I can't do this

[meccahi]

I feel like I'm bottoming out.

Haven't had any sales in the past couple of weeks. I'm adding new pieces to the shop on Etsy.. but it's not generating anything.

I'm making $100 a week with the Trio. I can't do this.

I have no idea what to do. I've started applying for "real" jobs, but the pickings are slim.

I can't lose my shows. I can't lose my car. In very real danger of losing both.



And.. how to phrase this without sounding too snarky? I have a friend. She's started making chainmail. How nice for her. Now she wants my advice on selling it for a living. Is it wrong that I'm not feeling too inclined to give it at the moment? Upside is she wants to do work for me. Stay at home mom.. blah blah blah. But still. I worked my ass off for years to learn my trade and now I'm surrounded by hobbyists. That gets frustrating. End Venting.

Comments

[stress-kitten.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[captain-snarky.livejournal.com]

As a struggling artisan, being pissy about hobbyists wanting to take up your time is a natural reaction. On the flip side, she obviously thinks you've got a great thing going, so you could take it as a compliment?
::hugs::

[dreaming-elise.livejournal.com]

I can't even sell masks on etsy for the number of people there who will just take my designs. I'm going to try something else entirely.

I suggest you give your friend the run around. You don't need to help her. You can feel sympathy for her and wish her well without aiding your competition. Working for you is sometimes what people will do when they want to find out how to do what you do. I never once hired anyone to help with masks who actually had any desire to know how I do it. I used strictly disinterested parties.

Have anything you need to get rid of? Take it to bazaar next Monday and sell it. Those clothes I threw down the Monday before last generated a quick $250 and whereas that's not something to keep repeating, at least maybe it could help.

[meccahi.livejournal.com]

I keep meaning to hit up bazaar.. but I've been either sick or the weather has been shitty.. so my hope is that this next Monday I can, because boy howdy do I have a shitton to sell.

Yeah. I'd love to be able to trust her.. but I don't. I don't mind if she just makes me 4-1 pattern and that's it. Just have her do yards and yards and yards of that, and that's it. We'll see.. I'm certainly not showing her my designs.

[dreaming-elise.livejournal.com]

I had some close friends who *really* wanted to learn. It's not that I think it doesn't start out innocently, but damn. Lauren's masks turned into over a dozen people who either apprenticed or wholesaled from her or whatever. Cuh ray zee. Some of my designs are pretty sweet and no one else is doing them simply because no pictures of them exist anywhere online. That'd be the only reason.

[theetinygoat.livejournal.com]

hrm i'd really focus with her on that look at your financial situation. shes NEVER going to be able to support a family selling chainmail if she's accustomed to a nice cozy existence. its just not a huge market. which you want to retain your chunk of. :)

does the census have a branch near you? they start out at a retarded high rate, and then you can just blow em off when its time for you to go to a show. otherwise, ad on craigslist for something icky yet temporary like cleaning or something?

[eli-the-insane.livejournal.com]

Sell of some of my crap! Plus there's still a bonus box we missed in the Garage, if you're ever in that part of town you ought to stop by and snag it to complete the set. It's sitting right on the end, or on the (now covered) chaise lounge in there. I think it's the rest of the pots from that set of kitchenware and some other odds and ends. Those pots are Revereware, very good quality. FYI.