I'm not sure "why" I think I said yes to this so I have an excuse to go out to an opening and mingle. I do like interacting with creative folks on occasion 😂
imo, with internet selling, the only reason to be in a gallery is for some sort of notoriety. There really seems to be no room for serious profitability.
Utility sink is next to washer, so wash has now been hand rinsed but put back over open washer ontop of a dish drainage rack to drain.
When planting my mums this weekend I injured my left thumb and cannot grip or twist anything with that hand now. Wringing wet clothes dry with one hand doesn't work.
Jen, which flat rate envelope? I'm only aware of Priority Flat rate. Just checked and the lowest Priority Flat rate envelope to the UK is $31.30 through Etsy labels. Regular mail bubble envelope weighing 1-8 oz is $12.83. I know of nothing cheaper.
I do have friends and meet people locally who ask when I will be doing a show or have my work in a retail venue. I'd invite friends to the show and it would be kind of fun. But I do see it as losing money. Just not worth it.
If I was friends with the gallery owner, I'd maybe do it as a favor.
I see it like Pennee and Susan. I don't care if people know that much. I get asked for repairs a lot and usually don't do them unless they are super simple. And then people don't wanna pay anything at all.
Kate yuck! I hope that gets fixed. Sorry about your thumb.
Jen Im with you. lately I think the news stuff is just weighing on me heavy.
hoping today will be a better day... at least Koko didnt pee in the house this morning like yesterday.
galleries... Im at the point where I almost feel like doing more shows would be much better than getting my stuff in more galleries. problem is that I HATE doing shows... so I guess the commission the galleries get is the fee I pay for not having to lug my stuff around to introduce it to a new audience.
I am in one that is 60/40. its the best gallery im in.
another that was 60/40 and raised it to 50/50 because they are struggling. Im considering pulling out of there. They really do NOT know how to display my work properly and aren't great at selling what I do. They sell a LOT of crystals and metaphysical stuff so my work "fits" in some ways, and in other ways (price) it does NOT.
the other "gallery" im in, is right down the street. I pay a monthly fee of $20 to rent essentially a shelf in a case and they take 10% of sales. I am only there because its dirt cheap and close by. Otherwise, Im not really a great fit there. and Im beginning to have doubts about staying. but we shall see. they aren't great at jurying for quality, and there is a weird mix of amazing craftsmanship (like a blacksmith, and all natural body products, and wood turned bowls...) and then...crochet crap. No offense to crocheters, some is beautiful stuff... this stuff... not so much.
Also can I just snarkily say that I really wish the Etsy minions would quit messing with fonts. I feel like everytime I visit the fonts are different lately.
Here's the post: I've been testing this for a few months with 0 issues....did you guys know if your items can be packed fairly flat, then you can ship internationally for $2.29! That's actually LESS than within the USA. You have to choose "large envelope, flat" and it can't be any thicker than 3/4". For small international orders like rings, I pack them in a little altoids style tin I got on aliexpress and in some thick tagboard envelopes. The tins are 5/8", so I'm within the size limit. Because shipping is so much cheaper, I'm far more inclined to do insurance. Haven't had a problem yet!
Ok, I may have stumbled onto that(letter rate) a few times when I was printing labels on Paypal. There is no way to get that rate using Etsy labels selection criteria, and for envelope size Etsy will not accept a dimension less that 1". Also, as I recall, there is no bar code produced for scanned tracking at that low rate.
Might be a loophole. I've been sticking with tracked shipments.
I can't imagine an Altoid tin going through automated sorters at the PO and not busting through an envelope. I think whoever that is has been darn lucky. And insurance doesn't give you tracking- just insurance- mostly I think to insure you have to pay extra to get tracking otherwise the insurer has no way to identify the package or contents??? I'm guessing but with no tracking how would you file a claim? I lost an envelope?
It's all right. I'll keep making for myself - I've gotten to the point that I hate store bought soap. It was fun while it lasted, but it's not fun anymore. At that point, it's time to stop.
Ahh poop! Sorry. I just flung a sawn-out tree into infinity that I was polishing on the wheel. It took me an hour to cut it out. Now I'll have to clean the studio to find it. Grrr.
been there. so. many. times. and I can't stop and clean because Im in the basement with so friggin many piles of crap, and boxes and stuff... its much quicker for me to start over when that happens.
many earrings become pendants because of this. o.O
I empathize, .Gayle. I seem to lose things in plain sight these days. Today I lost: my sales tax remittance booklet & a slab from which someone ordered 3 cabs. ETA: both found in odd places. Small things like jump rings and silver balls I barely even search for anympre. I 'need' to get this carpet out of this studio and put in some hard flooring.
I will look up that flat envelope thing. I think I may be able to pack it between 2 pieces of cardboard and have it arrive safely.
Cleared off the counter where my polisher is...not anywhere in sight. Looked on the floor. I have piles of stuff next to my counter stacked on the floor and I don't want to go through everything, but I also don't want to redo the piece. I was proud of my sawing....only broke 2 blades. :)
I did find a 4mm carnelian cab I lost last month. You'd think I'd be able to find a 1 sq. inch silver piece.
Gayle, I am still looking for a 2cm diameter circle of gold. Gold... It disappeared into the ether, I say.
I am going round and round in one of my pricing crisis. I really think I need to remove some old pieces, raise prices on others. Then I start thinking everything would be too expensive. Then I see what people get away with charging for crap. Then... Round and round I go.
