Selling on Commission

I've had a few inquiries lately about selling my jewelry in gift shops. How to go about that? I am not even sure.

Right now I am reading "Crafts and Craft Shows: How to Make Money" by Philip Kadubek. It has some pretty good advice on the many different ways to sell your crafts.

I was selling at a craft show last week and realised that I had the highest priced jewelry there. Not that it is overpriced...the opposite in fact...it's just that I had the only wire-wrapped and gemstone jewelry there. Does this mean that I need to start concentrating on Fine Arts and Craft shows? Hmmmm. Something to ponder...

New Line of Jewelry

I've seen so many women going to their college football games wearing gorgeous jewelry, so I decided to jon the bandwagon. Here are two in my new Game Day line. They are for anyone who's team colors just happen to be crimson and white. LOL

However, I am willing to make some jewelry in other colors. All you have to do is ask.

Some of my favorites on etsy.com

'Nuff said. ;)

Hello Autumn!

Wow, summer is almost gone and today really feels like it. Only 63 degrees out and rainy. Y'all know what that means?

Fall Festivals and craft shows.

I am all set for two craft shows and looking to book a few more. But before I go, I have to redesign my craft booth. I have some great ideas; both simplistic and earthy. It includes burlap.

Here are a couple more pieces that I have up on etsy..

I purchased a tutorial off of www.jewelrylessons.com by CL Design. The copper pendant has been antiqued and polished. I love them!

I Have More Sisters!

Well, I finally joined the Sassy Sisters in Sales! After having a couple of them invite me, I ambled on over to check them out and liked what I saw.

If you like to shop, you should check them out...I mean, "us" out, as well. LOL Lots of crafters as well as vendors with a lot of gorgeous items! Plus, they have an online vendor fair, A Sassy Affair, twice a month where you can meet the vendors, ask questions about their products and shop at the same time.

Have fun!

New items Posted at Etsy

I got a new shipment of ceramic pendants in from Chinook Jewelry. Y'all know I love her stuff...anyway, here are a few pieces I've made with them. I've more on the way...

My Autumn Waters Necklace Blog Feature

I got the news that my necklace was featured over at TiLT Treasures' blog today. I am so honored and excited.

There are plenty of other items featured as well...all gorgeous. Y'all go check them out!

http://tilttreasures.blogspot.com/2009/09/brown-autumn-leaves.html

I Love Giveaways!

I just ran across a fellow etsian, zizzybob, who is having a wonderful giveaway on her blog, Just a Little Zizzy.

If you like handmade fabric baskets and cards, go check it out!

The giveway is for a beautiful tan fabric basket with amber beads and it goes until August 31st, 2009. Good luck, y'all!

Silver and Gold...

I just got in a batch of sterling wire and some copper wire, but I don't know what I am going to make with all of it.

School starts in a week and we haven't even bought all of the school supplies needed, my mother-in-law is in the hospital with serious problems, and I am worn out.

Ever had one of those months?

I did make a few more necklaces last week. The pendants are ceramic and handcrafted by Melissa at Chinook Jewelry. I think they turned out nicely. What do you think? Remember, I do take criticism in the spirit that it is offered.

Vendor Sale - Sassy Sisters in Sales presents the Sassy Affair

Thursday, August 13th
6:45 - 7:15 Colors of the Woods jewelry

I will be having a special sale for those who attend. All of my wine glass markers will be 20% off and if you purchase a necklace, earrings will be 50% off. Hope to see you there!

Here is the official blurb..

A Sassy Affair Shopping Extravaganza
Sponsored by Sassy Sisters In Sales
August 13, 2009
5:00pm - 9:15 pm EST


Various vendors representing a variety of products. There is something for everyone. Games, Prizes, Special Deals, Exclusive Savings! Invite your friends - they won't want to miss this either! All of our guests will be entered for a chance to win fabulous prizes , but you must REGISTER !!!!!!!

Event will take place on WAHMChats.com. In the menu select Chat rooms, enter your name, no password needed. Once logged in you'll be in "the lounge". At the top of the box click on the arrow & choose the room assigned to a Sassy Affair.

Sit back and enjoy the fair! Chime in with questions or comments anytime.

In Creative Mode

lately, things have been going good for me jewelry-making-wise. I have had success with the ceramic pendants from Melissa at Chinook jewelry. In fact, the day after I posted two necklaces in my etsy shop, they sold! Talk about exciting.

So, I ordered three more pendants from Melissa. It will be fun picking out the color combinations for them.

Oh, and I just found out yesterday that last time I went to my favorite bead store (the day I bought beads for the necklaces mentioned above) I spent waaaaaay more than I intended. $100.00 more!!!! And not on beads.

Yep, I got a traffic ticket and didn't even know it.

It seems that as I was making a right turn on red (didn't see a sign at all) a picture was taken of my car. Why is it some intersections are legal to make a right turn and some aren't? There's so much traffic, sometimes you are so busy making sure it's OK to to turn, that you don't have time or even remember to check for No Right Turn on Red signs. There were none that I saw anyway.

So, lesson learned.

Announcing the winners of the Name the Necklace Contest...

Ann Hite and Lois D'Agostino from my facebook friends came up with the two winning names. I couldn't decide which to choose, so I combined them to come up with...


Caribbean Dreams!


Thanks ladies! And thanks to everyone else who participated.

Colors of the Woods is Holding a Naming Contest

I'm having a problem coming up with a proper name for this necklace. So, I am having a contest. The person who comes up with the best name, in my opinion, will be able to choose a free pair of copper earrings, or a beaded (strung, not wire worked) bracelet from my etsy store.



So, let's see what you've got!

Chinook Jewelry is Giving Away a Free Pendant!

I love Melissa's pendants! I bought two a while back and am planning on buying more soon. They inspire me. LOL You can see the necklace I created with one of them at http://colorsofthewoods.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-found-new-ceramic-artist.html

Anywho, she is having a contest over on her blog to name some new glazes she has come up with. Also, just for blogging about her contest, she is having a drawing for a free pendant.

So, go check it out! Go on now!

Chinook Jewelry

Wine Glass Markers

Here are a few sets that I posted on etsy last week.

Getting Back in the Swing of Things

I have been neglectful of my blogs lately and have to start organising myself better in order to get around to doing everything that needs to be done.

Y'all know what I'm talking about.

Lots of good designs are coming up. Got some awesome ideas that need to be implemented. (hint) Since I am an Alabama fan, I have some ideas for cute Bama jewelry. My own design, as I don't want to infringe on the university's copyrights.

Plus, I will be ordering more sterling soon and am planning on purchasing metal stamps so I can make personalised necklaces and bracelets.

So, Colors of the Woods has some great things coming up. Stay tuned to this station for more! ;)

Back From Vacation

Hey y'all! Just got back last night from my trip to Alabama and I am tired. But lot's to do: unpacking, blogging, tweeting, advertising, listing new items on etsy, etc...

My grandmother, bless her heart, fell in love with a couple of pair of copper earrings that I made while I was down there. SO, I gave them to her, knowing she would wear them when they went out to eat, and knowing how much she would tell everyone about them. Family advertising is great!

I scoped out a local craft fair while I was there. Lots of jewelry talent there, but only one who had my style. She wasn't into the wire wrap as much as I, but she did lovely bead work with gemstones beads and pendants. Gorgeous! Here is her info...

Lilah Broxton Designs - B'ham, AL
lilahbroxton@hotmail.com

I am lovin' working with sterling silver now. Just posted some in my etsy shop, so y'all come on ever and check them out!

Stay shiny!

All's Well That Ends Well

I set up my booth at the Tinley Park Recreation Center Craft Fair last weekend. It was my first time selling there and I wasn't sure what to expect from them.

As soon as I walked in, I noticed that there were a LOT of other jewelry crafters there.

At first, I thought they had put us all together in one room ( we were spread out into six or seven smaller rooms), but then word trickled in from the other rooms that they had just as many jewelry folk set up in there as well.

Tinley obviously did not limit the types of crafts who signed up.

Regardless, I did pretty well and they show was very fun to do. I think I was one of the only ones there who did copper wirework and I had lots of customers tell me that my jewelry was unique.

That's what I wanted to hear! :)

Sold a lot of copper rings and had requests for sterling silver. So the other day, I ordered 30 feet of silver wire and have a lot of projects planned for it.

Stay tuned!

I Found a New Ceramic Artist

I received my Beading Daily newsletter the other day and saw an article about a necklace inspired by a ceramic pendant made by Melissa at Chinook Jewelry.

You know how it is. You see a focal bead or an unusual pendant and just have to make something with it.

That's what I did.

I immediately went over to her website and ordered two pendants from her Botanical collection. Not only did I receive what I ordered, she also sent me a free pendant. Bless her heart. Now that's what I call customer appreciation.

Here is what I made with the square pendant.

I thought it turned out rather well with the unakite beads.

Etsy Team Member of the Week

I want to start featuring a team member from my etsy team, The Big Damn Crafters, every week. I will start out with OmShanti Handcrafts.

Her Minty Footy Spray is awesome for your feet. I bought some a few months ago and love it! Sometimes at night, I can't sleep because my feet are hot. So I spray a little of the footie spray and it cools them off.

Check omshanti and the other BDC team members for some great handcrafted items!

This Week's Sale Items

This week you can get the copper chain necklace PLUS matching earrings for only $25.00 and FREE SHIPPING! Just click on the Paypal button on the sidebar!

Finished Product

I ended up not using the rose bead. Here is the finished product. It is only a one decade rosary.

And...I made earrings out of the rose beads.

A Rosary for my Sister-in-Law

My SIL wanted a rosary for her mom and since they are Irish, I wanted to make an Irish rosary, so I bought shamrock beads and a shamrock crucifix and center.

At first I was very excited about it, but now I am having doubts as to how it looks.

I want it to be special, so I thought of adding a cherry quartz rose bead for the pater instead of another shamrock bead.

What do you think?

Wishes

I am really wanting to go to Bead Fest Wire in Pennsylvania this year.

There are lots of wonderful classes that will be offered, such as Asymmetric Woven Wire Ring, and Two-Tone Woven Wire Bangle.

Unfortunately, most of the classes that I'd love to take are closed already. I guess this is one of the events in life that you have to make reservations for a year in advance. Kind of like a big wedding.

Y'all Love Bargains, Right?

UPDATE: This necklace has already sold to one of my fellow tweets on Twitter.com! Thanks Brian! Y'all check back next week for a new bargain!

___________________________________________________


I have decided to start offering a weekly bargain in my etsy shop and I'll feature it here on the blog.

This week, I am offering the Walk in the Woods Necklace. It is made of jasper beads and has a silver tree pendant and a silver plated "s" hook clasp. The colors of the beads are just beautiful and remind me of a summers day in the woods.

Just click on the Buy Now button on my side bar and be looking out for more weekly bargains every Saturday.

Etsy Teams

Over on Etsy, we have teams that we can join. The teams are not only for socializing, but for support. We promote each other's shops and get to know each other.

The first group that I joined was the Big Damn Crafters.

They got the name from an episode of Firefly, which is the common thread that binds us in this group. We are all Browncoats...fans of the cancelled show Firefly and the movie Serenity. So we have contests to make the best Firefly-themed items each month and we post promotions in Etsy Promotions that sometimes are themed to Firefly.

If you are fans of this series or just looking for something different, check out the BDCers on Etsy. Just type in TeamBDC on Etsy's search box. There are some very talented crafters/designers on there.

Jewelry Lessons

Hey! For those of you who would like to know how to make some lovely jewelry creations, Jewelry Lessons by Eni Oken is a very good place to start.

There are a bunch of beginner lessons on making findings such as jump rings, chains, simple pendants and tumbling. Also, you can learn to make intricate designs such as a wire-wrapped cabochon, and how to oxidize the metal with eggs.

Some lessons are free and some aren't, but there are some mighty good designs on there and some nice designers willing to share and teach you as well, such as Bobbi from My Wired Imagination.

Flame Painting Copper

I ran across this phrase a while back and it intrigues me.

Flame painting.

On copper.

I love copper and love working with it, so this techinque might be something to look into for the future. Here is an example of a flame-painted pin.

Flame painting involves a using a torch to heat the copper. Different degrees of heat make different colors. I can just imagine making a pendant using this technique. Isn't it beautiful???? This heart was made by a husband and wife team. You can find them at www.coppercolorists.com

Organizing IS fun...

OK, I just have to keep reminding myself that. ;)

I am just sitting here in my home office, hanging up pictures, a white board, cleaning off my desk, etc... Not very entertaining, I admit, but I need to get on my blog more often and share my beading adventures with you.

I just signed up with twitter.com. You can find me at www.twitter.com/colorsofthewood. The full name couldn't be added due to it being too long, so the final "s" is missing.

Now I just have to figure out how to tweet.

Happy Inauguration Day!

I had the pleasure of watching the Inauguration of President Obama this morning and I have to say it was inspiring. We've come a long way, America! Let's keep going in the right direction.

Glitter Text Maker

Let's Talk Ladies

I was steered towards this new website today called, Let's Talk Ladies.

Looks like there are a few artists/designers in there. I haven't been able to explore much of the site yet, but it looks user friendly and so do the people.

http://www.letstalkladies.com/colorsofthewoods

Y'all come on over and check us out!

New Necklace - Made today

I used copper wire and amber lampwork beads for this one. I love it!

New Items Up on Etsy