Tue 1 Jan 2008
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As much as I take jewelry making seriously, it is still a hobby to me. While my Etsy shop has been a huge blessing, the downside of having a successful selling outlet for me is that it becomes an enabler (”Oh it’s ok to pick up this exquisite and very expensive strand of gemstone because I will sell jewelry made with it and recoup the cost in no time!“). Well, 2007 saw more than enough enabling action, and my gemstone inventory is about to bring on a landslide. So this year, I will:
- For whole 4 months from January till the end of April, I will not make any gemstone purchases. An exception is noted below.
- Occasional gemstone purchases are allowed on a limited basis: they are to be budgeted within the $ amount made from DESTASHING my current gemstone stock in my DollarBeads store.
That was a short-term goal, but I also have a more permanent new policy to declare. I discovered that more than anything else I need to keep under control my urges to go out and “buy more”. This is how it goes usually. I make a new design and list it for sale on Etsy. Then I immediately run and order/buy more of the components used in the design. This I do even when I have plenty of spare components in stock! Well, yes, when I have just finished a new design, I am so in love with it that I am convinced it will fly off the shelf, exhausting remaining parts in no time. This is my brain talking while high on creative pleasure! From now on, I will WAIT until that design SELLS and brings some cash in my pocket before putting out an order for more components.
Those are my resolutions for the year 2008. I wish all my customers and jewelry-making colleagues a happy, beautiful and balanced year! And oh, if you are a jewelry maker, please look out for awesome gemstone destash sales in my DollarBeads store — chances are I will be desperate for those sales. :-)
4 Responses to “New Year’s Resolutions”
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January 4th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Rae -
Those are great resolutions…and productive to the bottom line, which is what you really want.
I hope you can stick to them!
January 5th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Thanks Yazmin. :-) They are off to a good start: a successful round of destashing is going on in my DollarBeads store right now.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:20 am
Hi Rae,
I just had to post, because I totally resonate with (resemble?) this post! The gemstone avalanche, for sure. And the part about going out and buying more of the *same* supplies you already have, because these new earrings are going to “fly off the shelves” made me laugh! I am exactly the same way! Nice to know I’m not the only one….
February 18th, 2008 at 2:19 am
Oh, I’m guilty of the same thing. Perhaps not on as big a scale as yours might be, but guilty nonetheless. It’s our way of justifying the purchase of more shiny, sparkly, gorgeous treasures that feed our lust for pretties! I need to tame my inner beast too!
But your designs probably really do fly off the shelves!!! :)