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TamiL Jan 14, 2006

She is so adorable, you did a wonderful job and her name is Tiffani 
She reminds me of my Tiffani when she was a puppy.

kbonsall Jan 14, 2006

I agree, the westie is ADORABLE!! very lifelike! WOW, why didnt you share her with us 

NancyAndFriends Jan 14, 2006

Thank you girls and thank you Tami for bidding!

  I didn't list her  here because Ebay is making me feel ...hummmm, what's a good word.  I don't know, I guess I am loosing my confidence.  Can't explain it.
I have lost my desire to create something, only to put hours and hours of work in it , think it looks great and then get very low bids, which we all know is a direct indicator as to how good your work is...at least that is how I see it.  So what I think looks good actually must not be.

Anyway, I haven't listed anything for quite a while on ebay because of it...but I did need to make up the 70.00 sent to the Toby application, so I made a Westie puppy.

:hug:  You two are sweeties for sure!
Nanc.......

kbonsall Jan 14, 2006

Low bids isnt an indication of quality!!! Your work is WONDERFUL!!! I LOVE your creations - dont give up!!!!  :hug:

I would love your westie pup but I wont big against a TTer... ...

DebbieD Jan 14, 2006

Wow! She's amazing    I used to dog groom...and she looks just like a westie baby coming in for the first groom...what a cutie  :clap:

TamiL Jan 14, 2006

I didn't list her  here because Ebay is making me feel ...hummmm, what's a good word.  I don't know, I guess I am loosing my confidence.  Can't explain it.
I have lost my desire to create something, only to put hours and hours of work in it , think it looks great and then get very low bids, which we all know is a direct indicator as to how good your work is...at least that is how I see it.  So what I think looks good actually must not be.

..

Nancy, your work is wonderful, ebay is just kinda strange! And it depends on the people bidding, what they are collecting at the time, what might appeal to one might not appeal to another. I have been designing dolls and selling them on ebay for 8 yrs now, and I have seen highs and lows with my dolls. I sold a Gene doll designed to look like Snow White about 6 yrs ago, listed her with Ebay, and she ended for over $1,300.00 and most of my barbie fairy designs were selling for
$350.00 and higher. They don't get anywhere near that today and my quality of work today is 10 times greater, so go figure! I think people stop collecting dolls and start collecting other things so you lose those customers and its like you have to start all over again , trying to get people to buy your creations , so they can at least see the quality of your work.  And the selling at show is so expensive. So what do you do. hahahahahah
All I can say is you are very talented and creative, so keep on keeping on!
You go girl............

Hugzzzzzzz

Judi Jan 14, 2006

Nancy, I think ebay is reflecting our ecomony more than anything else.  With the price opf gas going up and our country at war.  People may be a bit more consersative.  It has nothing to do with the quality and creativity of your work.

I have many ups and downs on ebay.  I sold my Lion and Lamb for almost twice my reserve and I had an auction end last night without my reserve being met.

Hang in there.  I think we need to just keep going , doing what we love.  Things will get better again on ebay.  Just give it time.

Your work is exceptional!  Don't let ebay bring you down. :hug:

Gail Jan 14, 2006

Can we have the link for this please. Judi I love your avatar. Did Shelli do it?
HUgs
Gail

kbonsall Jan 14, 2006

I agree with Gail, your avatar is LOVELY!!! Kinda puts my new one to shame LOL

Shari Jan 14, 2006

Nanc, I just had a look at your sweet pup. Your creations and dogs are every bit as wonderful as any of the high bid items on ebay. I have no idea why some people get bids and others do not. I am one of the people who does not get a great deal of bids and i don't want to believe that you are right and my work stinks       I know it is not the very best but I don't want to believe it is the worst either and you should defiantly not believe that about your work. Ebay is a "whole different ballgame" I have seen many well deserving artists not reach their goal.
All I can offer you is an ear and a hug!! Hope it helps  :hug:   :hug:   :hug:

thumperantiques Jan 14, 2006

Nancy, you Westie is adorable!  I also agree with Judi - I don't think some of the low bids reflect our work at all.  People only have so much money to spend on luxuries and we lucky that we can make money with bear making at all.  After all they are a "want" item, not a "need".  Chin up - post him on TT where he can bask in his rightful glory!

                                                Hugs,

                                                Brenda

Cleathero Creations Jan 15, 2006

HOw do you embroider nostrils?  She is fabulous!.

Roxanne Jan 15, 2006

Nanc,
Please dont feel so down....   It makes me sad to see a gal with the ability to create such adorable little critters as yourself being so unsure. I have been feeling the same as yourself. But it makes me feel really uncomfortable to see that items such as yours and Judi and our newest sweetie, Tami, are not moving like they should. There is really a terrible problem with the system that we have to use to sell or work.
Please just keep you chin up! We all are behind you. 

rufnut Jan 15, 2006

Excellent work Nancy your westie is fab :clap:

NancyAndFriends Jan 15, 2006

Hi girls...I just got on...I have been off for a day, trying to get these miniature  dolls ready for the show.  I think I am getting cross eyed so decided to come to TT.

As I sit here and read your notes, I keep going back and re-reading and re-reading.  What a wonderful group of gals are here on TT.

When I wrote that, I wasn't really reaching out, I was 'venting', as we all do from time to time....but I have to tell you that your answers to me really touched my heart and were very insightful.

You made a lot of sense to me and I know you understand what I am feeling because, like me...a few of you say you are experiencing the same thing or have been feeling the same way.
I really need to go look at other artists auctions more often...I just never seem to have the time to sit down and search to see how others are doing.  I seem to stay in my own little bubble.

I propose one more question:  I never used to set a reserve on anything I made because I really  don't like them and didn't have to...but now I feel that it is a good idea.  So here is the catch. 

You set a reserve and it doesn't meet that amount, what happens....do you then become a collector of your own bears?  and if you sell your work too cheaply (and I remember a discussion about artists doing that) what does that, then do to the reputation of your work?  What is the answer...keep making and listing, holding your reserves and becoming a collector of your own work?

I don't know....I am not in this for a hobby, those of you who have known me for a while, know what my monies are ear-marked for and that has really been going down hill.

Like you girls, I put days into my work and it is very depressing.
I don't know what the answer is.

Thank you so much for sharing your points of view and I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have friends who understand!
Blessings to you all,
Nancy

Gail Jan 16, 2006

PLEASE someone give me a link so I can see this Westie. I haven't been able to find him myself
Hugs
Gail

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner SponsorJan 16, 2006

Gail - just click on 'eBay' under Nancy's avatar.

bearlyart Jan 16, 2006

Nancy, PLEASE don't take eBay as an indicator of your talent or your creations' appeal, it is way too odd and unreliable a venue for that sort of thing.  I think there have been quite a few bear artists that wound up disappointed when they dabbled in eBay.  Probably the long-haul solution is to hang in there and assume a following will develop over time.  That having been said, I think that *used* to happen, but in today's economy, I wouldn't count on it.  There is obviously a LOT of money people are willing to fork over for bears on eBay, but only for a handful of artists.  I have sold anything and everything successfully on eBay over 7 or 8 years now, and bears are absolutely 100% the HARDEST sales to make.  It probably doesn't help that I am emotionally invested in them.  I wish I knew the formula for consistently wonderful (or consistently adequate) bear sales on eBay, but I don't... if I did, I'd be using it myself.

About reserves... I hate them, too.  But I think if you have a reasonable expectation that the price could reach that value (and want to make sure the bear sells for nothing less), then go for it.  But reserves scare some bidders away.  There just is no perfect answer on that either.  I don't know quite what to do about eBay for my bears.  Right now I'm off it completely, but I have some lovely little bears that I think might stand a chance (and as they are smaller bears, the values are lower than, say, bigger bears, so no scary price tags!).  I don't know whether to try them or not.  It's not easy for us to get to shows, I have a lot of other responsibilities tied to one area and my mother is pushing 60 and has life-threatening food allergies that make travel difficult... but we're looking at doing perhaps 10 shows this year, because we seem to sell most reliably in-person.  We all do what we have to do, and we all need to find what works best for us.  Maybe the shows will be a bust, but at least we tried something else, and the thought of relying on eBay sales this year seems a very poor idea indeed.

Hugs,
Kelly

NancyAndFriends Jan 16, 2006

Gail, I have to tell you, that avatar makes me laugh everytime I see that little snowman.  Just too cute! and Judi, your new one is so gorgeous!

Kelly, thank you for taking the time to send your thoughts.  It is frustrating for sure. Since there are very few shows around here and traveling to other states is not in the stars right now....I will just keep plugging along.

It is so nice to have a chat group where you can occassionally talk about a frustration and have people who actually understand, respond.  Shari, I will take your ear and a hug anyday!! Such a sweetheart, you are.

I have many wonderful friends whom I love like family...but they have no idea what I am talking about when I run around the house gritting my teeth and pulling my hair out . :doh:   

Nanc,
  But it makes me feel really uncomfortable to see that items such as yours and Judi and our newest sweetie, Tami, are not moving like they should.

I agree Roxanne!  We have such an abundance of talent in this group.  Do you think the collectors sometimes are collecting an artist, rather than actual work?  It would be fun (just as human nature study) to take a creation from one artist  (comparable work of course)and have someone who is getting thousands for their work, list it as something they created (as a new design for me) and see what happens.
This is purely a cosmic thought, one that will never have actual supporting evidence.

Tami, I remember a fairy artist who used to sell her fairies in the thousands...I loved to watch her work...then they started to decline and didn't meet her reserves, even tho another artist continued to maintain her high bids...and I wondered at the time, WHY?  Her work hadn't changed, she still made these beautiful fairies.  Finally she quit putting reserves on and was selling them for less than the amount she had still in her listing, for a downpayment on a lay-a-way.

I guess the answer is to detach, just put your work out there as if it were any other commodity and let it go.  Perhaps it will all work out in the end. This thought is strickly exigous...(that's my Shelli disclaimer, hahaha)

Thank each and everyone of you who have giving me different thoughts to ponder...it was a tremendous help.
Hugs to you gals  :hug:
nancy

Jellybelly Bears Jan 17, 2006

Oh Nancy, tiffani is adorable.  You still have 4 days to go so I hope the bids keep coming and I'm so sure they will!  You are so talented and I'm not just saying that!   
Ebay is so difficult...it is all a luck thing a lot of the time...right time, people etc etc.  I haven't been on ebay for a few months, but last year found that it opened me up to collectors and orders.  I think its a great avenue for that and for being recognised. 
It's also just after Christmas...I wonder if sales go down because of that?
Chin up and please don't ever give up.  Your work is too lovely.  I've seen some artists like you have mentioned, always get high prices, and then one or two don't even get a bid...ebay is a weird world.
big hugs
Sarah
PS, I would be interested to see the results of your study lol.  Although I think name plays a big role I think the work still has something to do with it. It would be interesting.....

Marie_ Jan 17, 2006

Hi Nancy !
I just saw your puppy on eBay, she is cutest !!!   
and Your new website is fabulous!!!  :pray:

Hugs/Marie

Cleathero Creations Jan 17, 2006

Hi Nancy,  I really love your Westie.  Actually I am generally one of your watchers, didn't realise this till a short while ago when I visited your website.  I love to see what comes up and see what different things you use, techniques etc and I have to admit that you are one of the artists I use to aim (quality wise) towards with my dogs.
So although you may not be getting bids you are inspiring people.

Gail Jan 17, 2006

Thanks Sue Ann
I have learned yet another thing about the computer. That was so simple why didn't I think of it???????????? :redface: The Westie is adorable and as I have said before I would like to see Nancy enter her dogs in the competitions as I haven't seen one yet I didn't love
Hugs
Gail