I have not added a post here for four years. I have been busy, growing older, lots to say but no time to write. Today...why today? We have nominated a woman presidential candidate, the country is polarized, my friends Peter and Madeline have had a devastating loss of their daughter Sarah, Lots on my mind...in my soul spewing forth unattended.
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I have launched, over three plus years, a new business...an online retail store Bidderbutter Baubles Plus ---- http://stores.ebay.com/bidderbutter-baubles-plus  on ebay.  I create, renovate, find, restore, write copy about, photograph, answer customer questions, devise and use inviting packaging, am the shipping clerk and so on. It is a big job. For three years almost all revenue has gone back into the company in inventory, supplies, marketing and packaging materials.  I like the creative aspects, finding and researching my finds, fixing and creating new beautiful objects from old things. I like that I keep pretty pieces from returning to a smelters pot to be no more, that I give pretty objects new life, keep the cycle of beauty and usefulness for decorative objects moving forward...out of landfills. I like that I ship pieces all over the world. I like that I have 97-98 special customers who follow my store and watch for new listings and hundreds more who just find me and drop in. I like that some customers take the time to let me know they like my service and merchandise. It's all good. But I am tired.

It's not like I have a choice about continuing to work. Artists generally always continue to work at whatever age...but I did not know it would become more and more difficult. I have a tremor in my left hand...some days quite bad. So being a one handed jeweler is a trial and frustrating. I am slow, I can not do all I want to do. I have to compromise to move forward. Taking photos, on average 40-50 per item is difficult work, uncomfortable, physically draining. But must be done. Adding new merchandise regularly keeps you higher up in the ebay search engines. Without that status, the millions of viewers on ebay will not find your store or buy your products. Learning how to sell retail took months and months and ebay changes the rules regularly. New sales systems to learn about constantly...it is a malleable medium.  The Internet is always evolving.  And yet.....it is interesting to master or at least compete in a new marketplace, a new venue for me. I am still an artist...aid still create graphic design projects that fall into my hands. I am so far better at graphic design than being a retail store owner and jewelry creator.....but that said, graphic design is isolating, solo work with so few interactions with the folks that see and use the fruits of your labor. Retail sales is in your face interaction with many customers, all unique, all languages, all cultures....remarkable. The Internet makes this possible and doable....just amazing.

So New York Country Girl .,,yes....international audience YES YES YES. Amazing. It's just me in a room with heaps of materials all around me with a giant window onto the world. Amazing. Come see the store and all the 350 odd wonderful pieces being showcased.

http://stores.ebay.com/bidderbutter-baubles-plus  
Bidderbutter Baubles Plus