With the onset of warmer weather (or for us in Maine,
slightly warmer weather) women all over the world start dreading the coming season. No, not summer...That's right,
Swimsuit Season! Really, in what other setting is a person expected to walk around in public wearing almost nothing? Plus, how unfair is it that swimsuit season and ice cream season come at the same time? Now, I wouldn't consider myself a prude, but after putting on my fair share of hibernation weight this winter, I'm going to try to put down the cupcakes and find a swimsuit that is fashionable yet modest. While on the beach this year, I'd like to feel comfortable, covered, and
CRAZY FABULOUS. Oh, and I'd also like to be sure all my body parts are all securely fastened and will not spill out in public... I think that is a reasonable request, don't you?
So, even though I'm thinking of beach weather, I have at least two more months before going to the beach is even an option. March and April are always a strange time of year here in Maine, with the weather ranging from unseasonable warm days that feel like summer, to cold, overcast, and snowy days, within the same week! Oh Manic Maine, how I love your predictable unpredictability. :) This time of year does pose a fashion problem, though-it's always difficult to know how to dress for the day. If you step outside on a chilly morning in a sweater and jacket, by mid afternoon you may very well be sweating profusely inside your greenhouse of a turtleneck, praying for a tank top to randomly appear for you to change into so you don't have to rip all your close off at the office. Like I said, it's a strange time of year when one can be thinking about swimsuits and snowballs at the same time.
So, speaking of snowballs, Sweet Sincerity Jewelry's success has been SNOWBALLING like crazy and I'm not quite sure what to think of it. All of my efforts to design, photograph, and promote Sweet Sincerity in the past are paying off NOW, without me having to work very hard to get sales. The problem is, though, that most of the items I've been selling are the same
few MADE-TO-ORDER designs. Made-to-order designs require me to constantly make new items from scratch before I can send them out, and making the same time-consuming designs over and over again doesn't exactly satisfy my
creative itch. Also, spending so much time on Made-To-Order pieces means that I have little to no time to create new pieces. As an artist and entrepreneur (two occupations which, at times, seem mutually exclusive) this dichotomy leaves me perplexed. WHAT TO DO? Should I keep in stock only One-Of-A-Kind items that are ready to ship ASAP or should I continue to make a lot of Made-To-Order items because I know they sell well.. In order to sort this issue out, I made the pros and cons list above. I know, I know...
ANOTHER LIST! What can I say, I'm a list maker. I also did a little research to see what other online sellers do, and it seems that most people offer a little of both. I found
this excellent article on just this issue, where loads of artists and craftsman talk about what balance works for them.
So, after you've melted your brain by deeply contemplating this complex business problem (sorry about that) here are a few pretty things to look at. OOOh....SHINY!!! Enjoy some of the latest collection that Sweet Sincerity Jewelry has been included in :)
