Expect Success Tralalalala la la la LAAAAAAAA

It's a funny thing about success... Sometimes it pops up even when you least expect it.

When I was sellling my 'French patine' furniture, I learned not to do Christmas or even summer "markets" the hard way... Zero Sales! To the extent that I came home a couple of times doubting both myself and my products. Were they not pretty? People would glance at my stand and race off to buy a yellow sunflower. Hmm - maybe it was all that grey ;-)

Thinking I was too expensive (dear Niminy Fingers has written about this here), I lowered my prices for my second market. This wasn't easy to do as I had worked hard and long on each item between getting up early to find them, cleaning and repairing, then painting and finishing etc. I work fast and still didn't count all my hours. I don't think you can with hand made. Lo and behold, lowering the prices didn't make any difference. I was devastated. It appeared plain and simple. People didn't like my work!

Then I had an insight - maybe I wasn't in the right place. You know the old phrase 'location! location! location! Through friends, I was lucky enough to meet a darling lady who had been doing private sales of up market home furnishings and fabrics to a select group of clients for about 15 years. She (to my surprise and delight) loved my products and had never sold patine but we agreed on a commission price and my first sale at her home in May 5 year's ago was enough to put a smile on my face for months.  It snowballed from there...

This summer, rather suddenly in some people's eyes, I stopped Patine. It happened for various reasons including: an increasing difficulty to find unique objects at fair prices, an increasing number of people offering a similar product at similar prices although not always with the same quality or finish  (Yes friends - I am a stickler for finishing off the niggly bits and having everything perfect.) and let's not talk about the influx of cheap imported copies made by poor people in hideous conditions. But mostly it was because I had been wanting to do something more original, that was uniquely me, that you couldn't find anywhere else and that would use my calligraphy skills at last. And most importantly of all: I want to encourage and motivate.

It started by handwriting my phrases on these planks as a way of inspiring others to live their dream. In the process I'm realising that it's through personal experience and by example that one motivates. Each of the people that uttered these words quite simply never gave up whatever the cost. They lived their words. That is why they are inspiring. Whatever 'success' we may see in these people is a direct result of an unbending faith and courage in the face of adversity. Speaking of, let's get back to Saturday's Christmas market.

I went NOT expecting success. Now don't get me wrong. I wasn't blatantly being negative. It's just that I had had experiences of Christmas markets before so I was pretty sure that I wouldn't 'fit' with what was on offer, and that's pretty penalising. (oh dear, is that an English word or not?). I didn't have many really inexpensive things either - just my wishsticks and my angels. As it turned out, I was right - I didn't fit. Neither did a very talented young woman who sculpts and makes art with clay... But that didn't stop us both from having a great time chatting away with 'potential' clients. A number of people also took our cards without it being forced upon them ;-) I'm not a good 'hard sell' person.

I also know from experience that it takes a time to acquire a reputation. People are rarely as enthusiastic about your own product as you are yourself. It takes time for them to integrate something new, understand what you do, and find a place for it in their homes. Such was the process with Patine. One month it's not in the budget or in the plans, the next month and idea's taken root and ta daaaa - you get a phone call. This is why big business has sales staff...

So NO, I wasn't being negative, just practical. I'm starting out... it's only just beguuuuuuuun.

To top it off, Saturday appeared to be a day when people just plainly weren't spending. I personally have never seen a cake or food stand still half full at the end of a Christmas market which was the case here. Maybe it's the effect of the 'crise.' So you can imagine that I nearly fell over backwards when a lovely couple stopped by my stand. I could tell right away that he was intrigued with what I did. While Madame looked at the angels and wishsticks, Monsieur asked lots of questions about my work including the prices. Without batting an eyelid he said to his wife, "I would like that one for my Christmas present. I love the phrase and the colours! It's just what I needed." Wow! It was one of my personal favourites too. One I liked, full of white, cobalt blue and big orange letters and texture. Men like colour - I've noticed that before.

I sold a couple of others too - notably an 'Expect Success' one that a lady thought would be great for her son who was passing his University entrance exams that year. So there you go! If you judge success by the amount you sell, then we could define it as being pretty average: 4 planks, half my little angels and nearly all my wishsticks. If you judge success by a few other criteria - then I had a great day all up! Sold the planks, made a few people really happy, met some interesting people, found out about a new market in Toulouse for 'createurs' with a definite art/design slant to it, and had the yummiest piece of christmas cake in years!

Now if that's not food for thought!

PS, let me know if you want a tutorial for the wishsticks or the angels. They seem pretty self explanatory to me but if you need a guiding hand - I would be happy to put it up!

And THANK YOU ALL for the lovely encouraging comments.
They really do give a much needed boost when you work alone in the country!

Expect Success

Determine that the thing can and shall be done and then we shall find the way.

- Abraham Lincoln

If you have been paying attention over the last few weeks Possums, what you should have been expecting, is the latest installment of 'The Paris Episodes.' And it is coming... you will have to watch this space regularly during the week but it will be before Saturday, I promise! That way I can add a bit of suspense to your week... Allez - too much routine makes Ange a dull artist!

Here at La Rivière, this festive season has been busy with the usual hustle and bustle associated with the run up to Christmas. Buying (and especially making) presents. Drinks with friends. End of school plays and recitals etc. The odd bit of footing when I can squeeze it in. Nothing out of the ordinary, it's the same for everyone the world over - with respect to your own festivities.

We get a little tiny piece of respite though in France...

Our Christmas cards...

Yep - they go out in January!

The custom here is to send New Year's wishes before January 31st. May I take this opportunity to be truly grateful and say "Alléluia" to that!! A whole month's respite! So I can now say that I am 'en avance' for preparing my New Year's wishes. See Mum! I'm not late with my Christmas card at all ;-)

I love to be very specific with mine depending on who I'm sending them to, and have just spent hours painting my 'wishsticks' for friends and family and for my sale on Saturday. I can't put any in my Etsy shop- not enough time- so it will have to be for next year. I'll put a photo up tomorrow though for Wishcasting Wednesday so you can make your own if you ... wish ;-)

So what can we wish for each other for the coming year? My whole professional raison d'être revolves around communicating 'positive:' now, tomorrow, for the coming year, and always. It's what I LOVE to do. It's the very goal of my calligraphy and my most fundamental belief. So here are a couple of my examples of work in progress.

I don't know about your friends and partners, but Beaker, and some of my other male friends seem to find the end of the year a big strain at work. Don't we all? But women in general tend to deal with it differently (I said differently not better). I know Millie's MOTH goes into overload so I guess there must be more out there than just our two. What about you Egmont?

This global end of year stress brought me round to making up some simple, hand-painted planks with the men in mind as well; at least in terms of colour choices. I also know a few of my girlfriends who could do with a bit of encouragement in their pursuits at this time (myself included ;-) so I'm in the process of whipping up some for our interiors too.

They're meant to be seen as a wee piece of positive reinforcement during those  'weak moments.' They're the perfect visual pick-me-up-take-a-deep-breath-in reminder to - Hang in there! It's all gonna be alright on the night!

Beaker, who is celebrating his birthday today, is going to receive one later as a surprise (as soon as it's finished as I've only done the first word on each piece!! Better get off this computer!). He shall be ordered to smuggle it into his office tomorrow and not come home until he has integrated it into his system: heart, mind and soul!!

Rightyo! I'm off to hit the planks.  Here are glimpses of a bigger, more complicated piece that I'll be finishing off before the end of January too. But you'll have to wish me every success!!! It'll give me the motivation to do so...