A Week In Work - Day 2

It Never Rains But It Snores!

Well since I live in the UK that is a barefaced, outright lie because it always rains and it was doing that when I awoke, very late yesterday morning. According to my hubby, who was playing Minecraft in the room as I slept it was also a little windy in the room as well, but that is Slimming World for you, all that fresh fruit and vegetables. Apparently there was a lot of snoring going on as well so it's a good job he loves me. Mind you, whenever I am working on the mini mosaics, he starts singing one line from Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini on a never ending loop, so it's a good job that I love him too!

As you can see, presumably, I am writing this on the Wednesday morning rather than the Tuesday evening at the end of the working day. This is because I over slept yesterday, not waking up until 11.30 and then not starting work until 12.15. Subsequently, because I really want to get this jewellery box finished by the end of the week if I can, I stayed working on the mosaic side of things until gone seven, by which point I was in a ton of pain and too dizzy to focus. So this morning has been allocated to computer work, my favourite - not!

I don't mind talking to you of course.

So the main thing that I have done this morning - after getting up at 9 with a bit of a shaky start caused by an upset stomach, is to set up a new desktop on my laptop specifically for Mostly Micro Mosaics. I have set up some bookmarks for this side of the business and transferred all the photos from the other desktop onto this one.

Now I just need to finish setting up bookmarks for all the other parts of social media and I am good to go, who needs a new computer anyway - oh wait, me as it happens! I also need a new mouse as mine chose this morning to die on me.

Ah well, the joy of self employment right?

So moving briskly on, yesterday was a very productive day as far as the jewellery box went. I got all three owls of one side stuck on and started work on the last three for the other side. I built the beaks on two of the drawers and nearly finished the third one, they look really good in my opinion.

Two and a bit beaks done.

I didn't take so many pictures yesterday but will do a lot more today. I have to take my son to his college interview in a bit, but when I get home it's all systems go with photographing and beading again.

I reached a conclusion about how to do the finishing off of the back and the inside of the draws. I am going to paint them with acrylic paint to look like the branches of the tree and them varnish them with the special acrylic varnish that I am using these days to varnish all of my new makes.

As you can see from the picture above, I also almost finished the beading for the top of the box. I didn't quite get it done because I was also focusing on the beaks for the drawers and the last of the small owls, but despite that it is nearly finished on top of the box and is looking good. I have my concerns as to whether I will get it completely finished by Sunday, but I do know that once all the beaks and owls are finished and I can really crack on with the foliage, it will become a bit easier.

Just a few small sections to finish on top.

Today, Wednesday I will be concentrating on finishing the top, finishing off the last beak and the last three owls (one of which is already started) and working on the front of the drawers and the box frame if I have time.

Of course getting the beads on is only part of the process. After that I still have to do the painting, then varnish the whole box (which will be done in stages to let the varnish dry). I may varnish the front of the drawers as soon as they are done while I get on with other parts of the box, or at least get the painting inside them done and drying. Once painted and varnished I will finish the box off by glueing a felt square to the bottom to protect which ever surface it will end up on. 

Then comes the fun part. I need to get a selection of photographs, that show the box as good as it is. This is a problem because I find it very hard to take pictures that show my work as well as it looks in real life, but as this is the only way potential customers can see it, I have to get it right. Then I need to list it on my Etsy and tell as much of the world about it as I can get to listen!

So a busy few days coming up, but at least I am showing how complicated the processes are. My biggest challenge will be finding a price that reflects what people may be prepared to pay for a jewellery box but also covers the costs of making it. Since I estimate that it will take me about 45 hours from start to finish, this is a tricky process as I doubt very much that people will pay £450 for a jewellery box, even one as lovely as this.

If you have any thoughts on pricing or any other part of the process, drop a message in the comments box below!

Bright Blessings, Nici xxx