My last show in Menlo Park was really fun. I had a GREAT sales assistant, and it was good for me to know that I wouldn't miss seeing or greeting anyone. Some of the shows are too busy for me alone and I know there are times when I don't give the personalized attention to everyone in the booth that they deserve.
Which brings me to the subject of this blog post. I was unfamiliar with this word, bespoke, and I have always thought I had a pretty good vocabulary. I can't say I have worked to develop my vocabulary. I think it is linked to my disability with numbers, like if you are magically good at one, you suck at the other. So when I heard this word..bespoke.. I was surprised that I really didn't know what it meant. Thank the Goddess for Google.
/be'spok/
British
Bespoke is an adjective for anything commissioned to a particular specification.
So imagine my surprise that this new word is exactly what I do. Coincidence? My new word made me realize that a major part of what I do is customized my designs for each customer, if desired. Of course a lot of jewelry is purchased as is, luckily, being a great fit right from the get go. But a lot of what I "do" is see where the piece looks best on each individual, and then custom size/adjust the piece. I can change certain elements if one isn't that great on a specific person. I can change the clasp to suit personal taste. So, basically I have a bespoke business. What a great word!
I have found out the hard way, however, that I don't work as well on commissions that do not include my personal material choices. Sometimes I am asked to work with items the customer already has. This is not my favorite thing to do, and I hate to say I will usually say no, reluctantly to this request. My work is most heavily invested in the choices of my eye, and if that is not engaged, I struggle to design the piece. Not Fun. And if it's not fun, what's the point?
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