storque article

the storque published my article today! here is the link:

http://www.etsy.com/storque/handmade-life/silver-sparrow-designs-dream-seeds-studio-needs-and-good-dee-3018/

it's basically the same story posted here on my blog, but still, it's cool.

YAY!!!

I DID IT. i completed and shipped all of my holiday orders in time. i was up until 2:30 in the morning, but i mailed them all out yesterday, guaranteed to arrive by christmas! i can't believe it...

and, the storque will be running my article on tuesday, dec. 22nd! i will post a link once it is up.

me, the elf

hazel was watching "santa claus the movie" (remember that one from the 80's, with dudley moore?) and a couple of things struck me. the first was that i am just like a little elf myself, out in my workshop, working away by my fire, day and night, so that folks can have their gifts in time for christmas. somehow it cheered me a bit and put a happy light on all this stress. the other thing that was funny was that the movie was like a sumbliminal advertisement for etsy. one of the morals of the story was that handmade is far superior to mass-produced!

the one, the only, rachel (a.k.a. mernie)

here is my wonderful, fabulous, amazing, (and, obviously, beautiful) "office manager", rachel. or mernie, depending what day it is. she has saved my life and my business. i don't know what i'd do without her, organizing, making spreadsheets, filing, packaging, babysitting, she is just incredible. THANK YOU, mernie, a million times!

sam at the post office assured me that if i had all of my international orders in the mail by tomorrow, they would reach their destinations by christmas. and that is going to happen. yay! now i just have 60 picks and 10 other pieces to get in the mail by next friday and i will have accomplished this monumental task!

success at the pub!

woohoo! i had an awesome day at the annual dolores river brewery(http://doloresriverbrewery.com/) arts and crafts show yesterday. it was a great turnout and a really good time. it was cool to share my work with the local folks, drink delicious beer, and it didn't hurt that i made just over $1000! here's a photo of me at my "booth" at the end of the show.

apprentice appreciation

so this photo's not very good (taken with my phone), but i just had to pay homage to my wonderful apprentices, shanti, katie, and sarah. they have had to learn fast to help me prep for all of my guitar picks! they are quickly becoming expert filers and cutters. plus it's just fun to hang out and have a good time while i am working. thanks so much, ladies!

i am moving right along with my orders. my "office manager", rachel (photo coming soon) sent out a big e-mail for me letting everyone know that i am a bit backed up, but they will receive their order in time for christmas. everyone was very understanding. and now i have a strategy for getting it done!

i've also been getting ready for the big annual show at the dolores river brewery this saturday. it's always a lot of fun. i am excited to share my work with local folks!

phew!

so today was the last day to order anything and have it by christmas. i had 25 sales today! (broke my little record from yesterday) but now i can get down to business and get everything organized and make a plan of how to make the almost 150 guitar picks that i have to make so that everyone can have them in time to give as gifts!

i know i can do this...

16 sales today, lots of blogs, and my amazing husband...

i had a record 16 sales today! maybe because tomorrow is the last day to order and get it by christmas? i don't know. i am also now featured in 3 new blogs:

http://kaytiebugs.blogspot.com/2008/11/christmas-shopping-etsy-style-rockin.html

http://blog.upstatefancy.com/holiday-gift-guide/personalize/

http://kellyloveswhales.blogspot.com/

glenn was out in the studio helping me tonight. chopping firewood, sawing silver wire, filing, cutting circles with the disc cutter. i felt like buttercup in the princess bride. i kept waiting for him to say "as you wish". he's so amazing. if he's not hanging out with the girls so i can work, he's cooking dinner or picking up the house or out in my studio helping me work! i am so grateful for him; couldn't do it without him!

i WILL get all of the orders to their respective destinations in time for christmas!

be careful what you wish for?

so i have had 130 sales in the last month! and while i am enormously grateful and so happy that my little business is so successful, i am also a bit freaked out and overwhelmed. i am just one little silversmith, trying to do all this work myself! i do have some wonderful help these days though. kelly baldwin (kellybaldwindesign.etsy.com), glenn, sarah, katie, sharon-- they've all been helping with cutting, filing, buffing, etc. it's awesome! also, meg (ironmaegan.etsy.com) built me these BEAUTIFUL displays to use for the art show at the pub on december 6th!

200th sale!

i had my 200th sale today! (it was a set of 5 custom silver banjo finger picks, for $200, which i thought was ironic.) it's so crazy because when i started my etsy shop, my goal was to have 100 sales by christmas! i am definitely feeling a bit stressed out and overwhelmed, but so happy and so grateful at the same time...

i submitted my article to the storque last night and am waiting to hear if it will run or not. i sure hope so; i put a lot of work into it.

Thanks, Julie!

so i got this wonderful e-mail this evening:

Hi Kristi! I have a quick story about our favorite earrings (large spirals)! I was in "the city" ~ Rochester, NY, at a farmer's market buying pasta when the vendor said, "I covet your earrings!" I thanked her for the compliment and then she asked if I got them on Etsy... she knew your website even! Wow girl, you go. Keep up the good work.

Peace, Julie

isn't that just so cool? i've been SUPER busy trying to keep up with my orders and write my storque article, and do my life. i needed that!

etsy exposure

my guitar picks are selling like crazy because of all of the exposure they are getting on etsy! they are featured in the "personalized gifts" gift guide; they were featured in an article on the same topic; they were on the front page for about an hour yesterday, resulting in about 1400 views!; and they were listed in the "etsy finds" today. wow! i better get busy cutting those suckers out!

my help

glenn has been helping me work on my big wholesale order. last night we were saying how nice it was to be in the same room together, without any children, and not be asleep! we had a nice fire going and just hung out, listened to music, and worked. it was great! he also got the door on my studio yesterday. it's so cozy! i'll post photos later.

trade for dolls

these adorable dolls were made for the girls for christmas by sue from http://polarbearcreations.etsy.com/. we did a trade; i made this necklace for her. thanks sue!

storque and sew, mama, sew

today was an exciting day. my custom guitar pick is featured on the "sew, mama, sew!" blog (http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/) and it has brought me lots of visitors to my etsy shop and i've sold 6 picks in the last 2 days! i've also already sold 3 tags on dogids.com! am i getting in over my head?

also, i pitched an article to the storque (the "news" team on etsy) about the barn project and good ol' sharon the equipment fairy and they've accepted it! i have a deadline in 2 weeks. i'll let you know when it will run!

we had our first snow today and my studio was so cozy with the wood stove going. i am SO grateful!

p.s. yay obama!

first wholesale account!

i set up my first wholesale account today! a woman in manzanita, oregon found me on etsy and asked about wholesale prices. we convoed back and forth and agreed on the terms and now she will carry my work. her store is called "unfurl". also, my dog tags are now available on dogids.com. pretty exciting stuff!

http://www.dogids.com/marcille-smithdogtags.html

my new blog

so i was certain i would never have a blog, but here it is! this will be a little ode to my business, my passion, silver sparrow designs. i will post photos of my work, my studio, etc. and updates mainly about what's going on in the world of silver sparrow designs!