Vintage Treasures

People often ask me where I find some of the items I use in my jewelry. I spend a lot of time searching for vintage things to incorporate into my jewelry designs.  Sometimes I think the search is almost as much fun as the actual crafting of the design.  There are flea markets and craft shows locally where I hunt. I love looking through old and sometimes dusty collections to find interesting things.

I also do a substantial amount of looking on the internet.  There are thousands of sellers who deal exclusively in vintage parts, but finding reliable and consistent product can be challenging.  On eBay, feedback, number of ratings, and how long they have been a member are the most important considerations. It's okay to buy from a new member, and I like to give the first positive feedback.  If I don't pay too much for an item from a newbie, I feel it is worth the risk.

Websites outside of a known collection of sellers like eBay can be a bit more daunting because you have no way of knowing if the seller is reliable and honest. A good indication would be the number of years they have been selling online.  It is also helpful if they have a feedback or guestbook section. 

When buying vintage items, whether locally or online, there is always a chance that the piece that you buy is not old, and not a genuine antique.  It pays to do your research so that when you go hunting,  you will have an idea of the qualities you are looking for.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to enjoy the search.  Whether I discover a priceless antique or just some cool vintage stuff, I can always find a purpose for my finds. And sometimes what other people throw away is just the thing I was looking for. Around the corner is my next excursion to locate new trash or treasure.

The Dreaded Valentine's Day Approaches

The origins of St. Valentine's Day are varied and uncertain but modern society dictates a gift should be given. In my other life, a long time ago in a universe far away called California, I used to be in the retail florist business.  The upcoming holiday known as Valentine's Day was affectionately called by those of us in the flower shop "Hell Week".  No other holiday was filled with such desperate buying and frantic preparations. 

The first problem was that the holiday falls in winter, which can be the worst season for buying flowers. Add to that the huge demand that occurs on February 14, along with a depleted supply from the frenzied Christmas holiday six weeks before, and you get really expensive flowers.  But for many buyers, still a relatively high percentage being the male of the species, this is a status symbol.  Paying an exorbitant price for a dozen roses and having them delivered to her office on Valentine's day is considered a coup of the highest order.  The relationship points awarded for this effort are great.

There is not enough space here to tell you all of the horror stories I experienced while working this dreaded holiday.  I had things thrown at me and I was called names even I, with my sailor's mouth, would not use.  I had people offer me bribes, beg, cajole, and threaten me while trying to get an order delivered by a certain time on the day. This holiday seems to bring out the worst in people, all in the name of love.  Go figure.

Nowadays, I am working a different job. The slower pace of an online store is a real change for me.  Granted, I still sell jewelry and that is another item that is much in demand for Valentine's Day. But because I don't sell high end items like diamonds and such, my sales tend to be quite a bit less. I was actually busier at Christmas.

So while I sometimes miss my old life in the flower shop, it is holidays like this one that make me happy I chose another direction for my creativity. Check out my shops to see unusual designs for the upcoming holiday or for any day.

http://www.mymysticgems.etsy.com

http://www.mymysticgems.artfire.com

I love being my own boss but...

 {EAV:f808983fa0ebd74e}


I run a tiny online jewelry business and most of my advertising comes from my own resourcefulness. But it's difficult trying to keep up with all the social media aspects on the internet these days. Multiple posts on a variety of different websites seems to help promote my website at a low monetary cost.  However the cost in time involved is a different matter.  I find myself saying things like,  "this is harder than a real job" and other nonsensical utterances. I understand now why those ad agencies charge so much.  This is really tough.

But because my business is relatively new and just now hitting more than a sale or two here and there, I am poor. So I am constantly looking for inexpensive ways to tell people about my jewelry designs.  Social media is the obvious answer, but not as simple as it first appears.  I now have more favorites tabs at the top of my browser than ever.  I don't have enough space in my tabs section to open all the windows I need to post on the different websites that I belong to. 

The posts are doing some good, that is obvious. I am reaching more people than ever and I am starting to gain an audience.  But it is like growing a garden.. a few days without water or weeding and things start going downhill fast.  It's not just a matter of posting a couple of links on Facebook and waiting for the comments and likes to come in.  I have to post on many different sites.. I have to twitter and tweet, stumble and tumble, blog and plus one... sheesh it gets confusing.

It would really help if I had some training as a standup comic or a motivational speaker, too.  People want to be entertained and there are so many shiny things out there in cyberspace now that everybody has attention disorder. I find myself constantly looking for interesting and funny things to share with people.  It has almost become a contest about who can provide the most fascinating and funny bits of information in the shortest amount of time.

At the end of the day, even though sometimes I miss that 9 to 5 job with a guaranteed paycheck, I think I will keep this up for a little while longer. It's just as much work as a "real" job, but sometimes the perks are way better. Being my own boss is one, doing something that I love is another, and going to work in my pj's is pretty cool as well. 

MaryAnn Kay

Check out my websites for really cool and different designs.
http://mymysticgems.etsy.com
http://mymysticgems.artfire.com

Beautiful Bullets

I am getting ready to make another donation to the Peace Corps from the proceeds of my Beautiful Bullets designs.  Sales are slowly increasing and I hope this year will be even better than last.  I have really started to expand the number of bullet designs available and plan to offer dozens of different colors and types.  I love being able to take something like a spent shell casing and turn it into something peaceful and beautiful.