Question for Hobbyists!

[EmmaC]

How do you cope with the constant onslaught of comments like "You should be selling that........." or "you could make a living doing that............" when it comes to your jewellery ?

I'm very much aware I'm just a beginner, and I do sell odd bits just to get cash back for some more tools, however really what I'd like to do is just enjoy creating and learning at the moment. It seems like everyone assumes if you do something you are doing it for a career change or more money. Gone are the days of just hobbies so it seems. Whilst it's nice people like what I do, it's also a lot of added pressure, particularly from those close to me, when there's this assumption you are going to have a glittering and lucrative career change in jewellery! I know most people's perceptions don't add up to the reality of how hard it is, but try telling them that!

[Dennis]

Emma I am in the same position, that I only make for family and friends. To make pieces for sale at reasonable price, you have to pare down the fancy bits and sacrifice much of the pleasure.
That is unless you are famous and have a following of fans who collect your work. Dennis.

[LydiaNiz]

I signed up as self employed because I had people ask me to buy a few things I'd made, and was worried about not declaring the money as income! (Or massive loss for two years if you prefer!). People don't really get that sometimes it's just lovely to do something you love for the sheer pleasure of it! It's all I do as a 'job' but by no means pays any kind of salary (I'm only just starting to take a profit and am a few years in). I would love to have a paying job, and am utterly fed up of living from commission to commission, but unfortunately my husband's mental health issues and small children mean I can't commit to anything with set hours. I think I'll just have to become either brilliant or wildly famous! I'm lucky I absolutely love what I do, but I wish I could put more into it, both timewise and financially.

[susieq]

It seems like everyone assumes if you do something you are doing it for a career change or more money. Gone are the days of just hobbies so it seems.

Not put anything up for sale yet but hope to do one day, like you say, just to get a bit of money back. I still struggle with some basic techniques, but mine is down to lack of time practicing.

My bugbear is the relatives who ask me if I can repair their broken jewellery. I've had two requests in as many weeks, one where a ring shank has worn so thin at the back that its about to break (set with an opal) and another ring set with several diamonds between multiple wires, where one of the wires has come away from one of the bezel set diamonds. Sorry, poor explanation but as I've never successfully bezel set anything yet, I had no qualms about saying it was beyond my capabilities. When I offered to post on the forum to see whether anyone here would be prepared to repair their jewellery, but explained they would have to pay the going rate, they both went strangely silent.

Actually it's not quite true that I haven't bezel set, but I cheated and used a nice decorative gallery strip. Set a nice green agate and pierced a lacy design round the edge. I was quite pleased with it, wrapped it up for an xmas present, but the "lucky" recipient complained that she didn't have a chain to go with it.

Dennis I'd be happy to be a follower of yours - your friends and family are very lucky.

Susie

[ps_bond]

My bugbear is the relatives who ask me if I can repair their broken jewellery. I've had two requests in as many weeks, one where a ring shank has worn so thin at the back that its about to break (set with an opal) and another ring set with several diamonds between multiple wires, where one of the wires has come away from one of the bezel set diamonds.

Most of the time I'd strongly recommend not repairing anything you haven't made - there are far too many pitfalls to be aware of. Replacing a half-shank on an opal ring - if soldered - need the opal unsetting and resetting; you might well get away with soldering with the diamonds in place, but can you be sure that the construction doesn't include easy solder, for example?

Not that I'm any good at taking my own advice on that these days

[EmmaC]

I signed up as self employed because I had people ask me to buy a few things I'd made, and was worried about not declaring the money as income! (Or massive loss for two years if you prefer!). People don't really get that sometimes it's just lovely to do something you love for the sheer pleasure of it! It's all I do as a 'job' but by no means pays any kind of salary (I'm only just starting to take a profit and am a few years in). I would love to have a paying job, and am utterly fed up of living from commission to commission, but unfortunately my husband's mental health issues and small children mean I can't commit to anything with set hours. I think I'll just have to become either brilliant or wildly famous! I'm lucky I absolutely love what I do, but I wish I could put more into it, both timewise and financially.

I'm in exactly the same situation, registered as self employed because I sell the odd illustration, teach painting occasionally, and sometimes list my excess jewellery makings on craft sites and I wanted to be honest. In the last three months I've sold two pairs of earrings and a pendant, netting an astonishing £40, which just about covered my liability insurance which I also had to get in case someone injures themselves on a picture frame/bit of copper!

I don't have a proper paying job because husband can often be called away for work, so I have to be there to look after our livestock (another expensive hobby! ) At forty I'd really like to pay voluntary national insurance contributions as I won't get a pension, which is a worry. I just would never get time to keep up with a lot of orders either.

I agree with you completely Dennis about it sacrificing the pleasure, I used to do some pet portraits, having had the same pressure as with the jewellery, to sell it all the time, and it robbed all the joy from the art in the end. Very stressful when you get a dreadful picture of a long deceased dog and it's the only one the owner has. I discovered I produced my best work when I did it for me, which is why I don't want those same pressures to destroy my love of what I do now.

[caroleallen]

I'm going to do an evening class in silk screen printing just for the fun of doing something that's not for selling. Can't wait.

[christmascakegirl]

It's really interesting reading this. I'm in the same boat - I'd love to start selling bits at least to cover the cost of making the things I do for friends and family. I'm also getting lots of friends asking for repairs on jewellery. I've done a few repairs, but I'm not overly confident with it. It would be lovely to be able to make a few pound doing something I can fit in around my young children too, but I'm under no illusion. It just seems so hard setting up.

Sally

[Dennis]

but explained they would have to pay the going rate, they both went strangely silent.

Thanks Susie, but yes, that silence denotes that they see you as a cheap option- not as flattering as you first thought. When things go wrong, though, they might want a replacement.

How about holding up a notice that says' please do not ask me to do repairs, as refusal might cause offence'.

[kymbi]

I'm going to do an evening class in silk screen printing just for the fun of doing something that's not for selling. Can't wait.

I'm with you on this Carole. I started a part-time day course in botanical illustration last September, just for the sheer pleasure of creating something that I feel I don't need to try and sell. It's challenging but I love it!