Buying Fiber Outerwear Is Timely With Increasing Cold Weather

Raspberry Rhodalite Scarfette - $24.50

This scarfette is really soft and smooth against your neck and has a lovely drape to it!

Snow is falling in a varieties of cities and states here in the US and the temperature seems to be falling with no real warm-up in sight. Now is the best time to invest in some items to keep you warm, and support handcrafted work in the process.

If you can't justify purchasing jewelry then handmade outerwear is something you can always use (unless of course your entire closet is stuffed with it already). I myself only have one pair of gloves and so I have my eye on some on Etsy as well as a whole bunch of fiber supplies.

I truly believe that ultimately the key to repairing our economy is to resist the urge to buy such items from commercial stores that import, and instead to make a conscious decision to buy those things from "the little guy".

If we don't then the modern american artist/craftsman will become a dying breed.

Sending money out and none (or not enough) coming in does not make for a strong national economy, and although it's nice in theory to provide business opportunities outside the US to those who otherwise would not have such opportunities, we've farmed out way too much to foreign sources, and not enough money is coming in the other direction.

If we all start to make changes in this direction our economy will start turning around sooner than we now realize!

Doing this requires a shift in mind-set, and a mindfulness about where our money will end up.

When we go to Walmart or large chain department stores or small stores in the local shopping mall we often don't even think about where our money is going, but we should. Most such stores work with plants that originate in other countries and those jobs are taken up by people overseas. Most commercial stores do this because they can buy and sell these proucts cheaper because of exchange rates and the difference in cost of living, but it also drives down the perceived value of items made by artists and fine crafters here at home.

What we end up with is tatamount to the story of John Henry who attempted to compete against a machine and killed himself trying.

It is tempting to view things as interchangeable but the inherent value of items is the individuality from one maker to another.

I am finding that even among those who spin yarn the mark of the maker is distinct and unique.

Many of us have probably heard the unfortunate statement, "I can buy that same thing for half-price in Taiwan." Of course that is a generalization. A machine-made item or mass-produced item can never be identical to one that is made by a sole-proprietor or small group of artists who can give individual attention and quality control to what they make before it goes to the customer. Such a statement is intrinsically devaluing to the inherent worth of the individual product.

Mindfulness of the erosive mechanisms at work in such a mind-set goes right along with sustainability and living a greener lifestyle.

Who among us would not want to have a more personal relationship with what we buy.

When we buy from the grocery store from huge manufacturers in commercial plants we cannot make special requests and put in special orders, or influence the future manufacture of those items, whereas in dealing with smaller operations we can.

I thoroughly enjoy reading about the animals and seeing pictures of them that produced the yarn or roving I'm buying, or knowing where other fibers come from. I also know that I can request whatever blend I want. I could never get a commercial yarn company to custom make the yarn that works best for me. They would care less if I wrote and asked them to do that and probably would tell me they don't do that (if they even answered my e-mail at all).

Tonight I'm getting ready to start on another piece of outerwear.

Keep an eye on my etsy store for something stylish and useful for the cold weather in your size and color! I look forward to putting these new items to good use! My 90th sale will receive a free gift worth at least $20.00. This deal is still available as nobody has claimed it since before Christmas.

http://giftbearer.etsy.com/

Back in the Saddle Again-A New Direction for the New Year

Frost Grape Scarfette - $22.00

15 1/4" Long X 4 1/4" Wide

6mm thick

I was able to get my pictures to upload on this laptop and have been thinking about ways that I can sell more frequently, and I noticed that items such as hats, scarves, and scarfettes seem to be selling very well on Etsy.

Although Christmas has passed the cold weather will be around for several more months, so I figured I'd make use of it and make some of these wearable items and list them in my shop. I used to knit and crochet years ago but then didn't continue with it once I chose jewelry as my main medium to make and sell for my business.

If it's one thing I know it's that you never can be too sure of your product, as alot of the reasons that dictate marketability are out of an artist's control. You can make the most beautiful, unique, and even affordable product and today it might be hot and tomorrow in an instant the bottom could fall out and it will just sit there collecting dust.

In this depressed economy especially, business owners must adjust and adapt their business plans in order to survive.

I have learned a few useful pieces of information in the past few months.

1) The more necessary a product is the more likely it is to sell in a bad economy

2) Those supply stores that are continuing to do well despite the bad economy are those selling transparent faceted stones, diamond beads, and rough stones.

The agate and Jaspers in my supply store did not do near as well as I expected. Probably if I'd had Ocean Jasper that would move, but this seems to be one of the few exceptions to the rule. Finding a ready source however, has proved problematic. For those of you interested in Ocean Jasper I am working on getting one of my wholesale suppliers to work something out with a cutting plant in Madagascar where it is mined along the shoreline at low-tide.

Selling diamond beads is a longer-term goal, but carrying some of the other blingy stuff is feasible in the near future.

Carmella is almost out of her non-allergenic prescription dog food and the total vet bill seems to be hovering around $3,000 regardless of what I do. Donations for her expenses have completely come to a standstill as well in recent months, as have the blog ads.

If you are looking for a good inexpensive way to advertise these are $5.00 each and your little banner stays on my sidebar until it gets bumped by overflow (and those whose ads are there now have gotten quite alot of bang for their buck!)

If you are not in themarket for advertising please give this link to others you know who might be and suggest it to them. One thing I can say is that the number of followers and the traffic to this blog has really grown! That means you or others who advertise on it will be very visible!

If you read this blog please leave a comment at least every once in awhile. I always appreciate knowing that people are interested in the content and enjoy reading here, if they've seen my shop, like an item, what they like about it, etc. It is an artist's life-blood to know that their work is bringing others joy and that they have touched the viewer.

My free gift to the 90th buyer in my finished jewelry shop is still available and if you purchase my outerwear that counts as well. I just heard on the evening news that despite the economy online sales have increased 15.5%, so maybe that's a sign that things will start improving for me and other artists.

How about a warm hat or neck warmer? If you prefer a different color I have more to come, but this color is quite versatile with all the earthtones. I wanted something neutral but something more exciting than just a cream or brown.

Moss Hat - $40.00

Circumference 22"

6 1/4" high

features a lovely textured band

I am even considering making some leg warmers and knee warmers. I don't know if your knees get cold easily, but mine do. It's the strangest thing. Sometimes the rest of me will be warm enough but my knees and just above them are completely cold and I often wish I had something just to cover that part. As far as I know there is nothing commercially available just to cover the knees. Who knows, maybe more people have this problem than realize and I'll find a nitch market. If you are interested in some of these I would sure love to hear from you.

Wishing all my readers a happy and prosperous New Year!

http://Giftbearer.etsy.com

http://GiftbearerSupply.etsy.com