Fresh New Work

At the ACC show I introduced many new styles. Some were one of a kind and some have found a permanent home in my collection. I uploaded the following styles to my Etsy shop yesterday. These pieces are still very texture oriented. I've been experimenting with a scratchy, almost cross-hatched finish to my oxidized pieces. These are inspired by my former life as a drawing and printmaking student. I'm also continuing to work on adding some color into my work. It is almost spring, after all!

Please let me know what you think of this new style of photograph, with a simple white or cream background. It's a departure from my usual earthy style.

Organic Cherry Blossom Dangles $46

Sweet Scallop Necklace with Vintage Black Flower $60

Organic Teardrop Post Earrings $48

Organic Teardrop Necklace with 14K goldfill $78

I survived ACC!

Elisa Shere, originally uploaded by tigerlillyshop.

After spending the first two months of this year preparing for ACC, I'm happy to say the event came and went with great success. If you are not familiar with the show, it is the largest fine crafts show in the country. I was very honored to be included in the AltCraft section, which is for emerging artists that work in alternative materials/subject matters.

The things I loved best about this show:

-Although some shoppers were confused about what the AltCraft section is, they were all very positive about what they were seeing. I received many compliments from shoppers regarding our section, they were impressed with the level of talent. Many said that my work was equal to what they were seeing on the main floor, which is an enormous compliment. A great deal of the vendors on the mainfloor are master craftmen who have been exhibiting at this show for years. The quality of metalsmiths is particularly high.

-Many shoppers had made things at some point in their lives and were interested in my process. Of course, I could talk about making stuff all day, so I loved answering questions.

-There was a lot of interest in my new line of bezel set ceramic pendants (there's a little peek at them in the photo above, on the right). That made me very happy, as this project has been swirling around in my head for some time and I was excited and nervous about debuting this combining of my two passions - pottery and metals

-I was very pleased with the lighting, chains and table provided (although, it was a bit wobbly). The chair was nice and high, so I could sit and talk with shoppers at the same time

-I did well with my higher priced items, which is always desirable.

Things that I didn't love so much about this show:

-The roped off AltCraft area. This was very confusing to shoppers and is just weird. So many shoppers asked me why we were roped off in a pen. I just told them it baffled me too, as this section is a great asset to the show and should be better integrated. It brings in a new type of crafer and shopper that this traditional show so desperately needs.

-The name AltCraft. It could mean anything. When asked what it meant, I just said that we were emerging artists that had never exhibited at ACC before and wanted to get a taste of what it was like to be vendors at this show. It seemed to be the simplest explanation to me.

-Gross food smells. I never thought when I exhibited at the biggest and possibly best, fine crafts show in the country I would have to deal with food frying right next to my booth. At an outdoor festival, I've come to expect this. But not at ACC. I survived 4 days of strong blasts of garlic smells. Made for funny jokes/conversations with my shoppers, though.

-Extra retail day. The extra day of retail on Thursday was a bit of a flop. There were very few shoppers, although I did score a great wholesale account that day. The show should really consider going back to three days - Friday - Sunday.

So, overall a VERY positive experience. It was so nice just to be at that show for 4 days, I love it so much. Met some fantastic new people, and had great times with my BEST girls. And came home with some great trades and purchases.

A Confession

I have a confession. One of my guilty pleasures is shopping online for wedding dresses. I know, this is totally ridiculous, I've been married for 3 1/2 years and already own a wedding dress. And, I'm not even that kind of girl (as a little girl I never fantasized about getting married - ever). My wedding was very simple, and small, but elegant. Lots of personal touches. But, and I'm about to be super corny here, our wedding really was one of the best days of my life. So, perhaps that's where the wedding dress nostalgia comes from. And with that, here are some of my favorites right now.

Amazing dress from The English Department, a design team out of Portland.

Appropriately named Honeychurch, one of my favorite heroines from one my favorite movies - A Room with a View.

Stunning dress from Etsy superstar, SarahSeven. Her dresses are so romanic, simple and modern. Love everything in her shop.

This New Year

Selling, originally uploaded by tigerlillyshop.

Well, it's my first official day at work this year here at Elisa Shere Jewelry. Since this is a time of reflection, I am taking some time to think about my jewelry, and my business and one thing is clear: I've always taken this jewelry business seriously, even from the beginning. Since the moment I opened my Etsy shop exactly 3 years ago, I always had a plan of making this full time, and created designs that could be reproduced and that I want and love to reproduce. Did I think I would ever have the guts to quit my day job? No. But lucky me, my day job quit me in early 2009 and here I am.

As I reflect upon 2009, here are some of the highlights of things I achieved in my first year running this buisness full-time:

- did not quit, or giveup and get a dayjob. although I was close a few times.
- turned my business into just about 100% green. not an easy or inexpensive task.
- made a profit
- made enough of a profit to cover rent for the year (my goal)
- was accepted into and kicked ass at the following craft shows, which I had dreamt of doing for quite some time: Art Star, Crafty Bastards, Renegade, Holiday Heap, Craftland and many more
- wrote my business and financial plan, though 2011
- had fun, made friends and worked my butt off

The next step is 2010. One of my goals this year is to focus my product line a bit more, I've been making an effort to focus my line in 2009, but it's still a little bit all over the place. It's hard for me to be disciplined about this, since I'm always coming up with new ideas and they don't always fit in with what I'm currently making. But, nonetheless this year I must: focus, focus, focus!! The ACC show next month will actually help with this, as I need to present a cohesive product line at this show.

My second goal is to work on generating media exposure. This is an area that you'd think I would have spent more effort on in the past, considering that my former day job was in marketing communications. But, it's somehow much harder and scarier when it's me. But, to grow my business, I need to get my name, my product and my story out there. On a national level.

So, that's 2010. Growing and focusing my business. And getting my name out there. I feel very proud and grateful that I was able to achieve so many of the goals I set out for myself in my first full time year of business. One thing I know for sure: I could not have done this without the support my my husband, family and amazing crafty friends, mainly from BEST. I really am a lucky girl.

In a Nutshell...

In Chicago at the Renegade Craft Holiday Show - check out the travel display!

Well, as I suspected, it's been a wild month. Completely manageable, but wild nonetheless. One month = 5 shows, etsy, wholesale for a total of about 200 pieces of jewelry sold. That's a lot of metal work! Yesterday was the first day I didn't have any sales in my Etsy shop, so I can really say for the first time that it's time to kick my feet up. And when I say kick my feet up, I mean organize and do year end calculations like mad!

Other exciting news, I've been accepted into the AltCraft section at ACC. This is such a major milestone for me. For the last two years that I've lived in Baltimore, I've always gone to the ACC show and just gazed in wonder. And then went to the AltCraft section and gazed some more and thought, I belong here. And this year I will be there!! I have exciting plans for a new line incorporating some of my ceramics into my metalwork. I've been wanting to do this forever and think this is the perfect venue to debut these pieces.

Ms. Ladybug - our only picture, since she's afraid of cameras

And lastly, we have a new addition to our family! Ms. Ladybug, a gorgeous and funny and sweet Basset House & Beagle mix we adopted from the SPCA. There's never a dull moment with this Lady, but she gives us so much love - we are all crazy about her, even Louie.

Here we go!

Well, it's hard to believe, but this weekend is my first show of the season. That's right, in just three days. The show is called Holiday Heist and it's in Vienna, Va. at the Soundry. It's my first year doing this show and I have to admit I'm a bit skeptical. It seems like there are A LOT of jewelry artists and at least 4 metalsmiths that I know of, and that's out of 30 some vendors. Hmmmm. Anyway, if you are going to be there be sure to check your goodie bag. There's a 10% off coupon to spend on your purchase at my table.

Also, remember that picture of the empty cardboard box (pictured below). Well, it's filling up with finished jewelry! I'll be sure to post a picture of it soon. You'll be amazed at all the goodies I've produced. I will do my best to keep you all posted during this super busy holiday season. And did I mention that I'm offering free shipping until the end of the year on all purchases from my Etsy shop? Just a little something to make your holiday shopping easier.

Production Time

Yes, I've known for quite some time that the holiday season was coming. A time when I need to have lots and lots of jewelry ready to be snatched up on Etsy and at the craft shows that I'll be doing. But then the acceptance notices starting rolling in and now I have 5 shows, one of which is a two day show and Craftland, which is this amazing month long show in Providence, RI. So, I sat down and started to do some figuring and came up with this awesome chart:

Basically, this chart says that I need to make over 200 pieces of jewelry. In the next 5 weeks. Luckily, I've gotten a good head start on that goal, so I think I'll be okay. I'll likely be working some late nights and weekends, but it'll totally be worth it to do these amazing shows. Seriously, check out this line up:

Saturday, November 21st: Holiday Heist in Vienna, VA

Saturday, December 5th: Holiday Heap, Baltimore

Saturday, December 5th & 6th: Renegade Chicago

Saturday, December 12th: Squidfire, Baltimore (sharing a space with Sugar Paperie)

Sunday, December 13th: Last Minute Maul at School 33

Here is my new inventory box, just waiting to be filled (don't worry, I have a whole other box of inventory already made). I'll keep you all posted on my progress. Beer and coffee will help get me through (and lots of face licks from Louie, my faithful studio companion).