Expressing Individuality With Jewelry

Everyone likes to be unique.  And everyone should be.  We are all individuals.  We have our own distinct personalities, interests, and idiosyncrasies. Perhaps what sets us apart from one another the most is our experiences.

Personal experiences in life affect who we are and shape who we become.  Some incidents may greatly impact a person: adoption, marriage, birth, loss, graduation, achievement of life goals.  These firsthand encounters give us wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and maturity.

I've been thinking about society.  We all have experiences.  We all have a personal history.  I wanted to find a way to express and display these cherished events.

I designed a necklace to honor special dates and keep them close to the heart.  I prefer a piece of jewelry that is modern, not traditional.  A small accessory with clean lines.  Something that can be worn everyday.

A special date.

The result is this custom date necklace.  The numbers hold special significance for the wearer while being interesting and mysterious to the casual observer.

The numbers across the top of the pendant represent a month.  Middle row (left to right) represents the day within the month.  Bottom row indicates that last two digits of the year being honored.

Two or more dates can be honored.

The specific measurements of this necklace are provided in my Etsy shop.

We are unique.  Let's celebrate our individuality. Let's celebrate our experiences.

Digital Scales for a Handmade Business

A digital scale is very helpful to have around when operating a handmade business.

This small appliance was on my list of items to purchase for quite some time, but I delayed shopping for one because the vast selection seemed overwhelming.  When I was ready to explore my options, I determined what the most important factors were for my situation:

1. Size / weight of the items to be shipped.
2. Accuracy of digital scales.
3. Durability.
4. Value.

The parcels sent out from my business are generally under one pound.  I quickly ruled out many of the digital desktop scales which may handle 75 pounds or more, and focused my attention on kitchen scales.  This was a good idea for me, personally, because I spend a lot of time cooking.  

Once I concluded a digital kitchen scale was the obvious choice for me, the browsing was easier.  I decided on the Escali Primo Digital Scale due to many favorable reviews on Amazon.com and multiple cooking websites / blogs.  The fun color options also made my decision easier.

What? No more standing in line at the post office??

This little scale is durable and easy to clean.  The display is straightforward and can measure in grams, pounds, or ounces.  Accuracy is good. Accommodates up to 11 pounds.  Sells for less than $30.

Owning a digital scale allows me to accurately determine the cost of shipping packages to customers.  I can also purchase and print shipping labels from my computer - a valuable time saver.

 I did not fathom how much this handy little device would be appreciated until it was actually here! What are some of the most useful items for your small business?

Holiday Prep for Handmade Business, Part 3: Packaging

When a customer receives a package from your handmade business, they should be excited! They are opening something special.  The packaging should reflect how unique the contents are.  What can you do to stand apart without investing significant amounts of time and money on intricate wrapping?

Via Cutiepie Company on Flickr

Packaging handcrafted goods can be both fun and challenging.  Finding the right details to set the tone takes time.  Think of the word handmade.  What do you envision? To me, it resonates with original, imperfect, detailed, and creative.  I do not think of it as busy, overbearing, or trying too hard.

I relish the little details.  Simple, clever additions that don't try to go overboard. The use of decorative edge scissors.  Textures on bows or fabric. Stamps and stickers can be good ways to include your theme without being overly expensive. Reusing items in a surprising way.  A pleasing color scheme. What materials will invoke your product and your self  into the overall look of the parcel?

The gift shown here from Cutiepie Company is the perfect example.  It is wrapped in elementary school writing paper.  Very simple, yet a surprising choice. They have added a ribbon - small, not complex, and complimentary to the lines on the paper. Stamping the recipient's name is great. The font is legible and not overly sophisticated.  Red stands out on the paper and brings to mind a teacher's grade at the top of the page.  I would guess the package might hold a journal, stationery, or special writing set.

Consider the recipient of your item.  Do you sell to men and women? Simplify things by going with gender neutral packaging.  The gift in the photo could be for anyone of any age on any occasion.  It is charming enough to be a holiday gift.  Try to find wrapping that works year round.  This makes things easier on you as a seller.

As you prepare to ship those holiday orders for your handmade business, reflect on the presentation of your goods.  What message are you giving about the contents?

Visit my earlier posts on holiday preparations for shipping  and materials.

Holiday Prep for Handmade Business, Part 2: Materials

Last week I took an inventory of my materials.  This can be a dull process, but it must be done.  When holiday orders are coming in, who wants to turn customers away because they ran out of yarn to knit scarves or silver to make necklaces?

Some tips to prepare a Handmade Business for the Holidays:

• Set aside time to look through your goods now.
• Which materials are running low?
• Estimate which of your items will be in demand.  What is generating the most interest? Consider getting extra materials to produce more of that particular favorite.
• Planning a new piece for your line? The holidays could be a good time to introduce something different to draw in fresh buyers and bring back previous customers.  What supplies are necessary to create this? 
• Don't forget about office supplies: tape, printer ink, labels, business cards, pens, etc.   
• Make a detailed list of needed items and, when possible, a notation of where to purchase.

Getting that order for materials in now means that you can price compare.  Who will give you the best deal? Do you have any discount codes to use before they expire at year's end? Ordering early eliminates the need to pay extra for rush delivery to your shop. You'll have time to wait for standard shipping. Finally, if anything is on back order, you have a head's up to plan for this inconvenience.

Read an earlier post on preparing for holiday shipping here.

Holiday Prep for Handmade Business, Part 1: Shipping Materials

The Holidays are rapidly approaching, and a handmade business needs to be prepared. Customers' orders should be shipped promptly. Having suitable packaging materials ready to go will accelerate the process.  

The jewelry I send is first placed into a gift box. This keeps pieces secure during mailing, and the item arrives ready to be given as a present - no additional wrapping required.  I consider the dimensions of my handmade goods when deciding which size gift box will work best.  A few more things to contemplate:  Is there a particular item that is popular with buyers? Will I be selling custom orders? If so, I may need more of one specific size box than others. Estimate and plan for this.  Rio Grande has a nice selection of jewelry packaging. Their gift boxes are available in a number of sizes or can be purchased in variety packs.

Once gift boxes are resolved, it is time to choose shipping materials.  I do a fair amount of online shopping.  This occasionally leaves me with bubble wrap and kraft wrap.  If clean and like new, the wrap can be reused for my own shipping purposes. I simply store it away until needed.

A box full of boxes

 Boxes for mailing my jewelry must be small, yet big enough to accommodate the aforementioned gift boxes.  I recently ordered from  Uline.  Their shipping boxes come in every shape imaginable. I am a visual person, so I drew the length and width of the shipping box that I was considering buying onto a piece of paper.  Then I  placed a gift box inside the lines to evaluate the fit. Keep a ruler handy to check the height.  Most boxes are sold in bundles, which allows Uline to have competitive pricing. However, they only send orders via UPS, so plan for this extra expense.

How do you streamline holiday shipping?

Finishing the edges of leather

When incorporating leather into a piece of jewelry, I like to give the cut sides a finished appearance.  This is fairly easy to do.

Freshly Cut

You will need:

• Q-tips
• Distilled water
• Beeswax
• Lamp
• Soft, sturdy fabric (denim from old jeans is ideal)
• Dremel tool with cotton buffing attachment (or an additional piece of denim)

Set the beeswax under a lamp before starting.  It will become soft and easy to work with.

Block of Beeswax with Adjustable Arm Lamp

Cut a two inch by two inch square from the fabric, fold it over, and set aside.  Dip a Q-tip in distilled water and run it over the raw edge of leather.

With light pressure, rub your fabric across this moistened edge.  Keep your movement going in one direction; not back and forth.  This motion will help the fibers to lay flat. The leather must stay damp throughout this process.  Add water as necessary with the Q-tip and continue buffing with the fabric until smooth.

Apply the softened beeswax to a small, cotton buffing attachment on your Dremel or to the extra piece of fabric. Buff the edge of your leather with wax, moving in the same direction as before.  The leather will gain a burnished feel and appearance.

Remove any extra wax from your piece with a soft cloth.

A Smooth Finish

*Please note the leather I work with is no greater than 5 mm in thickness.*   

Fear and Accepting Failure

Fear is a strange thing.  It can keep us from doing what we enjoy. 

Eight months ago I had an idea for a men's necklace.  The inspiration struck, I excitedly drew it in my sketchbook, and there it stayed.  Every time I flipped through the pages and saw the drawing, I loved it.  But I was afraid to do anything more than look at it.  I had the materials on hand.  I also had the tools.  My fear of failure was holding me back.  I was afraid that my abilities were not good enough to produce the desired results.  So I did not even try.

"The greatest mistake a man can make is to be afraid of making one."

 - Elbert Hubbard, Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher

I came to a realization a few weeks ago that if I made a mistake on this necklace, I could just start over.  And I could make it better the next time.  

Why did it take so long for this consciousness to sink in? Perhaps because of my strong desire to succeed.  I am creating something personal, something by hand.  My work is an extension of me and I want the best possible results.

"Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom while discouragement often nips it at the bud.  Creativity is not something we can turn on and off like a faucet.  It is an experience and expression in our lives that must be nurtured.  This nurturing process means that creativity is at once a skill, an art, and a life-style." 

- Alex Osborn, Creativity Theorist

To succeed as an artist, I must be willing to accept failure.  It is a normal part of the process.  

To successfully create I will:

• Be comfortable making mistakes.
• Learn from these mistakes.
• Ask myself how I can improve next time.
• See how far I can take ideas; push the boundaries.
• Never stop learning.
• Always have fun.