The Trouble With Too Many Choices

 Those of you that may know me are probably aware how overwhelmed I become when too many choices are put in front of me. Yes, I'm one of those people that goes to an all-you-can-eat carvery and has a bit of every meat and one of every vegetable and then wonders why I feel fit to burst after eating it all.

 You could blame my indecisiveness on my star sign or even my parents (Mum, Dad, no one's blaming you, it's just an example) but the truth of the matter is I'm mortally afraid of missing out on trying something. Serious missed opportunities are a terrible thing and can haunt you for life but I sometimes think I take it to extremes. If I have the pork and the beef is actually much nicer how will I know anyway if I haven't had it (well, that's assuming one's dining partner doesn't keep telling you how very incredibly nice the beef is)?

 You're wondering how this relates to setting up a jewellery business aren't you? Don't deny it, I can see it in your confused face. Unfurrow that brow, dear reader, and I will attempt to guide you to the point I am trying to make within the murky depths of my ramblings about beef.

 Something I wish I had been told when I first started making jewellery for the website I am setting up next month (quick plug there, couldn't avoid it, keep posted for more details of that another day), is that I need to make jewellery in 'collections'. It's a rather obvious thing really. It was staring me in the face during all of the market research I performed yet I remained largely and merrily oblivious.

 Designers generally make pieces following the same theme in order to create a brand. So simple, so effective, but for me, given my difficulty with choices, it is a hugely challenging concept for me. I naturally want to try a bit of everything. I want to use copper and bronze and steel and silver (least of all silver, there's a LOT of silver jewellery out there). I want to make moulds of all differents textures and incorporate them (I spent one morning pressing silicone molding compound into the bark of all the trees in my garden, made some lovely jewellery but properly confused the neighbours). I want to make necklaces, earring, rings, bracelets, codpieces...well, ok, not the last one but you get the idea.

 After a lot of experimentation I've decided to keep things simple for my first collection. I'm going to stick largely to white bronze which is a metal I've recently fallen in love with (gushy but true). It's a similar colour to silver but doesn't tarnish as easily and is a pleasure to use. I'm going to keep the actual designs nice and uncomplicated too. I won't lie, it's killing me. The moulding putty is looking at me and I in turn am looking at the woodchip wallpaper and marvelling at what a fantastic texture it is and wouldn't it just make the most darling pair of earrings?

 So there is a light at the end of the tunnel for Little Miss Indecisive. I'm not really missing out, I'm just focusing. One major consolation to me is I can change my collections every season if I want to. Yippee! Autumn/Winter is all about woodchip!