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Head's up

Well, was at a Denny's last night with DH. Got around to showing my beadwork. A lot of oohs and aahs but no takers. Really needed the money too! And I was willing to negotiate (ie-lower prices) Even had the manager looking. Made this really nice spiral rope necklace with a unakite donut hanging off it with green adventurine chips on dangles below (I'll try and get a picture up) I'd like about $65 for it, told her $50 and then got the feedback that she thought the prices were a bit steep (expecting around $15) OUCH. I REALLY need to find a better market. Had a couple flat peyote bracelets (patterns off the net just to try but what the heck), some lighter cases, misc and a whole book of earrings of all sizes. Alas, no one really wanted them (all the usual excuses) but I did get some feedback. They wanted chokers. And anklets. Black's a good color. Simple designs (I guess my stuff was too ornate?) Don't these people realize that it's not as much fun to make "simple" stuff?? b o r i n g Or how much work actually goes into it? C'mon, I'm not running a sweat shop here!! Even though my wages (or lack thereof) are comparable. Good thing I enjoy doing this or I'd be so discouraged!

Just thought I'd let you know.

Later,

Helen C

Reply to
Helen C
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Response: "For $15, you get plastic beads at Wal-Mart. These are REAL."

Yes, that's the judgmental use of "real" that I've remarked about in other contexts. In this one, it's appropriate. And yes, you definitely need to find another market!

Celine

Reply to
Lee S. Billings

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from snipped-for-privacy@mindspring.com (Lee S. Billings) :

]Response: "For $15, you get plastic beads at Wal-Mart. These are REAL."

exactly!

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

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's not what you take, when you leave this world behind you;it's what you leave behind you when you go. -- Randy Travis

Reply to
vj

Im going to throw my two cents worth in here. Im not poor by any means, but I do have to choose carefully to get the most out of the money we do have coming in. Im in that group of people who would love to buy a piece that any one of you make, but since I plan to make my own Im not going to. *now anyway* .. But... if I did choose to buy a piece, whether it be a finished work or a bead, I would want the very best I could afford, in terms of beauty. So, I suggest you keep playing to your strengths, make the pieces you love to make. Even people with limited budgets can save for a bit of real art to wear. I pass up on the Walmart jewelry so that someday I can buy a quality piece someday. Im not sure Im expressing myself really well. I just want all of you to keep on creating beauty.. real art.. pieces that call you to make them... sometimes having to reach a little to aquire something wonderful is a good thing! Diana

Reply to
Diana Curtis

The older I get, the more things I own, it seems. Possessions clutter your life. I'd rather pay 10 times as much (or more) for original art like a piece of artisan jewelry than get something merely pretty.

As Diane says, play to your strengths.

Tina

Reply to
Christina Peterson

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from snipped-for-privacy@aol.compuppies (Dr. Sooz) :

]You know, you might try a more upscale place than Denny's -- how about Olive ]Garden? Show off your work there. You might get more takers. And refuse to ]negotiate your prices down unless you're saying something like, "I can give you ]the earrings for $20 if you buy the set....." [Instead of earrings for $28]

VERY good!

my things are getting a lot of attention at the gym. no sales yet, but more and more attention.

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

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's not what you take, when you leave this world behind you;it's what you leave behind you when you go. -- Randy Travis

Reply to
vj

You have nice stuff. Denny's is definitely not the venue for you!

Reply to
Kalera Stratton

This is GOOD! Reinforcing that your work is REAL JEWELRY, not "costume". I've had people offer to pay me $1 a bead for lampwork... I just laugh a little as if they were joking, and say lightly something like, "well that would *almost* pay for the glass!"

Reply to
Kalera Stratton

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