Life on Mars - Bad Day in Paradise

Since I've moved I haven't posted a Life on Mars. That's because Life on Mars was mostly about the weird or bad daily things in my life and since I've moved things have gone fairly smoothly. Even the new neighbor with the 2 white poodley poufy dogs is nice and she cleans up after them, which I feared. Even the dogs are very sweet.

The only negative here is the 2 mile hike to and from the post office. And the mile 1/2 round trip to the grocery. I don't have a neighbor to drive me every week, but my cousin takes me at least a few times a month. But I get exercise while walking, and I'm getting stronger, I know that because I get more and more groceries in my backpack every week.

Then there was yesterday. It was like someone planted a bomb on my peaceful new life. I hadn't had any sales for a week, and this was depressing me, because I don't have a lot of money left to last me the next 3 weeks til I get my next pay. I got carried away, buying a few cheap pieces of furniture and supplies for the business. Thought I might sell a few things.

Then I made a few sales. Good, because Poppy's middle child has a birthday coming up in a few weeks and he wants a $50 Lego set.

Right after the sales, I got a negative feedback on ebay. Click on the picture to read the details. One BIG glaring negative feedback on top of thousands of positives. I haven't received a negative in over a year, and usually it's from someone "playing the game". They know people on ebay are intimidated by negative feedback and will do anything to have it removed. My DD and I don't, because one negative with thousands of positive usually makes the buyer look like a jerk. As a matter of fact there are several glowing feedbacks about the same item right below it. Just makes me angry that people pull that nonsense.

Then I got a case filed against me. Not that I blame the person who filed it. As a mater of fact they waited a very long time to do it. And they just want their merchandise, not money. Although it would have been nicer if they contacted me first before filing a claim. Now I have a claim against me which will rank me down, not that I get any benefits on ebay anyhow. You only get them for next day shipping.

I checked tracking and this is what I found. Apparently on July 5th, my buyer's package disappeared into thin air. How does this happen you ask? I don't really know. Is it still on the truck? Did it fall off? Did the truck fall off the end of the earth? Thank you USPS for charging so much and delivering so little.

So that's the end of my Bad day in Paradise. Lets hope today is a better one.

Life on Mars - Business as UNusual

At the beginning of this year I wrote a blog about spending Four Months trying to increase my sales of my handmade jewelry and doing some freelance design work because I really didn't enjoy making the Aprons and Bow ties as much as I liked making the jewelry and designing.

It's really the sewing thing. I have to cut fabric on the floor and it hurts my aging hips and knees, and I have a hard time actually seeing what I'm sewing. Meaning I have to wear reading glasses to sew, then I can't see anything else when I look away. It's kind of a pain.

I guess I have to wear them to make jewelry too, but I just need to complain. It's who I am.

Well I did increase business in my jewelry shop a bit, by reviewing my product and making some serious changes. Mostly I added reasonably priced brooches and have sold a lot of those and some large orders too. But still, that shop income is nothing to make a living at.

As for my design career, I'm sure the small commissions I get will be good, and it is fun, but I'm not willing to give up my freedom at the moment, to go at it full time, and that's where the money really is.

I have however, found that opening up a real store on eBay has found me the income I really needed, through my Aprons, Bow Ties and Pillowcases. Yes, the thing I really didn't want to do. By opening a store, and a facebook page and more promotions, I've nearly doubled my sales from last year. However, that does include better jewelry sales, and freelance design commission, no matter how small those are.

I've resigned myself to sewing. I've even accepted it as my lot in life at this moment in time. I'll still keep my jewelry shop open, and work on new merchandise for a time, but my main focus right now is income. And after all, those designs are cute too. Now I need to finally design those messenger bags I've been wanting to make. And maybe, just maybe, I'll add some jewelry to my eBay store.