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Hard decisions as far as the candles go.
Feb. 13th, 2011 11:04 amHard decisions as far as the candles go. Due to the rising cost of supplies and materials, and let's not even talk about shipping, if at least 75% of the candles I bring to VisionCon don't sell, I won't be getting more supplies to make candles for sale.
People tell me "Oh, I love this! You should charge more for it!" then walk away without buying what they just said was a very good deal and that they liked it, which I don't understand at all. There will be figure candles, scented pillars and votives and containers just as usual. The total price for 100% of the candles, by what I have prepped right now, will be around $300, so at least $225 of that stock needs to go. And that's cash money, not barter or give-aways.
Same for the soaps -- I'm bringing all I have made over the last few months at the same prices people say are good, and those need to sell also.
If I quit making for sale, a lot of molds and such will be going up on ETSY or eBay, so if you think you would want one of the Bast candle molds or the dragon molds, be thinking of a price or a service to offer for them. I will, of course, continue to make for my household and for gifts until supplies run out, but I'm just tired of carting things back and forth and hearing "Oooh-aah" not followed by *clink-rustle*.
I decided to set up a facebook page for Fifth House...and guess what? I had already done so. More than a year ago, obviously, since the last post was more than a year old!
The FB page that reflects to my LMT page is still up and has been updated slightly more recently -- as in, within the last month. Oh, wait -- that was the actual business page. Gotta update the FB page too sometime!
And I think I'm just gonna give up on the Dragon Cave eggs. The last three clutches I took, one egg hatched and nearly a dozen "died" even though I was posting them for clicks. Sometimes one with MORE clicks would die and another, older egg, with fewer clicks, would hatch, but then the hatchling would expire. So it has quit making sense to me and I've been staying off that page -- I do still watch the comms and ninja-click, though, when I think about it.
Also need to take some better photos and re-do the ETSY store. How do I expect to get any clients at the current state of things!? Answer: I don't. Right now it's kind of a placeholder while I do some tweaking.
The FB page that reflects to my LMT page is still up and has been updated slightly more recently -- as in, within the last month. Oh, wait -- that was the actual business page. Gotta update the FB page too sometime!
And I think I'm just gonna give up on the Dragon Cave eggs. The last three clutches I took, one egg hatched and nearly a dozen "died" even though I was posting them for clicks. Sometimes one with MORE clicks would die and another, older egg, with fewer clicks, would hatch, but then the hatchling would expire. So it has quit making sense to me and I've been staying off that page -- I do still watch the comms and ninja-click, though, when I think about it.
Also need to take some better photos and re-do the ETSY store. How do I expect to get any clients at the current state of things!? Answer: I don't. Right now it's kind of a placeholder while I do some tweaking.
Guess where I'll be in a few weeks?
Jul. 24th, 2010 03:59 pmBuffalo for the Celtic Heritage Festival
That's Friday and Saturday, September 10 and 11, and then
the next Saturday (18th) at Pagans in the Park in Springfield, at Nathanael Greene park off
Scenic.
That's Friday and Saturday, September 10 and 11, and then
the next Saturday (18th) at Pagans in the Park in Springfield, at Nathanael Greene park off
Scenic.
To-day's To-dos
Jun. 28th, 2010 08:35 amIn no particular order:
1) Laundry
2) Post office run
3)two batches of lip butter
4) maybe a batch of cuticle cream (elbow grease?) as well -- different formulation though
5) Vacuum
6) work on Lip Butter labels -- eventually I'm gonna want a "logo" for Fifth House; I'm thinking an outline of a house with a "5" on it, how boring and unoriginal. The Fifth House of the Zodiac rules creativity. I don't want to get so creative it's obscure, though!
7) Get online and pay for the next year's AMBP membership and insurance.
8) Call St John's and do pre-admission for that sleep study in 2 weeks.
9) Fill out paperwork for Tri-Care
Sheesh, now IF I actually get off the computer I might get some of that done!
I know, add
10)Run malware scans and defrag
so the computer will be busy for awhile!
Oh -- and
11) Pics of new stuff and better pics of old stuff for Etsy, and get a few things on there the next couple of days!
Last week's lip butters were Chocolate Mint and a reformulated Coffee; this week, perhaps Pomegranate and Buttercream?
The cuticle cream, probably lemon and rosemary this time, or lemon and lavender -- or a smaller batch of each.
If anyone needs -- or wants -- my attention before I get back to the keyboard, chances are you have my phone number :D
2) Post office run
3)
4) maybe a batch of cuticle cream (elbow grease?) as well -- different formulation though
5) Vacuum
6) work on Lip Butter labels -- eventually I'm gonna want a "logo" for Fifth House; I'm thinking an outline of a house with a "5" on it, how boring and unoriginal. The Fifth House of the Zodiac rules creativity. I don't want to get so creative it's obscure, though!
9) Fill out paperwork for Tri-Care
Sheesh, now IF I actually get off the computer I might get some of that done!
I know, add
10)
so the computer will be busy for awhile!
Oh -- and
11) Pics of new stuff and better pics of old stuff for Etsy, and get a few things on there the next couple of days!
Last week's lip butters were Chocolate Mint and a reformulated Coffee; this week, perhaps Pomegranate and Buttercream?
The cuticle cream, probably lemon and rosemary this time, or lemon and lavender -- or a smaller batch of each.
If anyone needs -- or wants -- my attention before I get back to the keyboard, chances are you have my phone number :D
Vision*Con 2010
Jan. 22nd, 2010 05:26 pmI do NOT have too many books.
I don't have enough bookshelves.
There are books here and a group called The Browncoats has a CD/DVD for sale. And ELVENDRUMS is here! w00t!
I don't have enough bookshelves.
There are books here and a group called The Browncoats has a CD/DVD for sale. And ELVENDRUMS is here! w00t!
Was fair-to-good for me -- cost for the space was $40 including electric, and we camped Friday night -- and I took in over $200. Even allowing for materials and gas, i think I made money! Partly due to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sewfastdancer and her "sister" (Heather?) as I comped them each a trinket and said "just tell people where you got it!" I think they sent me at least 15 customers -- buyers, not looky-loos. Excellent investment! *firm nod*
Jewelry sold best here, with soap a distant second and candles trailing in the dust -- one packet of 3 votives!
umbramage will be posting about something that tickled him, so I'll leave that for him!
AND this weekend -- Saturday the 19th, 11 am to 6 pm -- I'll be at Fassnight Park. This is the last chance I'll have to do any vending for perhaps a year, and I'd rather sell it than store it, so make an offer -- just, like, don't expect to get a dragon candle for 27c, awright? (And now I'll know who read this when someone offers me 28c!)
sewfastdancer and her "sister" (Heather?) as I comped them each a trinket and said "just tell people where you got it!" I think they sent me at least 15 customers -- buyers, not looky-loos. Excellent investment! *firm nod*Jewelry sold best here, with soap a distant second and candles trailing in the dust -- one packet of 3 votives!
umbramage will be posting about something that tickled him, so I'll leave that for him!AND this weekend -- Saturday the 19th, 11 am to 6 pm -- I'll be at Fassnight Park. This is the last chance I'll have to do any vending for perhaps a year, and I'd rather sell it than store it, so make an offer -- just, like, don't expect to get a dragon candle for 27c, awright? (And now I'll know who read this when someone offers me 28c!)
Yeah, I'm blathering today!
Sep. 8th, 2009 11:12 amAlso, have added a FB page for the vending side of things -- Fifth House
AND, of course, since I'm waiting for a delivery that must be signed for, I now have a 1330 massage appointment in Monett...!
AND, of course, since I'm waiting for a delivery that must be signed for, I now have a 1330 massage appointment in Monett...!
(no subject)
Aug. 27th, 2009 09:52 amFMG order got in yesterday, sorted through the grab-bags of pendants, have several "points" of adventurine and rose quartz, a bunch of curved horns in goldstone and maybe a couple of carnelian, and a handful of randomly-sized hearts, mostly in rose quartz and tiger's eye. And howdy I can NOT spell today, or maybe it's the typing....
Anyway, did some prelim work getting cords and accents and such sorted for the necklaces I'm planning to make for vending and ... for some reason I feel better. I've been kind of "off my feed" for several weeks now, but getting back into the making things seems to have improved my mood. I know I'm not an artist, and I don't "create" things like, say,scgraphix does, or ursulav, I just take things that are already made and put them together or modify them a little, but it's something I need to do and I need to remember that and do it.
Anyway, did some prelim work getting cords and accents and such sorted for the necklaces I'm planning to make for vending and ... for some reason I feel better. I've been kind of "off my feed" for several weeks now, but getting back into the making things seems to have improved my mood. I know I'm not an artist, and I don't "create" things like, say,
scgraphix does, or ursulav, I just take things that are already made and put them together or modify them a little, but it's something I need to do and I need to remember that and do it. 2nd Annual Farm Girl Fest
At Fox fire farm in Carthage , Mo
Sat September 5th and 6th
10am-dusk and 12pm-dusk CRAFTS-CRAFTS-CRAFTS
Food , Music and More !!!
FREE ADMISSION !!!!!
Demonstration : Soap making , Basket weaving , Dutch oven cooking .
*********************
Yes, Labor Day Weekend when everyone I know is at either D*C or KCRF or ... but that's ok!
Wonder if Amos Apiary will be there.
*********************
At Fox fire farm in Carthage , Mo
Sat September 5th and 6th
10am-dusk and 12pm-dusk CRAFTS-CRAFTS-CRAFTS
Food , Music and More !!!
FREE ADMISSION !!!!!
Demonstration : Soap making , Basket weaving , Dutch oven cooking .
*********************
Yes, Labor Day Weekend when everyone I know is at either D*C or KCRF or ... but that's ok!
Wonder if Amos Apiary will be there.
*********************
Miscellaney
Aug. 24th, 2009 05:08 amSo...any herbalists/wildcrafters in the area who'd be willing to come over and walk the acreage with me? I really should have a better idea of what's out there, and a lot of plants look so much alike to me that I could be dangerous. Payment to be rendered in barter, please.
Will be moving the chandlery from the shed into the basement over the next few days -- I need to askturlock (or someone) to help me with the 60# boxes of wax! There's already a stove and a sink down there, so that'll be convenient.
The jewelry-stuff stays upstairs, though -- much better light!
Applied at two more Springfield salons yesterday -- and still looking wherever else I can convince myself I qualify for.
Facebook is just crazy -- WAAY to many games and pokes and apps and whatevers. However, Katie (from my high school years) and Toni (same) found me, so it's all good :)
Got a note from a former priestess/teacher of mine, she's planning to come to PitP next month and maybe we will have time to catch up a bit. Speaking of which (or witch?) I don't think Katie and Toni from the previous paragraph have figured out my current path, as they're both still talking to me :D
The sign at the local salon "Massage Therapist Wanted" is still up. *schadenfreude* (Is that the right word?) I don't know if she can't keep 'em or if she kicks 'em out. I know I'm not gonna find out.
The girls are planning to be over for the "Hundred Mile Yard Sale" this weekend, and we'll be clearing out some of the stuff they no longer want from the garage.
I've been looking for some binder inserts I got awhile back -- should have at least 5 packages left, and I know where I put them downstairs. And they're not there. These are the ones that you stick a magazine through them and then into a binder for keeping-them-together. I got 12 packs of a dozen, and I have NOT used that many. And they're not where I put them. To quoteumbramage, "damn Pookas!"
Looking up khaleegy on youtube, and rather disappointed -- the videos I've found totally don't have the "show-off" entry, the "flirt" phase, or the "unveiling" -- every one is 50% hair tossing minimum and some are just walk in and start flippin' the hair about. I've had ONE lesson years ago and I remember more than these show. Some don't even have the specific side-half-step travel, just walk around shaking their head and teats!
Ran across some notes from the first massage course I took -- the one that the school closed in the middle of? -- and it wasn't as long ago as I'd thought -- '98, according to the dates on the papers.
Will be moving the chandlery from the shed into the basement over the next few days -- I need to ask
turlock (or someone) to help me with the 60# boxes of wax! There's already a stove and a sink down there, so that'll be convenient.The jewelry-stuff stays upstairs, though -- much better light!
Applied at two more Springfield salons yesterday -- and still looking wherever else I can convince myself I qualify for.
Facebook is just crazy -- WAAY to many games and pokes and apps and whatevers. However, Katie (from my high school years) and Toni (same) found me, so it's all good :)
Got a note from a former priestess/teacher of mine, she's planning to come to PitP next month and maybe we will have time to catch up a bit. Speaking of which (or witch?) I don't think Katie and Toni from the previous paragraph have figured out my current path, as they're both still talking to me :D
The sign at the local salon "Massage Therapist Wanted" is still up. *schadenfreude* (Is that the right word?) I don't know if she can't keep 'em or if she kicks 'em out. I know I'm not gonna find out.
The girls are planning to be over for the "Hundred Mile Yard Sale" this weekend, and we'll be clearing out some of the stuff they no longer want from the garage.
I've been looking for some binder inserts I got awhile back -- should have at least 5 packages left, and I know where I put them downstairs. And they're not there. These are the ones that you stick a magazine through them and then into a binder for keeping-them-together. I got 12 packs of a dozen, and I have NOT used that many. And they're not where I put them. To quote
umbramage, "damn Pookas!"Looking up khaleegy on youtube, and rather disappointed -- the videos I've found totally don't have the "show-off" entry, the "flirt" phase, or the "unveiling" -- every one is 50% hair tossing minimum and some are just walk in and start flippin' the hair about. I've had ONE lesson years ago and I remember more than these show. Some don't even have the specific side-half-step travel, just walk around shaking their head and teats!
Ran across some notes from the first massage course I took -- the one that the school closed in the middle of? -- and it wasn't as long ago as I'd thought -- '98, according to the dates on the papers.
More crass commercial announcements
Aug. 21st, 2009 10:13 pmI plan to be vending at Pagans in the Park on Saturday, 19 September, at Fassnight Park in Springfield.
Yay! I'm finding places to vend again after being out of the circuit for over a year!
Actually, this was one of those "You WILL be there, WON'T you?" "Yes ma'am!" numbers!And the week before, Friday and Saturday, I'm in Buffalo.
Anybody know of others nearby I might set up at?
Tuesday and to-do
Aug. 11th, 2009 11:45 amGot some rain yesterday, on the installment plan -- got dark, wind, big honkin' drops for a few, bright sun. Repeat several times.
Called the cops ON the cops last night, just about 23:50.
Laundry to-do today, and sort through clothes for what is not wearable, what is out of season, and what should be passed along. I keep winding up with these giveaway t-shirts in like, size large from various places.
Take a walk. Not even necessarily outside if it heats up by then.
Sort and stash some of the papercraft stuff; get it in one place in case anyone takes me up on that card-making gathering thingy.
Be sure I have the "not-certified" labels ready for FM vending tomorrow.
And, swiped fromfeatherynscale, ask me for a list of my "Top 5" in whatever categories.
Called the cops ON the cops last night, just about 23:50.
Laundry to-do today, and sort through clothes for what is not wearable, what is out of season, and what should be passed along. I keep winding up with these giveaway t-shirts in like, size large from various places.
Take a walk. Not even necessarily outside if it heats up by then.
Sort and stash some of the papercraft stuff; get it in one place in case anyone takes me up on that card-making gathering thingy.
Be sure I have the "not-certified" labels ready for FM vending tomorrow.
And, swiped from
featherynscale, ask me for a list of my "Top 5" in whatever categories. Would those who expressed interest in various items in this poll please comment here to make arrangements to pick up your "stuff" this weekend? I can take cash or checks at the site, or paypal in advance.
Susi, I've had the Thieves' Oil you wanted and haven't had a moment when you were clear to get it to you -- shall I send it by Izzy if I can tackle her?
Susi, I've had the Thieves' Oil you wanted and haven't had a moment when you were clear to get it to you -- shall I send it by Izzy if I can tackle her?
To-do today
Jun. 21st, 2009 02:01 pmUpdated my web page (Including link to White Hart Faire)
Working on cleaning out the fishpond
Wash comforter (Thanks, Puppy)
Do more boxing/clearing in big BR
Figure out what exactly has to go to Faire with me next weekend
ALSO QUESTION: What makes a book/series/character believable? Level of detail? How well the situation resembles the "real" world? How much the reader WANTS to live in a place like that?
And a scroll
Working on cleaning out the fishpond
Wash comforter (Thanks, Puppy)
Do more boxing/clearing in big BR
Figure out what exactly has to go to Faire with me next weekend
ALSO QUESTION: What makes a book/series/character believable? Level of detail? How well the situation resembles the "real" world? How much the reader WANTS to live in a place like that?
And a scroll
Help needed (Shaddup, Jeff)
Jun. 4th, 2009 07:54 amSo everyone here knows by now that I'm doing massage at White Hart Faire this year, right? I sure babble about it enough!
I generally vend soaps, candles, etc., but this time I'll have just a very small selection of these, more b/c people have learned to expect dragon candles from me.
I will have a reflexology recliner, a table, and a massage chair with me in my booth. Now the difficulty -- the vendor coordinator (and owner of the site and faire) wants the chair hidden from view as it is "not period."
Well, I can toss a sheet over it -- but that'd get real dirty real fast, and would have to be removed/replaced for each customer and I just don't have THAT many sheets! (No laundry on/near the site -- this is RURAL.)
I can use "curtains" to block view into the booth -- which will increase the heat and be much rougher on me. Even with good signage, this would cost custom as people wouldn't see what I have to offer.
At least two other faires that have a massage vendor allow the equipment to be out in plain view, but this is supposed to be a more historically accurate setting, so...ideas?
ETA: Remember, this all has to fit in my car in one trip....
I generally vend soaps, candles, etc., but this time I'll have just a very small selection of these, more b/c people have learned to expect dragon candles from me.
I will have a reflexology recliner, a table, and a massage chair with me in my booth. Now the difficulty -- the vendor coordinator (and owner of the site and faire) wants the chair hidden from view as it is "not period."
Well, I can toss a sheet over it -- but that'd get real dirty real fast, and would have to be removed/replaced for each customer and I just don't have THAT many sheets! (No laundry on/near the site -- this is RURAL.)
I can use "curtains" to block view into the booth -- which will increase the heat and be much rougher on me. Even with good signage, this would cost custom as people wouldn't see what I have to offer.
At least two other faires that have a massage vendor allow the equipment to be out in plain view, but this is supposed to be a more historically accurate setting, so...ideas?
ETA: Remember, this all has to fit in my car in one trip....
