Etsymetal Blog Carnival - January 2013, New Year's Resolutions

It's EtsyMetal's Blog Carnival again.  The team chooses one topic that we would write about for the first Monday of the month.  This month's topic is "New Year's Resolutions".  I want to recap this past year and what I had learned, where it had taken me, and where it would take me in 2013. 

2012 was an exciting year, exploring different techniques and participating in many new shows.  The positive responses encouraged me to head the direction of more challenging designs.  I learned that when you create special pieces, you differentiate yourself from the oceans of jewelry out there.  It is much more rewarding than making generic jewelry.  One very fun result is that my Dahlia was selected for all the show marketing materials for the KPFA Crafts Fair.  Now, that's marketing that no money can buy - at least not with my non-existing marketing budget.  :)

My resolutions for 2013:

1.  My production plan is to come up with a cohesive line of about 40 to 45 pieces.  The goal is BMAC 2014, the big wholesale show in Philly.  High fees, but an excellent motivator for me to sit at my bench and work hard.

2.  A new website is in order.  I want to set up an ecommerce site with a shopping cart.  I want to be able to post my show schedule and have separate gallery pages.  It will be nice to have total control of it.

Wish me luck!

Check out what my other teammates have to say about this topic:
1. Lou Hunter http://peculiarforest.blogspot.com
2. Laura Jane Bouton http://laurajanebouton.blogspot.it/
3. 2Roses: http://www.jewelrytutorial.blogspot.com
4. deborahleetaylor: http://www.e5jewelryblog.com
5. Mary Anne Karren: http://silverpearlmetalworks.wordpress.com/
6. Danielle Miller: http://daniellemillerjewelry.blogspot.com/
7. Nodeform : http://nodeform.blogspot.com/
8. Silentgoddess: http://silentgoddess.blogspot.com