No, I can't believe it's July already! Time flies while you're beading! The month of June was filled with building the Beadn4fun fanpage and in the next few days, it should hit the 500 fan (liker?) mark! Wow...hurray for the link-love, and many thanks to everyone who generously stopped by to take a look. Thanks also goes particularly to Elfie of paintingfromtheheart, who is the one of the goddesses of the link-love and keepers of the social networking for crafters path. She encouraged me to get the beadn4fun fan page started and get on the link-love train. Now the trick is not to spend an inordinate amount of time on Etsy and Facebook (and blogs and web groups and...well, you get the picture) so it starts to significantly sap my time away from the actual beading...yeah, and maybe the occasional housework and such (as if!). But since I was "hooked up" very early this year to the universe of beady people by a lovely friend from the past (thanks Cathy Cohen!), I'm all but obsessed with reading all the blogs and tips and perusing the latest work for information and inspiration. Can I help it if all the pretty beadies just make me happy?
I'm completing at least two beaded projects a week right now. At this point, my goal is to create "stock" and attempt to fill my Etsy page. These projects are also allowing me to experiment with new stitches or changing up old stitches, and helping me perfect the ones I feel I already have firmly in my beadweaving arsenal. At some point, I'm gonna need to address what to do and where to go with my work. My goal is not to create the largest collection of beaded objects, but to create works of artistic and, yes, commercial value that folks will want to own, and to get them "seen" by prospective buyers. So, when does that nagging feeling that your work will never quite be good enough ever go away? And then, when you do feel that your work has reached some level of professionalism, does that mean anyone will buy it? And what about pricing? When I look at my fellow etsians, it seems I'm undervaluing my work. Not good for me, and not good for them. But I do want my work to ultimately be affordable to all while adequately compensating me for my time. Of course, as I told my husband, my pieces can just as easily not sell for $25 as for $50. Hmmm, maybe it's best not to dwell on the deep thoughts for now and just keep beading!
Your work is so beautiful and you should value your time, because it is so precious. One of the problems we have with making things by hand is that we are competing in a big box world. My other half always remarks when he's putting the finishing touches on a piece that he's giving it the *****Mart bling because we're so used to the product that's mass produced. You'll find a balance and I'll let you know when I do.
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