To Be of Purpose. How Butterfly Dark Came to Be and What I Hope it Will Be.

Hello!

   Thanks for stopping by. Today I just want to share with you how this blog, and my business, Butterfly Dark Creations came to be and what I'm hoping and working to turn it in to.


My first business card

   Butterfly Dark Creations is a creative photography, craft and fine arts small business. I started the Etsy Shop back in 2012. I'd just finished all the classes for my associates degree, and was taking a semester off. I wanted to sell some jewelry, or the hair flowers that I had been making. I wanted to use as much recycled materials as possible. My shop lasted six months. Until I moved to Nevada and lost the internet connection.


I think I've perfected my hair flowers.

   I spent those two years honing my creative skills. Not just in crafts but in photography too. A process I truly enjoy. During that time, I was blessed with my flower.

My Masterpiece 2014

   With my flower came a lot of hard decisions. How to provide for her properly, without being on welfare was the biggest of my worries. I made the decision to move back to Indiana for a while to be closer to my parents, and took a job that would lead to full time and benefits. During this time, I'm really liking how my crafts have evolved and thought it was time to try my hand at selling again.


   Now don't get me wrong. My jobs are good jobs. They allow me to provide everything my daughter needs, with one exception. But being a Pharmacy Tech is not where my passion is, and it takes up a lot more time than I'd like it to. So the logical thing to do would be to make my artwork my living.

   This has NOT been easy. First, I knew nothing about business. But I've been reading everything I can get my hands on about the subject. I've learned a few things. How to market, how to get into fairs, keys to Etsy. I'm still learning. I'll keep learning. Eventually I'd like to be selling work in fairs, particularly steam punk work, selling on Etsy, and doing photography.

   Butterfly Dark Creations is not near where I want it to be yet. But with some help from my family, and a little flower for motivation, eventually I'd like to make this my full time work from home job.

My current professional business card

   I'd like you to think about something. When you are thinking of making a purchase from an artist or crafter, or any other creative professional, but think their asking price is a bit too high, compared to a similar item you can get commercially from a big box chain store, keep in mind that the item is a work of love. The professional put in a lot of time and some money into that item. The item came from their mind and they brought it into the physical world. Custom request require even more effort because the professional is not only trying to bring their creativity to life, but please the client. So when you purchase an item from a small business owner, you are helping them provide for themselves, for their families, and supporting them in their passion.

  
  So what advice can anyone offer? Really I'll take any kind of constructive criticism. What kind of pictures would you want taken if you had a photography session? Or in general? If you were shopping on Etsy, what would or wouldn't you buy?

   Thanks for reading!