Cin's Whims, It Just Feels Right

"My ultimate goal is to be able to quit my day job and make a living making my jewelry, which is my passion."

     What kind of items will we find in your shop and what makes them unique?

A lot of different types of jewelry.  I make what the creative urges tell me to, unless I have come across a new technique/style that I want to try.  Then my item is “by the book.”  If I like the outcome, I apply that technique to whatever I am feeling.  Hence the name of my shop, Cin’s Whims.

 

What inspires you?

All the little “treasures” I get to work with.  I have always been a rock hound.  As a little kid, I would spend hours collecting rocks and pebbles, my treasures. I would throw my finds into a rock tumbler and make “jewelry” out of them when they were finished.  I love taking gemstone beads and turning them into a piece of real jewelry.

 

  Describe your creative process.

I pick a particular material that is speaking to me at the moment, start arranging it, adding other materials and it just happens.  There is really no thought process involved.  I go with what feels and looks right to me.

What do you consider your greatest accomplishment?

That is still evolving.  Going back to school after divorce, finishing my degree while raising two sons who played hockey for both the county and their high school teams, travel hockey included, was a huge accomplishment.  Now I have time to focus on me.  My ultimate goal is to be able to quit my day job and make a living making my jewelry, which is my passion.

Your biggest challenge?

My biggest challenge is getting myself out there.  I have taken my jewelry on the road to friends’ houses for jewelry parties and do well.  If people can see my jewelry, they love it and buy it.  It is frustrating trying to convey the true nature of my items in photographs on Etsy.

Is there a special story you'd like to share with us about one of your pieces?

It’s not really special, but I did a sterling silver bear paw necklace for my sister-in-law to donate to a local rescue fundraiser.  I posted the finished product on her Facebook page and was suddenly inundated with custom orders for various breeds of dogs.  While I don’t mind doing it, and it is an easy profit, I feel like I’m cheating.  There is no creativity involved.

 I understand that some of your work is for sale in a brick and mortar shop. Where can we find it?

That would be in my friend’s store, Jennifer Crafts in Marley Station Mall.

 How did you get started in your craft?

I actually started in the craft arena about 18 years ago.  My friend Jennifer needed florals in her store and asked me to put together a wreath.  She loved it and I was doing florals that were in her store and were selling at shows.  After divorce, I no longer had the luxury of a “craft room” and had started school.  After I got my degree, my boys were out of school and living in other states, and I had free time on my hands.  One day I picked up some jewelry making supplies in Michael’s and found myself going back to my days of making jewelry out of stones, but with more knowlege, better materials and tools.

 What kind of experience has running an Etsy shop been for you?

My Etsy shop experience has been awesome.  I cuss it on days I have a lot of items to post...I really have a problem getting the pictures I post to authentically reflect the piece.  I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I want to be sure that when a customer purchases a piece, they receive what they thought they were buying.  Aside from that, I love having an Etsy shop.  Etsy provides a lot of information on how your shop is going.  I am constantly checking my stats.  In addition, I found an awesome team that has helped me take my shop to the next level 

 Do you have any advice for new sellers?

I’ve only had my shop 3 and ½ months and am still learning.  What I do know is check other shops and make sure your pricing is in line. I have had a respectable amount of sales in my short time in my shop because they are reasonably priced. Spend time tagging your pieces.  I need to go back and re-work mine.  Your Etsy items come up in Google and Bing searches.  The more tags you have the more likely you are to get a “hit’ from a general search.  Find a good, active team.  The input and networking are invaluable.

  

Do you have any special promotions going on in your shop right now?

At the moment, no I do not.  Next week, I plan to offer a 20% off Mother’s Day promotion.  In the past I have offered a free shipping weekend that resulted in several sales.

      Are there any other social media links where we can find you?

I just started a twitter account.  Am still searching and following, but am not active yet, i.e. no “tweets”

 Can we find you at any upcoming events, where we can meet you and buy in person?

I will be sharing a table with Cosmic Media on April 27^th at Montpellier Mansion for their Festival of Herbs, Teas, and Art.  I was just invited by the Wilde Lake High School Class of 2015 to participate in their yard sale and market on May 11^th, and of course I will be at Team Maryland’s Spring Thing on May 18^th.