ORDERING CUSTOM JEWELRY

I'm so sorry it's been so long since my last post! As the byline on this blog says, "I might have something to say" and more often than not, I really don't! I'm the type that prefers to keep to myself and sit in the background, listening but not talking much.

I'm not sure why, but I've been getting more custom jewelry requests lately. For me, it is both exciting and scary- exciting and flattering that someone thinks that I am able to do the work they have in mind and scary because sometimes their suggestions are so vague and I must come up with the idea. This is when being a mind reader would really come in handy!

Normally I require to have full payment before I begin work, but sometimes, when I'm not sure I can even fulfill the request, I am inspired to try it out on my own first. I feel less pressure this way- knowing that it MUST turn out when they've already paid can stifle my creativity.

Below is a photo of 2 necklaces I made because I wasn't sure what the customer wanted. She ended up buying one of them. Both turned out beautifully and now I have another new item for my shop! The one on the left is made from fine silver wire and the cross on the right is made from precious metal clay and hammered after firing.

With a little experience under my belt, I thought I'd share a few thoughts/tips for custom orders for a customer which you can easily adapt if you are the seller.

1. Be as detailed as possible. We need adjectives like large, small, delicate, bold, dainty, rustic, smooth, shiny, matte, etc. Having the actual dimensions is ideal.

2. Support your idea with sketches or photos of a similar piece for comparison.

3. Don't ask a seller to copy someone else's work. Just go to the original artist and purchase it.

4. Expect to pay the full amount or at least give half for deposit before work is completed. Also expect to pay a little more than a ready made item as it takes us time to research and/or buy materials needed for the project. We may even need to educate ourselves on a new technique or buy a new tool. Be upfront, with the amount of money you are willing to spend.

6. Answer emails that contain questions in a timely manner. That way you will get your order quicker too.

5. In general try to convey your ideas as clearly as possible for the artist. We cannot read your mind and you will be much happier with the result if communication is open.

The beauty of custom work and dealing directly with the artist is being able to have an original design made to your specifications and it's also very inspiring for the artist!

and until the next time I have "something" to say...
Have a great day!
Debora

NOTE: The first photo is custom order order pendant made from metal clay. A customer supplied me with a photo of a Hawaiian petroglyph which I drew on the clay, engraved with a lino cutter, finished and fired.

I'M CELEBRATING....

two years on Etsy, which happens to be 2 years from starting my handmade jewelry business. I also have shops on 1000 Markets and ArtFire now, but Etsy holds a special place in my heart, because it was here into which I stumbled, and realized after being creative my whole life, that there was a place that I could sell my wares to a worldwide marketplace. Despite its flaws (which most of you Etsy sellers know about) it brings in the most traffic and generates the most sales for me.

I really got off to a snail's pace start and reached 100 sales by March 2009 when I celebrated my first year. I remember my goal was to reach 300 sales by my 2nd anniversary and I'm so happy to say that it is now well over 400. My greatest wish is that it continues to grow and I am able to channel my creative energy by doing something that I love to do!

Many thanks to all of my customers, new and returning, blog readers, family and friends who have supported and encouraged me. It's been a fun ride and I can't wait to see where it goes in the coming year.

To celebrate, I am offering free shipping to those that write "celebrate2" in the notes to seller when checking out with a purchase over $10 from my Etsy shop from March 28th through March 31, 2010. I will refund the savings promptly through Paypal. This offer is for US and Canadian customers only.


Once again, thanks so much for your support, now I'm going to see if I can find me some cake!

WORKIN' AWAY...

and obviously not blogging. I can't believe I haven't written for over a month!

I do have a good excuse though and that is that my Etsy shop has been quite busy! I've been coming up with new designs and keeping up with orders. I've had a lull for the last few days (which feels sort of strange) so I thought I'd take the time to drop in and say "hello" and show you some new items I've added to my shop. I've also had a few crafty projects going; like sewing a formal gown for a dinner we attended and making curtains for our downstairs media room, as well as the usual everyday stuff associated with having a teenager!

In the above photo, you'll see some new pieces that are created with metal clay. What I love about this medium is being able to impress patterns and designs directly into the silver clay in it's "wet stage". I just ordered a few more decorative stamps and can't wait to see how they come out. My familiar "organic hoop earrings" are included in there too, because I have made so many of these in the past few months! They are what I call my "bread and butter"; the tried and true favorites of every woman's jewelry box! They seem to do very well in my shop and allow me the funds to expand and buy more tools and supplies.

I also can't believe that I will be having my 2 year " Etsyversary" this Sunday, March 28th. It has been such a treat to be able to do something I love and send my jewelry to different parts of the globe. I'm not sure what I'm going to do to celebrate but I'll think of something and get it posted soon.

Meanwhile, enjoy the beginnings of Spring, longer days and so much more color around us to brighten our spirits!

GO FOR SILVER... an Artbeads Product Review

Recently, I was asked by Artbeads.com to review some of their silver products from their website store. Again, I was delighted, as I already purchase many of my silver findings, beads, and chain there to create designs for my jewelry shop Beadin By The Sea.

With the opening ceremonies beginning this evening for the 2010 Winter Olympics, in my hometown Vancouver BC, I know that everyone is focusing on gold, but clearly it is silver that seems to be the metal of choice right now for jewelry wearers.

Here are some of the jewelry pieces that I created using sterling silver from their website:

The following 3 photos show earrings using an 8mm round link sterling silver chain found on Artbeads.com. This is a rather light gauge chain that I felt was a little too delicate for necklaces, but just right to make lightweight earrings. I used ball headpins and wire wrapped silver mirror beads (pic.1), amethyst rondelles (pic.2) and more twist silver beads (pic.3.) in between the links. I was able to make 3 pairs from 1 foot of the silver chain. You can find a large variety of sterling silver beads on Artbeads from plain to very fancy.

The earrings below are made with my own metal clay component and accented with ribbed barrel beads from Artbeads. Another example of the wide variety of silver beads that they carry.


Another chain I received was a foot of oval link sterling silver chain. This one is much heavier and more robust, just perfect to complete a new bracelet with a decorative oval toggle clasp made from metal clay.

Okay are you inspired now? For further inspiration and ideas check out Artbeads.com yourself. And... it looks like they are having a sale this weekend for President's Day! If you are interested in finished jewelry please check out my shops on either Etsy or ArtFire.

FTC disclaimer: I have received these products free of charge from Artbeads.com . I am honestly reviewing the products and have not been paid for this endorsement as it pertains to the products received.

INVENTORY INSPIRATION

Swingtime... in Purple Velvet and Violet Satin... $27.00

Inventory is done and I have to admit that I have more beads than I thought! Surprise, surprise. I think I'm going to go on a bead buying freeze until I use some of this stuff up, especially as I cannot deduct it as a cost to my business until it sells!

As I shared in my last post, going through and counting inventory was very overwhelming at first, but also very inspiring for me. I found some findings and beads that I had totally forgotten about. I also didn't realize how many Swarovski crystals I have accumulated over the years. I absolutely love to work with Swarovski crystals because of the vast selection of color, shapes and sizes and how they sparkle... BUT I have to admit they don't sell very well in my shop! I really don't know why!

Still, I couldn't resist making some chandelier earrings which I thought were such a clever use of bits of leftover chain, 3 and 4mm bicones, and some sterling tube beads I purchased a long time ago. After I ran out of tube beads, I wired the crystals for the center bar. They turned out beautifully and I've decided to keep a violet satin pair (like the last photo) for myself! The others are for sale in my shop and we'll see if they find homes. Don't you think they would make perfect bridesmaids or prom earrings too? They could be made in any color!

Swingtime in Indian Pink and Rose ... $26

Swingtime in Coral Pink or Padparadscha... $24
Well, here they are. What do you think? Any tips/ideas for selling Swarovski jewelry from fellow bloggers out there? I'd appreciate any constructive comments or suggestions.

Meanwhile, I'm going to go back to digging through my bead/findings stash for some more ideas. If you need to add some "sparkle" to your step you can visit my shop on Etsy here.

OUT FOR THE COUNT...

I feel like I've been in a vortex these last few days while I've been taking inventory of every bead, finding, and foot of wire and chain in my possession! This is the first year that I will be filing tax forms regarding my jewelry business, so this is all very new to me. I'd thought I'd emerge into the real world for just a few minutes to share what I've learned from this seemingly daunting task.

This is not a "How to" but I found these steps helpful to getting started.

1. Organize:

Purge out old beads & findings that you don't think you will use. I've put these in a separate box labeled "Do Not Inventory" that I will hang onto for a while and then most likely give away or keep for personal use. These are items that I purchased before I started my business and they just don't fit in with my theme or style anymore.

2. Inventory software program or spreadsheet:

Get a good computer program to enter data. I bought an Excel spreadsheet program from an Etsy seller that seems to be working out very well so far. I had to tweak it a little but so far so good! Here is the link to the item:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vt_related_1&listing_id=37795315

You can also make your own spreadsheet in Excel, but this program includes a jewelry cost worksheet that is linked to the prices of your inventory so that you can more easily figure out the cost of the goods you've sold. I'm excited to try that!

3. Just start:

Start counting and jump right in! I had all my beads mixed by color in a box, but now I've separated them into small ziploc bags to make everything easier for next year. When I receive orders from now on I have learned that I will keep it in the original bag with the coded label so that re-ordering the same bead/finding will be so much easier. I will also enter the price/code information onto my computer spreadsheet so I have all I need right there. You'll also need lots of small ziploc bags for storage and adhesive labels to label items for easier reordering.

ON A POSITIVE NOTE:

I dreaded this task but now after diving in I must say that I am so inspired! I have discovered beads and findings that I purchased and had every intention of using, that have long been forgotten. I have my sketchbook out and am collecting ideas for ways to incorporate stock that I already have into new jewelry designs. The best thing is that they are already paid for and if I use them I won't have to count so many next year!

Okay, back to my counting. I want to get finished so I can start creating again...

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Debora