Results: What is the best advice you ever got?
January 22, 2009 by Cyndi Lavin
Filed under Mixed Media, Other Bead & Jewelry Sites, Question of the Month, Wearable Art
Artist: Amanda Lynn
Website: AutumnBlossoms
I just wanted to share with you some of the best advice I ever received. I am entirely self-taught when it comes to jewelry making, so in the beginning I made things that I liked and that I would want to wear. I loved using beautiful glass beads and shied away from natural stones and metals. A very good friend told me “You need to stop making jewelry for yourself.” As a result, I started working outside my comfort zone and have been progressively adding new materials and techniques to my designs. It’s challenging to start working with something new, whether it is just different types of beads, colors or techniques for bringing it all together, which leads to another piece of invaluable advice: Never, Never, Never Give Up! Anything worth doing is going to challenge you, and there is nothing in the world like the sense of accomplishment when you finally master something!
By far and away, though, the best advice I’ve ever gotten was simple and direct: “You’re only a failure if you give up on your dreams.” I’ve been making jewelry for a couple of years now, and haven’t had as much success selling it as I had hoped. But it is my dream to do something creative and jewelry making is something that I can make money at – with a lot of perseverance. So with the support of my husband and family, I keep at it and know that every new thing I learn and incorporate into my designs will eventually pay off.
All good points. Been considering returning to the selling of jewelry but I need to find a place on-line. The old store closed down and she was taking a cut of my profits and kept trying to raise the % more and more. I Had to please her, also and she didn’t really have a classy concept of beauty. (NO I never said that to her face, she was a nice lady..)
Love examples above.I’d be proud to call them my work! Is your neck long enough for that pair of earrings? OH MY!
I’ve been spending all week just sorting everything out, Cyndi. God, I have a ton of supplies, still. Some of it I just won’t use if I have my way … magnetic clasps are a curse (as, in I cursed them) I’ve taken them off all my own jewelry. Any one want SP and GP Magnetic clasps? If anyone wants a hand full of magnetic clasps.. just ask. What junk. They are vanilla style, nothing special.
I used to add a bit of chain on the ones I made after losing my experiments. I still like toggles. They don’t try to mate with the grocery carts at Albertsons! LOL
I do have a very difficult time NOT making jewelry via my own tastes! If I ever took my jewelry business serious, I suppose I would have to a lot more of it. As it is, my friends love what I make – posted some of them on my Multiply site, during Christmas.
An Etsy shop might be just the thing. You can sell supplies there as well as finished pieces. Something more to think about
That is good news.. I was a little afraid to try anything – I have a natural terror of costing us money – or wasting it.. actually, it’s nearly an irrational fear – and now with Boeing’s chopping block, ahead, well !!
I’ve got things I bought for the store – still in their original bags I never touched. Some of it just isn’t my taste.
I have always found EBay daunting.. I have some really lovely rosaries made – I would love to sell. Being an ex-Roman Catholic with a mother who was a devote one … I have an emotional link to rosaries – love making them. I always see my mother’s hands praying hers when I do. Makes me feel closer to all my Italian ancestresses. There is a real whole in my life when it comes to my roots.
I also could make amulet bags of my own designs. I always surprise myself about design when I let myself loose, a bit. I also would love to sell some knitted and crochet things, perhaps.
What I really loved/enjoyed about selling my work is that I didn’t feel guilty about buying supplies and experimenting… enjoyed the shear amount of creativity of the work, also, Cyndi.