Studio News - Sites, There Will Be Changes

Good Morning,

Today we have a bit of news.

It came to my attention yesterday that my computer troubles go beyond a simple corrupted path or file and that there are Gremlins afoot.  

After speaking with an Applecare representative, we traced the problem and fixed the issue, sort of.  Part of the problem according to Apple is that my machine is old, and I should get a new one.  No, that is not happening.  

However during this technical difficulty I have also found that there are other things I need to do as well.

- The Official Website will be updated and given a fresh look.  Features will still include shopping, but other things like the tutorials may be demoted to a link.

Little Shop of Artists location is closed, and during the summer months we will be more like a vendor than a boutique.  Details have not been worked out, but more on this later.

I try not to get too personal here, but occasionally a discussion is necessary.  My physical issues continue to get worse and makes it very difficult for me to do anything on a regular schedule.  I am in hope that the next course of treatment will allow me to maintain a schedule and get things back on track

There are still lots of beautiful things in the shops.  If there is a page or something you would like to see on the website, all suggestions are welcome.

Thank you for stopping in, The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.

Taking Care of Your Tools

Good Morning,

This weekend I was on a bit of a creating jag.  Boxes were sketched on for painting, things were prepared to be assembled, soldered and etched, until this happened...

This is the inside of my hand held, battery operated Engraver.  This little tool is one of my favorites; however due to age and I would suppose use, the innards have obviously deteriorated, or in this case are just plain broken.

The plastic casing has cracked and broken away from the works, the metal pin that acts as a contact is in the battery tube leaving the copper wiring exposed.  I have had this for a good seven or eight years, and I never thought to look inside, until it stopped working yesterday. 

This brings me to the care of your tools.  Not only is it necessary to keep your most important tools, your hands, healthy, it is also important to keep the implements you use healthy as well.

Once a month check you tools.  Really look at them, evaluate their health and assess the best way to repair or give the tool some much needed attention.  Is something broken or starting to wear or fray?  Are there nicks, chips, divots, dings, or other things that may prevent you from achieving that perfect look or  other task you are attempting while creating your goods?

If so, you may want to think about replacing or perhaps repairing them.

A simple sheet of sand paper can be used to polish pliers jaws and the heads of your hammers.  This removes surface imperfections that may mar or interfere with the finish of your piece.

When possible tools should be kept away from each other, this eliminates much of the wear and tear on tools you are not using, they won't bang into and damage each other.  Try to dust your tools during the inspection, little bits of this and that can gum up the joints or movable parts and damage the tool or cause it not to work properly.

Inexpensive plastic cases can be purchased, or plastic containers from your favorite Deli or Market can also be used as storage.  Clean them out and place your tools inside.  Keep the lid and you can keep them dust free.

Keep your tools in good working order and they will last you a life time.

Thank you for stopping by and having a read.

The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.

Featured Artist Diane Shye on Etsy

Good Morning,

This morning we have a featured Artist from Etsy, Diane Shye, of Diane Shye Jewelry.

From: Diane Shye Jewelry

Engraved Sterling Silver Star Pendant 3D Abstract

Description:  This one-of-a-kind handmade 3-dimensional engraved sterling silver abstract star artisan pendant is handmade by DianaShyeJewelry on Etsy.

I engraved the base of the abstract star pendant with a dramatic oval circle design. The upper layer of the pendant is an outline of the base star that I riveted to the base with copper wire rivets enclosed in thin sterling silver tubing.

The pendant is 3” (7.6 cm) long and just over 1 ½” (3.8 cm) at its widest points. It comes strung on a black leather cord that measures 20 ½” (52 cm) including the handmade sterling silver clasp. The leather cord could be removed and replaced with different chain or cord of your choice.


Gold Egyptian Coil Necklace Amertine Beads Handmade Ethnic

 

Description:   This 14 karat gold filled wire Egyptian coil and ametrine bead ethnic style necklace is handmade with ancient Egyptian techniques by DianaShyeJewelry on Etsy.

The spiral components are 14 karat gold filled wire, about 11/16" (7.5 mm) wide; each coil is 5/16" in diameter. The beads are ametrine 9 x 11 mm puff coins.

Ametrine takes both a light amethyst and a light citrine color, so these colors alternate in the necklace. These are high quality beads with a beautiful transparency, so the necklace has a regal look.

The design is finished off at each end with a short lengths of handmade 2 in 2 chain plus a 1 3/3" extender chain and a lobster claw clasp (all 14 karat gold-filled wire). You can wear the necklace at variable lengths from 16 1/2" to 18 1/4" (42 cm to 46 cm). The ametrine bead dangles hand 1" (2.5 cm) from the line of the necklace.

This necklace is an eye catcher with a lot of presence, but it's comfortable to wear and lightweight (1.5 oz. or 42 g.).

Silver Wire Chrysanthemum Stone Cuff Bracelet 

Description:  This handmade modern minimalist sterling silver wire cuff bracelet by DianaShyeJewelry on Etsy features a warm brown chrysanthemum stone with flowery patterns.

I put recycled sterling silver through a rolling mill to make the long sturdy square wire that forms the cuff of the bracelet. I then created a classically simple sterling silver bezel setting for the 30 x 40 mm chrysanthemum cabochon and soldered it to the cuff. In the final step, I enclosed the cabochon in its setting and formed the cuff to its oval shape.

The cuff is 7” (17.8 cm) in length with a 1” (2.5 cm) gap between its two ends. It has a slight spring to it and can be adjusted to comfortably fit wrists from 6” – 7” (15.3 – 17.8 cm).

Thank you for stopping by and having a look.

The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day. 

Friday Short Event List

Happy Friday!

Look at that, the weekend is here!

Fridays are usually devoted to links and promotions, and because this Friday I am busy with market set up, let's take a quick look at what else is going on in Boise as the summer winds down and Autumn begins.

Presented by the Boise Art Museum

Art in the Park

Beginning today, Friday September 7, 2012.

Also this Friday is the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus

September 14th, Hyde Park Fair

That's it for this weekend and next.  If your a music fan some really great bands are coming in December to The Knitting Factory, Neurolux and the Idaho Center.

Thank you for stopping by and having look.

The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant weekend.

Bored?  Come on down to the Flea Market and entertain me!
5610 Chinden Blvd.
Expo Idaho, at the Fairgrounds.

Cuttlebone Casting Part III - Casting The Piece

Hello,

Please note, due to technical difficulties some of the photos for this tutorial are not shown (photo error), this post will be updated once the photo upload decides to cooperate.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and are working to rectify the situation.

This is the final stage in casting a piece of jewelry with a cuttlebone mold.  If you have not been following along or have just discovered this series, please refer to the previous posts for an overview.

Cuttlebone Casting - Part I Materials and Modeling

Cuttlebone Casting - Part II Model and Mold Preparation

PART III Casting the project.

TOOLS:

Tin Alloy Soldering Wire (4 tubes, 20 feet)

Stainless Steel Spoon

Mini-Torch

Prepared Cuttlebone Mold

Vice Grip or Prop

Safety Gear

Goggles / Glasses

Gloves, leather shoe strings (something to wrap the spoon handle) 

NOTE:  The sample casting shown used 2 to 2-1/2 tubes of Tin Alloy Solder, your project may require more or less depending on size of the model and depth of the impression.

SAFETY FIRST!  This lesson consists of playing with fire, and I mean literally.  Temperatures reach 400 degrees and possibly higher!  Be aware of your surroundings and your work area!  Remove any and all distractions and make sure you have an uninterrupted block of time in which to work.  Although this portion of the process is fairly quick, you must pay attention to what you are doing!  Turn off your cell-phone, send the kids outside to play, give the hubby a “Honey-Do” list and feed the dog; you must be and remain focused!

Last time we made a wax model and a mold from simple and easy to obtain materials.  Today we are going to complete the process and show the steps for actually casting the piece.  The step-by-step process for creating a mold may be read in CuttleboneCasting Part II – Model and Mold Preparation.

The cuttlebone mold is now ready for molten metal.  Cuttlebones are naturally heat resistant.  This means that they can withstand high heat without distorting in shape, and make wonderful molds for just that reason.  They are also a completely natural tool with no added chemicals and won’t harm the environment.  Eco-friendly jewelry creation, that’s a plus!

PRE-CASTING PREPARATIONS:

Prepare your work area.  Make sure it is free of anything flammable and fluttery that might catch fire or drift into the molten metal.  Place your mold in the Vice Grip or other object you have chosen to keep it steady and upright.  Get your spoon (or whatever you’re going to use to melt the metal in), torch, and tin alloy lined up, ready to go, and easily accessed! 

**TIP:  Trim the tin alloy coils into smaller pieces; this will make melting and adding it to the already melted material much easier.

NOTE:  Unlike other casting processes that use high-speed centrifuges or kiln (oven) burn out cycles (Lost Wax Casting) to distribute the material to the mold, all that is working here is gravity!  Pouring the molten metal into the mold is like filling a glass with sand, the material will be layered as you pour it into the mold.

Here I have the cuttlebone mold in a prop to keep it upright and steady as material is poured.  Closed with Rubber bands and waiting for metal to be melted and poured.

MELT THE METAL / FILL THE MOLD:

*The Spoon will reach temperatures of up to 400 degrees (the melting point of the tin alloy is 374-degrees), USE PROTECTIVE MEASURES!  Leather gloves or wrap the end with leather shoestrings to keep the heat away form your hands and fingers.

Begin by adding a small amount of the Tin Alloy to the spoon.  Cut bits off the coil first to make this easier.  Let it sit in the bowl of the spoon.  Do not try to melt the whole coil all at once.   Using a mini-torch, hold the spoon just above the flame and melt the metal in the spoon, continue to add bits of metal until the spoon is full.

 

The flame has not been turned on for these pictures, that would be hazardous to my heath and the I'd burn the house down.  These are to show the spoon's position it should be held up and away from the nozzle of your torch and the flame allowed to heat the bowl of the spoon from underneath.

Because the soldering material is a tin / rosin core alloy, you will see the rosin left behind in the spoon.  That is the brown discoloration you see.  Rosin comes from trees and is a brittle solid form of resin, it is used as a flux in some soldering materials to help the metal melt and flow at an even rate.  This discoloration will not appear on your piece, this is left behind after the melting process.

NOTE:  The molten metal will pool in the bowl of the spoon.  Adding pieces of material closer to the pool will help it to melt and incorporate into the ever growing puddle of metal.  It will slide around in the spoon hold the spoon steady while melting is in process. 

(Photo error)

Continue to add pieces of the Tin Alloy until the spoon is full.

Carefully pour the contents of the spoon into the Sprue Hole and down the Sprue Channel.

Repeat the melting and pouring process until your mold is full, you will have to look through the Sprue Hole and do a little guessing here to be sure that the material has filled the mold (impression) completely.  You DO NOT want to fill the Vent Gates or Sprue Channel, just enough metal to fill the mold of the Cross.

Instant Gratification…. Well almost.  After the mold is full, wait a full ten to fifteen minutes for the metal to solidify and harden.  The mold will also be cooling down during this time, making it a little easier to handle.

Here you can see the burn mark on the top of mold, where the spoon touched the surface of the cuttlebone.  Here the cuttlebone sits in its prop cooling down while the metal is solidifying.

Once time is up, carefully remove the binding from the outside of the mold, unwind the wire, slip off the rubber bands (whatever was used) gently, keeping the mold closed as you do this.  If you used Duct Tape (and I told you not to) you will have to cut it away with a razor-blade where the two halves of the mold meet and split the mold open like a book.

(Photo error)

Well looky there!  You have a metal pendant!  TAH-DAH!

(Photo error)

The tin alloy is soft enough that you can drill a hole in the top of the cross using a drill bit and your hand for a bail to be glued (soldered) into place.

FINAL FINISHING:

To complete my pendant, I will seat the simulated Garnet into the center hole of the Cross.  Using a brass rod that I have ground to a 45-deegree angle at one end, I will finish the pilot hole for the gem and seat it in to place.  Using a craft knife or razor blade, I will then create PRONGS by scraping some of the metal from the Cross up and over the gemstone in four evenly spaced places around the stone's setting.

Although this will leave dents in the exterior of the Cross surface, it will help secure the stone into place.

After the gemstone setting is complete I will use a Polishing Cloth (these have chemicals embedded in the material) and gently rub the surface of the piece, polishing it and giving a little shine.

It is now ready to be displayed or worn on chain or lanyard.

Thank you so much for stopping by and having a look, and if you have followed the whole series, thank you for sticking with us.  We hope you have enjoyed this brief look in to one of the many casting processes available and used for jewelry-making.

The Alchemists Vessel would  like to wish you a pleasant day.

**Want something like this, but don't want to do it yourself?  Custom work is available.  All custom molding projects begin at $50.00 this includes Design materials and Mock Up of your custom piece before casting in the material of your choice!  Precious Metals are available for this process. 

Please feel free to return for the updated post, once I get the photos to cooperate! 

Thursday Feature - Etsy Tips

Greetings,

This morning I find myself sans an artist to feature.  So instead of featuring a single artist, I thought it might be interesting to give some tips, tricks and things I have learned about Etsy, and how to use the site.

What is Etsy?

Many people have never heard of Etsy.  To quote a friend, "Etsy is the World's garage sale".  Actually it is kind of like the World's garage sale, there are thousands of shops to peruse and all of it is handmade, unless you are searching for supplies for your handmade goodies.  Buyer accounts are free to sign up for.

Shop Presence, what is it, how do you do it?

Shop Presence is a buzz word for really nothing at all.  The idea behind it is that your shop stands out or is more present (accessible) than another.  What does this entail?  Building your store front, banner, shop items, and even your avatar count to draw people into your shop. Yes, the shop name may be important as well.

Shop Name:  "The Alchemists Vessel" doesn't give you any idea about what I do, however the name does give some idea of what you might find at my shop.  Gemstones, crystals, pendulums, unique items of unknown origin.   Think about the name and what it says about your shop.  "Kay's Jeweler's" leaves nothing to guess at, you know that Kay sells Jewelry.

As a seller / vendor you have about seven (7) seconds to grab and hold a shoppers attention before they click through to another shop or site.  How can you grab and hold on to that customer's / shopper's attention?  With your store front, of course. 

Make it interesting, colorful and informative.  The first thing a customer should notice is what you're offering!  Jewelry, Paintings, Knitted items, whatever, make sure that the customer knows they are in the right place to find what they are looking for.

The Banner:  The banner is just that, a big Title Block image at the top of the page.  This is mine.

It reads:  "Decorating extraordinary people with extraordinary jewelry". (A bit hard to read at this size, I know).

This banner tells you what I do, I offer "extraordinary jewelry", and of course the person shopping certainly feels that they are extraordinary anyway.

Your Shop banner should give some indication of what you do, sell or what business you are venturing. (Photography, knitting, painting, sculpting, whatever).

This is the old banner.  Pictures of beads give you a "visual clue" as to what you may find at the shop, and "Extraordinary Ornamentation" is the confirmation.

Avatar:  Your avatar is the picture that represents you on the site.  Many people use a portion of their banner, an image or a picture of themselves.  I have found that a portrait (picture of the seller) works much better than an image or other graphic. People tend to trust a face more than an icon.  You all know what I look like, no sense in posting my own.

Store Front / Items:  There are several schools of thought on this, I will share a couple.

A "full store front".  Some shops do not have enough merchandise to fill up the allotted 24 item boxes on the front page of the shop.  The more you add the more pages will automatically be created.  Apparently it is important to keep at least 24 items in the shop, there is no explanation as to why.  It does however look better to have a full front page.

Featured Items: These are items chosen from your shop that you wish to feature on your shops front or home page.  They are underneath the banner and on top of the 24 items on your front page.  These items should reflect the BEST you have to offer.  If possible be sure that the featured items are not also listed on the front page of the shop.

Variety:  I know it is within our nature to organize like things with like things.  However piling all your earrings on the front page when you also sell bracelets or necklaces isn't going to get those other things noticed or sold!  Diversify the listings, try to look at the page as a catalog of all your merchandise.  A customer / shopper can see that you also carry bracelets and necklaces as well as earrings.   Try to group things vertically and horizontally, this goes with that which could be paired with the other thing.

Currently my front page does not reflect this and I need to do a little re-arranging.

Pictures:  Yes, they are so important.  Clear, focused photos are best.  

Try to take your photos in natural light.  

Do not clutter up the background with stuff, you want people to look at the item not what's in the background.

Use a neutral background, like a gray color, that will not interfere or compete with your item.

Try to take a detail photo, a close up tight shot that shows the pattern, texture, stitch or accent up close.

Remember: Shopping is a tactile experience, people want to pick up the item, look at it, scrutinize it before spending their hard-earned pennies on something!  Try to take pictures that will give the on-line shopper the sense that they have viewed it from all possible angles and given it the full attention it deserves before buying.

I hope some of this has helped.  Good luck fellow vendors!

Thank you for stopping by and having a look.

The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant Thursday.

Thursday Workbench Woes

Good Morning,

As I await the Blog Ring to begin again, I am left with empty space for posting.

Some of you are aware of the household incidents that have been plaguing me of late, leaks, floods, electrical wiring weirdness, wasp infestation...  In the midst of all that my poor workbench has become the catch-all for odds and ends bits and pieces.

I am usually a very organized craft-person, everything in its place, cubby-holes, bins, boxes, baskets, bags, nooks, crannies, shelves, drawers, the odd table corner even.  I am finding it most difficult to work under these conditions.

Destruction Productions presents - Alix's Workbench, Portrait of Horror.

Yes, I used to sit in that chair, and work on that table, you can see some of the items I have discussed here including a color wheel, sandpaper, a set of craft knives, my mini-torch, light box, and various tools and other equipment.  

With the workbench in such a state, I have been delegated to the Dining table in the great room.

You guys are laughing now...

Since a good portion of my materials and supplies are small they require little space, or so one would think.  Right.  Due to the mentioned mishaps much of my shelf space has vanished, so I have managed to cram everything into the closet.  When I say I work out of my closet, I ain't kidding.

The supply closet, whether you work in an office or at home, eventually you need someplace to put those things you use for work.  Cubby-holes, bins, boxes, baskets, bags, nooks, crannies, shelves, drawers and the file cabinet corners are full to the brim with beads, wire, string, clasps, buttons, clay, twine, charms, ribbon, just about every conceivable and imagined item can be found with in the depths of the Supply Closet...  Happy Hunting!

That's all for today.  Now you have a little inside peak at the madness that is my method.

Thank you for stopping in and having a look.

The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant Thursday.

Thursday's Featured Artist - The Alchemist

Good Morning,

Thursday has arrived and I am out of Featured Artists, again.  I was the last person in the Blog Ring to be listed for a post.  I can't very well post about myself, well I could, but the blog features The Alchemist (that would be me) every day.  So what's a girl to do?

Instead of talking about myself, because that could lead to questions about the state of my mental health, I think we'll talk about what every artist uses as a tool, the hands.

Hands are amazing things, they are the first tools we learn to use.  Dexterity does not come naturally, your hands must be taught to move and cooperate in concert with each other, whether they are holding a pencil or strumming a guitar, they must be trained to do what you are asking of them.

Hand and wrist health (especially for Maillers) is very important, if I hurt or injure my hands I can not work, it is just that simple.  I require both the left and right to do things, pick up beads, hold pliers and other materials, to string, solder, bend pieces, etc... all steps in making a piece of jewelry require that I use my hands.

Before I begin any piece or long sit at the workbench, I exercise my hands, I stretch them, spread and flex my fingers wide; roll, twist, bend my wrist gently to loosen up those muscles.  Small repetitive movements can cause injury to the muscles and worse Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  Here is a link to some exercises for your hands

Carpal Tunnel Exercises.  I highly recommend these for anyone that has to type, use tools or for jewelry makers.

Remember to work in a relaxed position.  Stop every half hour or so and check yourself.  Are you tense, are your shoulders up around your ears?  Are your hands hurting or achy.  Stop!  Stretch.  Relax.  Deep breath. 

You do not need to hold a Death Grip on any of the tools you use,  that tool is only going to do what your hands tell it to, a loose grasp will hold the tool, your hand movements do the rest.  

Treat your hands with kindness and they will serve you for a long long time.

Thank you for stopping in and having a read.

The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.

What's New In The Shop - Metal Monday

Good Morning,

I hope all had a wonderful weekend, I certainly did, it was also my birthday!

Although there are no new items in the shop at the moment, there is something new that I am working on.  It's a secret, but a little progress shot or two never hurt.


Designed using two different patterns.  Below you see simple, short lengths of chain woven from Nickel jump rings in a European 4 -in -1 and a variation.  These weave are also available for jewelry.

Next, a little progress,  Two lengths of chain are being joined or "married" together.  Several more individual lengths will be created and added to this.

Top Down View

Side View: This pattern lies flat and creates a nice pattern that has lot of movement and light play, although the jump rings may turn, the lengths of chain are supple with little rigidity to allow for "give", and wear and tear when the piece is used.

Any one want to hazard a guess as to what it might be?  No?  How about if I said there are 310 (give or take) 3mm I.D.  jump rings in these short lengths?  No?  How about a hint?  Something may be put it in.

Thank you for stopping by.  The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a wonderful week.

Thursday's Featured Artist Jennelle

Thursday has arrived, bright and sunny.  The weather promises to be a bit cooler today, I think a day outside may be in order, inspiration, textures, and a reconnection with nature after a long Winter indoors.

It seems as if handmadeartists.com has gotten a lot attention this week, and as such this weeks Featured Artist is,

Memories of Jewelry By Janelle   

Zebrawood Donut Necklace

On the site she was known as Janelle5.

This came as quite a shock to me, I had no idea that this remarkable artists has passed.  Handmade Artists and Janelle's friends have continued to run her shop.  There are five items left and it would be a pity to see them unsold.  I have never exchanged messages with her nor did I come across her amazing wood jewelry until researching for this blog post.

This wonderful tribute to a forum member is on her Bio page.  I place it here, so those reading may get a sense of who she was and what she meant to those she befriended on Handmade Artists and in her everyday life.

Janelle was a passionate lover of handmade and a tireless promoter.  She was also an active member of our community. On her passing, we have experienced a great loss.  Janelle left a hole in our group and our hearts.  Janelle was unique in many ways, but what she did with a piece of wood was remarkable!  Though she may be gone, her talent, passion and art remain in the pieces she so lovingly created.  All of the proceeds from this shop will be contributed to her estate.  We know you will be as taken with Janelle's pieces are we are!  All of her friends here at the Handmade Artists Shop thank you for taking the time to look at, appreciate, and purchase her work.

Thank you for stopping in, The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day. 

Flea Marekt

Hello,

There will be no blog post tomorrow The Alchemists Vessel is once again attending the Treasure Valley Flea Market.

Admission is $2.00

5610 Chinden Blvd., Garden City, ID

Expo Idaho Building

April 14th and 15th,

Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m

We hope to see you there.

Set up for these monthly market occurs one day prior to the show, packing and setting up will keep me busy most of the day and I try to leave the day open for those little things that may arise.

Thank you for stopping by and have a look.

The Truth About Selling On Line

Good Monday Morning to you all.

I have had several conversations with people over the weekend about on line shops, new careers, the failing economy, and what we as entrepreneurial individuals can do to supplement the income or make ends meet.  A lot of people now turn to the internet for this and think that because one shop is doing well, so will they.

I do not wish to discourage or dash the hopes the those just venturing forth, I think many believe that they will open an On Line Store or Shop of their own through one of the venues, and that the money will just come rolling in.  

No.

Like any business it is A LOT of hard work, time and effort on the part of you, the seller.  There is merchandise and merchandising, most sellers have items or an inventory available for sale before they "open" their shops.  Merchandise is the items you make, merchandising is keeping those items you make yours and "branding" them specifically for you shop.  No, I don't mean get out the Branding Iron and start marking things with your initials, I mean learning and recognizing what makes your items unique and different from an others.  Do you use specific items, colors, natural or man made materials?  What makes your items special, desirable, wearable, printable, buy-able?

Then there is marketing.  How do people find you?  Do they know you exist?  Where are you located?  How do you accept payment?  How do you drive customers to your shop or site?  Do you have a physical address or venue where people can shop with you?  How do you increase traffic to your shop or site?  How do you get people to buy things?  Why should a shopper buy your item instead of purchasing from someone else?  All that has to come from your brain to the page or site.

Advertising is how people find you, and it is expensive.  Whether on the web or elsewhere, advertising is key.  It is also important to let people know you have opened a shop and have things for sale.  Social Networking is great for this, but can only take you so far.

Currently Facebook and Etsy rule the on line world.  There are something like 1,265,543 shops on Etsy, I saw this number some time ago, and can not find it again.  This venue connects sellers and shoppers WORLD WIDE, and it continues to grow daily!  That's a lot of competition.  How does one stand out in a sea of people?  That is an individual trick I have yet to learn.

Facebook has lots of widgets to get your shop or site connected to a fan page via their site.  Etsy also has several free widgets by third party developers that can help promote you shop on blogs, Facebook, Google Plus, and your own site.  Of course the work is up to you, finding these things, getting the links and connecting it all falls to the Shop Owner, no one will do it for you.

Wow, Alix, that's a lot of work.  When do you find time to actually make anything?  Scheduling my time has always been something I have always done well.  I find a groove with a flow, and I stick with it.  One has to discipline themselves.  Yes, I'd love to go play in the park, but I have to finish this first!  Diligence is just a quarter of the battle!

The reality of The Alchemists Vessel

On average, I make about two (2) sales a month from Etsy, and nothing from any of the the other sites I use or have a presence on.  THAT SUCKS!  Because I have other ways to supplement the income, I can live with that, but in reality that is terrible!  I should be making two or more sales a day!  How does one accomplish that with hundreds of thousands of other jewelry makers vying for those same shoppers dollars?  I haven't the foggiest idea.

Below is a list of what I do to keep up my skills, my traffic flow, customer base and new items when I have them.

Currently enrolled in Jewelry Design and Repair Classes: Certification for repair will be given after course completion.

Jo-Ann Fabrics, Contracted Instructor: Currently teaching Jo-Ann's Brochure Projects

Treasure Valley Flea Market:  This is a once a month venue open to the public, and it exactly what it sounds like an open market venue to hawk your wares.

Facebook

Etsy

Blogs

Google Plus

The Offical Website

Cafe Press

My Webees

Linkedin

Delicious Stacks

Pinterest

Wise Stamp (E-mail signatures)

Word of Mouth

Business Cards

Tutorial Videos on Youtube (once a month)

I think I have forgotten one or two, but that's about it, and I do that every day!

Thank you for stopping by and having a look.  In hope that discouragement is not the main theme of this post.  The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant week.

An Announcement

I know, Tuesday's are usually reserved for Five Great Gifts To Give, but it is good to change things up every now and again.  Need to keep you all on your toes.  We will have a gift idea post this week, I promise.

The Alchemists Vessel is pleased to announce that the owner and principle designer, Alixandra, will be returning classes next month.  Always interested in updating her skills, learning about new materials and machines currently out on the gemstone and lapidary jewelry suppliers market, as well as obtaining certification for precious metals, repair, gemstone / metal testing equipment, and general jewelry-smith training.  Also on the list of continued education is lamp-work or glass bead crafting.

Continuing education is an important part of keeping up with today's market.  If one expects to succeed, one must continually polish and up grade their skills and general knowledge of available materials; new, old, and in some cases the new composites currently out on the market.  Current trends and fashion styles may dictate color and components used, they are strong contributors to the creation process, as are new tools, treatments and techniques.  All play a part in creating beautiful, unique, durable and sustainable hand crafted jewelry. 

Costume or Fine, Folk Art or Artisan, adornment / jewelry or other accessories, have been a staple of trade, social interaction and celebrations in many cultures across our world.  The fascination continues today, and there is a certain satisfaction in making something beautiful with your own hands.  Self taught or classroom trained, each hand and eye bring their own flair and sense of balance to a piece.  Sculpture, paintings, landscape, home decor, all have a rhythm and flow that make them work and the same applies to jewelry.  Sparks of light and flashes of color draws the eye, intrigues the observer, and delights the wearer. It appeals to a variety of tastes from bold and bright, to delicate, feminine and understated.  Great jewelry design is always in style and can be worn with a multitude of things and never loses its emphasis or over powers the wearer or outfit.  Jewelry as an accent, can also be the main attraction.

Thank you for stopping by and having a look.