Innovate Your Fashion!

Attaining incredible layers of color on your handcrafted jewelry is easily achieved with the use of Liver of sulfur. This wondrous chemical compound oxidizes many different metals creating fantastic colors on your handmade earrings and unique bracelets making your handmade jewelry extraordinary. The varieties of colors that can be achieved range from gold to black and everything in between. No other chemical can produce such wide-ranging color patterns on the surface of a variety of metals including copper and silver.

Working in a well ventilated area is a definite must, outdoors is preferable. The odor of rotten eggs given off by liver of sulfur can be overwhelming if used in a closed area. It is easy to be put off by the smell but the results are simply amazing.

Liver of sulfur comes in two types. The liquid form can be used straight from the bottle, but the shelf life is unpredictable even when stored in a cool, dark place. Solid liver of sulfur is usually sold in small chunks, which are mixed as needed. For this reason, it is better to buy small amounts of the solid and make your solution mixing only what you need to create the most beautiful handmade jewelry.

For your solution, put a 1cm or 1/4 inch clump of solid liver of sulfur in a glass or plastic container with about 1 cup of water. The color of the solution should be a very pale yellow. A strong solution will develop the colors too fast to stop the process at your desired color while too weak of a solution can take too long and build a thick flaky crust. Experiment to find the best concentration for the metal you are working with to get the results you want.

Set up your workstation so you can easily go from one step to the next. Have a heat source, the liver of sulfur solution, cold water bath and finally a soapy baking soda rinse. The secret is to control the process is the solution strength and the temperature. The hotter solution will react faster and the colors will move more quickly from one color to the next. They roughly go from gold, pink, blue, purple, gray and finally black.

Before you begin, your metal handmade jewelry piece should be clean and free from dirt or oils from your hands. Wearing gloves throughout the process is preferable. Liver of sulfur will begin to react the instant you put handmade bracelets or handmade earrings into it. Let the color develop for a couple of seconds on the handmade jewelry piece, then put in the cold water to stop the patina forming. Repeat these steps until you reach the desired color. Finally, rinse the piece in soapy baking soda solution to remove any liver of sulfur residue that could continue to change the color of the patina. Do not rub the handmade jewelry piece with the baking soda mixture as any abrasive will damage the patina finish you have worked hard to create.

Liver of sulfur produces a patina finish on metal handmade jewelry but if not treated the effects will wear over time. Use a clear lacquer finish to protect your handmade earrings and handmade bracelets with their new patina finish. Be adventurous and watch how a little color can change your handcrafted jewelry into a masterpiece!

A lot of us would prefer to go into a store to purchase handcrafted jewelry. After all, they feel a greater connection talking to the person who made their piece or, at very least, connected to the store they purchase from. Online, jewelry is a whole different beast, and you disconnected from the personal connection of handcrafted and handmade jewelry. However, there is still a plethora of value to be given on the internet.

The main good differentiation between getting handmade pieces online is the greater and more expansive range of selection. Also, the quality is generally better for the price given as there is no middle man, and the choice of options cause the margins to be offered as minute as possible.

Online companies have relatively little overhead prices as compared to mom and pop stores and other places of that nature. Multiple employees, rent, and utilities more than make up the minute shipping costs you will have to put up to get a nice piece of jewelry. Frequently, jewelry does not require large storage fees so even these fees don’t hurt suppliers too much and allow them to supply you a infinitesimal price as contrasted to what you are supplied at your local mom and pop shop.

Also, in many ways, the personal connection to the smaller store is exaggerated. The nice feeling you get from buying from a mom and pop shop often goes away, and with it, you are left, in the end, with the jewelry.  Believe it or not there are plenty of mom and pop shops online that offer strong quality products because you have a multitude of options to decide from.. so if that is your aim, you are not restricted to the smaller stores.

It’s also much better to make custom orders if custom jewelry is your aim, as there are a plethora of choice antique stores can’t offer you. The boundlessness of the internet makes getting jewelry online far greater to the offline, small shops of yesteryear.

Jewelry has become a part of everyday life. Wearing jewelry is probably the most popular way to adorn oneself. Moreover, Jewelry makes a fashion statement. A beautiful piece of jewelry is always seems to complete the dressing for any special occasion and perfectly complements fashion. Different people might have varied tastes for these ornaments, like some people like gold, some others like silver and some are awed by the beauty of diamonds. But no matter what kind of jewelry one wears, it needs to be chosen carefully to complement fashion.

Clothing designs and trends are mostly seasonal. They change from one season to another. But good jewelry designs evolve rather than change seasonally. However, the current jewelry trends will definitely complement the apparel trends. The key to understanding how to successfully use fashionable jewelry lies in understanding which type of jewelry to use with which clothing styles. A wrong piece of jewelry, no matter how beautiful it is, when worn with a wrong piece of clothing can never complement each other and would never look good. So it is very important to understand the compatibility of a piece of jewelry with the dress it should be worn.

Jackets are a fancy piece of clothing that somehow always remains in fashion. The best types of jewelry to go with jackets would be pins, especially the ones with elongated shape. While wearing trendy vests, scatter pins and pocket watches are the ones to go for. Collars and pendants go best with Jewel Necks while Poorboy sweaters require pendants to complement them. Pins along with collars and pendants can also be worn with turtlenecks. Leather requires a different style. Bold, mixed metal jewelry would best complement leather fashion garments. Earrings look best with short or upswept hair. White shirts somehow never get out of style. And a variety of jewelry can be worn with them. Collars can be worn for open neck, while pins for buttoned up tight and a Tie tac or small pin to feminize a tie.

Earrings, bracelets and rings complement almost all outfits. However, it should be kept in mind that earrings should flatter the face first and rings should flatter the hands first and then the outfits.

Moreover, the chosen piece of jewelry needs to be unique. Nobody would like to wear a piece of jewelry that’s common and almost anybody and everybody would be able to wear. Handcrafted jewelry is the best choice in this regard. They are unique customized pieces of beautiful jewelry with a wide range of varieties that complements all sorts of outfits. Imagine Pins, necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets and all, designed and customized with a personal touch to make them unique. Nothing could probably be better than handcrafted jewelry when it comes to complementing fashion or even unique styles in that case.

Selling handcrafted jewelry is a competitive business in a relatively saturated market, so how do you make yourself stand out from the sea of other jewelry makers? One great marketing strategy is to have a mailing list and to actively send out mailings.
Here are 9 great reasons any jewelry artist should build and nurture a mailing list.
1. To remind people that you exist.
People are very busy these days, have a lot on their plate. They are very easily distracted and sidetracked. I know I am, despite my best efforts! I receive a number of newsletters by email, and I am much more likely to return to these companies websites than the ones I bookmark and mean to go back to. Enough said.
2. To make it easy for people to find you and contact you
Sometimes people need help. Even if they mean to call you or order online from you, they may forget, become distracted, or may forget your business name. They may make a mental note to contact you but never get around to it. Make it easy for them by sending them regular mailings.
3. To build trust
This is a very timely concept. People have been scammed, let down, and underserviced so many times that they are naturally wary and suspicious of anyone trying to sell them anything. Getting your name in front of people on a regular basis and sending them quality information with their needs in mind goes a long way towards building trust.
4. To build relationships
In our fast-paced world where everyone is bombarded constantly with advertising from huge impersonal businesses, people seek a connection. If you can make that connection and allow people into your world, they begin to feel they know you. This is of course positive for you and your business.
5. To keep in touch with your existing customers.
You have peoples’ addresses because they have given them to you either through an online subscription, personal inquiry, by asking to be added to your mailing list, or by in some way asking you to contact them further. If your customers and prospects have shown interest in getting updates from you, you are doing them a disservice if you don’t follow up.
Have you ever inquired about a product by email and never gotten a response? How did that make you feel? I know that I feel like the company is poorly managed and that they clearly don’t care about their customers. People get very excited by even basic customer service nowadays so give them a little by sending them newsletters, notifications and updates.
6. To follow up leads.
Leads are people who have shown interest in your work or your business but need more incentive to buy. This goes back to the 7-10 rule which states that people statistically need to become familiar with you by seeing you 7-10 times before trusting you enough to purchase something they want from you.
7. To make more sales from your existing customer base.
It is Easier to Sell to a Customer than a Prospect i.e. It is much easier to convince previous customers to buy more from you than it is to convince someone to buy from you the first time.
This is assuming of course that they had a good experience with you in the past. Regular customers are most businesses bread and butter. Offer them the good stuff first and they’ll keep coming back. A mailing list is the perfect way to notify them of your promotions and new products first.
8. To target your marketing and make the best use of your time.
Your time is limited and you want to get as much bang for your buck as possible. A mailing list is made up of people who are already interested in you and your products or services so following up with them by email is a great use of your time.
9. To give great customer service and extra value.

Sending out regular mailings is just part of great customer service. If you do it respectfully, regular mailing can make make your customers feel cared for and special.

Do you want to start your own handmade jewelry business? Making handcrafted jewelry, handmade earrings and unique bracelets can be easier than learning how to sell, where to sell and at what price to sell your unique jewelry. Marketing, advertising and promoting your new company is an obstacle many cannot overcome. Many people give up when just starting out because of the frustration. Here are some easily accomplished steps to build your handmade jewelry business and put you on the road to success.

First of all, and most important, is to create truly unique jewelry. Finding you own niche, expressing your individual style and creativity is key to making your handcrafted jewelry business a success. Experiment with techniques and materials until you find the right combination that suits you. The most successful jewelry artisans have their own style that draws customers to them.

Secondly, choose your target market. What age group does your handmade jewelry attract? This is a good pricing indicator. A younger age group will require lower prices while a middle age group is looking for more sophisticated looks and can afford a higher price range.

Trial and error is sometimes the best method for pricing. Estimate how much a pair of handmade earrings or handmade bracelets costs you to actually make. Double the cost for your wholesale jewelry price and double that again for your retail price is the general rule. Look around at other handmade jewelry artists offering similar products to see if your price falls into the same range?

Online marketing for handmade jewelry artisans is growing quickly and it is easy to set up a free or relatively inexpensive website at many handcrafted sites. Building an online presence can take a lot of time and effort which will be worthwhile eventually. Do not depend on immediate sales as it takes time to become established online.

Local craft shows are a great way to start in the handmade jewelry business. Check your Chamber of Commerce for an event schedule in your area. Talk with other crafters to find other craft shows and art festivals that they recommend. Slowly build a schedule of shows. Pay attention to what your customers are looking for and try to focus on their needs.

Start slow with baby steps gradually building your customer base. Not every show will be a huge success but bit by bit you will learn all the things you need to know to make your handmade jewelry business a success.

Not everyone can be an artist and a salesperson. Luckily there are many wholesale jewelry suppliers who specialize in handmade jewelry and handcrafted artisan jewelry. Check out their websites and see if their wholesale products fall into the niche you have decided upon. Whether it is horse jewelry, cat jewelry, wildlife jewelry or Native American jewelry designs, you are sure to find wholesale jewelry suppliers who have the perfect handmade jewelry for your target market.