Rock Your Wire

The Art of Feedback

2010-05-26T13:06:00.001-07:00

Anyone who operates an online business in a marketplace like Etsy, knows the importance of feedback. The feedback system was designed to let other shoppers know how trustworthy the seller is – are their descriptions accurate, their policies fair, their items the quality they profess? It’s a good system when it’s used properly and everyone understands the ‘rules’. Unfortunately, I’ve seen some really interesting comments and feedback scores, both in my shops and in others.

For example – I had one just yesterday. A customer contacted me wanting to know about my return policies. She had purchased a pair of tiny, catchless hoops she wanted to return. I explained she could return them in their original packaging within five business days of receiving them. When I receive them back, I will issue a refund. The items are one of my best sellers so I was curious about the reason for the return, so I asked her if there was a problem with them, or with my description, etc.

She said “no” and explained that she only has single piercings in her ears and she needs something she can take in and out often and easily, but that I’d done a good job of describing that they were more for people with additional piercings, as well as a photo to show how they work best. She also noted there was nothing wrong with the workmanship either, but that she’d been hoping they might fit her needs too.

Okay – fair enough, I thought. I thanked her for the info she took the time to provide and then I happened to check out my feedback, as I do regularly. This same customer had left NEUTRAL feedback and a comment that they weren’t right for her and that she’d contacted me regarding a return. We’ve since worked it out but I was very confused.

I’d provided a quality product, accurate descriptions and photographs, as well as exemplary customer service, and the feedback was neutral. I’ve seen this in many other shops too – feedback ranging from neutral to negative, for similar reasons. I think there’s some confusion about what feedback is and what it isn’t.

If I purchase something that’s the wrong size, the wrong color for me, or I just don’t really like it when I get it, that doesn’t warrant neutral or negative feedback. I’ve bought plenty of beads over the last two years that for some reason I expected to be larger than they were but the descriptions were accurate. My mind had made them bigger than they really were – so it was MY error in judgement, and nothing to do with the bead store’s product(s).

I’ve also seen feedback left as negative feedback with no comment, and no contact from the customer to discuss any issues or problems. It left me to wonder all kinds of things: (a) did it never arrive? (b) did you think they were bigger/smaller/thicker than they were? (c) they were sterling silver – did they tarnish and you didn’t know sterling did that? I could go on forever with what could have happened, and it would have been great to know what it was.

Leaving negative or neutral feedback without contacting the seller for a resolution to the problem is similar to a person who buys a shirt in a local store and when the seam comes down, instead of going back to the store and explaining the problem (with or without a receipt), they make a sign and picket the store. What happened to communication?

I’d love to see a tutorial in place that someone needs to complete before they can leave feedback. Or perhaps a series of specific questions that generates what the feedback will be. That button click can make or break a business – it is very powerful. Please use it wisely :)

Who Spilled the Beads?

2010-05-10T20:52:00.001-07:00

Guess what happened to me today? I went to grab a plastic container of tiny beads and the top popped off – spewing teeny little beads everywhere! What an incredible mess; they were everywhere, all over the floor and my bench. The bouncy little things went into my pots of sterling scrap, on my chair, and behind every piece of furniture in my shop.

My intention was to put away some new beads I had bought recently but I was waylaid by about an hour’s cleanup. The photo below shows the size of the beads – at this point they were mostly cleaned up.

Studio Tour

2010-04-20T19:56:00.001-07:00

People are always curious about where the things I create come from so I thought I'd share a little. First of all, they come from my hands, and mine alone, so keeping up is quite a job - but it's one I wouldn't trade for anything. Welcome to my little studio!

This is the view from the doorway as you step into my world. I spend most of my time in here creating, answering your questions, re-listing, and ordering new things. Occasionally, I clean up and it's getting to be time to do that now. I'm putting it off a bit, because I need an overhaul of sorts and I'm too busy, as well as not sure what the goal is - I want it to have an impact and it may mean breaking the studio into two rooms - the creative room, and the business/computer room. I haven't decided yet, so it is as it is.

As you step further into the room you see an absolutely invaluable cabinet on the right. A thrift store find for about $30 that I don't know how I lived without.

On top is where I keep my music - to keep the creative juices flowing as I'm working away, and within the cabinet - jars and jars of little pieces of what makes up my business - hoops, rings, components, bezel settings - all things I have made and ready to put the finishing touches on to ship out, or things that are completely ready to go. I spend most Fridays re-assessing this cabinet to see what needs to be made and put into stock so I am 'ahead of the game'.

And yes – that’s a fire extinguisher in the bottom of the cabinet. I work with a torch to make many of the pieces you receive so it’s important to consider safety when using open flame. It’s right there should I ever need it.

Further down the wall on the right is my work bench. Another inexpensive find – I purchased this piece from an ad in the paper for about $40. It is the best work bench I can imagine, and even though it’s a work bench, I must admit to a bit of sadness when my soldering brick got too hot and melted the top finish. Oh well – now it is truly broken in!

This bench is really the backbone of what I do. You can see my torch, my finishing dremel, and my polishing dremel-like tool. At the back of the bench is bead storage and the stack of plastic drawers on the right hold all of the sterling and copper wire and sheet I have on hand. My chair is on rollers and it gets a workout here – back and forth between the bench and the silver drawers and the computer station behind me when I hear a ‘ding’ in my email with a question, order, or comment from those who support me so wonderfully.

Every seller needs to show their pieces in a good photo. I am no expert but have learned a few things from others willing to share their information. Natural light where possible is what I’ve found best. I keep some props in front of the window where I can set up some good scenes for photos. On nice days, I take it outside for even better shots. The mannequins are a valuable addition to my photos and add a lifelike element that helps buyers make a decision based on size, placement, etc. I know they look a little odd, but they’re my ‘buddies’ – even the headless one ;)

My newest addition to the studio is this funky, lime green bench. I just knew I had to have it, even though it wasn’t exactly in the budget. I picked it up at a 2nd hand store (sense a theme here?). The guy wanted $95 and I got it for $75. It is the shipping bench and holds everything I need to get orders ready to ship out – thank you tags, envelopes, my stamp, customs forms, boxes, tape, ribbon, etc. It has a drawer to hold post-its, pens, pencils, paperclips and more – is loaded with cubby holes, nooks and crannies, and even has glass shelving with mirrors behind it. I love it! Someone has painted the words “love”, “be free”, and “magic” on the cupboard doors, and I truly think it was made for me.

So yes, I do need to clean up a bit, although my friend Sharon from MetalRocks assures me that I’m tidier than many artists she’s met over the years. I do know that when I get too much mess, I have to clean up or the creative energy stops flowing.

Thank you so much for taking the time to walk through the studio with me and I hope it helped give you a better sense of who I am and where the pieces you wear come from.

In gratitude,

Darcey Lyn

Packaging and Parcels - Oh My!

2010-04-07T17:31:00.000-07:00

I sent out orders on Thursday, April 1st and after the long weekend, I had 36 packages to ship off! Check out my overflowing outbox:

Speaking of packaging, it is a critical part of any online business, and packaging and postage are of critical importance to an online Canadian business. It can, in fact, make or break you.

It costs me $2.27 to ship a package as shown in the photo to the US. I use really tiny charm boxes (1.75 x 1.18 by 5/8" high). The last number - 5/8" high is the critical one for little boxes. You see, it must fit through a small slot to be eligible for the $2.27 shipping rate. Sometimes I use a larger jewellery box, but I cut the box down so that the height will fit through the slot, which is clearly not all that attractive. The $2.27 covers only the shipping cost; not the envelope, nor the box, nor the gas to get to the post office, nor the time it takes me to get there, or the time standing in line to send my items. These are also all part of the very real costs of shipping.

I have searched for other dimensions of boxes that will meet the 5/8" high criteria; without success. Anything higher than that costs $4 + for US and would you believe, more than $9 to ship within Canada! I can ship cheaper to the US from my Canadian home than I can within my own country for the same size item. This I truly do not understand.

If anyone is thinking about selling online, I recommend pricing out your shipping costs before you take the final plunge. Do your research and be sure you know what that item costs you before you put it up for sale with a 'guesstimate' shipping rate. This goes for both Canadian and US sellers alike. Know what kind of package it should ship in too. I used to use bubble wrap and bubble mailers, and while it appeared to be cheaper, I had items arrived broken beyond repair in more than one instance. I replaced them - that's the kind of business I operate, but I had to ask myself - "is it cheaper?" A little box provides a lot of protection and peace of mind and I'm pleased to have a shipping standard - a way that I ship that provides security and protection for the lovely items I painstakingly make. I want them to arrive pristine and take every precaution to ensure they do.

Shipping - one of the critical considerations in the world of handmade sales.

Sneak Peek and Advanced Sales

2010-03-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

For my blog readers, I thought I'd set up a sneak peek of a few items that will be on sale in the shop tomorrow. Feel free to stop in tomorrow or contact me for advanced purchases at sale prices - available only to you. Remember that some things are one of a kind pieces and may be sold out.

Some pretty posts in sterling silver and gemstone cabachons:

Were $19.50 ~ now $15

Post earrings are always a real sweet choice for a simple day or a loving gift for a friend or family member. These are bezel set by me in sterling silver and come with the earring backs.

One of a kind sterling silver pendant:

"The Boneyard"

This piece is made from bits of sterling silver and reminds me of what you'd find at a scrapyard - bits of treasure. It was $75 and will be on sale for $44. It is a one of a kind piece.

One pair of "Branching Out" earrings. There are only one pair of these and they were $34. Will be on sale for $28. They are made from sterling silver and lovely, iron pyrite.

For more deals, come see me tomorrow at: www.RockYourWire.com and check out the Rockin Birthday Sale Section or contact me in advance at rockyourwire@shaw.ca.

Let's have some fun!

Upcoming Birthday Bash - Sale in the Shop!

2010-03-15T08:31:00.001-07:00

When? Friday - March 19th

Where? All my shops:

http://www.rockyourwire.com/

http://www.rockyournose.com/

http://www.rockyourbelly.com/

Come and join in the fun and savings!

Sneak Preview

2010-03-03T19:32:00.000-08:00

Sort of a 'back to my roots' line - the URBAN Elegance collection is a marriage of copper and sterling - hammered, antiqued, wrapped, and otherwise funked. I absolutely love it and think the earthy tones are appealing and inspiring.

I love to add the patina slowly...darkening the hammered copper and then polishing it to an earthy brown. Too fun. You followers get a sneak peek - the listings will go up in the shop on Friday for the newest pieces in the collection.

Honey Drops:

Swansong (these have a matching necklace too):

A great big chunk of moonstone necklace that really needs a cool name. Help me anyone?

Mulberry Twizzles (matching necklace will be posted too!):

Pop by the shop on Friday to see the rest www.RockYourWire.com

What's New - What's Hot

2010-02-19T20:52:00.000-08:00

Over the holidays, I created a new line of pretties called, "Urban Elegance". These pieces are a bit more earthy and raw; combining oxidizing process on copper and sterling silver. I introduced matching earring and necklace sets and they have been SO well received. I really love the edgy look and plan to do some more. I'd love to get my hands on some flashy labradorite briolettes - hmmm...do I smell a shopping trip on the horizon? ;)
I adore the look of these blueberry pearls with the antiqued copper....simply yummy!

The Year of the Guitar Pick

2009-12-10T17:12:00.000-08:00

Holy smokes am I busy cutting out both sterling and copper guitar picks! Stamping and lovingly polishing them to a gleam - that's how my days are being filled. In Chinese culture, there is the year of the ram, the year of the monkey, etc... so I have dubbed this "the year of the guitar picks" in my mind.

Every now and then, as an artist and an entrepreneur, we stumble upon something, or a few somethings that just take off. For me, it's been the nose jewellery and now these picks. Perhaps it's the authenticity factor. I wear nose jewellery and I play guitar (ahem...when I have time). Not a great player by any means but I have fun with it and I rock pretty good around the campfire. I came up with the idea of doing a copper pick because I hadn't really seen it done and I love copper. It's been a good seller all year but this holiday season, they - along with their sterling silver cousins - are simply flying off the shelf.

I'm so glad I took the week off my regular job!

Much Ado About Millimeters

2009-10-09T18:52:00.000-07:00

This chart is a reference for all of my shops jewelery creations - please print to confirm your size.

The world of millimeters (mm) can be a frightening place when you have no frame of reference. Feel free to use this chart to help you find your way. Cheers!

Quick Tip About Tumble Polishing Metals

2009-09-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

When I excitedly bought my Lortone tumbler to make all my sterling silver and copper shiny and pretty, I carefully read all the information I could find about how to correctly tumble polish my pieces.

I learned that I should add the shot, then my pieces, and that the water level should be about 2/3 full - just under 3/4; depending on how many pieces were in the bucket. I learned that I needed a burnishing compound of some sort - the first time I bought some with my tumbler to be on the safe side, although I had heard that "Dawn" dishwashing liquid would work equally well.

I set out to find some "Dawn" but it isn't available in my area of Canada - perhaps not at all in Canada. I wondered how Dawn could be that much different from any other dish soap for the purpose I needed it, and despite all the advice I'd read that Dawn was the only choice, I used what was beside my sink one day, which is "Sunlight". Guess what? Works perfectly! I would have no hesitation to go ahead and use a couple squirts of whatever you have on hand.

Aging

2009-08-06T14:37:00.000-07:00

I am aging. It's not that I didn't know this interesting fact but today it feels more real to me. My daughter turns 19 years old today, and for a kid living in BC Canada, it is a milestone. No longer considered a child, they are granted the right to vote provincially, buy cigarettes (oh my how I wish she wouldn't) and drink alcohol. So for me, that means my daughter is no longer considered a child - ergo, I am definitely aging.

I'm only 41 - I like the word "only" in that sentence. In many ways I feel younger than I ever have because I am comfortable in my own skin. I'm no longer plagued with as many questions and concerns about who I am and how I fit into this universe. I have more confidence in my decisions than I did when I was younger and I believe in myself in a way I didn't know was possible in the past. I know me. And I am aging.

It is a strange thing this aging process. Just when we get really good at life...when we're getting it figured out...we are on our way toward leaving it. An odd reality but I suppose that's how it is meant to be. We are born to learn throughout our days and when the time of learning is over, it is done.

Not that I think I am close to that by any means! Like I said, I am only 41 :) It's just that now I am able to grasp the concept that I am finite. That I too will be over. That I need to make my mark - my indelible impression on this planet in a timely fashion because time really will cease to exist for me at some point - of this I am now certain.

I am grateful for the days I have and I intend to find my own way to be of service to this planet...this life...this experience. Cheers!

The Ongoing Facelift

2009-07-23T10:02:00.001-07:00

Okay....so here I go again with the photo facelift at Rock Your Wire. If you follow me and my shop, you'll know that not too long ago I updated all of my photos to clear, coloured backgrounds in blues, greens, etc. I like aspects of it, and there are definitely some things that stand out perfectly on those backgrounds but now that I have it all switched over and I'm looking at 80 plus pictures like that I can't help but feel like something is missing. There is an element or a depth that isn't respresented in the photos.

I've been mulling it over for the last few days and I can now see what the missing piece is. It's the connection to rocks and nature that I feel when creating. I love the elements - earth, wind, air, wood, fire, rock, metal...and there is little of that love of nature in the expression of the pieces. So I did a bit of updating on a couple of the pictures and wow! There it is - the missing depth that some of the pieces need. So it's another facelift at http://rockyourwire.com/ but it will be a slow progression this time - I really need to get into the studio and make some new things. That's the priority. Watch for the emerging new look :)

A Simple Thing

2009-07-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

Quite some time ago I purchased some soaps from a shop on Etsy and when my package arrived it had a little thank you note attached with my name on it. It said, very simply, "Thank You Darcey Lyn". I couldn't believe how good that little tag made me feel - it personalized that little package in a way that nothing else could have. So I set out on a journey to find an item that I could use in a similar way in my packaging.

I stumbled upon a seller called"WhatTheScrap" (http://whatthescrap.etsy.com/), who had 100 little round paper circles for sale. The seller - a lovely lady named Liz - cuts these little paper circles and punches a hole in them. They're great for any scrapbooking or carding project and they looked like they would also be perfect for my needs. I asked her if I could purchase a lot of 400 of them because I sell a lot of nose jewelry and my packaging goes rather quickly. She did a custom listing for me and I received them soon after.

When I package an item to go out, I put it in a little white box and I take one of the labels and write a thank you with my customer's name. I string a bit of ribbon through the little hole and wrap it around the box and tape it at the back, so the thank you tag sits at the front of the box. My customers are absolutely thrilled with the care and attention I give to their purchases and the feedback is incredible since implementing this simple little thing. I was never sure what kind of impact - or lack of it - packaging had on most people until now.

I love my little labels - I adore this seller and her products - and I love the fact that my customers feel special when they open their envelopes from my shops. I know that they know I take the time to care and that makes the price I pay for the extra touches absolutely priceless.

Some History on Nose Piercings and My Personal Journey

2009-07-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

Besides earlobe piercing, nose piercing is the most popular style of piercing. It is an ancient style of piercing, dating back to approximately four thousand years ago, and it has continued to grow in popularity over the last few years in mainstream society.

Most piercings I saw as a Canadian child were on women from India. I often admired the lovely sparkle I saw in the side of the nose, but never dreamed I would someday have one of my own. Indian women usually have their piercings on the left, which is associated with lessening of pain from childbirth and menstruation. When I chose my left nostril piercing, I didn't know this little fact and wish I'd had my piercing done before the birth of my first child! I chose a natural childbirth because I was just twenty two years old and I thought that was the best way to go about it, so I had not so much as an aspirin to ease my pain during the 29 hour journey. Perhaps a piercing would have helped. The second time around, my first question at the hospital was, "what do you have for pain options?".

The main types of jewellery worn in the nose are studs and hoops. There are some interesting pieces that go from the nose to the ear and I'm toying with the idea of creating some of these unique pieces to sell in my "Rock Your Nose" Etsy shop. My most popular form of stud is the screw shaped end - it is definitely the biggest seller. My piercer pierced my nose with a long needle and then inserted an 18 gauge screw end stud with a tiny zirconian stone. Actually, what happened was he inserted the stud and then said, "oh no!" Okay, I don't know about you, but when you've just had a needle shoved in your nose and have been breathing through the pain, the last thing you want to hear is "oh no!" The stud he had just inserted into my throbbing nostril was defective - it had no stone. I was somewhat disappointed, but not enough to want it taken out and have one with a stone inserted instead. Little did I know what would happen next.

Well, I guess that little stoneless thing just didn't want to be on display in my new piercing, so as I slept two nights later, my left hand with a ring on my finger reached up in sleepiness to SCRATCH my nose! The ring caught on the little stud and pulled it right out, so there I was, at 2am with a 6am commute ahead of me, sitting in my bathroom sink (because I wear glasses and can't see without them), trying to stuff this screw ended thing into my now bleeding nostril. I believe I started to cry from frustration and pain because I could not put it back in no matter what I did.

Some women might have given up at this point, but not me - no not me. I went back to bed and called my piercer first thing the next morning when I got to work. He booked me in for an appointment and when I got there he said a few more words that I didn't want to hear. He said, "okay, get up on the table - we're going to perform a miracle here". Eek! And then my highly skilled piercer, whose name is Nick (from Duncan, BC Canada) proceeded to poke that needle right back exactly through the original hole. It hurt like hell the second time around, but I proudly left the shop with my left, throbbing nostril sporting a little stud with a gem in it this time. I slept with those tiny, round Band-Aids on my nose for many months to come - just in case.

Little did I know that 5 years later I would start making jewellery. And I had no inkling of the fact that one of the first things I would do when I learned to make my first little sterling silver coil would be to put an L shape on the end and put it in my piercing. I had no way to know that those baby steps would lead to me offering them to other people for sale and coming up with ideas for new designs in my sleep. I had no clue that I would open an Etsy shop for my jewellery and that my designs for nose piercings would become so popular that I would open a little shop dedicated just to them. It's been a long journey and I'm so proud of my Rock Your Nose (http:RockYourNose.Etsy.com) shop.

Because my designs are motivated from my own experience, I always make the highest quality pieces that I can. I use glue very occasionally to hold Swarovski crystals to the sterling stem, but only as a matter of necessity - there is no other way to get them to stay in place. For my other pieces, I use traditional fabrication methods of silver soldering and melting with my torch. Each pin in my pieces is handmade by me. I know, I know, I could purchase headpins and use them instead but I take a lot of pride in what I do and in what I provide to the customers who support me in my work. I will be updating my listings to offer screw studs that are customized for a left or a right piercing because there is nothing more uncomfortable than trying to fit a screw end made for the wrong side. My work as an artist has grown, as has my imagination. I'm always coming up with new ideas and am currently waiting for some beads that will add some fun and spark to some of my dangle studs and my hoops. Every day is a new adventure :)

Claw Settings and Soldering

2009-06-23T10:09:00.000-07:00

At my last writing, I started to set cabochons, which is very exciting. I have a few more styles on order to play with, including some pyrite, which is absolutely lovely.

In addition, I purchsed some sterling silver claw settings and some tiny stones to have fun with on the nose jewelry site and produced some lovely, little flowers with stones for centers. The process was a little tricky and I wasted a few of the claw settings before I experienced success. The little claws are tiny and melt very quickly under the heat of the torch.

Once I got a rhythm in place it worked out very well. I soldered the little claw setting to the flower cap by using paste solder, which flows faster, and by heating the soldering brick around the piece, instead of the piece itself. Once the claw was soldered in, I turned the flower cap over and soldered on the post. I thought I'd share some photos!

Setting Cabachons - Finally!

2009-06-03T14:42:00.000-07:00

I think I've been building up to this moment from the time I first picked up a piece of copper wire and started to create. These earrings were in my head...in my creative energy thoughts...and now they are real.

When I bought my last order from "Rio Grande", I decided to poke around a little at the other items. Setting stones in sterling silver bezel cups has been on my mind for a while so I looked at the cups available to buy. I found a great assortment of sizes - 50 cups in all for a really reasonable price so I added them to my cart with a sense of excitement and a bit of nervousness. Now I was almost committed to another creative learning leap!

I did a quick search to find out what kinds of tools I required and discovered I needed a simple and inexpensive burnisher, so I added that to the cart too. I chose three different cabochon selections for my new project: some sleeping beauty turquoise, some garnet (very tiny), and some man-made opal that is really pretty. I knew the turquoise was the first that I would attempt to work with. I placed my order and waited, somewhat less than patiently.

When it arrived about four days later, I tore into the box like it was Christmas, because that's what it felt like. Gifts, lovely gifts. I pulled the new treasures out of the box, admired them, and did what I always do with new creative processes - set them aside. I left them there for about a week, at the back of my bench, just within vision while I waited for the right time. The right time came on the weekend, despite the heat pump in my house being broken so the studio is hot without air conditioning, but the time was there and I was ready so I went ahead.

I selected a piece of sterling silver sheet and marked it out for cutting. I cut it into strips for the earrings I planned to make, using a great pair of scissors I bought locally at "The Rock Hound" in Victoria, BC Canada. Then to the process of filing down the edges to get them nice and smooth, and a good pounding with my little hammer to create the dimpled, organic look I love. Then it was time to get the solder down from the shelf and the torch from the other table, gather up the flux and my cup of water I always have nearby, along with tweezers and a paper towel (kept far away from the torch of course). I turned on the mini slow cooker with the pickling solution for taking off the blackening from the torch process. Then I selected the bezels and got started soldering them to my new silver strips. All went well and they adhered nicely then got a bath in the pickling solution, then off to the tumbler to polish up overnight.

They came out totally shiny but I wasn't about to settle for that! I oxidized them and then polished them with rouge to bring out all the lovely, organic look that you see below. Finally, I added the sleeping turquoise cabochons and used the burnisher to push the sterling bezel side over the cabochon to hold the stones in place and voila! They will get their final photo and posting to the shop later today.

A Project in Motion

2009-05-27T20:49:00.000-07:00

When is my site ever idle or stagnant? Never it seems. I became dissatisfied with the look of Rock Your Wire (http://rockyourwire.etsy.com/) and felt the need to remove the rock and leaf, and all things distracting in the background, which led me to the local dollar store in search of backgrounds. This time I chose some colored foam and started taking photos and I was (am) SO pleased with the result!

I adore the deep, rich colors and the way the pieces are showcased against the clear, bright backdrop.

I've heard that your photos are a continual work in progress when you sell online, and I can honestly say that this has been my greatest challenge - creating photos that
work well for my work and for my customers shopping experience. I hope I've gotten there - finally!

A Passion for Business

2009-05-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

When I'm not making jewellery, I have another job working as a Business Coach. I work with people with disabilities who are exploring self employment as an option. It's rewarding and fun to see people develop businesses and get excited about the launch of their new venture. As we're going through the exploration process, one thing I always reiterate is that I think it is important to have a passion for what you're going to do.

Passion is the thing that will drive you to put in the hours required for success, it is the thing that will give you the nudge to get your books over to the accountant or set up your spreadsheets to track your income and expenses. For most of us (unless your business is accounting), the paperwork is the least loved part of our businesses, but it is a necessity that must be done. Passion for our business helps motivate us to do the tasks of necessity.

I am extremely busy because I work four days a week coaching and in my 'spare' time, I work on developing my jewellery business. I have recently opened two more Etsy shops to showcase my work. In addition to my Rock Your Wire shop, and my fairly recent venture, Rock Your Nose, for handmade nose adornments, I launched Rock Your Belly - a shop for - you guessed it - belly jewellery. I had also recently brought home some pieces of mine that were on consignment that hadn't sold, and that gave me the idea to create a new shop to liquidate older stock - things that hadn't sold in my other shops, designs that didn't catch on for some reason, or pieces that I don't make anymore because I've moved into a different area of design. The more I thought about the idea and brainstormed it with a friend, the more I liked it. I chose to open another Etsy shop called "Liquidation Mall" and am busy stocking it with a lot of great, quality, handmade items at bargain liquidation prices. I think it will be very successful once it catches on.

So back to the topic of passion - I simply could not, or would not do all of these things if I didn't have a passion for my business. These launches have required me to stretch my time, effort and energy to new levels. Because I love my business, I am a willing spirit.

There is So Much to be Grateful For

2009-05-16T16:42:00.001-07:00

I'm looking out my studio window while the sun illuminates the leaves on the trees across the road and I'm thinking that I'm grateful for my view, for being able to see, and for so many things in my life.

If any of you read one of my earlier posts about the health challenges I've been facing, this will be an update for you. I finally received my diagnosis - I have MS. I knew it in all the fibers of my being, and in a way, it was a relief to be able to put a name to this previously nameless thing. Am I scared? You bet. But I am alive. And I'm grateful for all that I have - because today I have relative health, and family, and things to look forward to. I have a little business that's growing daily, a list of customers who admire what I do, and a head full of creations that are waiting to be made. I've made connections with people through my business and am grateful that they're willing to tell others about me, like Gabby at http://inspiteofmycrazyself.blogspot.com/, whose writings I love to read.

Behind me is my bench, my torch, my sterling and rocks and all the things that make me feel alive. And I am deeply grateful.

How Exciting!!

2009-05-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

When I launched my Etsy shop "RockYourNose"
(http://rockyournose.etsy.com/) I just knew I wanted to have some real gold pieces available, so with great trepidation (gold is expensive!), I bought some gold and got started.

I created this lovely flower out of 14 karat gold and listed it for sale in the shop. It was viewed just over one hundred times and I wondered if I had made a mistake in thinking there was a marketplace for quality, handmade gold nose jewellery.

Yesterday my fears were proved unfounded when it sold. Now the exciting thing is not only that it sold but where it went. I shipped a package today to Israel! It's incredible for me to think that something made by my own hands will be worn by a woman who lives halfway around the world from me. It is inspiring and humbling all at the same time.

What to Do When You Have a Block?

2009-05-06T11:28:00.001-07:00

Blockages occur in all kinds of things: drainpipes, arteries, rivers and streams, writing, painting, and just about any other creative process. I've been thinking about writing in my blog for a long time now, but have been experiencing writer's block. I figured, "what the heck"? - let's write about that!

I suppose it's a thing that's not new to most folks who are creative. That moment we experience when we just can't do that thing we always do so well. Perhaps that's what makes it the most frustrating; the knowledge that we can do this because we've done it so many times before but this time...this time... something is stuck.

The night before last I heard something on a TV documentary I was watching about the life of Johnny Cash. There was a colleague of his who is a songwriter (and I wish I could remember his name but sometimes I don't catch those little details). Anyway, this man is a great songwriter and he said something that helped me to get a little less stuck. He was speaking about his writing process and he said, "don't think about it. Just do it."

Powerful stuff, I thought: Just DO it. Today, thanks to him, I am just doing it.

Gratitute

2009-04-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to write in here for a few days now, and I actually intended to write my next post all about the new 14 karat gold wire I bought, and the lovely flower nose stud I made with it. Today, however, I was compelled to write about gratitude.

The last few days in my Etsy shop have been very busy. I've had a big increase in sales lately, and each time I sell something, I feel a sense of elation. I love the fact that people find the things I create worthy of purchasing, owning, and wearing. I am eternally grateful to each customer who chooses to shop in my store and equally grateful to the universe for providing me with this gift of creativity.

So today is about gratitude for me. I am grateful to be in this life and to be a part of this wonderful world!

Taking a Break!

2009-04-05T15:23:00.000-07:00

Oh man, have I been busy the last two days! My last post mentioned thinking about moving my nose jewellery to it's own shop and I decided it had to be done so the last two days have been work driven getting it done. It's not totally completed but I created the shop, took photos, and listed 28 items - no easy feat. I am SO pleased with the cohesive look of the shop and can't wait to continue stocking it with neat items.

I have gold waiting for me at the post office so be on the lookout for new pieces made from 14 karat gold wire. Check out the new shop if you get a chance: http://rockyournose.etsy.com/. I figured it makes sense to stick with the "Rock Your" name - branding of sorts. Let me know what you think.

Finally got some new things posted

2009-04-03T15:16:00.000-07:00

Organizing, shifting, changing, adapting - I think that's what business is truly about. I had a good look in the shop and I can see the nose jewellery is taking over, and I still have more designs in my head. I really love doing them so I think (I'm pretty sure) that I'm going to move most of them over to a shop that is fully dedicated to nose jewellery to give them the attention they deserve. I'm musing over banners, logos and colour schemes even as I type.

I was really busy with a visit from my brother and his family so I didn't do a lot of updating over the last few days; merely keeping up with orders coming in and communication with customers. Now I'm back in full swing and posted two really lovely things today.

I was absolutely THRILLED that someone contacted me who had read my blog and had some questions about fusing sterling silver. Keep it up readers! :)

Works in Progress

2009-03-24T11:17:00.001-07:00

I thought I'd start out with a view of my studio bench. This is where most of my fabrication takes place, and as you can see, I like to have everything nearby and on hand. It looks a little messy, but oh well, it works for me.

On the bench itself you can see the brick where I like to fuse and solder things, the torch to the left, a big cup of water to dunk things into to cool them off - I don't like to wait - flux, paintbrushes to apply it, small tools, etc. At the back of the bench is the shelf with my metal supply, and to the left, the containers that hold a lot of my beads. What you can't see is the table to the right where I keep my pickle pot, fire extinguisher, oxidizing station, and a bit of clear table space. On the floor is my lap tray where I do finer work that requires no torch. When I'm doing that, I clear off the workbench and put the lap tray on top of the bench. A small operation, really, and I crave a larger space with TONS of work area and a floor I can really dirty up, but it's sufficient and I feel lucky to have it.

I've been a bit mesmerized with fabrication lately - fusing, melting, soldering metals. To the right is a photo of a fusion of my scraps that will eventually become a pendant called "The Boneyard". This is a term commonly used for scrap metal and vehicles and I thought it was a fitting name for this piece. I took a bunch of my leftover pieces, arranged them in a pleasing (to me) way, and applied some flux to them and then lit the torch. The pieces fused to each other, but what I love about it is that you can still see the origins of them - the earwire that didn't quite make it into a design, the wire wrapped end of something, the remnants of sterling left from cutting out guitar picks. The mind can see anything else in there too - I've allowed mine to wander over this piece many times. I oxidized it and polished the forefront pieces to add some depth and contrast. The lighting in this photo doesn't entirely capture it but it's strikingly beautiful in its simplicity. Here is a close up:

Another project I played with was making this unique, organic sterling silver and copper ring. It still needs some finishing and polishing and maybe oxidization in some places. I'll let you know when it's ready to hit the shop. Thanks for reading!

Birthday is Over

2009-03-20T12:42:00.001-07:00

Okay, here it is, the light of day and I'm really 41. Hard to believe it but I am and I think today I accept it LOL.

Anyway - the birthday bash and giveaway is over. Thanks to all who participated - it made my day!

Happy Birthday Giveaway!

2009-03-19T13:08:00.001-07:00

It's my 41st birthday today and I thought I'd celebrate by giving YOU presents. Purchase anything from my shop today only and receive a pair of handmade sterling silver buds post earring with backs absolutely free!

What's the Diff - Argentium or Sterling?

2009-03-19T12:09:00.000-07:00

There's a (relatively) new kid on the block when it comes to silver, and its called "Argentium". It's use is spreading due to it's tarnish resistant nature. I've heard people go so far as to call it superior to traditional sterling silver, but in my mind, it is not superior - only different.

Traditional sterling silver is an alloy of 925 parts silver to 75 parts (usually) copper. This helps to provide some strength to the metal, as pure silver is quite soft. The copper though, also helps to tarnish the metal. Personally, I love sterling silver that gets some black in the grooves of the piece because it really helps enhance the details but many people like their metal bright and shiny.

Argentium is also an alloy, but one made of silver and germanium. It is resistant to tarnish and cleans up quite nicely, often just in a warm soapy bath. I find if I leave it out and exposed to air it goes a kind of goldish, brassy colour. What is important to me in the difference between these two metals is their applications - what I do with them and how come I choose that particular one for the job.

When using the torch to ball up the little end of the metal for use as headpins, nose jewellery, the little bud earrings I make, or the ball end earwires I often use, I choose which one based on what I want the outcome to be. Argentium makes very smooth, fluid little balls, whereas traditional sterling makes little balls that are slightly pitted, or cratered. In the photos below, the first photo shows earrings made with Argentium, and the second shows traditional sterling - see the difference?

If I'm going for a smooth sleek look, I'll choose the Argentium, but if I want something a little more earthy and organic looking, it's traditional sterling silver hands down every time.

The Woman Behind the Designs

2009-03-17T13:55:00.001-07:00

When I first decided to start blogging, I did some research. I do a LOT of research on a lot of topics, so this was no exception. Everything indicated that you should have an idea behind the purpose of your blog before you start. What is the theme? Should it be business or personal? A combination of both? Most recommendations were that you choose one and stick with it, and that if you have a business, your blog should stick to business topics and stay away from personal ones.

I think there's some merit to that. It's unlikely you want to know if my dog is sick, or if my son didn't make the local hockey team. These are fine things to blog about if your blog is about pets or hockey, but mine is about jewellery and my business of creating it and selling it. Today, though, I thought I would let you (my whole 156 people who have read my blog) know a little more about who I am, why I do what I do, and where the creations came from.

I'm forty (gulp) almost one years old - I have two days left to be forty. I was a crafty kid who couldn't get enough of macrame (any of you remember macrame?), braiding, stringing, making pom poms, crocheting.... you get the picture. As I got older and started having children I somehow didn't find the time to pursue creation. I guess I had created two little someones and that's a pretty big thing to create.

As I approached forty years old, a year ago, in fact, I began to have some strange things happen to me physically. My arms went numb. My legs went numb. My leg would feel like someone had wrapped a tensor bandage around it too tightly and left it there. I began having sensations of pins and needles in my limbs, as well as stabbing sensations. My back became hypersensitive, so that feeling a simple drop of water running down my back was almost painful it was so annoying. Sometimes it felt like mosquitos were biting my limbs - quick, stinging pains. I went to the doctor and was referred to a neurologist.

I began to crave creation again - the urge to create became very strong. My husband brought me home some copper wire and I wrapped a bunch of beach glass my children had collected years ago. When I created, I didn't notice the pain as much. I researched online to find out more about jewellery making and found a wealth of information: how-to's, articles, opinions, ideas, and outlets to sell your goods. And I practiced - man, did I practice.

I got brave and ordered some sterling silver and then was too afraid to cut into it for about a week. One day when I was ready, I made the first cut and lost the fear. I fell in love with the process of twisting wire to make it what I saw in my mind and on the drawings on little scraps of paper that began to follow me everywhere. And when I created, I was fully present with the creation; allowing the pain to be in the background, instead of the foreground.

The neurologist did a test. The neurologist pronounced me fine before he even did the test. "Yes, sir, I am fine. I'm forty years old and I don't know what is happening to me and you have no answer, but I am fine it seems." I had to accept that there was no answer just then.

A look back in my history shows numerous 'minor' things going on for years: a feeling of being off balance, a sensation of walking 'funny' all of a sudden - was it me or the new shoes? Fatigue. Bone crushing, can't lift my head, no energy for language kind of fatigue.

I have continued the creations over this past year; growing more confident with my materials and moving into the world of fabrication. The 'phantom' mostly hid away for a bit but I was always aware of its presence. It left my back sensations and a couple other things but steered clear for a while. And then it returned and it was the same but different. I began limping - always on the right leg and many times being unaware I was doing it. Some days my hands won't work on the keyboard for any length of time. It is like there's a disconnect between brain and hands. Sometimes I'm fatigued, I trip over things even when I know they're there, and life is different than it used to be. And the other day there was a brown spot in my vision on my left eye. And I know. In my heart, I know. I see another neurologist in June.

When I am at my bench, my hands work just fine. And I am grateful - for this life, for the gift I've been given, and for this opportunity to share a little more about who I am.

Customer Rewards Program

2009-03-14T10:51:00.001-07:00

Today I'm launching my customer rewards program. As a small business owner, I believe it is important to reward customers who shop with me and refer their friends to shop with me. I know the world has changed, and we're living in an electronic age, but the basics of business have not changed. Business is about relationships and communication - key elements to the success of any venture.

The rewards program is very simple. You refer a friend. When the friend purchases from me, they tell me the Etsy username of the person who referred them, and you get a gift certificate sent to you for 15% off. I hope to issue lots of them!

Oh, and I created a new design of sterling silver hand forged nose studs that launched yesterday:

Fusion

2009-03-07T17:17:00.000-08:00

I managed to fuse a copper circle the other day after many failed attempts. I wasn't really sure what I was doing right or wrong. Sometimes the ends of the wire balled up on me; an outcome I really didn't want. And other times, the wire simply didn't fuse - it got really, really black and it didn't 'become one'. I kept practicing and trying. Over and over and finally, I got it! A lovely circle. What I did was form the circle, overlapping the ends by about 4mm, and then I hammered it flat so the ends were really meshed together. I then fluxed the whole thing and lit the torch to it on a really high flame. Success! It fused.

Today I played with sterling silver fusion, which is SO much easier. This time I didn't flatten the circles, I simply used a dowel to wrap my circle around, and cut them out; again, leaving about 4mm of overlap. I positioned the circle so that the cut ends of overlap touched each other very tightly. I put it on my soldering brick (simply a heat resistant brick found in the hardware store - buy the ones they put into woodstoves or the bottom of a fireplace), and put flux on the whole thing using a small paintbrush. Flux is available from your jewelry supply stores and is essential for fusing and/or soldering. I lit the torch and turned it up fairly high and made the metal red hot, focusing the flame on the place where the two ends touched. The hottest part of the torch is just past the blue flame. I watched closely as the metal got all beautifully liquidy and voila! joined to each other to form a fused circle. I was entirely fascinated by the process. I discovered that sterling is easier to fuse than copper and I found that it just takes practice.

Thanks for reading. Pictured is a pair of earrings I made.

The bottom circle is fused.

The Pull of Copper

2009-03-02T11:11:00.001-08:00

I'm finding myself more and more drawn to copper these days - perhaps because it lends itself so well to the types of designs I enjoy creating. I love jewellery that just has that handmade look to it!

Rustic, and not so perfect in form; something for
the eye and the mind to be curious about.

Copper is reputed to have healing properties and many swear by its use for relieving pain, particularly in diseases such as arthritis and rheumatic illnesses. I can't attest to its abilities for these purposes, but I remember my grandmother always wore a copper bangle and swore it helped her arthritis pain.

It is a beautiful metal, and one that is experiencing a "come back" in popularity. It Rocks! in my opinion ;)

Outdoor Photography - OH MY!

2009-02-20T11:22:00.000-08:00

Wow! What can I say? I was reading something today when looking around at 'specs' for my camera when I noticed (yet again) someone talking about taking their shots outside rather than using a light box. As I've mentioned before, I have had zero luck with a light box and hadn't yet trekked my butt outdoors to try my luck photographing my jewellery out there.

It's sunny today here in my area of the world. A gorgeous, cool, sunny day and maybe that was just the motivation I needed. The window is open in my studio, the fresh air is coming in, and suddenly, packing up my latest creation, my camera and some props didn't seem like such a bad idea.

The result was breathtaking for me! I would NEVER have gotten this shot inside. I'm reformed ;)

Nose Jewellery

2009-02-11T14:19:00.001-08:00

Wow! The nose jewellery seems to be a hit - and it all came about because I wanted to design something I liked for myself, being tired of the little glittery type, and I thought, "hey, why not see if anyone else does too?" Seems they do because it has quickly become my best selling item :)

I have a few basic designs that are really well loved and many more in my head waiting for the right time to be built and launched. Thanks to all of you who are lovin them too!

Evolve

2009-02-06T17:03:00.000-08:00

Evolve - it's what we all must do on a regular basis - evolve as a musician, an artist, a friend, a human. I chose to celebrate the evolution of self by making this hand cut copper guitar pick.

And yes (she sheepishly says), my guitar is dusty. I've been busy making jewellery ;)

Finally Broke Into the New ROCKS!

2009-01-24T13:45:00.001-08:00

And this was the result. There are days when I am simply overwhelmed with gratitude that the universe has seen fit for me to do something with my time here that creates joy for myself and others. Now I know that may seem a bit lofty, after all, how important is jewellery in the grand scheme of things? I think it's very important - it has a rich and ancient history, as old as evolved humans itself, so it must be important. The need to adorn oneself is almost primal - perhaps it is our need to express our own unique view point that drives the need - who knows? Whatever it is, it is powerful and fulfilling somehow. And I'm grateful for my part in it.

Today I am also grateful for my new friend at http://garageglamorous.blogspot.com/. Lindsey blew me away with her wonderful review of my work! I am new to this - blogging, selling online, all of it, so for me - I spent yesterday walking on cloud nine because of her gracious review. Thank you, Lindsey:)

Photography

2009-01-10T09:43:00.000-08:00

I think the hardest part of online sales is how to get the best photo of my pieces. It is a particular issue when it's a 'one of a kind' piece - how much time do I invest in getting just the right photo? I've tried a light box without success, and while I'm sure that with practice it has to work (since it does for so many other folks), I don't like trying to maneuver around in the little space mine has to offer.

Yesterday I played with props for my photos and I really like the effect but I could use some feedback! I've seen some other listings with props that really distract from the jewellery and I don't know if mine detract or add to my pieces.

All feedback is appreciated - thanks :)

You Just Never Know

2008-12-23T17:57:00.000-08:00

Surprises are in order all around this time of year - a huge dump of snow here in my not so terribly snowy part of the world, holiday surprises, and surprises in what I feel the need to create.

I spent a whole bunch of money on some great gemstone beads recently and I truly love rocks. I love the feel of them in my hands, the coolness against my neck, and the myriad of colours and textures they come in. And yet I have found my inspiration in metal this week - copper and silver swirls, hoops, loops and spirals - different sizes and gauges - hammered and polished. As I say, you just never know what will happen - in the earth or in the creative endeavours of our lives.

As I enter this holiday season I am grateful for inspiration - the thing that always surprises me and keeps me young in spirit.

Inspiration - You Never Know Where It Can Come From

2008-12-13T13:30:00.000-08:00

Funny thing about inspiration, isn't it? That I could see something and be inspired by it when another person might not. Or one day it might inspire me when I've seen it many times before. Such was the case with last night's inspiration for this lovely little loopy hoop.

Last night we had a power outage and I was playing around by candlelight. I couldn't do much so I was cleaning some copper bits off my work tray and putting them in the copper bucket when I noticed this coil in there - left over from some experiment or other. I wondered how it would look in my ear if I snipped off some of it. I snipped off a piece and filed the end by hand with my little file and slipped it into my ear. I picked up the candlestick, went into the bathroom and loved what I saw. When the power came back on I created them in sterling and tumbled them all night to harden them up.

My Latest Line

2008-12-08T11:30:00.001-08:00

Oh, how I love to get more for my money! That's the idea behind my newest line of jewellery - 1 item shown here and more to come over the next few months. I thought it would be awesome to have more freedom with your jewellery so I created this bracelet that is three separate strands of yummy pearls that are joined with a sterling "S Clasp".

This design enables the wearer to wear one, two, or all three strands - depending on the mood of the day. Watch for new designs to come using this concept - be on the lookout for rock, rock, and more rocks!

The Handbag's Tale

2008-12-03T11:55:00.000-08:00

Most of us women have a favourite little handbag and I was thinking about this when the inspiration for these earrings came to me. I made them from copper sheet and formed them to look like little handbags and immediately fell in love with them. So far they're a one of a kind item, but I may make more someday. I paired them up with sterling silver earwires and chain. I'll be posting them for sale in the shop at some point in the next day or so.

I used my dremel to round out the corners a bit - putting a hard sanding disk on the end of the dremel. A word of caution if you plan to play with this method: safety glasses are a must, along with a dust mask of some sort. You don't want the tiny bits of metal in your eyes or in your lungs! These are actually a pretty simple concept - just cut, folded and formed copper, but they turned out so lovely - proving sometimes simple is best!

How Exciting!!

2008-11-27T16:03:00.000-08:00

Call me quirky, but one of the things I LOVE about selling on Etsy is checking out where the pieces are going. It's so interesting to think of people in places I've never even been to - wearing something that I made by hand.

Yesterday I shipped these earrings to Holland! So I just had to find out a bit more about Holland, which is actually a country called "The Netherlands". I didn't know that it is a monarchy, rather than having a president or a prime minister the way we do in Canada and the US, nor that the weather sounds very similar to what you might find on Vancouver Island - I had presumed they would have very cold winters. At 41,528 square kilometers, it is only 9394 square kilometers larger than the island where I live in British Columbia.

So, in a way, making jewellery is expanding my knowledge of the world I live in too. What a neat concept! Cheers all:)

Jewellery Party

2008-11-23T10:33:00.001-08:00

I'm SO looking forward to today! I have a jewellery party booked at a friend's house and I have some great ideas for making it fun (and hopefully profitable). I plan to do a necklace giveaway - each purchase will entitle the person to an entry for the draw, and to offer a $20 gift certificate for a party booked and held before Christmas. I'm hoping this will get me at least one more party before the holidays so I can load up on an order of new materials to spend the winter months - the slower season - creating. Of course I have a ton of ideas for new pieces!

Sometimes the tough part is deciding what to make first because the ideas float in my head all the time and there are so many of them. I try to get everything 'jotted' down on paper but a lot of ideas come in the night when I'm half awake and even though I keep a pad by the bed, I miss quite a few because I really don't want to turn on the light. Lately I've been having some fun with copper sheet. I made a beautiful cuff style bracelet that I wrapped Chinese turquoise onto and I had to keep it for myself - it's gorgeous and simple - the greens and blacks in the stone are a perfect contrast to the shiny copper. It's natural copper too, so it will get the lovely patina over time. I plan to do some similar work with sterling sheet over the winter so watch here and Etsy for new designs.

Live and Learn

2008-11-15T19:19:00.000-08:00

Well, I did my first craft show, and overall it turned out pretty well. I learned a LOT in the process though, and thought I'd share some of my observations here.

I set up everything on my bar counter before I went because I only had half a table, which isn't a lot of space. It looked really good on the counter but I hadn't counted on two things:

1. my bar counter is wider than the table was
2. my bar counter is MUCH higher than the table was

The display that looked good on my counter didn't work as well on the table. I also used black to display most of my things and the lovely stones get completely lost on the black backdrops. On day one I wasn't selling at all and on day two I decided I needed to do something to show off the jewellery. The table looked lovely but the jewellery just didn't stand out at all.

Finally I decided to do something quick and simple. I took my earring cards (lots of white space) and put the earrings on them and sat them in some silver gift boxes and just set them out on the table. On the board that I had earrings hung on, I put the white earring cards behind them. Simple, not terribly pretty really, but it was effective enough to make me start selling.

So I have learned that in the future I will:
* Use white for displays to better highlight my pieces
* Get stuff UP from the table to eye level

Just a couple of tips - there will be more to come :)

Fun With Form

2008-11-07T20:26:00.000-08:00

You know, every now and then it's important to just have some fun, and that's what I chose to do this evening. Rather than second guess what someone might like, or want, or buy, you gotta just pull out the rocks and the wire and play a little - that's what tonight was about for me. I played and created, and posted a few new things to the shop. I love the new mannequins too!

Thrifty Finds

2008-11-06T11:26:00.000-08:00

I’m doing my first show next week and needed some racks for earrings. I haven’t seen any commercial ones that I can’t live without so I thought I’d get creative. I went out to our local thrift shops and within 2 stores I came up with two pieces.
Both of them started off an ugly brassy gold colour (I should have taken before and after pics!). This is the first one I picked up for $2.50. Many of my earrings are on earring cards in small Ziploc bags to keep them clean and to resist tarnish. I could easily see the little bags hanging on this rack – it’s perfect for them and it spins, so I bought it right away.

This second one was the same awful colour but I could see the potential in it. I thought if I painted it black I could hang earrings freely from the loops in the center and on the outside edge; potentially being able to display a lot of earrings on it. I didn’t have a sense of how to keep it upright at that point, but for $2.00 I decided the ‘how to’ could come later.

I brought them both home and my husband and I sat at our bar counter in the kitchen with them in front of us and talked about how to hold the wreath upright. We finally came up with a stand idea that we thought would work okay and then he went to pick them up and take them out to the shop, and when he did, he hung the wreath on the side of the other rack to make it easy to carry and we both looked at it and at each other and….eureka! There it was – the perfect rack. It still spins and it takes up half the space that the two of them would separately. He took them out and painted them black and here is the finished rack.

These are just two simple finds for a total of $4.50, which shows that displays don’t have to cost a bundle to be effective. The last pictures are from one of my favourite stories. I told my husband I was looking for something that looked like a treasure chest but the closest thing I had seen was a box and it was $17.95. He remembered a gift that we were given that was really quite tacky but it came in a little trunk that he thought might be what I was looking for. I didn’t remember it at all but he thought it might still be at his dad’s – leftovers from our last year’s joint garage sale. Sure enough it was there. We painted it black and it’s the perfect chest for some bargains to go into.

Now I’m excited to get set up! I’ll be taking pictures of the final display next week and posting it here so stay tuned :)

Going into creative mode!

2008-10-30T09:20:00.001-07:00

Oh boy, does this weekend ever need to see some production time! I've been so busy getting the promotional aspects of things set up that I haven't had time (sigh) to create very much. I suppose that will always be the fine balancing act of this type of business venture. I'm the whole show - the person who creates the pieces, the one who promotes them, and the one who keeps the business records (okay, who am I kidding? LOL - you should SEE my horrible mess of paperwork waiting to be entered into a spreadsheet!).

The beautiful thing is that I can choose to leave the paperwork for another time, and I can go for a walk and get inspiration for my next piece. It's fall in my part of the world and the trees are all this lovely golden colour, interspersed with the odd tree turning red, and there are big leaves scattered on the road and the walkways - it's truly lovely. What a gift to be alive and well!

I think I might be ready

2008-10-28T07:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I got this set up (finally) and I think I'm finally ready to begin. Blogging is new to me and I find it fascinating that people might want to read what I have to say. I'm going to use this blog to share a little more of who I am, and what I do.

When I was a kid I was always creating something - macrame, little bracelets, braiding, key chains, pom poms for my shoelaces, you name it - I did it. And then somehow, the years went by and I lost that spark. But thankfully, only for a while. I turned forty this year and the magic is back. I've taught myself how to make amazing jewellery (at least I'm amazed;) from sterling silver, copper and gemstones. I've set up a small shop on Etsy to showcase my work, and hopefully make a few sales. I take pride in what I do and love the creative process! I've been asked over the years, "what would you do for a living if you never got paid for it". I didn't have an answer until now - make jewellery!

I get lost in it and I love it.