Well, I’ve been battling really sever burnout since the beging of summer. Of course I have been burned out before, but this has been really bad. Only recently have I even wanted to look at my workbench. Before that I couldn't even bear to walk past it. I finally decided it’s cause. I realized that in my whole life I don't think I have made as many pieces of jewelry as I have in the last two years. Even in school we had to complete a piece of jewelry or sculpture every three months. Before summer started I was making at least 20 pieces of jewelry a month. Don’t get me wrong I am NOT complaining. I am absolutely amazed. When I started this venture I began making pieces for myself, then made a second one and listed it on Etsy. I didn’t actually expect it to sell. To my shock and surprise they did. Then I decided to incorporate all that I had learned in the various occupations and degrees I collected over the years ... merchandising, sales, visual presentation, bookkeeping office managing, customer service, inventory control, and graphic design to name a few... and apply that mess of seemly unrelated knowledge to this business and it has served me very well. My main focus with my shop has always been that I would take all my profits from it and use to pay off my school loans from my art, and anthropology degrees. A sort of thumb of the nose at all the people who sniggered when I told them what I was studying in school. The question that followed was always, “what on earth are you going to do with those degrees you can’t get a job with them. Why waist the money just switch to a business degree and do art in your spare time”. I tried for a little while, it didn't work. And they were right I couldn’t get a job with those degrees, but I sure as hell can own my own business and make it successful completely on my own with the knowledge I’ve amassed. So with this realization and confirmation of my position I have been slowly getting back into the groove of things. Taking it easy, working on fun projects, helping other artist with their gallery events, cleaning out my studio and living spaces, completely retooling all my web presence as well as the look of my business cards and banners so that when I finally am ready I will be able to jump right back in the saddle again. My line fully listed on Etsy and hopefully several new lines that i've been working out in my head as well as getting back into sculpture.
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