Not really an AD, but an announcement

I posted this to my website this morning:
"Due to recent overwhelming demand, I have decided to cut back on accepting
custom orders for awhile. This includes email orders as well as orders from
my gallery pages. Unfortunately, I really have exhausted myself making the
same sets over and over, and even though I really love my customers and want
to be able to honor their requests, there comes a time when I just cannot
keep up with it all. Therefore, I have decided to return to making beads and
then offering them here for immediate purchase, or on ebay for auction.
Don't worry - if you have placed an order with me in the last few weeks, it
is still being done. I am just stopping all future custom orders. All orders
pending still have the same wait time that I communicated in your order
confirmation email (give or take a day or two).
The good news about this is I will be free to try new things and to develop
some new design ideas I have been thinking about. Plus, it gives me time to
really offer some fun specials in the coming months on my mailing list (sign
up below). I am grateful to all my customers who have ordered from me in the
past."
Just thought I would pass the word on. :) I'm happy to answer any
questions. :)

Kandice My sister and I had to stop taking custom orders for a similar reason...nicely, we got a lot of them, not so nicely, we were doing "production" and not "inspiration" work, and isn't that what we mainly create our art from? Many of our pieces use one of a kind beads or stones or glass, and we can't always replicate a piece even though we try our best to make something similar. As a smith, I create a similar piece, but for some reason the customer has that original piece in mind, and doesn't like ANYthing else. After a few of those, we began to require 100% payment up front which could be used toward a second design if the first one didn't measure up. After that, there was no refund. THAT kinda killed creativity and sometimes, being nice to customers.
Sometimes restrictions on creativity can kill the spirit.
I'll continue to look at your beautiful creations..I always enjoy the view!
Lisa

Good for you Kandice - I think you will be having a fun and profitable summer :) Can't wait to see what new things you are going to come up with!

Do what you need to do to keep loving your work, Kandice.

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "Marisa Cappetta" :
]Do what you need to do to keep loving your work, Kandice.
SECONDED!
----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books) newest creations: ----------- I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America, and to the republic which it established, one nation from many peoples, promising liberty and justice for all.

Kandice, you need to do whatever YOU need to do! I support you totally. ~~ Sooz ------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links

~~ Sooz ------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links

Kandice, I completely understand where you are at with this. It gets to the point where it is not fun any more and yo are not doing anything playful or creative. KathyH

Boy - I can RELATE TO THAT!!!!!!!
AND TAKE NOTE for some of you -- my production will drop immensely in the next 30 days -- obviously finals ARE UPON ME.... and graduation. I get ONE day of rest -- then one of two BAR review classes I am taking starts the first Monday morning after graduation - bright and early...
so dear - I do KNOW how you feel (having made god knows how many chocolate beads already this year.... LOL)
Cheryl last semester of lawschool! yipee! DRAGON BEADS Flameworked beads and glass

Blessings, Kandice. You need the break from the 'same old, same old' and will come back renewed!
Mj

Bravo! I think this is a fantastic idea! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyy!
Tink
Rent-A-Tink Info via snipped-for-privacy@blackswampglassworks.com Latest Work is here: BEAD SALE here:

Kandice,
Bravo!!!! If that is the kind of work you produce when you are in a rut, I can't wait to see what the creative spark will bring!!! WHEEEEEE!!!!!!! Every piece you produce astounds me. And makes me wish I was independantly wealthy.
Katie
p.s. If you have any of those pesky old (now history) display sets and focals collecting dust, you WILL let us all know if they are going up somewhere to bid?! please??!!!!!
;)
Sorry. It is 5:30 a.m., I haven't been to sleep and I'm a weee bit punchy!!! And I just ate a tube of chocolate chip cookie dough. SUGAR RUSH!
> I posted this to my website this morning: > > "Due to recent overwhelming demand, I have decided to cut back on accepting > custom orders for awhile. This includes email orders as well as orders from > my gallery pages. Unfortunately, I really have exhausted myself making the > same sets over and over, and even though I really love my customers and want > to be able to honor their requests, there comes a time when I just cannot > keep up with it all. Therefore, I have decided to return to making beads and > then offering them here for immediate purchase, or on ebay for auction. > Don't worry - if you have placed an order with me in the last few weeks, it > is still being done. I am just stopping all future custom orders. All orders > pending still have the same wait time that I communicated in your order > confirmation email (give or take a day or two). > > The good news about this is I will be free to try new things and to develop > some new design ideas I have been thinking about. Plus, it gives me time to > really offer some fun specials in the coming months on my mailing list (sign > up below). I am grateful to all my customers who have ordered from me in the > past." > > Just thought I would pass the word on. :) I'm happy to answer any > questions. :)

I hear that! Kevin's bar review classes started the day after graduation ceremonies.....a Sunday. 8 am, which means he had to get up around 4:00 am. It was hell.
And then you get to take the bar itself. I do not envy you the next couple of months. :-O ~~ Sooz ------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links

YUM ~~ Sooz ------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links

:) Don't get me wrong - I still love making beads of all kinds! It's just that recently I have been getting so many orders that I am backed up for about a month solid (that's every day except Wed. at the torch for 8 hours per day, and every other hour at the computer and taking pics.) And that was even after I raised prices. I just don't like being backed up that much and having a time crunch on getting the beads done. It's really stressful - and I want to enjoy what I am doing. And yes, making the same sets a lot is getting to be really exhaustive. I need freedom.
I felt really bad when I did this - I really don't like disappointing people. Honestly, I wasn't expecting the emails I got after I announced this. I got several that were bordering on mean. People were not happy, because it's coming up on show season and people need beads right NOW. And I didn't cancel any outstanding order at all - I even took a couple more orders after making the announcement (by people who were really nice to me). Sometimes I feel as if I can't win. However, on the bright side, I did get a lot of supportive emails, and people who posted here are very supportive - thank you all.
It was a tough decision, but I know it's the right one for me. Hopefully people will be happier when I put beads on hand up on the website (eventually) and when I am able to offer more on ebay. :)
But first......finishing the current orders, then going on vacation! Ken and I are going to Victoria in May. I can't WAIT!!
Thanks, everyone!

LOL Katie - I don't have a single bead to my name that hasn't already been sold. Not one. Not even a spacer. Everything I had extra went into the Odds and Ends sale on ebay. I never have "display" sets. OMG - I *wish*!! Oh, I take that back - I do have a small set of baby blue and coral over black rounds that were from an order that didn't end up matching the customer's colors they needed. I have to remake those. So the beads that she didn't take are available. Anyone want them?
Can I have some of that cookie dough?? Hehehehe

So technically speaking, the only set of beads (other than the oops one below) that is available for anyone to acquire from me for probably several more weeks is the Mod Girl cube set on ebay, which ends tomorrow. This makes this post an official AD.

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "Kandice Seeber" :
]And I didn't cancel any outstanding order at all
then as far as i'm concerned, you did exactly the right thing.
"not thinking far enough ahead on THEIR part does not constitute an emergency on YOUR part!"
**HUGS**, dear!!!
----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books) newest creations: ----------- I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America, and to the republic which it established, one nation from many peoples, promising liberty and justice for all.

"klunk" (or is it "thunk"...either way, here's my forehead hitting the monitor in an effort to absorb those beautiful beads...."
The Blessed Fiddy, Patroness Saint of the Disorganized LC in Sunny So Cal Personality Development Specialist (Full-Time Mom!)

Thank you!!! :D