The holidays are approaching faster than a flying sleigh, and that means go-go-go time here in the Kristen Baird® Studio. If you’ve ever wondered what a typical day in the life of a jewelry designer looks like in the thick of the holiday season, you’re in luck.
Follow along with me as I dash away through the day!
6:45 AM
Wake up! It’s time to shake off those visions of dancing sugarplums and get the kiddos up for school. Brush teeth, clothes on, breakfast. And don’t forget…
7:00 AM
COFFEE! My Jura espresso maker makes the best latte. I like mine with a splash of honey and lots of milk froth. Ahh! That’s better.
7:50 AM
Into the car on the way to school. We make the morning drive fun with our daily “scavenger hunt.” Today, I have the boys point out any holiday decorations and pumpkins they spot along the way. (We counted eight pumpkins!)
8:00 AM
Abby arrives. She gets into the studio ahead of me to get the place warmed up. Machines on, tools out and organized, and elves at their workstations. (Oh, how I wish we had elves…)
8:15 AM
I arrive at the studio and the day officially begins!
8:30 AM
Email check. I review any questions or updates from clients and see if any orders have come in overnight. I also double-check which packages are coming in or out today. I make a note that an order is coming in from the casting house. Thank goodness, because I need to get those new pieces to the gallery.
8:45 AM
Accounting update. I prep invoices and reconcile receipts like a good business owner. Not the most fun part of the day, but very important.
9:00 AM
Voxer check-in with my marketing team. Jeana has finished editing the Instagram reel I filmed yesterday and is posting it today. She needs images of my newest pieces. Emily has finished up a new blog post and is waiting on edits from me. I add those to my to-do list.
9:30-11:30 AM
Studio time! Abby and I have our work cut out for us today. Four galleries have sold pieces and need their stock replenished for the holidays. I make sure each one receives a variety of gold and silver pieces. Plus, two galleries have sent me rings that were sold but need to be resized. Abby is a huge help with the resizing and putting the finishing touches on my production pieces.
12:00 PM
The doorbell rings. My new care cards, bio cards, and business cards have finally arrived! Just in time too - I was running dangerously low and I have packages shipping out today.
12:15 AM
Abby and I step outside to do a quick photoshoot of the pieces we’ve just finished. I send the new shots and video to Jeana to add to our Stories.
12:30 AM
Abby packages up the pieces we’ve just made, and the resized rings are shipped out directly to the client (with care cards included!)
1:00 PM
Abby heads out, and I realize I haven’t eaten lunch. I grab a quick sandwich while reading over that new blog post.
1:30 PM
Zoom check-in with Emily. We go over the blog edits as well as some pitch ideas for magazine articles. We also go over my schedule for tomorrow. I have an in-person coffee meeting with a client I need to prep for.
2-3:00 PM
A little solo studio time. I put on some music and get to work on a special commission project. This is my favorite part of the day as I watch a stunning new one-of-a-kind piece come to life.
But whoops. I forgot to turn on my camera. (Sorry, Jeana!) I quickly switch on the camera so I can be sure to have some footage.
3-3:00 PM
Restock inventory in the studio, clean, and prep for tomorrow. I also gather up some sample pieces for my client meeting tomorrow.
3:30 PM
Time for my daily ritual of anxiously awaiting the UPS delivery man. My castings and materials get here and I breathe a sigh of relief.
4:00 PM
Run to the post office to drop off the packages from earlier.
4:15 PM
Sit down at the computer to quickly input my new inventory into my software and print tags for the new pieces.
4:30 PM
The boys get home from school and it’s time to put down work and focus on family time. I always try to give the kids my complete attention while they are home. We play games, have dinner together, and read stories.
8:00 PM
Bedtime for the babies. Sleep tight! Mommy loves you!
8:30-9:00 PM
Quick email check-in. I answer client questions and review any requests from the galleries.
9:00 PM
Officially clock out and start prepping for tomorrow. Lunches/laundry/dishes…. You know the drill.
10:00 PM
Night Night!
2:54 AM
Inspiration strikes! I wake up thinking about logistics on one of my commission pieces. I can’t fall asleep again until I solve the problem in my brain, but then it’s back to bed to tackle it in the morning.
I’ll be back at it again tomorrow….
