Journeys

Oh the journeys life brings us...  It feels like I have been on a rather fantastic journey lately.  One where I don't always get to the computer to update my Facebook page, website, Pinterest, Google+ and this blog very often.  There are pictures on my camera that need to be downloaded and edited.  The technological part of this journey is not a very big one apparently.  (Once I get a few more things done, I will be doing those updates.  I hate to leave things hanging on the TO DO list.) 

I have enjoyed this journey and found some really creative and unique souls along the way.  I have found some art that I just have to follow now because I want to see where it goes for the artist.  I have found some good inspiration on this journey.  I have found a new focus of sorts on this journey.  It is still art and jewelry but there is a twist to it now that I want to test out.   This journey brought some excitement to the areas I was kind of stuck in at the time it started.  Fresh air is a good thing indeed.

This is the kind of journey where you ask yourself questions about life in general, your path in it, and what you really think about it all.  If you have ever been at this point, you know what I am trying to put into words is really difficult to describe accurately.  I have really stopped, stepped back a few steps and looked at where I have been and where I am now.  And asked that super hard question, "What do I want for the future?  Where am I heading?"

Now, I am a live-in-the-moment, don't-worry-about-the-future kind of person in general.  People ask me where I see myself in 5 years and I say "Happy."  They ask for details and I never seem to have them.  I just have a general idea of what I like and the range of things I can accept.  So some may call me flaky...  I can live with that.  I just know that I WILL be happy and doing something I love to do.  And that is enough for me. 

So stopping to go a little bit further into details is kind of a big deal for me.  I still cannot tell you every detail but I know it will involve art and as many friends as I can include.  It will mean I need to delve into technological things more regularly and quit thinking of that as a chore so I will WANT to do it again.  I envision some kind of shop or studio space in my future now and am starting to build it in my mind.  I don't have any idea of the time frame I will need but don't worry about one either.  Happy is still going to be goal #1. 

I have stopped many times on this journey to say thank you to those who came across my path.  THAT is one part of this journey I am so grateful for having!  Giving gratitude has blessed me in so many ways, many of them surprising.  I thank YOU right now for reading this post and supporting me that way.  Lots of little and big things to be thankful for right now!


Whatever journey you are on, I hope it is a good one full of good people and things along the way.  I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season, whatever they may be, and that you build some awesome memories with those you love.  Thank you for being part of my journey!  It has been a really great one because of you!

On Festivals and Shows....

Yesterday, I spent the day at the Des Moines Art Festival in Des Moines, IA as a visitor.  I went several years ago when my youngest daughter had a piece of art in the show after her elementary art teacher submitted it.  I was very proud of my 5th grader and find myself thinking about the moment when I saw her watercolor painting, took her picture next to it.  I remember it like it was yesterday really.

That year, I wandered around by myself.  My daughter went home with her dad and his wife after the awards were handed out.  I wanted to see what was there.  I lived 2 hours away and never really made it to the festival in the past.  We seemed to always be camping or doing other family things on that weekend.  I spent most of my time in the Emerging Artists area.  I came home with a raku fired bowl with this gorgeous copper color created by a student at ISU.  I saw so much cool stuff, so much thought-provoking stuff, so much art that intrigued me and made me want to try some new things.

I had not gone until this year for a variety of reasons.  I seemed to be busy that weekend with something else.  I had also heard about the process to get into this particular festival.  It was not good what I heard.  I have very talented friends who SHOULD have been able to get a spot to show their incredible body of work.  They did not get in though and when it was explained why, I was not sure I wanted to support that process by attending the festival.  The more I heard about the inner workings, the less interested I was in attending.

I still think their decision process is flawed and a lot of local talent gets cut out because it does not fit a formula, an easily labeled category.  Those "messy" or "eclectic" artists interest me the most.  I thrive on variety and really hate being easily labeled or placed into a formula.  I understand where the decision-makers might be coming from but I don't have to like it.

This year, though, after much thought about supporting something that seems elitist to me, I decided to go to the festival with the same daughter that had a piece of art in the festival years ago.  She is now a junior in high school and loves art.  She is eclectic much like her mother and thrives even more on variety.  She is a perfectionist when it comes to painting and frets over little details.  She is fully invested in her artwork.  I wanted her to see some art she might not normally see.

I decided to overlook the labels and boxes those that run the festival put in place and decided instead to focus on the art and the artists.  Isn't that what should really matter?  You bet!  So I went to support artists, talk to them, learn how they create what they create, where they get their ideas and see something out of the norm.  There was some incredibly powerful work based around the idea of faith and religion that just blew me away as well as some technically beautiful work in all forms of media.  There was some fun and whimsical art as well that really used humor just right.  I discovered there were a few more local artists than seemed to be advertised.  (Not sure why the media spoke to the out-of-state artists so much but they missed some kick ass local artists.  They did interview one emerging artist that was local and that was good to see.  I would like to see them cover more of them in the future.) 

I kept analyzing the booths, breaking down the different details especially in the jewelry booths.  I was checking out displays, observing how they priced their work and set up the areas people had to walk in and out.  There is a small amount of real estate and you have a lot to take into consideration.  I noticed who had cool walls that stood out versus the plain white walls.  One artist even brought in flooring to make it easier on her legs and back after the long days at the festival.  I have come to the conclusion that it takes quite an investment to have a good booth that will make it through the decision process, something I don't have right now.

I also came to the conclusion that this is just not the scene for the work I do right now.  Even if I had the tent and the proper booth set up, I would not likely pass the rest of the standards.  I love variety too much and could not just focus on one style or line to show.  I am not specialized yet and may never be specialized like I observed today.  And you know what? I am totally okay with that.  I can go to the festival and others like it, support the artists with my attendance and sales when I can afford to buy their work, and let them know I truly value their work.  As an artist who does events, I know how important it is to hear that your work has some kind of impact on a person.  I wanted my daughter to see that those conversations with artists are really great things, to be be brave and ask artists about their work when she saw something that made her wonder.  (She did get brave.  Took a little nudging but she got comfortable with it after awhile...)

There is one other reason I wanted to go to the festival.  An artist friend put on his Facebook page that he was going down to support a creative partner of his and would be there all day.  He would appreciate anyone who would bring Red Bull to them since they were there from 7:45 am until 10 pm. (I did not bring any Red Bull but another mutual fried did earlier.)  They are an amazing support network and creative team.  (They have a company together and create graphic novels.)  I have wanted to meet this person face-to-face for awhile since I admire what he does and his drive to create so I made it a point to get to the Emerging Artists area and find him.

What a great feeling it is when you meet someone like that!  Just another reason I like meeting artists and picking their brains.....  We seem to be open to meeting people and enjoy the variety of personalities in this world.  (I won't say I love everyone because I am human after all but I will say that I am a very open person, willing to give just about anyone a fair shake.)  He is such a positive, funny, appreciative, and driven person that I just had to meet him in person. So glad I made the time to do that!

When you go to an art festival or check out some art at an event, take time to enjoy it.  Ask questions about the work.  Let the artist know what you enjoy.  There are lots of things we hear that can drive us crazy like "I can make that." or "That seems like a high price.  Would you take $XXX (big drop in price)?" or "I only pay $X for stuff like that." Some of us have nice answers for things like that and some of us come back a bit more aggressively but when someone is having a genuine conversation with us, we are just as genuine back.  I loved the conversations I had with the artists I spoke to today.  I really appreciated them taking time to talk to me about their work.

Not every festival or event is for every artist and that is just fine with me.  But supporting art and artists is for everyone.  I hope that you take some time to enjoy a festival or two on a regular basis, whatever that is for you.  You just never know what you will find.  There is some incredible stuff out there just waiting to be found by YOU!

In the Right Place

I was driving home from work today and it hit me that I am in a highly creative and encouraging phase of my life.  I have always been creative.  I have always encouraged others.  That is part of my creativity really - encouraging others to be creative, take risks, dream big, ask "What if?" and "Why not?"   It feels especially creative and encouraging right now to me.   I am not sure why exactly but it feels so very right.  I am going to go with it.

18 years ago, i was preparing to graduate from college with my Bachelor of Art Education from Drake University.  I had been exposed to some incredibly talented and creative people.  I had been encouraged to push boundaries, ask questions, and pay it forward.  I was ready to go out and encourage others to do the same.  I had a daughter who had been born March 29th.  I knew touching others' lives was nothing to be taken lightly and was excited to get into a classroom.

I was a creative teacher, one who paid attention to individual needs and strengths.  I am still proud to say I am not a cookie-cutter individual or teacher.  Individuality is key to my creativity and I highly encourage it in others, even when I just have a conversation with someone.  You never know when something you say will hit the right spot and motivate them to do something really incredible so it is my opinion that one should always be positive, encouraging, open and creative.

We all have unique talents that get called into action in different phases of our lives.  We don't always know those talents are there and they sometimes surprise us.  I have been surprised by the intensity I have when it comes to encouraging others to be creative and make their own mark on this world.  Sure, I always encouraged it and always will but the INTENSITY is so strong right now.  The timing for this is right too.

When I was younger, I was so busy trying to get everything done at home and in my classroom.  I was so busy trying to be creative for different reasons that did not always resonate with me.  I was not ready to handle this kind of intense creativity and encouragement.  I was too busy and I was too scattered.  But that has changed as the years pass.  I am glad I am ready for this phase of my life!

I don't always have time to MAKE new jewelry or art but I always have time to dream up ideas, tune into the world and notice tiny details that come out in a creation down the road, and to really appreciate the talent of the people I surround myself with regularly.  Making will happen.  It always does.  But AWARENESS.... that does not always happen.  Being aware makes creativity that much more intense.

A side effect of that is the intensity I have for encouraging others to be creative and go for the big dreams, whether they are art related or not.  I pay it forward as often as possible these days because I think it is important to help others.  Someone has helped me and I need to pay the universe back for those nudges that have led to my successes.  It has now grown to include helping friends  and other artists with fundraising drives, working on "marketing" strategies, and getting more resources when they need them.

(one of those friends said that I had to set up my own fundraising drive if I was going to help him, that I could not just do something for him but HAD to do something for myself and my business too.  And as soon as this divorce is done, I know what I am going to pursue.  I am excited for it!!!)

The more I help this friend, the more excited I am for him and for the things I am learning.  I am forced to be creative to work my way through these processes and I am intensely interested in it.  I want so much for it to be a huge success because I know what great things will come from it for my friend.  All of this feeds my creativity even more.  I start thinking of more art creations, jewelry designs and what I need to make those things a reality.  It is a great cycle and I look forward to what comes from it!

I am right where I need to be and the right people are in my life for great things to happen.  This creativity COMPLETELY resonates with me and it is incredible!  I hope that you will get to have that very same feeling yourself.  Encourage others to go after their dreams and make their mark on the world.  This world needs that.

This Journey

The journey awakens the soul.... a stamped piece that really does express how I feel about this journey I am on these days....  It is a pretty accurate description of WHY I do what I do too. 

When I was teaching, no matter the grade level, and when I teach small jewelry classes now, I tell people about my journey and how each step on it makes me light up even more, wakes up something inside of me that is very important for my personal growth.  I feel like I really NEED to share that message about making jewelry or art or just plain living. 

We can go through business wondering how we can build a stronger business, create a great customer base that continues to buy what we make even when they are saturated with what we make, and how to make it happen fast.  We all want to keep creating new work.  I get itchy fingers if I don't make jewelry.  The ideas MUST escape my head.  But people will reach a point when there is too much jewelry in our collection so there will be a slow down in the purchasing cycle.  It is natural. 

I use those phases to work on my online presence, explore ideas in mosaics and watercolors, and connect with people.  I adore connecting with people!  I truly enjoy meeting people and learning about them as individuals.  If I can support someone in any way, I do that.  I run out of money to buy others' creations but I can spread the word about the work they create.  Paying it forward matters more than I can ever say in words. 

I recently read a blog by Seth Godin.  He is really wise about this thing we call creativity and business.  He understands PEOPLE.  I read his work every time it lands in my email.  He may write something that is a quick thought or something longer like this piece 100 days later but it always makes me think, take a look at my business.  I just had to share this blog entry by him because it says everything I would tell people about building a business in art and jewelry or ANYTHING CREATIVE. 

We want to make a big splash, shout "Look at me!!!  Buy my stuff!!!" but we forget about further down the road.  My whole approach to my business and my art IS to look further down the road.  I don't panic if an event does not net sales.  Down the road it will.  I don't panic if my listings online don't generate an immediate sale.  Down the road it will.  If it does not, I control how i react to that.  I can panic, throw in the towel and run away saying I was defeated.  I can step back, think it over, and plot another path with a different goal.  I choose the latter - to re-vamp my idea or plan.  I have never run from a challenge and I am not about to start now.

I talk to lots of people at events and vendors will ask over and over again how it is going for me, how are sales, etc.  That is normal conversational topic really.  Some get mad, offended that people are not buying their awesome things.  I choose not to do that and it makes some of them wonder.  When I explain it is the big picture that is my focus, that I am looking months and years down the road, most of them get it.  Some never do and that is okay.  I am not them.  I do not expect anyone to do what I do.  I just tell them how I am not going to panic and fall apart when my big idea creates just a ripple, not a gigantic splash. 

That ripple.... that incredibly powerful ripple is what I am aiming to create.  A splash dries off quickly.  A ripple keeps you moving, bouncing along with it for so much longer!  It keeps you awake.  It won't let you rest.  And that, my friend, is part of my journey, the thing that awakens my soul.  May you find the thing that awakens your soul.  It is amazing when you do.

Open Doors

I have had many doors open for me in my life as an artist.  They open when I need an opportunity to come along but I am not sure what opportunity I should be seeking.  They open when I trust that things are going to come along in the right timing.  They open when I give generously, not expecting anything in return.  The people I have met on this journey as an artist and a small business person have all helped to open doors for me.

I find myself in a good place, a really good place.  I have growth that seems to be steady and strong.  it feels..... RIGHT.  It feels like I should be doing what I am doing right now.  I have taken risks and tried new things because someone has asked me IF I can do them.  They trusted me enough to ask me, so I trusted myself enough to give it a try.  I did the research, planned my work, and went into the project with an open mind.  Success!!!!

I do know my limits though.  I watched the replays of the 2 week Right Brain Business Seminar and learned a lot from other creative business minds.  Several of them talked about knowing when to say "No" or "I cannot do that to the quality that you need right now" or "I recommend this person to deliver you the service you need".  It is often in my thoughts after this seminar that I need to remember WHY I do what I do and base my decisions on that.  I trust my instincts and just have to remember that important little fact when I feel stressed.  Just because there is a door in front of me does not mean it is always the right door to open.

I look forward to creating so much more now that I have gotten really clear about why I do what I do.  Now I need to make decisions that match that vision.  These open doors that have suddenly appeared recently make that even more clear.  I wish I could clone myself so I can do all the things I need to do - update website with new images, stay on top of all the social media sites I use to get the word out about my business (which is a very manageable number at this time), create more work, network with others, find supplies, get to all of the shops that carry my work, etc.  I work a day job to pay the bills and help me build my business like so many other small business people do but my mind is always spinning with ideas and things that need to be done.  The right door will open, the right people will show up, and things will fall into place as long as I keep my vision clear and work for it.  (That is what I hope and trust to happen anyway.)

Every person that has helped me, bought something I created, asked me to make custom work, or share space in an event keeps opening doors for me.  I cannot thank people enough for that.  Perhaps that is why I pay it forward as often as I can!  Speaking of which, I am starting to send out the pay it forward creations out to those that commented on my post in September 2012.  I really, really, really enjoy paying it forward that way.  I will have to do that more often.  Look for another blog with something like that in it this spring....

If you are interested in finding me and my work at shows, check out this calendar.  As events are added, I update my calendar on my website.  I also update my Facebook page.  Feel free to contact me at any time by emailing me here.

Here's to the open doors in your life and the possibility for all the open doors you need!

Dilemmas of the Business Kind

Holiday shopping season hits me every year, just like I suspect it does so many of you, as a crazy time.  There are all of these blaring ads on tv and the radio announcing BIG DEALS and HUGE DISCOUNTS.  I read and hear COME IN NOW or COME IN DURING THESE HOURS to get a special deal.  We all love a deal.  And the people who create these ads and deals know that all too well.

My current dilemma has to do with the fact that I do not feel compelled to offer a drastic discount during the holiday shopping time.  I buy my supplies and put hours into designing and physically crafting them.  I am the secretary, custodian, accountant, marketer, and whatever-needs-done person running this whole show.  (I love being the one doing these things as I like to know what is going on where and when but there are times when I could really use a clone!)  If I create too big of a discount I could quite possibly put myself out of business.  Plus I feel like I would have to inflate my prices just to cut them down to make it seem like people were getting a huge deal. 

So with that being said, I wonder how people who do not know me or do not understand the nature of hand-crafted items and art view my sales tactics during the holiday season.  They don't change one bit from during the rest of the year.  I am not flashy and I am not screaming that you need to come get some ridiculously crazy deal from me.  Do they think that I do not have what they might want for themselves or to give to someone else? (Just one wonder among many in this category.....)

Good thing I don't think about it too long. One could go crazy doing that!  (I have been informed by my teenaged daughters that I am already crazy enough. LOL)  I do think, though, that I should explain myself a bit better and have set a goal to do that more often throughout the year so people will understand how I think about deals and pricing.

I set my prices taking into account the price of the materials, the time I have spent working on the idea and the actual physical time creating, and the price it might cost to ship the item.  I shop wisely  when I can and buy things at great prices.  Some things are just more costly than others and that comes with the territory.  I also ask myself, "How much would I pay for something like this?"  I don't comparison shop to set prices in an active way.  I just pay attention to what I have seen and make mental (or paper) notes about that.

I offer Buy One, Get 1/2 Off all year long because I think people like to be able to get a good deal all year long.  It is terribly difficult for me to choose just one beautiful or interesting hand-crafted item so being able to get more than one at a great price is always a draw for me.  I love to bundle prices when I can - more sparklies for a good price - so I price my earrings 1 pair for $12, 2 pairs for $20, and 3 pairs for $25.  I give repeat customers a special price break to thank them for returning to shop with me.  There are so many custom orders that come out of that first sale of a necklace or bracelet.  Thanking people for that is important to me!

I sometimes offer specials at the shops that carry my work to help business grow in those places.  It is nice to be able to do that.  If they have events, I always give a door prize or create a special deal for just that event.  Supporting small business is very, very, very important to me!  Without these small businesses, I would not be as successful as I have been.  Their support of my small business is priceless!!!  You can find me at Main Street Market in Knoxville, IA; Treasures and More in Polk City, IA; Fusion in Clive, IA and Finders Keepers in Urbandale, IA.

I participate in vendor/craft shows when it works out for me to do so.  The Buy One, Get 1/2 Off always is appreciated at those events.  I may price things a bit lower at those shows so that I can make room for new creations.  My goal really is for my creations to find new, loving homes so I price things to hopefully help them move.  I love the look on people's faces when they find just the right thing and the price is just right too!

So back to my dilemma - to have Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday specials or not....  I do not think they fit with what I currently do.  I aim to be authentic in my business and if the choice is to have higher prices with deep discounts at one time of the year or to have great prices and a regular discount all year long, I will take the latter option.

I would love to hear your opinion on this!  Comment on this post and give me your thoughts.  And to thank you for your thoughts, I will give anyone who comments on this post 15% off any item.  I have a huge amount of photos to look through at http://www.facebook.com/JKLARTJewelry and http://jklartjewelry.webs.com/.