Every Artist's Dream

I am a big fan of the “Quit Your Day Job” blog series on Etsy. This is when Etsy reaches out to shop owners to get a behind-the-scenes look at how they were able to sell on the site full-time. It is no secret that this is a dream of mine, so reading the stories of all these talented people is quite an inspiration. Here are a few artists’ quotes that have really spoken to me:

I didn’t like making the same thing over and over and over again.

• • ~Satsuma Street

The moment I read that, I felt so relieved. I’m not the only one! With my art, I am not a big fan of making a bunch of one thing. This is most highlighted with the closing of Collar Dress Up. People liked my necklaces, but I just wasn’t into it. I liked making the first few, but after that, I lost the desire to make more.
Knowing that there are other artists out there that feel the same helped get rid of my “guilt”. I thought I was supposed to want to make the same items. This made me realize that I’m a designer. Create art, complete it, sometimes customize it, and move on. That’s just my way and I love it.

If you have a number of ideas, start simple and get feedback from others

• ~Wild Things Dresses

I read this quote like ten times the first time I read this feature. I have a terrible habit of trying to fill my shops with tons of art, and sometimes they are just filler pieces. It is such a waste of time and space. For 2015, I decided to relax on posting a ton of items and truly focus on the artwork. It is no surprise that the cards I work on for two-three days sell much better than the cards I whip out in two hours.

The thought of leaving my 9-to-5 routine was so divine that my bills, rent and food (which all required a hefty income) didn’t even matter

~Bark Décor

This sounds like me a year ago! I left the workforce in early 2014, mainly to stay home with my kids. This gave me more time to work on Cozy Reverie and it actually made a difference. I had actually earned a little somethin', imagine that! Now, I am not making a huge salary with my art (yet), but I love it so so much. Realistically, I will need to return to work eventually, but if I can make my artwork successful while being an SAHM, then whoo-hoo! Maybe I’ll be a part of this blog series one day! #suchadreamer