When your output greatly exceeds your sales...

It's kind of discouraging. I won't lie!

My knitting output has ALWAYS exceeded my ability to give away or pass on the many items I make. My social discomfort usually means that unless the directions to send things to charities is VERY concrete and straight forward I won't even try. The potential for messing it up is too great and I just keep stockpiling while feeling faintly guilty that someone could be using the 17 beanies I knit 5 years ago if I was confident to send them somewhere where they would actually acknowledge they received them! Otherwise I worry about that too!

But with the toys I felt a certain amount of confidence. Unique handmade toys always resonate comfort to adults as well as children and the patterns I indulge in turn out DESPERATELY cute toys! I have had great success at different times, selling many bunnies but I've never managed to maintain the momentum.

I'm not a good self-promoter.

I don't have any money to put into promoting my goods.

And it's lovely to receive likes and kind comments from people on Instagram and Facebook about how lovely the toys are...

But no-one buys.

I thought I'd at least get nibbles at this time of year but so far it's been really quiet for months. 

I sold one custom order to America in October. $35aud. Not a lot for the last 3 months really.

I'm a technician. I know that. I love doing. I could make things till the cows come home. But I feel as exposed as a peeled prawn when I have to try and sell my things. I'm uncomfortable, embarrassed by the praise while slightly pleased but desperate to earn some money without exposing that desperation to the people browsing.

I'm not sure what will happen. I can't stop making things. It's a constant battle not to get terribly discouraged with my apparent inability to understand how technology and social media work together. But I'll keep plugging on...

...I'll cast on another toy project. And when I finish it, outfit and all, it will make me smile. Maybe someone else will feel that too when they see it in my shop....

...It could happen!

God Bless you all!

Dx

Back and just as anxious!

And here we are again!
Another attempt to make something out of nothing!
I don't have a lot of resources. My anxiety and social awkwardness are such that Craft Markets and such have never worked well for me. Unfortunately, I've developed such a good mask of quirky cheerfulness, people don't realize the agonies of anxiety and fear that churn away just underneath.

I like making things. Lovely things. Comforting things. Things that make people smile.
Unfortunately I really struggle with the kind of self belief one needs to promote myself and my products. I suck at selling!

Goodies on my Etsy Shop
www.etsy.com/shop/danie17

So here I am, again trying to put together a facebook page with my knitted toys and goodies in it. I still have my Etsy shop, which occassionally has many sales and I'm so happy but then long droughts where I think "I am never going to get enough momentum to keep this thing going."

Little Dolls
www.etsy.com/shop/danie17

But despite all that, I keep knitting. Because it makes me happy. I feel deep satisfaction with each beautifully turned out bunny or doll.

A lovely custom order for a lady's mother to hold while she has chemo.
A little friend to be there with her through it!

I don't get that sense of deep contentment with anything else in my life, although I am blessed with a loving family, children who are grown and building their own families and still get to see often. I have a wonderful life!
And a lot of mental health issues due to possible Aspergers. And type 1 Diabetes.

My lovely Mother. Dad died this February.
Mum is the loveliest person I know!
 

My wonderful Hubbie, who puts up with a lot!

So I'll keep plugging on, knitting and doing my best because after all is said and done, what else can you do?
I am thankful. The Lord has blessed me more than I can fully appreciate. And with his help and all those He's placed around me, I'm sure I will do much!

God Bless to All!
Dx

I have a question to ask...

And I'd REALLY like some objective opinions.

I have an etsy shop where I was trying to sell my resin pendants and some knitted items.

I'm not at all gregarious or outgoing and I hoped that my pretties might attract people to look and buy without the terror associated with an actual craft fair.

Well, I was right in one aspect.

Lots of people looked...

...but hardly any bought. I think in the 3 or so years I've been on etsy,I've sold about 4 items and one of them I had to refund they're money. They sent it back because the colour wasn't actually what they wanted!

So, about 6 months ago I put my shop on vacation so I could regroup, find where I'd   stored all my goods in the last move (since it had been that long since I got any of them out!) and ponder if this was really worth the effort.

I try to buy gifts, when I can from etsy, because you can get really great unique items and I also try to buy any jewellery findings and pendant trays from etsy as well because I like to support other artisan crafters. But do I just suck at selling? Am I only a gifted technician and should leave the business of presenting my wares to more gifted individuals?

So the question I have is...should I shut up my etsy shop and try something else or get everything out, go through the trauma of photographing it all again and try to work out what I'm doing wrong??

I  keep making things and I only have a finite amouny of space to store them in! Any comments or advice would be invaluable!

Cheers!
Dx

I have mail!!

I went to my eldest son's intern commencement for a couple of days and when I got home a whole heap of the display and lighting things I'd ordered had come! So exciting!!

This is what came in the mail!

This is my new head display and hand display. The head was in a whole box by itself! The one on the chair!

This was how the lighting kit was packed. 

 And this is the whole thing unpacked! The lighting cube was all folded up in that black circle thing in the previous photo. I haven't actually managed to fold it up and put it back into the black cover again though. I might have to get youngest son to help me do that when he comes to help teach me how to USE it!

 There are two short stands, one tall stand, one long extender pole, two strobe light fittings (at least I think that's what they are.) two light bulbs, large light reflector, one light bulb and a lot of other things I don't know the name to much less exactly what they do!!!
I think I may have outsmarted myself there. I bought it to improve my photos on my etsy store but I'm lacking some pretty basic skills! Fortunately I'm pretty sure Jordan probably has the skills I lack and can help me nut it out. But it's still all pretty cool :)

Silky Threads and Tatted Lace

Sounds alluring, doesn't it? Actually it's pretty pragmatic. I bought these absolutely gorgeous silk thread from a lovely shop on etsy - https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thecraftmagpie

Aren't they absolutely the most wonderful autumn tones you've ever seen??

Anyway, I'd always meant to try tatting with them since really lovely intense colours are ridiculously hard to find especially at the fineness I tend to want to use. These were a lot finer than what I usually tried but what the heck! I'd give it a shot!!

There is no way I am putting in any of the poor deformed attempt I tried before I got the combination of tension and looseness right. I snapped so many rings of tatting trying to draw the thread through that for months I didn't even look at the threads! But recently I had another go, having calmed down enough to look at it logically and know that while each knot needed to be complete it didn't need to have a death grip on the supporting thread because it simply wouldn't support the force needed to pull the thread through. And I'm pleased to say I succeeded!

Isn't it sweet?? The glass it's between is about 3cms square and the motif would fit comfortably on the pad of your thumb! Not to say it wasn't tricky to do. I had a couple of heart stopping moments when I broke the thread but fortunately I was able to rectify it fairly easily. But now I've had a success I might try this again. the possibilities, oh the possibilities!!

:)

So far I think I can do this.

It might be a bit obvious but I am not a naturally good at running a business.

Just thought I'd put that out there.

While I am a very able Technician, I can come up with fresh ideas for jewellery,pendants, tatting and knitting I have a really hard time selling.

My father, who's excellent at selling, did not hand it down to me when he gave me the hodge-podge of genetic material which included high-function Aspergers!

Thanks a lot Dad!

So to try and help myself I've bought some books (I love books! I've taught myself almost everything I've ever wanted to learn from books!) to help me with my etsy shop.

I think I'm learning...slowly.

I've put up some new listings and I will tweak it some more and hopefully increase my exposure!

The flower brooches are up but I'm still taking new shots of the pendants.

I guess you really do get the results you work for.

:)

I'm a Business!!

I've just registered my very own business! Totally Unique by Danielle is registered and I have my own ABN. I don't know what that all means exactly but I know it means I have responsibilities to the tax office. Not quite so pleasant :/ 

But I finally had my first sale on my etsy shop!! Totally Unique by Danielle So happy!

This is, as we speak, winging its way to Florida!

It also helped me realize I had grossly under-estimated the cost of postage not just in Australia but around the world, especially since a simply beanie being posted to the USA cost around $7! Was a bit shocked. So I had to go over and change my postal charges.

So, everything is moving along, slowly it's true, but at least moving. I've sold a number of scarves, I have another beaded cuff to do once I've received the shirt it's supposed to match and I'm still compulsively knitting this and that. Also I need to buy more resin to make up some more tatted pendants. Starting to organize myself for the Carnamah Show which is held in September.

Ah...life's tough :)

This is the first completed cuff, all finished and sparkly :)

Happy Knitting :)

Still here!

I'm really slack at keeping this up. Maybe that's why I don't keep a diary!

But I have not been idle!!

I have been slowly restocking my etsy store  http://www.etsy.com/shop/danie17  and it's starting to look pretty good. Haven't sold a damn thing but a lot of people have had a look and favourited things so, can't complain.

I've been doing some commission work for a lady in Geraldton who wanted two of those thread-through scarves with the leaf-like ends for gifts and a beaded cuff like one of the ones I have but in a different colour. After we went through the frustration of trying to settle on colours for the scarves she kindly sent me the wool so all I had to do was knit it up. Easy!

I was so pleased when these were finished. But the yarn was lovely and soft!!

So now they're done and she's received them, all I have to do is the cuff. A little more tricky since I was entirely out of my beading and jewellery findings. So after ordering it all from etsy, I've finally got enough to start.

Still waiting on beads for fringe where loops are.

There are elements I'm not 100% happy with, like the loops at the bottom aren't as neat as I'd like but that's just me. I'm seriously thinking I need to buy a brass extender chain to use as a fastening for it but I think I'll try and find an Australian supplier. I'm waiting on the dangling beads for the fringe on the cuff so it's not finished yet! But at least started, finally!!!

But my biggest achievement to date is finally finishing the light cardigan I was going to wear when I thought I'd have to wear formal attire at my pseudo-son-in-law's  graduation. Soon found I didn't but now I have this lovely crochet cotton thread cardi that goes so well with the dress and spares everyone from having to view my flabby arms since I think I'm a bit old to be able to wear spaghetti straps in public. 

I wish the light had been a bit better but no one here in the wheatbelt is going to complain about rain!

The little buttons were a spur of the moment purchase that has turned out to just suit this project.

I may not get to wear it with this dress but I'll be taking it to Canberra when I go in a couple of days and see if it goes with the dress Dear Daughter will be wearing because she does need to go to the formal ball. I think that would more than make up for me not wearing it.

So there I am so far. No doubt I'll update when I come back from Canberra.

Happy Knitting :)

New Stuff in Shop

I've just put up some new stock on my Etsy shop. I've heaps more pendants to put up but this'll do for the moment. I've just resined up a heap more pendants so hopefully they'll be as pretty. I hope I get better at this. I always make such a mess! 

Wish me luck.

My Shop is Open and with Stuff to Sell!!

Yes indeedy! I finally got brave and started putting just a few of my things on there at a time. Still getting really pretty pics of my pendants but so far I've got about 5 knitted items and 1 tatted pendant up on my shop site.

These are the knits. I've only shown 1 set of mitts because I've got three of the same design but different colourways. Very cosy and easy fit!

 

I've got heaps more to put up! Since I'm such a compulsive knitter I have to get rid of some of it before me and my family get smothered under it all! So please come and have a look. You might find just the perfect gift for someone this christmas, be it a cosy knit of a piece of unique jewellery!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/danie17

Look forward to see you :)