Have I found my niche?

One of the things that gives me incredible anxiety is selling my creations at trade shows or craft fairs.  Although most people are positive there are the few that walk by and make comments about price or "what will they think of next"... I find that part incredibly hard.  People walking by, making a quick judgement never get to hear the story, understand what is put into each piece I create.  I can't and don't want to compete with China (meaning the ability to create inexpensive mass amounts of jewellery) or Hobbyists, this is my lively hood, how I feed my kids.  I believe that everything happens for a reason, sometimes it takes a while to find out why but .. I think I have kind of stumbled upon a way that I love to sell my jewellery, have fun, fits my lifestyle of being Mom, and I don't find it stressful at all...


Last week I was invited to do a private show in my cousin's home on a Friday evening.  It was not the first time I had done a show like this, but it has been almost a year since I had done one.   It was an amazing experience, she had no more than 10 women there, some wine and appies and I set up all my goods (and I have a ton at the moment, most are not on my website).   The best part is I got an audience that I felt comfortable with as they were all women and they were there knowing I was going to be there so the pressure, and the anxious sweats never happened.  The first 3 sentences my voice shook and then as I began to talk about myself and my jewellery, why I do it, the amazing accomplishments I have achieved this year with my jewellery...low and behold I became comfortable.. Actually very comfortable.  I was able to sell my things in a way that showcased them and myself in a way that I have never been able to before.
I sold some beautiful pieces, met some incredible women, had some gut wrenching laughs and at the end of the night I didn't feel like I had been working.  It was FUN!  AND... They asked me to come back again in November so they can Christmas shop,  and one of the guests even booked a party for October!  I came home on a high of all highs, talked my husbands ears off and the next morning.. I started to ask...
I asked those I have on BBM as it is easiest for me.. to host a party.  And to my surprise, many said yes without blinking an eye.  I posted on facebook and got a few more bookings...It was just that easy! I just had to ask, I am constantly surprised at the amount of people who want me to succeed. It is so heart warming..THANK YOU to all of you.

Home sales have always been in the back of my mind as an avenue to sell.  It has always been my mission to hire women that need to earn money but need to work around their children's schedules, other jobs, language barriers, I want to give possibilities to those who don't always have them.   One of the reason's I left working for the Financial Mega Giant was they were no longer willing to work with me to have adjusted hours that allowed me to drop my kids and pick them up according to daycare hours.  I never want one of my employees to ever feel like their job comes first. Family must always come first.  I will never say "you must pick work over family" guaranteed.

That being said, I am currently putting together a sales team, no start up cost to the individual, it will be a commission home sales team, all pieces will be taken on consignment (only pay when item is sold). If you are interested in joining my team please email me at: aly@silverfingerprints.ca
For the time being I am focused on Metro Vancouver, but hope to expand in the near future, if you are not in metro Vancouver and are interested email me anyway and we can discuss ways to set you up.

If you are interested in hosting an Aly Dahl party please email me aly@silverfingerprints.ca to book a date.
I am seriously loving the home sales.. and would LOVE to do one for you.  I hope one day I can look back at this blog as the beginning of something huge.
have a great weekend!!
Aly

I keep good company!

I know I already posted the link to this fantastic interview that I did.... apparently I wasn't the only one who thought it was great.  The post made the front (home) page of www.modernmom.com
Next to Brooke Burke and Denise Richards' blogs you can find the featured mom blogger and right not it is Wendy's blog on me :)  Yahhhh!!!!!!!

Thanks again Wendy for doing the interview with me!

I am sure the post will soon be replaced with another featured mom blog so check it out quick!

Have a great week,

Aly

I Made it on Modern Mom!

Check out this awesome post by the very talented and creative Wendy Irene on Modern Mom.   Wendy is a very talented writer and has a great blog that I have emailed to me every weekday morning.  I look forward to reading her blog,  it always brings a smile to my face.  She seems to always be in sinc with what is going on in my life,  sometimes I read a blog and think.. wow, that sure came at the right time.. 
Wendy's web page is:  www.givelovecreatehappiness.com sign up to have the blog emailed to you to ensure you never miss a post.  

I am doing my first home show of the fall season, very excited for it as I have a ton of stock that I have been busy making over the summer.  I did a show at Douglas College on Wednesday that was a HUGE success and was incredible for my confidence.  Selling your own stuff is seriously overwhelming and can be very daunting at times, this was the first show I left feeling like a winner... now for tonight!!! Very excited!!! If you live on Vancouver Island or Metro Vancouver area send me an email at: aly@silverfingerprints.ca if you are interested in hosting an at home party for me to peddle my wares.  I do offer the host of the party discounted and free product as a thank you!


Have a great weekend everyone!!!


Aly

Lovely Post by a Lovely Person

Today is simple,  today I brag.  Looking at yourself and your accomplishments are often kinder and more eloquent when said by others.   I am honoured and touched that the amazingly talented writer and creative force that is Alicia Gray blogged about me and by business. 

Please take a moment to check out her blog, and if you enjoy smiling when reading click on her "follow me" button or become a fan on facebook so you never miss a post.  Her writings draw you in and keep you glued.. (Not just the one about me, which I must say is fantastic but I haven't read a post that didn't make me laugh out loud or have tears streaming down my face)

Check it out: 

http://aggraygate.blogspot.com/2010/09/homage-monday-alyson-johnson.html

Alicia and I have been friends for years,  she was there for me, listened to me as I made the decision to leave my old life behind and move forward.  Reading her memories of my transition time took me back to a place that was raw and hard... I am so glad that she could recall it for me in a humorous truth.  I adore the post, I hope you take the time to read it..  And let me gloat on how awesome I am in someone else's eyes. 

Cheap Silver Cleaner using everyday household items

Recently being at the PNE and looking around the Marketplace, (which is a must on my PNE list of things to do and see each summer - I call it the "didn't know I needed it until I was told" building.)  In recent years I have purchased a $700 vitamix blender (which shockingly haven't regretted once), a $100 massager (that broke with in the first year), eyebrow make up set that was to change my non-existent brows into magnificence in 10 second a day (problem being you have to do it), Shea butter from Africa (an annual must..love it).
This year the jewellery cleaner caught my eye.. it is apparently fantastic on gold and silver.. and I almost bought it for something crazy like $20. And then I remembered.. that I clean my silver jewellery with table salt and aluminum foil.   I don't own a lot of gold so I have never tried it on gold.. I wouldn't recommend it. So here is my tip for the day that costs just cents:


For jewellery I use a pasta bowl or casserole dish, for silverware and tea sets I use the kitchen sink.


Line the bottom of the dish or sink with aluminum foil and add a generous amount of table salt (at least a couple tablespoons), fill with warm water (actually I have no idea if temperature matters but that's what I use) and set silver into bowl/sink.  Leave for a minimum of 2 -3  minutes and then rinse with water. Depending on amount of tarnish you can re-soak. I have left heavily tarnished items overnight. 

The science behind it:
When salt, aluminum foil and water are combined they create a chemical reaction known as ion exchange. During this process, the tarnish on the silver is transferred to the foil. In fact, if your silver is tarnished enough, you'll actually see brown tarnish on the aluminum foil.

Have a great day!


Aly

BabyVibe.. Are you vibing?

I am so excited my first ad with Babyvibe came out this morning!

What is Babyvibe?....
Babyvibe is your trusted voice for new and expecting parents in Canada, delivering pint-sized news, product reviews, tips and family friend event listing. 

I signed up to get the newsletter a few months back and have loved the great product reviews, what to do and parenting tips.  I have found many local businesses like mine that are a Mom Run and worth supporting. 


I am proud that I am now a babyvibing advertiser and hope that the ad brings in some revenue so I can continue to advertise with them!


To check out my ad click here: Babyvibe


Scroll down to the bottom and a surprise discount you will find for Aly Dahl Designs.... 

Check it out and sign up for the e-newsletter and take advantages of the great discounts to cool shops and products just because you subscribe!


Have a great Monday!


Aly

Common Sense and Reading came in Handy yet again!

Last October I met a young man who was a "website genius".. I met with him at Lougheed mall in Burnaby for coffee,  I knew the questions to ask according to what I learned at my business classes at college, but really I knew nothing about building a website.


He reminded me of my younger brother Luke (who I have a  soft spot for) and I hired him instantly. He didn't want payment up front he said when we got working on things more seriously I could pay half up front and half when it was done.   I spent MONTHS and months getting stuff together for him, making items to photograph, photographing.. searching the web for sites I liked.   


When I first decided to sell on line I was searching names and bought website names I thought were good.  The first one I bought was www.silverfingerprints.ca it was through a dotcom company who does back end servers and had templates and things. One of the things I did do was put up a site I made as a "holding site".  So I started to build my site while my "Web Genius" was building my "real" site. 

Along the way I named my business Aly Dahl Designs and bought www.alydahl.com and www.alydahl.ca,  I called my web guy a few times and he said he could help me.. but then he started to not return my emails or my calls.  So I figured out how to forward those addresses to the silverfingerprints one.  Getting smarter. 
I started to tweak my site and started getting compliments on it.. smarter again..  Figured out how to re-size photo's, make tab's, meta tags...Wow, starting to get cocky..


For the past 4 months since firing my "Web Genius" as he was too busy to remember I was alive.. and he did nothing in 6 months... I had been looking for someone to do a shopping cart on my site.  Life being like it is I haven't found anyone.


So today I decided.. how hard could it be? I am proud to say I am now pretty flippin smart.. Although it has taken 12 hours, two of my collections now have "Add to Cart" buttons so people can buy stuff directly from my site!!! No more email!!! (Although I had linked it up to each piece and I thought I was pretty smart)...


So you can now officially actually Shop "Shop Fingerprint Impressions" and my iCANDY line!!!! Check it out!!!


Well that's my big accomplishment for today, It was a biggy!  Hopefully next week all my lines will have "Add to Cart" button and I will get back to making and posting new pieces!!! 


Have a great weekend,


Aly
AKA.. an Almost  "Web Genius"