Handmade Artisan Necklace

Feasting on the Farm
It was all about Redlands - local produce growers, local caterers, local breweries, local wine suppliers. And Redlanders ate it up, literally, at "Feasting on the Farm," Redlands Conservancy's third party in the 2010 Parties for the Necklace series.

Can I Make Money Selling My Handmade Jewelry Designs On Ebay?

If you've ever tried to sell your work on the tremendously competitive and crowded pages of Ebay, your quick answer to the above question may be no. But don't be so quick to answer. If you keep these few things in mind, you can have a successful jewelry business on Ebay.
Before I started my website, http://www.a-zjewelrydesign.com/, I sold my jewelry designs exclusively on Ebay. And, as with any business, with an Ebay business, you need to have a business plan. The odds are against you on Ebay if you simply make a few pieces, list them, and hope for the best. Your chances are much better if you spend enough time to develop a significant inventory of several types of items that show your individual style. After all you may only have one chance with an Ebay buyer... if they visit your auctions, and you have only a few unrelated items up for sale, they may never come back. But, on the other hand, if they see a nice inventory of things that they would love to buy, they will bookmark your store.
You will also need a listing/sales strategy. There should be two types of items in your storefront:
Store Items: Have a well thought out inventory of items in your Ebay store. (These items will always be there at a fixed price.) All you need to do is make a sample, upload a photo, and remake the pieces as the orders come in. (Earrings are great store items.) Ebay has a low store-listing price of $.05 per listing, and a monthly $15 store fee. Remember, you will have to sell enough to cover this Storefront expense above and beyond the per piece profit, however.
Auction Items (or fixed price listings): These listings are much more expensive per piece, but, no will find your store without them! It may unnerve you to start a listing at $.01; but, your best bet is to start your auction listings low. Let me give you a typical example that I have seen a hundred times: Sue starts a choker at $9.95, because that is what she paid for the materials. Lisa starts the same choker at $.01. Sue's item gets zero bids. Lisa's item sells for $30. Here's the lesson: The final bidder was willing to pay $30, but she was tempted by the idea that she could get it for nothing. Ebay buyers are always looking for a bargain!
Featured Listings: Another very important thing I learned is that you must have at least one Featured Listing at any given time. You pay a premium for Featured listings on Ebay ($19.95), but they put your listing in the top page of your category for the duration of the listing. Featured Listings are your best portal into this very competitive market of jewelry artisans. You cannot think of the expense of a Featured Listing as a selling expense against the one-featured piece, but as an advertising expense for all your listings and storefront. (For instance; if you have twenty auctions in a week and one is featured, you can consider that you've spent $1 per piece to get ebay buyers in the door to your store.)
You must understand that you will not get rich selling handmade jewelry on Ebay! I always felt that what I averaged per piece on Ebay was like wholesale prices. But - let's face it - if you are selling through stores that resell your work, you will not be making retail on your work either. Plus, you will be running around, schlepping your work, and most likely leaving it on consignment with boutiques. After all, wholesale on ebay is pretty good when you're able to work from home, list the things you want and make your own hours doing something you love!
The biggest mistake jewelry sellers on ebay make is to step into it too casually. You must have a certain amount of patience, and understand that there will be upfront expenses that will not come back to you immediately. (In what other business venture would we expect such a thing?). If you take the time to study Ebay, watch what the successful sellers are doing and develop your own inventory and a strategy - you can be successful on Ebay!

About the Author

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Silver Clasp

i have aquireed a tie clasp from the 1934 chicago worlds fair. looks to be maybe gold and brass. clasp silver?

the front part is mayb gold and brass about 1 1/2 inches long and has 1934 chicago worlds fair stamped on it

Almost anything sold at the fair would be costume jewelry. To find the value go to Ebay and check what they are really selling for. Go to completed sales. There are collectors out there, but there was a ton of stuff that was sold and it doesn't seem to be going away.

The Uses of Silver

Today we are going to continue our series on the uses of silver. What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word silver? For me, I immediately think of my grandmothers silver tea set that sits proudly on her buffet in the dining room. Silver is such a unique and versatile material. It has so many uses.

One of its first uses was in currency. It is a metal that does not easily corrode so it is great conductor of electricity. It can tend to tarnish but is easily cleaned again with a little polish. It is flexible and also a great conductor of heat. I was surprised to learn that most switches and electrical appliances all have contacts that are made of silver. Silver is also used in materials for photography.

You may be surprised to know that of the world’s usage of silver, only 14 percent is used for silverware and jewelry. This is where sterling silver comes into play. In order to make it more durable and stronger, 7.5% copper is added to 92.5% pure silver and that is how you come up with “sterling silver.” It has reflective qualities and malleability which makes it extremely attractive in using it in decorative items and jewelry. When purchasing a piece of jewelry, one of the first things we do to make sure that it is true sterling silver is to check for the stamp that is usually placed near the clasp. It simply states 3 numbers, ..925 and having that somewhere on your piece of jewelry makes it authentic.

Many people who have allergies or reactions to certain kinds of metal will tend to choose something more pure like gold or sterling silver. That is why Gilbert and Frech items are of the highest quality sterling silver. Silver is such an attainable and affordable way to go especially in comparing it with some of the other metals which seem to be much more expensive. I personally like the color of sterling sliver much better than say a yellow gold. I love how, when paired with a gemstone, it reflects and enhances the beauty of the stone. It is something of quality that lasts much longer, much like a piece of gold would last, and yet not as costly. Tomorrow we will talk about its value and how its worth has changed dramatically over the years.

About the Author

Robert Frechette is Founder and CEO of Gilbert & Frech, a leading direct source of jewelry, gemstones, beads and supplies for more than 8 years. You can view wholesale items at http://www.TraderLou.com or view http://www.gilbertandfrech.com for retail listings that are nicely packaged. He can be reached at robert@gilbertandfrech.com or (919) 434-1644 for any questions and comments.

Sterling Silver Star

if it says sterling, does that mean it wont turn my finger green?

i had a silver ring and it turned my finger green
i want to buy this ring and i want to know, if it says sterling does it mean it wont turn my finger green?

forexample:

http://www.juliannashiddentreasures.com/rings.html

the ring called: Silver Large Solid Star Ring
you cant click it

or:

http://www.esilvertrend.com/ss/_Plain+Silver_Rings_Large+Star***Starfish+Dome+Sterling+Silver+Ring-5_PR-352_.browse

Yes, sterling silver is 92.5% silver so it won't turn your finger green.

I also heard that if you put clear nail polish inside the non sterling silver ring, it helps from making your finger green.

Western Sterling Silver Buckles: For Your Closet and Collection Too

When Western clothing was going to attain popularity, it has also initiated to make a requirement for Western sterling silver buckles and leather boots. And now they have again made a mode resurgence. It has not only elevated the Western outfit but sporting leather belts with Western sterling silver buckles have turned a fashion affirmation. You would see popular famous people, political personalities, movie stars, and a million others out there have created a stir and appended a lucid affect to their full wardrobe. That is why Western belt with silver buckles have turned more pricey these days.

The History

Although belt buckles went widely popular in the early twentieth century, the insertion of the first Western sterling silver buckles started out with the Mexican cowboys or what they would call as the vaqueros. They had nice silver spines pieced onto a buckle, and these were the first presentation of the buckles to the untamed Western Americans and the Texas Rangers as well. But if we really trace back the olden cowboys, you would not see any of them with the popular leather belts. In fact, real cowboys who were actively riding the Wild West ranges had suspenders and buckles. These were taken from the friction buckles back then, which were used by the military. The Western movies were the ones who in reality popularized Western sterling silver buckles.

Collectible and Antique Buckles

Now you would see Western sterling silver buckles in the Texas state seal, in the Jack Daniels emblem, in oil derricks that have smooth designs and with more tangled and graceful ones too. There are also buckles that now have grown highly rich collectible items like those that were worn during the art nouveau era in the 1900s. Buckles that were from renowned designers like Don Ellis, Al Pecetti, John Mccabe, Edward H. Bohlin, William Nelson, Michael Srour, Robert Schaezlin and Les Garica. These are renowned groundbreaker manufacturers in the industry, and their initiations are now very notable collections. Others companies have also set out to produce their own collection of collector's items or from their particular version projected buckles. Companies like Hesston that throws new figures each year have updated innovations of the Western buckles that are also procurable for assembling like the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo buckles. Western sterling silver buckles with patriotic patterns, such as those that depict eagles, Confederate flags, and the patriotic U.S. flag or that of a cowboy riding the back of a bronco, are also classless collectible items.

Where to Shop

There are several Western sterling silver buckles in the market today that falls in diversified blueprints, sizes, shapes, and modes. There are even those that are matched with a theme: gothic, Western, music, sporty; or those with role designs: Superman, Peter Pan, Batman, Wonder Woman, or just about anything. It can in truth spice up your wardrobe, or it can just set flowing on the wall as your intimate collection. Whatever your intent is, you should entirely believe Maverick Western Wear for your purchase of these items.
harmonized

About the Author

Western sterling silver buckles
has become very popular available at http://www.maverickwesternwear.com

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