EB Friday Hotlist: All Good Things...

(I know it's not really Friday, but I sure wish it was!)

As you've seen, I have not been updating my blog lately.  If you've stopped by my shops, you also know that I'm not listing new items and I'm letting all of the current items expire.  I have made the difficult decision to shut down Elle's Beads.  I won't be updating the blog again any time soon, if ever, for the same reasons.

If I could give a crafter some advice about starting a business online, it would be to determine upfront how much time you wish to invest in building your business and how you will measure success.  Back in 2009 when I started Elle's Beads, I thought I wanted to run my jewelry business as a full job.  It didn't take long for me to realize that the "Quit Your Day Job" lifestyle wasn't actually what I wanted.  Instead, I decided it would be a lot more fun to make whatever I wanted to make on my own time without the pressure of needing to bring in extra income.  That worked really well for me.  Through blogs, Twitter, forums, and teams I met tons of interesting people from all over.  I am grateful to have had these experiences.

However, as I've said in previous posts, part of the calculations you should do when you're making business decisions is a cost/benefit ratio.  You have to be mature enough to define what success means for you and then evaluate whether or not what you're putting out is worth what you're getting in return.  In other words, you have to decide at what point you need to step back from the business or shut it down altogether.

For me, the other things I have going on in my life are more important to me than running and promoting Elle's Beads.  I work full-time at a day job, and starting tomorrow I'll be working an additional part-time job in the evenings and on weekends.  I'm doing all this so that I can be in a better financial position when I start law school in the fall.  The school I'll be attending is 4 hours away, so in between work hours, I'll be spending a lot of time packing, cleaning, and getting ready to move.  (Not to mention that I'll be looking for a place to live up there as well.)  Additionally, since first-year, full-time law students are strongly encouraged not to work even part-time during the first year, I'm relatively certain I won't have time to make things, photograph them, edit the photos, and list them online.  I am completely sure I won't have time on top of that to do any promoting of my shop whatsoever.  Since my future career opportunities are more important to me than my beads, my cost/benefit analysis is telling me to quit while I'm ahead.

I want to thank each and every person who has posted comments here, bought jewelry from me, or has given me support in other ways.  While it's possible that I'll come back next summer or in a few years down the road, returning isn't in the cards right now.  My Etsy account will remain open, even after the last item has expired, and I paid out the nose for a lifetime Zibbet account, so I'll have a presence over there as well.  Be sure to keep in touch!

Until next time,
Elle

Guest Posting

As many of you have noticed, Elle's Beads has added a new feature to the blog - guest posting. Knowledgable craftspeople are invited to share their expertise with the Elle's Beads readers. Posts appear both here and on Creating the Hive. Guest posts may be published at any time, so be sure to check the blog regularly or subscribe via RSS (it's free!). I hope you'll love this new feature!

If you didn'1t catch the first EB Guest Post, please treat yourself here to a discussion on handmade clothing and get inspired!

EB Friday Hotlist: One Year on Etsy

Time flies when you're not quite paying attention!  As you know, my focus lately has not been on my craft business and so I completely missed the fact that my one-year Etsy-versary was last month.  On September 16, 2010 I concluded my first year of selling online, which quite honestly is a little mind-blowing for me.  Now I can't boast that I've turned a major profit or that I'm ready to "quit my day job" (it's not even my goal...), but I still feel like I've been successful.  I've learned how to sell at craft fairs, the farmer's market, and the flea market.  I've gotten a blog, Twitter, and Facebook following.  I've made 25 online sales between Etsy, Zibbet, and Artfire and learned how to package and ship across the country.  I've also sold a large wholesale order and seen my jewelry on display in a local shop (more on that in a later post).  I've made friends, honed networking skills, and organized and led a local team event.  Most importantly I've learned a great deal, not just about running a small, independent business, but about myself - my personality, my strengths, and my passions.

I've been talking a lot about inspiration lately, and if there was one piece of advice I could give to anyone starting out it would be to stay inspired.  Do something you really enjoy or it's really just work.  Crafting is generally not easy money (hence the popular term "starving artist"), but it is possible to turn your passion into a successful business - whatever "success" means to you.

Many thanks to each and every one of you that read the blog, tweet the posts, leave comments, subscribe to the newsletter, and purchase from the shop.  I don't know what I would have done without you this past year.  I genuinely appreciate all of your kind words and support.  Happy sales!

Until next time,
Elle

Announcement: Elle's Beads Future

I'm sure if you regularly follow the blog, you've noticed I'm not posting as much as of late.  I feel as though I owe an explanation for this.  The good news is that I've made the decision to apply to law school.  I want to further my education and I'm taking the time now to prepare for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and fill out applications.  The bad news is that test prep and application writing take up the time I used to be able to spend on Elle's Beads.  While I will still update the blog and my shop whenever I have the opportunity, I won't be spending a lot of time on either for the next few months.  Thanks for your patience and understanding.  The best ways to get in touch with me will be through Twitter and email.  Feel free to drop me a line anytime!

Announcement

Due to the crazy busy day I had yesterday and will have today, the weekly Hotlist entry will be postponed.  Have a safe and happy July 4th weekend!

Queer Etsy Street Team and the Trevor Project

If you've paid attention to my Etsy shop or blog for a while, you've probably noticed that I'm a huge LGBT supporter.  I'm a member of the Queer Etsy Street Team which is a collective group of dozens of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and other queer Etsy artisans.  You've probably even seen our shop mini in the left hand column of the blog.  What you may not know is that our shop is dedicated to supporting charity and we could use your support.

The team has chosen the Trevor Project by my suggestion as the current charity we'd like to support.  All purchases from the shop will 100% go to support this organization.  The Trevor Project is the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth.  The helpline they provide is nationwide and available 24 hours a day.  This group is the only one in the country providing this type of service to our kids.  Check out the history as taken from their website:

History of Trevor Project

The Trevor Project was founded by writer James Lecesne, director/producer Peggy Rajski and producer Randy Stone, creators of the 1994 Academy Award®-winning short film, Trevor, a comedy/drama about a gay 13-year-old boy who, when rejected by friends because of his sexuality, makes an attempt to take his life.

When Trevor was scheduled to air on HBO® in 1998, the filmmakers realized that some of the program’s teen viewers might be facing the same kind of crisis as Trevor, and began to search for an appropriate support line to broadcast during the airing. They discovered that no such helpline existed, and decided to dedicate themselves to forming what was, in their view, a much-needed resource: an organization to promote acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, and to aid in crisis and suicide prevention among that group. Thus, The Trevor Project was born, and with seed funding provided by The Colin Higgins Foundation, The Trevor Helpline was established and became the first and only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.

Today, in addition to operating the crisis and suicide prevention helpline, The Trevor Project provides online support to young people through the organization’s Web site, and also provides lifesaving guidance and vital resources to educators and parents.

Help us support this organization by making a purchase from the team shop.  Your item will be mailed to you directly by the artisan and all of your money (minus the fees Etsy and PayPal automatically deduct) will go directly to the organization to support their goals.  Whether or not you're in a financial position to help at this time, you can still be a vital part of our efforts by tweeting and Digging this blog post using the icons at the top of this post.  Please share it with as many people as you can as we'd like to help as many teens as possible with our efforts.  Thanks in advance for all you can do.

Until next time,
Elle

The Scrap Exchange in Durham and an EB Update

This weekend I discovered my new favorite store, the Scrap Exchange in Durham, NC.  It was recommended to me by a fabulous tweep (Twitter + peep) that goes by the username BlueCuddlyDes.  I got incredibly lost on the way there (Google Maps is not omniscient and I got the wrong telephone number from Verizon 411 twice before I realized it was on my directions printout). It was definitely worth every wrong turn though.

Essentially, this store is a gold mine for crafters.  They have just about anything and everything you can think of, including vintage magazines circa 1970, rolls and scraps of fabric, ribbons, glass odds and ends, test tubes, old trophies, vinyl records, etc.  The list goes on and on.  I wish I had taken my camera so you all who are unfamiliar with this store could see how it looks, but I only had my cell phone and this one doesn't have a USB cable like my phone that's at the repair shop.  (By the way if you know where I can get a cheap one for a Motorala Two Way, please contact me immediately!)  Anyway, there is a large selection of items in large blue bins including bottle caps and lids, old floppy disks, empty VHS boxes, plastic tubing, old neckties, etc. which you can put into different sized bags.  Each bin is labeled with a bag limit (i.e. 2 scraps of vinyl fabric per bag, 10 lids per bag, etc.).  You fill the bag with as many items as you can cram in there and as long as it still zips closed and you only pay a flat fee.  I purchased a TON of fabric, metal whatchamacallits, glass and plastic boxes, bottle caps, tubes, flowers, painted pinecones, stickers, cards, photos, and other materials for less than $15:

13 in x 8 1/2 in x 5 in bags

 The rest of my finds that weren't eligible for the flat rate bags

So what's the best part about this great find?  Everything in the store (besides a few items like the store labeled t-shirts) was donated by someone else.  That means that it's the perfect place to find supplies for upcycling projects.  You're able to purchase someone else's "trash" and turn it into a brand new treasure.  Check out some of what I crafted this weekend:

 

 Repurposed Vintage Earring in My Etsy Shop

 

 Funky Fabric Flowers coming soon to Etsy!

This shop is going to be a great resource for fulfilling my resolution to create more upcycled crafts this year.  Have you been to the Scrap Exchange or a similar store?  Have you upcycled anything fun or found any great green finds this week?  Post your crafting experiences and fresh finds in the comments!
_____________________________

EB Update: I'm redoing my Etsy shop to focus it on my vintage and other thrift store finds.  I think I am going to focus my funky, modern jewelry in my Artfire shop to give the two shops distinctive character.  Stay tuned for a new look and a new feel that will hopefully revitalize both shops!

Until next time,
Elle

Technical Difficulties

My computer is currently in the shop. Im sorry for the long delay in posting. I hope to be up and running again next week.

Technical Difficulties

I recorded my latest blog entry last night, but unfortunately I seem to be unable to upload it.  I hope to have it uploaded some time this afternoon.  Thanks for your patience!

Welcome to the Elle's Beads Blog!

This blog will be regularly updated with information about my sales and promotions, beading tips and project ideas, as well as interesting finds from other artisans.  Feel free to subscribe to the blog if you would like to be notified via email when it's updated.  You can do this by using the link at the top of the page or by sending an email to elles.beads@gmail.com with the word subscribe in the subject line.

Elle