First Holiday Bazaar was a Success...and I learned some Lessons!

Wow....I never dreamed that doing a bazaar/craft show could be so tiring! I found out what a novice I am with setting up, taking down, and all the while showing my "stuff" and visiting with browsers and fellow vendors.  There is a lot to learn and I realize it must be done in stages.

My art was a success.  People seemed to love my headbands and fascinators and my jewelry.  I learned that not all people will like what I do, but I was able to "spot" my "people" often by watching what they did in adjoining booths.  Mine is not the ordinary...........and I don't want it to be.  LOTS of people took my cards, both the jewelry cards and my real estate cards.  I hope I made multi-level friends.

This was the first day.........about mid afternoon when I was beginning to fade!

Here is a look at my first display....complete with it's banner.

Sales were modest, but I made a profit the first day and that is when most of the sales happened for me.

The second day, it got off very slow....but there was also the re-set up to do and I rearranged the booth a little.

I am still working on the display which is difficult.

I was hard to make a gymnasium look good...and to be surrounded with all kinds of things from junk to food to clothing.

Fortunately, the shoppers don't seem to mind all of that.

The end result was that I made a little money and learned a whole lot of lessions....I will be better prepared for the next show that I do.

Please see a sampling of what I do at http://www.wantzit.etsy.com/ and also http://www.wantzit2.etsy.com/

NOVEMBER ART SHOWS, BAZAARS, AND FUND RAISERS ARE KEEPING ME BUSY!

I like to be busy...the Fall brings lots of enthusiasm with cooler weather and holidays fast approaching.

*My primary business is real estate, but the heart of an artist must be fed, so by night I create!

Take a look at my new things that I am readying for the Nov.14-15 Art Bazaar and fund raiser at Central High School in Keller, Tx.  I will be taking both my jewelry designs and also my head/hair ornaments.

You may see much of my jewelry online at www.wantzit.etsy.com

I just love this one of Vintage Rhinesones.

It is so elegant and flashy. It needs to be worn with everything!  DO NOT SAVE IT! Put is on with jeans and a white tee........a business suite, or a formal...

You will be glad you are wearing it.....listen to the compliments!

Now for the Accessories that I sell at www.wantzit2.etsy.com

These draw great comments and smiles from each person who puts one on.  I also have made some darling ones for my granddaughters from their school uniforms, and some custom orders for their friends.

To see more of these lovelies...take a look at www.wantzit2.etsy.com

Better yet...come to the Keller Show at Central High School Novemeber 14-15.

There will be fun for all!

FALL BRINGS FUN FESTIVALS AND NEW CREATIONS

FALL LEAVES ARE BEGINNING TO DROP IN TEXAS......AND THE FALL FESTIVALS ARE EVERYWHERE...........

Participation either as a vendor (designer) or as an attender (buyer) is lots of fun. I am participating as a vendor in 3 area Festivals as of today. I may jump in and do more, but as a "newby" to festivals, I am not quite sure what to do. I got my credit card merchant stuff and can not accept credit cards at the shows or at my home sales. I am working on my displays and how to set up an "inside" booth. Whew....there is a lot of work involved and if you (my blog public) have suggestions........let me know.

 

Upcoming shows that I will be attending: Oct. 14-17 2009, Sr. Citizens Arts Fair, Fort Worth Will Rogers Colleseum.........I will be showing in the Treasure Chest area.

November 13-14 Central High School Fall Festival, Central High School, Keller, Texas

(This is a big show with over 300 vendors)

November 23, 2009 Southwest Airlines Art and Craft Bazaar, Love Field Southwest Airlines Headquarters, Dallas NOTE: Hrs. 8 AM to 2PM and this is huge! Please come by and see me.

And....a few more items from wantzit2 will also be in my booth....

Also, I am game for doing home shows in all areas of North Texas..........so if you are looking for a fun party, just give me a call....and you can make a little money too.

Here are the Fall items that are the look of my DiAnne Arnette Designs, otherwise known on Etsy as Wantzit.etsy and Wantzit2.etsy.

http://www.wantzit.etsy.com/

CREATIVE WEEKEND LEADS TO FUN AND JUST MORE FUN

Being a perpetual creator....I am so glad that I have grandchildren who also love to create! Just this weekend, I had one of my Granddaughters here and we had a blast.........you must go to wantzit2.etsy.com to see the photo of what we did...Here is part of it.

This is a fascinator headband.........we (I) made a red one and sold it right away! Then my sweet girl said she would like one in blue...well, say no more....we had to do it!

The great thing is that this is really a sophistocated headband and looks just great on me, my daughter-in-law, or my granddaughters...............and of couse on you!

The part I love best is that I have a budding artist..........who may just follow my example and find lots of great enjoyment in creating and sharing.

.............now back to real estate on Monday!

Fall 2009 Brings lots of Excitement with Design and Art Shows

Fall Brings excitement and new energy to my Jewelry designs and my ideas are flowing...from early morning to late evening. I think the mix of accessories for Fall will be light mixed with heavy, open mixed with solids and lots of deeper colors....from metals to magical beads.

I also love the idea of heavy gold scrolls and heavier pearls with dark grays and earthtones. My days as a Designer ladies' retailer put my mind's eye in tune with juxtopositioning light, dark,light,heavy and other opposites to create interest. Look at Fall collections and you will see heavy chains and charms mixed with ribbons and sparkles..... I will be participating in several ART Shows in the DFW Metroplex this Fall...

Currently I will be at the Southwest Airlines Show on Nov. 23 at Love Field and am also scheduled for the Senior Citizen's Show and Sale in October at the Will Rogers Colluseum in Fort Worth...I will post more as I know the schedules.

I was at a Christmas in July show on July 24 and it was great! Lots of sales and compliments....and comments that I am priced too low! I continue to try to produce pieces that are more than "worth what you pay"..........They are downright pretty. Visit my online stores at www.wantzit.etsy.com and www.wantzit2.etsy.com

Just Made a New Banner for my Etsy Shop

I am a creator..........when my real estate business has worn me out for the day........I create!

My mind rests and I get some immediate gratification...that is a win win! See what you think!

I have done a little with beads and chains this week.........but I have mostly worked on Real Estate...that blog is www.daahomes.blogspot.com

I hope that you will follow both the jewelry and the real estate. They are both jewels of a kind!

Off to finish the day.......Thanks for following me!:)

This is for www.wantzit.etsy.com

MARKETING YOURSELF & YOUR STUFF

The business of doing business is not easy for the small business. It takes lots of time, imagination, and thought to do it well. I don't want to be pushy or sound like a "broken record, but it is my job to somehow continue to keep my name in front of my public. I have most recently been "tweeting" and updating my Facebook, and My Space for developing a networking system. I hope that those are worthy ways of not being so much "in someone's Space" whiletrying to keep them in "my space(s)".

This Turquois Cuff is at http://www.wantzit.etsy.com/

My REAL ESTATE LISTINGS CAN BE SEEN AT http://www.diannearnette.com/

My real estate busines has some organizational ways that it is marketed.

First and foremost, to other agents all across the local areas, and then also across the Nation.

Locally the MLS and my Board of Realtors memberships keeps my listings showing to other

agents so that they can tell their clients about those listings. This is a professional to professional system and it is really good. In fact, if a homeowner wants to sell a home, it will sell much quicker than any other way and this can be proven statistically. In addition, it will sell for more money to the seller when sold this way. Lots of homeowners believe they will "pocket" the professional fees and save money...that is not correct according to the stats. FSBOs as they are known, sell for less, and the seller makes less. This is also true for Minimal service agencies who list for the owner at a flat fee. 90% of those either do not sell at all or they finally list with an agent who offers all services for the fees charged.

THIS NECKLACE IS FROM MY EXTREME BEADED COLLECTION AND WAS ACCEPTED IN A RECENT JEWELRY SHOW IN NEW ORLEANS.

It has a mix of Vintage pieces and seed beading designs and it is hanging on chain with multiple chain accents to give it the look of...well something that you want to see again and continue looking at.

Now....my challenge of how to market my jewelry is much more puzzleing to me.

So...here is is: http://www.wantzit.etsy.com/ and http://www.wantzit2.etsy.com/

These Earrings are Peruvian turquois ovals set into sterling silver twisted wires. They are very neat.

Don't forget to subscribe to my blog and tell me what you think...I am interested.

Entering Jurored Art Shows is Scarey!

With creative urges sometimes taking over my life, I yearn to see what others think of my artwork. I do things that range from just putting some very nice stones and metals together to the WoW pieces...that can only be described as "You better not think you are Shy" pieces.

Those are the pieces that I find interesting to work on...as my art profs all said, the art is in the creative process, and not necessarily the result. But, people seem to like my results. So, with the encouragement of a fellow artist, I entered a show in New Orleans. I didn't know how long until I would hear whether they liked my "stuff" ...but, before the end of the day, I got an email telling me that all my things were nice, but my Art Pieces, "blew them away"! Wow...were they talking to me?

So...peruse my etsy shop and see what you think. I am considering the show, but the best part is knowing that I can if I want to!

Finding Other Artist is Part of the fun of being One!

I am a proud member of Etsy, Team Fort Worth and although it is a new Etsy team, it is full of talent and enthusiasm. I am so impressed with the knowledge and talent in this group and I am just a new member...as I said before. They know how to blog, post, network, and I hope they are going to teach me how to market my neat designs.

I also visited the Cattle Barn Flea Market last week and found some very talented people there too. The Cattle Barn Flea Market it turning into a much more "polished" venue than it was only a short time ago. The booths are taking on a "Little Specialty Shop" look and they are getting to be attractively arranged and it just looks like progress is happening. I still am sometimes amazed that some of the "oldies" will sit there with real junk...did I say junk...yes and price it as though it is going to be grabbed up immediately.....Don't get me wrong, some things are definitely nice and should be priced accordingly....but don't try to fool a veteran of shopper's annoynomous....I know! And, if I were sitting there, I would be encouraging offers....and some do.

Back...to who I have met: I met a lady that has a degree in metal smithing and she sells beading supplies and is going to make jewelry to sell in a magazine this Summer...She had lots of information to share. I love sharing knowledge and admiring the works of others.

I also met a lady who calls herself the FunkyGypsy, and she is extremely creative. She makes beautiful beaded (tiny beads) necklaces and also sells darling Children's Clothing. She travels and sells her things to stores and to individuals. I had lots of fun chatting and hope to see both of them again soon.

If you are an artist at heart...no matter the level of success, you usually see the neat sides of people and "things"....the creative mind is a miracle!

Now see what I did this week..........on by the way, My real job is REAL ESTATE....and I believe real estate is picking up!

REAL ESTATE AND JEWELRY....REALLY!

Wow...Look what I did last night!

If you know me, www.diannearnette.com ,or have seen my work at www.wantzit.etsy.com , then you know that I really like to create, whether it is marketing my real estate listings, my marketing mailings, or making jewelry in my spare time.

I feel watching most TV shows is a big time spender, so I try to "multi-task" while I watch a Dancing with the Stars or 24 episode. Last night, I didn't really have anything in mind, I just started creating....and oh la la, this is what I came out with. I could hardly put it down ....I stayed up much too late, and then this morning early, I posted all the photos to www.wantzit.etsy.com. It is COOL....I had fun doing it too.

Jewelry Design...Pleasurable Small Time Snippets

About me: I live in Fort Worth, Texas and it is a great place! We have world class museums, a world class rodeo and stockshow, and music performances with well known artist every night!....Besides that, For Worth, has me!

Did I always design jewelry? No....but I have always been an artist! I had a minor in Art in college, but being of practical mind....I got a major and a Master's Degree in different subject...so for the most part of my adult life, I have been the frustrated artist....A good painter...winning awards, leaving painting supplies out all the time are smelly, and messy, so I vowed and still do vow to do that another time, again, when I have the proper space.

Artist are always creative...and they usually can do a variety of things....not all of them are artsy! What is artsy, is the way the artist's mind works! Never at a loss for ideas and always able to think outside the box! Now that is a very good thing in any field....

So, in the daytime, I have been a Fort Worth REALTOR for many years. Most recently, in the night time, I am a jewelry designer. Those small snippets of time are so great! They clear my mind of the day's details or stresses, and I can see the progress and reap the reward each time I finish a design. My jewelry store is at http://www.wantzit.etsy.com/ and I love working with it and seeing how many people have looked at my designs each day. Most recently, I have had requests for small wholesale orders and that is just great!

In case you are wondering what I do....take a look! First I love working with vintage looks and repurposing objects into current, yet memory pieces.

I also like to work with light and clear colors to create neutral, but eye catching pieces...take a look at these:

Please remember that if you like what you see here....there is much more at www.wantzit.etsy.com or you can email me at wantzit@hotmail.com. Now back to my design snippets!