WHOA!

So much I could say, but it is all covered by this:


OMG!!!!

I've been working my tail off on custom orders and prepping for two "shows" held yesterday at two different salons. Basically that meant that I made as many premade things as I could (hence the lack of blog posts lately!) and then brought everything into salons for the employees to see (and hopefully buy!). I sold a bunch and took some custom orders, too! Hooray!

Then since I already had everything with me, when I went to my physical therapist's office (to pay a bill) and my chiropractor's office (for an adjustment) I took in my jewelry and asked if they'd like to see what I've been working on. More sales and orders, hooray!

Today I hammered and hammered and hammered some more and finished up the custom orders for delivery this afternoon. When I showed up at the salon, I found out that all of the employees who'd bought items yesterday had been talking me up to their clients! One lady was even there waiting for me, and crossed eight names off her Christmas list--and thanked me for making her shopping so easy! Another woman with foils on came to check everything out and asked if I could make eight pearl necklaces for her wedding next week! A stylist rolled the little cart over to her station so her client could look at what I had while her hair was being blow-dried!

Then I drove to the other salon to drop off one custom order; it was pouring rain and I had to take the freeway during rush hour. Double ugh! But Ashley loved what I'd made, so that made it all worth it. Then just as I was about to go I decided to ask two of the other employees if they were interested in jewelry and if they'd like to see what I made; "no pressure, but since I'm here anyway I thought I'd ask...." One of them placed a custom order and as she was deciding what she wanted I was chatting and telling them about the woman at the other salon who had her Christmas list out and checked off names. And I could see a lightbulb go on and Ashley's eyes lit up; she ordered four more matching necklaces for her circle of friends, each with a different word! What I thought was a simple delivery of one necklace turned into five more custom orders!

I left the salon walking on clouds and as I was headed to my car I noticed a needlework shop. I haven't crocheted in a while but I always like to see what pretty yarns and threads and things they have, and I thought that there might be ladies working there who would be interested in seeing my jewelry. NUTS, right? Just walking up to strangers and asking them if they're interested in buying what I'm selling? Mamma mia!

So I bravely walk into the store, reminding myself that I'm nice and the worst anyone would say is, "No thanks, not interested." :) But I immediately hear laughter coming from the back, and as I come around a display I notice it's a knitting group! The employee (who I later found out is one of the owners) starts to get up and I tell her to stay where she is, I'm just browsing, and she invites me over to sit down and have a glass of wine! All the ladies were so fun and were handing me cookies and treats right and left, and as soon as I mentioned that I was in the area dropping off some jewelry they all wanted to see what I had! More sales and another custom order! The owners want me to make some stitch markers to sell in the store! Two of the women mentioned different women's groups that would be interested in having me as a speaker in the spring to talk about my business and have a display/sales table of my work!

Are ya' freakin' kiddin' me?!?!

I'm going back next week with some yarn and a crochet hook, and they made sure to remind me to bring my jewelry back with me, too!

I'm incredibly excited, obviously. :) I still have more custom orders to complete so I'll be busy all this weekend. I have a mile-long To Do list and the only thing on there that gets crossed out--and then rewritten, crossed-out, rewritten, crossed-out--is "finish and deliver custom orders"! I still have photos waiting to be edited and uploaded to Etsy. My house is a disaster. I'm two weeks late sending a package to my swap partner, Angelique. And I'm just crossing my fingers that my friends and family won't mind getting our Christmas card & letter in January, and that my family will be understanding when they open up their Christmas presents to find IOUs inside! :P