1+1=...........????

OK, I'm an artist! Sometimes I like to joke around and tell people that I'm a whole brained person. But the truth is, I'm so darned right brained that I can't even balance my check book!

I got a job at the mall, for the Christmas season, selling calendars from a kiosk in the center isle, near the food court. And the lovely woman who owns this franchise pays her employees under the table. So every week I would find a bank envelope with my pay inside.

I wasn't sure how her pay weeks ran, you know, Saturday to Friday, or Thursday to Wednesday, whatever. So I wasn't quite sure how figure if she was paying me the right amount each week. To add to the confusion, I thought she said that my first weeks pay would be included in my second weeks pay envelope. So when I got my first pay envelope and counted $106.00 I just figured it was correct. But the next weeks pay was only 80 something. So I started keeping my envelopes, with the amount counted inside, written on the outside. And when I knew the final date I would be working I counted it up and started

"calcilatin' how much I shoulda got"

By the time I was done I figured I was still owed over $500.00! So I wrote out my computation and made a copy for the boss and handed it to her. The next day, before I went to work I sat down with paper and pencil again and figured it out a different way. And I came up only missing a

"couple 'a hunerd"

So now I call her and tell her about my "boo boo" and she says she figures right on the mark and she owes me nothing.

Oh boy!

Once again, I pulled out the pad, pencil and calculater and tried it yet another way. And., as the numbers fell into place I started to see a pattern.

Hhhhmmmm.......

If I figured that I got my first weeks pay after my second week, but it wasn't included with the second weeks pay then it added up to the amount I should receive for my first week.

Right?

So I kept going and discovered that each weeks pay envelope held the amount I should have been paid the week prior!

Son of a Gun!!

So call number three informed my boss that I figured out my dumb mistake and everything was good.

Phew!

I should stick to my knitting needles and hire myself an accountant!

www.JudyAGoddard.Etsy.com
www.Measureformeasuregrowthcharts.com
www.JudyGoddard.Homestead.com

Ever Hopeful!

I received an email from a lady this morning. Her name is Dana G. She is shifting her online selling from Ebay to Etsy. She gives very reasons for making the switch and I agree with her that it was a right move to find a new venue. And Etsy is a "happenin' place." I just don't think I'm doing Etsy very well. I've decided to spend less time on Etsy and more time creating and preparing for the upcoming craft show season.

I used to be a veteran craft show person. I did lots of shows every year, focusing on summer shows becasue I made batiked T shirts. I actually did well enough to put myself through full time community college. I earned an associate degree in art.

Then I got sick, with Lyme disease. I was chronically ill for 4 years and was unable to do much of anything. Do to the wonderous hand of God, I am well now and have been working on Etsy since April, 2008.

I've done reasonably well selling knitting supplies, but so good with the art work. That's why the Handknit Felted Baskets are all marked down by 50%

So, I'm gunna take the plunge and invest some buscks in craft show fees. I live in an area of the country that is home to some truly wealthy people. ( The Jersey Shore.) So it will just be a matter of keeping on top of the newspaper advertising and taking a big breath before I send out the checks.

Ya know, I'm darn good at what I do! I make neat stuff! I'm a professional. I know the ropes! I jsut can't seem to find that "Ah ha moment" that would make me able to be successful on Etsy.

I'm not giving up on Etsy. Just refocusing. Not so many hours on the lap top and more hours in the "Spare Oom."

I remain ever hopeful!

http://www.judyagoddard.etsy.com/

http://www.measureformeasuregrowthcharts.com/

http://www.judygoddard.homestead.com/

Where Do I Go From Here?

Where do I go from here? For the past ten months I've had a wonderful time designing and knitting my baskets, setting up an Etsy shop, doing shows and marketing the best way I knew how. But they just won't move. So now it's time to sit back, examine my process and strike out in a different direction.

I made an impulse buy this past fall. (Actually it was several impulse buys!) I purchased 443 pink plastic barrettes at my local dollar store for an insanely low price and will now fiddle around with them and see what I can come up with. Fiber continues to be my main focus, so I see a lot of felt in fun, colorful shapes!

I'll also be doing a little more exploring into the world of fine art, doing more painting and maybe printing out note cards and prints.

I really do think, though, that my main problem seems to be poor marketing.

As a left handed, right brained thinker, I have a really hard time focusing on technical things. Etsy has been a wealth of information but I've had a rough time compartmentalizing.

I will continue to market my Incredibly Cute Canvas Growth Charts. They are just too precious not to keep trying!

Next year I'll be focusing more on local craft shows. Living "Down the Shore" provides me with a solid higher end clientele. I just have to find the right shows. There's plenty of help for me to draw on. After all, I'm not new to craft shows. I put myself through college selling batik tee shirts!

http://www.judyagoddard.etsy.com/
http://www.measureformeasuregrowthcharts.com/
http://www.judygoddard.homestead.com/

Well, after 8 months of trying to market and sell my Hand knit Felted Baskets, proving to be a fantastic failure at it, it's time to move on to the next BIG thing. It's so strange to me that folks will say how clever and great the baskets are, and that they are priced right, but only one has sold in all this time.

So, I have marked them down by 50% and hopefully I'll be able to get just a little back for all my effort.

But I'm trying to be philosophical about it. I will find the thing that I can I can do well and love doing. I'm just full of ideas! And the neat thing is, the more creative I am, the more great ideas I have!

www.JudyAGoddard.Etsy.com

www.Measureformeasuregrowthcharts.com

www.JudyGoddard.Homestead.com

The Miracle of Nine

Last summer my Godmother became critically ill and nearly entered Heaven's gates when she was rushed to the hospital with massive internal bleeding. For 11 days her bleeding went uncontrolled. And during that time, she had been told, she received eight units of blood. Eventually the source of the bleeding was found and repaired and she was able to return home. Her convalescence was complicated by chemo therapy, but she did get better and is grateful to God for seeing her through this and showing her with such assurance, that He intends for her to be well and to continue the work He has placed in front of her.

While worshipping in church, several months after her hospital stay, she was filled with gratitude for those anonymous people who had donated their blood, making her recovery possible. And she prayed for them. " Oh Lord", she prayed. "Please send a special blessing to those eight people who donated their blood so that I could live." And in the small still voice that she recognised as God's, she heard, "Nine." Well, she was confused by that, and she said, "But Lord, my husband told me there were eight people who gave their blood." And the Lord spoke back, "Mine!"

And it is so true that God hears everything we say to Him! Whether it's praise or prayer, worship or petition, He hears it and He acts upon it, for our benefit and His glory!

But here's the rest of the story; When she was told that there was a chance she might have cancer cells floating around in her, her doctor ordered a blood test to measure a certain protein, CA125, in her blood, that is an indicator of cancer. The count was 257. The optimal number would be under 50. A few months later it was suggested that she discontinue the chemo, due to certain side effects that occured, and she was glad to agree. The CA125 blood test was run again and the count was............................nine!

.

It Takes So Little.....

It's the day before Thanksgiving! And, as an average avant guard artist type, my house is a mess! I made a list of ALL the things that need to be cleaned, cleared, stowed, and tossed.

But first, a trip to the dollar store! The last time I was there, (Oh... about 3 days ago!) I found a bin of small sized barrettes. They were pink/iradescent plastic with the french type of closure. And..... they were only ten cents each!!! So I bought 33 of them.

Last night I decided to crochet little covers for them. One I made of DK weight white cotton and the other of #10 crochet cotton. I think they came out pretty well.

Today I went back and picked out 100 of them. And when I took them to the counter the lovely lady cashier told me that all of them together was $5.00! And when I paid her, she said to go ahead and take another handful! So I did!

There must be another 500 or so of them. So, in a couple of days I'll go back and buy the rest.

You see, just a ten cent item, turned into a 5 cent item is all it takes to make my day! (smile)

www.JudyAGoddard.Etsy.com

www.Measureformeasuregrowthcharts.com

Curse the Cold, I say! Curse it!

Last night I tried, yet again to enter and use an Etsy Virtual Lab. It was a Critiquing Lab and, finally, I actually made it work! The folks there were very kind and answered my questions. I was able to get some very good advise on how to improve the quality of my photos.

Later today, if I can find the time, I will be walking my felted baskets out the door and taking new pictures in the natural sunlight. Curse the cold, I say! Curse it! I WILL be successful at this!!

I have listed two new baskets. More Christmas Hearts, in different colors and sizes.

http://www.judyagoddard.etsy.com/

http://www.measureformeasuregrowthcharts.com/