My 25 Year Craft Journey

Hi to all you fellow crafters! I'm creating this blog simply to connect and journal my amazing journey through the craft industry. I began by taking a ceramics class in the fall of 1985 from my next door neighbor, (who just happened to have a ceramic shop in her basement). From this class, I realized I loved the whole process of kiln fired ceramics. I also learned that I was quite adept at the painting and finishing process of each piece. So, I started to finish ceramics for resale. Opportunities arose for me that enabled me to own my own ceramic shop, which I did for approximately ten years. I bought the molds, slip, pouring machine, etc. to have a fully stocked ceramic shop.( If you were wondering, my next door neighbor sold out her shop and moved away).To sell my finished inventory, I consigned my items in craft shops and gift stores. I also sold my items at craft sales at various times of each year. During one of those craft fairs, in the fall of 1988, I was approached by a lady who at the time was the ceramic instructor at our local senior center, to see if I would be interested in becoming the new ceramics instructor. That sounded like fun to me, so I applied and received the job.That was a part time job that I held approximately ten years. I loved the instructing others with their whole project. By the time that I left that position, I was the ceramic instructor, craft instructor and the stained glass instructor.One of the most rewarding aspects of being an instructor was when an elderly student would tell me she (or he) couldn't paint, and with my direction, they found they could.Well, after 10 years of that I needed a new direction, so I opened a gift store in July of 1999.What a life experience that was. I learned all about retail, from inventory control to profit margin, to marketing success and failure.I owned and operated my gift store for six years. I changed my location three times in those six years.