Well, after the test post!
I ended up spending most of tonight fooling around with the layout of this blog, as well as setting up the social media sites I've linked to the right. This isn't perfect by a long shot, but I am really starting to like it! I think with some use it'll grow on me more. Sadly I'm one of those people who thinks things ought to be perfect first thing out of the gate...totally illogical, I know. ^^;
The header is my current favorite photo ever <3 It's some of the things I made! I definitely want to expand my product line, but keep this beautiful pink, cute but somewhat elegant feel. It makes me happy.
I don't think I've fully admitted anywhere, but I am planning to open an Etsy shop. It's already mostly set up, and can be viewed by anyone who follows the link, but it isn't officially open! I suppose I haven't said too much yet because it actually makes me rather nervous O__O; Somehow I've always dreamed of working for myself, but never really thought it would be something I could do. It's completely uncharted territory for me, and I'm not even sure if anyone will like what I do. Fear is usually enough to push me back into the "safety" zone, but I know if I don't at least try I'll regret that decision forever. Frankly, I've got more than enough regrets as it is!
My first inspiration to get into making clay charms happened around two or so years ago. I just vaguely remember binging on YouTube tutorials, totally loving what I was seeing. Toni Ellison and Pufftique were definitely some of my faves! I started out by making my own cold porcelain. It wasn't really a good batch but I still managed to make some things with it. They were...uh...bad. XD But at the time I felt totally proud of them. My last foray into the world of clay was just plain terrible - it was in high school, and almost everything I made looked like big ol' lumps of nothing. This is coming from a student who usually got straight A's...I made a total of ONE A in that class. And it was on something that wasn't even an actual project!
Anyway, the time that passed between me just wanting to play with clay and then wanting to turn that into a business was rather short. I'm honestly not sure when I decided to do it. ^^; All I know is that I've always wanted to work for myself. Finding out that other people were self-employed was quite a time of amazement for me. And it wasn't just that they had built up shops and brands - it was that those shops of theirs were actually making them a living. And when I discovered Etsy, it was then that the dream of working for myself actually started to feel like something that could happen.
So, this has been in the making for a while. In my short time on Instagram I've seen enterprising young women (I say that like I'm 50!!) get into something, then a month or two later come up with their Etsy shops! It blows my mind, but it works for them. They have huge followings (well, they're huge to me), a product that people want and you know what? They sell! It may be a hobby or a future business in its baby stages, but they're doin' it and that's just so cool to me. I want to be like that one day. Not exactly like anyone else, though. No. Although I'm still figuring out a lot of things about myself, I want my products, my shop and my brand to reflect what I feel on the inside, what inspires me, and what just feels right. I haven't got a huge following on my Instagram by a long shot (much like in my personal life...haha), but I'm hoping that by sharing my work and breaking out of my shell a bit I can build up a base of people who are genuinely interested in what I do!
Well, I think I oughta end it there. I really have this weird habit of rambling on and on....
See ya! ♡
I ended up spending most of tonight fooling around with the layout of this blog, as well as setting up the social media sites I've linked to the right. This isn't perfect by a long shot, but I am really starting to like it! I think with some use it'll grow on me more. Sadly I'm one of those people who thinks things ought to be perfect first thing out of the gate...totally illogical, I know. ^^;
The header is my current favorite photo ever <3 It's some of the things I made! I definitely want to expand my product line, but keep this beautiful pink, cute but somewhat elegant feel. It makes me happy.
I don't think I've fully admitted anywhere, but I am planning to open an Etsy shop. It's already mostly set up, and can be viewed by anyone who follows the link, but it isn't officially open! I suppose I haven't said too much yet because it actually makes me rather nervous O__O; Somehow I've always dreamed of working for myself, but never really thought it would be something I could do. It's completely uncharted territory for me, and I'm not even sure if anyone will like what I do. Fear is usually enough to push me back into the "safety" zone, but I know if I don't at least try I'll regret that decision forever. Frankly, I've got more than enough regrets as it is!
My first inspiration to get into making clay charms happened around two or so years ago. I just vaguely remember binging on YouTube tutorials, totally loving what I was seeing. Toni Ellison and Pufftique were definitely some of my faves! I started out by making my own cold porcelain. It wasn't really a good batch but I still managed to make some things with it. They were...uh...bad. XD But at the time I felt totally proud of them. My last foray into the world of clay was just plain terrible - it was in high school, and almost everything I made looked like big ol' lumps of nothing. This is coming from a student who usually got straight A's...I made a total of ONE A in that class. And it was on something that wasn't even an actual project!
Anyway, the time that passed between me just wanting to play with clay and then wanting to turn that into a business was rather short. I'm honestly not sure when I decided to do it. ^^; All I know is that I've always wanted to work for myself. Finding out that other people were self-employed was quite a time of amazement for me. And it wasn't just that they had built up shops and brands - it was that those shops of theirs were actually making them a living. And when I discovered Etsy, it was then that the dream of working for myself actually started to feel like something that could happen.
So, this has been in the making for a while. In my short time on Instagram I've seen enterprising young women (I say that like I'm 50!!) get into something, then a month or two later come up with their Etsy shops! It blows my mind, but it works for them. They have huge followings (well, they're huge to me), a product that people want and you know what? They sell! It may be a hobby or a future business in its baby stages, but they're doin' it and that's just so cool to me. I want to be like that one day. Not exactly like anyone else, though. No. Although I'm still figuring out a lot of things about myself, I want my products, my shop and my brand to reflect what I feel on the inside, what inspires me, and what just feels right. I haven't got a huge following on my Instagram by a long shot (much like in my personal life...haha), but I'm hoping that by sharing my work and breaking out of my shell a bit I can build up a base of people who are genuinely interested in what I do!
Well, I think I oughta end it there. I really have this weird habit of rambling on and on....
See ya! ♡
