Inbetween Times

Its become apparent to me, and it may have become apparent to you, avid reader, that my jewellery making enthusiasm/motivation has not been at its highest of late. I've not made anything new for MONTHS, and I've felt like I'm just plodding along with it a little bit.

I've recently admitted to myself - that this is exactly whats happening. I'm plodding along with it. I've almost ground to a full halt, even. I've felt for a while that nothing I've made is in any way "original" - its not inspired and its not offering the world something that isn't already out there in the world. Specifically, isn't already out there on Etsy. You know. It feels crowded you guys. The market is swamped with feather earrings. I'm not feeling it anymore.

So I'm in a state of flux. I have a pros and cons list. I've done some thinking. And I've made a decision.

I'm not chucking in the jewellery making completely. But I am making changes. Positive ones.

In the coming months I will be launching a new website, and moving everything over to one place. Its cleaner, its more cohesive, and it makes sense to at least have everything branded under one name (my name, since you asked). I feel like I'm all over the place and need to pull it together. I also feel like I have spent too much energy concentrating on the wrong things - reading blogs and wishing my life away on other people's success/happiness - and its time I redirected that to focus on my own life/brand/whatever.

I'll be narrowing down the jewellery thing and focusing just on those items that seem popular and I feel more positive about. Everything will be one of a kind, and made in smaller batches, using better quality supplies and with more focus and attention to details - so all round offering a better quality product and more cohesive "look".

And to be honest - I'll be focusing more on the photography side of things, because it feels more natural to me, and frankly I think I'm better at. I've got some cool ideas for the "ice floe" side of things that I'm looking forward to sharing in the future (see: 3 rolls of double exposure projects to process).

I'm hoping to get a table at the next Barboot on September 7th, if you are in/near Crouch End stay tuned because I'll be selling a lot of the current Dear oh Deer stock cheap to make way for these changes.

In the meantime - if you've been eyeing something up in the Dear Oh Deer store - whack the code CHANGES in at checkout for 15% off and grab it now before it is too late.

And if anyone else has any experience of being in this weird inbetween thing, I'd love to hear about it so we can like, become BFFs based on our shared emotional life crisis.