Friday, Jul. 17, 2009 - 7:02 a.m.

Trying a new thing-- I don't know how to solder, so I've been reluctant to work with chain much-- but decided I could cut apart a standard length chain and insert one of my thingies in the midst of it. Got some prototypes going yesterday. So far they look pretty good. Pretty conventional design-wise, but maybe they'll sell.

Paid for another print ad in the wholesale ad magazine, but my views haven't gone up much yet. This is the second one I've done. My copy hasn't arrived yet, so I don't know if my ad look like crap (again) or what. It's time to register for the fall issue, which I should really do (fall is big!), but I'd like to generate some freakin orders before I pour more money into it. That's $600+ I've put into advertising this year, and not a single order since I started with the ads. It's funny, I got orders when I didn't advertise. Just got lucky, I know, but it doesn't make a strong argument for paying for another print ad. And in Sept I have to decide whether to renew my membership...no discount this time...what to do, what to do. Sometimes I think I was better off before I joined-- I've gotten my work into more galleries, sure, but none of them have reordered yet. At least the accounts I got entirely by my own legwork have generally been ongoing concerns. I know, and being on the website doesn't preclude also getting accounts the way I used to. I just wish it did.

Went and looked at the Smithsonian Craft Show website. Maybe I'll apply for 2011. The show is in April, so next year I'll be busy at that time, but maybe the next one will be possible. It's super expensive, but it's the Smithsonian Craft show. And from what I've seen, wabi-sabi is big there. Bet I could do it. Lots of expense-- professional product photos, lights, probably booth upgrades/tweaks, the painful booth fee, and travel/lodging/transport of stuff to DC. But worth doing despite all that, for bragging rights alone.

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