My business is on hiatus

It is with a heavy heart that I must admit to myself and to my followers, customers, vendors and fellow artist friends that I must put my jewelry business on hiatus for the foreseeable future.

I didn’t realize how difficult this decision would be, since I’ve been thinking about it for years actually. I woke up in the middle of the night last night, composing in my head the words I would write in my blog and on my Instagram account.

All the way back in 2013 or 2014, my Dad had come over to my townhouse in Seattle and I mentioned that I was thinking of stopping my jewelry business. He was the one who told me I should not do that. I should keep on going, and I did. I had my best and most successful years between 2015 - 2018.

Without going into too many finer details, I’ve had too many shows where I haven’t made enough sales to cover my costs, let alone make a decent profit. I’ve persevered and thought that the next show, the next quarter or the next year would be better. After my last show in Indio, California, the truth of the matter was laid bare that it was time to stop. At least my out-of-town shows which come with a high cost.

I started to drive to the Southwest in the spring of 2012, because in the Pacific Northwest our art show season starts in May and ended in October, with nothing really in September and only one show in October. Traveling to different states to be an artist in these shows has been thrilling and it’s been a privilege to have the freedom and opportunity to do what I love; making my art and traveling.

The cost of living has gone up after COVID and even before that. My HOA costs have almost doubled since I moved into my condo almost 8 years ago. I live alone and bear the cost of all my bills and when unexpected expenses (car, condo flood, poor shows, a pandemic), happen, sometimes there is no way to dig out of that hole.

My priority now is to find a steady, stable job with a steady income so I can remain in my condo. What this job will be, I don’t know. I’ve supplemented my jewelry business since 2018, leaving my business for 9 months to return to it a few months before the pandemic hit. I didn’t file for unemployment in March 2020, I went back to work and worked for Amazon until only last July and at the same time working at another job and doing my art. Splitting my time and juggling a jewelry business and working at a regular job has been extremely challenging, defeating and exhausting. I feel my creative energy was forgotten and new designs and ideas were not as quick to come to me as they did in the early years.

This website will be shut down tomorrow. Maybe my website can be reached still up until 2/11/2024, but I am shutting it down with a heavy heart and trying to keep the tears from falling.

Thank you for all of your support over the years. I’ve had so much fun despite the roller coaster ride.

I will perhaps return in my retirement, after 62, or 65, or 70 or I may be doing something completely different, like painting or sculpture or who knows what!?

Peace always,

Susie

February 10, 2024