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Welcome!

Do you ever get so absorbed in a creative activity that several pleasurable hours pass by - but it feels like only a few minutes?

I love that state of deep creative immersion.

In today's issue we'll hear from jewelry artists who took on interesting design challenges, and surely went through that deep creative concentration stage to come up with their lovely solutions.

From Patricia Vener's new business card design process to Selma Cordell's journey of turning conch claws into jewelry, today we'll peek over the shoulders of several different jewelry artists as they create beautiful solutions to their design challenges.

Let the creativity begin!

~ Rena

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In this Issue of
Jewelry Business Success News:

1. Quick Tip: Jewelry Business Card Mail-outs



2. New Jewelry Business Ideas and Techniques:
   - 5 new jewelry business ideas
   - 3 new jewelry display / packaging ideas
   - 6 new jewelry making inspirations
   - 10 new highlights from the handmade jewelry gallery



3. Your Profitable Jewelry Business:
   What to Put in Your Treasure Chest?



4. Neat Jewelry-Related Website:
   Bronze Jewelers Hair Jewelry

Quick Tip:
Jewelry Business Card
Mail-outs

A couple of weeks ago I ordered a used book online.

When my order arrived in the mail, I opened the package - and as I pulled out my book, a business card fluttered to the floor.

I picked up the card, expecting it to be the business card for the online bookseller's store.

Instead, I was surprised to see that it was a card for a handmade jewelry business (even though my book had nothing to do with jewelry).

On the receipt that accompanied my order, the seller had added a thoughtful, handwritten thank-you for my book purchase - along with this line at the bottom:

"Please check out my jewelry shop as well. I've enclosed my business card."

What a lovely way to invite people to visit your jewelry business online.

You may want to consider slipping your jewelry business card into all of the non-jewelry related mail you send out.

A lot of people are interested in jewelry.

And when your business card flutters serendipitously out of their mail, you never know who will visit your website out of curiosity - and wind up making a purchase!

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.

Thanks for Linking and Sharing!

Near the bottom of every page on my websites 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 - every link helps! :o)

New Jewelry Business
Ideas and Techniques
from My Websites and Blog:

Jewelry Business Ideas:

1. Using Different Colors for Jewelry Photo Backgrounds
   Helen shares how she gets a perfect white background in her jewelry catalog photos.



2. Gimp Photo Editing
   Make your jewelry photos look more professional, with Stephenie Gardella's easy tutorial for using the free Gimp photo editor.



3. Add a Favicon to Your Jewelry Website
   Rita Juhlin shows how you can add a favicon - a small branding image that appears next to your website's URL in internet bookmarks and browser bars.



4. 16-Year-Old Jeweller
   Share your ideas for Tessa, a young jewelry artist in a small town who's looking for ways to expand her business.



5. How to Clean Brass
   Five fast ways to remove tarnish and dirt from your brass jewelry, wire, and findings - and bring out the shine. By Rena Klingenberg.

Jewelry Display and Packaging Ideas:

1. New Business Card Design - Patricia C. Vener
   Don't miss Patricia's new business card, which combines elegance with simplicity for a lovely, professional look.



2. Business Cards on the Cheap
   Debbie shares her crafty way to get 400 jewelry business cards for $1.00 plus the cost of your ink.



3. Share Your Jewelry Display Lighting
   Please tell us about the lights you use for your jewelry display (and find out what kind of lighting other jewelry artists are using!).

Jewelry Making Inspirations:

1. Caribbean Royalty - Making Jewelry Without Metal
   For a friend who's sensitive to all metals, Selma Cordell designed this stunning metal-free necklace.



2. Ring of Armor
   Jamie Santellano shares the creative process that led to her powerful chainmaille ring, inspired by medieval warriors.



3. Montego Bay Jewelry Set - Using Nature's Jewelry Supplies
   How Irma Guzman designed this lovely tropical jewelry set using natural seeds and nuts from South America.



4. Memories of Belize - Turning an Unusual Element into Jewelry
   When her son's grandmother sent home some unusual conch claws, Selma Cordell rose to the challenge of making them into jewelry.



5. Copper Coils Bib Necklace - Exploring Wire Bib Possibilities
   As Zoraida continues to push the boundaries of copper jewelry, she shares this stunning fishnet and coins bib design on her latest necklace.



6. Ladder Leather Earrings - from a Repurposed Belt
   See how Kakalina upcycled her belt into these groovy statement earrings.

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:

1. Bracelet with Handmade Polymer Clay Beads
   by Carola G.



2. Silver and Turquoise Framed Pendant - Frame of Mind
   by Les Bijoux Crea-Lune.



3. Seraphim Necklace
   by Tracy Carothers.



4. Sea Goddess Anklet
   by Lisa Suver.



5. Metamorphosis Necklace
   by Joan Williams.



6. Sweet Dreams Asymmetrical River Shell Necklace
   by Les Bijoux Créa-Lune.



7. Moonlight Wire Wrapped Pendant and Necklace
   by Abigail.



8. Heart and Vintage Crystal Earrings
   by Joan Williams.



9. Lily Pads Necklace
   by Joan Williams.



10. Unique Mother of Pearl and Silver Necklace
    by Les Bijoux Créa-Lune.

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:

Share Your Jewelry Content

(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:

What to Put
in Your Treasure Chest?

by Rena Klingenberg

After reading about my gemstone treasure chest that keeps children's hands out of my jewelry display and provides a lovely little freebie to my customers, jewelry artist Cindy asked:

"Where do you purchase these stones, what kind of stones, and how large of stones are you giving away? I like the idea but don't want to go broke buying stones."

And here's my answer to Cindy (and anyone else who wonders the same thing!):

In my "treasure chest" at jewelry shows I use small to medium-size tumbled stones that you can get from many craft or lapidary shops.

They come either dyed in brilliant colors, or undyed. I prefer stones that are NOT dyed, because most people really appreciate the natural colors and markings.

These stones are similar to what you often find in gift shops at museums, nature-oriented attractions, and touristy places.

In the past I've ordered these tumbled stones online and had them delivered - but as you might imagine, shipping can be expensive for rocks since they're heavy! And the farther away the supplier is, the more expensive the shipping! :o)

So it's better if you can find a supplier within driving distance of your house, to eliminate shipping charges altogether.

However, if you don't have a source for these tumbled gemstones nearby, why not consider different types of rocks you can find from various suppliers in your local area?

For example, pet / fish / aquarium shops tend to have all kinds of different rocks and pebbles for pet fish, reptiles, and amphibians.

Also sand, gravel, stone, and landscaping suppliers - and even plant nurseries - tend to have interesting stones that could work in your treasure chest. Be sure to ask about "seconds" or "lower grade" rocks, marble, slate, sandstone, etc. that these businesses may have. You may be able to get a nice load of them for free or very cheap, if the business just wants to get rid of them.

Flat glass "stones" or even marbles can also be neat goodies for your treasure chest. You can source these from dollar stores and local craft stores. (Be sure to check the craft store's website and newspaper ads for coupons you can use to get your glass stones or marbles for even less!)

Other "treasures" I often toss into my treasure chest are large beads, charms, etc. that aren't really usable for jewelry (such as beads that are drilled crookedly and won't hang right). People of all ages love to find these in among my tumbled stones.

So if tumbled gemstones aren't easily accessible from where you live, think creatively about alternative treasures.

People love to touch, examine, and keep nearly any kind of rock, mineral, or shiny object!

Neat Jewelry-Related Website

This week's neat site is Bronze Jewelers - artistic, handmade hair jewelry that really works.

Metal artists Fran Doll and Dennis Blankenheim offer elegant and comfortable handmade combs, barrettes, snoods and hair picks. These functional hairpieces are crafted out of a variety of metals including bronze, copper and nickel silver.

Fran and Dennis make some of the most unique, lovely hair jewelry I've seen. And the fact that it's functional makes it even better!

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:
How Can I Make This Newsletter
Better for You?

If you haven't yet responded to my quick survey, I welcome your input!

Please take the survey here to give me your suggestions and feedback so I can make this newsletter a better resource for you.

I grant as many wishes as possible! :o)

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

Jewelry Display Ideas

Making Jewelry Now

Jewelry Business Blog

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 ~

Contact Rena