Adventures in Handmade Jewelry

I've been working on my 1000 Markets shop lately and I really like how it's coming together so far. Here is another in the Wedge Series that hit today. Although the glass isn't beach glass, it has the same feel. I love how it goes from pale green to deep blue. Sterling silver, hand sculpted earwires with just a touch of texture in the paddles. Rustic and modern at the same time. You can get them here!

These look so good on that I want to keep them!!! Argentium sterling wires, Swarovski crystal and a shimmery sterling cube. Crisp, clean and thoroughly unfussy. They're in the 1000 Markets shop now.

Let's me do this - With hardly any learning curve. Of course, I have no idea what I'm going to do with it, but it's interesting. I suppose I could buy a pack of cards and make my own postcards or counter cards or whatever. Kind of fun. This took me about 5 minutes to do. Honest. In Photoshop it probably would have taken me hours if I could have figured out how in the first place. It's like having a new toy!

Drove up to the spa/salon that will be carrying my jewelry. Lots of work still to be done and I don't see how T can open on Monday! She has 3 appointments booked though, so she'll have to get at least a treatment room ready. If I lived closer I could help, but she's an hour and 15 away and it's just not practical. It's all very exciting though. She gave me a treatment on the house - very nice of her. She's too trusting in a way, just skimming the consignment agreement and then sort of laughing and saying it was me and quickly signing it. She bought a set right there and then as well. Strangely enough it was exactly the same set that my fellow student bought last week. I know what I'll have to make again, for sure. I'm nervous and excited about her new venture and my small part in it. I'm definitely going up again in a month or so to see how the place looks. It's in an older building, I'd say 80 years or so...maybe a decade less. B...

Just posted today - one for each shop. First is this ultra modern earring in carnelian and Argentium sterling silver. Second is this similar pair featuring a bit more wrapping and smoky quartz paired with aquamarine. They're both $20 and are sort of Star Trek-ish. Beam yourself up a pair today!

into the 1000 Markets pool. After kicking around the idea of the shop for a while and how (and if) I would distinguish it from my Etsy shop, I decided on an approach and have made my first official listings there. No listing fee is a bonus for me right now as I'm dead broke. Hopefully I can make an impression and gain some customers. These are the first two items I made especially for the shop - As you might see, I've improved my photography a bit as well. Since 1000 Markets approaches their merchants differently, I think it's an important step to fitting into this new venue. My strategy for this shop is going to be different from Etsy and hopefully others will pick up on my secret-ninja stylings. Here's the link if you're curious - the Wire Smith 1KM Shop Anyway...gotta get my butt outta this chair and walk a few miles and then probably hit the bench for more creations. I've got this idea brewing...

Thanks ladies (Janice and Sherice) for the compliments on my tags. I tried the mass-produced little flocked ones, but my earrings always hung too low and it just looked generic. I want people to know and have a way to remember who made their jewelry and a way to contact me if they want more. I thought about stickers (you know, the Moo stickers), but again I was shackled to the size of the pre-fab plastic ones. Have to keep both stickers and cards on hand. No freedom there and it would run me more money, which until business picks up, this unemployed duck just doesn't have. So, after working with someone to come up with my logo, I thought that the easiest way to print tags myself was to produce a graphic that is business card sized so I can use sheets of the kind available in home office stores and not have to go to the extra expense of having them printed special. Now I can slide them into a little card rack on the counter, or punch a hole in the top to hang on pegs...whateve...

Lately I've been devoting my time to producing work for sale in a spa that's opening soon. It's tough to know what will sell ahead of time in this market, so I'm making a variety of things (many photos posted to my portfolio here). This means my online shops have been quiet and nothing new has hit them for a while. If business takes off, I'll know better where to spend my time, but for now it's tough filling all the mouths. Here's some shots of some new things for the spa - I just love my little hang tags and stuff. I'm using 26ga brass wire to hold them onto the bracelets and stuff. Kind of funny and I don't know that I'll continue, but I was at a loss the other day and duh - I'm the Wire Smith for heaven's sake. Anyway...I'm off to my mom's. She's helping me make a bracelet display for the spa.

I may have mentioned that I'm going back to school for a bit to sharpen up my skills so I can move in a new direction career-wise. My first class was this past Thursday and Friday. Oddly enough, my instructor Steve noticed the necklace I was wearing upon meeting me and of course I said that I'd made it. He got very excited and said he loved to buy jewelry for his wife (oh bless you dear man, teach others of your methods!) and wouldn't I bring some in tomorrow for him to look at. A couple of the women in class were also excited about it and almost all the participants ended up buying something. The necklace from my elegant pearl set the other day went with the teacher and I'm making earrings to match in a different style from the ones I originally made. Gary bought earrings for his wife. Elizabeth bought a bracelet for mom and earrings for herself, plus she says she'll hook me up with a friend who does a jewelry expo in Boston 4 times a year. Linda bought a br...

for consignment. Very summery. Mother of pearl - faceted beads again - paired with amethyst rondelles. Handmade clasp in sterling silver. I quite like it, but it's a PITA to photograph. Hard to get that shimmery loveliness that MoP gives off.

The official opening day for my friend's spa is May 18th - 2 weeks away. She generously bought some displays despite my protests that, since it was my work and she didn't even want a percentage of sales, I should buy them. So I've put a few sets together to feature in her shop. This one is jasper, I think. Certainly will need to verify before putting it up for sale. Sterling silver throughout. The beads are gorgeous and earthy and I like the little square beads between the stones on the bracelet - different from the usual round ones. This set is made of rhodochrosite and pearls. The clasp is made from sterling silver and is accented with some coordinating seed beads. Since the bracelet itself is a bit on the fancy side, I thought that it needed a clasp that would not have to be hidden and I think it works. Matching earrings also in sterling silver. I think it is feminine and substantial at the same time. This set is amazonite, smoky quartz and a kind of false jade....