Where have you been?
A question a few fellow festival/ market traders have asked recently. Where have you been? We haven't seen you in a while...
I took a break from doing markets. It's been over a year now. I needed a break.
The break was longer than anticipated however.
It seems a little petty now, but I let people's judgement and nasty words get to me.
I was "accused" of stealing another trader's ideas. As much as I said what I needed (and kept it amicable), I wanted to fight that I have been making jewellery for the past 20 years on and off. In this day with so many ideas out there... Internet, Pinterest... Nobody can really have a totally new concept/ idea. I have photo evidence of the same type of item that I'd made 15 years ago (when she was still in school!). I remember first coming across her first market stall when she'd just started out 3 years before. But I left it, and continued making my jewellery.
About a week or 2 after that comment, another person passed a comment which hit me in a way I didn't know how to respond. I was still upset about the previous comment, when Mr Nasty commented "beading is not exactly rocket science. I was making the same things for extra cash when I was 6 years old". I has no response. However, I have not spoken to him since. (I know he was trying to be nasty on purpose - it's just the person he is).
I have since let it go. I know that I have my own ideas, and that we all borrow ideas from each other. I have rather decided to belong to groups where everyone is happy to share, rather than claim each item as their own entirely original idea.
I have also stayed away from negative people. People who's sole intention is to destroy everybody else's hopes and dreams because theirs don't work out.
I have made some very different items and find myself evolving in a very different direction. Not because I didn't think I was good enough, but because I know that I AM good enough.
My life direction has taken a slight turn. My jewellery is fitting in with my life. Just 2 sessions with a life coach was all I needed to see that I need to think outside the box and offer my target market what they want at a price they can afford. Stop trying to conform to "normal" but to make what makes me happy.
I will start doing markets again soon (I hope). I will trust and believe in myself and keep on going. Keep on growing.
I took a break from doing markets. It's been over a year now. I needed a break.
The break was longer than anticipated however.
It seems a little petty now, but I let people's judgement and nasty words get to me.
I was "accused" of stealing another trader's ideas. As much as I said what I needed (and kept it amicable), I wanted to fight that I have been making jewellery for the past 20 years on and off. In this day with so many ideas out there... Internet, Pinterest... Nobody can really have a totally new concept/ idea. I have photo evidence of the same type of item that I'd made 15 years ago (when she was still in school!). I remember first coming across her first market stall when she'd just started out 3 years before. But I left it, and continued making my jewellery.
About a week or 2 after that comment, another person passed a comment which hit me in a way I didn't know how to respond. I was still upset about the previous comment, when Mr Nasty commented "beading is not exactly rocket science. I was making the same things for extra cash when I was 6 years old". I has no response. However, I have not spoken to him since. (I know he was trying to be nasty on purpose - it's just the person he is).
I have since let it go. I know that I have my own ideas, and that we all borrow ideas from each other. I have rather decided to belong to groups where everyone is happy to share, rather than claim each item as their own entirely original idea.
I have also stayed away from negative people. People who's sole intention is to destroy everybody else's hopes and dreams because theirs don't work out.
I have made some very different items and find myself evolving in a very different direction. Not because I didn't think I was good enough, but because I know that I AM good enough.
My life direction has taken a slight turn. My jewellery is fitting in with my life. Just 2 sessions with a life coach was all I needed to see that I need to think outside the box and offer my target market what they want at a price they can afford. Stop trying to conform to "normal" but to make what makes me happy.
I will start doing markets again soon (I hope). I will trust and believe in myself and keep on going. Keep on growing.
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