Consignment & the Friday Finds
Finally saw "I, Robot" this week and rather enjoyed it. It was a good, fun action/adventure movie. I haven't read the book, though, so I can't vouch for its authenticity, and I don't know how changed the ending might be, but it had a somewhat different plot than the previews made it look. Also somewhat incomprehensible in exposition at a pivotal point, but beyond that, I liked it a good bit. I love Will Smith. He always looks like he's having fun, and he used to come into my restaurant a lot when I was a waiter and is a very nice, good guy. So I like if he's happy and when he does well, because he certainly seems to deserve it.
Also, I have always wanted to know about a certain line in his song "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It," because it references a particular food we served at the restaurant, and I am dying to know whether it's really a reference to that food or just something he liked the sound of and tossed in there with an entirely different meaning.
I really wish I had something more to report, but the last week was really stressful and not great. I met with a store about selling my pendulums on consignment, and they want 50% of the sales price to carry them. I really think that's highway robbery, since the part they get is the part that is virtually straight profit, and I am stuck with the half that covers costs of production, packaging, and transport, which leaves precious little for me, the maker and designer of the piece. Frankly, I think 40% is too damn much to skim off the sales top of my product, but I am forced to recognize it is the business standard. I'd be a lot happier with 30%, but very few shop owners are cool enough to be happy with that. And I get that they have overhead costs to meet as well, but 40% is actually a lot more than it sounds when you realize that the designer had to pay use tax (8.25% of the cost of goods), cost of goods, packaging, labelling, and oftentimes display costs, shipment of goods (sometimes twice), transport costs (gasoline to buy the components and/or deliver the finished product to the store), and labor spent designing and putting the whole thing together. Depending on the item, that can leave the designer with approximately 5 - 10% of the sales price as actual income, and THAT has to have approximately 35% taken out to cover income tax and FICA.
Doesn't sound like such a hot deal, does it?
Which is why 50% is unacceptable to me, and I said so. Nicely, of course. And the woman very nicely said she's sorry, but that's the deal. It was all very polite and incredibly depressing.
So let's take a look at the Finds, shall we?
My favorite discovery of the week is the artwork of Cynthia Schmidt, which she showcases and sells on her website, Indigo Art. Her art has a fun, whimsical feel to it, and her Cranky Cat® pieces are hysterical to me, especially given the cat that thinks she rules this household is always cranky. Seriously, I've never met a bigger curmudgeon, and that includes the man of the house, who is pretty doggone curmudgeonly. Everything the cat does is cranky and chock full of attitude, and she has the most spiteful meows ever, and Cynthia's art captures that kind of spit with the perfect amount of humor. I also like the less cranky pictures too, including Fish Soup and Cranky Cat, Inchworm, and Kitten. It's not all cats, but it is all whimsical, so give it a look. :)
One of the ridiculous things I remember from being a kid are the lyrics to Polonius' "Neither a Borrower Nor a Lender Be" advice to Hamlet from The Gilligan's Island "musical" episode. The entire "script" of the show can be found here. :)
Rose and Sadie make the most adorable pins out of felt and embroidery. I totally love them, and the Favorite Things collection is my favorite. I love the white dress with blue "satin" sash and warm woolen mittens...though whiskers on kittens is also cute. :)
I made the mistake of weighing myself last weekend, and while I knew I had gained some more weight, I had no idea it had climbed all the way up to 147.6. :( Obviously, I need a very big one of these to carry around with me and keep in plain sight at all times. Put down the soft drink and step away from the donut. :(
And pick up some broccoli...Chewbroccoli, that is. Seriously, this parody of Star Wars just cracks me up. :)
That's about it, for me. I'm sorry there aren't any cool fashion finds in here. It was a slim week, and I think I've got kidney stones, so I think I will go lie down now.
later gator,
jenie
Also, I have always wanted to know about a certain line in his song "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It," because it references a particular food we served at the restaurant, and I am dying to know whether it's really a reference to that food or just something he liked the sound of and tossed in there with an entirely different meaning.
I really wish I had something more to report, but the last week was really stressful and not great. I met with a store about selling my pendulums on consignment, and they want 50% of the sales price to carry them. I really think that's highway robbery, since the part they get is the part that is virtually straight profit, and I am stuck with the half that covers costs of production, packaging, and transport, which leaves precious little for me, the maker and designer of the piece. Frankly, I think 40% is too damn much to skim off the sales top of my product, but I am forced to recognize it is the business standard. I'd be a lot happier with 30%, but very few shop owners are cool enough to be happy with that. And I get that they have overhead costs to meet as well, but 40% is actually a lot more than it sounds when you realize that the designer had to pay use tax (8.25% of the cost of goods), cost of goods, packaging, labelling, and oftentimes display costs, shipment of goods (sometimes twice), transport costs (gasoline to buy the components and/or deliver the finished product to the store), and labor spent designing and putting the whole thing together. Depending on the item, that can leave the designer with approximately 5 - 10% of the sales price as actual income, and THAT has to have approximately 35% taken out to cover income tax and FICA.
Doesn't sound like such a hot deal, does it?
Which is why 50% is unacceptable to me, and I said so. Nicely, of course. And the woman very nicely said she's sorry, but that's the deal. It was all very polite and incredibly depressing.
So let's take a look at the Finds, shall we?
My favorite discovery of the week is the artwork of Cynthia Schmidt, which she showcases and sells on her website, Indigo Art. Her art has a fun, whimsical feel to it, and her Cranky Cat® pieces are hysterical to me, especially given the cat that thinks she rules this household is always cranky. Seriously, I've never met a bigger curmudgeon, and that includes the man of the house, who is pretty doggone curmudgeonly. Everything the cat does is cranky and chock full of attitude, and she has the most spiteful meows ever, and Cynthia's art captures that kind of spit with the perfect amount of humor. I also like the less cranky pictures too, including Fish Soup and Cranky Cat, Inchworm, and Kitten. It's not all cats, but it is all whimsical, so give it a look. :)
One of the ridiculous things I remember from being a kid are the lyrics to Polonius' "Neither a Borrower Nor a Lender Be" advice to Hamlet from The Gilligan's Island "musical" episode. The entire "script" of the show can be found here. :)
Rose and Sadie make the most adorable pins out of felt and embroidery. I totally love them, and the Favorite Things collection is my favorite. I love the white dress with blue "satin" sash and warm woolen mittens...though whiskers on kittens is also cute. :)
I made the mistake of weighing myself last weekend, and while I knew I had gained some more weight, I had no idea it had climbed all the way up to 147.6. :( Obviously, I need a very big one of these to carry around with me and keep in plain sight at all times. Put down the soft drink and step away from the donut. :(
And pick up some broccoli...Chewbroccoli, that is. Seriously, this parody of Star Wars just cracks me up. :)
That's about it, for me. I'm sorry there aren't any cool fashion finds in here. It was a slim week, and I think I've got kidney stones, so I think I will go lie down now.
later gator,
jenie
posted by Jenie at 12:21 AM
4 Comments:
Other than title - "I, Robot" the movie has zippo to do with "I, Robot" the book. I like Will Smith, too, but Isaac Asimov is prolly still spinning in his grave from this one (assuming, of course, that he's actually dead which is what I assumed when I wrote this...perhaps I should've googled first)
Sorry about the greedy shop owner - 50% does seem like an awful lot to me. I had thought 30% was the norm. Of course, now I know why so many jewelry people aren't doing consignmnet any more. Either stores buy the stuff from you...or they don't. No muss, no fuss, and no 50% minimums.
I sooo hope you don't have kidney stones - I know they suck! Feel better soon!
KJ
30% *used* to be the norm...then I guess consignment shops discovered they could take 40. 50 is frigging ridiculous, especially when 40% is too much. 30 I would not quibble with. ::sigh::
You made me laugh with the googling comment. :)
I'm still sussing out the kidney thing, but judging from the fact I still have the pain (though it's less severe since I amped up my water drinkage) and am running a bit of a temp, I'm pretty sure that's what's going on. I'm hoping it works its way out or the water drinking resolves it. And thank you. :)
I kinda thought the movie had nothing to do with the book, but I thought I remembered a renegade robot or something to that effect in the book; I only read the first part of it in 5th or 6th grade (it was a little dry for me then). Guess now I have to read it. I will add it to the list. :)
J
If one must own a scale... it is improtant to close your eyes when weighing yourself!!
And how, my friend! I get on scales infrequently, since I don't own one. Last time I weighed in, I was at 138, and *that* sucked. So you can imagine 148 threw me into shock. Of course, it also jump started my diet...mostly.
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