Community Chat

[Msfitness]

Spoiler

My suggestion is special orders only.  

[chrystaltree]

To me it sound like you never did retire and you don't want to retire because you love what you do.  If you really had retired, you would not have any problems or give a second thought to saying... I'm glad that my customers miss me but I'm retired now and I'm out of the business.  You have no dilemna.  Just cut back on the work, do special orders or do limited collections until you are ready to retire.  You are fortunate that you can do that.

[sidsmom]

@Shanus

I always wished I could've had a passion/business type of thing.

But I guess I'm a left-brain, logical type of gal without a creative

bone in my body! Sounds like you have a loyal following..and I bet

they would hate to see you leave!  

Let us know what you decide. 

🌼

[Quse]

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@Shanus wrote:

@Quse Most artists on Etsy, for example don't go online unless they build up sufficient inventory for each item first. That would require a lot of time (full time) up front. If you notice, many items are also avail. in multiple sizes, colors, or quanties.

That's not how I work. My reputation was made by being one of a kind jewelry....Lose a lot sleep coming up w/ new ideas & waking up to do a quick sketch on pad on night table.

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@Shanus I just mentioned Etsy as their policies are a little more friendly to custom and special orders than say, Ebay; however, you would also be competing with many other jewelry makers (and other "makers" in general)

I'm enjoying this thread because I also stopped producing a product line (Not jewelry and not exactly "retired" as that is not a concept I think I will ever entertain). I lost some raw materials producers (went out of biz) and I got really busy with something else, so I stopped manufacturing products.  After a while, I had many people asking for my products too, so I started looking around for more materials (like you said, not inexpensive) and reluctantly went back into it because I really love my customers (sounds corny but I do) and a dear friend is kind enough to stock my products and sell them for me. I figured if I was going to do it, I was going to go all in, not just 1/2. Well, after about 6 months (and also doing 2 other basically full time "somethings" with my time), I burned out. I was focusing on custom and special orders and found it to be much more stressful than just creating and selling at will, which was my happy place. I stopped the custom/special orders for all but 1 person now. (She usually gets about 60-70 products for Christmas and I start working on her orders in March)

Some of my products take 2 months to create and they are one of a kind, no 2 alike. I have a website, also Etsy, my friend's shop and a few other venues, but I just focus on creating now. Yes, there is an upfront time and resources commitment, and a learning curve to get in a groove (also, depending on your knowledge level of websites, shipping, logistics, photography, etc..there may be a learning curve. I self taught and do it all, still learning as I go) I've done this for many years and learn more each year how to streamline the tedious stuff, giving me the freedom to create the piles of ideas that flood out of my head daily. Believe it or not, this gig is only part time, I still have 2 other "somethings" that eat up most of my time. And also the family commitments...

I'm only telling you this maybe to help you decide. Sometimes a story jostles something that you missed by just making a list or trying to figure it out in your head.Ultimately it's going to be just your decision, no one else's. I suspect you probably already have an idea of what you want, but might be talking yourself in and out of it. Some people thrive on custom orders, they love the challenge. Personally, I found it nerve wracking, especially if I was on a deadline for something like a wedding, where I really don't want to screw it up.

Whatever you decide, good luck! I wish you the best...

[Shanus]

@sidsmom  Thank you. Will make my decision by end of next week. I have to let main gallery know.

[Shanus]

@magicmoodz. You feel the same way about that topaz ring that I do about each piece I make....difficult to part with & always remembered. Sorry you weren't able to purchase it.

[Shanus]

@lulu2  Another ❎ on the con column....The financial investment to start up again and time away from the kids. Thanks.

[Shanus]

@Poodlepet2 So funny you should mention Red Carpet stars. I had a call from Emma Stone after supper who would like a few pieces for her collection.....in my dreams!!! 😂

[Yahooey]

@Shanus

Thank you for replying to my silver colored wired question.

$10,000 is a lot of money to have tied up. Do you work mainly in silver or gold? Or is the money spent on gemstones? What kind of pieces do you normally design and what kind of stones do you use? Sorry for being nosy but I'm fascinated. I always admired people who can use their hands to create something. And to make a living out of it - wow! If I had to depend on my skills using my own 2 hands, that would not be a pretty picture lol

Once upon a time there was a large jewelry district in lower manhattan. My older sister frequented a seller with a small booth. Time of cocktail rings etc. I always like blue and when Princess Diana had the sapphire ring, I wanted a blue sapphire and learned about Ceylon. All the sapphires I saw were blackish and this was 30 years ago and I was in my 20s. He found a loose emerald cut a little over a carat blue sapphire for me. My 1st real jewelry piece. He customed made iit for me based on my design and what shapes I wanted for diamonds surrounding it. It didn't matter what I wore or what I was doing, it winked at me sitting on my finger for many years. It now sits in my jewelry box for probably 15 years and looks too fancy and out of date to wear now adays. I probably will get more use if I reset it, but the guy I used retired 10 years ago .... and I can't bear to have it dismantled.

[Shanus]

@Yahooey. Yep! A lot of money to tie up, but could take months to find a good stone, as you mentioned about your sapphire, so would rather have a selection of stones on hand. I work primarily in silver, but have done gold wedding bands and two-tone jewelry. I stock very few precious stones (sm. rubies, sapphires and emeralds to use as accent stones & no diamonds). If folks want to pay that much money for larger gems,  they usually want to purchase from a gemologist...which I am not. 

I also do enamel work. I have my own kiln and it takes weeks to complete a piece. There are many layers of enamel, some transparent, some opaque and must be done on fine silver. Less expensive pieces can be done on copper, but for all the work, would rather go the true French way. All drawn and planned out first so opaques don't cover transparent. Then there's the "stoning"...hand polishing with special tools until running water. Since my enamels are powders when I apply & basically glass when finished, I've had 2 wks. of work hit the floor & be gone in 2 seconds. Just sit down & cry. Nothing else to do.

I also do beadwork where polished semiprecious stones like turquoise, agate, coral, onyx are strung and separated by handmade silver beads or a hand constructed silver pendant hangs from center of necklace. 

Seeing my sketched designs come to life is very rewarding & many pieces difficult to part with...want to keep for myself.