So now that we're all *official* with our blog and our very own Flikr page (which, if you haven't seen yet is HERE) I was really thinking that my first entry might be about the cost of the craft. This occurred to the lovely Sherry as well, and we were sharing financial horror stories this morning. She asked:
"Do they realize just how expensive this whole thing can be? Tools, torch etc., raw materials? I had no idea and wouldn't even dream of adding up all my invoices from Rio. It would probably cause a heart attack!"
I couldn't agree more. I'm making great progress in the metalsmithing skillz department and I love what I'm creating, but the financial hole I'm sinking myself into is truly astronomical in scale. Sometimes my penny-pinching scotts-irish self is huddling in the corner while the metallust takes over and I buy buy BUY. It's disturbing, it really is.
You come to this place where you're soooooo so incredibly sunk it's not even funny. I'm talking $2,500 sunk with about $400 of sales. HOLEE shit batman that hurts. I'm good for tools for the level I'm at right now but there's always stones and metal to be bought and that doesn't come cheap. Precious metals, precious and semi-precious stones. This isn't your polymerclay or knitting hobby.
So I stress, a lot, about the way the money flows like water through my clutching fingers. I worry about it even more since I'm not working and bringing in the dough. I'm lucky that my husband is incredibly supportive of my obsession, but it's hard to show him new work sometimes b/c I know he's thinking "uh-huh, but did you SELL anything?"
Well...noo....but see how SHINY! Someone will definitely buy this one. It's my best work yet!
So I stress, and in the end I can't help myself and I spend what I have to to keep my obsession alive. It's sick really, my apologies for making you play therapist. I'm working to increase sales and I know you guys are too. So here's some reasuring facts for all of us (and perhaps our longsuffering or not-so spouses):
Here's a simply wonderful website for entrepreneurs that talks
about how to figure out complicated things like a business plan and a break even point and has a free downloadable Cash Management Report that will help you know what you're actually doing on a monthly basis and how much you'd have to sell to be profitable.
Mine quite frankly makes me a little ill. I like my friend's business plan better, it's called "Make the beast pay for itself." She took the total amount I've spent so far divided by the # of months I've been doing it for a monthly cost, then averaged out my total sales divided by the # of months I've been selling to come up with my monthly profit, then told me I need to sell $200 more dollars a month to break even. That of course isn't really right because there's also the cost of materials, but we left that out to spare my tender feelings.
So! Here's to selling $200 a month, for me and every one of you who's eagerly building an empire and waiting for the world to come. Keep the faith and attempt to keep the mortgage paid in the meantime, ok?
We are a friendly group of aspiring metalsmiths with a wide variety of skill levels, ranging from the ultra-newbie hammering away on the kitchen table and dreaming of buying their first torch to the amazing master artisans who kindly lend the rest of us their expertise and encouragement. We chat on Facebook regularly and share our failures and successes in a wonderful community of like minds. Take a minute to tell us about yourself and join the conversation!
the other day I got frustrated and thought about giving up and selling all my tools. Im pretty sure for everything I could get about 10k. It was so tempting but I know I would hate myself and just end up using the money to buy everything back. So I have to just stick with it and try making a profit!
ReplyDeleteDon't do it Cap'n! The world NEEDS your creations, lol. It's hard sometimes, very very hard to keep believing in a dream. I'm rooting for you!
ReplyDelete@jamauerer: Don't do it! You will totaly hate yourself and spend 2x what you can get for them buying new ones.
ReplyDeleteI try to only but things I know how to use and NEED or what I need for my one next thing to learn. It's hard though, and i don't always succeed.
I have this weird list-making obsession, and one of my recurring lists is "Things to grab (or cry over) in case of a fire." It used to be my kids' scrapbooks. Now it's all my tools and jewelry samples! Hmm. . .priorities check.
ReplyDeleteOk, now I'm going to have to learn NAMES, in addition to avatars?!?! I need a visual organizer. . .This is scarletrobin, btw.
ReplyDeleteHey Ladies! I know what you mean about the cost of supplies and tools. I've been meaning to blog about my metalsmithing class, and haven't yet, but my teacher did everything as cheaply as possible. Propane torch from Home Depot for $ 13, 8" single milled file, 1 pair of round nosed pliers, and a pair of chain nose pliers. That was it. That's what we created our projects with. Oh, and for a solder pick? A T pin pushed through the end of an eraser. I kid you not. I bought his video and started watching them yesterday while I was working. Do you know what he used for a crucible? A 1x2 board, with a hollow hammered into it. That sucker caught on fire and burned while he was trying to melt the silver. All he said was that the flame would burn out when it turned to charcoal, and it would be fine. He was right. He said he did the same thing when he needed to dap something. Made a hollow in a board. It has made me start thinking out of the box, instead of thinking I HAVE to have this tool, or that tool. Do you know he used the side of the chain nose pliers as a burnisher when we set the stones? Tripped me out. Now as far as supplies go, I don't think he has any trick for cutting cost there! Anyway, I feel your pain ladies. I was just thinking this morning how far I'm willing to dig a hole with this thing.
ReplyDeleteThat's it Amynicole, you're nominated to write the next post about makeshift tools! If you want to of course :)
ReplyDeleteJenifer I'm never going to manage the names, my apologies right up front! And my kids are just lucky that they're on the 'save in case of fire' list themselves, forget their scrapbooks I'll be busy saving all my preshus silver!
Great start for the blog- I hate myself for printing out the worksheet because I already know I'm in the hole! I really want to retire from the FT job and take metal classes, but the job pays for the tools- and there's always a new tool, more silver and of course, Stones. Love the links list. May I add one or two I didn't see that I think are worthwhile?
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of like cooking. You don't need all the fancy specialty gadgets that only have one specific use. Like a mango pitter...would it be handy to have one when I have a mango to cut...sure, but do I need one? Am I doomed to living the rest of my life without mangos because I don't have a mango pitter?? Necessity is the mother of invention.
ReplyDeleteHey Clarity...you put the link to the Luis F. Moreno videos at the top of the blog.
ReplyDeleteSa-weeeeeet!!
Well, I'm barely started playing in the big leagues (beading is the minors!), and need so many tools it is not funny!
ReplyDeleteMy Rio wishlist is several pages long, and my catalogs are all marked with yellow marker and post-its. Right now, every dollar I make is going towards feeding the beast and getting me some tools to get me started. Thank God I'm going to school and have a fully stocked workshop at my disposal for 4 hours once a week!
Lori why yes I did put the awesome videos up there! If you guys know any other cool channels let me know and I'll add them. It seems to occasionally put strange random things up, still working on it!
ReplyDeletePPennee Please add any links you'd like! see if it will let you modify things, if not let me know the links and I'll put them up.
This is Silvermooncrafts/Theresia
ReplyDeleteYep, the cost is what's holding me back from diving in. I've spent a small fortune on tools/equipment already that I haven't learned to use. Love the make shift tools ideas!
Loved your post, Clarity! You definitely have a gift for writing.
ReplyDeleteI, too, am inspired (meaning broke) to find inexpensive tool alternatives. I bought a set of metal measuring spoons that I'm going to try to make into a dapping block of some sort.
Haha, I just noticed that the Flickr widget is showing pic after pic of my ART! Why??? I didn't put any art photos in the Aspiring Metalsmith's photostream. Ah well, pet portrait anyone! :)
I'm WabiBrookStudio, by the way...
Wabi it doesn't give me an option to show the groups pics in that Flickr widget, but it'll let me show my contacts and you're one of my contacts.
ReplyDeleteAh, I see. Well, no worries, at first I thought I had uploaded art instead of metal into the group pics, so glad it's not because of that. It's a very cool widget anyway. :)
ReplyDeletemy first burnisher was the back of a spoon! it actually worked beautifully!
ReplyDeletemy dad used one tapping tool and a thick piece of leather to shape everything..I'm lucky to have him teach me. he's the cheapest tool of all (not that he's a tool) he works for iced tea!
The sad thing is that I'm TOTALLY loaded up on tools! My dad loves to buy tools for me, so I let him, but some of them haven't gotten the attention that they deserve. I have a kiln! I think I've used it MAYBE a half dozen times. That's scandalous! I really need to get my motivation on and start using some of these wonderful resources that I own. Thanks to all of you for inspiring me!
ReplyDeleteI think it is an addiction...I really feel that shopping and craving to possess the latest or coolest tool is more the hobby than actually creating stuff...I have seen some artists create the most amazing jewelry and they have the most basic of tools and several amateurs amass a collection of tools majority of which they will never ever use!!!
ReplyDelete