I gotta admit....

I really enjoy exhibiting at shows! I know it is a lot of work but I usually have a lot of fun. It is rare for me to get in front of people who are purchasing my work and it is an experience that is significantly thrilling and of course at times, utterly humbling.

This year I have signed up for more shows than ever. Partially due to the economy and a general idea that I need to work harder to get in front of those interested in my work and partially to see which trends will be most popular in my line. I try really hard to watch as things are picked up, touched, and tried on. I try to keep a keen eye out for possible function problems or price hesitation so I can make changes accordingly. All of this has given me a lot of insight to my work and has also helped me solve particular function problems with specific pieces.

One of my most recent discoveries was how troubling it could be to stock both sixteen and eighteen inch necklaces. At times I sell out of a particular length in a particular design and since all of my components are soldered closed, I couldn't change out the chains. I realized that this created a problem on multiple levels. Shortly after the show I changed out my chains to adjust from sixteen to eighteen inches.

All handcrafted items need tweaking from time to time and I am finding the best way to discover objections is to get right in the grit of things. If you have not yet exposed yourself publically, try it, you just might find that you get hooked too.