Sneak Peek at the new items from Swarovski

Twice a year, Swarovski treats us to a preview of their new items, new colours, new shapes.

They have these gorgeous "flags" - they call them - samplers with the new items put on them to give you some idea of the usage. They are truly stunning works of art - all hand made with beautiful fabrics, and just dripping with crystals. They are strictly limited in availability - going only to the major, direct importers. I think you have to kill someone to get on the list to get them.

Anyway - here's some pics for you to drool over!

Here are some close ups, starting from the top. These are  the new Crystal Blends. Last year's crystal blend beads were Amethyst Blend, and Topaz Blend - both subtle shadings of a single colour. These are more dramatic - with Fern Green / Topaz (left) and Burgundy / Blue Zircon (right).

 The lovely watermelon rainbow effect  - Crystal Vitrail Medium - will be available on more beads and pendants.

 As will the effect - Crystal Comet Argent Light. Both of these are designated "P" - with a protective layer that makes the coating even more robust, and resistant to fingerprints as well. Geez - can they come and put that on my furniture?

This is Crystal Luminous Green - this is a new "effect" for this spring. For those of you not familiar, colours are inherent in the glass, and "effects" are coatings added afterwards. This Luminous Green shimmers between green and violet - and this picture really doesn't do it justice! 

 Rose Peach is the new colour, and has a matching pearl that is new too.

We'll be rolling out these new products just as soon as we get our hot little hands on them!

The Joy of Metal Clay: A New Challenge

As I write this my new mixed metal clay piece is being fired. Oh how I hate to wait. I will have results to show next week.


In the mean time consider entering Metal Clay Today's Inc. Challenge (Incorporate your metal clay with other materials challenge).


Check out www.metalclaytoday.com for the full details. Here are the basics:

• metal clay must be a major element of the design



• you must be a subscriber to metal clay today (this is easy to do sign up online)



• the entry needs to include other materials....



• you need to provide a 75 word or less description



• design must be original, give credit if you are using an instructors design



• ....

Prizes Include:

• First Place PrizeFull Registration to the PMC Conference valued at $335.00



• Second Place PrizeHalf Off Registration to the PMC Conference a $175.00 value.



• Viewer's Choice Prizea $100.00 discount on registration to the PMC Conference!

Think of the possibilities. Deadline is April 15, 2012. Good luck.

The Business Chat - How to sell without being a sleazeball

If you want to make a go of your small business, at some point you are going to have to ask people for money.

Did you feel that? That twinge in your stomach that said, “ooh ick, that’s gross! I’m an artist, selling is sleazy.”

Get over it.

Sometimes we’re so worried about not looking like a sleazeball that we go the other direction and never mention money anywhere. We show our work to people who love it and then we don’t ask them to buy it.
You know what happens?
They don’t buy it.

These days we are inundated with sales messages and ads and people shoving products down our throats. So how do you join the ranks of those sales scum without being scum yourself?

Can it be done?
Yes.
5 Tips to being a Nice Salesperson

#1 Listen

Picture this. You enter a clothing store and a smiling set of teeth has just asked you what you want. A blue sweater for less than $50 you say. Oh, they respond, well just look at this fabulous green coat, it will be great with your eyes, and it’s on sale for $80. And these shoes are darling. Blah blah blah. At this point you leave because it’s just too tiring to deal with the teeth. The teeth believe that if they shove enough stuff at you and flatter you, they will make a sale.
People don’t buy products, they buy solutions. They want to know how your product is going to improve their lives. If you listen to them talk, you can figure out their problem and then you can present your product as the solution.

#2 Educate them.
Your work is fascinating to your customers. You are a talented artist. Let them know how you make what you do by sharing some stories about your technique.
When you share the story behind the work you are telling them why the work has value. When they understand the process and your inspiration your work becomes so much more than just another product. 
#3 Focus on Serving The customer A sleazy salesperson is easy to spot, they have that “I’m on commission look” that says they’re in it to make money. It’s all about them. As a salesperson turn it around, it’s not about what you are going to get out of the transaction, think of it as what is the customer going to get out of it. How can you serve the customer? What can you do to make the experience better for them? 

#4 Build Relationships
Don’t think of them as “The Customer”, think of them as a potential friend, or a loyal fan.
A customer buys once. A loyal fan buys, tells all their friends how great you are and then keeps coming back. They are your ambassadors, treat them well. Answer their questions, respond promptly and show your appreciation for their loyalty.

#5 Smile smile smile! 
Look at the customer as a potential friend and not a wallet. A genuine smile as opposed to a predatory sizing up of the potential windfall will go along way to making both of you comfortable.

People pay attention of actions and how you handle yourself defines how they will handle you. If you’re dealing with the customer in person watch your body language, stay relaxed and loose. Keep your language positive and pleasant, this is especially important when you are dealing with the customer online. Watch that your language isn’t confrontational and salesy. Just be nice.

Bust Form Reveal Day

A couple months ago, a few of us decided it would be a lot of fun to create or alter a bust form for displaying jewelry. You can see the original post here.

Lynne B made 'Eve'  - Lynne, be sure to email your address to me - I've got a little prize for you!   Isn't Eve fabulous?

The base is a piece of salmon cage (Styrofoam tube) that washed up into our intertidal zone (We get 28 foot tides.. so have lots of room for collecting intertidal shluck!) impaled on a turntable from a defective jewellery display.  The cover is all needle felted wool fibres.. I actually knitted the skirt and then felted it ... but it felted up rather than in.. so doesn't quite have the flow I envisioned.

When I originally decided to make this  Fall 2010 she was suppose to have three faces too  at the moment she has a totem of beads to hang the jewellery off.   I wanted something that I could put on the floor that would have enough neck to display pendants/ jewellery without having to hang half the necklace down the back of the mannequin.

--
http://islandgirlsinsights.blogspot.com/
http://www.fireballbeeds.com/page1.html
http://www.islandgirl.etsy.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I decided to alter mine from a commercially available bust form.

It's really quite amusing just how many times I painted/podged/glued/spackled this thing.  The more I touched it, I have to say the uglier it became. I mentioned on facebook yesterday that my 6 year old said to me 'Mom, that's so ugly!'  So, off I went to futz around with it some more.


I originally was going for a patterned background that was muted with layers of tissue paper and mod podge. The end result wasn't muted, and horribly shiny. I then decided to age it using distress ink. Well, instead of the elegant aged look of being in a dusty attic - it looked like it was dug up from a dung heap. LOL

I repainted it, then added some texture by slapping on a ton of gesso. It still looked a bit boring, and needed something else. I found a jar of blue chalkboard paint, mixed that in with more gesso, spackled that on top. It's almost there now. I may still alter it a bit more as I'm not quite happy just yet.

Pantone Colours for Spring 2012

"Pantone is the world-renowned authority on color and provider of color systems and leading technology for the selection and accurate communication of color across a variety of industries. The PANTONE® name is known worldwide as the standard language for color communication from designer to manufacturer to retailer to customer." ~ Pantone website


Every six months, Pantone comes out with a colour forecast, one for the Spring and one for the Fall. They also announce a Colour of the Year. You might remember that Honeysuckle was the colour for 2011 and Turquoise was the 2010 colour. The colour for 2012 is Tangerine Tango.  You will see all sorts of shades of orange popping up everywhere this year in fashion, home decor and of course, beads and jewellery.

If you come in to the store you will see display cases that are full of new product and items to inspire you. We have one dedicated to Pantone Spring Colours.

Below are the Pantone colours and the Swarovski Elements that I think match up best.

Tangerine Tango = Crystal Astral Pink/Hyacinth

Solar Power = Light Topaz

Cabaret = Indian Pink

Sodalite Blue = Denim Blue

Bellflower = Cyclamen Opal

Margarita = Chrysolite Opal

Sweet Lilac = Violet Opal

Cockatoo = Pacific Opal

Driftwood = Greige/Silver Night

Starfish = Sand Opal

Here is a crocheted necklace I made that represents the colour trend well. Hyacinth, Light Topaz, Jonquil, Crystal Astral Pink and Silver Night are combined with vintage bronze coloured wire and findings.

Here is another example of a nice colour combo that represents the spring trend. I had pulled this product to start a project during open beading night that I saw in the most recent issue of Bead & Button. Much to my dismay, I had the wrong size crochet hook with me! 

What's your favourite colour of the spring colours?

New this week

See Spot Bead ...

This is Spot.
Spot is a Bead.
Bead, Spot, Bead! 

March's stone of the month is Dalmatian Jasper. Dalmatian Jasper is named, surprisingly - as it is obvious - and the obvious tends to surprise these days - for the Dalmatian dog. The origin of the name of the dog is a little less clear - it appears to be named not for the country of Dalmatia (a mountainous chunk of Europe that is now part of Croatia) - but rather for the liturgical or royal ceremonial over-robe called a dalmatic. The dalmatic, however, got it's name from being made of Dalmatian wool - wool from sheep from Dalmatia. 

How's that for a round-about route? Or root, if you will. I'm not altogether sure that the modern Dalmatian (dog) breeder would be too happy about the association with the stone, as rather than being the pure white and even sprinkling of black or liver spots that they strive for - this Dalmatian Jasper is far more colourful. It is a creamy base colour with lots of tan and caramel, and the obligatory black spots. Call it, if you will - Dalmatian-who-has-been-playing-in-the-mud Jasper. 

Metaphysically - the stone is supposed to help you release a tendency to over analyze or over-think things. No prize for guessing that I'm not wearing any of it right now. ;-)

What all else have we this week? It's a little bit of this and a little bit of that this week.

Looking for a simple, easy way to just throw on a pendant? Of course you are - this is a rubber cord with a friction plug clasp. You stick one molded end into the opening at the other, and it just stays together. To take off, just pull it apart, and it will make a squidgy sucking pop noise - like losing a boot in a field of mud, and standing there on one leg with your sock dangling off your foot and your dog trying to drag you in one direction and a herd of cows coming at you from the other direction and your best friend sitting on the fence killing herself laughing. You know the noise I mean.

If you are a daydream believer, I be-leaf you might enjoy these leaf motif button-like findings. The leaf motif is not in vain, but it is in vein. (I know - I'll be pun-ished for this). In silver, gold, and copper. 

Waffling on the leafy buttons? How about these Wafflecone buttons? Or links. With two holes - you can use them as links, or as clasps. You can make earrings - use one hole to attach the earring loop and the other for a nice dangle. In Antiqued Gold, Copper, Silver, or Noir. 

"Ha!" you say, "What I really need is something with 3 holes!" Oh, really? Well - we got your 3-hole separator right here, baby! Laying around - these look like a little pile of heishi beads, but they are actually 3-hole separators. Also in copper, gold, antiqued gold, noir and bright rhodium. 

Still working that corporate job with the identity card that you have to drag out every time you go out for a bagel? Walking around with a ID card on is such a fashion statement - not! Try this spiffy retractable leash ID badge clip. Clip this to your clothing, and you can spool out 12 inches of leash and wave that card at the scanner. What else can you think of where you need something to spool out of the way? Keys? And the best part is, you can bling up the clip part to match your sparkling personality! 

Plated metal pinch bails. Now in 4 sizes, from 12 to 22 mm! 

Plenty of other new items to choose from around the site (hey - new tools!) , so go ahead, click on a link or a picture above, or start with the Main Page, if you are feeling intrepid, (there is a LOT of stuff there), or chunk it down into bite-size portions by checking out the categories: Click on a link and go crazy! Firepolish, Pressed Glass, Swarovski Crystal, Seedbeads, Stone and Pearls, Preciosa Crystal, Metal Beads, Other Cool Beads, Findings, Metal Clay & Supplies or Books, Kits, Tools. Look for the "new" tags!

Or maybe check out all our free, yes, free projects. A new one every week.

Lampworking Studio is Now Open - Please call ahead to check availability and reserve a spot. 

we MOVED!

Just a reminder - we are at our new location - more info on our About Us page.

More experimenting with metalFX

Last weeks play session with the metalFX and nailpolish really got me quite excited about the varying ways we can add colour to metal. There are of course traditional, and heat patinas. These either require the use of chemicals, and or fire - not an option for everyone. Gilders paste comes in a wide variety of colours, and dries rock solid hard - but for those of you who also suffer from 'collectemallitis' like I do, it can get more than a little pricy.  That said, a wee tin of gilders paste will last you forever!

Enter nailpolish, metalFX, and a can of spray varnish! It's fun, cheap, and has the added bonus of being pretty much instant gratification. You can see my initial experiments with it in the Breath of Spring inspiration from last week.

I managed to get a few better pics of the process this week.

 The above image shows the metalFX just after it has been applied. I've been experimenting with varying different ways to apply it. Brushing it on, or blotching it on with lots of excess will give you completely different looks. You'll want to experiment with it both ways, as it depends on the bead/finding that you're using with method looks better.

Above, I've brushed off most of the excess, and purposely roughed it up a bit to allow the base metal to show through. The beads were then sealed. I've tried two methods: 1) a top coat of nailpolish, and 2) a coating of clear spray varnish (the one I had on hand was Painters Touch Clear by Rust-Oleum)

Both work quite well to seal in the metalFX and prevent it from flaking off. I found the spray varnish gave it a harder coating, but would probably depend on the quality of the nailpolish top coat that you use (I just had cheap stuff) ;-)

If you decide to play with this process - we'd love to see what you come up with!

Introductory classes!

Have you just discovered beading, but really don't know where to start? Join us for an introduction to necklace design and bead stringing. Learn about methods of design and the types of stringing materials available. Use flexible beading wire, crimp beads and a clasp to complete single strand necklaces or bracelets. Many color and size options. An excellent introduction for those wondering where to start! Suitable for the complete novice. 

All tools and supplies provided. Choose from a large selection of beads and findings.

Thursday March 8th - 

Basic Bead Stringing with Nadine Foskin
6pm to 8pm

Saturday March 10th - Those of you who have wanted to learn how to do basic soldering, now is your chance!

Hot Connections 1 - Introduction to Soldering with Iris Rogers Melamed

10am to 1pm

Learn Bead Crochet!

 

 Bead crochet is a great way to create wonderful and supple ropes for bracelets and necklaces! This class will use teardrop or drop beads to create ropes with texture that will be used to create a substantial bracelet.

Sunday March 11th - Bead Crochet Bracelet with Pamela Kearns

11am to 2pm

 

 

To sign up for any of our classes, please call 416.701.1373 or toll free 1.877.473.2323

Find our full class schedule here.

New Stuff from Tucson

Ever wonder what it's like to go to Tucson - the largest annual collection of bead and gem shows in the world - and just shop till you drop?

And then wait for all your goodies to be shipped home?

And then, they arrive?

Here's Marg, going through the boxes. 

 ooooo - beaded chain!

 Cloisonne - some new - some restock!

 Lots of new pressed glass!

 Boxes and bags!

 Semiprecious stone briolettes

 Lots of work to do now!

Then, then you have to go through everything and match up the restock items and figure out what is actually new!

Yep - our job is playing with beads all day long. What, get a corporate job? I don't thiiiiink so.  ;-)

The Joy of Metal Clay - Base Metal Clays

Unfortunately, I didn't get as much metal clay work done this weekend as I had hoped. I had to go over to my parents and help clear out their house as they have decided suddenly to move out of their house. On the bright side I have discovered many interesting craft supplies as I

sorted and packed boxes. Found some solid craft knifes, a burnisher and much more....

Anyway, I had hoped to have had more time to play with Hadar Jacobson's base metal clays and her new book, "Patterns of Color in Metal Clay" .

It is a great book with fabulous ideas. I can see so many fun things to do. I started a project she has in the book titled White Bronze Overlay Link Necklace (page 118), I haven't gotten far but it is three layers: bronze (gold coloured); copper and white bronze on top. I have only gotten the shapes started and one piece layered with copper.

Container Idea:

Other thoughts, I realized now I have steel, copper, bronze, and white bronze clay I need additional containers to store this clay. I didn't have any extra buddy cups hanging around. So I decided to try contact lens cases. I bought I set of two from Shoppers Drug Mart the other day, they have a snap top and should seal well (one would think). I will let you know how the clay stores in them...one things is they are tiny so you can't get more than (I guess) 15 grams in them.

Kids and Metal Clay

A final note. Last weekend, as a gift for one of my son's friends, I did a brief metal clay playtime. a a birthday party. Look at the results below. All the pieces were made by a group of 8-12 year-olds. (Actually, one piece {the piece with a snake stamped on it] was done by a 6 year old who came in late and other kids taught him how to make his own piece while I was helping another child. The pieces are Fast Fire BronzeClay.

Next week, I hope to have some finished pictures. Have a great week!

The Business Chat - Selling on consignment

Consignment is the most common method of selling to stores and the topic of today’s post. 

Selling your work on consignment means that you place work in a shop and when they sell something they pay you a percentage. Unlike wholesale where the store buys it outright, with consignment you retain ownership of the work until the customer buys it. It’s like you are renting shelf space. Consignment is often the easiest way to get your products into a store and is a good first step if you're just starting out.

Consignment is beneficial for shop owners and designers alike: it allows shop owners to fill their shops with items at no upfront cost to them and lets them test out the saleability of your goods to their customers. For you, it's beneficial as you retain a higher percentage of the sales price on your items than you would selling via wholesale (or, you should!) while also testing our your saleability in different markets, and getting exposure in retail shops.
A typical consignment agreement is 60/40 in your favour. Consignment is also good for selling one-of-a-kind or very high-end pieces. A big advantage of consignment over retail craft shows is that your work is continually on display somewhere, not just when you're doing shows or parties.

Even in a great store or gallery, there are disadvantages to consigning work. One is the lag time between delivering your product and receiving your money after it sells. Your inventory may be tied up for a long time without bringing you any return. The store or gallery may shut down and the owner may disappear with your work and the money they owe you. The store may not issue payment promptly. Finally, a retailer has less incentive to promote your work since they haven't invested any of their own money in it.
It’s very important to maintain more detailed records than you would in other types of selling. Inventory is money, your money, and it’s sitting on a shelf in someone else’s store under someone else’s control.

When you do agree to place your work in a consignment store (either online or brick-and-mortar), make sure you get a consignment agreement signed! Most stores will have their own agreement: read it, and if you don’t like parts of it, work it out before handing over your work. Be sure that both parties have a signed and dated copy of the consignment agreement.

A consignment agreement must talk about the following:

• Inventory: Generally, the agreement includes an inventory sheet of all the items that you are placing on consignment with the shop- it should list the item quantities, descriptions and retail prices.
• Sales split: When your item sells, the shop owner will retain a certain percentage of the sales price of your item, and you will receive payment for the remainder. The most typical consignment split is 60/40, with the designer/seller/you retaining 60% of the sales price and the shop getting a 40% commission
• Payment schedule: The agreement should explicitly state when you can expect to be paid for work that has sold. Often, payments are made by the shops every month for all sales that occurred the month prior. You should also know how you will get paid (via check? paypal? cash in store?) and you should expect to receive a list of items that have been sold along with your payment
• Duration of consignment: Each consignment agreement should have a trial period. Both you and the gallery needs to make sure that it is a good fit. Once the trial period is over you both have a right to end it. You should also be able to pull your items from the shop and have them returned to you whenever you'd like, as technically, you still own them- remember that. You don't want your items collecting dust on the shelves for too long and if they haven't sold after a period of time, then perhaps it's not the right market for you anyway.
• Shipping costs: For out of town/online consignment, it is usually the designer's responsibility to pay for shipping costs to the shop, and generally the shop's responsibility to pay for shipping costs back to the designer if the work doesn't sell. It's always best to ask the shop their policy upfront and get it in writing.
• Insurance: It is usually the responsibility of the shop to assume the loss for stolen/lost property or items that are damaged by shop/customer error, make sure you clarify this up front!
• If damage occurs due to faulty workmanship on your end (e.g. a clasp falls off one of your necklaces) then responsibility for that loss should be yours.

Here’s one last BIG piece of advice. When you first start your crafty career, and a store asks to carry your work, it is a real ego boost. Many new makers make the mistake of putting their work in every store that asks, thinking that stores = sales. This is not true.
Take a really good look at a store you are considering for consignment. Make sure it’s a good fit for your work, do they carry other work similar to yours? Is it a store your target market would shop at?

Now stop and think about this. If the store owner asked you for a loan, to invest money in the store, would you do it? Do you think you will get a good return on your investment? If the answer is no, then do NOT place your work in the store. Putting your work in a store is the same thing as investing in the store. You paid money to make your work. You are giving your work to the store, this is the same as giving your money to the store.  If you wouldn’t give them cash, then don’t give them work.

Once you have placed your work in a store, keep in touch with the buyer to see how it is selling. You don’t need to stop by daily, but calling every 2 or 3 weeks to check in and see if they need more is always a good idea.

Succeeding in consignment requires excellent record-keeping and careful planning. On the plus side, a good gallery understands that the more they sell the more money you both make. A good gallery is a win-win situation.

Bead Soup Blog Party

This year, I was lucky to be one of the 200 chosen for Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Hop.  Tomorrow is reveal day. Here is your chance to view over 200 designs and blogs from artists across the globe. Each participant was matched with another - beads were exchanged, and you were given the task of creating jewelry to reveal on March 3rd. In many cases, the items sent are well outside of the comfort zone of the artist receiving them. I can't wait to see what everyone came up with.

 The links will be available on the blog hop site, or tomorrow on my blog http://jenniferbeads.blogspot.com I was insanely lucky to be partnered up with Lorelei Hill Eurto, who sent me an incredible selection of beads and fibers to work with. Lorelei will also have to full list of blogs tomorrow as well. http://lorelei1141.blogspot.com/

New This Week!

Snakes aren't Plain ...

Last week, we led with a Burmese Python - but this week - well - the snakes don't have to be plain - because you can embellish them!

We've added to our line-up of this nifty nylon mesh tubing - which looks like a big box of snakes in the packaging room! - adding new colours and two new sizes - 4 mm and 16 mm. You can use them as an interesting stringing material, or stuff beads or something into them (fabric? yarn?), or stitch onto the surface of it. It squooshes down very small, but springs right back when you let go. (To thread through a small opening, squish the end and wrap with tape. Thread through, and then cut the taped end off.)

More Firepolish & Pressed Glass

More new firepolish this week. Some new 3 mm faceted rounds, Sugar Donut any one? Or maybe some Rabbit Meadow?

These Button Drops are really cool too - a bubbly sort of bead that looks great strung together in a cluster.

And more of these Rivoli Rondelles - These are rondelles that have crisper, edgier lines than the "donut" rondelle - and seems to have a bit more sizzle - course it could be because they are mostly larger too! Lots of new colours to choose from!

And a new Swarovski colour - a toasted marshmallow colour - White Opal Brandy - a sweet and intoxicating blend of white opalescence and warm honey colour.

• 6 mm Faceted Round (5000) - White Opal Brandy
• 4 mm Faceted Round (5000) - White Opal Brandy
• 3 mm Faceted Round (5000) - White Opal Brandy
  
• 8 mm Faceted Xilion Bicone (5328) - White Opal Brandy
• 6 mm Faceted Xilion Bicone (5328) - White Opal Brandy
• 4 mm Faceted Xilion Bicone (5328) - White Opal Brandy
• 3 mm Faceted Xilion Bicone (5328) - White Opal Brandy

Speaking of new Swarovski's - the new Swarovski shapes and colours have been launched - so we'll be rolling them out as soon as they come in. More details to follow as they come out!
In the meantime, plenty of new items to choose from, so go ahead, click on a link or a picture above, or start with the Main Page, if you are feeling intrepid, (there is a LOT of stuff there), or chunk it down into bite-size portions by checking out the categories: Click on a link and go crazy! Firepolish, Pressed Glass, Swarovski Crystal, Seedbeads, Stone and Pearls, Preciosa Crystal, Metal Beads, Other Cool Beads, Findings, Metal Clay & Supplies or Books, Kits, Tools. Look for the "new" tags!

Or maybe check out all our free, yes, free projects. A new one every week.

Lampworking Studio is Now Open - Please call ahead to check availability and reserve a spot.

MOVED!

Just a reminder - we are at our new location - more info on our About Us page.