Hi dear members,
Since I've been getting a few requests for more peeks behind-the-scenes, I figured I'd post another "Beginnings" chapter! Today we're exploring the history of my Warrior's Series, and the very start of my business!
The story begins back in 2018, when winter was just starting to turn to spring. It was a little over 2 years since I had graduated from MassArt with a focus in sculpture and wearable art. Since then, I had been working as a costume designer and half-heartedly sharing my work on social media. I had always wondered what it would be like to sell my own work, but I had always dismissed it as 'something I would get to some day'. I remember the moment that shifted. I'm not sure what exactly was the catalyst (maybe I had seen one two many inspirational quotes on Facebook that day?), but one day I was lounging around the house, the sun was filling the room, and suddenly I thought, "what's stopping me?"... And so this urge to create my own brand hit me, and within the hour I had signed up to vend at a local LARP event scheduled for the next month. This was the deadline I needed, so I started planning!
Within that next month, I designed and created my first 5 pieces: a waist cincher, a pouch, a belt, a sword holder (hmmm... Maybe I should revisit that...) and a pair of bracers. Each of these pieces were designed to be prepared as "blanks" ahead of time, and customized to fit the customizer on-site before the end of the weekend. On top of these customizable pieces, I also brought two finished experimental Headdresses, with the intention of decorating my tent (I had no expectation that they would sell!). My Crow Headdress would be born from these pieces.
The customizable pieces were a huge hit, and spending the weekend crafting and co-creating with a gathering of wonderful people was the best way I possibly could have imagined starting my business. Of course, at the same time as planning for this marvelous weekend, I had also been listing my customizable products to my little Etsy shop. From then on, I'd add more and more products to my online shop, vend at more events, and eventually my hobby grew to be a full time business!
As a side note, be sure to check out the insanely cheap prices I deemed appropriate for handmade, custom leather goods at the time!! 🤯 I'm so glad I've learned how to accurately price my work, or else I would have run my business into the ground!! I find that this is a problem most artists have when they first get started - so if you're an artist who wants to start selling your work online, don't undersell yourself! Your work is more valuable than you think it is!
Have an idea for next week's Inner Circle Post? Let me know in the comments!
Much Love,
Marin
