In Home Jewelry Parties

A recently sold piece from my Artfire studio.

I've done blogs about jewelry parties in the past. I've done some research, conducted interviews with other artists and even attempted to get friends and family to host a jewelry party for me.  However, today I would like to blog about the one type of jewelry party that has brought me at least some measurable amount of success.... the "in home" jewelry party.

Let's face it, in these tough economical times it is very difficult to find people willing to host any kind of party in their homes let alone get guests to come to those parties with the intention of purchasing what ever items are being shown.  I myself have not found anyone willing to host a showing of my jewelry in their home yet.  It is tough.  But I didn't and won't allow that to discourage me.  No.  I found another route to take.  I figured if I couldn't find someone else to host me, why not host myself? 
So, I began doing "in home" jewelry parties or jewelry showings.  If I put out snacks for the guests, I would call it a "jewelry party" and if there was no snacks and I offered tours of my studio space, then it became a "jewelry showing". It's a simple, minor detail but for me it was necessary to establish. 

A pair of earrings currently for sale in a local boutique.

I use Facebook to send out the initial invites and then I start inviting my friends, family and work colleagues in person.  I encourage them to bring guests of their own.  In the weeks/days prior to the event I make sure to post pictures on my Facebook of new items and items available for sale.  It grabs the buyer's attention and gets them interested.  If they see one piece that interests them, they are more likely to attend.  They want to see the item in person sometimes before making the purchase decision.
I use my dinningroom in my house for my showings, though you could use any room you feel is appropriate.  My dinningroom is large, has lots of chairs and my dinningroom table is large enough to display nearly all my current pieces. I also set up a smaller card table in a corner with bead and supply catelogues for those who want to have something custom made.  I also put out some of my beads and supplies on the card table as examples.  It helps your guests know you take custom orders and can even inspire them to ask for a specially created piece.
I also have my tools handy.  I have quite a few repair customers who bring me things they have purchased, whether from me or another artist, that need some repairs done.  I often do these right on the spot unless they require more time or complicated methods (usually they don't).
I also have things on display throughout my local area in art galleries and boutiques.  An in home jewelry party is a good way for you to get the word out to people in your area that your pieces are available online, in person and throughout your comunity.  The more places your work is available,the easier it will be for people to recommend your work or even recognize your work.

In conclusion,  don't be afraid to host your own party or showing to get your work out in the public eye. It tends to be simpler and chances are you'll have better turn out and sales results if you go out on a limb.  Plus, you never know when one of your guests may decide to host you in their home after seeing your things in yours.

Briolettes~ faceted wonders

One of my absolute favorite materials to use in my jewelry making is the faceted briolette.  Whether made of gemstone, crystal or glass, the shape and sparkle of a briolette is magical to me.  And it's the shape and sparkle of these that capture the imagination of many a artisan as well as their customers.

To better understand the history of briolettes, I decided to research a litle more about the process of faceting.  Lapidary, or the art of cutting and polishing gemstones, has been around for centuries.  There is evidence that as far back as 5000 BC humans were utilizing lapidary skills to create smoothed and carved gemstone pieces and tools.  There are also referrences that say the earliest proof of faceted gemstones occurs in a piece of literature referring to crudely cut gemstones in India.
The technique of cutting gemstones to certain shapes as well as the refining of diamond cutting techniques were developed in Europe.  Many of these same techniques are still used in lapidary work today.

The process of cutting, shaping and poishing briolettes and other faceted stones involves some very specialized equipment.  For example, there is a cutting and grinding wheel that can vary in size from a desk top sized one (pictured right) to one the size of a potter's throwing wheel.  And there are several steps in the cutting process before the shaping and polishing even begin.  I attribute these as factors for te expense of briolettes.
Here are some websites for more information on the process of faceting stones.
http://www.gemcutter.com/getstart.htm
http://www.faceters.com/beginners.shtml
http://scienceray.com/technology/how-to-facet-gems/
I still adore using briolettes in my jewelry work but always have marveled and dismayed about their expense.  I know have a clearer understanding of why they are so expensive.  And one look at them gives you  clear understanding of why they are worth the price.
The definition of briolette literally is "a pear-shaped or oval gem, especially a diamond, cut in long triangular facets."  However, briolettes have evolved to include smooth tear shaped gems as well as many other shapes.
 Briolettes traditionally are shaped like teardrops, rounded on all sides and pointed at one end.  More shapes for briolettes have evolved. There are pear briolettes, which maintain the tear drop shape but are flat on two sides instead of round all the way around.  Heart shape briolettes are similar to pear brios except they have a shorter and wider shape. 
Onion briolettes are short and wide like heart shaped ones but are rounded all the way around like the tear drop shaped ones.  These are by far my favorite earring fodder as far as briolettes go.   I would like to close this blog entry about the briolettes saying this... if you have not yet tried using a briolettes in your jewelry making, by all means spend the money and give them a try.  It is well worth the investment!

Thinking about selling online? Part 1~ The Cons

I know that more and more artists, crafters and hobbyists alike join the online community everyday.  They have heard stories of people who have been able to give up their day jobs and concentrate just on their art by selling online.  They have heard how their hobby could make them extra cash and help pad their bank accounts.  They have more and more handcrafted items in their house taking up space and need to unload them somewhere.
Whatever their or your reasons, online selling has it's pros and cons.  Like all things, you only get out of it what you put into it.  For the sake of our sanity... let's do this in a list style and only elaborate on points that need it.
I'd like to start with the Cons first.
1.) The online market may be saturated.
I find this one very difficult to overcome myself.  I am jewelry designer and creator.  The more I sell online, the more I realize just how MANY jewelry atists are selling their things online just like me.  And there are some amazingly talented artists among them.  It can be very discouraging.
2.) Your shop can get lost in a sea of other online shops.
This is directly related to con number 1 in many ways.  If the market for your product is saturated it means that your items and shop can get lost.  Customers often find themselves overwhelmed when they search for items.  They can be just loaded with possible matches to their search criteria and it's a LOT to look through.
3.) There may not BE a market for your items.
A good friend of mine has always said "There has to be a place for macaroni angels".  She was referring to the sudden shift of her church's holiday craft bazzarr towards be a much more upscale artist market.  She insisted that there still needed to be a place for creations like macaroni angels made by children and others.  She right but, the online market may not be that place.  There are some items that just are marketed towards a smaller margin of consumers and therefore, selling online can become a tough thing. 
4.) The economy does effect consumer spending, even online.
Let's face it, the economy impacts everything.  If consumers are financially strapped for cash, they are more likely to spend their money on less expensive necessities and not on handcrafted artistically made items.  This can either help or hinder your shop.  Me personally, I sell jewelry.  People with little money are more likely to spend it on groceries and gas than on the items in my shop.  After all, you can't eat jewelry... or at least I wouldn't recommend it.
5.) You often times need to spend money on your online shop in order to make money.
Another con that is closely related to the economy.  I have found more often than not, in order to successfully grow your onlins shop you need to invest money into it.  I am talking about membership or listing fees on sites such as Artfire or Etsy, ordering the necessary supplies for your work, advertising slots on websites or blogs, even new camera equipment to take decent eye catching photos of your products.  It can all add up.  And if you don't have the initial money to invest in those things, it can seem like your shop just isn't being seen.

I want to pause here and let you, the readers, chew this over and comment.  I plan to do the Pros list in the next blog entry.

The concept of "Upcycling"

One of my favorite things to do in my jewelry design is to use things that need new life. Many people use the word "recycling" or "upcycling" to describe this method of taking something that is used and repurposing it into something new. I love this concept. It is good for the environment and allows for creative expression through everyday items. Here are some examples of things I have used in pieces I consider "upcycled".

1.) Old bottle caps and pop tabs.
I really enjoy taking old bottle caps and turning them into interesting jewelry pieces as well as magnets and coasters.  I myself use resin and confetti or other "found objects" to do this.  I have seen other artists simply use paper print out and glue.  The sky is really the limit. 
I have also seen other artists, such as Cindy's Creative Crochet, using pop tabs to create new and fun
accessories.

2.) Vintage costume jewelry bits and pieces.
This is hands down my very favorite kind of thing to upcycle.  I love to buy and use old vintage costume jewelry pieces in my newer designs.  For example, this sim
ple bracelet  was made by taking this old vintage milk glass neck
lace,

and adding in czech glass beads and findings in my normal stock.  Lovely, simple and upcycled.  I've done LOTS of pieces like this and
they are some of my best sellers.

3.) Sea shells, watch parts and other "found objects" available.  Anything you can find in your everyday surroundings is considered a "found object".  I've seen LOTS of creative ideas with this concept.  I myself have used pressed flowers, watch parts, microwave parts, computer mother boards, confetti, catalogue and magainze cut outs, cigar bands and so much more to create unique and unusual jewelry pieces, magnets and coasters.  There is really no limit to what a person can do with found objects.  A friend of mine in an art class once used a large clam shell she had.  She actually punch some holes in it and placed rivets in the holes!  It was an amazing piece and a stunning idea. 

So, whatever you choose to recycle or "upcycle", be it old clothing, vintage pictures, pop cans, bottles... have fun with it!  Everything has the potential for creative rebirth in the right hands!

Piece in progress....

... but now I need help.  I need some input about what to make this piece into.  A pendant?  Necklace?  Brooch?  Something else?

Any ideas out there in blogger land?

Jewelry Showings

I have planned and tried to hold a couple of jewelry parties in my home now and it seems they don't always pan out so well.  After those experiences, I formulated a different plan.
I am trying this new plan out this week.  I am hosting not one but two jewelry "showings" in my home.  I figured if I took the "party" out of it that a) it wouldn't seem to everyone like they HAD to come and socialize with people they didn't know b) it would become a little more of a casual "drop by when you can" type thing c) I wouldn't have to worry about making finger foods that wouldn't get eaten or punch that wouldn't be drunk and d) it would seem less sad if no one showed up. 
So, what is a jewelry "showing" you may ask?  Here's kind of what I have come up with.
A jewelry showing is an event where an artist sets up a display of their artwork and invites people to come and see it.  If they happen to purchase a piece, then its a good deal.  If they choose not to, at least that's one more person who has viewed your work and can pass on by word of mouth to others what they saw and if they liked it.  I also am planning to do a tour of my studio and have my supplies on hand for viewing, should someone want something custom made.  I also like the come and go aspect of it.  It gives people a chance to eat dinner, run errands etc. without feeling the pressure of having to be at my place at a certain time or for a certain length of time.  I like that better for my schedule as well. 
The reason I chose to do two showings is to broaden the scheduling net a bit.  Someone who can't come on Tuesday may have a Friday night open.  Those who are busy on Fridays or traveling out of town, might be better suited to drop by on a Tuesday evening after work. 
This time around, I scheduled them both in the same week.  Next month I may try spreading them out over the month a little more.  It's an experiment in promotion.
I am also hoping to promote the idea of others hosting me and my jewelry in their own home for a "jewelry party" or even just a showing... kind of like a Tupperware party.  I think having people come in and see my jewelry may spark the idea of how many people they know who would also like my work.

At any rate, I'll report back my findings with this method after each showing.  After a few months, i should have a pretty clear picture about whether this idea works well for promoting my jewelry or not.  Stay tuned for future reports.