Don't Call It A Comeback...

I could write a short novella about the reasons why this blog got neglected over the past few weeks OR I could just jump right back in to it.  I’m choosing the latter.

I spent an hour or two yesterday just listing items on etsy.  By far this is my LEAST favorite part.  Crafting is fun and creative.  Craft fairs are engaging and interactive.  Staring at a computer screen assigning value to things you made… not so much.  That being said my shop will be the featured shop of the South Jersey Etsy team and I didn’t want to be embarrassed by having 4 items in the shop.  I listed mostly the notebooks as I didn’t want to take all the Monopoly key chains and earrings out of their packaging to take photos.  I have a fresh batch of pieces coming in the mail so I’ll photograph the newer arrivals when I make them.  I think the Monopoly key chains are becoming one of my personal favorite items.

Crafts on the horizon:  More notebooks for sure.  I just got a bunch of VHS cases so I would like to do a batch of those next.  I need to order more o-wire stat.  I also plan on using the side panels of the boxes for bookmarks.  I have to be honest, I’m not sure if people even read physical books like they used to anymore, but I like the idea of wasting less of the actual box that I make the notebooks into.  I also have 35mm movie film coming to the house.  I have NO idea what to do with it, I just know I was on eBay and something compelled me.  Stay tuned for more on that.

July 6^th  I have to get my application in for the Egg Harbor City Hometown Celebration.  It will definitely be my biggest show to date so I’m excited.  Also, significantly less nervous having now practiced at smaller venues.  Speaking of other venues:

Always Be Inspired

Thrift Shop and Unique Boutique

227 Philadelphia Ave.

Egg Harbor City, NJ

They have weekly flea markets and also have an assorted selection of items by the one and only Avery Gray Designs.  I have to admit I feel a little proud.  I just set out taking this stuff seriously the last few months and I feel like things are really starting to happen. Good things are happening.  So I’m back.  Let the blogging commence!

Check out the shop at: www.averygraydesigns.etsy.com

Back Again

So shame on me for not updating in over a week now… But since I waited so long I’ll just have that much more to talk about.  Silver lining!  The “Craft Fair” I did on May 4^th was terribly misadvertised.  It was slated to be a yard sale/craft fair and was really 95% yard sale 5% craft fair.  For those of you bad at math that equals a LOT of people coming up to my tables wanting everything for a quarter.  Silver lining.  I did it.  I set a goal and for better or worse I did it.  I gained some insight into what to set up and break down involves, as well as some networking.  While most people were definitely NOT my target demographic, I gave my card to a bunch of people and it somehow found its way to the Always Be Inspired Thrift Shop/Unique Boutique.    I will be doing their flea market May 18^th, after all I already have my car loaded and the table borrowed.  I only made about $55.00 at the Galloway Rotary Yard Sale/Craft Fair but if I managed to make some connections and build my e-mail list then so be it.

Classes are done for the summer.  Which is another reason I haven’t posted (excuses excuses) and I should end up with a B in my marketing class provided my genius group mates did their part on the final project.  Hell hath no fury than a student whose grade gets pulled to a C because of group work.  I could fill an entire blog about how nonsensical it is to give group work to an online class, but that’s another rant for another day.

What I would like to do this week is go through the remaining inventory and get organized for Saturday.  Also I would like to add at least 3 new items a week to my etsy shop as the views are drying up because it’s the same old items.  I have had a lot of favorites and comments to my etsy site, but no purchases.  I’m okay with that, this is all still very much a learning experience and new to me. 

I also would like to get out an e-mail newsletter tonight or tomorrow letting people know about the Flea Market in Egg Harbor City.  While at the craft fair 20 people signed up for the newsletter.  You have to start somewhere. 

So this is me.  Starting.