New Items!!!

So I added some new items to my etsy store! After this weekend it really sunk in that a majority of my inventory is not visible to the viewing internet public. I hope that these pieces will go to a happy home ;) Maybe some of them would be nice for a mother out there...on Mother's Day (may 11th!!). So if you have a few moments, please take the time to go over to my shop and check up what I have just put up.

Rice Festival Results slash Aftermath!

So my time at the Walterboro Rice Festival was interesting. I did make a profit, so that means I broke even! YAY! The women who were running this festival were extremely nice AND helpful. They are trying to make this section of the festival less like a flea market and more like a REAL arts and crafts show. So this was their first transition year. There were some interesting booths that I saw while driving in, however I was unable to really look at them because I was alone at my booth. It was a long two days-I will say that! The first day I got there at 730 am and was fully set up by 830am. The event didn't even open until 10am! The good news is that I have my set up down and can do it and put it away quickly. We (vendors) were supposed to be there from about 830 or 9 until 7pm. People who had been there in years past said that usually they left at 5 but this year they were wanting the vendors to stay longer. I didn't mind the first day- I got some last minute customers! The second day I arrived around 830 and was fully set up by approx 915. I didn't have any sales until after 12pm. They did place me right next to another jewelry vendor, their pieces were less expensive than mine and also completely different (I think they probably profited more than me). It was good that they didn't have too much of the same- I think there was only 3 vendors for jewelry that I could think of or were told to me.

All in all, I am satisfied with how the weekend turned out. I am still thinking about the Aiken Bluegrass Festival in a few weeks. I am going to make some calls this week and do a little bit better research than I had done for this last show. I am hoping that doing these shows and festivals will get me some much needed exposure and sales.

Getting Ready for a Festival!

I am getting ready for the SC Rice Festival this weekend in Walterboro, SC . I am excited and hope that there are a lot of people there.

I have been making a few more things, but not that much more because I'd like some of my other pieces to move first.

My goal is to at least break even. And also to meet new people and hopefully gain some new clients OR potential wholesaling opportunities.

Speaking of wholesaling opportunities, I have done my follow-ups from the blind pop-ins. I have gotten a few responses but am hoping to hear from a few more :)

Wish me luck this weekend!!!

Buying Karma Locally!

I have news...you can now buy Karma Jewelry locally in Bluffton, South Carolina at the Maye River Gallery on Calhoun Street. This is very exciting for me and I hope that it goes well. Their website is still under construction because they have only been open for about a month. I have about 20 pieces of my jewelry there. Mostly my fine silver and freshwater pearl pieces.


I am also excited because I just got accepted to the 33rd Annual Rice Festival in Walterboro, SC. It is this coming weekend - the vendors are open from Friday to Saturday. This is a very arty part of South Carolina and I am really excited that I was accepted. You can check out the event here: 33rd Annual Rice Festival. It looks like a good time. I hope I do well here as well.

Other than that, I am still working on getting my pieces into more locations locally and beyond :) I hope that I can do this. People are seeming more and more interested in my pieces which is awesome.

TREASURY

I happened to get a treasury today! check it out if you cannot see the pictures...

FINALLY!

Well it has finally happened!!! I gathered my confidence and went on the blind calls to spas and boutiques in my area. I went to about 15 of them and did my call backs this week. I was happy to hear that a new gallery wants to have 10-12 of my pieces!!!! This is feeling really good whether they sell or not...I am getting exposure. I am going to do more follow ups this coming week.

So, after this Friday, you will now be able to publicly buy my pieces at the Maye River Gallery in Bluffton, SC. It is a great little gallery with a lot of very talented artists. I am really honored to be a part of it, even if its only for a little while.

Also...I got into those two arts and crafts shows/festivals in SC - I am really excited about that, I think it will be fun to meet new people in a new area and hopefully get some sales in there too! :)

Taking Chances

April has been about taking chances.

I had my show @ Gamma Phi Beta which went very well! I had a great time and they couldn't have been nicer :)

I applied for three craft shows - two in SC, and the Art Star Craft Bazaar in Philadelphia. The two in SC I am pretty sure you sign up and you are in. I did not get into the one in Phillie :( I am sorta bummed out about it, but I guess they had a record number of applicants this year - which is great for them. I was hoping to have some success out of state. Maybe next year!

The first craft fair I am doing is the 33rd Annual Rice Festival in Walterboro, SC. I am excited because it is out of town and spring is beautiful down here and I will be open to a new audience. I will hopefully make some sales too!

The second one is May 8-10 in Aiken, SC for the Aiken Bluegrass Festival. This is from their website

" Blue Ridge Outdoors, distributed free to
110,00 readers from Baltimore down to
Atlanta, honored Aiken bluegrass Festival
in its impressive "Top 50 Festivals in the
Southeast". Picked for packing "in the
heavyweight pickers" and "a stellar couple
of nights from some of the genre's finest"
it is quite and honor to be listed next to the
likes of Merlefest and Bonnaroo!"

So hopefully this will be fun and profitable.

I am excited and hope that they bring in some business.

I finally went around to try to set up some meetings to sell my pieces in stores. With help from my Aunt and Mom, I made an artist bio/info card that I could leave at stores with the right people. I gave 15 out. This is kind of huge because I have been trying to get over a not so nice boutique visit where a clerk was really rude to me. I think they look pretty good and I hope to get some appointments. :)

NEW ITEMS!!!

Well, it has been a little while, but I have just posted some new items in my etsy.com shop! Please take a look!

Thanks ;)

FEATURE: Heather Renz of BumbleBird

I recently had the opportunity to find an artist on etsy.com named Heather Renz, owner and creator of BumbleBird. Heather paints, sews, and designs. Her work is indeed whimsical and endearing, I fell in love with a few of her paintings I saw in various parts of etsy and then looked through the rest of her store. Her imagination enables her to create such soft and lovable characters and subject matters. I had the chance to do an interview with her and here we go:

1. Tell me about yourself as a person, a little background, where you grew up, high school, college, current job(s), married, children.
I am originally from Oregon. My parents moved around a lot during my childhood and we finally settled in a small town near Mt. Hood on the Columbia River Gorge. I met my husband in 2001 and shortly after, moved to New England. We have two vivacious little girls ages 1 and almost 3.

2. Tell me about your business name, how did you create it? How long have you been in business? Do you sell besides etsy.com
Bumblebird is the name of the first plush toy I created for my daughter. She loved it! I enjoyed creating little bumblebird so much, that I had to use the name for my business. I opened my shop on Etsy in the fall of 2007. I currently sell my paintings, prints and plush on Etsy and have been fortunate to have my work in galleries on both coasts…

3. Describe your artistic style
I find my art to be stylized and whimsical. I love simple shapes and vibrant colors in my paintings. For my plush characters, I favor a more subdued and natural color palette with a little kick of color now and then.

4. What is your favorite color
My favorite color is red. It can change from time to time. Other color favorites are olive green, golden yellow, and the occasional teal.

5. What is your favorite thing to create?
I love to create by painting or sewing. Currently, my favorite thing to create is my plush bunny babies. These are the little babes dressed in a bunny bunting. The fabric is so soft to work with and I enjoy embroidering the expressive eyes onto their little faces and then adding blushed cheeks for a finishing touch.

6. Do you like to cook?
I do not like to cook…My family used to say, “How are you going to find a husband if you don’t cook?” I told them I plan to marry a man who cooks! They laughed….but I did. My husband has the wonderful and natural ability to make a spectacular dish without a recipe, from the meager contents of our fridge.

7. Do you have pets?
I have a crazy/sweet black haired cat named Shayla. She is 11 years old. Someday, we would like to have a dog…

8. What is your favorite season and why
My favorite season is late summer and early fall. It’s warm and I’m relaxed. It’s a great time to get together with friends outdoors. It’s also the time of the year when I go back to Oregon and visit my family.

9. If you could have any talent that you don’t currently have, what would it be?
I would love to be able to sing and play the piano. I am seriously considering taking lessons…

10. What is the best thing that your craft does for you personally?
Creating art is a necessity for me. Especially now that I’m a mom. I need that part of my old self to still exist. It lifts my spirits and takes my mind away from everyday life…and brings joy when I see my young daughter so excited by a new creation or painting away along side me!

11. What has been your favorite moment as a seller?
My most favorite moment is when I received such heart felt comments about my work. To know that it has touched someone and brought them much joy is the reason I will continue to create…

12. What is your favorite way to end your day?
My favorite way to end the day is relaxing on the couch with my husband, while enjoying a glass of red wine. Then climbing into a warm bed for a full peaceful night sleep…


You can check out all of Heather's designs and creations on her blog and etsy store!

I am featured!

I have the honor of being interviewed AND featured on another blog this week. CHECK IT OUT!

I am really honored and think its really cool that someone wanted to do this for ME :) Jil Wright of SunRaven Designs has put me on her blog. She is an artist too! She makes beautiful prints.

I am also doing a give-a-way of earrings that I usually sell at my shows (not on my etsy site!) so please take a look and maybe you can WIN!

ALSO - wish me luck, I have my show tomorrow *FRIDAY* at the University of South Carolina. I hope that I can raise a lot of money for Camp Fire USA !

Woo HOO

I am in a treasury!!!! YAY!!! I love the feeling of being picked by someone else to be in a treasury. Its a great feeling:) http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=36784

Almost ready... all I have do now is sell it!

So today I finally finished! I finished every ounce of completed jewelry to an excel worksheet. 100% of my items have been given a wholesale price AND a retail price. I feel ready.

I am having a show on Friday April 4, 2008 @ the Gamma Phi Beta House at the University of South Carolina. They are hosting my jewelry show and we are hoping to raise a lot of money for CampFire USA - a summer camp for less fortunate kids. I am really hoping this sale goes well for a number of different reasons, but mainly I would like to raise money for this organization. I am donating 10% of my final total to Camp Fire.

I hope that the girls of USC are impressed with my jewelry and that they buy a lot of it! SEND GOOD VIBES HERE! My friend Julia has been helping me out with all of this - she is philanthropy chair of her sorority.

That being said - items on my etsy.com site may not be available after this FRIDAY! SO - now is the time to purchase. If you mention this post or my blog in anyway I will provide FREE SHIPPING and maybe a lil discount via paypal refund!