Gender Bender Art Carnage

Tonight, or technically last night (since it's 2am now), I was a vendor at Art Carnage at The Soundry in Vienna, VA... It was fantastical, and yes that's a word! :) Usually, I perform improv with the Improper Imps of Improv and just casually stroll through the vendor area looking at this and that. Tonight, I decided not to perform, but to be a vendor and I was little apprehensive in the beginning. I've never been a vendor anywhere, and I haven't been selling much, actually anything via etsy, so I was feeling a little bummed and discouraged. I went there hoping I would sale at least one thing.. That was my goal.

When I arrived there, the place was not nearly as crowded as I thought. There were hardly any vendors, at least not as many as usual, so I really wasn't expecting too much, which I am ecstatic to say I made 5 sales and a had a lot of positive response to my items. It also gave me a chance to see what items people respond to most and what things I need to change/alter/arrange/discard, etc... Many people seemed to truly like the googly eyed owl pendants, decoupage bracelets and the zipper jewelry. It was soooo much fun talking to people and meeting the other vendors and just being immersed in such creativity. I met soap makers, jewelry artists, animation comic book artists, photographers... such fantastic talent all in one place.

I also learned some things about myself tonight... Although I sometimes get anxiety when I have to talk to people and just the thought of being a vendor was somewhat scary to me (I sometimes have a tendency to be quiet and introverted), I did an awesome job and felt I really connected with a lot of people. I had long conversations with potential costumers and I truly enjoy learning about people. I can definitely hold a conversation and I can also be very engaging.

I had a blast and it made me feel good about my products. Art Carnage is such an awesomely fun event with Poets, Artists, Comedians, Burlesque, Bellydancers and random, chaotic singers roaming about. I'm so happy I went... think I'm gonna do it again next month!

New Stuff and I'm Super Stressed Out

I'm super stressed out, getting relocate from the east coast to the west coast and I haven't secured a job in LA yet. I don't know how I'm going to get my furniture out there or my car since I haven't been able to save as much as I wanted. I haven't sold as much as I wanted to... I keep making stuff, which always relaxes me, but I don't know how to get the stuff sold. I keep getting added to treasuries on etsy and people favorite my items, but how do you get people to actually purchase stuff. I don't think I'm all that great at marketing... my passion is creating things.

I wish I could transition to just making stuff all day. I want to find my nitch, but there are so many talented people out there, sometimes I feel like I'm just getting lost in the shuffle. I don't really have as much time as I would like to make stuff... My move date is coming up so quick and I feel like I haven't done anything... almost a month away... I have a table at Art Carnage in Vienna this month, and I hope to sell at least a few items and make a few new clients....

www.blackroqs.etsy.com

New Stuff

This weekend I decided that for the majority of it, I'm just going to sit and make jewelry and do nothing almost nothing else. It's about 1am, and I've made 5 bracelets today. Why does it seem that it take me so long to make a bracelet I feel like the day just flew by and I didn't get as much stuff made as I planned on, but tomorrow is another day and I think I'm going to make something different tomorrow. I have so many ideas in my head, but it's all about time and money, which I seem to be lacking both.

I just got my scrabble tiles and some pendant blanks, so I'm going to make rings and necklaces tomorrow. I'm almost at my goal of having 50 items listed, although I did want to have them listed by June 1st. Aaaah well, life sometimes gets in the way.

I just love etsy. I get such inspiration from other artists. Sometimes I'll see something and an idea will pop into my head. There are so many talented people on there.

I seem to have this fascination with zippers now. I'm making ziper cuffs, zipper earrings, zipper rings... zippers, zippers, zippers. I really love the black and metal ones, rather than the colored ones that I got. It makes everything look a little edgier.

I tend to lean more towards the edgier stuff, or odd looking stuff, rather than the pretty little things.

Tomorrow is Sunday, so another day of making jewelry. I don't plan on leaving the house for anything. I'm on a mission.