I like the, shall I say the “simplicity” or “effortlessness” the wire wrapping look gives to jewelry. I don’t mean to say the process is simple or effortless because there can be many complexities in wire wrapping. But because there is no soldering or heating of the wire, the end design gives a whimsical and natural look that I love.
Swarovski Crystal Beaded and Wire Wrapped Earrings
Examples of wire wrapping and beading techniques date back thousands of years ago from the Sumerian Dynasty and Ancient Rome. In this day-in-age where the DIY market has exploded in popularity, wire wrapped jewelry is a wonderful technique that can be learned and all kinds of people can create beautiful and unique designs for themselves and as gifts.
People love to harness their desire and create something new and unique themselves. There’s a deep satisfaction that comes from learning, doing and creating something beautiful and that’s why I wanted to celebrate wire wrapping as a fabulous way to add your own special touch to a unique piece of jewelry.
Watch this Basic Wire Wrapping video Tutorial with Swarovski Crystal and Beadalon
I hope you enjoy this video tutorial and have been inspired by these beautiful handmade pieces of jewelry, wrapped in wire – of course!
I recently watched a very informative video on “how to make money selling your crafts” and wanted to pass along the insightful information. I have highlighted a few of the major bullet points for you and you can watch the full video below!
#1 ~How do I begin?
*Begin with the end in mind and define your niche (seen at the 1:57 mark on the video).
* It’s important to define your ultimate goal. What is it that you really want?
*What is driving the desire to sell? Is this a side project, is it a career path for you, is it pin money or do you want it to pay your bills?
It’s Important to Define Your Niche
*Is there a market for your product line?
*Investigate price points – can you be competitive on price with the current market?
*Do you want to sell wholesale, retail or both?
#2 ~How do I price my beautiful products?
Take the following things into account when pricing your work (seen at the 3:30 mark on the video).
*The market will establish a ceiling.
*Consider cost of goods sold.
*Take into account the amount of time you spent creating the piece. (consider the learning curve and price your work according to the time it takes you to create it when you are proficient at the technique).
*Intangible benefits of working from home should be factored in as well.
*Adjust your pricing based on if you are selling wholesale vs. retail.
#3 How do I Market My Products?
*Marketing is all about building and establishing relationships. (seen at the 6:06 mark on the video).
*Utilize Social Media! In today’s world, it is incredibly important to build relationships using social media.
The most important aspects: Have a Website, Facebook Page, Blog Regularly, Pinterest, Twitter and Newsletters. These are great places where your creativity and personality can shine! Have fun with these, allow your passions for life to shine through. The more your customers get to know you and/or your brand, the more they learn about your story and the history behind your products, the more loyalty they will have for you and the better they will feel about supporting you and your work. You have to ware all of these hats to be affective in today’s market!
*Building a Website : (seen at the 6:15 mark on the video).
~You can hire a professional or do it yourself. A good web hosting company makes it easy. Decide on a shopping cart or brochure site.
*Elements of a Good Website (seen at the 6:41 mark on the video).
~Clean and well organized. Promote a cohesive brand and image. Good pictures are an absolute must. Link to all your social media outlets and contact information. Make frequent updates to your home page to keep it fresh and helps with search engine optimization.
*Facebook Business Page (seen at the 8.30 mark on the video).
~It’s important to attract “fans” because those fans have friends that see what they “Like” which will grow your clientele. Post fun and informative updates, use lots of bright colors/pictures that link back to your blog, website etc.
* The Importance of Blogging (seen at the 9:02 mark on the video).
~It’s a great way to establish a personal relationship with your customers and prospective customers. Drive traffic to your site by attracting search engines to your website. Engage your reader with a story and don’t try and sell products here, Your website and newsletters should serve that function.
*Blogging Etiquette (seen at the 10:17 mark on the video).
~Use a great title! Give your reader something of value. Use lots of great pictures. Content should be rich in organic search terms. Be YOU! Don’t be afraid, It can be fun and informal, most of all let people get to know you.
~Utilize free tools to track and analyze the performance of your social media outlets such as statcounter.com and Alexa.com.
As we all soak up the final warm days of summer, we can enjoy looking forward to the numerous gifts that fall brings. It gives us the opportunity to appreciate the spectacular beauty of nature as the leaves turn with expressions of vibrant yellows, oranges and reds. The harvesting of crops, the fun times Halloween brings and the special events for Thanksgiving are all memorable occasions that we share with our friends and family.
We can draw inspiration from the natural beauty around us, our experiences and excitement for these upcoming activities and pure that creative energy into our passion for designing colorful jewelry that we love to wear and admire.
Fall 2013 Color Trends Featuring Samba
Samba is a saturated and spirited red tone that provides an expressive and dramatic look. The Swarovski crystal colors expressed in this fiery and rich foundation are Light Siam, Ruby, Indian Red Satin, Hyacinth Satin and for a deeper red tone, Siam. Similar Swarovski Pearls colors include the gem tone colors of Red Coral and Neon Red and for a deeper more subdued red try the Bordeaux.
Express your personal style by incorporating this vivid and luxurious Samba red color in your designs. Whether it’s a statement piece or simple accents, the color red embodies a powerful and energetic quality that sparkles with enticing passion.
Harmony's Rainbow 