Disappointing Weekend

I was scheduled to go out on Saturday to set up at a Juneteeth Celebration. I was a little put off by the booth fee because the vendor and handmade market hasn't been great lately. I actually wrote the organizer and asked for a fee reduction, but she turned me down. Anyway, I decided to go out for regular price, but when I awoke it was raining. I checked the forecast, and it said rain was expected. I decided to stay at home, since I hadn't officially turned in my application or paid any fee yet. WELL, it never rained all day!!!! Needless to say, I was a little perturbed. I made a bunch of wonderful soap and earrings to sell.

Undeterred, I decided to have a yard sale on Sunday. I dragged everything to the curb, set up my tent with my sister, and made one $1.00. Why $1.00? Because IT RAINED! The forecast said no rain, but guess what it rained. LOL!!!


So now I'm a little salty because my plans for the weekend were foiled.

Jewelry Making Findings Can Make Or Break A Jewelry Project

Jewelry Making Findings Can Make Or Break A Jewelry Project
By Ann Marier

Jewelry making findings are the essential pieces which make the
bead and wire a piece of jewelry. Jewelry making findings are
simply the components of any piece of jewelry; the findings
consist of clasps, head pins, ear clutches, jump rings and any
other manufactured or hand made component. Separate headings of
‘Findings” are listed in all jewelry making supply catalogs or
websites. A craft or hobby store will have the header listed in
their jewelry supply area. Jewelry making findings is a major
revenue business all by itself.

Ear Wire

Ear wires are the jewelry making findings that are used to
connect a beautiful earring body to the wearer’s ear. Ear wires
are essential when making earrings; they are generally silver,
gold and copper. There is also silver and gold plated, as well
as, gold filled. The 22 gauge is the size which is most used in
ear wires.

The ear wires are inexpensive to manufacture and are sold in
bulk. Ear wires can also be made by hand, and this could be a
way to distinguish your work from a manufactured earring. There
are many books and websites which contain instructions for
different patterns of ear wires.

Zip Lock Bags

Small zip lock bags are also considered jewelry making
findings. Plastic zip lock bags or small fabric pouches are
items which must be considered when selling your jewelry or
keeping it safe. Oils and everyday pollution will harm your
jewelry making findings and, therefore, must be kept in
containers before and after they are made into jewelry.

Sizes of these bags depend upon your necklace, bracelet and
earring projects. But jewelry making findings must always
include small bags of some capacity.

Clasps

Toggle clasps, jump rings, lobster clasps, S clasps and
magnetic clasps are all examples of jewelry making findings.
These are all necessary components to make any necklace or
bracelet work. Your beads or crystals, wire or chains and clasps
is all that it takes to make a spectacular necklace or bracelet.
But your findings are absolutely essential in the making of
these necklaces and bracelets.

There are many more examples, but the ones that are listed
above are the essential pieces. When researching for jewelry
making findings, look for quality first. In jewelry making
findings you really do get more ‘bang for your buck’.

Spend a little more for your findings and your customers will
turn into repeat customers and you won’t turn into a jewelry
repair business. When all is said and done, jewelry making
findings can literally make or break your jewelry making
projects.

About the Author: Ann Mariera writes articles about family life
and health issues. Each set of articles contain useful
information and advice.Her latest set are about making jewelry
and how to get started http://www.jewelrymaking-supply.com Visit
http://www.ultimatehealthinfo.com for full list of health issues

Source: http://www.isnare.com

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How to Sell More Jewelry at Home Shows

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kristie_Leong]Kristie Leong

Home parties are a great way to sell your handmade jewelry designs! Why? Because you have a captive audience. There are no competing jewelry booths to steal your sales like you would find at a jewelry or craft show. In addition, you don’t have to compete with the work of other jewelry designers as you do when you display in boutiques and galleries. Everyone attending the show is there to see your exclusive line of jewelry. Now, that's a big advantage! Don't you think?

Once you have a home party scheduled, you need to prepare yourself to sell jewelry. . There are a variety of simple strategies you can use to increase the amount of jewelry you sell at home jewelry shows. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Encourage each attendee to bring along a friend.

It's simple! The more people who attend your home jewelry party, the more jewelry you're going to sell. Contact each person who plans to attend your jewelry party and invite her to bring a friend. Offer a small discount on her purchase if a friend attends the party and purchases your jewelry designs. You can essentially double the size of your home jewelry party just be using this technique. Wouldn't doubling your sales be satisfying?

2. Break the ice early on in the party.

Your home party attendees will be in a more receptive mood to buy if they are made to feel comfortable and relaxed. Always address them warmly and sincerely when they come in the door and thank them for attending. Once everyone is seated, play a few quick games to help everyone relax and get to know one another. You'd be surprised at what a difference this simple little strategy can make.

3. Actively encourage people to try on your jewelry.

The worse thing you can do is give the impression your jewelry is untouchable. Encourage your party attendees to handle and try on the jewelry. When someone puts on a piece of jewelry, it's like magic. The simple act of touching and trying on a necklace or bracelet creates an emotional connection between your potential customer and the jewelry piece. What's the result? Your chances of selling that particular piece of jewelry

4. Mirrors, mirrors, everywhere

Don't skimp on the mirrors. People want to see what they look like wearing your jewelry designs. Bring as many mirrors as you can without cluttering up your display. Have you ever been in a woman’s clothing store like T.J. Max where there weren’t a lot of mirrors? Being unable to see how an item look is enough to drive some buyers away.. Make it easy on your potential customer.

5. Offer discounts for volume purchases.

Entice your home party attendees with enticing discounts such as:

$10.00 worth of free jewelry with a purchase of $50.00 or more.

Purchase a necklace and get the earrings at half price.

Buy three pairs of earrings and get one free.

I'm sure you can think of a lot more variations. Your goal is to increase sales volume and these strategies work.

6. Offer helpful suggestions.

Most people feel a little insecure when they're purchasing jewelry for themselves or someone else. Offer suggestions to your prospective customers on how to wear a particular piece or suggest a piece of jewelry that might look good on them. Do this with care and moderation. You don't want to be too pushy.

7. Get their contact information before they leave.

As each person leaves your home party, have them sign a guest book with their name, address, phone number, and email address. This will give you the opportunity to market to them in the future and potentially sell more jewelry.

8. Don't forget the power of a thank you.

Always thank your home party attendees for taking the time to attend your party. Let them know you're available to host parties for them if they're interested in making extra money and earning free jewelry. A sincere thank you is always appreciated.

Give these jewelry home party tips a try and I'll think you'll be rewarded with increased jewelry sales.

If you want to create an avalanche of jewelry sales, visit http://www.jewelry-marketing.com for little known secrets to selling handmade jewelry. Kristie Leong M.D. is committed to helping you be successful in your own handmade jewelry business.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristie_Leong http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Sell-More-Jewelry-at-Home-Shows&id=759737

Nightlife show

Types of Beads

Jewelry submitted by Brooke Brimm





rBy [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Felicity_Walker]Felicity Walker

Walking into a bead shop can be a wonderful experience - so many colors, shapes and designs. It's almost impossible not to get incredibly inspired, and it's just as hard to walk out without having spent more than you intended! But when you're confronted with so many beads, it can be helpful to have some idea of what the different types of beads are, and how they're used. That way you can choose the right sort for your project.

Seed Beads

Probably the most widely used beads, seed beads are small, round or shaped, and can be made from almost anything. The most common seed beads are made of glass or plastic, but you can also get them in wood, pearl, jet, metal and so on. There are a huge variety of sizes and shapes available, which is very confusing. The smallest seed beads are often referred to a size 10 or 12, and slightly chunkier ones are size 8. Because they're so small, they're great for decorating garments, using in almost any type of jewelry design and in most types of sewing and embroidery.

Bugle Beads

A bugle bead is a long tube shaped bead, made from plastic, glass or metal. They can be anything from 2mm (1/16") to 5cm (2") long. The most popular is a size 2 bugle bead, which is around 5 to 6mm (1/4") long. These are also great for sewing projects, and can be very effective in certain types of jewelry as well. They're often used as flower stems in sewing projects, or can be used to lengthen a fringe.

Sequins

Although not exactly a bead, sequins are often used together with beads in sewing projects. They are round pieces of plastic or metal, and either have a hole in the center or to one side. They can also be either flat or cupped. The most common sequin style is a 6mm (1/4") cup sequin. Generally sequins are used as decorations for garments and sewn items. The ones with center holes are sewn in rows or individually for the right effect, and the sequins with a hole on the side can be used to form clusters that hang or in fringe work.

Center Beads

A center bead is used as a feature bead in the middle of a jewelry piece, a sewing design (such as a flower), the end of a dangle, or to complete a row of beads. Basically almost any bead that doesn't fit into another category and is larger than standard beads can be loosely classified as a center bead. They come in plastic as well as glass and metal, but if you're using one as a feature, it may be better to go with glass or even crystal, because they last longer and are more beautiful to look at then plastic.

Oval or Rice Beads

Named because of their oval shape, these beads are generally used as a spacer in dangles or as a feature in sewing. They can produce some interesting effects when used in jewelry. The most common size is 1cm (1/2") long, and they come in all sorts of colors and materials.

This is only a quick look at the main categories of beads. Once you start exploring a bead shop you'll realize there's far too many types of beads available to fit them into a few categories. Still, this guide should at least help you get an idea for what types of beads are available, particularly if you have a project you're planning to make which asks for a specific type of bead. Have a great time beading!

If you want to learn more about beading, click over to Felicity's site at http://www.beading-is-fun.info To read Felicity's Ultimate Bead Lover's Guide, go to http://www.ultimatebeadloversguide.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Felicity_Walker http://EzineArticles.com/?Types-of-Beads&id=327578
i

Festival & Show Season

Well, I am out a little early this year working festivals and shows. My first one was a total bust! I didn't even make my booth fee:( The one shown in the pic was pretty good for me. The event didn't have many people there, but they were my target market, which is key!!!! I think it's going to be a good year because I feel committed to working more this year. Here's a secret to finding shows and festivals, CRAIGSLIST!!!!! I found the last three out of four shows on there.

Indian Beads Are Perfect For Jewelry Making

I have actually bought a bunch of beads from India wholesale. It cost me about $700 ( shipping included). I have had the beads for about two years making lots and lots of great jewelry. Plus, I sold some of the beads on ebay! Here are some of my designs with Indian Beads. This article below gives more detail!

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Himanshu_A.]Himanshu A.

India has a vast diversity and abundance of handicraft source. It is one of the worlds biggest producer of handmade products, still India is a labor based country, and still Indian product has signature of its makers.

In the field of jewelry India has its own unique class. Its designs are magnificent and classical. Beads contribute a vital part of jewelry market in India and they are admired through out the world.


India produces variety of beads such as glass beads, wood beads, clay beads, horn beads, metal beads, ceramic beads, lac beads and many more. Crystal beads are very popular due to their transparent and clear nature which makes them shine with any type of accessories. Indian handmade beads are one of the most demanded beads in the world. The majestic handwork of the Indian expert craftsman has made these beads very popular all around. Lac beads are generally handmade and are greatly admired by people all over the world for its exclusive handwork.


Glass beads occupy the biggest bead market in India and are available in variety of colors, designs and shapes. Indian glass beads are exported in all countries as they are cheaper and have great finish. Wood beads are also available in abundance, carved wood beads and painted wood beads are the two main streams under which wood is processed to make beads. Although ceramic beads don’t have as big market as glass or wood beads but it has a great potential. The shiny finish of ceramic beads makes them very attractive.


The main thing which has lead to the extensive spread of the Indian bead market is the fact that every buyer (whether it be a small shopkeeper or a wholesale businessman) can satisfy his needs of beads through the Indian market. Normally people dealing in [http://www.beadnshop.com/]wholesale beads keep a great variety of beads under a single roof which makes it easy for the buyer.

Find some of the most unique and rarest beads from India at [http://www.beadnshop.com]Bead ‘n Shop [http://www.beadnshop.com/handmade-beads/]handmade beads

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Himanshu_A. http://EzineArticles.com/?Indian-Beads-Are-Perfect-For-Jewelry-Making&id=632319