Well-made Stuff That Just Doesn't Sell

If anyone out there has ever gotten pretentious enough to take up a hobby, practice, perfect and attempt to market it, you'll understand where I'm coming from with today's post.

Every hobbyist, crafter and enterprenuer has at least one well-thought out, well-planned and most importantly, well-executed product that should have worked out to be a money maker but.. some how it just fell short.  Like that kid we all went to high school with, you know the one who had the best grades, was in all the clubs and when you found them 5 years later, they were a stoner living in their parent's basement.  Yeah, it's like that.

Well, at ACEN 2010 this year, I had come up with the bright idea to let some of my 'old stuff' go at a fraction of the price.  Oh, it sold beautifully, but, some of the 'critically acclaimed showstopper' pieces, the ones I'd put blood, sweat, and tears into came up short.  I, was vexed.  Everyone stopped at the table, examined, inquired about and exclaimed happily at the sight of my crafts, but I barely made it away with any sort of profits.  It sucked, royally.  Really, the amount I spent to BE at the convention's artist's alley was equal to what I made.  That's sad. 

To make up for it, I tried selling items to boutiques and individuals and ended up with the same results.  I came with what I brought and my pockets were lighter because I'd used bus fare to get there.  ARGH!  Well, Christmas is coming and hot dang it, I'm going to figure out what to do with this stuff... somehow.  It's hard to get rid of.  I can't give it away as gifts because everyone I would give gifts to has already seen it!  But people won't buy it!  I'll let you guys decide.

Spartan Lady

Work time: 8+ Hours

Original Price: $50 for the set
I thought it was a good price.  I mean, chainmail, expensive glass beads, BRASS up the pooter and lots and lots of work!  But a girl at the convention said and I quote, "OH MY GAWD!?  Is this, like, seriously 50 dollars?  What the hell, man!?  I can find better looking stuff at other tables for cheaper!"  ...I know this is mean-spirited of me, but I told her quite kindly, that she ought to go look at other tables and see if she found anything she wanted within her price range.  I know she didn't, because I'd already looked.  Everyone else with chainmail had much higher prices than mine.  They actually found me at the end of the con and said, "...That's 50 dollars?  I'd have charge 100 or more, at least.  You're an artist, stop starving yourself!"

Fae Wild

Work Time: 3 hours

Original Price: $80 for the set
Materials: Swarovski Crystals, brass plated pewter wire and chain.
There's only been one person in the world that said that she'd pay the price of this item + a premium and the cost of shipping... and that poor dear doesn't have enough disposable income or the willpower to make just one 80+ dollar purchase before it will start snowballing out of control.  For her, I'd lower the price because she's been nothing but sweet, supportive and enthusiastic with her encouragement for me pursuing my hobbies.  That, and her boyfriend helps me whenever my computer explodes.



Liliana

Work time: 7 hours

Original Price: $80 for the set

Materials: Czech glass, brass, swarovski crystals and physics

I actually had one lady give me an IOU for this one, saying "Set this aside, call me and I'll bring the money and pick it up".  The thing is, she never did, so in my box of Sellables it sits.

Princessa Choker and Earrings

Work Time: 4 hours

Original Price: $50 for the set

Materials: Czech Glass, Swarovski crystals, brass chain, beads and findings, fake pearls.

Now, someone bought the bracelet, but they didn't want the other parts of it and since other people who see it see that it once had a bracelet, they don't want to buy any part of it without having the bracelet too.  Don't they know that they'd pay over 50 dollars for just the necklace in ANY boutique?

Boho SeaGoddess Necklace

Work time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Original Price: $15

Materials: Moonstone, Czech Glass, Brass chain and findings

Everyone Tells me how stunning this one is, how 'striking' the moonstones are and how the colors come together brilliantly... but no one wants to pay the paltry $15 dollars to own it.

Bloody Cathedral

Work Time: 1 hour

Original Price: $20

Materials: Black woven cord ribbon, Brass chain and findings, swarovski crystals

This choker's sexy.  Yes... maybe a little too sexy, MAYBE sexy enough to be the bane of its own existence.   if someone doesn't pick this up, I just might.  Maybe I'll get a hot date.

While you're deciding what I ought to do with these little gems, check out my mom's blog here:  http://themahoganystylist.blogspot.com/

Then check out my deviantart page to see what's new and exciting! 

http://blue-moon-maiden.deviantart.com/

Embarassing Injuries

Embarrassing injuries.  Yes, everyone's had at least one.  You know, that one time your cat climbed a tree and you climbed up after it, slipped and fell into a wasp nest buried in the ground?  Or that time you thought it would be cool to stick a safety pin in a wall socket?  OR maybe even that time you approached this adorable little toddler, just to say hello and the cheeky brat thought it'd be funny to kick you in the crotch?  Yeah... all those count.  Pretty much everything counts as an embarrassing injury so long as it occurred via freak accident or human stupidity. 
As far as embarrassing injuries go, I've had a fair few.  I can share some, if you'd like.

At age five, I was running down the stairs with my big, stupid 5 foot tall big bird doll. He was my best buddy and we were going to see gramma and grandpa!  Of course, being so young, I was only what, 3 feet and some inches tall.  Big bird's legs were longer than mine!  And it was then that I tripped over his long legs.  All I remember is my mother's horrified shriek as I pitched forward and fell down the stairs head first.  All 13 of them.  Oh, I was lucky.  I somehow didn't quite FALL straight down, but rather slid down on my stomach.  Bruised ribs anyone?  Then, as if to add insult to injury, Big Bird (that traitorous jerk!) fell on my, bopping me right in the head with the only hard part on his stuffed body, his beak.  Talk about kicking a kid when she's down.

At age 6 or 7, I don't really remember.  I was helping my dad out front with cutting, edging and sweeping up the trimmings from the lawn.  Mother was at the grocery store.  When she returned, she came out the front door and called me.  I turned and screamed, "MOMMY!!!" and raced towards her with glee...and apparently no depth perception.  I ran face first into a pole and then promptly hit the ground.  My mother screamed and rushed to pick me up, hustle me inside and clean off my bleeding head.  I think I got a Barbie bandaid.  I was very careful about running into poles ever since.  Those things are nasty and like to sneak up on ya!  ...Now, go back and read the first sentence of this paragraph.

Age 9, the age where any parent who doesn't want you calling them in the middle of their date whining to be fed would start to teach you to cook.  Mom asked me to get the chicken out of the oven and place it on the wooden cutting board to cool.  I did.  Now, as I was carrying it, I vaguely registered that something was missing.  After I was halfway across the kitchen and nearly at the cutting board, my hands, still holding the scalding hot skillet reminded me.

Age 12:  I had gotten out of class a little early for a scholarship program meeting.  I decided, hey, there's no one in the halls, and I don't feel like taking the stairs.  I'll take the banister!  And so I commenced to slide down three floors of banisters with restrained giggles until... the middle of the 3rd banister, at which point, my butt caught a splinter and the resulting flurry of flailing arms and pained squeals sent me to the ground in front of a cloud of unattended 1st grade girls waiting in line for the bathroom.  I informed them quite politely, "Don't ever do that, ever.  You will get hurt.  Now, does anyone have a first aid kit?"

High School:  We were out playing a rousing game of kickball in honor of homecoming week and instead of being like the other girls and tripping over a fallen player, or an unusual clump of grass or my shoelaces... I decided to be a rebel.  And now I shall pretentiously straighten in my computer chair JUST to tell you the final detail.  I tripped over a mushroom.  It was not unlike this one. 

Present.  The delivery guy just dropped off my delicious hot and did I say delicious? Beef Udon.  Of course, my response was unrestrained joy and impatience to get the food in me! ...I forgot that it was hot.  Now my tongue's so burned I can't even taste it.

There's more, but I won't post them , lest I start to look like the clumsy misfit I am.  Hee hee.  Share some of your experiences!

Start-up

After peer pressure, mom-pressure and frustration with keeping up with myself and finished projects, I've finally buckled down and made myself a blogger account.  You know, to keep a blog and post pictures of my various crafts, hobbies and all that.  This puppy's still under construction, but I hope to have a better wall paper, layout, actual POSTS, and fancy poop smoothed out by tomorrow??  Next week? 
No no, my bright eyed squirrels, let's be more realistic.  Maybe next month. Maybe.  Hey!  Don't look at my like that!  I'm a college student!  The only thing we excel at more than procrastination is ...is... Huh.  Maybe there isn't anything we excel more at.  That's... not good.

Any way, back on topic.

I solemnly swear, that this one won't go the way of my other blogs.  It won't be neglected, left to fend for itself in a veritable hailstorm of *insert blog platform (no, seriously, take your pick)* rewrites, overwrites and various blog tools having 'WE ARE DYING AND TAKING YOUR BLOG WITH US' events that, well, let's just say, I was so attentive I didn't even know about them.  BUT... I will need your help with motivating myself to post at least once each week.  Let's strike a deal, I post, you guys read and review and I will post some more.  Even if your review is a "HEY SHUT UP STUPID!"  I will post!

Ok.  Now let's sign this thing in blood and deliver it to the claims office to make sure no one backs out on their end of deal.