Tuesday, September 11, 2012

What to do with Extra Jewelry Creations

I have been creating jewelry for several years now and have been very fortunate to sell allot of it in both retail stores, on consignment, in my web shop and on my own...however, today, trying to get reorganized after an extended illness, I found allot of pieces that I'm not sure what I want to do with.

Some of these are pieces that I made several years ago and for one reason or another, they didn't sell.   They are not something that I would create today, but I still like them.  Then there are the pieces that I made because of a store owners' suggestion, and they either didn't take it on consignment or they took it and it didn't sell, so it is now back home with me.  Then there are the pieces that I created for this summer season, that I effectively missed, because of illness...they won't sell now, but they might sell next summer.

I have one shop that I deal with that loves my work but it is slightly pricey for her shop, so occassionally, I do take pieces to her that have "failed" elsewhere and I drastically reduce the price, so that I barely recover my expenses...but covering expenses works, sometimes.  There is a woman's shelter nearby that I have donated allot of jewelry to, and I have two schools that have auctions that I donate to twice a year, so I usually have a bag going to them that I work on whenever the right piece turns up.  Unfortunately, I am very prolific, and I make allot of jewelry, when the economy was better, that was okay...it doesn't work today. I don't want a huge inventory, it is too expensive! !  My next project is to go through the inventory that I do have and do some judicious dismemberment.  I have some great stones in pieces that haven't sold, and maybe if they were redone in a newer, more current setting, I could sell them.  The only thing is that I feel like I am tearing apart my children when I attempt to take those pieces apart.

Do any of you have an answer to my problem?  Do you sell every piece that you make, and if you don't what do you do with it?