I usually do not do this, but I really just need to voice myself. It regards the extreme custom, it is not surprisingly up for discussion in private group/s on FB. I have seen the thread/s. I would like to let you know a few facts.
The panel took me 7 hours to complete, then the sewing all the layers of the nappy / snapping combine into another hour, the hand dyed bamboo velour inner took me quite a while to prepare and dye, then the time completing the booster. My boosters are constructed in such a way that is much more time consuming than a normal tri-fold booster. There are around 11 hours work in a extreme custom slot, and out of it in the end it equates to less than a normal wage. No, it is not the same as my 7 hour work nappies, one only has to look at the detail on the sand. The patches are much smaller and finer detail than any other of my nappies (the photos do not do the justice on the shades of yellow). To you it might look the same as far as "wow" factor as my other work, but I can assure you this nappy took a lot more work.
What continues to baffle me is why this is even up for discussion? I am a WAHM working for under a normal wage, I have many job opportunities to work out of home in the arts criteria and get paid a normal to higher wage, but I decide to work from home and offer my creations so that I can spend these younger years with my daughter. So please for a moment have a think of my position before you have a opinion that my work is soooo expensive and possibly on par as my $85 customs. I do this because I love doing what I do, I do this because I bring joy to peoples lives in the form of something unique and one of a kind, and I am willing to sacrifice by receiving a under paid wage for it.
It's important to me to offer these slots, as I get to create and put in a lot of work, and I get out of it a huge sense of achievement and satisfaction that they are rare and special, and in turn you receive some thing that to very meaningful to you and your child(ren).
The nappy world is very small, I see / hear everything, and usually I am very good at letting this pass my by, as water of a duck back - but this time I just wanted a few of you to hear the truth of the work, and what I get out a nappy like this. It IS discouraging hearing of these threads, it makes me think how much easier it would be to just send some of my designs to China and get them made at a fraction of the price, there would be no threads up for discussion on the price, I would be making a normal wage, ouila! Problem solved..! Well NO... not really... because that's not what I am about, thats not really what would make me happy. I am about handmade quality items with a lot of heart.
Again I love what I do and I will continue to offer something that is more unique as this is where my passion lies, making art, and spending a crazy amount of time on one nappy. These slots do not come up very often as they are a lot of work and only offered when I am feeling extremely creative.
Just a bit of food for thought -
Thanks for listening,
- Jerry Red.
11 hours minus material costs = what you get for the time you spent making on the nappy, right? Well by gosh, that'd be less than minimum wage. I personally would be honored to have a nappy like this in my stash - and good on you for being prepared to take such time and energy to make one of this calibre ;)
ReplyDeleteI have seen aat all few of these posts and i have not seen anything negative said, if anything you work has been praised and admired by many, they were merely stating that it is out of their price range which is understandable, but they also said if they could afford it they would in a heartbeat. So i dont understand this blog post at all, whoever is informing you of these threads is obviousy editing them or you a misreading them.
ReplyDeleteJerry, I love your work and I think you should be paid for the time you put in!!! Don't let anyone make you feel bad or feel like you have to explain yourself.
ReplyDeleteIt was worth every cent I can guaranty!
<3
Jerry, I am fairly new to the world of MCNs and have to admit when I saw your extreme custom slot I thought "wow, who would pay that for a nappy?" but also was amazed at the work in it. Was thrilled for you when it went so quickly! But I cannot understand what gives anyone the right to question your pricing (indirectly as it happens). A piece of art (and that is what your nappies are) is worth what someone is willing to pay - and who is to say how much that is? For what it's worth, I hope you are able to continue sharing your amazing creativity for a long time to come - I find you inspiring. Take care, and don't let the whispers get you down x
ReplyDeleteHi Anon, this blog in not aimed at one thread in particular, as there have been a few, so I cannot pin point which thread you are referring to. While people discussing there price in a positive light is not the issue here, I have on occasion in the last few days, heard a few remarks in the non positive light, which leads me to finally write this blog. I can assure you there has been no misinformation passed onto me.
ReplyDeleteI also feel that this blog is a long time coming in a way, I have always been more than behind the scene on how I feel about on allot of issues, for reasons obvious to some, and tonight I just wanted to voice my self and give reason to why and how I price my work.
Oh Jerry... Don't take this at heart. You deserve to be treated fair and everyone bitching should really just shut the f*** up and either not look at your artwork anymore, dislike the page, and go and do their own business. Seriously, how do WAHM's have the time and the nerves to bitch online all the time? This is so upsetting because it will never stop. You truly set a new standard in the nappy business but hey, you do a fantastic job, and people recognise that. Positive recognition from your fans, negative recognition from the competition. Either they are jealous or they just need the hype of bitching and other bitches behind their backs backing THEM up and throwing more woods into the fire.... Drama-Queens!!! Go and get lost, effin' seriously. I know how much time and effort goes into each artpiece, yes these beauties take a huge amount of time, and after considering hours versus material costs, yes you could possibly earn $ 20 - 40 netto (I didn't see any threads and I also don't know for how much this one sold) so any Nappy Maker should know how that feels. Most of us WAHM's work for the love of it. Like a Hobby - everything you earn gets put straight back into business to buy material, embroidery designs, service machines, buy embroidery threads, pay online fees etc, the list NEVER stops really. Hun, I think it's good you explained yourself thoroughly (and to Anonymous: this is HER page and if she feels like writing something off her heart she can do whatever she wants to do - in fact she is doing it on her own page and not on these bitching pages so gotta credit her respect for that too)....Jerry, now take a bottle of champagne and sit back and just think you're better than those bitches. And stay away from such pages, I hardly ever go on NA these days, I don't read MCN pages' threads anymore, I decided for myself to withdraw myself from such drama pages and invest my time to rather play with the kids, do the housework, sew, do Tupperware LOL, and meet my IRL friends - and my life is so, SOOO much better these days that I am not giving a shit about this bitching nappy world. I'll call you tomorrow, please sms me when you're free for a chat. xxx
ReplyDelete