Using a light box will really improve the look of your jewelry photos. The light box will help you clear bright photos. With you light box set up right, you can also cut a lot of glare out of your photos and give your jewelry just the right amount of sparkle. If you have ever shopped for a light box or tent you know the can coast over $100.00. That can be a huge and unaffordable expense for your new jewelry business. I have searched the net and found some good simple and cheap solutions.
Check out these links below for ideas on building your own light box. Please share with us your ideas and experiences with building your own light box.
Jen Weaver's Do it yourself light box
How to build a light tent
Other suggestions are milk jugs, totes, or other opaque plastic containers.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Cool site for Indie artists
IndieBizChicks.com is loaded with helpful information for all indie artists. This site is all about helping you get your business going and keeping it going. They have articles, teleclasses, podcasts and more. It is not jewelry specific, but everything can be applied to your jewelry biz. So, surf on over and check them out!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Let's Ets, Cool Etsy Tool
Let's Ets has a really great tool for all etsy.com sellers. This tool lets you get your items from your etsy shop listing in Google Shopping! It is very simple to use if you follow the the directions. To use this tool you must have a google account. This tool works with google base to get photos and descriptions of your etsy items listed in google shopping. Click Here to go to Let's Ets.
If you use this tool, tell us about it!
If you use this tool, tell us about it!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Flickr as an online portfolio
For those jewelry makers without galleries built into there websites, flickr.com may be just the thing they need. Flickr is free and lets you upload a ton of photos. You get your own photo stream page and added into searches. Flickr will also provide you with links to direct your customers too. Below is my flickr slide show. I use this on the main page of my jewelry website.
If you haven't tried flickr.com for hosting your photos online, check it out. If you have used or tried filckr, tell us about it.
If you haven't tried flickr.com for hosting your photos online, check it out. If you have used or tried filckr, tell us about it.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
JewelryLessons.com a great site!
JewelryLessons.com is a jewelry making site with a lot of info. They have both paid for and free lessons on a variety of wire wrapping techniques. The have stuff for beginners and advanced wire wrappers. You do have to sign up to download the how-tos, but it is free to sign up. They also have information on selling and marketing your jewelry. The folks contributing to this site are very talented and inspiring. I think this site offers a little something for all levels of jewelry makers. Go on over and check it out, www.jewelrylessons.com.
Share with us what you think.
Share with us what you think.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Project Runway Fashion and Your Jewelry
I must admit that most of the time I really don't understand what passes for fashion. I am not hip or trendy. It is important to keep an eye on fashion when you are designing jewelry. As an artist I want to create unique pieces while also having something that people can wear with their latest fashions. This can be difficult for me. I watched the finale episode of Project Runway yesterday. I watched it as a learning experience and thought about how could I translate the fashions into my jewelry.
While I couldn't really connect with Kenley's collection I did enjoy her use of color. I really like Korto's collection. With the big bold beading(say that 5 times fast)you could see her vision of how the clothing should be accented with jewelry. While I could connect my jewelry to her clothes through color, it still wouldn't be the kind of jewelry that people wearing Korto's clothes would wear. Leanne's collection really struck me. I loved the color pallet and I could see how I could take the wave inspiration and translate it in my own way. I can envision creating jewelry that could work. Now my ideas about waves won't be the same as Leanne's, but I will be trying out some designs with Leanne's collection as my inspiration. I'm not really sure how it will come out but it most definitely will be a learning experience.
If you don't already check out new and hot fashions, I recommend doing so. You can find new inspiration and new ways to get your handcrafted jewelry noticed.
While I couldn't really connect with Kenley's collection I did enjoy her use of color. I really like Korto's collection. With the big bold beading(say that 5 times fast)you could see her vision of how the clothing should be accented with jewelry. While I could connect my jewelry to her clothes through color, it still wouldn't be the kind of jewelry that people wearing Korto's clothes would wear. Leanne's collection really struck me. I loved the color pallet and I could see how I could take the wave inspiration and translate it in my own way. I can envision creating jewelry that could work. Now my ideas about waves won't be the same as Leanne's, but I will be trying out some designs with Leanne's collection as my inspiration. I'm not really sure how it will come out but it most definitely will be a learning experience.
If you don't already check out new and hot fashions, I recommend doing so. You can find new inspiration and new ways to get your handcrafted jewelry noticed.
5 Steps To Take To Turn Your Passion Into Business, by Biana Babinsky
This article by Biana isn't specifically for jewelry artist, but it still has useful information.
As I always tell my clients, having a passion for something does not make it a business. But taking just a bit of time and using these five steps to evaluate your passion and make critical decisions will help you turn it into a business. If you are already running a business based on your passion, use these steps to see whether you have all the building blocks in your business to turn it into a true multiple income stream based business.
Step 1. Define Your Passion. Think about this for a minute - what is your passion all about? Who benefits as a result of your passion? Let's say you are a life coach, and you love to see your clients get more out of life. Define your passion in more detail. For example, you may enjoy seeing your clients in the 30-50 age group find their ideal mates. Which means your passion is helping singles between 30 and 50 find the love of their lives.
Step 2. Research The Market And Demand. Now that you have defined your passion, you are ready to do some research. Look into the target market itself - is there a lot of demand among the 30-50 age group for finding a mate? Is there a lot of competition this market? How can you position yourself in this market in order to be unique and differentiate your services from all the other services available? You can do this research by doing online searches to see other professionals who offer similar coaching services and you can see what the demand for relationship coaching is like by using keyword research tools and social networking forums.
Step 3. Reposition Passion Into How-To Products. Let's backtrack a bit. If all you are doing in your relationship coaching business is providing services, you will be exchanging time for money. When you take a day off and go on vacation, you will not earn any money because you are not doing any work during that time (it wouldn't be much of a vacation if you did!). This means that you must also create how-to products that you can promote in addition to your services. Your target market wants to know how to do something, so the best products that you can create will teach your clients how to find a mate, for example. In addition to offering your relationship coaching services, come up with ideas that turn your knowledge into products. For example, you can create an e-book on how to find an ideal mate, a teleseminar, etc.
Step 4. Decide On the Revenue Model For Your Business. Since you are looking to create a business based on multiple streams of income, decide how many streams of income you are going to have and what they are going to be. Be specific - this will help you map out your information products empire and decide on when you are going to create which product.
Step 5. Create A Marketing Plan. Online marketing is extremely powerful for getting the word out about your passion turned into business. Decide on how you are going to get the word out. Determine which online marketing techniques you will use. Again, be specific in mapping out marketing, because the more specific you are, the easier it will be for you to take action and earn revenue with your passion!
Bonus Step 6. Take Action! Put this information to use for yourself. You will not achieve results until you take action and turn your passion into a business!
About the author: Biana Babinsky is the online business expert who teaches coaches and other professionals how to get more clients online. Get her no charge report,"How To Get Clients Online" at http://www.avocadoconsulting.com/free_report.html
As I always tell my clients, having a passion for something does not make it a business. But taking just a bit of time and using these five steps to evaluate your passion and make critical decisions will help you turn it into a business. If you are already running a business based on your passion, use these steps to see whether you have all the building blocks in your business to turn it into a true multiple income stream based business.
Step 1. Define Your Passion. Think about this for a minute - what is your passion all about? Who benefits as a result of your passion? Let's say you are a life coach, and you love to see your clients get more out of life. Define your passion in more detail. For example, you may enjoy seeing your clients in the 30-50 age group find their ideal mates. Which means your passion is helping singles between 30 and 50 find the love of their lives.
Step 2. Research The Market And Demand. Now that you have defined your passion, you are ready to do some research. Look into the target market itself - is there a lot of demand among the 30-50 age group for finding a mate? Is there a lot of competition this market? How can you position yourself in this market in order to be unique and differentiate your services from all the other services available? You can do this research by doing online searches to see other professionals who offer similar coaching services and you can see what the demand for relationship coaching is like by using keyword research tools and social networking forums.
Step 3. Reposition Passion Into How-To Products. Let's backtrack a bit. If all you are doing in your relationship coaching business is providing services, you will be exchanging time for money. When you take a day off and go on vacation, you will not earn any money because you are not doing any work during that time (it wouldn't be much of a vacation if you did!). This means that you must also create how-to products that you can promote in addition to your services. Your target market wants to know how to do something, so the best products that you can create will teach your clients how to find a mate, for example. In addition to offering your relationship coaching services, come up with ideas that turn your knowledge into products. For example, you can create an e-book on how to find an ideal mate, a teleseminar, etc.
Step 4. Decide On the Revenue Model For Your Business. Since you are looking to create a business based on multiple streams of income, decide how many streams of income you are going to have and what they are going to be. Be specific - this will help you map out your information products empire and decide on when you are going to create which product.
Step 5. Create A Marketing Plan. Online marketing is extremely powerful for getting the word out about your passion turned into business. Decide on how you are going to get the word out. Determine which online marketing techniques you will use. Again, be specific in mapping out marketing, because the more specific you are, the easier it will be for you to take action and earn revenue with your passion!
Bonus Step 6. Take Action! Put this information to use for yourself. You will not achieve results until you take action and turn your passion into a business!
About the author: Biana Babinsky is the online business expert who teaches coaches and other professionals how to get more clients online. Get her no charge report,"How To Get Clients Online" at http://www.avocadoconsulting.com/free_report.html
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