About Rena

© by Rena Klingenberg; all rights reserved

Welcome!

I'm Rena Klingenberg - jewelry artist, author, and publisher of creative ideas for making and selling jewelry.

Many years ago my lifelong obsession with earrings led me to start collecting beads and making my own earrings.

But it's been scientifically proven that you can never have enough beads - and that jewelry making never stops at earrings! :o)

So my bead addiction mutated rapidly, and soon I was creating all sorts of jewelry items with wire, gemstones, shells, coins, and other odds and ends.

Before long, my creations filled not only my own jewelry box, but also the jewelry boxes of my friends and family.

I realized I would have to either stop making jewelry - or start selling it.

Bronze paua shell and sterling silver
wire pendant by Rena Klingenberg

How My Jewelry Business
Has Evolved

I learned how to sell my jewelry by just getting out there and trying all kinds of things - testing every idea and taking every opportunity that came my way.

I'm shy, so that often meant stepping out of my comfort zone. But it was thrilling when folks other than my friends and family started purchasing my jewelry!

Of course, some of the things I tried along the way turned out to be a total flop. But I didn't give up.

I just kept experimenting and fine-tuning to develop jewelry business strategies that worked well for me.

Over the years I've sold my work in nearly every way imaginable - shows, parties, consignment, private showings, my website, wholesale, sales reps, distributors, eBay, trunk shows, fundraiser shows, etc.

Currently I focus on selling my jewelry via private showings.

I really enjoy keeping my jewelry business at this personal, direct-to-the-customer level - and it gives me plenty of new ideas and experiences to keep writing about here!

Opalite glass and sterling silver
chandelier earrings by Rena Klingenberg

About This Website

(How this website began is a story in itself! See the full story if you're interested.)

My trial-and-error approach to selling my jewelry has given me a wealth of experiences that I wanted to share with my fellow jewelry artists.

So I decided to create a free online business guide and community for jewelry artists, to provide information, inspiration, encouragement, and exposure.

That's why I started this Home Jewelry Business Success Tips website in 2003.

And before long, my idea for a jewelry business guide and community grew into a network that now includes three additional websites:

• Jewelry Display Ideas
• Making Jewelry Now
• Jewelry Business Blog.

Now all four of my websites are resources where the handmade jewelry community can participate, be inspired, and network with other jewelry artists!

We have fantastic articles, tips, and discussions shared by jewelry artists from all over the world.

I welcome you to join the conversation here, and share your jewelry content on my network of jewelry websites.

And whenever I publish your content on my sites, you always receive exposure and a link for your jewelry business.

Gemstone and sterling silver
wire bracelet by Rena Klingenberg

Books I've Written

I've written three in-depth guides to specific ways of selling handcrafted jewelry:

• Ultimate Guide to Your Profitable Jewelry Booth - the guidebook for selling jewelry successfully at shows, fairs, and festivals.


• Social Networking: Sell Your Jewelry Online the New Way - the guide to using the enormous trend of online social networking to sell jewelry on the Web.


• Secrets of a Handcrafted Jewelry Shopping Service - a guide to selling jewelry via private showings, trunk shows, and as business gifts.

I also have plenty of new ideas brewing for future jewelry publications!

But Do I Ever Do Anything That's
Not Related to Jewelry?

Well, let's see....

I love spending time with my family, reading, walking, traveling, hiking, archery, and doing volunteer work.

I also love going to all kinds of arts events, museums, and old cemeteries.

I'm fascinated with history, and with anything unexplained or mysterious.

I enjoy learning how to use energy healing like EFT.

I had the interesting experience of donating 14 inches of my hair to Locks of Love, a fantastic organization that provides wigs for children with long-term medical hair loss.

A year and a half later I donated another 10 inches of hair (making a grand total donation of two feet of hair!).

Before and After Locks of Love:

 

Making Conscious Choices
Changed My Life

I'm also a fan of voluntary simplicity.

For me, that means cutting back on material things and "life clutter", and consciously choosing only the things I truly want in my life.

It's made all the difference for me in creating the life I want for myself.

Ever since I can remember, I dreamed of making my living as an author and an artist.

I feel very fortunate to say that now I'm living my dream - and that it's even better than I imagined it would be!

I wish you the same joy in creating the life of your dreams.