AMDesignsbyAngela

Etsy Street Team...Starving Artists on Etsy "SATeam"

noreply@blogger.com (AMDesignsbyAngela) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:31:00 +0000

I have had an active Etsy shop coming up on one year...well the word "active" is only descriptive of the shop being open for business...not the amount of business. Admittedly, I have not been an "active" shopkeeper. There are lots of excuses I can come up with to justify my inactivity, but I will not go on to list them. Shortly after opening my shop I joined one of the jewelry Street Teams on Etsy to help promote my shop. I volunteered to help the team with projects that just never materialized. My interest in participation dwindled based on the low level of activity and team spirit.

Then about a month ago our forum "Starving Jewelry Artists" decided to form an Etsy Street Team made up of forum members with Etsy shops... Starving Artists Team on Etsy "SATeam" ...the response was so phenomenal, it seemed to have slowed down the forum servers with the amount of activity in posts and new forum members. After about two weeks of accepting members to the Street Team the enrollment had to be cut off to keep the membership level in a manageable range while the team mission statements and participation guidelines were drafted and adopted by the administration team. Plans are to open application for membership sometime in March for a limited time...and to do so on a quarterly basis. It has truly been a whirlwind of activity and participation, as well as an attraction & incentive for membership in the Starving Jewelry Artists forum.

I have been involved with the Starving Jewelry Artists forum from its inception and now with the Street Team. There has been more activity from this team, that is just over one month old, than in the whole nine months I have been involved with the other Etsy Street Team...this bunch is motivated and the Team Leaders: Laurel (lavalleygirly) & Cathy (jeweledblossoms) are topnotch motivators.

Since the creation of this street team, I have seen an increase in sales activity, even though I am not particularly more active. I attribute this to the exposure we as a team have been garnering with our many outstanding treasuries...I believe we've had two front page treasuries on two consecutive weekends! This team is a treasury snagging machine...and they are all HOT!

The SATeam maintains a blog that promotes SATeam members, their blogs, team treasuries, profiles team members & their shops and offers information about products, techniques and all things jewelry related. Stop by and have a look...and if you see any active treasuries, give them a click and a comment.

November Design Challenge "Bollywood"

noreply@blogger.com (AMDesignsbyAngela) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 03:10:00 +0000

The Starving (Jewelry) Artists Connection tsjaconnection.com....is a WebJam dedicated to a community of artisans, designers, crafters, hobbyists, collectors and enthusiasts of all things created by hand!

Our November design challenge is underway. The theme is Bollywood...a reference to the film industry of India. As a design theme, I see the wonderful design inspirations of India...the beautiful fabrics, prints, gems, fine gold filigree, archtectural details, most of which are very intricate, ornate and complex...I see vibrant color combinations, marvelous textured metals and sparkling luminous gemstones...What does this theme bring to your imagination?

Come to TSJA Connection and join in the fun. Anyone may vote and leave comments; you will however need to register if you want to enter a challenge so that you will be able to upload photos.

At the end of the month a poll will be posted for you to choose your favorite design. The favorite design & designer for each challenge will be featured both on the TSJA Connection and at Starving Jewelry Artists Forum home pages.

We hope you will decide to participate and share your creativity.

Happy designing...are you up to the challenge?

Plagiarism...NOT!

noreply@blogger.com (AMDesignsbyAngela) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:51:00 +0000

I'm not usually given to public rants...but a recurring topic seems to be rearing it's ugly head within the jewelry making communities...some folks choose to call it "Plagiarism".

Initially, I would like to suggest that if anyone is afraid of someone being inspired by your jewelry designs and possibly replicating or using an element in a design of their own...don't post your work on public forum boards. Most forums are about sharing what you know, inspiring others to learn what you have to offer and encouraging others to try new techniques.

There have been several posts recently on boards that I frequent, stating that if someone shows a design or design element that has been published in a "tutorial for sale", and the person did not buy the tutorial, but has figured out how to do it or possibly used another source of instruction/information to find out how to do it...that they are copying or plagiarizing the designer with the "for sale" tutorial. NOT...and then said designers will badger people to provide credit to them for the inspiration...well, if the "design" is the same I agree that it would be common courtesy to mention where your inspiration has come from...if the design is based on using an element of the original design I would say...the element has more than likely been used ad nauseam over centuries of time and... the only credit due is to the ancient civilization that created it.

Let me say, the techniques used in these tutorials are nothing new under the sun... they are not patentable and if someone is able to figure out how to work the technique without purchasing a tutorial...more power too them...and besides for some it is a matter of economics...not many can afford $5 - $20 for each tutorial that uses a different swirl, twist, connection, knot, wrap, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera!!! Luckily, there are many who write tutorials of designs that originated from somewhere else and then will freely share this knowledge for others to learn as they did, without thoughts of copying or competition. Still there are others who will do the same only to "market" this knowledge and profit financially from someone else's creativity.

I, for one, have never purchased a tutorial for any jewelry design...I have used some free tutorials that show how to do basic techniques and will continue to do so as I progress through my quest to learn new techniques in jewelry making. I will purchase books that illustrate how to work in different wire, sheet, metal clay and other jewelry making techniques, I will search the Internet for details on techniques of interest, but I will NEVER purchase a tutorial for a specific design that employs techniques that are part of the public domain...if I can't figure out how to do it with the resources of my choice then c'est la vie and too bad for me.

So those of you who market your tutorials and expect credit for every swirl and knot that is similar to something you think you "invented"....lighten up!

Design Challenges...

noreply@blogger.com (AMDesignsbyAngela) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:02:00 +0000

The Starving (Jewelry) Artists Connection....tsjaconnection.com....is a newly created WebJam dedicated to a community of artisans, designers, crafters, hobbyists, collectors and enthusiasts of all things created by hand!

Aside from providing a platform for all members of this community to promote and exhibit their creative endeavors, we offer a connection to one of the most active, informative and friendly Jewelry Making forums online.... www.starvingjewelryartists.com or www.tsjaforums.com

Design Challenges

One of the regular features planned for TSJA Connection will be Design Challenges. We will start with a Jewelry Design challenge every other month. Each challenge will be based on a theme. Most challenges will be open to all techniques, however we may opt to include a few that are focused on specific methods from time to time.

There will be a poll for each challenge for you to choose your favorite design. The favorite design & designer for each challenge will be featured both on the TSJA Connection and at Starving Jewelry Artists Forum home pages.

Anyone may vote and leave comments; you will however need to register if you want to enter a challenge so that you will be able to upload photos.

We hope you will decide to participate and share your creativity.

The design challenge theme for the month of September is "Harvest Moon"...are you up to the challenge?

Taking A Step Back...

noreply@blogger.com (AMDesignsbyAngela) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:00:00 +0000

In February of this year I put up my first items for sale (online) in my dormant Etsy shop. I had opened the Etsy selling account in October of last year and was just unable to move forward with the listings...it has been revealed to me that this is not at all uncommon. I would equate it to a case of pre-nuptual jitters, cold feet, the moment of truth...faced with the possibility of failure I was immobilized.
After just a week or so, a forum buddy of mine saw one of the items I had listed in the Etsy shop when I shared a photo of it on the forum and rushed off to purchase it, I had my first online sale. In the next couple of weeks that followed, the same forum friend purchased two other items from me, one that was listed and one a custom order...I haven't sold a thing online since.

Yes, Etsy is oversaturated with jewelry sellers...many of whom are not designers or artisans, but hobby crafters with no concept of pricing for a profit...many of whom are incredibly talented designers and artisans that are very successful in developing a market and creating sales... and lots of others like myself that just cannot get arrested. I know that my jewelry is appealing, I get lots of hits and lots of hearts, I don't think that I am overpriced, but maybe that is an issue. Primarily, I have chose to list OOAK items many of which are somewhat labor intensive and only using sterling silver and/or copper, although recently I have listed a couple of items that also used 14K gold_filled...so maybe I need to take a step back and have a closer look at the big picture and break it down into little snippets.

I am planning a promotion offering 20% off everything in the shop as a "Virgo" Zodiac Sale...my birth sign is Virgo, Aug. 23 - Sept.22...so it will be a month long promotion. I plan to post on all of the social networks, forums, and blogs I belong to as well as send out emails to my contacts...oh, here I must confess that I have never formally sent any of my contacts a link to my Etsy shop...bad me!

I have also committed myself to making more less labor intensive jewelry, which will not only enable be to offer items at lower price points, but I will also be able to make more item in less time and build an inventory so that I can also include home parties or shows in my marketing plans.

Alas, although I have committed to making simpler, more saleable items, I think I am still caught up in the "creation" of art jewelry...my satisfaction as jewelry artist is totally ensconced in creating...I am not a production jeweler and still find that what I make is not simple enough to translate into lower price points...what's a girl to do?

Well, I will continue to step back and hope to see the forest through the trees, I will continue to make jewelry that satisfies my creative spirit, I will continue to list my creations on Etsy and develop other non-virtual venues, and I will remain committed to finding ways to create more saleable less labor intensive pieces that will translate into $ales!

The Piano Man Tears Down Shea....

noreply@blogger.com (AMDesignsbyAngela) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 22:42:00 +0000

Yesterday, after listening to a week's worth of buzz on Billy Joel's "Last Play at Shea" concert to be played last evening, I was lucky enough to get tickets for my husband and I to take part in a little bit of music and Shea Stadium history. This is the last concert ever to be performed at Shea before it is demolished at the end of the baseball season, to be replaced by a new stadium being completed next door.

When I decided I was going to attempt to get seats, I called my husband to ask if he would like to go. He said "Sure, but don't go crazy trying to get tickets"...Well, I found lots of tickets available, but at what price? There were tickets available up to $9,000!!!! I'll just say that I paid somewhere between 2 - 6 times the $98 list price for two seats in the Mezzanine section. Later, when my husband asked how much the tickets were, I just looked at him and he said "Oh, I guess I really don't want to know, do I"? ... what a honey!

The air hanging over Shea last night was hot, humid & heavy, but that didn't stifle the electrifying energy in the audience and ON THE STAGE...The Piano Man is a tireless, self-deprecating, crowd-pleasing performer...the ultimate in entertainers! He performed for 3+ hours without an intermission, which was definitely an exhausting task under normal conditions, but in the sweltering heat of this July evening it was incredible.

The historic concert was illuminated by special guests: Tony Bennett joined Billy on "New York State of Mind", Garth Brooks performed Billy's "Shameless", Aerosmith's front man Steven Tyler offered "Walk This Way", Roger Daltrey of The Who did "My Generation" at the end of which Billy smashed a guitar into pieces. The most poignant piece on the setlist was "Goodnight Saigon which featured a Military Chorus and other Uniformed Services singing the chorus "And we would all go down together
We said wed all go down together Yes we would all go down together". As if these performances weren't enough, during his second encore, Billy announced none other than "Sir Paul McCartney" which nearly brought the house down sooner than intended. Actually my husband and I were just leaving our seats to head for the exit at that moment...I would have been very unhappy if we missed this Royal Knight.

Billy, with unbelieveable stamina, continued to give the sold out crowd the performance & show of a lifetime and closed with Sir Paul on piano for "Let It Be"....The best concert I have ever been to, and undoubtedly will ever be to, had come to an end.

I feel so very lucky to have been able to attend this remarkable show, to have been one of the 55,000 that attended not only the last concert at Shea Stadium but also to have attended the very first in August of 1965...The Beatles started it and one of the Beatles was there to end it! How cool is that!

Buried Treasury

noreply@blogger.com (AMDesignsbyAngela) — Sat, 17 May 2008 19:37:00 +0000

I have an Etsy mini featured on Timothy Adam's Buried Treasury Blog. The Etsy shop with the most comments at the end of a week is named "Dig of the Week"...please post a comment on my Etsy Mini. If I no longer show up on the front page you can "dig me up" using the tags: art jewelry, handcrafted, or you'll find me under the catagory Art Metal Jewelry.

Tim is the creator of the "Handbook to Handmade" and is a champion at marketing Etsy shops...here is the link to Buried Treasury

Thanks for the support!

This Little Tool Is Too Cool...

noreply@blogger.com (AMDesignsbyAngela) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:58:00 +0000

I had the pleasure of getting together with a group of fellow metalsmiths at one of their studios in Pennsylvania recently. Rina, the hosting metalsmith, loaned me one of her tools to square off the ends of a piece of bezel wire that I was preparing to join. It is a Miter Cutting Jig & Vice used to either cut or file clean 90 degree or 45 degree angles on metal wire, sheetstock or tubing. I was immediately smitten by this little contraption...being the toolaholic that I am...I asked where I could get one! Well here is where they can be found, but oh my...one these cost more than my torch...that is unless I go for the economy model. Hmm, if I opted for the economy model and had to replace it some years down the road, I could still buy another and not have spent more than the mid-range model...oh yes, I need to take this option into serious consideration!!!
While searching for more information on this tool I came across some instructions on how to use it. Although there aren't any illustrations these instructions are very descriptive an would be easy to follow with tool in hand.

"the handbook to handmade"

noreply@blogger.com (AMDesignsbyAngela) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 03:01:00 +0000

AM Designs' Etsy shop, AMDesignsbyAngela.etsy.com will be featured in Tim Adam's monthly publication..."the handbook to handmade" ETSY ARTISTS Volume 5.

I am so very excited and honored to be included in Tim's beautiful book store quality art magazine along with 35 other incredibly talented artists, one of which is a fellow moderator on Starving Jewelry Artists forum, Allison Raposa of Ali Baubles (msbaubles). Tim has created a not only fabulous resource for Etsians to promote their shops and Etsy as a handmade market, but a beautifully produced volume for buyers to peruse and display for others to enjoy.

Each volume consists of 80 pages showcasing the Etsy shops of 36 artists in a broad range of media. If you are interested in finding out how you can be included in one of Tim's volumes or are interested in obtaining a copy visit Tim's blog here http://etsypromobook.blogspot.com/

The image above is of Volume 1 of "the handbook to handmade" which features 2 designers that I am very fond of...personally fond of, Rhonda Reagan of Stunning Details and Jennifer Casady, on the front cover.

Spreading my wings...The Butterfly Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (AMDesignsbyAngela) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:38:00 +0000

The jewelry forum that I am a member of held a Color Challenge based on a Butterfly theme...there were several color palettes all based on actual butterfly colors that we were able to choose from and create a piece that had to include a minimum number of the colors. The piece had to either be in the form of a butterfly or have some form of butterfly motif incorporated into the design.

I was very excited to participate in this challenge and decided that I would make it exactly that...it would be a personal challenge...an opportunity to experiment with techniques that I have been wanting to employ...this was the project that I would use to spread my wings.

Prior to this challenge I did some soldering generally only in simple, basic forms...my vision for this project was somewhat more complex and would require a good amount of soldering...challenge #1! The design called for a sterling silver wire framework with multiple sections which would then be filled with colored resin, in the colors of the chosen palette. Resins are a medium that I have little to no practice using...challenge #2. I started with a flutter and was not able to take flight...the framework was not much of a problem, but the resin did not yield the saturation of color that I desired....another flutter, another flap and I was in flight...the result is "Winter Butterfly"

My effort was awarded a "Personal Achievement" ribbon...the criteria for which was to employ new skills and techniques in the fabrication of the challenge piece. Like the butterfly...I spread my wings!!!

Finding my jewelry artist's voice....

noreply@blogger.com (AMDesignsbyAngela) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 03:44:00 +0000

In the two years since I've started creating art jewelry pieces, I have developed skills in quite a few techniques. I started beading which helped me develop my some very basic beginner skills; using pliers, opening and closing jumprings, crimping, but most importantly I developed my design sense, an eye for color, textures and balance.

While still fully immersed in stringing necklaces and bracelets, I began to experiment with sterling silver wire...uh yeah I said..."experiment with sterling silver wire"! I began making my own clasps, making coils and coiled beads and incorporating this into the strung jewelry I was creating.

The next steps I took with the wire started me on a path that diverted my interest from stringing beads to creating bead links...wire looped beaded jewelry, on to wire-wrapped hand formed focal with beads, wire woven designs on wire frames wrapped with gemstones...every new technique I learn makes me crave trying something on another level...I have developed an addiction to learning new techniques and I cannot seem to my fill.All of the wire work I have done has been very satisfying but I always want to do more, something new, another challenge!

So, currently my focus is on metalsmithing, creating art jewelry pieces using sheet silver and copper, fabricating using both hot and cold connections...(hot connections = soldering...cold connections = rivets, wire-wrapping, hinges), setting stones in bezels and manipulating the metal into dimensional forms using a wide range of tools from simple pliers to a variety of punches, stakes and hammers. It is in this medium that I am finally finding my jewelry artist's voice. The metal and I are developing a relationship in which it speaks to me, I hear what it is saying and I am able to interpret and communicate to my audience the direction it has given me. Our exchanges are soft-spoken, I wish to learn its dynamics and have it show me how best to have it speak through me, so I do not argue. Maybe later I will gain enough confidence to provide more direction to it...but for now...I'm listening and sharing what I hear...in my jewelry artist's voice.

A Renewed Committment

noreply@blogger.com (AMDesignsbyAngela) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:48:00 +0000

I have decided that it is time to get serious....well, those who know me really well know that I already am serious...but now it's time for me to renew my committment to developing my passion for jewelry into a real business. I have had several false starts since starting on this journey of jewelry making back in early 2006. All I wanted to do is make jewelry for me and to develop a creative outlet because I was unable to continue my pottery hobby. As soon as I started wearing pieces I made to work the requests for items from co-workers starting flowing...in the first 3 months I sold enough jewelry to purchase several hundred dollars worth of tools and supplies. That's is when I starting thinking of ways to turn this passion into a business, not full time, not yet anyway.

Well, my thoughts never got off the ground, but I continued to develop new skills and techniques that would challenge my creativity and bring my jewelry to a higher level of craftsmanship and quality. Again, this past year I attempted to resuscitate my thoughts of turning my love for jewelry making into a business and created a website, still again I dropped the ball and neglected to elevate the website to be anything more than a domain...no commerce going on there. I decided to put the online sales on the back burner and continued with the sporadic direct selling one on one, word of mouth, family, friends and co-worker approach.

If I continue to limit my exposure in this way I will never turn this into a real business.

But I am determined...in less than a year we will be "retiring" and moving to a new state. We will probably both still work in some form or another, but I would like for my work to be making jewelry and SELLING it. So now is the time for me to renew my committment to turning this passion into a FULL TIME business within the next 12 months.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided that I would set up an online shop at Etsy, the largest online market for all things handcrafted or vintage recycled. It is an international marketplace, but it also has thousands and thousands of people selling "jewelry". "Jewelry" at every price level imagineable. So, I threw myself into the fray...and lo & behold within 10 days I had my first online sale.

But...I would like to maintain a momentum of regular selling with very few spells of inactivity.

Develop a loyal customer base and reach the customer that appreciates quality, handcrafted, one of a kind, art jewelry. I don't know how to do that, so I have decided to take advantage of the abundance of information, resources and alliances that the Etsy community has to offer.

I submitted a request for acceptance to one of the many Etsy Street Teams, The Art Jewelry Collective, which is somewhat selective in choosing members, and I have been accepted. One of the goals I hope to achieve through this membership is to improve my sales. Membership in this team offers collaborative marketing to bring more of our target customers to Etsy, customers who have the money and are willing to spend what our work is worth. It also requires some sweat equity on the part of the members to promote the team, participate in committees that are formed to administer to the maintenance of various marketing projects and websites that are developed to promote members.

Yes, I am ready, willing and able to jumpstart my sales and work seriously at building a successful jewelry business.

The bracelet pictured "Reverie" is the item that was my first online sale.

In the Beginning....

noreply@blogger.com (AMDesignsbyAngela) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 01:13:00 +0000

I came to jewelry design late in my journey. I have always been a creative person, I designed doll clothes as a child, sketched family, friends and still lifes as a teen and went on to work professionally as a clothing designer, interior designer and a graphic designer. In my leisure I have done macrame, painting and pottery and most recently in 2006 took up jewelry design. It started when I was in search of a turquiose bead necklace and decided that rather then pay the high prices for some of the things I liked, I would attempt to create my own necklace. I purchased beads, stringing wire, sterling silver findings, some basic beading tools and a book on basic stringing techniques...the rest is history.

I love semi-precious stones and started amassing a very diverse inventory of beads and within one month of starting this hobby I was selling my creations to co-workers and friends. That was all that was necessary to propel me into moving forward in the development of a variety of jewelry making techniques and employing several different marketing strategies to sell my designs to a broader audience.