The Work of an Artist

I've been a crazy woman lately, trying to catch up with my jewelry making.  Two more scheduled shows to go and I am feeling pretty good about my collection. 

This business of business is time consuming!  Somehow, I've found the time in the last couple of weeks to put together an inventory list - a big goal for this year.  I took all of my earrings to New Hampshire with me to work on the inventory in the downtime.  The hardest part of this inventory business is maintaining it when you are under the gun.  It takes a lot of extra time, but I really want to know what sells, when it sells and where it sells.  Also, I'm hoping the inventory will show me sales trends so that I can keep things fresh.  My husband made an observation about another artists at this past weekend's show.  He said they were selling the exact same prints as they had last year.  As long as I have it in me, I want to keep my work fresh and new.

Reflecting back to my goals for this year, the financial paperwork goal has yet to be met.  I'm hoping I won't be a crazy lady in March and April putting together all of my financials.  There are so many things to do, and frankly, all I want to do is make jewelry!

Today, I spent a couple of hours doing financial paperwork - way too long!!!  During the late afternoon, I went outside and took a ton of pictures that I am hoping to upload to my website and my my Etsy shop.

If you need an art fix this weekend, please come visit me and the other wonderful artists on the Whidbey Working Artists Studio Tour.  Here is a sampling of what I'll have on display -

a collection of beach stone pendants...

I am very attracted to the spiral symbol.  I guess you could say, they inspire me.  The organic feel of the copper spiral charm is best matched with this warm toned rock and this little glass trilobite bead.

I made this little bee charm with a rubber stamp I picked up at a local yard sale.  It is my goal to make all of my own textures someday, but until then, I'm giving myself permission to use stamps like this one to make fun and inspiring charms.