The Joy of Metal Clay - Brooch Findings

The challenge of making a brooch with metal clay is to figure out what type of finding to use.

There are several types of findings that you can embed into metal clay. My preference is to use fine silver components. Most findings have a component that is embeddable and then after firing you add the pin or other components. Here is a selection of some of the brooch findings on the market:

Embeddable Fine Silver Finding (photo from Art Clay World USA)

This finding has two fine silver pieces that you can attach with paste, fire then add the pin (after firing). I have found that these findings work well.

Screw type fine silver finding. This finding has fine silver threaded pieces (the round pieces it the bottom of the picture) that you embed into the clay, once fired you screw and glue in the findings (pictured on the top portion). One important thing to keep in mind is when embedding the threaded fine silver pieces it is best that you have the screws filled with the findings otherwise you run the risk of getting clay into the holes (remember to remove the findings before firing. Once fired you screw in the findings. One occasional problem that I have found it that since the threads are fine silver if you are not careful you can strip the threading off making it difficult to screw the findings in place.

Here is an embeddable finding that I have found at Fire Mountain Gems. Again it has two embeddable ends for the brooch that are placed in the clay. Once fired you attach the pin. The only thing I don't like about this is there isn't a springy feeling to this finding (the pin swings freely).Above is the Pin Back from Metal Clay Findings. This one I have not used. It appears to be a nickel pin back which you do not fire and an fine silver clip that you embed then attach the nickel piece afterwards.

In addition to fine silver findings, there are sterling silver findings that are on the market. It is important to keep in mind with these that the sterling silver as it will become brittle if you fire at a temperature that is too high. Generally I will only fire sterling silver at 1250F. I have found that I have difficult time to getting these type of findings to fit securely. I prefer to use fine silver findings and fire my metal clay at higher temperatures. The sterling silver findings are not my favorite options.

Finally, I have been experimenting with embedding regular nickel pin backs into metal clay. I haven't finished all my experiments but hope to elaborate more on this next week.

If you have any brooch findings that you have been using and would like to share. Feel free to let the rest of us know.

Have a great day!

The Business Chat - time to make lists

It’s that time of year again, the craft show acceptance/rejection letters are coming in! Did you get in? Are you doing your happy dance?

Your application form should have told you when you will be informed of your status. Do yourself a favour and don’t call before that date. If you haven’t heard by 2 weeks after that date then you can call. Show organizers tend to be busy people and many of them have jobs on top of the show, so they aren’t always on top of deadlines.

If you are reading a rejection letter don’t despair, it happens to all of us more often than you know. Even to those of us who are professional full-time people get rejected.
If you’re turned down it’s most likely because:

• The quotas for your category are full
• No space due to returning vendors
• You have an inappropriate product for the show

You could call the organizer to discuss why you didn’t get in. Be professional and ask what you can do to improve your chances of getting in next year. If you are new you want to form a good relationship with the organizer, screaming at them won’t do that. Here’s an insider tip: If you didn’t get in check the application to find out when the cancellation date is, or ask the organizer. On the cancellation date call the organizer and ask if anyone has dropped out. Life happens and sometimes people have to cancel, although theoretically you are on a wait list your chances are much better if you happen to call on the day that someone else has just backed out.

If you are accepted you should note the cancellation date and policy. Just in case something comes up.
The second thing you should do (after your happy dance) is to make a schedule for the show. You don’t want to leave anything until the night before. Start making lists for inventory, how much do you need to make? Of what? This leads you to the next list, your supplies. What do you need to buy and when are you going to buy it? Now start a third list for your production schedule. Again, don’t leave it all to the last minute. Think about your marketing materials. Do you have enough packaging? Business cards? What about your signs? If you need to have these made how long do they take? It’s always more expensive to leave this stuff to the last minute.

Then start thinking about your display. Are there any special requirements for the show? One of your best show tools is a good display checklist. Every single thing that you need for the show goes on a list, right down to the stapler and the pens. Setting up your display in advance is always a good thing but most of us don’t have the space or can’t get it together to do this. Sit down and brainstorm. It’s much easier to pack your car when you have a list telling you “3 tables, 3 tablecloths, double-sided tape”. (the double sided tape is to hold the table cloth onto the table so it can’t be pulled off by small kids).

Keep all these lists together on a clipboard, I have one clipboard per show on my desk, I find it easier to refer to than online files.

As it gets closer to the show date and your display starts coming together it’s a really good idea to create a booth set up list. Setting up your booth or table is going to take a lot longer than you thought and you’ll be doing this very early in the morning. A set up list is also really useful if you have anyone helping you. Rather than them staring at you saying “what do I do now?” you just show them the list.
To create your set-up list think about setting up. Literally walk yourself though this mentally. Here’s an example:
First I set up the table then I put the tablecloth on. Then I put up my signs. Then I put the risers on. Then the earring stands. Then I put the earrings on the stands, and so on.

As you stand in your booth at show opening, with every thing all nicely laid out, all ready to make your fortune while your neighbours scramble to finish you’ll be thankful that you were so organized for the past 6 months.

Inspiration Friday

With a new year, how about we make a few little changes to our Inspiration Friday posts? This year, you pick your inspiration reference! There are lots of places to find inspiration. Photo's, magazines, fabric, nature, patterns, textures...Have a really good look at the little things around you, and make something - anything at all. The whole point is to get you out of your comfort zone, and experiment with new beads, materials, found objects, ephemera - anything you can find!

We'd love to see what you come up with. Send us a picture of your new creation, along with a pic, or description of your inspiration reference.  Send it to contest@beadfx.com with the subject line "Inspiration Friday"

If you have a personal blog, or etsy/artfire/bigcartel type site - send us a link to that as well!

Nathalie sent us pics of two absolutely gorgeous  rings this week.

My latest inspiration has been what is sitting on my bench.

I really needed to clean it up, but in doing so, I kept thinking "Oh, I could use this part to make a ring" and after grabbing several various parts, I created a couple of "Bench Rings". I call them Bench Rings because they were designed using only things that were sitting out on my bench. It's a great way to clean up and make things at the same time!

The first one features a lovely Pink Botswana Agate with copper and brass rivets /accents, a sterling silver chain, sterling jump rings, etc, that I had sitting out.

The second ring features a very neat Peruvian Blue Opal cab, set in a Fine Silver bezel with sterling accents, and sitting on a thick PMC3 textured band.

Both rings are listed in my Canadian Rockies Art Studio on ArtFire if you want to see more pictures and get detailed information: http://www.CanadianRockiesArt.ArtFire.com

TGIF!
Cheers,
Nathalie

My inspiration this week is rusty, time worn, mossy, dug out of the earth kinda things. I really think I can play on this theme for quite some time.

None of these are technically finished. I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do with them yet. The necklace is not 'done' yet either. I think this pendant wants to be part of something larger, or patinated - we'll see.

Copper, fine silver, verdigris patina.

MissFickleMedia Heat Patina's on copper clay

Bronze, and fine silver metal clay.

Have a great weekend all!

Last call for Inspiration Friday

From now on, you can just pretty much assume that my Inspiration Friday posts will not be live until Friday evening. I just can't seem to get it together in time. :-)

That said, I've got stuff in the kiln, some pictures done - and patina's to apply. If you've got something for us this week, send it on to info@beadfx.com with the subject line "Inspiration Friday"

Artistic Wire Jumprings

Boy, were we all excited when Artistic Wire(tm) brought out their jumprings made especially for Chaine Maille. Nice little pre-packaged lots, all counted and ready to go, and in sizes designed to work well in chainmaille patterns. This is the bee's knees, we thought.

Harumph.

Apparently everyone else thought so too.

Even the sales folks at Artistic Wire were all excited. One of them said must have said, "Hey - why don't we take these to Walmart and Michael's and other big craft chains too!"

Unfortunately - no one in the production department did the math. And they are now three months back-ordered, they say, and we feel that three months is probably being unduly optimistic.

So - it's not that we aren't restocking to be ornery - we just can't get the inventory.

Sorry folks.

Pfui.

Eye Candy from Tucson

While our fearless beader was down in Tucson - she took some technique classes that have her all excited, and the rest of us too - as it means more way cool stuff to play with.

It's really pretty cool being part of the beadFX team, you know. Whenever one of us goes off on a beady tangent - we tend to all have a go at it. Not everyone sticks with every new thing, but the enthusiasm is certainly contagious!


One of the classes was making this blingy compact! Is this not awesome? Judith Leiber - eat your heart out.


As a result of this - look for new shapes of rhinestones, particularly those butterflies! - and a new glue, a single part glue for use on metal! I would try this on my cell phone if I wasn't flat out convinced that the minute I do - it would die and I'd have to replace it.

This cuff bracelet is riveted. The stones come with settings, and you take the stones out, rivet the setting onto the blank, and put the stone back in place.
Here is the back with the rivets. The riveting tool is here and being processed. Not sure about an ETA on the stones/findings.

I've been playing with the riveting tool with some of our existing Vintaj and metal components. I still need to add some more stuff to this - some stones maybe. The little cogs are actually daisy spacers - riveted in place. The riveting tool really is easy to use! It makes the holes in the metal, then shapes the rivet in the second step.


Kewel, eh?

Make Jewelry for a good cause!

The Corsage Project is a non-profit organisation with a mission: every girl who wants to go to prom, but can't afford to do so, will be able to in style. BeadFX has been a champion of the Corsage project since 2005. Students are identified through confidential referrals from school guidance counselors, Children’s Aid, youth, or social workers. Girls who are referred are formally invited to attend a ‘Boutique Ball’ in May where, assisted by a personal shopper, they select a gown of their choice, and shoes and accessories to match.

With your help, we want to do what we know how to do best - stylish, blingy, fashionable jewelry.

Throughout the month of March on select dates, beadFX is hosting Corsage Project Open Beading Nights.

• Fri. March 4, 6-8
• Tues. March, 15 6-8
• Wed. March 16, 2-4
• Tues. March 22, 6 - 8
• Wed. March 30, 6-8

Drop by on any of these dates to make jewellery to donate. Stephanie Dixon will be here to cheer you on and assist with design. If you're working on your own at home, take a look at these beautiful pieces from past years for tips and ideas.

In other news...

There are still a few places left for Diane's Fitzgerald's classes - 3 to be exact.

Lezlie Winemaker's Murrini Madness is March 12 & 13. It promises to be swell!



Have a great rest of week Amigas!

Back from a week off

I'm back from a week off - I "went dark" - left the computer behind - didn't check my email - stayed off Facebook. Went and immersed myself in my other life - the one with all the dogs in it. Sooooo - what have I got for you this week?

uuuuuh. I have some great stories - not necessarily relevant or particularly politically correct.

I could talk about aging parents and the responsibility that brings. Or the fear that in seeing them, you are looking into a mirror across time - seeing your own future and wondering how to turn part of it aside. Or the puzzle presented by seeing some much older folks who seem vital and alert and on the ball, and others that has slowly slid into a child-like state. The fear of growing old and feeble and having your memories slip away. I can't even find my *&@$# car keys and I had them 20 minutes ago!

I could talk about slowing down and spending some quiet time by yourself.

I could talk about the sorrow of losing a beloved four-legged family member. No - wait, I can't talk about that yet - that just hurts too much.

D4mn it - I'm struggling for something upbeat here.

When all else fails - take solace in the beads. Let's have a sneak peek at what is coming up this week.


Size 10 Cut Delica beads. Because you wanted Japanese 10/0 Delicas. Or we wanted them. Same difference. We want what you want.










March's Stone of the Month. Dog Tooth Amethyst - Purple and White.












Metal Seedbeads. These are cool - They are seedbeads, but instead of glass with a finish to make them look like metal - they really are metal! I'm intrigued by these!



Just remember - when Life hands you Lemons - dyslexics make Melon-ade.

;-P

The Joy of Metal Clay: Art Clay Copper Tips

My Apologies to you all. I apparently failed in posting this last week. I prepped it early as I was going away for Family Weekend and thought I had set it to post. Apparently I failed to make it happen so here is last weeks post.


I recently taught an Art Clay Copper Class and it reminded me that it can be a little finicky to manage and there are tips that would make it easier.



Tip #1 - Condition the clay - When the clay comes out of the package it feels tough and I have found that conditioning it can really help. Since it comes in 50 gram packages I usually divide it in half and condition it on two sections.



How to condition it? I place the clay between two sheets of plastic (either between a cut plastic bag or between a report cover), then I will roll it flat. Once the clay is flat I paint in some water and fold the edges over then roll again. I repeat this until the clay begins to feel soft.



I will condition the clay, periodically as I create when the clay begins to crack.



Tip # 2 - Don't use too much OIL. This tip is a little tricky as you need to use something to prevent the clay from sticking but you have to be careful. I still use oil but make sure it does not pool in the texture sheets (to remedy this I will often use a toothbrush to spread the oil into the textures and I have a piece of paper towel by me to dry of any excess). If you end up too much oil to the Art Clay Copper it becomes crumbly.



Tip #3 - Make sure you pieces are stuck together well. I make paste by adding water to a bit of clay...let it get sticky...then it is ready to use. If I am attaching two dry pieces, I will dampen both pieces where I want to stick them and add the paste. I will often rub them together to make them stick and bit and hold them firmly and a little longer than I do with silver clay just to make sure they stick.

Tip #4: If you fire the clay in a kiln it will often stick to the shelf you fire it on. My first attempt I ended up picking up my piece and shelf at the same time and dunking it into a bucket. NOT a GOOD idea...trust me. My fiber shelf fell apart, obviously...I kinda thought that would happen but went ahead and did it (don't ask me why...)

Solution to the sticking problem is laying down a sheet of fiber paper.

Another option is fire it in vermiculite. I have a separate batch of vermiculite that I use for my copper clay as you will get firescale bits in it.

Other notes: Apparently you can fire Art Clay Copper in carbon (Why would you want to? - to avoid the firescale). How? According to Pam East you put in in the carbon and fire at 1778F for 3.5 hours, remove when the pan cools to 200F. I have not tried this yet.


UPCOMING Level 1 Certification!

I will be teaching a level one Art Clay Certification at BeadFX March 18, 19 and 20th. This is a chance to really learn tons of tricks, tips and techniques for working with metal clay. I am passionate in teaching many tips and tricks and alternative ways of doing things. Successful completion of the workshop entitles you to a 35% discount on Art Clay Silver and you are trained to teach others metal clay.

I have blogged about the course in the past so if you want more information refer back to this post. You can also email me with questions heather@finesilvergirl.com .

Register early as I need to register registrants with Art Clay World USA and ideally I need names 2 weeks in advance!!! (some exceptions can be made).

The Business Chat - time to sell

Picture this, it’s your best friends birthday and you’ve made her a fabulous pair of earrings. You’re at her birthday party and it’s time to open the presents! As she looks at the pile she picks your present up. From out of the crowd comes a comment, “oh what do you think that is? More earrings? Another necklace?” and a chorus of guffaws erupts. As you look around you realize that all your friends are decked out in your creations. When you go home you look around your house and realize you can’t find your dining room table because it’s covered in beads.
It’s time to sell some of your work.

There are 3 ways you can sell your work: retail, wholesale and consignment.
Retail
Retail means that you sell directly to the public. You are the store. The most common form of retail sales are craft shows. The next is online sales. You can also sell retail through office parties or home parties.
Pros:

• You make 100% of the profit and you make it on the spot
• You can build a great clientele base quickly
• Retail sales are excellent for market research

Cons:

• You have to find the buying public
• You have to pay for a booth at a show or for an online presence
• You are responsible for setting up/maintaining your temporary “store”
• You have to deal with the buying public
• You have to put on your Salesperson hat

Wholesale
This is when a store tells you “we will buy 10 X, 8 Y and 12 Z” and gives you a cheque when you deliver the work.
Pros:

• Less money tied up in inventory, you know exactly how much to make
• More studio time, less selling time

Cons:

• You need to have a catalogue for a store to order from, or a sample set if you are visiting the store in person
• This is rarely one-of-a-kind work, wholesale means quantities of the same piece, production work
• You have to sell the work to the buyer
• A store will expect to pay a maximum of 50% of your retail price, however the actual price they charge is beyond your control as they own the jewelry
  

Consignment
You place work in a store, if it sells they give you a cheque after X days.

Pros:

• It’s easy to get work into a store on consignment as there’s no financial risk for the store
• More time making, less time selling than selling retail
• You have control over the pricing of your work

Cons:

• You invest money in inventory without any guarantees of sales
• You must be vigilant on keeping accurate records of every stores inventory
• Some stores are less than prompt at payment requiring you to spend a lot of time chasing them
• A standard consignment agreement is 60/40, meaning you receive 60% of your retail cost

Most successful business use a mixture of all 3 sales methods. Retail is fast, and the most profitable however it involves a lot of time selling, which isn’t for everyone. While wholesale gives you the most studio time you do have to have a good collection nicely broken into lines and you have to be committed to production work. It is also very difficult to find stores who are willing to buy wholesale as it does involve financial risk for the store. Consignment is a good way to break into stores however you must be vigilant about record keeping.

So how do you see your business selling? Are you a people person who loves the public? Can you create a good display for a show? Do you love photography and writing and computer work for a good online store? Can you market your own work? Most importantly if you are considering selling to stores, can you afford to be paid 50% of your pricing and still make a profit? Take a long hard look at your work and think about yourself. What do you want to do?

Inspiration Friday

With a new year, how about we make a few little changes to our Inspiration Friday posts? This year, you pick your inspiration reference! There are lots of places to find inspiration. Photo's, magazines, fabric, nature, patterns, textures...Have a really good look at the little things around you, and make something - anything at all. The whole point is to get you out of your comfort zone, and experiment with new beads, materials, found objects, ephemera - anything you can find!

We'd love to see what you come up with. Send us a picture of your new creation, along with a pic, or description of your inspiration reference.  Send it to contest@beadfx.com with the subject line "Inspiration Friday"

If you have a personal blog, or etsy/artfire/bigcartel type site - send us a link to that as well!






From Nathalie:


Hiya! TGIF!!!

(It's been a  crazy day here today….) I have a new ring, made of PMC3, inspired by the cold weather outside – I can't wait for Spring! I can't wait to see pretty flowers blooming in my garden…

It's an interpretation of a Rose. Sort of a contemporary twist on a flower ring. A modern Rose Ring. I submitted it to the RAW2011 Flickr Group where we make 1 ring per week for the challenge.

For more information/more pictures on this ring, it's listed in my http://www.CanadianRockiesArt.ArtFire.com studio

Cheers!
Nathalie

I have something far less pretty for you this week. In fact, I'm not really sure where I'm going with these yet. I am enjoying just futzing around in the studio though - that counts for something right? lol!

You're probably asking ...Ummm....so what are they?  I think they'll be resin trays of some sort. They're a mix of copper, and fine silver - and I'm pretty sure I'm going to patina them first once I've got them filed and cleaned up a bit. We'll see...


Have a good weekend all!

Last call for Inspiration Friday

Hi all,

I'll be a wee bit delayed in posting today - I should be back in the studio later this evening to photograph everything. If you have anything to show off this week - Please send it to info@beadfx.com with the subject line "Inspiration Friday"

Bead Table Wednesday, and Desk Disaster Friday

You may have seen links for Bead Table Wednesday before. I'm not sure who started it, but there are a bunch of bloggers who post pics of the goodies, and artistic works happening on their bead tables - on the Bead Table Wednesday flickr group every Wednesday. I've been tempted to join, but I know I'll have an impossible time of keeping up with it.

However, there is one new group that I don't think I'll have a problem keeping on top of.... It's the Desk Disaster Friday group - started by Diane Hawkey. Be sure to read her blog entry regarding starting this group. Hillarious!

Thank you Diane, this is EXACTLY what my beading area looks like no matter how hard I try to keep it clean and organized. Look for my contributions shortly :-)

Beads of Clay

I don't know about you, but when I'm particularly swamped I start obsessing about all of the really cool things I could work on if I only had the time. Of course, once I actually have the time - I'm too tired to actually do anything :-)

My latest re-obsession is to pull out my ceramic clay and start playing again.  Once I get a chance, I'll blog a bit about it - including my upcoming pottery class! I don't really have all that much interest in making bowls and plates - But I do want to make beads/pendants, and learn slip trailing, and proper glazing techniques and such. The City of Pickering offers a 10 week course in the city run pottery studio. Unfortunately, the class is still over a month away I think ( Spring signup starts in a month)....

In the meantime, have a look at some of the fabulous beads and pendants created by ceramic artists on the BeadsofClay website, and blog. You'll find technique posts, artist interviews - and of course lots of eye candy.

Diane Fitzgerald: 5 Spots Left !!! Sign up today !!!

There is a lot going on in March by way of classes. Before going on about that, there is 1 spot left in the Moorish Tile Beads class, and 4 spots left in the Gingko Leaf Necklace class. If you've already signed up for any of Diane's classes, you'll be receiving an email from me in about a week with class details and handouts. If you haven't signed up, now is the time.

Now to what's coming up in March:

Stephanie Dixon has two new classes on March 5th. Lots of bling as usual!

Embellished Business Card Holder



Crystal Adeventure Necklace





Glass Bead Artist, Lezlie Winemaker, will be teaching a beginners Murrini class,
March 12th - 13th.





I've had requests from folks looking to be certified as Art Clay Silver instructors. I've been able to work with Heather Bell Denison and we've scheduled one for March 18th - 20th. It's an intensive 3-day course, but it's well worth it. You'll come out with the skills and knowledge needed to teach Art Clay Silver. The Art Clay World USA, Inc. website has a lot of tips and useful information.

See the full schedule for the month of March here.

Adios Amigas!

Swarovski Spring/Summer 2012 Innovations

2012????!?

Oh - that's just the fashion industry for you. Need time for production to spool up. Anyway - let's take a look at what is coming up soon from Swarovski. We expect to have a lot of these in stock in within 4 - 6 weeks. (We need time to process stuff too, you know!)

Twice a year - "insiders" - like us - get this posh little box from Swarovski with samples of upcoming items in it!

Like a box of chocolates - there is a legend on the lid. I imagine that one of these days these little boxes will become collector items.

Here is the latest batch of goodies!

First up - a new opal (translucent) colour. This is Chrysolite Opal. It is a greener colour than Pacific Opal - although in some lights and with some backgrounds, it can look very similar. The two donuts on beading wire are the older Pacific Opal, the loose beads are Chrysolite Opal - the oval stone shows the colour best.
Next - a new "effect" - a surface treatment (like AB). This is Crystal Bronze Shade - which is like a warm version of Crystal Silver Night.

It can be applied to any colour - but we will probably just see it on Crystal (Clear) for starters. It does give a look somewhat like Metallic Light Gold Crystal 2X, but more transparency. (The donut on the beading wire is Metallic Light Gold Crystal 2X for comparison.)
This is a close up of Crystal Bronze Shade in a fancy stone.


These are Crystal Blends - Amethyst Blend and Topaz Blend. These are shaded colours, a la Air Opal and Fire Opal. I love "ombre" - shaded stuff - so I'm really looking forward to these!



New shapes in sew-on stones - the one on the right cries out to be in a bracelet, yes?


New shapes in flatbacks and hot fixes. Now that you know how to use these! (Oh, and look for a class that Stephanie Dixon will be teaching on hot fixes!) (This is the Eclipse (2037) and the Rivoli Triangle (2716).




And speaking of flatbacks and hot fixes, Swarovski continues to optimize their shapes to improve colour and sparkle. Look for smaller tables (the flat part at the top) and larger facets on the side. This is the Xilion Rose Enhanced cut (2058).


New pearl colour - Vintage Gold.


New shapes are getting really complex! New fancy stones, from the left - Organic Cosmic Triangle, Graphic Trapeze Fancy Stone, and Delta Fancy Stone. (Articles 4736, 4719, 4717)


A new flat cube bead - called the Stairway Bead - (5624). This looks like a winner for the bracelets - where lots of bead showing without lots of volume is great!


And for those of you with Pandora, Troll and similar interchangeable bead systems - the BeCharmed Helix Bead. (5920). Metal core, big hole, and a rolling facet pattern. And, I have to say - this bead is freakin' stunning. Simply awesome. I would go out and get the bracelet just to wear these.




And the new heart shape - the Truly in Love Heart (6264). The bead is symmetrical - although the faceting pattern is slightly different from side to side.



New rivets - in square - for clothing - or maybe you can adapt them to your steam punk designs?


And the addition of metallics to pre-made hot-fix transfers.
Yep - exciting stuff coming at ya! Looking forward to it all!

The Business Chat - Store Buyers

OK, so now you’ve all put together your new LINES for your collection and you want to get these into a store. Excellent. First, find a store. Not just any old store, it must be a store where your work will fit in and where you think your work will sell. If you have a store in mind the best thing you can do is to actually visit the establishment anonymously and see if you can picture your work in there. Are you and the store a good fit? If you are making base metal steampunk jewelry perhaps a high end gallery isn’t a good idea. If you’re making gold/diamond/expensive/small delicate work then a local hipster store won’t really work for you. Always do your research first. Check to see how busy the store is. If possible visit the store a couple of weeks after your first visit. Do they have new work? Does it look like they’ve sold a lot? Chat with the store clerk, are they friendly and forthcoming with information (like what sells well)? What price points do they emphasize? Pay special attention to their jewelry lines. What's on the tags and who provides the tags, the jeweler or the store? Do they have too much jewelry already? How would your work stand out among the competition?

If you decide that you think you are a good fit the next step is to make an appointment with the BUYER. Every single store has a buyer even if it’s just the owner wearing a different hat. Shop owners are busy people trying to run a shop, if they know you’re coming in then they are ready to deal with you. Do not just wander into a store waving a pair of earrings in the air. The best thing you can do is to present yourself as a legitimate business. You are a professional and so is the buyer. Act professional.

Call for an appointment. Show up on time. Have your business card ready. Have your jewelry ready to be seen. Dress well, meaning dress like your brand. Oh, and DO NOT forget to wear your own jewelry (you’d be surprised how many jewelers don’t).

Sidebar: You are as much on display as your jewelry is. You are part of your brand. Branding is all about consistency. You must be the same style as your jewelry. If you’re making little tiny expensive diamond studs and hand engraved gold then wearing a heavy metal t-shirt and ripped jeans may not be the most appropriate look. If you’re making industrial chic work, perhaps leave the Armani suit in the closet. Be your brand.

When meeting with a buyer, I recommend having an overall sampling of your work in a couple of jewelry presentation displays (simple trays with your work pinned down work well), and the rest of your inventory handy in other jewelry presentation cases / trays / displays. Shoe boxes and baggies in the bottom of your purse do not give the professional air that you are trying to achieve.
This way you can start by showing them a good overview of your line, so they won't get impatient to see your necklaces while sitting through tray after tray of earrings. Buyers will usually zero in on a certain line or lines and want to see just work from that series.

Have your business cards, price lists, line sheets, order forms, copies of your artist statement or bio, postcards, and any sales material with photos of your jewelry in a folder, briefcase, or pocket of your jewelry display case. It's a nice, professional touch to give the shop owner all your literature in an inexpensive folder as a convenience for their files. Also have some pens and a calculator handy, for filling out your order form.

Insiders tip: When filling out an order form (at a store or at a craft show booth) you need a copy of the form for you and a copy for the customer. You can get a 2-part carbonless form (sometimes called an NCR form) printed at Kinkos for about 50c each. My forms are on 8x11 paper, they have my logo and then the information that I need. I print out one then take them to Kinkos and they produce a 2-part carbonless form for me! Simple and easy. And so professional.

After your appointment, send a thank you to the buyer for taking the time to meet with you even if they didn’t place an order. It’s the little touches that get you remembered. If they did place an order, go home and do your happy dance and then get down to work.

So much for Inspiration Friday this week!

It's been one of my busiest weeks. ever.  Sorry for the lack of posting yesterday - and of course I have nothing this week for Inspiration Friday. My studio has been pretty much off limits this week while I finish up some important tasks....maybe next week :-)

I did read a particularly amusing post over on Art Bead Scene  - If you work from home/are self employed - I think you'll find it just as amusing!

Have a fabulous long weekend for those of you lucky enough to get Monday off!

Submitting to Lark Books 500 Series

Lark Submissions

500 Rings

Lark Jewelry is publishing an exciting new jewelry book in our “500” series, and we would like you to submit images for consideration.


500 Rings, to be juried by Bruce Metcalf, is second collection of juried rings in the 500 series. Following the widely popular 1000 Rings (Lark Books, 2004), this encore installment will be a 420-page, full color survey of contemporary rings created after 2000. This international collection will be beautifully presented and widely distributed throughout the world in Spring 2012.

We welcome outstanding images of rings made from any materials and in all design styles. Jewelers whose work is selected for inclusion will receive full acknowledgment in the book, a complimentary copy, and discounts on the future purchase of books. Artists retain copyright to their work. Lark accepts high-quality digital images, transparencies, and slides. No entry fee is required.
Submissions must be postmarked by March 30, 2011. 

Detailed entry guidelines and permission forms are included on the 500 Rings Entry Form, which can be downloaded here. Please mail your submissions to:
Lark Crafts/500 Rings
67 Broadway
Asheville, NC  28801 USA
Attn: Dawn
Thanks, and we look forward to your submission!

Diane Time

It's almost Diane Fitzgerald time! Diane Fitzgerald is an author and award winning jewellery designer. Her work has been featured in various beading magazines including Bead & Button.

Courses are filling up. See full course schedule below.

March 9, Moorish Tile Beads



March 10, Gingko Leaf Necklace



March 11, African Circle Stitch and Butterfly Necklace




March 12, Crystal Helix Bracelet and Flowerette Bracelet



Also, Diane will be presenting a lecture on Fads and Trends in Beadwork at the next Toronto Bead Society meeting, March 9th. See their website for more details.

Finally, if you are looking for something fun to do this long weekend, consider a beading class at beadFX. On Sat. Feb 19, Stephanie Dixon will be teaching Wire Lace Multistrand Crocheted Necklace. You will learn how to make a 3-strand wire lace necklace dotted with Swarovski crystals.



Adios Amigas and Happy Family Day!

Getting Organized

I found these instructions for folding little origami boxes - and I thought - how cool is that? You could make custom boxes for your jewelry, or your beads - or if you do craft shows - to display in.

Wish I'd seen this when I still did craft shows!

Easy Origami Boxes

and if you want lids - same idea - just adjust this size a little.

Sorry this is short - my back is killing me - typing is agony.