Closing down

It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to close my jewellery business.

When Mr planet retired 18 months ago and we moved and travelled and lived in a caravan for a year, I thought that I would eventually start going to markets again.....but this is just not going to happen.
I still love designing and making jewellery (and other things) and I adore my beads, but the will to get out there and do the hard hard yards has just gone.
Before we moved I had some really successful outlets - The Nook Leura (a co-operative I was a member of), markets and festivals in the Blue Mountains, Sydney and other parts of New South Wales, plus a few other outlets.
I had an etsy shop which, to be honest was never really worth the time I put into it - selling on a big on-line platform is hard.

But, I have a huge amount of stock!
Silly me.

I am having a sale on over on etsy - 50% off.

I will also be destashing my supplies as I get time to list them.

I hope this will give me the time and inspiration to explore some other areas of my creativity as I have always been a bit of a dabbler, but trying to make and sell stuff kind of gets in the way!

If you would like to get some real bargains head on over to my etsy shop and use the code CLOSINGDOWN at checkout.

To have a sale....or not?

What are your thoughts on having a sale? Or discounting your wares?
What do you do with items that have been around for a while and haven't sold?

It's a vexed question?
Are you devaluing all your hard work?
If you often have a sale, do your customers wait for you to reduce your prices - does it discourage them from buying at full price?

At the weekend I was at a big country market that happens twice a year and as we will be moving soon I decided to see if I could sell more of my stock (so that I don;t have to pack it).
I offered 25% off all my jewellery, that wasn't already discounted.

I made a couple of sign, maybe they could have been bigger...
I also mentioned my discount to customers (or potential customers!)

Did it work?
I don't think so, for these reasons.

1. People seemed to buy what they wanted to anyway. If they like it - they will buy it.
2. Mentioning that I was having a sale and why didn't seem to spur people into a shopping frenzy.
3. When I didn't mention the sale they still purchased an item.
4. They sometimes seemed surprised that they were getting a cheaper price.

I think a couple of customers perhaps bought another item or two, but it's hard to know as they may still have done that.

Overall the day wasn't bad but I can't help thinking that I did myself out of a quarter of my takings by having this sale.

Ah well, you live and learn.

Welcome back! I'm having a sale.

Going away and off-line for a whole month is hard when you are running a business, so as a little notice that I'm back and I'm in business, I'm offering 20% off across the board in my etsy shop.

amethyst and pearl necklace

You just need to enter the discount code WELCOMEBACK1 at checkout.

Have you done your Christmas shopping yet?

What are you waiting for!

A sale!

Happy August!

To celebrate I'm reducing the price of all my ready-made mitts to a measly $12!

They are hand-knitted by me in pure new wool and are perfect for playing on the computer, shopping or going to outdoor markets in the cooler weather (which we have at the moment).
For those of you in the northern hemisphere - think ahead and get ready for winter or be organised with some early Christmas shopping!

To see the other colours pop over here.

Please note any custom orders will be full price ie $25.

What do you do with ....?

What do you do when something you have made, something you have spent many hours designing, gathering supplies, spending money, creating, displaying, listing, promoting - doesnt sell?

Do you -

1. Move it - to another selling venue

2. Reduce it - give it a price cut?


3. Gift it - give away as a birthday/christmas/wedding/etc present?


4. Give it - run a giveaway on your blog, website, whatever and offer it as the prize?



5. Donate it - give it for some other fundraising/school raffle/ trivia night prize....?


6. Keep it - use/wear/display it for yourself?

7. Stow it - put it in the back of the cupboard to be brought out several months or years later?



8. Renovate it - polish it up, give it some new bits, or package or display it differently?

9. Restyle it - Make it longer or shorter, bigger or smaller?

10. Remodel it - take it apart and make something completely different?

11. Forget it!!?


Please leave a comment - you'll have a chance to win a surprise!

images from the web

Huge weekend

What a huge weekend I'm going to have!

An exhibition and a big sale!

The exhibition is the Mountain Makers at Glenbrook, in the beautiful Blue Mountains in NSW, Australia.


And I'm part of the DUST (down under street team) participation in etsy's weekend deals!


I'm mad I know, but I actually have a lot of stock I'd like to see go to a good home so that I can make some new pieces.
Especially since I went to the Sydney Bead and Gem show last night and just couldnt come away empty handed!

So if you are in the Blue Mountains or near the Blue Mountains or in Sydney and would like a nice day out (there are other lovely shops in Glenbrook and great cafes and the National Park is minutes away and the hall is in the same building as the Glenbrook Cinema - the best cinema ever) come to Glenbrook Hall, next to the information centre on the Great Western Highway.

We're open 9am - 5pm Saturday and 9am - 3pm sunday.

Or if you're a bit further away check out all the great weekend deals from fab aussie sellers.
You can see them all on the DUST team blog.

August bargains

Roar your way into some great deals throughout August with DUST!

leo lion worm by wormgalaxy

Nearly every month, DUST holds a themed monthly sale on Etsy! That means that there is always a deal to be found year-round. August is no different, this month's theme being "Leo the Lion". How does that translate into savings for you?

A big part of the fun is seeing how each member interprets the sale theme in their own way. The theme was chosen for August birthdays, but with a twist! "Leo the Lion" of course refers to the astrological sign associated with the month, but the theme is far from limiting. For example, there were some great suggestions on how to choose items
for the sale. Such as:

* Colours - Yellows, oranges, browns
* Stones used
* Fabric choices
* General jungle themes - greens, monkeys, tigers
* All things astrological

embellished ladies tank top by angelene

So you never know what sort of fun creations you might find on sale this month! The only way to find out is to hang out in our promotion thread on Etsy (found here: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6233915) or to search the term "dustteamsale". This will directly show you all of the participating items for the sale, meaning more savings than you can shake a stick at.

paw print hair clips by vanillapixie

We really hope to see you celebrating this wonderful month with us on Etsy! It's a jungle out there, after all.

Local legend has it that Christmas in July started on one dark cold winter's night in 1980 in a hotel in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.
A group of Irish friends were toasting their toes in front of a roaring log fire and bemoaning the hot christmases here in Australia.
The enterprising hotelier offered to serve a traditional christmas feast, with all the associated trimmings, and Santa - and the tradition was begun.

Since then the tradition has spread around the world, not just places in the Southern hemisphere.
Any excuse for a celebration!

orange blobby monster by BeadlesandPins

Join the Australian sellers on etsy as they hold their first ever huge Christmas in July event.
With most shops having discount sales and give-aways in the etsy forums.

candy resin ring by bobishi

You an find out more here

http://www.dustteam.com/sales/julyCIJlist.php

pencil roll by wiccked

I am having a "buy one get one free" sale.
From Saturday midnight until midday on monday.

Come on over and grab a bargain or two.