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Welcome!

I've been little slow in posting and commenting on the great things you all have sent in over the past couple of weeks, while I was on vacation.

But I'm back now and (mostly) up to speed again!

So there's a ton of excellent new jewelry content here in today's issue.

So many of you have sent in great photos using the new feature of including up to four images in your submissions!

Thank you all for creating and sharing this bumper crop of fantastic jewelry designs, displays, tips, and articles.

It's an inspiring spark to help us all start to gear up for the exciting Fall and Holiday jewelry selling season ahead!

~ Rena

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In this Issue of
Jewelry Business Success News:

1. Quick Tip: Consider Your Packaging When Designing Jewelry



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



3. Your Profitable Jewelry Business:
   18 Ways to Stay Excited About Your Jewelry Business



4. Neat Jewelry-Related Website:
   Olefson Design Recycled Jewelry

Quick Tip:
Consider Your Packaging
When Designing Jewelry

Have you ever created a really cool new jewelry item - and then discovered it won't fit into any of the gift boxes or pouches you have?

For example, I created a line of groovy, statement cuff bracelets - and then discovered that they were just a tiny bit too wide to fit in any standard jewelry gift boxes (and way too wide for gift pouches).

A while later, I made some wire chokers with a diameter that turned out to be too large for any standard gift packaging I could find (unless I used a box that was about twice the size of the choker).

Of course, you can always make your own packaging - but for a whole line of jewelry, that can be very time-consuming.

So as you design a piece of jewelry, you may want to measure and consider the box, pouch, or other gift packaging you'll use when you sell it - and possibly ship it - to your customer.

It would have been so much easier for me to design those cuff bracelets just a little narrower, so they'd fit into a standard gift box, than it was to contrive a different packaging solution for them! :o)

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!

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 the pages you like, or share them around the Web.

Thank you - every link helps! :o)

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

Jewelry Business Ideas:

1. Post to This Website to Build Traffic to Your Blog
   Karen Kelsky discusses the traffic her jewelry business receives from sharing her content online.



2. Selling Jewelry on Consignment - Tax Questions
   See Rita Juhlin's excellent response to Kimberly's questions on QuickBooks, jewelry consignment, and taxes.



3. Don't Show the "Not for Sale" Items
   Ross T Nugroho was invited to bring her jewelry to show someone - and ended up starting a craze for an item that wasn't for sale! An interesting insight into customer psychology.



4. A Few Tips for Getting Your Etsy Shop Noticed
   Kara St. Denis shares a few things she's discovered about getting her jewelry found in the sea of Etsy shops.



5. How Making Jewelry Makes Our Family Closer - JoySoulJewelry
   This story begins when Nancy Austin's husband inherited his grandmother's vintage jewelry - sparking a creative new journey involving the whole family.



6. An Inside Look at a Craft Fair Jury
   I'm re-running Barb Macy's valuable insights on what a craft fair jury looks for in the artists' applications - why some artists are chosen for the show, and others aren't.

Jewelry Display and Packaging Ideas:

1. Bracelet Display that Looks Good - Smells Great
   See Jill Quisenberry's exquisite props for displaying her bracelets for photos.



2. Simple Bud Vase Jewelry Display
   Miwa Lee shows her version of a simple, graceful jewelry display created from an item she found at Target.



3. Fast 'n' Easy Frame Displays
   How Miwa Lee created these quick, inexpensive necklace displays - an idea that can be adapted in all kinds of ways.



4. Inexpensive Booth Signage
   See the fast, professional looking vinyl booth banner Brandi created - for only the cost of shipping.



5. Repurposed Fireplace Screen Earring Display
   After arranging for her booth banner, Brandi describes how she pulled together the rest of her jewelry booth and displays - in just three days.



6. Padded Hangers as Earring / Necklace Display
   See Diane Kirkland's fashionable, eye-catching solution for displaying her earrings and necklaces. A quick, clever display idea!



7. Wooden Bracelet Display
   Ali Baker shares her great DIY bracelet display project - involving a piece of wood, paint, and small steel brads.

Jewelry Making Inspirations:

1. How Would This Look if I Did it Another Way?
   Don't miss Dr. Gail Devoid's fascinating experiment with different ways to use the same handmade jewelry component - and the different looks that result.



2. Blooming Copper Choker
   How Melody Tallon went from being inspired by another artist's design, to creating her own stunning polymer clay and artistic wire necklace.



3. Men in Blue - Bead Earring Variations
   Kathleen Davis' simply clever bead earrings are fun to wear - and give her many opportunities to pass out her jewelry business cards.



4. Decoupage Earrings
   Arriel Goodwin's inspiring earring idea has lots of scope for color, creativity and collage!



5. Bridal Elegance Beach Wedding Barefoot Sandals
   Jan Hansen shares her process of creating her high-end, elegant barefoot sandals for beach weddings.



6. Leather Starfish Bracelet
   See how Dawn Crowder made this incredibly cool cuff bracelet.



7. Puzzle
   How Miriam Beloglovsky's metal clay experiment turned into an interesting pendant.



8. Double Helm Chainmaille Necklace
   Lisa added a creative innovation to her very first chainmaille project - resulting in this beautiful necklace.

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. Hand-Wrapped Crystal Vine Pendant Necklace
   by Joanne Stow Boyington.



2. The Angel Sarah-Phim
   by Delia Stone.



3. Sand Lizzy Wire Necklace
   by THEjeweller (Giulia).



4. All That Glitters Bracelet
   by Jill Quisenberry.



5. Thai Dreams Necklace with Real Orchid Pendant
   by Sarah.



6. Green Elegance Kumihimo Jewelry Set
   by Cathy Larsen.



7. Promise Pink Memory Wire Bracelet
   by Melissa Teicher.



8. Wooden Flower Necklace
   by Lorraine/Wired Orchid.



9. Red Jade Chain Maille Necklace
   by Regina Rose Malone.



10. Roller Coaster Ring
    by Asteria.

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 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 easily 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:

18 Ways
to Stay Excited About
Your Jewelry Business

by Rena Klingenberg

If you've started a business to sell your handmade jewelry, it almost certainly grew out of your love of making jewelry.

It's wonderful to do what you love and get paid for it!

And your excitement can lead you from one success to another.

But sometimes along the way, a jewelry business can lose its sparkle.

You might have so many things to do that you don't know where to begin. Or you have some custom orders, but you can't get inspired to work on them.

Or you're getting ready for a show, but all you can think of is how much work it is. Or you're not making enough sales to feel successful.

Keeping your enthusiasm is the key to feeling fulfilled - and to growing your jewelry business in the best ways for you.

Try these 18 tips for staying excited about your jewelry business:

1. Only take on work that makes your heart sing.


2. Set your prices high enough so that you feel happy with your net earnings.


3. If paper clutter or life clutter is slowing you down, make conscious choices about what's worth keeping - and unburden yourself of whatever isn't.


4. If you're not making enough sales, spend some time wandering through this Home Jewelry Business Success Tips website and find a ton of new ideas for promoting your jewelry.


5. Set goals and know what you're going to do next, instead of drifting around waiting for something to come up.


6. Don't take on too much. If you have small children or other life commitments, keep your business within a level you can handle.


7. Doing everything on your own can be tough. Consider participating in some sort of group (either online or offline) that helps you grow your business and sell more of your work. For example - an entrepreneurs' group, an Etsy street team, your local chamber of commerce, a beading group, a crafters' collective, etc.


8. Focus your efforts. It's more effective and less stressful to do a few things thoroughly and well, than to do a slapdash job of dozens of things.


9. Keep a balance between your jewelry business and the other parts of your life.


10. Don't sacrifice sleep. When you're tired, everything feels overwhelming - and your productivity drops.


11. Consider every opportunity carefully - and make sure the work it involves makes you feel excited.


12. Practice politely saying "no" to things you don't have time for, or that aren't right for you. If (like me!) you have a hard time saying "no", then come up with a list of graceful excuses to use when saying "no".


13. Experimenting with different things is a good way to grow your jewelry business - as long as you decide ahead of time to stop an activity if it winds up making you frustrated, burned out, or unhappy.


14. Take breaks of a few days (or more) away from your jewelry and your business. Time away re-inspires you, gives you fresh ideas, and helps you stay hungry to work on your art and your business.


15. Read other jewelry artists' blogs every day. You'll glean helpful tips and insights, and stay inspired. You'll also find some kindred spirits and wonderful friends!


16. Consider alternative ways of profiting from your jewelry business, in addition to selling your jewelry creations. Having more than one stream of income can even out your earnings and keep you from burning out on jewelry production.


17. Several times a week, step back and fully appreciate your jewelry business - your most recent creations, your jewelry photos, the lady who bought two necklaces at your last show, your talented hands and creative mind, your lovely jewelry supplies and tools, etc.


18. Keep learning new techniques and working with new materials. Not only does this make your jewelry more unique and exciting to customers, it also keeps your creative fire lit.

Neat Jewelry-Related Website

This week's neat site is Olefson Design Recycled Jewelry - where jewelry is created out of everything from soda cans to Yiddish typewriter keys.

Their products even include headbands made from recycled belts. But my favorites are the typewriter-key initial bracelets - very attractive as well as eco friendly!

Olefson says, "Never underestimate what you can do with simple materials that you rescue. I craft jewelry and battery-powered clocks from aluminum can cutouts, tincans, typewriters, freshwater pearls and sterling silver."

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