Comments for Wire Wrapping Tutorials and Helpful Hints

Comment on Pricing Handmade Artisan Jewelry by Janet

Janet — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 03:51:17 +0000

Great article and very helpful. Pricing seems to be such a delicate matter.
Janet

Comment on June 2010 Bead & Button Show by BellaJ

BellaJ — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 21:07:55 +0000

Wow, looks like a lot of fun! So many beads!!

Comment on Design Copyright, Age Old Problem by Zibby

Zibby — Tue, 17 May 2011 02:31:08 +0000

1st, I want to say I know that I’m about a year and a half late joining this thread, but I feel I needed to and hope you see it & reply, nonetheless. I totally understand your feelings about this couple who so blatantly & disrespectfully stole your design & technique. The actions of A & B were downright devious. Very appalling behavior for vendors to do (and here I worry about my work being accepted into a show, when they let people like that in – if they did it once so brazenly, I’m sure it wasn’t their 1st time)
I had someone once steal a short little story I wrote, a clever funny little thing that I posted on a VERY popular website and saw it several days later “written” by a woman that was definitely not me! I wrote to the people who run the site and absolutely nothing happened. Her “story” remained there as if it was “her story”. I was infuriated. Incensed!! (although a teensy tiny part of me was flattered, since they say “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” I can honestly say I did feel that emotion) However, my anger won over the flattery ultimately.
Now, as a jewelry artisan/designer/creator…I’ve never even entertained the idea of taking another’s design or technique. I enjoy too much coming up with whatever is in my head. I own over 100 jewelry design books and peruse the Internet all the time, but for ideas and inspiration only. In the six years I’ve been making jewelry only once have I made a design from a book as it was pictured and it was for me to wear. (and even then, I added to it) Now though, I have a dilemma. I “won” a piece of jewelry from an online jewelry artisan. It was someting I never thought of wearing or selling. But, when I received it, I immediately fell in love with it and wrote to the seller whom I won it from to compliment her and ask her where she got the elements. She replied with a thank you and declined to tell me where she got the pieces. (she just didn’t address my questions at all)
Since i buy tons of supplies all the time, I pretty much figured out quickly where she got the stuff to make the item. My goal was to purchase the elements and alter the design enough to make it my own. (I had received TONS of compliments on this piece in the first week of wearing it) I received the pieces after buying what was needed to make it, but I sat for hours without coming up with anyway to make it my own. It’s a design that is very trendy right now. However, it only consists of 3 elements. A bezel, resin, and what’s in the resin. Part of me really wants to sell these, but I don’t want to steal anyone’s idea. This particular item costs about $6 to make and the designer sells it for approximately $60. Now, I have a strong feeling the seller wouldn’t give me permission to copy it & sell it, especially since we’re on the same site. Is there any way for me to sell this design??…definitely NOT as my own, for I’d definitely couldn’t by my conscience and wouldn’t ethically, CLAIM it as my own. I won’t lie and say I designed it. I’m not a fake and I believe credit should go where credit is due & if I did list it for sale, I’d state exactly where I got the idea/design. Part of me really wants to sell this for financial reasons. 1) $6 to make is cheap. 2) I think $60 is way, way overpriced considering it takes less than 30 minutes to design, make & finish. 3) I really, really could use the money and it could be, at a lesser price, quick selling and help me pay some bills!!!
(incidentally, I’ve checked other online handmade venues for selling and this seller is on probably 5-6 of them, the most popular ones. The other part of me feels I shouldn’t. Then I think of things like rope chains, snake chains, the byzantine chain mail design, a tiffany setting for a ring, and think SOMEONE designed all of those things and you see them sold everywhere!! I’m an honest person. I don’t lie or steal. But, this item is very cool, a cinch & cheap to make, and in my humble opinion, at a lesser price would be an easy sell. Can you offer your thoughts and opinions? What you’d hsve to say, I’d really respect…..

Comment on Design Copyright, Age Old Problem by Andi

Andi — Tue, 17 May 2011 01:38:54 +0000

I realize I’m a year and a half late in posting this (& I do hope you read this) but I have a question on the flip side of the coin. I do want to say 1st, I’ve been I your shoes. I’ve had something creative stolen from me, a written idea that I posted on a site, something like a short story & I later found the same EXACT little story “written” by another woman as if it was “her story” I was infuriated so much, I contacted the site’s “owners”. Nothing happened. Her “story” remained as “her story” and, mind you, this is an immensely popular website, to this day. Got bigger, in fact.
Anyhow. Here is my situation…..
I’m a jewelry artisan. Up until this particular situation I havenever, ever copied

Comment on Wire Wrapping Tools by engagement rings

engagement rings — Tue, 10 May 2011 17:58:43 +0000

I am a teacher and student ask me all the questions about these tools. I guess now i will direct them here

Comment on Understanding Sterling Silver Wire by Junipers

Junipers — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:09:04 +0000

Thank you so much for sharing valuable information. I have been doing a lot of research as I want to make a specific piece of sterling jewelry and your article was so helpful to me. Getting started is a bit overwhelming…learning what I need to buy, and how to accomplish the end result. Thanks too on tips on where to buy things that I’ll need.

Comment on Pricing Handmade Artisan Jewelry by Jeannie

Jeannie — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 19:37:58 +0000

“I feel that many of artisans underprice their jewelry – period! We feel “guilty” about asking “too much”. I mean, it is just a hobby, isn’t it? Well, not if you are trying to sell what you create – you must start thinking of your “craft” as a business.”

This is the best article on pricing jewelry that I have read up till now. Some in my family are artists and craftsman and one of the problems is what to price something at. Your article will be good to show them.

This is another market, but the idea is the same.

My mom is retired and used to sell some of her handcrafted and sculpted wood intarsia pieces in galleries for a couple thousand dollars. Others were buying her patterns and selling the finished product at craft fairs for $70 or less.

My thought is if you have something special and unique sell it at a good price. Otherwise, you make little for your time and you bring peoples ideas of what they can find these special peices priced for way down, which ruins the market. The same goes for unique jewelry.

Loved some of your pieces by the way.

Comment on Pricing Handmade Artisan Jewelry by sandra gillman

sandra gillman — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:00:58 +0000

I am opening a hat shop. A friend tht makes necklaces told me that the mark up should be uner 35% if I sell her productd in my shop is this how it is done. Thanks for any advise Sandra

Comment on Lori Mendenhall Artisan Jewelry by Lori Mendenhall

Lori Mendenhall — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:24:48 +0000

I’m just seeing all your kind comments now – thank you so much! Working with both Jodi and Susan over these past few years has been wonderful. I love making these hearts! The steampunk look is still fresh and looks so great.

Comment on Understanding Sterling Silver Wire by Jodi Bombardier

Jodi Bombardier — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 23:34:26 +0000

Thanks for this tip, Johanna! I had no idea