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 :)