure to go to psrock.com and scroll to the bottom of any page to subscribe.

Alison Lee's CRAFTCAST™ takes advantage of the podcast format to deliver weekly content, covering the latest information in the crafting industry. Listeners get personal stories and advice from a wide variety of artists and crafters. Alison also offers live online Masterclasses covering all sorts of topics and techniques for artists in all mediums. CRAFTCAST™ mission is to inspire and nurture the creative spark within each listener. And don't forget to look for my live online class on Selling Your Crafts on April 8th!

Have you always dreamt of seeing your jewelry on a celebrity or having your product in a gift bag at an award show? The best resource for celebrity contact information is Jordan McAuley's ContactAnyCelebrity.com. For $27 a month you get the agent, manager, publicist, production company, and charitable cause with phone, fax, and email addresses for over 57,000 celebrities and public figures. Jordan also shares updates on Twitter about how to get publicity using celebrities @JordanMcAuley.

I'm not giving away the whole Hot Tips Newsletter here - but just one more:

CraftShowNews.com is a great new resource for any working artist. Larry Hornung, founder of Crafts Business magazine, really knows the business, and created the site as a home for craft artists, collectors, gallery owners, show promoters and anyone else interested in the crafts industry. The basis of CSN is a free exchange of ideas, information and opinion. It's a practical site offering resources, news and advice for craft professionals and those on their way.

The next Hot Tips for Artists Newsletter will come out next week with these tips and more. To subscribe you simple send an empty email to info@businessofcrafts.com and use "Hot Tips, please!" as your subject heading or go to any page at psrock.com.

I love my work, a fan letter to Pike Place Market

2009-03-29T08:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was just one of those great days at my booth at Pike Place Market in Seattle. Sure, it was crummy, cold, wet weather, but that's par for the course in Seattle this time of year. It was one of those days none of that mattered and I looked around and thought "How lucky am I to do this for a living?"

The day started with a customer who came with a list of eight clocks he needed for gifts and continued to be busy and bring great sales. My neighbors and I all got hot delicious, steaming hot chicken adobo from the Filipino lunch counter. And we had a surprise birthday celebration for a dear friend we almost lost last fall - which at the market means a huge group singing a quick "Happy Birthday" out of tune, home made cupcakes and cake for everyone. You can't beat hanging out with other artists, meeting people from all over the world, and laughing with friends all day. These are the days I really just can't believe this is my job.

The highlight - an adorable 5 year old boy who fell in love with the UFO clock. He was practically dancing with glee "Daddy! A space clock! It will go in my room because my room is a space room! Daddy! I have to have it!!". And then he held it up and squealed "Look Dad! Look! It has golden tickers!!!"

Live Online Events

2009-03-24T17:08:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited to announce my first live online Masterclass with CRAFTCAST host Alison Lee on April 8th. I'll be talking about how to get started selling your crafts, and you can join us live from the comfort of your own home!

Alison Lee's CRAFTCAST™ is a podcast covering the latest information in the crafting industry. Listeners get personal time experience with a wide variety of artists and crafters. CRAFTCAST™ mission is to inspire and nurture the creative spark within each listener.

For more information or to register click here. Join me on the PASSIONS & POSSIBILITIES RADIO SHOW

Sue Oliver's Passions and Possibilities Project is a blog radio show. On each show Sue interviews individuals who are pursuing their passions & possibilities in their lives and businesses. I'll be Sue's guest at 3pm PST on Wednesday April 15th. I hope you'll join us!

Bookmark Sue's podcast here to join us and listen to all of her inspiring shows.

I want to eat it

2009-03-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid we had a family friend named Paul Rand who lived and worked in his studio just down the road from us. Paul was a painter as well as a very famous graphic designer. He created the logos we all see every day; Westinghouse, UPS, Ikea, Adobe, Volkswagen, ABC and IBM among them. When asked where his ideas came from his stock reply was “Any artist who gives you an answer that question is lying. Because I guarantee you, we don't know.”

I knew what he meant. In fact, I was relieved to hear him say it because like all artists, I get asked that question a lot. And I’ve never been able to verbalize where my design ideas and inspiration come from. Then in 1989 my mother and I went to Europe together, along with her friend, Caryl and Caryl's daughter, Laurie. Laurie is a very successful graphic designer and artist. The fourth day of the trip we arrived in Bruges, Belgium, a tiny village, something out of a fairy tale, cobbled and bricked, canals and cottages, ruddy faced smiling villagers with lovely accents, horse-drawn wagons clip-clopping through the streets. Canopied beds in our rooms, boiled eggs and cheese for breakfast, chocolate to die for and waffles which defy description.

Late that night Laurie and I decided to take a walk, get to know each other. We sauntered along narrow, empty streets of stone, talking about life, art, travel, relationships. We strolled past darkened lace shops, bookstores, bakeries, cheese shops - and after a passing through the town square turned the corner and stopped in front of a textile shop. There in the window, draped over a lone antique chair, spotlighted by a single column of warm yellow light, was the most luscious piece of hand-woven fabric I have ever seen in my life. Laurie and I both let out audible gasps and stopped dead in our tracks. We stood together staring at it for a few moments in complete silence. After what seemed like minutes, Laurie said under her breath "I want to eat it." I turned and watched her taking it in. Her gaze never left the window, and after several long seconds she became aware of my puzzlement and finally smiled and said with a quiet reverence, "When I see something that beautiful I want to experience it completely - it's like I want to have it inside of me." I think of that night often, when I see something inspiring and miraculous and want somehow to record it, make it mine. Sometimes when I am some place I've never been before or I’m looking at amazing art or something beautiful in nature that inspires me, I feel all of my senses tingling, being overfed and stimulated, trying to absorb it, memorize everything I see. I think of it when I am fully enjoying something or someone with that joy - that intense wild thing we feel when we flirt or are infatuated. It's the way we feel when we're newly in love, we just can't get enough of life, that first blush that makes us want to swallow every minute and keep it forever. The feeling is so rich and thrilling, I want to be able to keep it and take it home in a box, to open up and revisit it later, keep it forever. I think this is something that artists do in a very vital way, ingest life’s most vibrant experiences, sights and sounds. It is my belief that they are absorbed, reshaped, and reborn in our art. I don’t think we’re even aware of the process. We can't be. We simply eat them, enjoy them in that most alive, intimate, physical sense that Laurie was describing. And in turn they become a part of us, settling in our heart, our soul, germinating with their own time and rhythm and are born into color and shape and texture in our art. Paul died in 1996. He was an ornery fellow and would probably argue this with me, but I believe I do know where my ideas come from. Although, I still can’t put it into a one-sentence answer when asked. When any experience is new, beautiful and moving and therefore feels more real, more dimensional than the rest of life I don't want to let it pass into the flatness of my memory. I want to savor it, I want to bury my face in its texture and color and breathe it, taste it, and yes, eat it. And later if I’m lucky, I’ll see a glimmer of it born into something I create. I don’t always recognize it by name, but it’s there, that I am sure of.

Artists teaching artists

2009-03-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

It's just a few days until my next weekend workshop. I truly love teaching. I do it and love it for many reasons. But this is the big reason - the reason that got me started:

I did it alone. All my friends did it alone. This is a business you do alone, you figure out alone, each step a puzzle with no one to guide you. There is no school that teaches the business of selling crafts. Colleges don't teach it, business schools don't teach it. Even art schools don't teach it. They help you refine your style, technique and talent and then they open the doors and set you free to figure it out all by yourself. And millions of us, generations of us have done and still do just that.

We muddle through, all trying to answer the same questions, figure out the same issues, find the same resources, and all making the same mistakes. It takes years to figure it all out, learn from our failures, ask the right questions, gather the resources and knowledge, find the right opportunities, make the hard choices and build a successful business. But still, all of the others who come after us start alone, knowing nothing, fueled by their passion, dreaming of doing what they love for a living ...and stumble though it by themselves just as we did.

Does that make sense to anyone, when there are generations of us who have the knowledge?

It only makes sense to me to pass it on. And I love watching students walk into to class that first day wondering if they have what it takes and then over the course of a weekend see them start come alive, perk up, and get truly excited and energized as they begin to see the way to their dreams.

The Paper Scissors Rock Stimulus Package

2009-02-26T10:08:00.000-08:00

For the past few months I've been hearing now and then from buyers who are concerned about the economic downturn. Many are experiencing slow sales.

I'm so lucky that my business is doing really well - and in large part I owe it to them. I think of my wholesale buyers as partners. Their success is my success, and vice versa. So I started wondering if there was any way I could help my buyers get through this. I pondered the options for a couple of days and came up with my own little stimulus package.

I decided to offer 40 free cards with every wholesale order until March 15th. That may not sound like much since my cards retail for only $2.50-$2.75. But do the math - that means the store will receive $100-$110 in free merchandise. That's free bonus money in their pockets. It's better for them than free shipping or a free clock, but doesn't cost me much more. And there is a benefit for me. If those buyers have never tried my card line, this gives them a chance to try it out. If the cards sell for them they'll reorder. If they don't order the cards later, it still feels great to me that I was able to help make their business more profitable. So not matter the outcome, I look at it as a win-win.

It's good to be home

2009-02-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

I got home from the Buyer's Market of American Craft on Tuesday and am still exhausted. I had a great time and a great show. Although traffic was certainly slower than usual, we were busy most of the weekend and ran out of goody bags (which we give out with each order) on the second day of the show! I had great neighbors; Watchcraft, Mark Poulin, Big Dipper Waxworks

just to name a few. It was an upbeat group and we had a great time. Fantastic meals at Dimitri's and Palace at the Ben, and our favorite yummy millet muffins from The Reading Terminal Market.

In every aisle any time of any day there were little clusters of artists in the aisles comparing numbers. Several buyers commented on walking by and seeing those groups, or seeing artists sitting in their booths arms crossed, looking glum - 'doom & gloom depressed' was one buyer's description. One buyer said she didn't want to even walk in to those booths because it would get the artist's hopes up and if she left without ordering she'd feel terrible. I heard several versions of this from other buyers, as well. So while it was totally understandable that reality was hitting people hard, the problem is that if they let it show it made things even worse. A show is one of the few opportunities artists have to commiserate and support each other and that always happens. But as much as we need to talk and know we're not alone, it's really better saved until after show hours.

Believe me, I know how hard it is to act like all is well when you're worrying about paying your mortgage. I remember a show in San Francisco where I sat under the table and cried while my assistant stood next to me talking to buyers pretending my tears weren't falling on her shoes.

For the past several years (even before the economic downturn) I've made a vow before every show to not participate in any negative fear-based conversations. It just doesn't help me in any way. At this show Loren and I promised each other to create 'a bubble of good energy' around the booth and keep each other up and in good spirits no matter how it went.

Now of course, I can't say that's what made my show successful and I know it was easier to keep that vow because things went well. But there is nothing we can do to change the economy, so my philosophy is to choose to live in joy, not focus on what is going on, turn off the news, avoid even seeing the newspaper. Fear and worry never made my life any better. Whether at a show or freezing my buns off at my booth in Seattle, I remind myself every day that I am safe, doing what I love, well fed and have great friends. The rest is gravy.

Off to see the Wizard

2009-02-08T21:10:00.000-08:00

I leave for Philadelphia early tomorrow morning. It's always so exciting to get ready for a show, but The Buyer's Market of American Craft is my favorite. I get to see my regular buyers, meet new ones, hang out with other amazing artists and introduce my new work. Every time I do it (and this will be my 14th show) I feel totally honored to be there. I walk around and look at all the beautiful art and still can't believe they let me in. I am simply in awe to be among so many of the artists whose work I have admired for years. These are the people whose art you have probably bought, ogled and drooled over in stores near you. And because of BMAC and other handmade shows I am lucky enough to now count many of them among my friends. These wonderful people, all passionate, talented artists are a community a world away from my other friends, and I love being around them when I can.

Artists lead solitary lives, we work alone much of the time and these shows are a rare chance to spend time with other people who do what we do, share our lifestyle. There is a shorthand we can use with each other, a language only other working artists can speak with us. Much as I love them, none of my other friends with 'normal' jobs can know what it's like to work at home, make so many decisions, wear so many hats every day to keep our businesses alive and thriving. None of them have stood on aching feet at a show and talked to buyers all day, had to set up and tear down a huge booth alone, designed a new catalog, had to figure out how price new work, design a display, deal with PR, bookkeeping, invoicing, managing a website, all the while keeping up with production and resisting the urge to waste hours of your workday on facebook. It's a singular life, it's a crazy hard, delightful, exciting, challenging life and I would never trade it for another. And these folks, my show friends, they get it. So the show is about more than networking and getting orders, it's my community. And I can't wait to get there!