How did you get started? I've been crafting for as long as I can remember, and jewelry design was something that I got involved watching a local designer on a morning tv show a few years ago... and I thought, I'd like to try that! I had made some jewelry as a teenager, but back then the materials available to the general public were much more limited and styles were less imaginative. Now, the sky's the limit!
Where do you create? My "studio" is in my home in Scottsdale, AZ. My husband and I share an office, although my business takes up about 75% of the room, so it's not exactly equitable, but it's fun!
Family? Al, my husband, and I are empty nesters. Between us we have 6 adult children (2 boys and a girl each) and 6 1/2 grandchildren as of this writing! I'm originally from the midwest, where the rest of my extended family still lives. With in-laws on the east coast and a stepson in California, we have lots of places to visit and enjoy time with family!
What inspires you to create your products? Life is my inspiration... pretty much anything I see, or hear, or experience can spark a creative moment!
Where do you see yourself and your products in 10 years? Well, since jewelry designs are forever evolving and fashion trends change almost as often as the weather here in Arizona, so I guess we'll have to see! I am opening up a new Etsy shop in the very near future that will be specializing in bridal and special occasion jewelry and accessories, but since I love working with the natural beauty of stones, and a wide variety of themes, I'm sure MysticWynd will continue to provide something for everyone's tastes!
Any advice you would like to share with a newbie who may be reading this? I actually posted an A-Z list of things that I think are essential to having a successful business which you can read here,http://mysticwynd.blogspot.com/2010/08/abcs-of-successfully-selling-crafts.html, but if I had to pick just a couple of the most important things, the first would be to create a business plan - it makes you think through all of the aspects of your business, gives you a sense of direction, and encourages you to take your business seriously. The second would be - don’t undervalue the worth of your products, your time, and your skill – and especially don’t underestimate the worth of a happy customer. Lastly, network. Networking basically gives everyone in the network an expanded “Sales Team” which is working on their behalf to promote them! Have no doubt about the viral aspects of social media – your work will be seen by audiences everywhere with comparatively minimal effort on your part.
Find Mystic Wynd Online At:
http://etsy.com/shop/mysticwynd
http://mysticwynd.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/mysticwynd
http://twitter.com/mysticwynd
2 comments:
A HUGE thank you for such a great feature and especially for the "interview" - it was really fun to answer your questions! I hope everyone will stop by my shop and my blog and take a peek around at some of the interesting things that the Mystic Wynd blows in!
Karen
http://etsy.com/shop/mysticwynd
http://mysticwynd.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/mysticwynd
http://twitter.com/mysticwynd
love these pieces. I don't remember seeing them before. hearted everything, lol.
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