karenskrafts

Etsy Shop Name: My esty shop name is karenskrafts.

What you sell: I sell high quality handmade jewelry! I especially love to work with sterling silver. The beauty of Swarovski crystals has also always captured my eye. I currently offer three jewelry lines. The Back to Basics Line offers simplistic and chic jewelry for every day wear. The Western Line especially appeals to those who love turquoise, nature, and the great outdoors! My Swarovski line offers beauty, elegance and sparkle in every piece. There truly is something for everyone!

Tell us about your featured item: I just couldn’t resist taking this picture of my very curious cat, Pargo! He will sit for hours watching me place the beads on a string – he is just fascinated! So, one day while taking pictures, he decided to sit right down in front of me, right in my work space! Well, I thought, he might as well join in – so, I took a picture of him modeling a bracelet! This is a beautiful pink and pearl swarovski 7 inch bracelet, which was designed using a very unique elegant toggle! I’m sure Pargo won’t mind parting with this bracelet if it catches your eye!

Is your Etsy shop a full-time job, part-time job, or hobby?

Well, I would love to be able to answer this question and say this is a part-time job. That truly is my eventual goal; however, at the present time I still classify my esty shop as a hobby. I have learned so much already, and learn so much more every day. It has been quite the adventure, and quite the hobby also! So, my spirits are high, and I’m reaching for the stars – so one day I can call this a part-time job. Or maybe even a full-time job way down the road, after retirement? I say this with caution…as the saying goes…careful what you wish for!

Do you enjoy, loathe, or simply accept the necessity of record keeping for your business? Why?

While this may not be the “expected” answer, I do have to almost admit that I enjoy the necessity of record keeping! It has been a little over 7 months since I actually “opened” shop. I kept all receipts in anticipation of this years taxes, and boy, I spent a lot more than I realized – those ten and twenty dollar purchases do add up! I also created a spreadsheet which is my window into how I am doing! Some days this gets me down, and other days I find this is a motivator to keep me going. Although I don’t mind record keeping, I do have to say that it does take away from the time to actually spend creating my jewelry. So, I’m looking for that happy medium – spend time gathering the information, but don’t make it take up more time than the creativity time. Hmm…maybe the answer is to utilize some of the documents offered by JJMFinance??