Tag: new years

There’s a Shop Now and New Year’s Updates

I’ve gone and done it. The latest incarnation of my web site shop is going to be a Shopify one. I’m sticking it in as a subdomain or a linked outside page (whatever I get to work). It’s going to be a bit different looking than the primary site but I’ll nerd that one out over time.

The plan is to release new items to my own site first then the remains to Etsy. And my non cane, non bead art will be on my personal site (that’s this one!). I love Etsy and will continue using them but they are becoming as expensive and tedious to use as other options and they’re no longer the friendly fluffy folks I joined up with. Which is FINE. It’s work. It does make for less guilt in exploring other options 🙂

So, check out the shop, let me know if you find weird glitches or if there’s stuff you KNOW I make but isn’t listed, yet. And, as always, thanks so much for being fans of the stuff I make!

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Other notes: I’ll be removing some of the hard core discounts Etsy sort of forces vendors into, most notably the free shipping for US orders over $35. Etsy is going to ding me for it but this way I can keep from bumping prices up nearly as much and continue to do occasional sales for everyone.

Wrapping Up 2012

Christmas Tree

There’s our perky little Christmas tree all lit up and cheery! Some years I grumble about the work of decorating (even the small amount I do) but the kidlet’s eyes light up and she makes cute little awwwww noises every time we turn the tree lights on so there we go. Plus, let’s face it, these days she can do most of it herself which makes it easier for me to pitch in.

Our 2012 wrapped up with the usual crazy flurry of family visits, last minute colds, abundant feasting, generous gifts and winter weather. Today is the first day with the family back at school and their day job and I am spending the day taking stock.

First order of business will be cleaning and counting and organizing – finishing up the year end papers and setting up for 2013. One of the resolutions I stuck with in 2012 was greatly improving my filing which has made that task so much simpler. Herding the random clay, beads, finding and other inventory back to their homes? Well, that’ll be more work.

I’m a little slow this year on deciding what I want to focus on for 2013 but I have a feeling it’ll be more technical things. In my world the clay and the computers and the electronics and tools all mix and mash into wonderful chaos so this mostly just means I’ll be exploring a lot of the tools and geeky aids for my crafty empire. It always helps me tolearn if I have a project to apply the lessons to and I’ve been lucky enough that my polymer clay job has always given my techy side lots of projects to use.

Anyone else have goals, projects and resolutions they’re planning on tackling for 2013? I always assume most people aim for the basic self improvement – be a little more happy, healthy, kind so I always try to make specific goals above and beyond that.

Big Huge Goals

I’m not always a fan of New Year’s resolutions because they seem to almost invite the inevitable failure but I am always making new goals (and I make them or I don’t, I think the failure is valuable as long as you made an effort). So, for 2012, I have a few clay and business related ones to share with my world. You guys can keep me honest since it turns out goals you make in front of people have a better chance of success due to the idea that you’ll be held accountable.

  • Pick up the pace on my blogging here and on CraftGossip both in volume and content
  • Get into the tutorial-for-sale market. I have a few ready to go. Just a matter of putting them out there
  • Work on surface, texture and sculpting related techniques
  • Improve my jewellery finish work
  • Learn how to make molds, stamps, screens, texture sheets, cutters and stencils. Some to use for clay, some to learn how it’s all done
  • Improve my bookkeeping and organizational skills. Wish me luck, this is my biggest challenge
  • Use all of the above to improve my business and income