Jewelry Making Daily : Jewelry Business

Join Us for Our Next Live Webinar: Launch Your Jewelry Business with Nina Cooper

TammyJones — Sat, 11 May 2013 20:54:00 GMT

Join Jewelry Making Daily for this month's "must-see" webinar with Nina Cooper, owner of jewelry-making supply company Nina Designs!

On Thursday, May 23, 11 am PT (12 noon MT, 1 pm CT, 2 pm ET), Nina will join us LIVE to talk about how she launched her business and how you can too with Launch Your Jewelry Business. (If you can't join us live, don't worry: By registering you will automatically receive a download of Nina's webinar within 48 business hours that you can save on your computer and watch as many times as you'd like, whenever you'd like!)

Nina will guide you through the two questions fundamental to starting your own creative business: Can I do it? and should I do it? Once you're willing to take the leap, Nina will encourage you and guide you with a business model that is sure to set you up for success as you begin to market and sell your unique jewelry designs.

In our webinar, you'll have an hour with Nina to ask her all of your questions and share your excitement or concerns. She'll make sure that you walk away with the tools you need for successful bookkeeping, pricing, branding and more.

If you are passionate about your art jewelry and ready to share it with the world, then join us for this live webinar and take your jewelry business to the next level! As Nina says, "Don't be afraid to make mistakes! Know what you want and go for it!" Register now!

About Nina Cooper: Nina Cooper is one of those lucky people who discovered her passion early in life. She sold beaded jewelry at her first craft show when she was just 10 years old and hasn't looked back since. When she started Nina Designs, she wanted to build a company where art and life could coexist with commerce. After 30 fabulous years, she is ready to share her expertise and help you launch your own successful jewelry business.

Cooper contributes regularly to many jewelry-related magazines including Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Beadwork and Stringing. She has also been published in American Cinematographer and Glamour Magazine. Cooper has also appeared twice as an expert guest on the PBS show Beads, Baubles & Jewels.

Earrings: Lovely to Make, Lovely to Give, But What a Pain to Photograph!

TammyJones — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:01:00 GMT

Earrings are one of my favorite pieces of jewelry to make for friends and family. They can be a little more difficult than other types of jewelry, since in general, you want them to look alike so you have to make a cute design and then make another one just like it (unless you're making fun asymmetrical earrings). But earrings always fit--no sizing required--and they're a friendly, fun gift to give. Rings require just the right size but also they seem a little too personal to make for a friend sometimes, and pendants usually need a chain, and bracelets also need a bit of sizing . . . etc. Earrings are just a fun, easy piece of jewelry to make and give.


*bad: flat earrings*

But not, unfortunately, to photograph. I've had this issue for years, and I think I've narrowed down the crux of it: earrings are always moving (dangly earrings on ear wires, of course--not studs on posts). They don't look right when they're flat in a photo, because you can't see how they pretty they look when they're hanging. But when you hang them on a prop--a cord, the edge of a cup, etc.--they usually move. It seems like they have some sort of kinetic energy about them that keeps them moving long after they should be still, even just a tiny bit--and that tiny bit is enough to make it hard to get a good photo.

We also run into background and focus issues when we hang earrings, because you want the earrings to show up pretty and crisp but the background to sort of fade away. Getting that focus just right can be difficult, especially using a camera's manual focus settings, and you'll probably have to use a pretty fast shutter speed to get everything you want in focus to be in focus considering how earrings are prone to sway when hung. So we're back to the movement issue.


	*bad: lint, reflections, and blur*

Hanging earrings on the rim of glasses is a popular prop I see in online stores like Etsy and such--I've done it myself--but even that brings up its own issues for good jewelry photography, because you have a reflection to deal with. Plus it's hard to get a glass sooo clean that no smudges or bits of lint show up in the photo, creating photo editing work. As the kids say, ain't nobody got time for that! Even using an opaque cup like a teacup will avoid the smudge and lint issue, but the earrings' natural sway is still an issue.


*better: fitting background, earring support*

My workaround became a more solid prop that would allow them to hang but also support their entire length, preventing even the tiny movements that can thwart your good photo and focus: a peach.

Peaches fit my brand (Southern Baubelles--and what's more southern than peaches?), have the shape I needed to support earrings, and have beautiful color and very fine texture that are not too much, that enhance the earrings but not overpower them. I sometimes also used apples, but I've decided to stick with peaches because they fit my brand so well. My photos aren't professional perfection now by any means, but I'm much happier with these latter ones than I was with the flat, linty ones!


	*better: colorful, supportive prop, no blur*

And no, they aren't real peaches and apples; I bought a few very good faux ones in the floral department of a craft store. I just have to remember to use the same holes again and again, whenever possible; otherwise my peaches will get hole-filled and I'll have to buy more. Easy to remember. Otherwise, I haven't found a down side! But it took me quite a bit of trial and error to discover what worked for me. I tried glasses and cups, sand, pebbles, moss and Spanish moss (again, sticking with the Southern theme), rocks, branches, and I don't even remember what all else. If only I'd had an expert to give me some tips and advice and save me all that experimenting . . .

Whether for your online stores, jury applications, shop or booth art, promotional materials, or whatever, good photography is essential to presenting your jewelry in its best possible light and succeeding at your jewelry business. To learn the best ways to photograph all of your jewelry, take advantage of our favorite expert photographer's years of tips and techniques by getting Jim Lawson's How to Photograph Your Jewelry and How to Photograph Your Jewelry: Beyond the Basics in a special DVD bundle (or instant download video bundle). They're paired up now at a special price if you buy both in this handy and informative photography bundle! Jim is the man behind all of the amazing jewelry and gem photography you see in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist as well as some photography in Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry and many of our other books, magazines, and other products. He specializes in gem and jewelry photography, and he's sharing his years of expertise with you in his photography video workshops. You spend so much time making beautiful jewelry--don't you owe it a beautiful photograph?

Jewelry Photography: How to Take Great Photos and Share Them Wisely

TammyJones — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 06:27:00 GMT

Do you know about our Net Profits blog? Cathleen McCarthy writes on a range of jewelry business topics, including selling jewelry online, a variety of jewelry and inventory software, using websites and social media to build your brand online, and other web- and technology-related jewelry business topics. In this post, Cathleen reviews how to get images of your work seen by more people using online photo sharing sites. --Tammy

Before you share your photos, make sure they're as good as they can possibly be. Expanding on his first best-selling video workshop, Jim Lawson is back with How to Photograph Your Jewelry: Beyond the Basics. Pre-order your DVD now to receive it as soon as its available, or instantly download the video in hi-def if you need it now!

At the Drawing Board: Advice from a Fine Jewelry Designer

TammyJones — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 08:56:00 GMT

I've been very lucky to have generous mentors throughout my career who've shared their wisdom about jewelry making, metalsmithing, jewelry design, and gemstones. For the past decade, much of what I've learned about fine jewelry design and the jewelry business has come from my dear friend Chuck Bowman, who works in the product development area at Stuller.


	Chuck Bowman

Chuck occasionally shares his sketches with me, and seeing how he draws images from multiple angles has helped me remember, when I'm making a piece of jewelry, to consider design principles like balance and unity. Even a simple thing, like how he divides some of his sketches with a dotted line to maintain symmetry, helped me improve my own attempts at sketching all the jewelry ideas that flit through my mind (it's no secret that I can't draw). In addition to jewelry design, he has a strong understanding of the jewelry business, having grown up in the industry, so I figured it was time I shared some of his wisdom with all of you. Enjoy!

JMD: What role does drawing have in your work as a fine jewelry designer?

Chuck: "Sketching is the aesthetic foundation of 90% of our initial concept work. CAD and various fabrication methods quickly come into play but hand-drawing is quick, efficient and experimental in nature. There are certainly ideas that need to get into CAD sooner rather than later because the software is better at some early tasks. But most of the time, concepts are first developed on paper."

JMD: How important do you feel your ability to draw is to the success of your new jewelry designs?

Chuck: "It's been important for a couple of reasons. One, whether first blocking in rough proportions and the overall feel of a design--or refining the detail and flow of a line--sketching is often more efficient than other approaches. Second, in a design environment it's naturally much more effective to communicate both verbally and visually. Particularly when defining and demonstrating subtle details, being able to sketch is obviously useful.

"Even so, I'd definitely encourage designers who don't feel they draw well to practice and make the most of what they have to work with. It's a cliché in this digital age that some of the world's most successful designers and mentors across numerous fields lament the loss of drafting skills in education and in 'professional' practice. Technology is brilliant and irreplaceable for what it does well. So are talented eyes, minds and hands."

JMD: You come from a family of jewelers spanning multiple generations and grew up in your grandfather's jewelry shop. Was drawing a large part of your childhood or was it more of a hands-on learning environment? Did your grandfather and other jewelers in your family sketch jewelry designs or design them "live," right at the bench?

Chuck: "Most designs were worked out at the bench when I was growing up. Ironically, I've been both drawing and working with jewelry since I was a small child but didn't marry the two and get serious about jewelry design until I was in my twenties. I simply didn't understand the possibilities before then."

JMD: Many designers say they are inspired by nature. Are you? What else inspires your jewelry designs?

Chuck: "Once I get my head into the right place, I gather ideas and possibilities from almost anything. I spend a lot of time in left brain mode, so it generally takes a deliberate effort to put myself into that creative 'design space.' Once I do, I see things everywhere that I find interesting kindling for the design process."

JMD: How do you capture and manage the inspirational imagery that you see--sketch in a book, snap a photo, or...?

Chuck: "If something very specific occurs to me, I may sketch just enough in the moment to record the idea but I prefer to just make a mental note to draw from later."

JMD: What do you believe is the most important skill a jewelry designer needs in order to be successful?

Chuck: "A head for business and market analytics. A person may be a brilliant designer, but they may find it a challenge to translate that proficiency into financial success without business skills and the ability to methodically discern what their market wants and is willing to pay for. Aesthetic sensibilities, a thorough understanding of jewelry, a personal vision, and so much more . . . those are all critical, but you asked what was most important."

JMD: How do you determine which designs will succeed in the jewelry marketplace and which won't? Is it just a matter of taste or are there specific skills that help you? Do you design toward trends?

Chuck: "Taste is an element of it but mostly it's all the left brain stuff.

"Studying the obvious facts of past and present trends is critical, of course, but what's key is trying to understand the durability of styling--its lifecycle--why it's doing well or why not. For example, does this [trend] really have a reason to exist or is it just new for newness' sake? If you can accurately answer that and similar questions, you have a much greater chance of making sound product development decisions and anticipating what's going to happen next in trends.

"On the other hand, occasionally a design is simply so fresh, appealing and well-done that you're pretty sure it almost can't fail. But that's rare. Mostly it's the analytics I mentioned above guiding the aesthetic and merchandising decisions."

JMD: I say that I make rather than design jewelry, because I feel I can't draw. Do you have any advice for those of us who feel we can't draw but who want to design jewelry?

Chuck: "First, there are plenty of people that draw far better than I do. Talent, if we want to call it that, is obviously a continuum. And I'd repeat what I mentioned above about drawing, even if you feel you're not great at it and making the most of (and improving) what you can do. Many people underestimate how functional they can become at drawing if they'd just push themselves.

"Also please realize that most of my answers herein reflect work within a larger company and a very specific product development effort. In my retail years (and certainly in my personal work), there have been countless times I began designs at the bench, not at the drawing board. An idea isn't a design until it's fixed in some tangible form. That means we need to get it out of our heads and onto paper, into the computer, into wax or metal--whatever. However best works for you, but find a way to explore and define your idea.

"I'm sure you'd agree, Tammy, most of the time the idea evolves along the way-whether I'm sketching on paper or you're hammering on metal, when we first begin, we rarely know exactly where we'll end up. It's completely legitimate to follow that exploratory path in whatever medium works best for you.


All sketches/designs are copyright Stuller 2011-2012.

JMD: Do you have any serendipitous design moments you can share?

Chuck: "One of my favorites: Years ago I was working with a close partner, Terrell Vincent (an amazing, brilliant CAD guy and accomplished designer in his own right) on a new solitaire collection that involved some really subtle geometry--very much a 'God is in the details' project. We hit a rhythm with the back and forth refinements and prototypes we were working through--I would meet with him for an hour or two a day, review the progress, ask him what he thought about how it was coming and so on.

"We were getting really close to the solution and a growing understanding of the relationships between several very interdependent elements of the design. As the discussions progressed, we were eventually completing each other's sentences and I knew he was going to rock it that night. And he did.

"The next day when I stopped back by, I asked him where we were. He got this pleased, almost amused look and said: 'It just all came together. It's like it's what it was supposed to be.'

"All sound design has that potential--to be what it's supposed to be--and it's our job to find it. Design is a problem to be solved. While it's important to push hard to understand the issues and to put forth the effort, if you know what you're doing and you still find you're trying too hard to make it work, it often means the concept isn't really that sound in the first place."

JMD: Now the most important question of all: pencil or pen?

Chuck: "Pen. For 20 years, 95% of the initial design concepts I've done for Stuller have been done with 15-cent Paper Mates."

If you'd like to improve your own drawing skills, master art jewelry design basics like creating highlights and shadows, and get expert help in the fundamentals of drawing common shapes and details, consider subscribing to Drawing magazine. The lessons you'll learn will help you transfer your jewelry design ideas from your mind to your sketchbook and then to reality!

Jewelry Business: Net Profits Advice for Creating Your Own Jewelry Website

TammyJones — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Do you know about our Net Profits blog? Cathleen McCarthy writes the Net Profits column in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist and an exclusive web-extra blog to accompany it for Jewelry Making Daily. Net Profits is all about jewelry business: selling your handmade jewelry (in person at fairs, in shops, or online); navigating the world of social media to help promote your jewelry-selling efforts; maintaining your own jewelry-business website and/or blog; and other topics of interest to anyone who wants to turn their jewelry-making hobby into a full- or part-time business. Here's a good one for those of you interested in creating your own jewelry-selling website. Enjoy! --Tammy

Jewelry Business: Setting Up Your Own Handmade Jewelry Website
by Cathleen McCarthy


	*Cathleen's website.*

How much will a website cost you? It really depends on how complicated you want to get, how much functionality you need, and how much time and patience you have for web-based puzzles. Your options include:

Setting up a DIY site. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that putting up a basic site on Wordpress is not complicated. I set up my site by myself and it didn't cost a dime. If I can do it, anyone can. However, I wasn't really trying to establish a brand or appeal to a specific market (in your case, a customer base). If you already have a presence on Etsy or other marketplaces, it may be worth paying a bit to have someone develop a consistent look and logo.

If you go it alone, you'll need to have your site hosted. Many people opt for GoDaddy, the popular one-stop shop for buying and parking domains. But if you're in it for the long haul, you'll find a more user-friendly interface and better customer service with Blue Host or HostGator. I host The Jewelry Loupe through my husband, but I'm in the process of setting up my own hosting through HostGator. They're pretty easy to reach by phone and don't make me feel like an idiot when I ask dumb questions.

After you have your domain hosted, log into your control panel and ask it to recognize the platform you're using. After I registered with Wordpress, for example, I logged in to my control panel, clicked on Wordpress, and followed the steps. (If you use Wordpress and plan to add E-commerce to your site, by the way, make sure the to establish your site on Wordpress.org, not the original Wordpress.com, which does not allow commercial use.)


*I also created my own jewelry website, Southern Baubelles, using a simple template from GoDaddy's Website Tonight options. -Tammy*

Adding a shopping cart. Adding a shopping cart function to your jewelry business site can be as simple as installing a plug-in and setting up PayPal, but you might want a little help with integration. If you know from the get-go that your main objective is to sell jewelry directly from your site and you can't afford to have an e-shop designed from scratch, consider starting with a ready-made template designed for that purpose. There are free templates (or themes as Wordpress calls them) available, but some "premium themes" can be had for the cost of a dinner out. As an example, $39 buys you access to all the Elegant themes, including this lovely eStore.

Read on for the rest of Cathleen's blog about creating a jewelry business website.

Clearly, great photography is key to having a successful jewelry-selling website and presenting your handmade jewelry in the most eye-catching, appealing, accurate way. Learn great tips and instruction for taking eye-catching photographs of your jewelry in our popular DVD, How to Photograph Your Jewelry. It's on sale now in the Jewelry Making Daily Shop Fall Sales Event!

Want more? Read all the Net Profits blogs, including a great one on Pinterest for jewelry artists.

CATHLEEN MCCARTHY is a freelance writer whose stories on design, travel and business have appeared in Town & Country, AmericanStyle, Art & Antiques, Washington Post, and her own site, The Jewelry Loupe.

NET PROFITS appears regularly in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Learn more about promoting your jewelry with your own website in "A Site of Your Own," March 2012.

Part Two: Patina and Texture, a Jewelry Maker's Essential Tools by Ronna Sarvas Weltman

TammyJones — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:08:00 GMT

Editor's note: Ronna Sarvas Weltman is a contributing editor for Step by Step Wire Jewelry and author of Ancient Modern: Polymer Clay and Wire Jewelry. She teaches workshops in polymer clay and wire jewelry making. Ronna creates artisan jewelry using sterling and fine silver, semiprecious gemstones, metal clay, polymer clay, glass, bone, leather, resin, and found objects. Her regular column in Step by Step Wire Jewelry focuses on topics at the front of every jewelry-maker's mind--from the principles of design to interviews with leading wire jewelry artisans, from how to sell jewelry online to how to create patina and texture, which is excerpted here (part two) from the Step by Step Wire Jewelry April/May 2011 issue. (Read part one here.)


Cavegirl's Bling by Ronna Sarvas Weltman features polymer clay with even and freeform copper wire coiling patinated with liver of sulfur.

Ronna's Favorite Patina Tips

Although I've used books about patina effects on metals, my favorite source is the Patina Basics: Safe Color Solutions for Metalsmiths DVD by Tim McCreight. I thought I was pretty savvy about patinas, but I learned lots of new tricks from watching it. McCreight is a good-humored and engaging instructor and, best of all, his techniques are easily accomplished by even the newest and most inexperienced metalsmiths.

Creating jewelry is a mix of art and science, and that is particularly true when examining the application of patinas, where temperature, humidity, metals composition, hidden impurities, and a little serendipity and voodoo all affect results. And patinas can change over time. McCreight tells students that the first step in understanding the process is to let go of expectations, since results will be different--and slightly unpredictable--every time. "You won't get what you choose," he explains. "First thing is, I celebrate this! This is the point. If you want a fixed color, go to the paint store."

Although many traditional silversmith and jewelry-making techniques focus on mastering the process so that the jeweler is always in control, that mindset needs to be discarded when working with patina. "There are lots of places where we recognize this," he adds. "An old leather jacket or briefcase has a rich patina of age. It's a natural living thing, so leather gets seasoned with age. We see it in wood, old furniture, even blue jeans. We need to bring that understanding with us into the patina studio. The challenge is to let go of traditional silversmith assumptions."

To fully take advantage of what he describes as the "richness in spontaneity and unknowing-ness of patinas," McCreight approaches the process more slowly. "Typically, we go through a long process. We design, experiment, fabricate, and attach findings. Our natural mindset is to slap some color on and we'll be done. I've learned to say 'That's it for today. I'll come back tomorrow when I'm fresh and can take on the patina process with the same legitimacy and patience I would do with any other process in making a piece.'"

McCreight points out that it's useful to know that in the patina process, you can undo just about everything. "What's the worst that can happen?" he asks. "Just go back to where you started, and scrub it clean again. That might be part of the process. Instead of thinking 'I don't really like it, but it's good enough,' go back again. Start with the idea that 'I'm going to work on this piece of metal four or five times. If it's only two times, I'm ahead of the game.' Attitude is the thing. It has nothing to do with chemistry; rather, it's what's in your head when you approach it."


*Beaducation.com's texturing hammer has nine interchangeable faces.*

Texturing Wire and Metal Tips
Texturing wire is remarkably easy (and if you like to bang away at metal, it's surprisingly satisfying in a cathartic sort of way). I do most of my texturing with a ball-peen hammer, striking the wire from different angles to achieve a harmonious irregularity. Keep in mind that as you're texturing, you're also work-hardening your wire. Most of the time this is a good thing, but it's sensible to plan your steps in advance so that you harden your wire when you want it stiffened, and not before. For instance, if you plan to make a textured neck wire or ear wires, bend the raw wire into roughly the shape you want and then texture. That way it's easier to control the final shape as you texture.

Using Texturing Hammers
I'm intrigued with the ever-increasing array of texturing hammers that makes it easier for wire jewelers to achieve varied designs on their wire. Fretz makes a texturing hammer with a "raw silk" effect that is lovely and sublime. At Beaducation.com, you can find a texturing hammer with nine interchangeable faces. Beaducation offers many free online instructional videos on their site to help customers get the most from their tools, and this one is no exception. Watch instructor Lisa Niven Kelly as she demonstrates and offers tips about the various interchangeable faces.


	Wire Coiling Chart from Ancient Modern: Polymer Clay + Wire Jewelry by Ronna Sarvas Weltman.

Wirework: Creating Wire Coil Textures
Coiling is another way to add beautiful texture to wire. Tight, even coiling can impart an elegantly controlled, symmetrical aesthetic to your wire. Freeform coiling will add energy and spontaneity to a design. One of the challenges of coiling wire is determining how much wire you will need to coil over a length of base wire. Many jewelry designers use rough estimation based on experience, but that can lead to wasted wire if you've cut off too much, or--even more frustrating--running out of wire before you've finished the amount of coiling you wish to do. It can be particularly tricky because the size of the base wire and the size of the coiling wire affect the length of wire needed. The Wire Coiling Chart will help you determine how much wire you need when making uniform coils.

Texture and patina can often play the same role in our jewelry that seasonings and spices play in our cooking. They add resonance, depth, a little mystery, making our senses tingle with satisfaction. It's all about beauty--making it, enjoying it, and ultimately sharing it.

For more great wire, metal, and mixed-media jewelry articles by author and jewelry designer Ronna Sarvas Weltman, subsrcibe to Step by Step Wire Jewelry.

People Are Talking About...The Best of 2011 on Jewelry Making Daily

TammyJones — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:09:00 GMT

Gosh we had fun last year, didn't we? We did lots of wirework and metalsmithing, a little chain maille (ahem), metal clay of all kinds, and lots and lots of mixed-media jewelry, using fun jewelry-making materials such as enamel, resin, fibers, found objects, and even paper. We created great new how-to videos about working with metal (I loved those brass bangles) and wire, participated in an extremely fun bead soup blog party, learned an amazing new electroforming technique, played along with the Project Accessory show, and so much more.

Last year also marked my one-year anniversary in this fabulous job; we talked about Jewelry Making Daily's most popular posts ever--so far--back then, but what about the ones that really got you talking? I treasure your comments and feedback, so here's a look back at our most commented stories of 2011.


	*My Bead Soup Blog Party Necklace*

Bead Soup Blog Party
I participated in my first blog party last year and I can't wait for the next one. It was a great exercise in making jewelry outside my comfort zone using materials I wouldn't normally use, and I was very happy with the creative ideas that surfaced during the process--which were encouraged and confirmed by your great feedback! This post got by far the most comments of any Jewelry Making Daily post ever. Thank you for sharing!

Handcrafted Jewelry Tips and Tricks from Bead Soup Blog Party Participants
One of my favorite posts all year, I learned so much blog hopping to see the amazing transformations made by jewelry designers like you, using beads and findings sent to them in the bead swap. I'm continually amazed at the talent shown by literally hundreds of jewelry designers online every day. Have I mentioned that I love my job?


Making Perfect Bezels. Photo by Wendi Beauford.

Creating Perfect Bezels
This hot topic started on our forums and caught my eye. Lexi Erickson, our soldering queen extraordinaire, offered great advice for creating perfect bezels for your jewelry designs. See what jewelry-making tool is the secret to her success and had everyone talking.

Selling Jewelry Online and Taking Great Photos
How to sell your jewelry online, how to get started with a home jewelry business, how to market it, how to photograph your jewelry--these were all hot topics in 2011 and I'm sure they'll continue to be!

My Chain Maille Adventure
Despite several tries, I've come to terms with the idea that chain maille jewelry just isn't for me--but it sure is just the thing for many of you! It's a fascinating jewelry technique to me, and I was so encouraged by all of your comments and tips.


	My beloved wire cutters, after. Now when the blades are closed, the holes glare at me like the snaggly teeth of a jack-o'-lantern.

Ode to My Ruined Wire Cutters: Making Found Object Jewelry
I learned the most while writing about how I ruined my beloved wire cutters and doing research to ensure I knew why it happened and how to avoid repeating it. I was happy to get your comforting comments and also so happy to see that you found my research helpful!

Trash-to-Treasure Jewelry Make-Along
I had a great time making jewelry along with the first few episodes of Project Accessory, and it was fun to post a jewelry design-in-progress and let you help me decide how to finish it.

Look at all the fun we had! And there was so much more. One of my favorite parts of 2011 on Jewelry Making Daily was the cool new eMags we released, including Live Wire and Everyday Bracelets--and now they're available on iTunes! Our eMags are comprehensive resources packed with fun and stylish jewelry projects, tips from your favorite expert jewelry makers and designers, and neat interactive features that changed the way we think about magazines forever, including live links, imbedded video tutorials, and zoomable photos. It's a fun new way to learn jewelry making, and we have more in the works for this year. If you haven't tried one of our eMags yet, don't miss out on all the fun!

Where Should You Sell Your Jewelry?

TammyJones — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:14:00 GMT

by Ronna Sarvas Weltman (Originally published in Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry, Feb/March 2011)

Just about everybody who makes jewelry has thought about selling it. Although one obvious reason for selling jewelry is to make money, that isn't the only reason. Validation that your jewelry is desirable to others is another motivation. For many artists, interacting with buyers is an important part of the experience. Considering your motivations-and how you enjoy spending your time-is an important part of the puzzle you need to ponder before deciding how and where to sell your jewelry.


Facere Jewelry Art Gallery in Seattle,WA; photos courtesy of Facere Jewelry Art Gallery.

Selling Your Jewelry in a Gallery
Karen Lorene owns Facere Jewelry Art Gallery in Seattle. She points out why it is a beneficial career move for an artist to have his or her jewelry marketed in a gallery. "The biggest reason," she explains, "is we give them exposure. We give them tons of exposure online. In the end, people still want to touch it. A lot of our customers check us out first on our website and then come in with a list of what they want to look at. The other thing we do is we advertise a lot, to an extent that an individual would be hard pressed to do. Our advertising budget is $50,000 to $80,000 a year. Most artists don't have that ability to get the kind of exposure that comes with that advertising."

Acquiring prestige is another reason to sell your work in a gallery. Because Facere is nationally recognized as a high-end venue for art jewelry, it is a public relations asset to sell your jewelry there. "We just published a book and will be publishing another in the spring," says Lorene. "We publish a literary magazine. That opens up a whole audience that would be difficult for an individual without gallery representation. There's a stature that comes with being chosen. There is a lot of great work out there, but the perception might not be as strong if it is not publicly viewed. We try to place work in museum collections and private collections. Whenever we have new work or a special showing, we're in touch with as many major collectors in the country as we can find."

Many artists are shy about marketing their own work, and Lorene is sensitive to that. "The artist's job is to make jewelry," she explains. "Our job is to sell. We're clear about that. That's why we're here. Many artists feel hesitant about talking up their own jewelry. We don't! We take care of hustling in every possible way we can think of."


	Earrings by Jan Raven: Argentium sterling silver and 14k gold-filled wire; photo by Larry Sanders.

Selling Your Jewelry at Art and Craft Shows
But talking up their own jewelry is not uncomfortable for every jewelry maker, and the thrill of connecting with and building relationships with customers can be intensely rewarding-and fun. The first time wire jewelry artist Jan Raven sold jewelry, she set up a tiny table at a folkdance with a small Christmas sale. "Because people were admiring things I was making and I was making more than I could give away, I decided I'd set up table and sell a few things. It was very informal, low key, low stress, with very little overhead other than making the pieces. I had maybe fifteen items and sold five or six pieces. There were about forty people there. There was great feedback, even from people who didn't buy. I got a lot of positive feedback that they liked what they saw. It was just an affirmation my work was likeable by a wide variety of people. Without that initial positive feedback, I might not have continued on the journey."

Raven spent the next year exploring making new jewelry and new techniques and started investigating venues to sell her work. When she did sign up to sell at a local show, she had no idea what it would be like. "I recruited a few friends to sit with me," she explains. "I didn't know if I could do it myself or if I would be bored, so I asked friends as moral support. I had relatively decent sales considering I didn't know what I was doing. But I got positive feedback and decided to do five or six shows that first year."

Raven gradually discovered she liked being at art shows. "I enjoy talking to people about my background, about how I got into it, and about my work. I've never been an interact-with-the-public type of person, but for some reason at art shows I was very outgoing and enjoyed it thoroughly. And I enjoyed talking to the other artists and my neighbors on either side at shows. I was such a newbie that first year, and my neighbors helped me out whenever they could."

Raven has found that she markets her products by marketing herself. Almost all of her sales are from people who have seen her work previously. They might not purchase it initially, but often they'll buy it later and then become repeat customers. "I think that people who buy individually made items really appreciate getting to know the artist. At art shows people aren't just buying jewelry, they're buying a little piece of me. They find it fascinating."


Bracelet by Lorelei Eurto: brass with polymer clay beads by Pam Wynn; photo by Lorelei Eurto.

Selling Your Jewelry Online: Etsy
Online sites like Etsy provide a venue for selling jewelry directly to customers. Lorelei Eurto is enthusiastic about her experiences selling via the Internet.

"Etsy is more of an addiction than anything else," she explains. "Every day, I spend the first hour of my day listing my newest jewelry from the beading session the night before. It has become so much of a daily routine that it feels almost uncomfortable if I'm not able to. I do a lot of shopping on Etsy. It has become sort of a thrill of the hunt, especially if I can get my hands on the newest art beads and be the first to use them in my designs."

Because Etsy is so easy to use, it is a good option for hobbyists as well as professionals. Eurto thinks it is a great opportunity for anyone starting a jewelry business. "I would highly recommend opening an Etsy store if you are just starting a jewelry business," she explains. "Etsy does everything for you, allows for detailed descriptions, allows you to add appropriate tags for premium searching, allows you to upload five pictures for each piece of jewelry. And with the fairly small commission that they make, it makes it hard to refuse this type of selling. For each listing, I pay twenty cents, and they take three percent of every sale."

Eurto is disciplined about listing regularly and marketing her new listings online. "It is essential to list often on Etsy to get your items viewed on a regular basis. The more you list, the more your items end up at the top of the queue, and when people search the newest listing under jewelry, necklace, bracelet, or earrings, they are seeing your designs at the top of the list. If you can't list once a day, I would recommend at least renewing items, at least one per day. Typically after listing each jewelry item in my shop, I also upload my photos to Flickr, in addition to uploading photos to Facebook and Twitter. Now with easy links on each listing in Etsy, you can 'share' your items on a variety of different online venues, which increases your visibility even more."

Prior to the onset of the computer age, selling in galleries or stores and selling at art and craft shows were the most common options for selling jewelry. The Internet has now ushered in a third option, which is selling online. Each model has its assets and drawbacks. Generally speaking, what works best often has more to do with the artist's personality, preferences, and circumstances than any obvious advantages of one model over another. --RSW

To learn more about selling your jewelry online--especially taking great photos--get The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos by Heidi Adnum. It's packed full of information on photography basics such as light, camera settings (shutter speed, aperture, and more), styling and props, backgrounds and composition, and photography equipment such as light boxes and diffusers. It incudes several chapters on photo editing, finishing, and storage, as well as the business of selling: branding, marketing, and social networking. Best of all, it includes information and tips from dozens of successful crafters who share specific information for photographing and selling jewelry online.

Helen's Top Tips for Aspiring Metalworkers: A Jewelry Expert's Metalsmithing Dos and Don'ts

TammyJones — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 06:25:00 GMT

I meet people on a regular basis who want to learn metalsmithing and other jewelry fabrication techniques, and I'm fortunate to always have a wealth of resources to share with them. One such resource is Helen Driggs, senior editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine and host of best-selling jewelry-making Metalsmith Essentials series DVDs, including Basic Fabrication, Textures and Patinas, and Riveting and Cold Connections.

In addition to those, Helen is also a metalsmithing teacher. Former Beading Daily editor Kristal Wick interviewed Helen awhile back to find out Helen's advice for aspiring metalworkers. Kristal confessed that metals are excciting and alluring to her--me too!--but also intimidating. Many folks are intimidated by taking that leap, but Helen shared great information and metalsmithing tips that I wanted to share with you, too--especially for all of you who have vowed to go beyond stringing or wirework to metalsmithing in the New Year! You can do it! Here's how.

Kristal: What's your best advice for anyone who wants to begin working in metal?

Helen: The most important thing I did was take a 10-week Jewelry and Metals class at the The University of The Arts in Philadelphia. It gave me a firm foundation in all of the basics, plus I learned to solder, use the shop tools properly, and I had access to open-studio time to continue working after hours. That time was invaluable, because I was able to see what the metals majors were working on, ask lots of questions, and I was exposed to many techniques and metalworking disciplines that weren't covered in my basics class, such as blacksmithing, enameling, forging, and casting. Seeing that work going on helped me to decide what I wanted to pursue in my own work. Plus, art school is just a kick!

Kristal: Do you have any Dos and Don'ts for the aspiring metalworker?

Helen: DON'T buy every tool just because it is there. Buy what you need, as you need it, or as you learn how to use it. Buy it if you are certain you need that tool at least once a week. It's really better to have lots of metal than lots of tools! Although I seem to have lots and lots of tools...

DO take every class or workshop you possibly can, according to your interests. Being a good metalworker is based on skill building: each thing you learn builds on what you have already learned. Even if you don't want to go in the specific direction the class is focused on, be open to learning what that teacher can show you. Pay attention and commit to making the object you are learning to make to the best of your ability. Do it the way the teacher shows you. Take a lot of notes and ask the teacher for more information. Then, you can freelance later at home.

DON'T work too far above your skill level, because you will only become frustrated. Sure, everybody wants to make complex, well-designed, interesting, and beautiful pieces with gold and precious metal. But first you need to be a competent fabricator, be able to solder well, use your tools like an expert, know how to set stones, and work in several metals to do that. The best thing to do is practice a technique without a thought of making a piece of jewelry. Work in copper or brass. Get good at sawing, forming, and soldering. When you perform a specific task over and over, you'll eventually have what it takes to make nice jewelry. Make twenty bezels just for the sake of learning. It's worth it. "Go slow and get them all" is my motto.

DO read everything you can to learn about techniques. There are literally millions of ways you can go with metal. It's your job as an artist to find your way. Once you find a technique you like, try making 5 or 10 pieces using that technique to build a body of work with a logical progression. Eventually, you'll figure out where to go next.

DON'T give up. If a piece stonewalls you, set it aside for awhile and start something else. Eventually, through good work and practice, an idea to solve the problem on the set- aside piece will spring up. All artists have blocks—it is a natural part of the cycle of creativity. I always have four or five works running at once. Breaking away to do something different is often just what I need to help me go back to address a problem in another work.

DO try something spontaneous once in awhile. Creativity is really just play. Just take out a hammer and a sheet of copper and see what happens. Or, find a project in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist and give it a whirl. If you don't have the exact materials, do the best you can with what you have. Remember—you are learning, so no effort is wasted. --Helen

Learn More About Metalsmithing with Helen
So if you're ready to embark on a metalsmithing adventure and learn more, get Helen's first DVD, Metalsmith Essentials: Basic Fabrication (or download it instantly). Through nine lessons, Helen walks you through the steps to get started with metal jewelry fabrication, including sawing, filing, hammering, forging, texturing, and more. You'll learn about metalsmithing safety, metal jewelry-making tools, and the fundamentals behind making jewelry out of silver as well as alternative metals brass and copper. She also shares how to punch and drill holes in metal, cold connections, metal stamping, money- and metal-saving tips, fold-forming techniques, and how to properly finish your designs. It's a truly comprehensive metalsmithing introduction!

Even More Metalsmithing
Still want more? We've gathered all of our best metalsmithing information and resources in one convenient spot. Think of it as your go-to resource for metalsmithing and bookmark the Metalsmithing page!

How to Sell Jewelry: Tips for Your Home-Based Jewelry Business and Selling Jewelry Online

TammyJones — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 06:39:00 GMT

What a dream to be able to make money doing something that you love to do: making and selling jewelry. Even if you don't want selling handmade jewelry to become your full-time career, it's gratifying to design your own handcrafted jewelry, offer it for sale, and for people to buy it! In our new eBook, How to Sell Jewelry: Tips for Selling Jewelry Online and Improving Your Home-Based Jewelry Business, you'll get expert, manageable tips from successful jewelry business owners that will help you learn how to sell your jewelry.

How to sell handmade jewelry is a question that I get asked very often, second only to how to price jewelry (which we'll get to in a minute). The key to starting a home jewelry business is to decide what you want to achieve. Do you just want to make money selling jewelry on the side? Or do you want to start a home-based jewelry business? Then, do you want your jewelry-making business to be boutique-based, or do you prefer selling jewelry online--or both? After you've answered those questions, you need to know how to sell your jewelry to complete a plan of action for a successful business.

You can learn all of that in our new eBook, How to Sell Jewelry: Tips for Selling Jewelry Online and Improving Your Home-Based Jewelry Business. You'll learn how to sell handmade jewelry, make a profit, and have fun, all at the same time! Plus how to use social media (Twitter and Facebook) to sell jewelry online (or in a brick-and-mortar store--yes, social media online can help you sell your jewelry in traditional stores!), how to price your jewelry, and what SEO (search engine optimization) is, and how to use it to your advantage.

Here's a quick recap of some of the essential jewelry-selling tips and information you'll learn in the free jewelry-selling guide.

How to Sell Your Jewelry Using Facebook by Cathleen McCarthy
Facebook is loaded with easy and effective ways to help you reach potential customers, whether you're selling jewelry online or off, which Cathleen outlines for you. It's easy to share images and news about your jewelry on Facebook--you sharing with fans, fans with their friends, those friends with each other, and so on. You can freely share dozens, even hundreds of photos of your handcrafted jewelry, and nothing gets attention for selling jewelry online like great photographs.

How to Sell Your Jewelry Using Twitter by Cathleen McCarthy
Your Twitter profile is an extension of your handmade jewelry brand, and Cathleen's Twitter tips will help you put your best foot forward using it, ensuring that you keep your Twitter (and Facebook) presence fresh and engaging to potential customers. Show the world that you're a serious jewelry craftsman and tempt them with photos of your designs and news about sales and products--all of which equals free online marketing through social media.

How to Sell Your Jewelry by Improving SEO by Cathleen McCarthy
Cathleen explains the basics of what SEO is and how to use it to your advantage online, to increase visibility for your jewelry business. Learn what words to use to help potential customers find you and what to Google before you start. Will you use your own name or create a brand name under which to sell your handcrafted jewelry? What words should you use to describe your jewelry? How do you spread the word (via social media) about your jewelry after you've made it? Cathleen shows how to harness the power of the Internet to promote and grow your business.

How to Price Jewelry for Your Jewelry Business by Suzanne Wade
The most heated discussions I've ever seen regarding jewelry revolve around pricing--fairly and effectively. It's a very emotional process for jewelry makers, who've often spent hours--days, weeks, or months even--working on a piece of jewelry. When selling handmade jewelry, it's one thing to make a sale, but it's another thing to make a profit--and in order to make a profit, you have to recover the cost for all that time as well as the other costs involved in a handmade jewelry business, including materials and overhead costs. If you want your jewelry making to be a business and not just a hobby, you have to put aside the emotional attachment to your work. Suzanne has tips and ideas for profitable jewelry selling, including a simple equation to help you determine fair prices.

I wish I'd had all these simple but powerful jewelry-selling tips and ideas when I decided to sell my jewelry online. So don't hesitate, download your copy of How to Sell Jewelry: Tips for Selling Jewelry Online and Improving Your Home-Based Jewelry Business now and you'll be making money in no time!

Selling Handmade Jewelry Online: Tips for Great Photography

TammyJones — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 06:17:00 GMT

It doesn't matter how long you've been making jewelry and getting compliments on it from friends and strangers--it's still scary to sell your jewelry, to put your work out there for the world to see! I'll never forget the last few days before I opened my shop on Etsy. I'd been making jewelry to sell in it for weeks; I'd enlisted all my friends on Facebook to help me pick a "cute Southern name" (thanks for Southern Baubelles, Dawn!); and I'd been collecting unique props to use in the pictures. The fear and anticipation were intense!


*This sparkly gem with large flat facets was nearly impossible to photograph in sunlight, as you can see!*

After taking measurements and writing copy filled with important details and keywords to help searchers find my handmade jewelry, I set up a little photo studio at home and snapped away for hours. I'd spent the previous few years working in the e-commerce division of a jewelry company, so I knew the importance of getting good photos from multiple angles to give potential customers as much information about each piece as possible. I also knew that I needed to show the jewelry on a model as well as off.


	I love the bright red in my apple shots in the park.

Literally hundreds of photos later, I spent hours upon hours sorting, cropping, and tweaking photos. All that I thought I knew about photographing jewelry was true and helpful--but there was plenty I didn't know, such as how harshly bright sunlight glares on faceted gemstones and tanned skin (my beautiful mother served as my model) and how many little things show up that you don't want to see (such as lint and fingerprints--and whatever might be in the background that you forgot was there) when you're zooming in to show the little details that you do want to see (such as the luster of a pearl or the intricate details of a clasp). I ended up having to retake the photos for several pieces--sometimes more than once--learning by trial and error what worked and what didn't.

I learned which times of day provide the best light (early evening was bright enough for good photos but not so bright that reflections and glare were an issue--plus since it was summer in the South, we didn't have to suffer through the hottest part of the day!) and to shield my model with an umbrella when the light was still too bright (which also provided shade to keep her cool). I discovered that hanging earrings on a glass just caused too many reflections and finally found props I liked for earrings--peaches in spring and summer, apples in fall and winter. They kept with my Southern theme and were readily available for little expense.


Before I got a photo of my signature piece to look like this . . .		I had to go through all of this! Mother-of-pearl has such pretty iridescence, I worked hard to capture it along with the carving in the flower.


I loved the pretty sunset-like colors and Southern feel created by using a peach in my photos.

I also found the perfect outdoor place for taking photos; it was a picnic area in a national park near my house, with tall trees to diffuse the sunlight but still allow plenty of natural light on my jewelry. It has picnic tables made out of a neutrally colored material that was just dull enough not to reflect too much but shiny and textured enough to be interesting. The simple and neutral surface was the perfect contrast to shiny metals and colorful gemstones. The picnic tables provided seating for me and a photography tabletop surface all in one that were just the right height and size for me. It was also peaceful, pleasant, and breezy there, even in July, which allowed me to take photos for hours without getting tired or tired of it. The background was no longer an issue, either; I had tree bark, forest, and a creek to choose from.


	After photo editing and lighting practice, this one turned out just right--nice light, pretty skin, just enough shine, and gorgeous pops of color.

At times when hard light still created too much glare (such as on large shiny stones with large facets or flat surfaces), I employed a photography trick I learned from a gemstone photographer I had worked with: a simple piece of paper held over the jewelry blocks just enough light to prevent the glare.

For more tips and instructions for taking perfect photos of your jewelry (and other crafts), check out our new book The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos by Heidi Adnum. It's packed full of information on photography basics such as light, camera settings (shutter speed, aperture, and more), styling and props, backgrounds and composition, and photography equipment such as light boxes and diffusers--but it also has chapters devoted to specifically taking photos of various crafty subjects (which I know my cross-crafting friends among you will love), such as knitting and needlecrafts, purses and accessories, fabric and fashion, pottery, toys and dolls, home decor--and of course, jewelry! The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos ends with several chapters on photo editing, finishing, and storage, as well as the business of selling: branding, marketing, and social networking. Best of all, it includes information and tips from dozens of successful crafters who share our specific experiences in photographing and selling jewelry online.

How about you, have you learned any smart tips and tricks for photographing your jewelry? I'd love to hear in the comments below!

5 Tips for Marketing and Selling Your Handcrafted Jewelry

TammyJones — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 04:13:00 GMT

One of the questions that I get asked most often is, "How do I sell my jewelry?" Even though I've spoken to groups about selling jewelry online and it's something I've done myself for awhile now, there's always more to learn and changes to keep up with, be it in online marketing, social media, web stores, or search engine tactics--or all of the above.

Online sites like Etsy (where my shop is), ArtFire, and others make selling jewelry online very user friendly with simple, fill-in-the-blanks web store options, allowing everyone (even people with no website experience at all) to have an online shop to sell jewelry. In addition to the online store itself, they handle the billing, payments, and even some marketing for you. But there's so much more to selling your handmade jewelry than the transactions themselves--and what if you don't want to sell online at all, but at shows and in boutiques? There's still the branding, inventory, marketing, shipping, packaging and displays, photography, and more--not to mention actually creating the jewelry!


**Viki Lareau, author of Marketing and Selling Your Handmade Jewelry and owner of The Bead Factory**

There's a world of information about marketing and selling your jewelry online (or in stores and at craft or art shows) in Viki Lareau's book, Marketing and Selling Your Handmade Jewelry: The Complete Guide to Turning Your Passion into Profit. Here are a few thoughts, tips, and ideas I've excerpted from Lareau's book, just to get your wheels turning. . . .

1. The strung/beaded jewelry I sell online is made for a very specific customer with a very specific style. Most of it is simple and elegant, very feminine, classic and bordering on preppy. It's made for "girly girls" like me to wear with pretty dresses at parties in the summery South--at least that's the idea I have in my mind when I make it! My company name (Southern Baubelles), logo imagery (an antique iron fence at a plantation house in Louisiana), product images (earrings are shot on peaches, etc.), packaging (adorned with a paper flower and a mother-of-pearl button), and marketing copy (lots of "y'alls") are all a result of that very specific vision. According to Lareau, this is where to begin. "If you put all your jewelry out on a table and had to describe its look or style, what words would come to mind? Contemporary? Art Deco? Vintage? Ethnic? Edgy? Playful? Being able to define your style verbally and in writing is one of the first steps in building your jewelry business." Lareau emphasizes that clearly defining your style "determines who your typical customer is and will help you keep a clear focus. It's very difficult to sell a product if you don't know who you're selling it to. Your style will determine every decision you make about your business: the name, the logo, the promotional material you produce, the type of shows you do, the displays you create, the stores and galleries you approach."

2. Here's an exercise to get you started: "Try selling jewelry at a local craft show--the smallest show you can find, your church bazaar, your kid's school fair, or your town's local weekend market.. This type of show should be very inexpensive, $20 to $40 for a table or booth, so that you can at least make your fee back. Don't think of it as a money-making endeavor, though, but more as research. You need to really listen to folks, see which pieces they're commenting on, which they are ignoring. Many times the pieces that are not your personal favorites will be the most popular. Discover what styles resonate with the public. Even if you end up going for a different demographic, this experience will help you immensely in thinking about your professional path and what type of jewelry you want to focus on."


	*Viki recommends hosting a home jewelry party (marketed by postcards like these) to see how customers react to your pieces and to get started selling your handmade jewelry.*

3. Lareau's advice for selling beyond jewelry and craft shows or websites: "Creating a special niche for your jewelry . . . will give you unique and targeted marketing opportunities. For instance: If you do a line of semiprecious stone jewelry and choose to market on the healing properties of the stones, then you could approach New Age shows or stores. If you do floral themes in seed beading or precious metal clay (PMC), you can approach florists or floral shows. If you focus on jewelry for men, you can market your work to hip men's boutiques."

4. This one really speaks to me--it's something I have to remind myself regularly: "Don't overestimate your potential customer. You might go into a department store and see the simplest earrings on the rack for $45 and think 'I could make that.' Well, most people don't think that way. Most people want to buy their jewelry already made, and that's where you come in."

5. My biggest fear is that a piece will break while a customer is wearing it. Lareau stresses the importance of creating quality jewelry and recommends that you "wear any new designs yourself for a few days to see how the piece lies around the neck or on the wrist and how comfortable it is, so you can make any changes before you take that design to market."

This is just the tip of a very big iceberg! For more in-depth information about selling the jewelry you make, get Viki Lareau's book, Marketing and Selling Your Handmade Jewelry (in print, instant eBook download, or a print-and-eBook bundle for a great deal!). She provides proven practices and tips for pricing your work, selling at craft and art shows as well as wholesale jewelry selling, selling online and on eBay, marketing (online and otherwise)--and then managing your jewelry business once the ball gets rolling.

Lareau shares the stories behind independent jewelry brands that you've probably seen in stores, and you won't want to miss her own story about starting The Bead Factory with her husband and all of her successes, failures, and lessons learned along the way, including why you need to care whether celebrities are wearing jewelry. She also provides a great list of websites for selling online and resources for small businesses, too. It's a must-have resource for anyone interested in selling your handmade jewelry.

Do you sell your jewelry online or at craft shows? I'd love to know what works for you and what you don't recommend. Please share your tips and suggestions below!

Part One: Patina and Texture, A Jewelry Maker's Essential Tools by Ronna Sarvas Weltman

TammyJones — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 05:01:00 GMT

Ronna Sarvas Weltman is a contributing editor to Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry and author of Ancient Modern: Polymer Clay and Wire Jewelry. She regularly teaches workshops in polymer clay and wire jewelry making. Ronna creates artisan jewelry using sterling and fine silver, semiprecious gemstones, metal clay, polymer clay, glass, bone, leather, resin, and found objects. Her regular column in Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry focuses on topics at the front of every jewelry maker's mind--from the principles of design to interviews with leading wire jewelry artisans, from how to sell jewelry online to how to create patina and texture, a portion of which is excerpted here from the Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry April/May 2011 issue.


Cavegirl's Bling by Ronna Sarvas Weltman features even and freeform coiling. Copper wire, polymer clay, liver of sulfur patina.

Patina and Texture: A Jewelry Maker's Essential Tools
by Ronna Sarvas Weltman

Patina and texture are critical to jewelry design. Not every piece needs to have patina or texture, but no design process is complete without first examining the design to decide whether or not it will be enhanced with added patina or texture.

The first time I used liver of sulfur to add a patina to sterling silver beads, I was simply following instructions on the can. At that point I was a beginning and self-taught crafter. Since it was before the Internet age, I didn't have the luxury of online sites to watch the process in action before I did it. I dropped my beautiful sterling silver beads into the solution and then watched in horror as they turned dark black. Frustrated and disappointed, I discarded them. Only months later did I learn that I could have used steel wool, a green scouring pad, or some other type of abrasive to remove the extra black.

Liver of Sulfur Patina Tips
Since I'm now a sadder but wiser woman, I'll share some of my discoveries to successful patination with liver of sulfur.

■ You can put your metal into a warm or hot liver of sulfur solution and it will darken quickly, but the longer you leave it in, the less control you have over the color. So dip your piece into the solution and then pull it out again fairly quickly and rinse it off with water. Repeat this process again until you achieve the level of color you're looking for. Darkening in layers will also give you a more durable patina.

■ Patinas on textured wire and metal will bring out the complexity of the texture. To really get a nuanced effect, you'll have the most success by polishing the surface with an abrasive material but leaving the darker patina in the indentations.

■ Vary the direction you use with your abrasive pad or material as you remove the outer layer of patina. Also use circular strokes. That way you won't get annoying and distracting lines and ridges.

■ If you put copper into your liver of sulfur solution, it will affect the chemical balance of the solution. If you put silver into a solution that has already had copper dipped into it, you will find it turns a sort of yellowish color, and you may not be pleased with it. So either keep a separate solution for your silver or dip your copper after you've finished with your silver pieces. If you design a piece of jewelry that has silver and copper in it, and you want to add patina, you can add patina to the wire before you make the piece. Or you may be interested in Baldwin's Patina, a patina solution that colors copper without affecting nickel silver, sterling silver, or gold alloys. It is designed to give a gunmetal effect, so you don't get the multidimensionality you can get from a traditional liver of sulfur patina, but it's still a useful product if you're combining metals that are problematic when mixed together in liver of sulfur or other patina solutions.

■ Adding a drop of household ammonia to a liver of sulfur solution can make your results more colorful and therefore intriguing.

■ My other sadder-but-wiser woman story: The time I opened my can of liver of sulfur pebbles and discovered they had all congealed into one ugly, unusable lump. Even the tiniest amount of moisture can make the entire can degrade into a useless mass. It's a good idea to keep a small amount of liver of sulfur pebbles in a small airtight container and just refill that container when they are all used up. And keep your larger can stored in double plastic bags to keep out moisture.

Adding Patina to Copper With a Flame
The world of patina on wire is much larger than the effects you can get with liver of sulfur. I love using a flame on copper--the beautiful colors that emerge have the richness and variety of a blazing desert sunset. And speaking of copper, let's be frank, raw copper is not pleasing in finished jewelry. It needs to be finished with liver of sulfur, fire, or one of many other options in order to add richness. And happily, the reds and yellows in copper yield beautiful results with a variety of patinas.

Adding Patina to Small Areas
Varying the solutions and the metals they're applied to yields an infinite variety of colors and textures. If you're designing a piece where you only want to add patination to a small area, Midas Liver of Sulfur XL Gel can be convenient to use, since its gel form gives you more control than a liquid.

The rest of Ronna's thoughts and tips about patina and texture can be found in the Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry April/May 2011 issue and here.

For more great wire, metal, and mixed-media jewelry articles by author and jewelry designer Ronna Sarvas Weltman, check out Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry.

Free Project: Make Your Own Kidney Ear Wires, Plus Other Handcrafted Wire Jewelry Findings

TammyJones — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 05:39:00 GMT

I couldn't believe the response when I wrote about handcrafted ear wires and other wire findings a few months ago, and I was introduced to so many unique ear wire designs and jewelry designers as a result. Now, it's like when you've learned a new word and you start to see it everywhere--when I look at earrings, I notice the ear wires. When I look at bracelets or necklaces, I notice the clasp. Unique handcrafted findings have taken root in my brain!

As I browse various jewelry-making blogs, Facebook, and Etsy, I see more and more jewelry designers creating their own unique handcrafted wire findings, ear wires in particular. It's getting harder for me to imagine a good argument against making your own ear wires. It adds so much style to the earring design, and even if it's not an elaborate or cutting-edge ear wire design, it's still simple and economical to make your own ear wires and other wire findings.

Another cool thing that happened not long after I wrote about handcrafted findings was this: Denise Peck and Jane Dickerson's book Handcrafted Wire Findings sold out! That was exciting, but even more exciting is the news that this best-selling book is finally back in stock! To celebrate, I'm happy to share a free handcrafted kidney ear wires project from the book.

How-To: Make Kidney Ear Wires
This ear wire design is a simple one, perfect for an elaborate earring or a simple sparkling bead dangle, with a safety loop on the back. Try it yourself to see how quick and easy--as well as economical and convenient--it can be to make your own wire findings.

Materials:

5-1/2" (14 cm) of 20-gauge sterling silver half-hard wire
ruler
flush cutters
round-nose pliers
Sharpie marker
file or cup bur
polishing cloth or
rotary tumbler with mixed stainless steel shot

Finished size: 5⁄8" x 1" (1.5 x 2.5 cm)

Steps:

		1. Cut 2-3/4" (7 cm) of wire and flush cut both ends. Make a 90° bend 3/4" (2 cm) from one end of the wire with round-nose pliers.
		2. With the tip of the round-nose pliers, grasp the short side of the wire right next to the bend. Bend the short end of the wire over the tip of the pliers until it touches the long wire.
		3. Insert the round-nose pliers into the loop and bend the short wire back to a 90° angle.
		4. Using the tip of the round-nose pliers, grasp the end of the short wire and bend it back on itself to form a small hook.
		5. Place the Sharpie at the middle of the long wire and bend the wire over the marker to form a hook.
		6. Use round-nose pliers to bend the end of the wire up slightly. Use the file or cup bur to round and smooth the end of the wire and polish for a high shine. Repeat Steps 1-6 for the other ear wire.

There are seven more handcrafted ear wire projects in the book, along with dozens of handmade clasps, connectors, and other wire findings, most of which can be completed in about five or seven steps. Don't miss your chance to own the best-selling jewelry-making book Handcrafted Wire Findings before it sells out again!

Do you make your own ear wires or other wire findings? Why or why not? I'd love to hear your thoughts below!

Make Quick & Easy Jewelry To Sell: 101 Stylish Wire Earrings and Ear Wires

TammyJones — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT


Super simple, super stylish Carnelian Coils by Denise Peck.

I often get asked for advice from jewelry makers interested in making and selling jewelry at craft shows, online, or in local shops and markets. Making jewelry to sell is one of the first things that came to my mind when I was looking through Denise Peck's 101 Wire Earrings recently.

The projects in this book have what I think are the most important features when it comes to choosing jewelry designs to make and sell at markets and craft fairs: they're quick to make, they feature a variety of materials in all price ranges, there's a variety of styles, and one size fits all. Add in super-hot handcrafted ear wires, and the sky's the limit.

Earrings Are One Size Fits All
Earrings are an ideal candidate for making jewelry to sell because earrings always fit. You don't have to worry about making the same piece in a variety of sizes, which can create an expensive and sometimes wasteful amount of excessive inventory.

Less Time = Lower Price Points
The earring projects in 101 Wire Earrings are quick; all are marked with a skill level of one to three, indicating an estimated work time of 5 to 10, 10 to 20, or 20 to 30 minutes. When's the last time you finished a jewelry project in under 30 minutes? How about in 5 minutes? Generally the less time it takes to make a piece of jewelry, the less you have to charge for it in order to make a profit--and lower price points naturally sell better at markets and fairs.

Variety: Style and Materials
In addition to speed and no sizing, the earring projects in 101 Wire Earrings: Step-by-Step Projects and Techniques have variety on their side--another bonus when making jewelry to sell. Style-wise, the earring projects range from incredibly simple and elegant to mod and contemporary to more handcrafted and artisan-looking styles. Plus every jewelry-making material you can imagine is featured, including wire, chain, gemstones, lampwork glass beads, crystals, clay and ceramic beads, metal and plastic components from the hardware and elsewhere, even rubber rings. That variety of materials also helps keep making costs down, which translates to lower selling costs.

There's a project style, design, and material for every jewelry maker in the 101 wire earring projects, and every single one is an eye-catcher--another important factor when selling jewelry. Here are some of my favorite earring projects from 101 Wire Earrings to get your creative juices flowing.


Asian Influence earrings by Denise Peck		Flourish wire earrings by Leslie Rogalski		Mobiles copper earrings by Denise Peck

Unique Ear Wires
Handcrafted unique ear wires are so hot. They allow you another way to personalize your earring designs, making them truly handmade from end to end. If you combine some of these 101 earring designs with your own unique handcrafted ear wires, mix-and-match style, I'm going to go out on a limb and say there's an unlimited number of earring design possibilities for you to make! You'll have the coolest jewelry selection in the whole market, full of truly handmade and one-of-a-kind offerings. It's such an easy way to add variety, too. You learn to make unique head pins in the book, and each one of them can become a variety of unique ear wires. Plus 101 Wire Earrings features a nice dose of unique ear wires in with the wire earring designs, such as these, all by Denise Peck:


Crystals2		Marquis		Primitive Wheels


Seawater		Swirled Swirls		Winding Roads

So whether you're looking for quick and easy jewelry designs to make and sell, crazy for unique earrings and ear wires, or both, 101 Wire Earrings is an almost limitless resource of design inspiration for you. And here's another great thing about 101 Wire Earrings: It's half off in the Jewelry Making Daily Shop! It's included in our Hurt Book Sale (which starts today), so if you don't mind minimal wear on a book (some books don't appear to have any wear at all, actually), you can save 50% (up to 80%)! Then you can use the money you save to buy supplies for making all these cool earrings!