January 07, 2010
If this newsletter is difficult to read as an e-mail:
Welcome!
Today's issue has several inspiring ideas for getting your new jewelry year off to a creative, prosperous start.
Here are some of the articles you'll find in this issue that fit in with New Year's resolutions:
If you've resolved to do things in a "greener" way, be sure to check out Lyn's "Recycled Portfolio Display" below.
If you've resolved to make your jewelry business more profitable, see Virginia Vivier's writeup below, "You Don't Need Expensive Tools to Make Beautiful Jewelry" for a fantastic jewelry line idea.
If you've resolved to get your jewelry business started, see Polly Hendrickson's "Believe in Yourself" below, detailing how she faced down her fears and got started.
If you've resolved to create your own opportunities, read Patricia Vener's "Open Studio Show - Dreams and Delights Success" below, on how she organized and promoted her first open studio show.
And there are many more great ideas and tips in this issue.
Here's to a new year of jewelry creativity, fun, and success!
~ Rena
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In this Issue of
Jewelry Business Success News:
- Quick Tip: Repurpose Christmas Cards into
Jewelry Gift Tags - New Jewelry Business Ideas and Techniques:
- 5 new jewelry business ideas
- 5 new jewelry display / packaging ideas
- 4 new jewelry making ideas
- 6 new highlights from the handmade jewelry gallery - Your Profitable Jewelry Business:
Capturing Color Schemes You See - Neat Jewelry-Related Website:
Furoshiki
Quick Tip:
Repurpose Christmas Cards
into Jewelry Gift Tags
What to do with the stack of lovely Christmas cards you received last month?
I tend to keep the ones that have letters written inside the card - but to me the ones that have just a signature ("Love, Tom and Jerry") aren't really keepers, and the front of the card has lots of crafting potential.
Why not cut the pretty front of the card into several smaller squares, rectangles, or other shapes to be used as gift tags (or folded mini-gift cards) for your customers' jewelry purchases next holiday season?
Including a gift tag or small folded gift card is a nice convenience for your customers. All they have to do is sign the tag, and their jewelry gift is ready to give.
You can even punch a hole in the corner of the gift tag and add a string or ribbon for attaching it to the gift package.
Most customers admire creative, eco-friendly touches, and it's a nice way to recycle Christmas cards that are too pretty to throw away.
Before you do any cutting, I recommend measuring your jewelry gift boxes or pouches first, so you can create gift tags that are a nice size for your packaging.
Sell Your Jewelry Like Crazy
at Shows, Fairs, and Festivals
This Year
Discover hundreds of things you can do to sell more of your handmade jewelry at shows, in my book Ultimate Guide to Your Profitable Jewelry Booth.
Get this 176-page, step-by-step resource before your next show.
Help Other Jewelry Artists
If you find my jewelry websites helpful, please help other jewelry artists find out about them.
Near the bottom of every page on my sites is a box that says "Share This Page", which makes it easy for you to link to that page or share it around the Web.
Thank you for spreading the word! :o)
New Jewelry Business
Ideas and Techniques
from My Websites and Blog:
Jewelry Display and Packaging Ideas:
- Compact Art Festival Booth
Don't miss Patty Lakinsmith's lovely booth setup that breaks down to compact parts for easy transport by car. She included several photos - including shots of how to fit it into the car. - Another Display Idea for a Bracelet
Dita Basu cleverly uses this simple household item as an elegant bracelet display. - Recycled Portfolio Display
Lyn created this neat versatile jewelry display / carrying case for free, by recycling materials she had access to. - MP Designs Jewelry Booth by Melinda Jernigan
Melinda's folding display stands up to bring her jewelry to eye level - and she can organize her items in endless ways on it. - Post or Stud Earring Packaging
Brandi shares her project for making professional looking cards for stud / post earrings. The cards also double as a display.
Jewelry Business Ideas:
- Open Studio Show - Dreams and Delights Success
Patricia Vener shares how she set up and publicized an open studio show at a local tea room - including photos of her display and her promotional postcards. - Breaking into a Jewelry Market
Teasea Bennett's inspiring story of how her new Reve Jewellery line is breaking into her chosen jewelry market - and getting big-time results. - Believe in Yourself
A year ago Polly Hendrickson decided to face her fears about starting her jewelry business. Here she shares how she did it - and how far she's come in that year. - Passion Makes Success
Egyptian jewelry designer Mahitab Shamseldin shares how she and her sisters started their jewelry business - and a wonderfully creative pendant they've designed. - Planning to Retire Teaching Others How to Make Jewelry
Wanda Epps shares the moment in time when she discovered her path in jewelry making - and where that path is headed in her future.
Jewelry Making Ideas:
- You Don't Need Expensive Tools to Make Beautiful Jewelry
Don't miss Virginia Vivier's inexpensive method of creating unique metal jewelry that sells well at a nice profit. - Five Essential Tools for Making Beaded Jewelry
Jocelyn Duncan lists her five must-have tools for bead jewelry making - including one tool you might not think of. - Using Chain on Earrings
Janine Gerade shows off the lovely earrings that used up some bits of chain that were too small for anything else. - What Does the Mirror Image Show?
Virginia Vivier describes how to check for flaws in your jewelry designs - before you use any of your jewelry supplies.
Highlights from the Handmade Jewelry Gallery:
See many more wonderful new jewelry designs in the Handcrafted Jewelry Designers' Gallery! There are too many to list here - so these are just a few of the most unique new submissions:
- Blue Skies, Wild Pony - Pony Medallion Necklace
by Luann Udell. - Tempus Fugit Pin
by Bridgette L. Rallo. - Mermaids Magic Jewelry Set
by Kathy McChesney. - Unity of the Opposites Pendant
by Marianna. - First Wire Wrapped Pendant
by Wanda A. Epps. - Sunny Sunday Polymer Clay Necklace
by Afleurdepeau. - And one correction - in the last newsletter issue, I credited the wrong artist for the Wire Hearts and Garnets Bracelet that was actually created by Melissa Lloyd-Fillier. Melissa's name was correct on the Gallery page, but wrong in the newsletter.
Share Your Jewelry Content
and Get Great Exposure
I invite you to share your jewelry photos, tips, stories, tutorials, etc. - right here on my network of jewelry websites.
It's a friendly, creative atmosphere of ideas and networking.
You'll also receive links to your jewelry business, and gain exposure in the handmade jewelry community - and beyond.
Jewelry artists often tell me that the exposure they've received on my websites has brought them valuable new connections, opportunities, and traffic!
So come on in and take advantage of all these great opportunities for sharing:
(And of course, you always keep the copyright to all of your own content that you share on my network of jewelry websites.)
Sell Your Jewelry at Trunk Shows,
Private Showings,
and as Business Gifts
Learn how to sell your handmade jewelry to this HUGE untapped market, in my book Secrets of a Handcrafted Jewelry Shopping Service.
Get this 115-page, easy-to-read guide now, and make this your best jewelry selling year ever.
Your Profitable Jewelry Business:
Capturing Color Schemes
by Rena Klingenberg
Recently I was trying to come up with an attractive color scheme in safari-inspired shades of creamy brown, olive-tinted tan, and pale khaki.
I spent several frustrating days trying one color combination after another, but I couldn't quite hit on the right give-and-take of colors and color intensity.
Even stepping away from the project for a few days and coming back later with a fresh perspective didn't help.
Finally, when I was about to totally scrap this color scheme, I went out to run some errands.
As I drove into the parking lot of a local store, I suddenly saw, right in front of me, the perfect color scheme that had eluded me for days.
The late afternoon winter sun was shining on the stucco front of the store.
In the light and shadows cast by the low-angle sun, I saw the pale khaki building, the olive-tinted tan eaves, and the creamy brown shadow under the eaves.
My color scheme! I could almost hear angels singing. :o)
But it would be impossible to keep those divine colors in my mind's eye until I got home and had time to work on my project again.
So I used my cell phone's camera to take several shots of the front of the building, from different distances, to be sure I captured the colors accurately.
(Meanwhile my son - who is accustomed to my oddities - scrunched lower in the front seat of my car and said jokingly, "I don't know you.") :o)
When we got home I downloaded the photos to my computer, and they turned out beautifully, enabling me to finally get the color scheme I wanted for my project.
Next time you notice a striking color scheme or other creative visual inspiration, consider capturing it for later use by taking a quick picture of it with your cell phone's camera (or other camera if you have it with you).
I've discovered it's a wonderful creativity tool!
Oh, and if you're interested in seeing the project that now sports the safari-inspired color scheme I was seeking - it's the template colors of my Making Jewelry Now website.
Neat Jewelry-Related Website
This week's neat site is the "examples" page on Furoshiki.com.
Furoshiki is a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth that's often used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods.
The furoshiki cloth can be wrapped, twisted, or tied in endless ways to turn it into a creative wrapping or container. The page I've linked to above is loaded with cool examples of ways to use one.
If you're interested in this fascinating art form, it could make a lovely, unique, and very eco-friendly jewelry gift packaging option for you to try!
(And you could probably make your own furoshiki cloths very cheaply from dollar-store handkerchiefs or scarves.)
Sell Your Jewelry Online
Grow a solid base of online jewelry customers, using the step-by-step strategies you'll learn in my book Social Networking: Sell Your Jewelry Online the New Way.
Get this 192-page, step-by-step resource now, and start growing your customer base.
Network and Get Noticed
in the
Home Based Jeweler's Showcase
The Home Based Jeweler's Showcase blog is a free opportunity to promote your jewelry business and find other jewelry artists to network with.
It's published by Rita Juhlin of Private Stock Jewelry.
To add your jewelry business to the Showcase - please email Rita Juhlin, at HomeBasedJewelers @ gmail.com .
SURVEY:
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Better for You?
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Please take the survey here to give me your suggestions and feedback so I can make this newsletter a better resource for you.
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Thanks so much.
My Jewelry Business Websites
and RSS Feeds
This newsletter highlights some of the latest jewelry business tips and techniques from my websites:
Home Jewelry Business Success Tips
Each of these sites also has its own RSS feed. Look for the orange RSS symbol on the left-hand column of each of these sites to get the feed.
Thanks so much for joining me
for this issue of
"Jewelry Business Success News"!
~ May your jewelry journey be fun and prosperous ~