Cutterstone Jewelry: Supporting Small Business and Handmade this Season

These last few years, we have sure seen the importance of shopping local, shopping American, and shopping handmade. When I got married in 2010, I moved from upscale Orange County, CA to a city/county with almost the highest unemployment rate in the country, San Bernardino, CA. I know there are many cities that seem somewhat "normal" despite the economy, but many others are still suffering from depression with bankruptcy looming and no end in sight. Supporting your local businesses and handmade on Etsy and other sites this holiday season is a great way to help many talented craftspeople, some of whom still have a full-time job, survive these tough times. Plus handmade is a much better gift than the cookie-cutter item off the shelf of Walmart! I try to buy all my gifts handmade nowadays!

One of these talented people is featured on Etsy as Divine Lulu Creations. I asked Lulu a few questions about what it's like opening your own internet shop.

Lulu, some people open their little shop and then get discouraged quickly because sales are not what they thought they would be. What would be your #1 advice for a new Etsy shop?

Don't take it personal! I know that is SO hard to do, especially when you're pouring hours into your work sometimes, and you feel like your work shows you as a person or it means something to you. It gives you that "I have boulders in my stomach" feeling when you don't get any views on your work that you love so much and try so hard with, or even worse you get a lot of views and no purchases. It makes you think "Why don't people like my things? Why isn't it good enough?" The truth is there's A LOT of products in the world. Not only are you competing with other Etsy shops but you're competing with easy fixes for things like Target or Walmart. Try not to get discouraged. I keep a "field of dreams" mentality. If you make it, somewhere there's going to be someone who needs it or wants it. Make what you love to make, and hopefully one day you'll make money doing it!