Bratty Beaders, Crazy Catknappers, and the Problem with Spewing our Thought Bubbles...

It has been an interesting few weeks and I have lots of exciting news to impart and projects to enthuse over, but that is all going to have to wait until another day....there is WAY more important stuff to discuss.....like how surreal life is becoming.....

Is it just me or have you noticed that the world is going Nuckin' Futz?  

Seriously.  I feel as though I have fallen down the rabbit hole and landed in a really twisted place.

WTF is wrong with people?????  

First, lets talk about  Rude Ass Designer Syndrome a/k/a RADS.  It is wildly contagious and seems to be spreading from designers to those who love them.  Beader Extraordinaire Beki Haley recently shared the following account of some silliness at a local bead store:

Shopper #1 has been beading for years.  She does not have internet access and lives a very remote lifestyle, making periodic pilgrimages to her local bead shop to gather supplies.  Shopper #2 has a talented daughter-in-law whose sells bead patterns on Etsy.  She noticed Shopper #1 wearing a bracelet that appeared similar to one of her daughter in law's Etsy designs.  She complimented Shopper #1 on her interpretation of the piece and mentioned that it had been designed by her daughter-in-law.  Shopper #1  told Shopper #2 that the bracelet was of her own design from six or seven years ago and then things started to get uncomfortable.

Let the games begin!

Shopper #2 became loud and irate, publicly chastising Shopper #1 for lying.  Shopper #1 was clearly uncomfortable but determined to stand her ground.  She reported that she had designed the piece years before and has never even heard of Etsy.  Shopper #2 was not placated and went on to accuse Shopper #1 of thievery.  Shopper #1 grew increasingly uncomfortable and ultimately left the shop without purchasing her supplies.  Unbelievable.  Reminiscent of  an encounter with a spoiled five year old, wouldn't you say?

 Where is Mr. Woody when you need him? 

(SIDE NOTE:  Mr. Woody was an unhappy wooden spoon that lived on top of my refrigerator and whose primary function was to serve as a deterrent, but who was commissioned to spank a tushie now and then.  Each incident involved a boy with a  penchant for stacking books and pots/pans on chairs to get to the knives hidden beyond his reach.  You see, my son Jeremy had a fascination for all things weapon-like and was willing to risk life, limb, and Mr. Woody to get to the cutlery.   He is now in law school.   Go figure).

Was Shopper #1 so insecure and narcissistic that accosting an old lady in a bead store seemed to be an appropriate resolution to a dispute?  Really?  Frankly, while I am occasionally tempted to channel my inner three year old when confronted with life's little challenges, the angry words are generally edited before they slither out of my mouth.  It is all about self control.

Moreover, what is with all of the Haters?  Why are so many artists so quick to assume that a similarity in design is necessarily indicative of malfeasance?  Why do so many people think that they own something that belongs to everyone (or no one)?    I recently posted on this sort of thing, and the issue continues to be a source of considerable discussion.  It has been my experience that big egos and big insecurities get in the way of a happy life. 

YOU CAN'T FIGHT CRAZY WITH CRAZY

So...on to the Crazy Catknapping....

My son lives in California, doing the waiter/actor thing. Er.....if any of you are related to Quentin Tarrantino, pass along the headshot, won't you?  ...but I digress....

Jake's lovely girlfriend recently moved out to LA, bringing her two cats, Kitty and Vinnie.  Jake and Janice spent Thanksgiving with us while the cats were being cared for  by Roommate. Vinnie went missing so Roommate and Hero Neighbor combed the  neighborhood, to no avail.  Hero Neighbor noticed Crazy Neighbor peering out while they were calling for the cat and suddenly got "a weird feeling."   Hero Neighbor knocked on the door to ask Crazy Neighbor if she had seen the lost cat and noticed Vinnie sitting inside.   Crazy Neighbor told the pair that the cat was actually her cat, Star, who had disappeared 1 1/2 years ago.  Crazy Neighbor picked up Vinnie and went on to say that while she appreciated Jacob and Janice taking care of Star, she was going to be keeping the cat from this point forward.  

Alrighty then.....

Roommate and Hero Neighbor explained that Vinnie could not possibly be her cat because he was only six months old, was a male not a female, and had arrived in Los Angeles only three months before.

Nonetheless, Crazy Neighbor was adamant...she knew her cat and this cat was hers.

Roommate was flummoxed.  Hero neighbor was perplexed.  Clearly, they were at a stand off.  Fortunately, Hero Neighbor suddenly grabbed the cat from Crazy Neighbor's arms and ran out the door before Vinnie could even deliver a parting scratch.  The cat was home safe and sound when Jacob and Janice returned.  I asked Jacob how he was going to handle the situation as I would be afraid to let Vinnie outside unsupervised.  He said, "Mom, you can't fight crazy with crazy.  I wanted to call her out, but instead I am going over with copies of vet bills and pictures of Vinnie as a kitten.  I have to live next to her, so I might as well help her get to a better place."  Damn.  Good looking and brilliant, too.  He is learning to use his edit button!  Is the neighbor really crazy?  Did she intentionally steal a cat?  Who the hell knows....but I want to believe that she simply misses her cat and harbors a secret hope that Star will find her way home.   I am glad that Jacob and Janice are kind humans who have turned this weirdness into a funny story and simply moved on.  No histrionics, no accusations, no drama. Happy Sigh.

FORGET POLITICS....LETS JUST CONCENTRATE ON BEING GOOD!
Several months ago I happened upon a blog post written by a woman I do not know personally.   I know of her based upon her internet presence.  Moreover,she is a friend of many of my friends and I would welcome the opportunity to get to know her.  She seems talented and cool and totally my cup of tea.  Yup, I would most definitely like to spend the afternoon beading with her and trading crafty stories.  She seems responsible and smart, compassionate and caring, and all around Good---yup, just the type of human I would welcome into my home and heart.  ....Yet a particular blog post contained mega doses of political vitriol and other angry nonsense that shook me.  

Understand that this was not simply a case of promoting a particular view point, rather, it was kind of mean spirited and snarky, playing on lots of silly stereotypes.  It totally bummed me out because I figured that if she knew of my personal politics, she would probably not want to spend an afternoon beading with me and trading crafty stories.  Damn.   I imagine that she would gasp in horror and write me off as one of those crazy right wingers protecting my non-existent wealth by withholding emergency medical care from desperate children while simultaneously starving old people just for giggles.  Really?  So silly, so stupid, such a waste of time and maybe a friendship or two.   I honest-to-God do not know anyone who thinks like that, Republican or Democrat.  Why are folks so quick to assume that those with an opposing viewpoint, or even a different idea on how to reach an objective, are evil and stupid?  I don't get it, I really don't.

No doubt about it....we are living in a wacky time right now.  A grown man watches another grown man rape a small child in a college locker room and walks away, fear for himself trumping any concern for that boy.  I know as surely as I am breathing that I would have saved that child, period.  My response would have been visceral and it would have been sure.   Similarly, I bet the blogger who hates Republicans would have turned into a raging warrior princess and pulled that son of a bitch off of that little boy if she had stumbled upon the crime. Good is Good and Bad is Bad...period.  It is time for those of us who are good to stand together, regardless of politics.   It is time that we start thinking more critically about our visions for the future and standing up for Right even when it is uncomfortable or requires that we steal back a kidnapped cat.    We must demand a bit more from ourselves and those we love.  It goes without saying that we must demand more from our politicians (and I ain't talking entitlement programs!). 



I  think that the blogger is a good human.  She would have protected that boy and even though we are rooting for different sides of the political ticket, I still want to be her friend.  I imagine that if she met me, she would like me and we could have a crafty blast.    Two good people, taking care of their families, working their asses off, and trying to make a positive difference in the world.   I just wonder if she would give me a chance?

Rekindle your Creative Muse to Ignite your Customer Base!

Do you remember the rush you felt when you first learned to knit, bead, or [insert your craft of choice here]?  The exhilaration was INTENSE---less sweaty than sex, with zero calories----It was GREAT!  You couldn't stop thinking about it...working out the design in your head again and again, stealing minutes away from work, friends, and even family so that you could work on the project.  It was INTOXICATING!

....and then you opened your store and your Creative Muse got squashed like a bug!

Your daily To Do list is overflowing with more obligations than could be satisfied in a week.  There is inventory to order, inventory to unload, a class calendar to put together, some promotional events to schedule, bills to be paid, phone calls to be made....and a family that needs you, too.  Time spent crafting or learning new techniques has become a guilty pleasure that is limited to coming up with classes for the shop.  Sigh.

What is a Crafty Retailer to do?

Recharge your creative batteries!  Rejuvenate that flaccid muse!  You will feel happier and more fulfilled, while your store will be healthier and more successful.  I recently taught four workshops at the Southeastern Animal Fiber Festival ("SAFF") in Asheville, North Carolina.   Always curious about the state of crafty retail, I took the opportunity to survey some of the folks I met about their brick and mortar retail experiences.  It was no surprise to learn that 100% of those asked told me that they frequently shopped online, both for reasons of price and product availability.   When asked to identify what was special about their favorite brick and mortar stores, most were uniform in their response there as well:  INSPIRATION and EDUCATION.

The US craft market is huge and crafters are still spending, economy be damned.  Seriously, I was astounded by the amount of enthusiastic shopping being done at the event.   I went to teach, with no real intention of buying.  Nonetheless, I still managed to drop $200 on some spectacular Kid Mohair and Wensleydale curls. Clearly, I was not alone as the vendors with whom I spoke were all quite pleased with their overall sales.  People didn't  show up just to shop, though.  Most of the hundreds of workshops that SAFF offered were sold out. Yup...it is all about Inspiration and Education.

Savvy Crafty Retailers will take that role very seriously. Set aside some high priority/absolutely no interruptions time every week to release your own creative spirit.  I am happiest when I am creating and I grow very resentful when I ignore that need.   I bet the same is true of you.!  After years of living in an artistic wasteland because "I didn't have time," I decided to make Crafting a priority.   I have become  regimented about giving myself the time I require in the studio.  Additionally, I spend several hours a week online, surfing the web, lurking on blogs, conducting Google Image Searches, etc. in an effort to see what is inspiring the rest of the craft world.  There is always something that lights a fire in my own heart and I am soon OFF on a new journey.  My recent interests include stamped metal jewelry, torch fired enamel, and three dimensional fiber work.  The more I learn about other techniques, the more exciting and original my own work becomes as I  incorporate my new passions into my current creations.

 The same will be true in your shop.  Your enthusiasm will be contagious and your customers will respond accordingly.   After all...they are looking to YOU to provide Inspiration and Education!    It is a basic rule of Crafty Retail:  Inspire and the cash will follow.  One side benefit is that you will be able to direct inventory purchases rather than playing a guessing game with new stock.   Stock that we love sells better than stock to which we are indifferent because we push it.  Our genuine enthusiasm shows and the shopper responds with her wallet.   Similarly, it is important to really know what you are selling.  Some retailers jump into a new trend without adequate product knowledge.  They hear about a hot product and figure they should have it on the shelves.  Sadly, such  product will often languish until it eventually moves to the dead inventory "Sale Table" and the shopkeeper considers it an epic fail.   It was a failure all right, but not necessarily because the customers were not interested.  More likely, some customers would have loved it if the retailer had provided some crafty education!

Time is limited and there is no need to reinvent the wheel---shorten your learning curve!  It has never been easier to learn a new technique that can be twisted and tweaked for your shop.  Check out the amazing tutorials available at Beaducation...home of some of the stars in the jewelry world...for an opportunity to learn metalwork, bead weaving, PMC, Chainmail, Wire work and more.  For example, download the tutorial for Tracy Stanley's killer riveted metal ring  for only $24.95!

 
Etsy is a  Mecca for tutorials and I have learned a ton from the talented artists who maintain Etsy shops.  In fact, just this morning I popped a wire crochet video tutorial into my Etsy shopping cart.   I have seen a number of online tutorials on this subject, but Israeli Artist, Yoola, does the best work I have seen.  I have crochet experience and could probably teach myself, but I know that I will save myself lots of time (and wire) by plunking down the cash and learning from an expert!

Although on line tutorials are awesome, there is no substitute for "hands on" learning, so make it a point to take some classes a few times each year.  I am embarrassed to admit that, until recently, I have been remiss in this regard.   One of my resolutions for 2011 was to focus more on being a student.  I have taken four classes in the last six months and it has been a blast.  I recently took a stamped metal jewelry workshop from Holly Hancock, owner of Beads in Tampa, Florida.  Cold connection metal had been on my To Learn List for several years, but I was too busy and too intimidated to tackle it on my own.   An email newsletter from Holly was all it took --- I got the last spot in her class a few weeks ago.   The class lasted most of the day and I made the sweet little heart pendant Holly had on display, as well as a more personal piece.  My workshop creations were very primitive and clearly the work of a Newbie, but I am SMITTEN!  I bought all of the tools Holly had at the shop and then went on line and bought even more.  I happily used my clothing budget for craft products yet again.  Yup, inspire first and sales will follow...
 
Are you getting the job done?