If you’re a fan of period dramas, chances are you’re familiar with this fashion icon of the 1920’s, the Cloche. With the popularity of Downton Abbey and Boardwalk Empire in 2010, followed by Peaky Blinders in 2013, the fashions, jewellery and hats of the 1920s peaked our interest—and it certainly did mine. I fell in love with the classic bell shape silhouette of the hat and the beautiful detailing on them.
Artists have been selling their creations for thousands of years. We sell through shops, galleries, museums, shows, markets, festivals and online, yet in 2017 if you don't have celebrity endorsements, huge social media followings and sales that will entice the Dragons....you're doing it all wrong.
Or at least, that's how I feel. With the launch of my new ecommerce site, www.romanceandruin.com, the unsolicited advice has skyrocketed. My daily email is filled with dozens of recommended things that I should be doing, but if I'm honest, I find all of this advice stressful and read very little of it.
So instead of spending another night tossing and turning and trying to figure out where I will find the time to even attempt half of their suggestions, I've decided to put my mind at ease and follow a path that works for me and my business. Trust me, this is a lot harder than it sounds, and takes a lot of courage not to succumb to the pressure. Every message we receive as artist entrepreneurs tells us there is something we should or could be doing differently to achieve success and then feeling badly if we don't accomplish all of those things.
Like the hundreds of diets out there with their promises to turn you into a beautiful, thinner new you; there are multitudes of "experts" who profess to know what you need to do in order to achieve success. And while there is a lot of excellent information shared online, it's getting harder to wade through all of the self-serving, so called "must-have" info.
Just as we all create our own unique art, we all have our own unique circumstances: personal demands...family, home, job; financial means...can I afford to hire out some of my work such as bookkeeping, photography, social media, maintaining a website, etc. These all factor into the amount of time I have to run my business and running a business is HARD WORK.
It's also very rewarding, and I LOVE what I do. It's absolute bliss designing and creating my jewellery and accessories and there's no joy like hearing from customers who tell me how cherished their romance&ruin pieces are. So, I'm trying to be good to myself and celebrate what I've accomplished instead of beating myself up about everything I haven't done....it's exhausting and crushes my creativity.
While my personal GPS is recalculating and I start down this new path, I will stay true to my own definition of SUCCESS. I may not follow what the majority of others do, but I'll continue to grow and bring passion to my work. No more comparing myself to others, setting unrealistic expectations and putting unnecessary pressure on myself. I will continue dreaming, exploring and challenging myself to create the business that I've always imagined.
xoxo Marian
I finished watching the Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries on Netflix a few weeks ago....wow! Total eye candy for 1920's junkies. The costumes, period décor....and oh yeah, the jewellery!! Essie Davis is divine and I'm heartbroken that there are only 3 seasons available. Marion Boyce is the Australian costume designer for the series which includes the hats, headpieces, clothes, jewellery, bags and shoes.
She describes Phryne Fisher's character as plucky, flamboyant, breaks all the rules, and doesn't pay attention to any of the social conventions of the era. I was so inspired by the series I designed my newest pieces with Phryne in mind and imagined her wearing them while solving her latest murder case.
Red rope flapper necklace, Lion door knocker flapper necklace, Art Deco tasseled pearl flapper necklace
Collection of art deco necklaces in black and silver.
I've created all of these one of a kind pieces using repurposed vintage and antique elements. This new collection of Miss Fisher inspired pieces will be available in my shop very soon....now if I could only find a pearl-tipped cap gun for my photos.
Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!
xoxo Marian
It's been nearly five years since I started my business romance&ruin and it's time for a reboot. I decided that along with the opening of my new online shop romance&ruin, now would be the perfect time for a bit of a makeover and update my brand. There is so much great information out there and my first stop was Pinterest with lots of great tools.
Once I decided on colour schemes, fonts, and digital art I started designing. so I figured out how to use the digital art and created logos, new packaging, business cards, price tags, etc. A few new grey hairs, but loved doing it and I'm thrilled with the outcome.
Preparing to open my new Shopify online shop has been a huge project and I'd be lost s.without my planner. Taking a few minutes every Sunday night before I start a new week of business seems to keep me on track. I love taking a few minutes to decorate the page...makes all the hard work seem a little less grueling.
P.S. If you're planning to open your own shop, whatever you do, don't believe anyone or anything you read that suggests you it can be done in a weekend!
I hope you'll take some time and take a peak inside the shop. I'm so excited to share all of these lovelies with you.
Have a great week and thanks for stopping by!
xoxo Marian
