2013...More of the same

Once a month, members of the EtsyMetal team are given a topic or question and then are requested to blog about it simultaneously. This month's topic is:

New Year's Resolutions?!

A new year, a fresh outlook, new ideas... what are your plans? New goals? New disciplines? Old disciplines and goals you want to try again?!! Recap this past year and what you've learned, where it's taken you, where you would like it to take you in 2013.

This topic reminds me of a the New Year's post I wrote 4 years ago--- "looking BACK so I can look AHEAD...2008 to 2009."    It seems silly to say, but, WOW! Times were different then---in my personal life and in my business! So much has changed in those 4 years!

But I digress, I'm not here to talk about how things have changed in 4 years.

2012 was overall a good year for me---different but good. You can read about it here: "ch-ch-changes..."

Many of my business goals for 2013 are to continue what I started in 2012.

• Continue to develop and promote my Make your own Wedding Band Workshops
• Continue to develop my new Ridge Collection
• Continue to develop my bridal line
• Continue to "clean out" my older work (Selling it off and then discontinuing it)
• Implement marketing tools and techniques that I learned in 2012 (psyched!)
• Get more organized!
• Learn new skills---this year I'd like to learn CAD
• Try to make a Brooch-a-Week for the whole year (yikes!) Follow my progress here.

Ridge Earring #7: Sterling, 18k gold, blue chalcedony, diamonds

My personal goals are also to continue what I started in 2012.

• Spend more quality time with my family
• Get more organized!
• Continue on my fitness journey (I've lost 30 lbs in the past year, gained muscle and am in the best shape of my life at the ripe old age of "over 40"!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Please follow these links to read my fellow EtsyMetal members' resolutions:
1. Lou Hunter
2. Laura Jane Bouton
3. 2Roses
4. deborahleetaylor
5. Mary Anne Karren
6. Theresa Kwong
7. Nodeform
8. Silentgoddess

putting a Label on it...

I was reading the Scoutie Girl blog today and became interested in Tara's We Scout Wednesday post: "Labels: What's Yours?"

Tara said

"the language we choose to label ourselves affects the way others perceive us, the choices we make, and even the direction we choose to pursue with our passion."

I think many of us struggle with labeling ourselves and/or our businesses. The fact that, as a society, we have to put a label on everything is sometimes annoying. But it is necessary for us to keep track of all facets of our world and labeling or compartmentalizing helps our minds stay organized.

So.....What is my label? Who am I? How do I want my customers and peers to perceive me?

• Am I a bench jeweler?
• Am I a designer?
• Am I an artist?
• Am I an entrepreneur?

I am all of these things and more....
I hope others see this and label me accordingly.

Friday at the bench...

I actually haven't spent too much time at the bench in the last 2 weeks. I have managed to get a handful of orders finished and out the door, but for the most part I have been working on marketing materials. I really enjoy this end of the business although it puts me in front of my Mac, which is a horrible time-suck.

With the help of a wordsmith friend, I put together several press releases and made beautiful presentation kits which were mailed to several local media.

I designed new postcards for an upcoming show I'm doing and sent them to the printer...


I finalized my new Etsy business card design and sent them to the printer...


...and I designed and made new Thank You cards for my customers.
ALL DONE! Next week I have to turn off the computer and crank out the jewelry!

looking BACK so I can look AHEAD...2008 to 2009

I feel like I walked through 2008 in a fog. It was a personal year of sorrowful lows and wonderful highs...and a business year of significant achievement and constant self-doubt. I have been wondering what happened to 2008 and what are my expectations for 2009. Luckily, I recently discovered Alyson Stanfield's Art Marketing Action Newsletter and her annual "Acknowledge Yourself and Celebrate" checklist via Margaux Lange's blog. As Margaux said in her post, "It's easy to forget sometimes how much we accomplish over the course of a year....Try answering these questions for yourself as a way to feel inspired about your progress before moving on to writing your goal lists for 2009." So I did just that!

How did you promote your art and your online presence?
I really concentrated on creating an online presence this year...

• opened my Etsy shop
  
• started my blog
• occasional contributing author on the Etsymetal blog
  
• opened a flickr account
• was accepted onto trunkt
• invited member on Handmade Contemporary Jewellery
  
• joined facebook, crafthaus and twitter
• launched my new website (still working on some glitches)
  
• mailed postcards to craft show retail customers, informing them about my new website, Etsy shop & blog.
• answered a few blog interviews
  
• upgraded my lup rocks designer account (this happened at the very end of the year...but it still was 2008!)

I also did my usual print advertising plus some new ads...

• advertised in NICHE magazine and the Buyers' Market of American Craft's show guide
• participated in co-op advertisement in American Craft magazine (with 9 other artists)
• participated in co-op advertisement (for Etsy) in BUST magazine
• participated in co-op advertisement in American Style magazine (with 3 of my galleries)
• participated in co-op advertisement in New York magazine (with CBL Fine Art)
  

What technological skills did you learn or improve?

• blogging / a tiny bit of html
• refined my digital photography and Photoshop skills

How many people did you add to your mailing list?

• I added both retail & wholesale customers to my mail list...but I no idea how many.
  

Who were the top ten cool or influential people you met?

• Frank Stankus of the Jeweler's Resource Bureau (via emails)
  
• Brian Clarke : amazing master silversmith (via smithing workshop in Ireland)
  
• Steve Midget : mokume gane jeweler extraordinaire (via Atlanta Contemporary Jewelry Show)
• several members of the Etsymetal team : always supportive, challenging and an invaluable resource for knowledge and inspiration!!!
  

Whom did you mentor or help out?

• I helped Alyson1234 and many others on Etsy with wholesaling issues, resources, etc.
  

Did you create a new business card, portfolio, or other marketing piece?

• utilized new logo (which was designed 11/2007) on business checks, address labels, invoices & letterhead
• developed a tagline
  
• logo promo stickers (for jewelry boxes, envelopes, etc.)
• stock # labels w/ logo (for wholesale orders)
  
• postcards ( as mentioned above)
  

What medium or skill did you attempt or master?

• sinking & crimp raising
  

What did you try that was completely new?

• crimp raising

What did you try that was uncomfortable, but helped you grow?

• opened an Etsy shop (I was concerned that my work would not fit in and that my wholesale customers would not be happy that I was selling online)
  

What worthy cause did you support in some way?

• several small monetary donations to various charities
  

What new art events, galleries, and museums did you visit?

• National Museum of Ireland (the Archaeology & Decorative Arts sections)
• The Georgia Museum of Art (The Ring Shows: Then & Now and Putting the Band Back Together)
  

What resources did you discover?

• Gem Show in Asheville, NC & several suppliers that were exhibiting there
• I also discovered many resources that I haven't used yet, such as ponoko...
  

How did you improve your studio habits?

• didn't
  

What books did you read to help your career? What videos or films were useful?

• Craft in America, PBS documentary series
• not a book but a blog: Jewelry Business Guru
  
• not a book but a blog: Wholesale Matters
• not a book but a blog: Ask Harriet
  

What seminars/workshops/lectures did you attend or teach?

• attended Brain Clarke's silversmithing workshop
  

How did you enhance your office or studio environment?

• didn't
  

What organizations were you involved with?

• Etsymetal !!!!
• ACC (membership only - no active participation)
• Southern Highland Craft Guild (membership only - no active participation)
  

What grants/honors/awards did you receive?

• 2008 NICHE Awards Finalist (in 2 catagories)
  

What articles were written about your work?

• INDESIGN magazine, “neck and neck” July 2008
• INSTORE magazine, “men’s jewelry” June 2008
• NICHE magazine ,“Sparkle, Dazzle and Shine” Spring 2008
• Jewelry Resource Bureau website, "What Works: Selling Your Goods on the Etsy Craft Site" written by Frank Stankus
• and several blog nods....
  

What exhibits, grants, contest, etc. did you submit your art to?

• NICHE Awards
• Saul Bell Design Awards
  

Where did you save a wad of money?

• I cut back on hired help (regular employees and sub-contractors). For the first time in 7 years, I had only a few weeks of hired help . This was a good and a bad thing...
  

What was the single best thing that happened to your art career in 2008?

• I opened my Etsy shop! As I said eariler, I was worried and doubtful about Etsy. However, it ended up benefiting my career in many ways:
  

1. I sold well above my goal on Etsy
   
2. I received a few engagement ring / wedding band commissions through Etsy
3. I gained a great wholesale account through Etsy
   
4. I discovered and was accepted into Etsymetal (an invaluable resource of information, inspiration and friendship)
5. learned about blogging, trunkt, flickr, twitter and crafthaus; all via Etsy or Etsymetal
6. I was interviewed by Frank Stankus of the Jewelry Resource Bureau about my experiences with Etsy
   

Holiday Sale!

FREE SHIPPING to US and Canada in my Etsy shop from Black Friday to Cyber Monday (Nov 27 - Dec 1)! PLUS selected items are up to 20% off!

Click on any of the above images for more information. Or click HERE to see all the items in my shop.DON'T MISS THIS GREAT HOLIDAY SHOPPING OPPORTUNITY!!!

tweet...twit...Twitter

Yes, I finally broke down and set up a twitter account. A year and a half ago I was saying "Blogging? Why would I do that? Who wants to hear my ramblings? Blogs are for the self-obsessed!" Well what do you know...here I am blogging AND twittering! What have I become???? A slave to my Mac! You can follow my tweets here.

Blog TAG!

*sigh* It was just a matter of time...
*sigh* I've seen it happen to others...
*sigh* Now it has happened to me too...

I have been tagged by Chris Parry!

Here's how this works: THE RULES:*

*Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
*Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
* Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their name as well as links to their blog.
* Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So here are my seven facts.....
1. I bite my nails.
2. I like to eat raw potatoes sprinkled with salt.
3. I'm a little bit of a sci-fi geek.
4. I've been in business for 13 years and still sometimes feel like a newbie.
5. I have fired an employee and I felt both regret and joy at the same time.
6. My brother is a ROCK STAR but I have absolutely no musical or vocal capabilities.
7. When necessary, I don't mind peeing outside but I will not sleep outside!

Did you learn something about me?!?
My turn to tag! Here are my victims...er, um...I mean picks:

Timothy Adam
Ashley Akers
Beth Cyr
Cindy Edelstein (aka Jewelry Business Guru)
Julie Morrison (aka MAJESTY inc)
Tiffaney Springer (aka Evermore Soap Factory)
Amy Tavern

It's your choice, play or don't...but please, don't be shy!

Although this is pure silliness, it really is a good way to market your blog...

Photo Stamps!

If you haven't heard of PhotoStamps yet, they are (as stated on their website) "an exciting new product that lets you take your own images or photographs and turn them into real U.S. postage." I recently ordered some with the image of my Bubble Charm Necklace. What a great branding tool!

I love Avery!

I have been wanting to use labels instead of writing on my bags with a Sharpie for years...
FINALLY! I did it! I love them! I just shipped 6 wholesale orders and they looked beautiful and professional! Thank you Avery DesignPro!

Danielle Miller Jewelry is on facebook

I recently (and reluctantly) joined www.facebook.com when a college friend sent me a request. While doing some searching on the site I discovered that not only individuals but also businesses could have facebook pages. So I set one up for Danielle Miller Jewelry. Please feel free to check out my business page and "become a fan." I believe the more fans I get, the higher ranking the business page will get. Just another way to self-promote on the web...