No, the cufflinks are not finished! Just a 'what they will look like roughly' picture.
Last week update:
We did not make it to the next round in the Ikea challenge which is a mixed blessing, we would have loved to have done it but I just don't actually have the time to do it right now! So maybe a little later on when I have my feet under the table with this company I will look for some more exciting things.
General update:
I had my launch party in Sweden just a few weeks ago now and it went really well, I had 6 orders in total and it well exceeded my expectations :o) I have even had my first cold caller on my Etsy shop from Sweden and so far so good....we'll wait until she leaves the feedback to be sure she liked them! So things are rocketing along in the Christmas season and time is whizzing past but I am in high spirits whizzing with it!
It's nearly time to head to London for my launch party. Very excited and a little nervous but it's all healthy. It's a chance to do some supply shopping at Cooksons now that I have set up an account for tax free purchases and have a look around the big smoke again with some Swedish friends.
I had to source a credit card accepting machine to do the London event as I can't use the Fakturing system I use here in Sweden.....it's far too risky. The other option was for people to use Paypal but if they don't have an account it's quite complicated to send them an email then wait while they use a computer that's not theirs and input their details and I only have 2 hours to get as many sales as I can so speed and efficiency is the name of the game. We shall see if it off-sets its own costs for the 1 month hire fee. I also have 2 Christmas markets when I return home that I will have it for so there is more opportunity to use it there.
It will be very interesting to see how my business is doing by the end of the year in my tax return....I am using that as my goal right now and then I will sit down and do a marketing plan for 2011 which will begin with a pre-Valentine’s day display in a shop in Gothenburg in January.
It's lucky I love what I do so much but I guess that is the whole point when it comes to art, I never turn off and love to look at everything people wear but I do it in a slightly different light now, I look for inspiration from the piece and see what I don't like about a piece and try to work out why.
Here are some pics from this week in the studio and I will post again when in London.
