Grant Writing for Artists

Alyson over at Art Biz Blog shares this book with her blog followers today.

It is on my list of things to own

Check out more here

Rings & Things Loves ME!!!!

Back, oh, a week or so ago, Rings & Things posted on their facebook fan page, that if you posted a picture of your newest Rings & Things creation you could win a prize!!!

So I did :)

And I got this!




These are two awesome publications! Margot Potters book, Bead Chic is beautifully photographed with excellent step by step instructions for some fun designs.

Glass Art Magazine made my jaw drop. I don't know anything about glass art, other than I like looking at it, but this magazine has made me what to know more!

Rings & Things has a great online community full of support, information and just plain fun.
Look them up on Facebook, or Twitter, or their Blog, and see what they are up to.

You'll be glad you did :)

One more for the library - Rena Klingenberg

I have been getting Rena Klingenberg newsletters for some time now.

I crawl all over her site on a regular basis looking for more information, or tips and tricks of the trade.

But her site is so much more than that. There are tons of submissions for people just like you and me. Jewelry artists in the business willing to share their experiences and knowledge to everyone who stops by.

There is also a gallery of beautiful hand crafted pieces submitted by the followers of the site.

There is so much information to glean thru, it can be over whelming. That being said - I am ordering her book. I am so excited. I read this article on her site - and have permission to re post it - and am going to try this technique tomorrow at the market. Will let you know how it turns out.

How to Sell More Jewelry with Volume Discounts

copyright by Rena Klingenberg

Customers love to feel like they’re getting a good deal, so offering some items at "volume discount pricing" can net you a lot of extra sales and repeat buyers.

For example, I have a big selection of very simple gemstone bead earrings with sterling silver earwires. I price them at $16 for 1 pair, $14 each for 3 pair, and $12 each for 5 pair. You'd be amazed at how many people automatically spend $60 buying 5 pair just because that's the best price per pair.

If a customer comes to check out with just 2 pair, I mention that they'll receive a discount if they get 3 pair - and nearly always they go back to pick out a third pair of earrings, spending $42 instead of $32.

I know that without the volume discount, most people would buy just one pair and spend only $16.

Why not try volume discount pricing on a selected group of your jewelry pieces? I think this tactic is most successful with a group of similar items that are regularly priced under $20.

You can increase people's urgency to take you up on your special pricing with a sign mentioning that they can take care of all their holiday shopping today with this special jewelry bargain. Include a free gift pouch or box for each piece, and you'll probably make all the sales you can keep up with.

Some quick tips on successful volume discount pricing:

- Be sure to calculate your volume discounts so that you're still earning a good profit per piece at your lowest pricing. (Even at the lowest price, $12 per pair, I make a very tidy profit on the volume-priced earrings).

- Post obvious signs next to the items listing your pricing discounts.

- If anyone comes to check out with just one, ask if they saw today's special savings on this group of items.

- This kind of deal is most effective for you if it's for something you can turn out quickly and in volume, with slight differences from one piece to another (such as changing bead color or shape).

- A “rummage bin” increases the sale of volume-discount items. Put the items in mini-ziplocks in a pretty basket, tray, trunk, or box and observe the power of rummaging!

You can experiment with volume discounts till you find the right jewelry items and pricing that make this a guaranteed, profitable bread-and-butter item for you.

Check out her site for more information or if you are interested in her book you can Click Here! to find out how to order.

Til then kids!!

A Bead in Time - book by Lisa Crone

I was thrilled to come home to have a box waiting for me on the kitchen counter. I saw the Amazon label and knew it was my book! I ripped open the box and there it was - the beautiful shiney cover of "A Bead in Time" looking up at me. Just the cover itself makes you want to open the book. First you see a beautiful bracelet and earrings mirroring the colors and textures of the beach/tropic setting in the image. Its winter and cold here, the cover was so inviting I couldn't wait to see what was inside. I ran to my computer, emailed Lisa – “I GOT MY BOOK!! I GOT MY BOOK!” grabbed my book and ran upstairs to look thru it at my pace and with no interruptions.

Lisa starts with a great introduction sharing ideas on how to battle 'beader's block'. It sets the tone for the book, how she uses vacation photos as her inspiration while creating beautiful jewelry. The book has 127 pages of beautiful images broke into four chapters including step by step instructions, tips and inspirations. I mean right off the bat she gets to the point with a measurement conversion chart on the very first page! Brilliant.

Lisa did not over look any detail. After the introduction she does a listing of materials and tools that are referenced in the book. She does not take for granted her readers have a prior knowledge of jewelry making. That alone makes this book a perfect addition to any library collection. It is written to accommodate any skill level. I thoroughly enjoyed and was thrilled to see the “Basic Techniques” section. Again, leaving nothing to be questioned, there are pictures and instructions for many different techniques that are needed for the beginning and the experienced beader. I remember when I first started making jewelry, so many things eluded me as far as "how in the world to you make that happen?" If only I had had this book, I would have spent less time scratching my head and more time making jewelry!!! Here is just a snippet of the Basic Technique page and the illustrations. Beautifully photographed and instructions clearly defined, you can confidently tackle any of the designs shared in this book.


Each entry shows the finished product alongside the image that inspired it. Lisa gives you a little history about each picture, and how it inspired her to create the jewelry. She adds a little inspiration quip to each project and adds tips to the instructions to help you along.
This is not just a recipe book for making jewelry. Lisa opens up and gives you a very intimate look into her thought processes and I am humbled by her talents, expertise, and willingness to bring you into her crafting world. I feel like I am sitting across the table from her, having coffee and chatting about her last vacation as she shows me the jewelry she just made. There is an excitement in the book, the way it reads, I am sure it is her very energy coming through the pages.

I have looked through the book several times and can’t wait to try some of these new techniques. I hate to pick a favorite, because I love them all, but when you get a chance to see this book, the Summer Salad is so awesome!

Stop by Lisa’s blog, get to know her as I did, you won’t be disappointed. A Bead A Day