Today's Silver Price: $19.93/t.oz.
This is the first time I've had a sale in my shop! Lets see how it goes!
An Entrepreneurial Adventure
Showing posts with label earrings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label earrings. Show all posts
Monday, December 2, 2013
Cyber Monday Sale!
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Etsy Postings for 6.2.13
Today's Silver Price: $22.26/t.oz. (WOW!)
I've had a tough time getting back into blogging. I'll do an easy one tonight... below are the latest additions to my Etsy shop. A lot of the silver-plated components used in these designs I purchased from Etsy sellers, so that's pretty neat. Also, I'm liking the solid black background in the newer pictures. I think the older pictures are using backgrounds that are too busy and they take away from the jewelry. I think I'm going to continue using solid black backgrounds, or white backgrounds with a very subtle design on them. I'd like to re-shoot the older listings eventually to create a uniform look in the shop, but who knows when I'll get to that!
Just posted these on Etsy tonight:
I've had a tough time getting back into blogging. I'll do an easy one tonight... below are the latest additions to my Etsy shop. A lot of the silver-plated components used in these designs I purchased from Etsy sellers, so that's pretty neat. Also, I'm liking the solid black background in the newer pictures. I think the older pictures are using backgrounds that are too busy and they take away from the jewelry. I think I'm going to continue using solid black backgrounds, or white backgrounds with a very subtle design on them. I'd like to re-shoot the older listings eventually to create a uniform look in the shop, but who knows when I'll get to that!
Just posted these on Etsy tonight:
Silver Leaves Necklace
Silver Leaves Earrings
Diamond Shaped Earrings
Hematite & Silver Earrings
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Love Is In The Air
Today's Silver Price: $30.10/t.oz.
My next big push will be Valentine's Day jewelry on my Etsy page. Maybe some love themed paintings?? We'll see if I have the time.
I've found some wire heart designs that I am eager to try out. One is a necklace made from linked wire hearts. I think it could be a big seller. I am also hoping to find some reasonably priced heart charms that I could use in bracelets and earrings. Hearts, hearts, hearts! Ooooo, copper hearts might be very interesting. I could call them "Firey Hearts." Oh the ideas are forming! Along with some red beads they could be attractive and unique.
I haven't made a purchase yet from Rio Grande, I'm still trying to figure out what to get. I am definitely going to try some silver-plated components and chain. I really need to start making necklaces. I think necklaces are very popular and are great for gifts- and I can charge more for them as they use more materials. I'm thinking I'll make a lot of 24" and 30" necklaces, those lengths seem to be in fashion again. I have an idea for a silver-plated chain and clear glass bead necklace.
I also have those evil eye beads and I never used them. I should look into some base metal components that I can make bracelets with. I haven't used them because they were larger than I expected and did not look right with the bracelet components (spacer beads) that I currently have. They would probably look really good with some large bead caps.
That's the game plan, lots of hearts, lots of necklaces! Let's hope I can crank out a bunch of jewelry in time for Valentine's Day shopping!
My next big push will be Valentine's Day jewelry on my Etsy page. Maybe some love themed paintings?? We'll see if I have the time.
I've found some wire heart designs that I am eager to try out. One is a necklace made from linked wire hearts. I think it could be a big seller. I am also hoping to find some reasonably priced heart charms that I could use in bracelets and earrings. Hearts, hearts, hearts! Ooooo, copper hearts might be very interesting. I could call them "Firey Hearts." Oh the ideas are forming! Along with some red beads they could be attractive and unique.
I haven't made a purchase yet from Rio Grande, I'm still trying to figure out what to get. I am definitely going to try some silver-plated components and chain. I really need to start making necklaces. I think necklaces are very popular and are great for gifts- and I can charge more for them as they use more materials. I'm thinking I'll make a lot of 24" and 30" necklaces, those lengths seem to be in fashion again. I have an idea for a silver-plated chain and clear glass bead necklace.
I also have those evil eye beads and I never used them. I should look into some base metal components that I can make bracelets with. I haven't used them because they were larger than I expected and did not look right with the bracelet components (spacer beads) that I currently have. They would probably look really good with some large bead caps.
That's the game plan, lots of hearts, lots of necklaces! Let's hope I can crank out a bunch of jewelry in time for Valentine's Day shopping!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Solicitation
Today's Silver Price: $29.36/t.oz.
Right outside my office there is a sign that says "No Soliciting." Upon request I have given my business card with webpage information to several coworkers. Last week I sold two pairs of earrings to a coworker (in the office), and this week she wants to buy another pair. I'm pretty sure that I am not soliciting as long as they are asking to buy it, right? I'm not walking around saying "Hey, look at this, you should buy it!" I simply mention that I make jewelry and some people have asked to see it. Then I mention that I could bring some pieces in so they could see it... and buy it...
The following is from Dictionary.com:
so·lic·it
Right outside my office there is a sign that says "No Soliciting." Upon request I have given my business card with webpage information to several coworkers. Last week I sold two pairs of earrings to a coworker (in the office), and this week she wants to buy another pair. I'm pretty sure that I am not soliciting as long as they are asking to buy it, right? I'm not walking around saying "Hey, look at this, you should buy it!" I simply mention that I make jewelry and some people have asked to see it. Then I mention that I could bring some pieces in so they could see it... and buy it...
The following is from Dictionary.com:
so·lic·it
verb (used with object)
1. to seek for (something) by entreaty, earnest or respectful request, formal application, etc.: He solicited aid from the minister.
2. to entreat or petition (someone or some agency): to solicit the committee for funds.
3. to seek to influence or incite to action especially unlawful or wrong action.
4. to offer to have sex with in exchange for money.
Well, I know I'm not offering to have sex with a coworker for money, so I'm good on that one. Number 3 troubles me though... "To seek to influence or incite to action, especially unlawful or wrong action." I am seeking for my coworkers to buy from me... and selling them jewelry while I'm supposed to be working and while they are supposed to be working is a wrong action... oh my. I think I may be soliciting my coworkers.
Yikes... maybe I should stick to giving them my card.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Show and Tell: Photography Critique
Today's Silver Price: $28.90/t.oz.
I think my photography skills are improving. The pictures I am taking of my jewelry now are so much better than the pictures I was taking when I first started. I think the light tent has been a big factor in getting better shots, but also just the experience of having taken so many photos that I now know how to get a great pic of a bracelet or a pair of earrings. In the beginning I was taking 10 to 20 photos of each piece, which I would then have to narrow down to five pictures to post on my Etsy page. Now I know how to get the good shots, so I may end up only taking five pictures!
I was particularly impressed with my latest round of earring pictures. I think I may be getting better pictures because I am using more interesting backgrounds. It's tricky to find backgrounds (in my case I use scrapbook paper) that is visually interesting but does not overpower the jewelry. I am getting good results using papers that have blurry or faint images that compliment the jewelry and are not too distracting. I am also trying to use the tripod more, even though I get impatient setting up the shot. I need to allow myself enough time to take good photos, and not just rush through the process to get it done.
I'm pretty satisfied now with the pictures I've been posting on Etsy. I think they are attractive and eye catching and much more dynamic than my older pics. Hopefully over time my pictures will continue to improve and help to boost my sales!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Debriefing
Today's Silver Price: $32.00/t.oz.
Level of success? My success was moderate this weekend. I did sell a lot of items, but unfortunately I won't be quitting my day job... yet.
This past Saturday's event was a craft fair at a local high school. Quote of the day: "Oh, I knew a girl that made jewelry but it was crap. Yours is really nice!" LOL. I was also asked twice if I go to school there. Mmmmm no, but thanks. I guess I should be happy that I can pass for 15 years younger than my real age!
Anyway, this craft fair was not so great. The vendor next to me said that the fair the school holds in November is better attended. Dammit. I made a little more than my table fee, which is to say I didn't make much profit. AT LEAST I made that table fee. It's a sad day when you lose money doing a craft fair (which I have).
Sunday's event was much more successful. A friend of mine held a vendor party in her backyard. It always helps when the customers are a bit liquored up... haha! The best thing about this event was there was no vendor fee, so everything I made was profit. I sold several bracelets, several rings and a few pairs of earrings. I found it very interesting to learn that what sells at one event will not necessarily sell at another event. Remember those dangle earrings I told you about? Didn't sell one pair this weekend. I was quite surprised.
Last night and tonight I've been posting my leftovers on my Etsy site. I've given my card out to a few ladies at work so I'm hoping I'll start getting more activity on the site.
That's all for now. I'm quite tired after not really having a weekend, so I'm off to bed early tonight!
Level of success? My success was moderate this weekend. I did sell a lot of items, but unfortunately I won't be quitting my day job... yet.
This past Saturday's event was a craft fair at a local high school. Quote of the day: "Oh, I knew a girl that made jewelry but it was crap. Yours is really nice!" LOL. I was also asked twice if I go to school there. Mmmmm no, but thanks. I guess I should be happy that I can pass for 15 years younger than my real age!
Anyway, this craft fair was not so great. The vendor next to me said that the fair the school holds in November is better attended. Dammit. I made a little more than my table fee, which is to say I didn't make much profit. AT LEAST I made that table fee. It's a sad day when you lose money doing a craft fair (which I have).
Sunday's event was much more successful. A friend of mine held a vendor party in her backyard. It always helps when the customers are a bit liquored up... haha! The best thing about this event was there was no vendor fee, so everything I made was profit. I sold several bracelets, several rings and a few pairs of earrings. I found it very interesting to learn that what sells at one event will not necessarily sell at another event. Remember those dangle earrings I told you about? Didn't sell one pair this weekend. I was quite surprised.
Last night and tonight I've been posting my leftovers on my Etsy site. I've given my card out to a few ladies at work so I'm hoping I'll start getting more activity on the site.
That's all for now. I'm quite tired after not really having a weekend, so I'm off to bed early tonight!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Getting Ready; Wine Bottles Revisited; Hammers and Anvils
Today's Silver Price: $31.96/t.oz.
Getting Ready!
I received a shipment yesterday from Fire Mountain Gems- 18 different colors of 6mm round glass beads! I immediately started making bracelets and before I knew it four hours had gone by, lol. It was a very productive evening!
I have two events this weekend. One is a holiday craft/vendor fair at a local high school. I've done a fair there previously with not much success. However this time I will return with a much larger inventory and better displays. I think I am going to stick with hanging my earrings on the window screens. It's more attractive, and so what if it takes longer to present them to the customer? I don't think I'll be that swamped... but you never know!
On Sunday a friend of mine is holding a holiday boutique party at her home. She is having Avon , Tupperware, myself and some other vendors. Pretty sweet idea... maybe she will become a vendor fair promoter in the future.
I haven't worked on any paintings, I have focused my energy on jewelry alone. Trying to focus on that 20% effort which should lead to 80% revenue. I may over the next few days work on a few watercolors already in progress, but I don't think I'll be creating anything new.
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Wine Bottles Revisited
I tried breaking wine bottles again into pieces I could use for jewelry. I was able to break the bottles this time, I just had to use more force. I had an idea to use different colored pieces to create glass snowflake ornaments but I had trouble getting the pieces into the shapes I wanted. I broke the bottles inside of two plastic bags. Then I tried grinding the edges down with a Dremel grinding stone to change the shape, but that did not work very well. I then used a cutting wheel on the Dremel. I found that if I scored a line in the glass piece with the cutting wheel, I could then use a pliers to break off the excess. I seem to remember a video I saw once of a stained glass artisan doing exactly that... my brain must have stored those images deep in the library of my head.
The whole thing was very slow and tedious and might be too ambitious of a project. I might just not have the right Dremel bits. I think next I'll see if I am able to drill holes through the glass pieces so that they could be used in jewelry.
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Hammers and Anvils
In the spring I'm hoping to purchase some hammers and anvils so I can be a rockstar like this guy. I also want to learn how to solder so I can create more complex pieces. And I want to get a kiln and try out metal clay (clay that when fired burns away to leave metal)... and I want to get a jewelry tumbler... So much to do, so little time!
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