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My Etsy Shop Update February 1, 2009
Hi friends,
It’s been a long time since I was last on my blog. It’s been a busy winter with Toffee my rabbit getting sick again, then now going through rehab with acupuncture (yes, and it works!)…the economy going down and me trying to stay put and make something out of my position in this office I don’t like to stay in…sold my first piece of jewelry on Etsy and trying to make a second sale…got sick and just recovered…
So many things are happening right now and nothing looking too exciting but I would stay put and continue to find joy in everyday life. That’s my new year resolution.
🙂 Keep on smiling everyone!
Publicizie yourself! September 16, 2008
Oh my…I have not been a diligent blogger as you may see.
But hey, now that I’m selling online, publicizing my shop is a key task and I just realize how much work goes into making yourself heard!
Working in advertising, I can’t believe now I’m doing this for myself and I can be so lazy about it!
Keep up my blog here is a comfort, but then I have to get onto groups, chatting forums, update my flickr, get onto delicious, update my facebook, posting on facebook group, update my blogspot, update my xanga…etc
And then there are all these flea market I have to start going to.
I need to look into printing business cards. In addition to making jewelry, taking pictures, posting them and writing about them, start making packaging for these goods if they get to be sold…
It’s never-ending!
When you blog, you review yourself as a person and your life with critical eye.
When you start publicizing your work, you review your quality as an artist and your talent in various dimensions.
I see sellers talking about self-doubt before a show at an event,
my first showcase is coming up on Sept 18 and I’m starting to wonder the quality of my work as well.
But after going around reviewing other people’s stuffs, I know my pieces are actually pretty good.
I guess I was hoping for an unbeatable quality that would automatically sell.
It’s hard. Jewelry is not rocket science. It’s art but not really an art piece that’s super personal and unique.
I hope after I started selling with some additional income,
I can start making more unique pieces above and beyond necklace and bracelet.
Meanwhile, I just want a sale to pacify myself.
A little reward…
Super handmade products!
My first showcase coming up! September 13, 2008
The biggest challenge selling anything online is creating awareness.
Etsy is such a major space for hand-made jewelry the competition is huge.
I just bought advertising space and my first showcase is coming up Sept 18.
Based on the showcase result, I’ll see
1) if weekday advertising works;
2) which piece is most popular based on views
3) if there is any sales for high view pieces – if not, maybe I need to adjust pricing?
It’s going to be a learning curve. Very excited about it.
If you want to see, visit on 9/18 at http://www.etsy.com/showcase.php?showcase_id=5
Support my shop 😀
I got my first heart! September 4, 2008
Etsy is an amazing site I have to say.
It’s a mini-ebay without auction.
And in the world of hand-made products,
it’s probably a king.
Just yesterday alone, there are 400+ pages of postings of products.
And pages after pages of groups on facebook about it.
People are selling full time on etsy and making their passion a business.
I’m getting closer one step at a time.
Yesterday, my shop is added by a person as a favorite shop.
My first "heart" on the score card.
I’ll try my best and my immediate next step is to look for ways to promote the shop.
It’s great to be finally doing something for myself –
a business that I can control and grow.
Something I really love.
That’s super cool!
My online store is open! September 2, 2008
This is a great move for me. Finally, I am putting my hobby into business.
And the online store is just the first step.
Check out my products and click on the link to go to my store.
Or just type in nikisha.etsy.com
Happy shopping!
Motivation August 15, 2008
Rejection has become more difficult to swallow with age and experience.
I really have to be very motivated in finding a job and making miracle happen.
The economy is just very bad and hiring freeze is everywhere.
I’ve been talking to a few more places recently and timing is not right.
Knowing that if I have no limitation on visa or experience in this country,
I would probably stand a much better chance getting a job in such a bad timing.
It’s sad to go into interviews knowing that the chance is remote and slim.
And you just have to tough it up and keep going.
Try to not think about how I would not have to subject myself to go through these rejections,
if I have made a different decision about where I want to be in life.
But hey, motivation is a life-long lesson.
And to master it would bring me success.
Have to stay positive and tell myself to be persistent and stay motivated.
Without motivation to improve, there is no reason to be.
So I picked up another hobby to pamper myself.
I’ve started to make jewelry and hoping that I can sell some to fund my hobby.
At least there is instant satisfaction. Like knitting.
Except I don’t think it would be as easy for me to sell my knitted pieces.
Maybe I’ll post some pics of my work soon.
If you like it, let me know.
Stay tuned.
Knitting August 2, 2008
So finally, I picked up knitting again.
There is something about arts and crafts that makes people happy.
In our lives where results doesn’t come immediately after a long time of cultivation,
little projects of making accessories, knitting or crochet gives us instant gratification.
And what better things to do during weekends with colorful beads, yarns and felt to cheer a girl up?
When I am knitting, my mind clears of all nasty memories of the week.
My mind is focused at creating with patterns and my eyes feast on beautiful colors and textures.
My ears are busy with food network on TV.
Life is simple and delightful.
Visit my new blog on knitting and creating little happy things in life…
bunnyteddybear.spaces.live.com
The ability to forget July 4, 2008
It’s been a long time since I came back here. Almost forgot how I love my space.
After I moved out of my own place and move into my bf’s, I think a part in me fell off track.
In the physical space that doesn’t really belong to me, and too difficult to be changed to represent me,
I gave up insisting on my own space. And everything else doesn’t seem to matter any more.
I guess it’s better to forget than to remember.
I was talking to a friend recently.
Funny how people grow to lose their ability to forget though.
Children forget easily. So they forgive easily.
Nothing leaves major consequences to remind them afterwards either.
Not like adults.
That’s why children are happier, most of the times.
If only we learn to forgive as easy as we learn to remember.
Restart again? April 7, 2008
I just finished reading the book, Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom.
One part resonates particularly with me:
"…but if aging were so valuable, why do people always say, “Oh, if I were young again.” You never hear people say, “I wish I were sixty-five.”
(Morrie) smiled. “You know what that reflects? Unsatisfied lives. Unfulfilled lives. Lives that haven’t found meaning. Because if you’ve found meaning in your life, you don’t want to go back. You want to go forward. You want to see more, do more. You can’t wait until sixty-five."
The desire to go back in time, fix our regrets, restart and re-live life pops into our head from time to time.
Recently it’s a nostalgia expressed in the form of a dream, of younger days when pain and sadness in life was distant.
I woke up feeling peaceful to be able to go through that again but at the same time, this sense of longing that just doesn’t go away.
The intensity of this desire to be young again and restart all over is an indication of desperation,
and of how limited your options are at hand.
To interpret what Morrie said in a simple economic term,
it’s like opportunity cost –
What is of more value at this current situation:
What you have established to-date?
The person you are in a relationship with?
The recognition you are receiving?
Or the possibility of the alternative?
Put aside the anxiety, frustration and disappointment, let’s only look at the situation in a more logical, straight forward point of view –
If the alternative = Unclear / Unknown but desire to start fresh is still strong = LOW satisfaction in what you are holding on to right now / currently low achievement,
then…It’s not a difficult consideration on action.
The chance is, you are on a diminishing return and it’s unlikely to become an upward turn anymore.
If you hold on to it, you probably won’t get far.
If you let it go and restart, you have a 50% chance of hitting something good (As a general rule of thumb, unless informed clearly otherwise.)
The truth is, calculating risks is a no-brainer – Unplugging is always a risking thing to do, no matter for what reason.
What makes it hard is to decide is how much you care about what you have right now.
If you have figured it out, like I have. The rest is simple. Just be brave and do it.
Morrie was right in the sense that there is nothing to envy about being young.
I do agree that the solution to a happier life is not to go back in time.
It’s probably having the courage to unplug and restart at the right time.
I will try my best.
Nikisha 