alright

so...ever since i've been marketing my stuff more, twitter, facebook, etc, i've definitely gotten more hits on my etsy and artfire, but i wanna know how to increase sales. i wanna "quit my day job", like on etsy. i am willing to do all the work, but when do i see progress? i keep reading that it takes a while. How long? Anyone know? Any stories or personal experiences?

going to create some earrings now...

Artfire

Visit becasbeadedjewelry's ArtFire Shop

WOW

Well, I actually can't believe I am doing this! I always told myself that blogging was stupid, I never got it, and actually, I still don't think I get it. Well, here goes.

This blog is primarily for promoting my love, designing and creating jewelry, although I'm sure I'll throw in some personal life tidbits :)

I've been creating jewelry since I was a little girl in Girl Scouts where I learned to macrame. In my early teens, I made many, many macrame hemp beaded necklaces for myself and all my friends. They were super popular back then. In the last few years, I have discovered how much I actually really enjoy creating jewelry. I have always wanted to be creative, and this works out really well for me. I love the entire process, the brainstorming, the picking and choosing of beads, pendants, and materials, the creating of my ideas, and then of course seeing a happy customer!

So I started Beca's Beaded Jewelry in February of 2009, almost a year ago. For a while, I was working a full-time job, so this was kind of a side project. Well, in September, I was laid off from my last job, and since then, have had all the free time in the world to get this really going. Of course I am still applying for jobs (it sure is tough to live off of unemployment), but I almost hope I don't find one because I would love to just create and sell jewelry for the rest of my life. I've really never been the type of person to "enjoy" going to a day job, so to say it lightly, I hate it. Being laid off, ironically, has been a blessing to me, and to my business. My sales have increased dramatically ever since.

Back in February, I started my online shop at Etsy: http://www.becasbeadedjewelry.etsy.com
(check it out!) :) Since then, I have begun to grow. I have gained some loyal customers through word of mouth, and also am selling inside of a local coffee shop, Brewed Beginnings in Salem, WI. (my favorite coffee shop ever, btw.) A lot of my orders have been custom, which is super fun for me! Bringing two people's ideas together to create one piece of art is actually really refreshing and fun. So far, I have not had a customer decline a custom order they asked for, and to be honest, right now that's my biggest fear :)

Okay. So I think that's good for now. That was surprisingly easy and quick :)

So, I'll be back soon.

Don't know if anyone will ever even see this!

haha