Annette was innocently waiting on a bus and had a few minutes to kill so she wandered aimlessly into a local bead store.  Can you say the beginning of the end?  Well, she was immediately captured by all the shapes and colors and scooped up a few to take home.  She spoke with the woman behind the counter and added some wire and clasps and then went home to figure out how to use all the wonderful treasures she had.  After some internet searching, Annette was armed with 12 free lessons over the course of 12 weeks, but being impatient to play with her jewels, she ended up looking up info in between and ended up with her first necklace, bracelet and earrings and felt brilliant!  Her course was set and she was hooked.

When Annette is not buried in beads, she loves to sew, which she believes really launched her creative streak while making a patchwork quilt, the movies, walking, and music.  She is a homemaker that claims beading keeps her sane or insane depending on your perspective.

After really getting a feel for how jewelry was put together, Annette began selling to family and friends and was quickly encouraged to branch out and AJewell was born.  A few business cards later, and she was in business.  She currently sells at a local market stall every weekend where she not only shows off her finished treasures, but brings along her supplies so people can see her work first hand at creating a new piece.

Annette is open to help and willingly takes advice from those more experienced in either online selling or jewelry making.  She listens, researches, and then decides if the advice is worth pursuing which is a wonderful sign of a woman willing to grow in her chosen field.  She says that she makes every effort to remain positive no matter what is going on around her and has no regrets about her chosen field.  She would happily repeat the process as she knows that jewelry is what she was meant to do.

Are you ready to see what this talented lady who stumbled onto her passion while waiting for a bus can really do?  Well, she is easy to find on the HandmadeArtists as well as on her own site.  She happily shows off her creativity on Facebook here and here.

Worst case I heard of was, someone sold a flat screen TV, buyer states not as described, gives paypal proof that the buyer has send it back via giving paypal the tracking number. Paypal don’t even cares what you receive back, you don’t even have the package back yet and buyer has their money back. This seller received a wooden board back in that package. SO……that’s a reseller case…
So this reseller had to fight for month with paypal to get his/her money back which was paid to the buyer regardless what they had send back to the seller.
Tedious….unbelievable, and really wreckless of Paypal, BUT thats how it is now with paypal.

Now talking about HANDMADE, CUSTUM MADE….
If you include these words in your description, title, tags, anywhere, paypal cannot give the buyer their money back according to their own written policies! The buyer does not qualify for a refund on custom handmade items. Also, if your buyer pays for an ONE (1) item in numerous payments, in other words makes a payment schedule, the buyer does not qualify for a refund via paypals own rules and regulations – unless your item really arrives broken and is totally not as described.

There is a reason, why I have the words handmade, custom made in my descriptions and titles.

Just a lil helper in regards to handmade, custom made….it took me a while to find paypal rules and regs, its well hidden within their site….
******************************

******************  Paypal Policy:
To qualify for PayPal Purchase Protection:
·　　　　　　　　 Use PayPal to complete your payment.
·　　　　　　　　 Pay for the item with one payment.
***Items purchased with multiple payments aren’t eligible.
***
Paypal Policy:
13.3 Ineligible Items. PayPal Purchase Protection only applies to PayPal payments for certain tangible, physical goods. Payments for the following are NOT eligible for reimbursement under PayPal Purchase Protection:
Custom made items
Even if your payment is not eligible for PayPal Purchase Protection, you can file a Dispute and try to resolve the issue directly with the Seller; however, PayPal will generally not find in your favor if you escalate a Dispute to a Claim for an item which is not eligible for PayPal Purchase Protection.
***************************************************Reason I know all this, I had a case 2 years ago, which was buyers remorse, a custom, handmade order, the buyer send it back, provided paypal with tracking number and they immediately took my funds away. There was no reason, no damage, she filed claim under item not as described even though had seen pictures and approved of it all.
When I received my item back, the post office had broken it, so I was out my money plus the item, which was now unsellable (is that a word).
I fought with paypal and found that they decided this case against their own rules and regulations, which I copied and pasted and held it under their own noses so to speak, and finally won and got my money back. Took 3 month for me to get my money back. If you fax documents of any kind of proof, paypal does not even look at them. My experience!I brought out the big guns, wrote to one of paypals lawers and filed a complaint with the BBB in CA, which Paypal apparently does care about and you finally hear from paypal in some form or other. They have over 6600 complaints with the BBB in CA, that tells you something.

So, in the handmade world this is important to know………

 

Monika of Myeuropeantouch

You got that email/letter/phone call, and WHOO-HOO, you’ve been accepted to that perfect-fit show! And then panic sets in…

Not to worry! You should have some time between now and then to get organized. You’ll need to remodel your business into a whole new venue. A good place to start is to take a mental tour of your inventory. What is it that you sell and how do you display it in person?  In cyberspace, your ‘display’ is single-item photos. In person, everything you own will be visible all at once. Does everything you have go together in one category? Or is your inventory in several different-but-similar categories?  How does what you have group together?  Do you have hundreds of items or just a few?  Are your items all the same relative size, or does it vary?  Do your items have height or do they lay flat?  Close your eyes and visualize everything you have as if it were sitting on a table and you’re standing 15 feet away…  What do you see?

If your immediate answer was, “What a mess!” – relax – you’re not alone.  Let’s consider displays one step at a time.

Take a selection of your items and put them on a flat surface.  To see your things, do you need to be standing next to the flat surface looking down?  If that’s the case, you definitely need to add some height or lift to you items.  Here’s an example…

I’m a customer walking by in the aisle about ten feet from the front of all the booths.  When I walk past your booth, this is what I see…Not very enticing.  And with lots of booths, not likely to attract enough attention to get anyone to stop.  But if my display looks like this……  at least I can see all the colors and shapes.  Maybe I’m not interested in knitted anything, but at least I can see what’s there.  One more example.  This……or this

The major difference between the examples is height.  It’s so important that you get you items vertical so that strolling patrons can get an idea of what your booth offers from a distance.  But you don’t need to be a carpenter to achieve this.  Here’s a picture of what I used to add height to the above displays…

All it is is two chunks of 4×4 and a 1×8″ piece of pine, covered with forest green fabric!  My lumber came from the scrap bin at my local home improvement store and was less than $10!

In addition to adding height in the examples, I also tried to demonstrate use of space.  In the dolls example, the first photo shows them all bunched together on a flat surface.  You can’t really see any of them.  The second photo brings in the height component and spreads them out so that each one is visible.  In a live setting, less can be more.  You want your customers to be able to see each item.  If you have too many items to give each one it’s own unique space, that’s okay.  You can always restock when you make a sale!

Your table or tables should be covered with a consistent, inocuous color…  something that will not detract from your items.  I’m partial to a darker color, but there’s nothing wrong with white.  This is a preference issue, and makes your displays look finished.

If this is your first show, or it’s been a while since you’ve done a show, it’s a good idea to set up your entire display.  Think of this as dress rehearsal.  Once you’ve done that, make a list!  I can’t emphasize how important this is.  What is in your dress-rehearsal booth?  Product, risers, tables, table covers, canopy of course.  But what else is in your booth?  There has to be something to package all those purchases for your customers (bags or boxes).  Are you a math wizard?  There should be a calculator somewhere in this booth.  You certainly don’t want to stand all day, so you need some kind of chair.  Are your promotional materials somewhere (business cards and/or flyers)?  Are you fasting while you sit in this booth (cooler with food and beverages).  Do you do custom orders and are your forms in this booth for taking a one?  What are you doing with the money you take in exchange for your items?  Write all of these things down… you’ll be so happy you did!

Your dress-rehearsal booth will give you a wonderful idea of how to pack all your things to move them from where they are to the show.  If at all possible, put the things on the bottom of your displays on the top of your boxes!  That way, on show day, you won’t be unpacking all of your product to get to the table covers in the bottom of a box.

When you take your dress-rehearsal booth apart, try to store everything you’re going to need near each other.  I purchased a $30 shelf unit at a big box store and it could be the best $30 I’ve spent in a long time.  An added bonus is that it makes filling online orders a breeze… everything I own is together in one place!

Cash Only or Cash/Credit?

The first couple of years I was doing shows, I took cash only.  Occasionally, I’d run the risk of taking a check.  I wasn’t willing to pay the monthly service charge to sign up with a company to take a credit card.  It simply isn’t cost effective when you’re only going to need the service a few times a year.  Lots of people will tell you that taking credit cards will double your sales at live shows.  It was such a quandary.

I can say that I lost sales because I couldn’t take the customer’s plastic.  But I still couldn’t justify the monthly expense of a credit card service.  Then a friend of mine introduced me to Square.The tiny card reader (the white square) plugs into the headphone jack in your android or i-phone and turns the whole thing into a credit card terminal.  You can list the total sale or individual items.  The customer signs with their finger, and you can email or text them the receipt.  The charge clears immediately, too.  Many of my customer’s have received their text receipt before they’ve left my booth!  Charges are transferred to your bank account on the next business day, minus the 2.75% fee Square charges you.  There are no monthly fees, no time commitments and the reader is free!  This market is expanding, too.  Intuit has introduced their own service which is very similar.  For more details on Square, visit their website at https://squareup.com/.  For more information on Intuit’s product, visit gopayment.com.

And finally…

If you can have a wide price range of items in your booth, do it!  The day of your show, you may see nothing but low-end buyers.  It’s much better to sell lots of inexpensive things than nothing at all.

Do you have the ability to recreate a sold item on the spot?  If so, take your tools and supplies with you.  There are several advantages to this.  First, it will give you something to do during slow times.  Second, people visiting arts and crafts shows love to watch artisans ‘doing their thing’ and it doesn’t matter what your ‘thing’ is.  Third, a patron who sees you creating may want something altered slightly to suit their own personal taste or style, netting you a sale that would have walked past had they not seen you working.

Last, and certainly not least, have fun at the show.  Your enthusiasm will draw people into your booth and generate sales.  Talk to everyone who pauses at your site.

By iKnitQuiltSew

]]> http://handmadeartists.com/blog/taking-your-online-store-to-the-street-youve-been-accepted-now-what/feed/ 6 http://handmadeartists.com/blog/rasmussen-gems/ http://handmadeartists.com/blog/rasmussen-gems/#comments Tue, 08 May 2012 12:14:26 +0000 chainmaille http://handmadeartists.com/blog/?p=6956 John Atwell Rasmussen

I am John Rasmussen. I was born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, but we moved soon after that. My family lived in several different states because my father was transferred from assignment to assignment. As I grew up, I developed a love for geology and natural science. I have taught geology, then became a paramedic and started teaching emergency medical care. Now, I am retired and living in South Carolina for the past 27 years.  As I approached retirement, I started studying gemstones (gemmology) and their optical, physical and chemical properties.  I have also developed a desire to cut my own stones and then using the stone and its properties design a jewelry piece that is inspired by that stone.  I continue to learn about stones, and use this knowledge to produce gemstones, wire wrapped and silversmithed jewelry.  My art can be found at my Handmade Artists Shop.

By a slim, 2% margin, RiverRocksArts is the winner of $25 cash and a free shop for life on HandmadeArtists. Starting with a plastic water bottle, RiverRocksArts created a lovely pair of earrings.

Congratulations!

Using a random number generator, the commenter who wins this lovely necklace, handmade and donated by Uniqlets, Jewelry by Lisa and $25 in shop credit to spend in the shop or shops of their choice on HandmadeArtists is stweez.  Congratulations to you, too!

From all of us at HandmadeArtists, thanks to everyone who participated in this great contest!

Well it is easy to say that handmade artists are famous or infamous on not letting the paint dry. Well we didn’t on next contest is already in the works! LOL Blue Highways started off a series of weekly contests that will hopefully be ongoing for our Handmade Highlights feature recently added to Handmade Artists. For details on the next series of contests, you can read all about here on the forum.

By iKnitQuiltSew

Beverley Start was always surrounded by creativity thanks to her mom who loved both craft and music.  She currently lives in Kingston ON Canada with her girlfriend of 3 years and their furry kids.  She enjoys a quiet life writing, biking, playing guitar and coffee!  She found that as a tactile person, working with her hands was as natural as breathing; so much so that Beverly spent some time as a pastry chef at True Confections Dessert Restaurant in Vancouver BC!  She worked her magic on pastry and other confections much to the delight of her customers. Beverly also was a Plastics Research Technologist at Polymer Engineering Company…how do these two jobs work together?  Polymer clay artist!

Beverley loves the fact that clay can take on any shape or form or texture she is in the mood for.  The colors keep her eye fascinated and the results are amazing.  She did not set out on this path of poly clay artist but was given a necklace by a friend made of the stuff and she could not believe it.  After hours of YouTube videos she was off to buy clay for herself and Start’s Arts was born.

This talented artist jumped in with both feet after finding her passion for clay, selling right off the bat so that her customers could see the development of an artist as she learned and grew. Beverley sells her creations at a couple of local shops and loves to hear the praise for her growth from her customers.  She also sets up as local craft fairs so that she can get face to face feedback as well as seeing the look of awe when she explains that her treasures are not painted, but in fact created with colored clay!  There is something very rewarding about talking about your process and Beverley has turned it into an art.  She admits, however, that there is a downside to selling her treasures, and that is when she has to let a favorite piece go to its new home with its happy owner.  She admits getting attached to certain pieces as I’m sure most artists can understand.

Beverley is encouraging to all those that are thinking of joining us in selling their own handmade creations as advises them to jump into a local craft fair or two.  The face to face conversations will help you grow as an artist and provide much valuable feedback.  She also puts in a plug for joining a forum like the HandmadeArtists where feedback and encouragement from other creative people fuel the fire to create and help ground you when you are going in the wrong direction.

If you are new to Polymer Clay art or think you have seen it all, I will encourage you to check out what can come from this imaginative lady!  Think back to your younger days playing with clay and then check out what a talented artisan can do with it!  Start’s Arts is easily found on the HandmadeArtists as well as on Facebook, and Twitter.

I joined the Western South Carolina Gem and Mineral Society, Inc. which provided me with more motivation and a workshop for lapidary and jewelry making.  This began the second phase of my education in further work with gemstones.  I began lapidary, cutting cabochons and faceted stones (bought my own flat lap).  Once you have the stones, what do you do with them?  So, I started making jewelry, this started my venture into that venue and silversmithing.  About this time, my wife got interested in producing beaded pieces.  This is a perfect venue for her.  She is disabled and can design and make beaded necklaces, bracelets, etc. while sitting in her bed.

As the size of our inventory exceeded what we could send to family as presents; we established out shop online.  Handmade Artists presented the best investment.  After trying two other online shop sites, we settled on only having one shop.  We have had more contacts and sales through HA than any other venue.  You can find our shop here:  Rasmussen Gems and Jewelry LLC

We continue our exploration into the artistry of displaying our loves and passions through jewelry.  Designing pieces takes some time.  Each of our pieces is genuinely one of a kind.  We don’t use tutorials to duplicate someone else designs.  That is where we are now, we will continue to expand our knowledge and techniques.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with your first show being “tiny.” For your first venture out of cyberspace with your wares, staying local is a wonderful idea.  And maybe an actual ‘arts festival’ isn’t the best thing for you to do for your first show. Is there a church, community center, youth center in your town/city that has a bizarre? The fee is probably small (or even non-existent); you’d be dealing with ‘locals,’ and you won’t have to travel far.  Sometimes, just stepping out of the box a little bit is a big enough first step. You’ll gain the experience of dealing with live customers; you’ll be able to see what kind of attention you get with your craft; you can experiment with how you display your pieces.  A plus with this kind of event is that many of them are indoors – meaning you don’t need a canopy.  Another plus – most of these types of events are shorter… an afternoon or one short day. These events typically are not juried (anyone willing to pay the fee or simply show up is allowed to participate/display).

If you’ve determined that the demographics of your target market would not include the people in your backyard, and you’re ready to reach out and take the plunge into an actual arts & crafts festival, how do you find one? Word of mouth is an invaluable reference. If someone tells you, “you should do xxxx show; you’d do well there,” at least check out that show!

If you’re looking for a show cold, my personal opinion is that Festival Network Online is the “go to” website.  It’s incredibly easy to navigate.  You can click on their handy map and and off you go!  Or you can click the”Find Events” button and narrow your search to a specific city/state or by distance from your zip code.  But before you go searching, a terminology lesson is in order.

What Does “Juried” Mean?

This is a term that gets caught by every spell-checker, so it’s not in the dictionary.  But it’s incredibly important in the Arts & Crafts Show world.  A juried show means that not everyone who applies will be automatically accepted.  Each juried show will have different criteria to determine who gets in and who does not.  Perhaps the show is limited to specific types of pieces, say Fine Art.  Other shows jury to assure quality to their prospective patrons.  Most shows jury to limit the number of artisans in each acceptable category.  Many shows jury for a combination of these reasons, and each show is different.  Shows will explain in their description what their unique criteria is.

A non-juried show is one that anyone who pays can attend.  The show organizer is not controlling the mix or the quality of items which will be displayed; they are simply trying to fill up space.  This is not necessarily bad, but you need to be aware of it before you send in your fee.  Especially in popular categories (jewelry, pottery, etc.), if you choose a non-juried show, be prepared for lots of competition in your medium.  But if this non-juried show is in a neighborhood where you believe your target market is, it could be a perfect fit.

The Next Step

Are you ready?

Then search away!  Doing a first show is an overwhelming experience.  So picking a show that’s a week-long event 400 miles away probably isn’t the best plan.  You’ll probably be surprised how many shows there are within a 50-miles radius of your zip code.

Before You Send In Your Fee

Most shows will link to their own website where you can do additional research on the upcoming show and past shows.  Many of these events are “annual,” and historic photos/descriptions are valuable to you in getting the feel of the show.

If you’re convinced that ‘this is the one,’ restrain yourself from filling out the application form and writing that check.  Contact the organizer first.  Ask any question you can think of that’s not answered by their listings/website…  examples:  Is there cell service or wi-fi available at your event location?  Is there a campground near the event?  What are the demographics of show visitors?  Any question.  Why?  Because this will give you an opportunity to interact with the show organizers before they have your money.  Did you get a timely response?  Did your question get answered?  Was the response cryptic or conversational?  Did the answer have the feel to it that you were bothering them?

It’s been my experience that a well run show will have organizers who love what they’re doing.  You’ll get a quick response and encouragement to engage in further contact if you have more questions.  I am very leery of shows that can’t answer a simple question in a timely manner… a lesson I’ve learned from experience.  It’s just a small indication of how the rest of the show is being handled.

Before you drop that application in the mail, be sure that you have followed all of the directions.  Each show will have specific items they want with the application form.  Failure to include everything requested makes your application incomplete and not considered for inclusion in their show.  Some organizers may contact you to supply the missing items, but others will simply return it.  Don’t disqualify yourself.

CAUTION!

Just because you’ve done your homework, you’ve searched for and found the perfect fit show, and you’ve been accepted, there are no guarantees that you’ll make even one sale.  Getting people to open their wallets in person or online, many times, is completely out of your control.  You took a chance opening a shop online.  Doing a show in person is a business risk that could pay huge dividends or be a colossal flop.  But you’ll never know until you try!

Next in this series:  You’ve Been Accepted – Now What?

By iKnitQuiltSew

An amazing product and bright, clear pictures are just not enough for online selling…you still have to write a description that grabs your customer and demands attention.  Why then are so many artists leaving out this important step?  Do they not realize that the customer is not standing in a shop, holding the item in their hands, turning it over and judging the size and weight for themselves?  Would you buy a piece of art having no idea if it is a miniature for a dollhouse or a work that needs a room of its own for display?  Would you purchase a piece of jewelry with no idea of the length of the chain or the size of the focal bead?

When you sit down to list your products you must think like a customer.  The most important part of your description is the part that lets the customer know the “must have” information so that they can make an informed choice which greatly lessens the risk of buyers remorse coming back at you.  What would you want to know?

Size would be at the top of the list.  This pertains to any product on the web whether it is jewelry, clothing, artwork, cards, or soap.  Your customer will not be pleased if their purchase arrives and is smaller or larger than they had pictured.  Photos can be deceiving so measure your piece and give accurate information to your potential customer in both standard and metric sizes.  Don’t ask your buyer to try to convert for themselves…the more work they have to do the less likely they are to buy from you.

What about the weight of the piece?  You made it and are used to the way that it feels.  You created your art and understand that it is deceptively heavy or light.  Give them a weight if it affects the piece.  Do you make cards that require more than one stamp to mail?  Do you make earrings that are a bit on the heavy side?  Does your painting require special support to hang?  Your customer has a right to know this before buying and there will be much less chance of buyer’s remorse down the road.

Be sure your customer knows what materials are in your piece.  Many people that purchase jewelry have metal allergies and must avoid certain things.  Don’t claim a piece is sterling silver if it is really silver plated or silver art wire!  You will do no more than damage your reputation with that customer…and an unhappy customer will have no problem spreading the word about your deception.  Be honest about the stones you use.  If it is a real gemstone then highlight the fact!  Not only will your buyer know what they are buying, but it will often times explain the higher price.  If you are unsure of what the stones are, find out or admit it.  Don’t claim to be using Swarovski crystals if you actually using Czech crystals.  It won’t take you long to run into a customer that knows the difference and they will spread the word.

What else?  Well, that really depends on what you sell.  If you are a baker and are trying to convince people to buy your latest chocolate creation then ingredients are a must to avoid allergy problems.  If your kitchen is not peanut free then say so, and if it is, then use that information to attract customers dealing with food allergies.  What about licensing and professional kitchens?  You will instill confidence if you are honest about your product.  Pets?  Sometimes this would not matter, but if you are a textile artist and your cats have a tendency to nap on your fabric then it would matter to someone with a cat allergy!  These tidbits are really art specific, but stop yourself and think about your work space and home and be sure to include pertinent information in your descriptions.

Now comes the fun part…Personality!  You are an artist and you put a piece of yourself into every piece you create so why not let that shine through in your descriptions? There is a reason you create what you do; why not let your customers in on that information?  You are not a robot so don’t sound like one when you write about your piece.  Now, before I go any farther, please do not fall into the trap of writing so “artsy” that the customer does not even know what is for sale!  Long, rambling descriptions will turn off a customer before they get half way through so edit yourself if creative writing is your downfall.  Other than that one word of warning…have fun with it!  Tell people how you came up with this idea for such a unique piece of art or even a bit about the process.  Not only will they be amazed at the effort that goes into your piece, but they will be much less likely to balk at a higher price point if they understand the hours of labor to create this treasure!  Talk up your one of a kind work so that your buyers feels like they are buying more than a card/earrings/bag/soap and are buying a piece of handmade art.

Your product descriptions are more than just a bunch of words to fill up your page; they are an important part in a buyer’s decision to purchase from you or one of the other hundreds of sellers making similar items.  If you take the time to think like a buyer you will be better able to include important information so that your customer is not left with more questions than answers.  Try it for yourself?  Snoop around various handmade sites and randomly click on different items and read for yourself.  Be critical and ask yourself if you are getting all the information you need from this seller?  Ask yourself what is missing and be sure not to make the same mistake yourself.

Selling online and getting noticed among the millions of sites around the world takes work.  Once you are found by a potential buyer you don’t want to lose them due to lack of thought.  That few minutes you take to really write informative, fun, eye catching descriptions will pay off in sales so take the few moments it requires when listing your items and think like a customer.

Your entry must be made by you.
Your entry must include something that would be considered trash.

The goal is to make something out of trash and turn it into a treasure!
To enter, you need to post a picture of what you started with and a picture of the finished product.

The Winning Contestant will Recieve

The prize for the winning artist is $25 cash and a free shop for life here on Handmade Artists! And our artisans took this challenge seriously. Not only did they follow the rules to the letter, but they created some remarkable works of art! Now, it’s your turn to pick the winner!

Random Commentor will win:

One voter, chosen at random will win this beautiful necklace, custom made by Uniqlets, Jewelry By Lisa and $25.00 cash to spend on anything you want from the Handmade Artists’ Shop! All you have to do is vote, and then leave a comment that you’ve voted!  This piece is entitled, “Heart Handmade Artists Bubble Necklace,” and is handmade from vintage iridescent bubble beads from the 1940′s or 50′s.

Here are the entries, listed in the order they were submitted:

TRusk4U started with a tattered, stained melon-colored shirt, combined it with some black shank buttons to create a wrap bracelet.

DragonClaw started with various scrap metals including copper, stainless steel prongs and an old pot lid and created a pendant.

Jolene started with a box of old watch parts which were melted down to create beads.

Uniqlets, Jewelry by Lisa started with a pile of vintage shade pulls and created a necklace.

RiverRockArts began with an old plastic water bottle and some wire and created a pair of earrings.

ldkeesee started with drapery scrap and created a necklace/bracelet/earrings set.

SotocapMania started with plastic drinking straws, left-over fun fur yarn, and a barrette and created this hairpiece.

Gemlover took a broken cabochon and copper wire and created a bookmark.

MyEuropeanTouch started with a scratched/rusty silver tray and some broken plates and created this mosaic serving tray.

baisebeige started with a plastic bag, fiber thread, some lightweight silver-colored chain and discarded embroidery filaments and created a bracelet.

startsarts started with an old, dirty bottle and refurbished it to create a work of art.

So which one do you think is the winner?  You can vote in the poll below, and don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the drawing for the beautiful bubble necklace!

Voting ends Tuesday May 1st, 2012 Midnight EST

You must be registered to vote. If you do not have an account please take 2 seconds to sign up for a free buyers account! Thanks

I went to the Jewelry section of the Handmade Artists’ Shop and perused the first 12 or 13 pages of photos.

Just for kicks, I decided to show some of the ones I found striking, some of what caught my eye:

Now this has nothing to do with actual pieces I prefer or the idea that I might not like other pieces as much. I do. But these are the ones that were photographed in such a way that I actually had to do less work to notice and see them.

I’m a lazy shopper. I think many people are inherently lazy. We as sellers need to catch their eye or we’re a lost cause. No matter how much the Handmade Artists administration tweets and Facebooks and stumbles things, no matter how many cards we hand out, no matter how much we blog, no matter if we shout from the rooftops, no matter how many hits we get, if our photos don’t really show our wares well, no one’s going to be drawn in.

Take an example from a marketing giant: Coca-Cola. Good ol’ Coke. Look at these product photos:

Bold, bright, clear. Instantly, you know what they’re selling and you see nothing but.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with props accompanying products in photos. But they should make sense and not be distracting. I know for a fact I have one photo that doesn’t work as well as the others. Look at the difference between this:

Coffee Soap

and this:

Garden Party Soap

See?

Then, descriptions. I’ve seen so many items in the Handmade Artists’ Shop that have no description. Or descriptions of just a few words, a phrase or one sentence.  Short, non-descriptive descriptions are also incredibly frustrating for me. If I click on a photo, it’s because I’m interested in finding out more about the item. If there isn’t anything more to learn, I’m disappointed. And I click off the item. We both know I’m not the only one.

Descriptions that are misspelled and that use poor grammar also drive people crazy. It’s a turn-off. I honestly will be less inclined to frequent a shop with poor spelling and grammar than one that’s more professional. By the way, I’m fairly certain that misspelled words and poor grammar are bad for SEO, since search engines pick up the text in descriptions, and no one will find you if they’re properly spelling “silver” and you’ve got the typo “sliver.”

We are in business, people. Yes, we are creative, we’re artists, we’re crafters. But unless we’re just doing this for our own edification and our friends and family, we are in business. We can never forget that. There’s a reason advertising agencies can command the prices they do, as well as graphic artists, marketing companies, and branding specialists. It’s because they’re necessary and they work.

Most of us don’t have the money for that. We’re not Coke. We do, however, have tools at our disposal. We have cameras, maybe light tents and some decent lights. We can have some photo editing software, even something free like Gimp. Use what you have.

There’s a reason most product photographers use tricks of the trade to achieve the results they desire, even for something as simple and innocuous as supermarket circulars. Did you know that when you see a cooked turkey in a circular, the actual turkey being photographed has not been cooked? Cooking is too unpredictable. That turkey has been painted. Yes, painted.

Now, I’m not telling you to be deceptive about your products. I’m telling you that cropping a photo well to remove a distracting object in the background is a good idea. Using photo editing software is not unethical if you’re simply cleaning the dust off a velvet backdrop or making the colors in the photo more true to the actual object that’s sitting in your kitchen.

We are in business. That has to be in your head at all times. You know your work is wonderful. Probably everyone who comes into physical contact with it tells you the same thing. But on a website, no one’s right there, touching it, trying it on, smelling it, feeling it, examining it.  Their only contact is that tiny thumbnail in a sea of thumbnails. Make yours pop, draw the shopper in, and you’ll see an improvement. I’d bet on it.

Written by Reef Botanicals

Fran was always a creative soul, learning to crochet from her Grandmother at 5 years old. This creative spirit continued into high school when she was hired to make all the school’s choir performance outfits.  She has even pulled off the ultimate sewing coup and created several wedding dresses as well as the wedding party dresses for friends…now, why didn’t I have a friend like this when I was getting married?  Her gift of sewing and crochet, often making up her own pattern, has never left her and she continues to create wonderful keepsakes for babies of her friends and family.

Fran has also tried her hand at tatting, cross stitch, woodworking, and quilting; but fell head over heals for Polymer Clay.  She has created the most darling wedding cake toppers (again, where was she when I was getting married!) as well as Christmas ornaments.

Fran loves being surrounded by her huge family; 30 nieces and nephews as well as hundreds of cousins, since retiring from a government law enforcement agency.  While working, she even created a “crafting bunch” at work!  She started by bringing her work into lunch with her to work on during her break and soon after others followed along bringing whatever projects they were working on at the time.  Soon, the table would be covered by a variety of crafts coming together as they ate and chatted.

This talented lady’s retirement was a bittersweet event.  She shares that 18 months ago she was diagnosed with a rare form of bone marrow cancer and has been going through continued treatment with her family and 3 Long Haired Chihuahuas by her side.  This has not stopped Fran’s creative spirit by any means; instead she drags her craft supplies with her to Chemotherapy…even selling her treasures to nurses and patients!

Because of her illness, Fran is no longer able to deal with the stress and work of doing face to face selling at local craft fairs or working in her local crafter’s mall so she has joined us in online selling and the HandmadeArtists are thrilled to have her!  Fran says that her favorite part of selling her handmade creations is sharing her love with other people, and the hardest part is pricing her work!  She still is encouraging to others that want to break into the handmade marketplace themselves telling them to “take advantage of every opportunity to share links with other crafters and list your items everywhere you possibly can.” Fran admits that getting found in this vast market is not always easy, but it can be done and once a customer has a good experience with you, they will tell their friends and you are off and running.

Are you ready to see what this intensely talented lady with an amazing positive outlook on life can create given the chance?  Well, she is easy to find on the HandmadeArtists as well as on her own website.  She can also be found on Etsy and Artfire.

Mosaic Art with a Purpose

The primitive patterned designs of the early cone mosaics added a decorative element to the pillars of ancient buildings, but the cones served another purpose. In Ancient Mesopotamian Materials and Industries: The Archaeological Evidence (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1994), P. Roger S. Moorey—British archeologist and historian, specializing in the Ancient Near East—wrote, “At Urak, the decorative cone mosaics were particularly applied to free-standing columns and to walls with buttresses and recesses.”

In citing other resources, Moorey presents evidence that the mosaics were “patterned after rugs and mats hung as decoration on walls,” and that the decorations protected the walls from “wind and water erosion.” Moorey concludes that the cone mosaics, also found at other settlements in Mesopotamia, show that “the intimate relationship of protection and decoration is evident in most uses.”

Egyptian Glass

Small pieces of glass in mosaics were first used by the Egyptians during the New Kingdom (c. 1550 to 1069 B.C.). Very small pieces of dull-colored glass were used to make mosaic jewelry and mosaic stones. The stones were added to wall pieces and inlays, usually in funerary art. It wasn’t until the Roman Empire took control of Egypt in 31 B.C. that glass production would advance to a higher art form in Egypt. With an abundance of sand and soda, and with years of mastering the art, Egypt created much of the glass for the Roman nobles.

Pebble Mosaics and Tesserae

By the eighth century B.C., mosaics of random patterns were being assembled from black and white pebbles in Gordium (Gordion, Turkey). The pebble mosaics added art and design to an area and provided some protection during inclement weather. Six centuries later, mosaic floors—a precursor to the tile floors of today—were widespread among the Greek nobles. Smooth river rocks, with smaller pebbles used to fill in the gaps and create more detailed designs, were used to form floors and pathways. Mosaic art was further defined with the introduction of tesserae, pieces of stone and glass cut into small squares. These mosaic tiles of small uniform pieces made it much easier to create intricate designs.

Mosaic Art of the Roman Empire

As the Roman Empire expanded, mosaic art grew with it. The mosaics at Pompeii are an excellent example of the styles and types of designs the Romans preferred. Marble tiles became a popular choice for floor mosaics and styles ranged from geometric patterns to bucolic scenes. An excavation in Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) revealed one of the largest collections of mosaic floors from the second century A.D. Many are on display at the Hatay Archaeological Museum in Antakya.

Byzantine and Italian Mosaics

By the late fifth century, with the fall of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire came into power. With a surge in Christianity, mosaic art turned to religious subjects and the walls of churches, temples, and palaces displayed colorful intricate designs made with smalti, deeply colored glass tiles with uneven surfaces. Smalti were also made with gold and silver leaf, layered between two pieces of glass. While other tesserae were also used, with smalti, the variety of colors and the luster of gold or silver added another dimension to mosaic art.

During the sixth century, under Emperor Justinian’s rule, the Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy, was built with most of its walls and ceiling covered with mosaic art. The town has many other exceptional examples of Byzantine mosaic art and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Rome and Venice are other towns in Italy with excellent examples of mosaic art. The art was popular throughout Italy during the late middle ages.

Historic Multicultural Mosaic Art

Mosaic art has a long and varied history, and although it was widely popular in Europe and the Near East, examples of ancient mosaics have been uncovered in China and South America. Mosaics served a purpose of protecting walls and floors from wind and water, as well as adding a decorative element With each advancing civilization, mosaic art advanced with it—from clay stones to colored glass, from smooth river rocks to tesserae and smalti. Today, mosaic art has become even more specialized with varied materials combined in a blending of artistic interpretation.

My Handmade Mosaic’s

Done in what is called Pique Assiette, which comes from the French language, meaning literally translated “stolen from a plate”. However I have never, ever used a new plate rim, all my mosaics are made from already damaged china plate rims, broken, scratched, cracked, with flea bites, enhanced with colored stained glass and other pretty’s, vintage broken jewels and baubles, handmade clay roses, pearls and such.

Monika of Myeuropeantouch

The weather’s turning nicer all the time; summer is coming! You think, “I’ve been to all these arts and crafts festivals and everyone seems to do so well. I should do an arts and crafts show – after all, my things are just as good – no, better – than those other people. I’ll make a killing!”

Whoa!!! There are lots of things to consider before your send in that first check for your very first street show.  To get the most return on your investment in yourself (your booth fee), here are some things to consider:

1.  What’s your inventory worth?  Seriously!  At your asking price, if you have a complete sell out, how much money would be in your pocket?  A couple hundred dollars?  A couple thousand?  This figure is going to have a huge impact on what you’re willing to pay for a booth.  If your total inventory is worth $500, you’re not going to want to pay a $475 booth fee.  There’s no guarantee that you’ll sell anything at an arts and crafts festival.  I’ve found a good rule of thumb is 10% of what I have on hand is the maximum you want to pay for a booth.

2.  What are the demographics of your target market?  You could spend boatloads of time and/or huge amounts of money doing market research to determine that your buyers are going to be 25 -50 year old single adults with a median income of $150,000 a year.  But you’re an artist, not a demographer!  You should have a really good idea of who wants your products.  Here’s your starting point…  who are you?  I would hope what you’re making appeals to you!  You’re a certain age/gender/income.  Your product probably appeals to other people in that same group or one very similar.  Maybe you’re the right age and gender, but honestly, you couldn’t afford to buy your pieces.  Consider how that group might expand to the general population.  Just by thinking about your creations objectively, you can get a pretty good idea of the demographics of your prospective buyers.

3.  Do you already  own or can you afford to acquire tables, displays and a canopy?  There are lots of shows that don’t require a canopy, but exhibiting without one leaves you completely vulnerable to the elements (wind, rain, blistering heat).  If you don’t own them, could you borrow or rent them?  Shows typically do not supply any of these items and you certainly don’t want to throw a blanket on the lawn and call it good!

4.  Do you have a way to move all of your items and equipment from where it is now to the show location?  All of those beautiful stained glass lamps you make may not fit in your Mini Cooper!

5.  Are you physically able to put in one or more incredibly long days by yourself?  Each show’s hours of operation will be different.  For conversation sake, let’s say you want to do a two-day show that’s open 9 AM – 7 PM daily.  You’ll need to arrive at the location at least 2 hours early on the first day to set up your booth, so your first day will actually be 7AM – 7PM or twelve hours.  Day 2, you’ll be able to arrive later, but at 7PM you will need to pack all your remaining items, collapse all your displays, and travel home.  In a total of 36 hours time, you will work at least 24 of those hours.

Fused Glass artist Robert McLeod at the 2011 Cedar City Summer Arts Festival

6.  Do you have some expense money available to purchase supplies such as bags and business cards?

Are you completely discouraged?  I really hope not!  By the time you get through this list, you will know what your ceiling is on the booth fee, what your target market looks like, how you’re going to display your items, how you’re going to transport them, and how much of a show you’d like to try.  Maybe you’ve even recruited a friend to take on this adventure with you!

My next article will discuss taking all this information and picking a show just right for you.

By iKnitQuiltSew

My mediums are yarn and fabric, occasionally both at the same time.  My great-grandmother and grandmother taught me to knit when I was perhaps 5.  In fact, to this day, I knit on my grandmother’s needles! I started making fabric toys, specifically rag dolls and teddy bears, when I became ‘mom’ and finances prohibited store-bought toys for my kids.

I didn’t begin quilting until the last of my children was nearly grown.  I didn’t have a clue how to make a quilt, but was driven to learn.  The internet didn’t exist back then, so it was the school of trial and error and whatever books I could find at the local library.

I’ve always, always, quilted by hand.  It’s the tedious, wonderful part of making my quilts when they come to life.  My quilting is never regular or repetitive; it serves to bring up dimensions and textures, and is probably my favorite part of the entire process.

My dolls have taken on a life of their own.  While I think I am making toys, the great majority of my dolls have been purchased by adults for themselves or other adults.  I have a friend, who is a seasoned art collector, who tells me I’ve broken into the “folk art market.”  There’s that word again…

Until February of 2010, all of the things I made were for practical purposes or for gifts.  After years of hearing, “you should sell these,” I finally took the plunge and opened a shop on the internet.  In just two short years, I feel incredibly blessed and lucky to have a small and encouraging following that does nothing but make me even more compulsive to pursue what I truly love.

I quilt on a handmade quilt frame, lovingly designed and built by my amazing husband after he got tired of watching me stabilize quilts under furniture in the middle of the living room!  Our children are grown and scattered all over the country and our grandchildren are following suit.  We share our home these days with my family of handmade toys and quilts and a 9-pound mutt named Rose.

This is my story….

A few weeks ago, I received a message from a client requesting a pair of simple earrings to match the bracelet she purchased. Without hesitation, I agreed to make a pair for her and she knew I did not offer earrings in my shop, nor was it my specialty.

Later that same day, I sent her an email letting her know I shipped her bracelet, along with a few pictures of the earrings. She liked them, they were exactly the length she was looking for and she couldn’t wait until her package arrived.

‘The next week the same customer sent me an email, stating how she loved her bracelet, and the earrings. She has received all kinds of compliments, which made her feel terrific and she was very pleased with everything.

The question was… Why do you create?  I create to share the joy, the excitement, and hopefully bring a smile to someone’s face. Not only for a day or a week but also for years to come.  Even now, I think about how excited she was and I begin to smile.

⌘⌘⌘⌘ ⌘⌘⌘⌘ ⌘⌘⌘⌘

Handmade Artists create for different reasons. Some feel compelled, some for a loved one, some to inspire others, some create only on the weekends, and some… well just because.  Whatever your reason is, everyone has his or her own unique story.  Now I am going to ask the question… Why do you create? Leave a comment below and share your story with us.

Thank you for visiting and have an inspirational day.  Cari

I also wrote a post on my blog about this article click HERE to read my blog!

Check out these tips for more inspiration.

 Written by Cari Baker aka CrochetHooked

By Beverley Start

As an artist the question I get asked the most is “Where do you get your inspiration?” I always spend lots of time surfing the interweb, perusing the library shelves, and searching anywhere really for that ever-elusive “hit” of inspiration.

I usually don’t have to surf that far to find loads and loads of videos, images, and stories that make ideas come to mind and get my wheels chugging. When they do I keep them in my mental list of “possible projects for the future”. I guess it could be considered inspiration when that happens but honestly for me it’s not that. What I call Inspiration is something that makes me feel humbled by the skill level, excited by the color palette, emotional by the subject matter, and that allows me to feel close to the artist. I’m moved, quite literally at times when inspiration hits and I want to get to work right away before the hit wears off.

Inspiration like this must be shared! So, for those of you who are already familiar with his work, it’s always nice to see it again. And for those who aren’t, may I introduce you to Polymer Clay Sculptor, Jon Anderson. Enjoy!

You have until 6 pm EST on April 2nd to enter. All you need to do is comment on her blog. So take a peak and  good luck!

We at the Handmade Artists’ Shop love doing these giveaways as we truly want the help up and coming artists to be successful. Not having to deal with the overhead of a shop, is just one less thing to worry about. Granted $5.00 a month is not much, but still free is always better. So good luck again, and we look forward to meeting our latest free shop winner next week.

Linda as always a creative person who has always had her hands in something.  Her mother taught her to crochet and she quickly created an abundance of pot holders, scarves, leg warmers and even a dog sweater-while she claims it wasn’t the prettiest dog sweater around it was wearable which is better than I could do!  She advanced to afghans and then added cross-stitch, knitting, sewing, latch work, acrylic and oil painting and woodworking which held her attention for quite some time…over 20 years in fact!

When Linda is not up to her elbows in crafts, she works for Homeland Security and spends time with her family.  She is a wife and mother of 2 and grandmother of 4.  I have a feeling if her husband wants to see her he probably has to visit her in her craft room!  When he does get her away from her creations, she loves to play outdoors whether it is hiking, gardening or working on remodeling their home.  She even claims to have two “non-yapping”Chihuahuamixes…though that I would have to see to believe.

With this busy schedule and an ever growing collection of jewelry, Linda quickly found that she would have to start selling and MixedKreations was born.  She set out to do a few craft shows, but with time constraints found that may not be the best way to get her name out there.  She still plans on doing a few, but hopes to make her primary living selling online.  She spent hours building her own website and is experimenting with various venues to get herself and her work seen.  She admits that it has been a learning process far beyond creating beautiful things…marketing, photography, and social networking are not comfortable places for Linda; but if she is one thing she is persistent!  She has joined us on HandmadeArtists and become an important part of our community…in her words, “I feel like I’m not alone anymore.”

Linda loves it when that perfect buyer finds that perfect treasure; almost like someone else has a piece of you that they will enjoy wearing as much as she enjoyed creating it.  Her dream would be to eventually do her jewelry art full time.  Her advice, based on her own growing experience, to anyone that want to jump into a handcrafted business is to stop and think real hard…are they willing to put in long hours on creating as well as marketing?  If so, research, research, research!  See what others are doing and make yours better!  Read everything you can get your hands on about SEO, marketing, social networking, branding, etc.  This is not for the faint of heart and the hours can take their toll, but the rewards are so worth it.

So are you ready to see what this talented lady that began with a dog sweater and moved into amazing jewelry can create?  Well, she is easy to find on HandmadeArtists of course and there is plenty to read and drool over on her own Website.  Linda can also be found on Twitter and LinkedIn as well as StumbleUpon as well as follow her on FaceBook.  Linda has submitted a few articles and even written some tutorials…I told you she was busy!

We all know commitments are important, But do you realize just how important they are to your future integrity as an artist and entrepreneur?  If you promise a customer a piece will ship and should arrive next Friday, when Friday comes and goes and no package how many times can you make an excuse before it escalated and you had to refund the money? Now you lost a sale and all future business from that customer.  And I would bet they would tell their story to anyone that would listen, that’s  not a way to win in this competitive marketplace.

I am writing the post because I committed to be a regular contributor to the Handmade Artist Blog. The wonderful founders of this terrific site are way overworked and asked for writers. They are smart enough to know this has grown so large and at such a fast pace they can’t do it all.  I am committed to writing two posts a month and I don’t want to let them  or myself down.Shows are a huge commitment!  If you show up unprepared with  ill done art jewelry do you think you will be asked to return?

I think as entrepreneurs we need to stop, take a breath, and  ask ourselves if we can do everything we are committing to in a timely manner and with excellence, before we take on more.

We owe it to ourselves to meet our obligations. If we don’t we can only blame ourselves if we feel stressed and overworked. My paycheck depends on my willingness to meet my deadlines. If I don’t show up for an art show my entry fees are lost,no refunds. And I miss an opportunity to sell my art. Not to mention the negative feedback hurts my credibility. In our high tech world word spreads fast. Remember you can’t pay at the grocery store or the utility company with good intentions.

I know it’s hard, but be good to yourself, don’t let yourself get over extended and stressed out. You will not help anyone if you don’t follow through. No one does their best work when they are stressed. I owe myself and my customers my very best, don’t you? Now, I better get busy:)

I will be creating lots of original pieces like these to take to the art shows. These are past works, all sold or gifted. If you would like to see more of my work please visit my HAS shop Nancy’s WildWireArt

Thanks for visiting our blog!

Nancy Pace

Shelley’s creativity and love of pretty objects only grew from there.  She eventually became a pastry chef creating beautiful eatable things!  The only problem with this plan was that she loved to taste her creations (you know quality control!) and loved what she tasted, so she kept on tasting.  This love of pastry resulted in massive weight gain over time.  Realizing that she had to make a change in her life, Shelley left the pastry industry and managed to lose an impressive 100 pounds which she has kept off since the 80’s, never to return in her own words.

Shelley could not leave her creative streak behind, so she made the leap and began working in art full time.  She was lucky enough to study jewelry design with famous stained glass artist Kay Bain Weiner which led to a one woman show at a prestigious Frenchtown,New Jerseygallery.  Shelley also works in oils, pastels, watercolors, pencil, and ink…but nothing has gotten her blood pumping like jewelry.  Guess you can’t take that love of shiny gemstones away!  She is currently adding to her repertoire by getting back into silver smithing so that she can incorporate even more creative elements into her work.

Shelley is a widow with two grown children whom she is very proud of.  She could not leave food behind forever, and still enjoys cooking when she gets the chance and reads anything she can get her hands on, when she is not busy creating beautiful one of a kind pieces of wearable art that is.

This talented lady is not a snob about her own work and readily admits that seeing others creation’s prompts her to create and push herself.  The advice that she would give to another person trying to work in art full time is that you must love what you do, and it will never feel like work and warns that if you don’t love getting involved with people then this may not be the business for you.  The only problem that Shelley has really run into with her passion is that she doesn’t want to part with her creations!  She has found that craft shows really aren’t for her and find fulfillment in online selling.

So, are you ready to feast your eyes on what a former pastry chef turned jewelry designer can create?  Well, Shelley is easy to find on HandmadeArtists.com as well as her own website.  You can also see her creations on Etsy, ArtFire, and Ebay.

He raised his head and looked at me and smiled. “Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for asking,” he said in a clear strong voice.
“I didn’t mean to disturb you, Grandpa, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK,” I explained to him.
“Have you ever looked at your hands,” he asked. “I mean really looked at your hands?”
I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making.
Grandpa smiled and related this story:
“Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled, and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. The made numerous usefull, functional or pretty things in my life. They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son.
Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.
They trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse and walked my daughter down the aisle. They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw.
And to this day, when not much of anything else of me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer. These hands are the mark of where I’ve been and the ruggedness of my life.
But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home.
And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ.”
I will never look at my hands the same again. I remember the day that God reached out and took my grandpa’s hands and led him home.

When my hands are hurt or sore from cutting china plate rims and glass I think of Grandpa. I know he has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.

I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face, one of these days.

Monika of Mosaic Art by Myeuropeantouch

http://handmadeartists.com/shop/Myeuropeantouch

I’ll be enjoying one of those afternoons where I will be cruising the internet and finding inspiration again and again, meeting new artists, and just loving the access we have these days because we’re all online. I mean, it’s such a wonderful thing that we can interact with artists across the world and experience them and their handcrafted art right in our own shops, or homes,  or studios. Anyway, so there I am cruising along and having the most glorious fulfilling experiences when *BOOM* I view an advertisement for handmade polymer clay buttons at the amazingly low price of $.03 each, shipped free anywhere…and my happy cruise totally crashes when it hits me that I could never afford to make them this cheap and even worse, if I could I’d surely be a slave to my art.

I began to wonder if I was nuts. I mean, if someone can buy handmade polymer clay buttons online for just cents, why on earth would they pay dollars for mine?

Well after much tortured thought the answer suddenly and gently came to me…because mine are unique. It sounds so simple but it’s true. It was easy to figure out how they can mass produce these handmade buttons. The canes are most likely HUGE, the clay is probably purchased in large quantities more inexpensively, and chances are they are made in an assembly line style. Now in my books there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s quite efficient and everyone wins but it’s a whole lot of the same flower button design, for example.

For some buttons I make small canes and from each one I get roughly 8-16 buttons. I take my time to design them and enjoy the infinite possibilities. I love to create the canes and each button is hand sliced with a razor, hand smoothed, and molded to shape and size.

When I make character buttons like the cute owls shown in the image below, some details like the eyes and wings are made from canes and the rest is hand-sculpted. Then each button hole is gently poked through, one at a time.

Some of the buttons that I create are patterned on top like these yummy raspberry ones in the image to the right.  I even use my own handmade patterned imprints from polymer clay instead of buying and using the silicone ones that are sold at the craft stores.My colors are mostly hand mixed and I’ll even add pearl powders occasionally to give them a special shimmer in the light.

Best of all is that my designs change and are updated very regularly. Don’t worry though if you like something you’ve seen a while back because I’m sure I could reproduce something very similar you’d equally enjoy.  I love custom orders too and will work with anyone who wants something special.

Now this doesn’t mean that you don’t buy the mass produced buttons. I say “Shop away!” because that’s an unbelievable deal but when you’re looking for something special that will add that unique and perhaps special or personal touch, I’m your gal!

Oh, one more thing…Start’s Arts has free shipping too:) Bam!

Born and raised in Germany, I have been an artist all my life and worked with a lot of different mediums; been a mosaic artist for 9 years now. I specialize in doing mosaics using a style referred to as “Pique Assiette or Tesserae” This process involves transforming vintage china/porcelain plates into artistic designs that are always one of a kind and my own.

About me, the Artist: Growing up in Germany shortly after WWII; watching my parents re-use, re-cycle, re-invent – my involvement in the arts developed very early at about 5 years of age. Trying to make new candles from candle stumps – melting them on my little doll cooking stove, using simple yarn for candle wicks; (almost burned the house down) clothing my dolls by sewing, crocheting, knitting and cross stitch. Creating clay vases, paint and draw in my family’s home in Germany to now creating/working in my home in Florida. My interests and talents have evolved over time. Any type of art has been a constant presence in my life.

After all this experimenting with my very diverse talents I have grown into and have a very addictive desire to create MOSAIC, done from precise cut/nipped vintage fine bone china/porcelain plates, paired with stained glass mosaic, vintage jewelry and other tidbits and baubles. My tools are Glass Nippers, Wheeled Cutters, Glue, Grout and Sealer; sometimes paint. I create from my thoughts, feelings and inspirations around me. I reclaim/re-invent unwanted items from various sources and breathe new life/usefulness in them, create functional, fabulous, or whimsy Mosaic Art. Never having attended a class/course for mosaic I can be called self taught. Every new piece I create is a discovery and revelation for me. I have sold many pieces of my mosaic art since I started 8 years ago. Some of my works are also displayed locally, including being invited and voted to be the Visual Artist at our Classical Concert Series. On commissioned Mosaic Art I always work with the client and involve them in “Their” Art Piece. I invite you to have a closer look, please, as I do use precise cut, nipped bone china porcelain plates that otherwise would have been dispersed off and give it a new life in form of a mosaic art piece. I have sold and shipped all over the world, Hong Kong, Australia, Bahrain, Great Britain to name a few. And of course all over the United States.

Myeuropeantouch

No, you do not need a million dollar camera to take your pictures with…though wouldn’t it be fun to have?  Most digital cameras today come with a macro setting on them.  What is this?  Well, first of all it is usually symbolized by a little tulip flower.  When you have this setting on, your camera is looking for small details on close up objects rather than grand landscapes to photograph.  The result is that all those glorious details in your handmade creation are captured.  Now, this is a wonderful thing to show off your talents, but please check your pictures!  That little setting will also pick up any imperfections, lint, fingerprints that are in view; little things that you may not have noticed when you were creating or setting up your shot that will be glaringly obvious to buyers.  I don’t know how many times I’ve missed closing a ring just right or a small piece of lint on my display piece only to have it glaring at me from my computer screen when I upload my images.

Are you ready to stage your shot?  Great!  What background, what color, what props?  Well, that is totally up to you and a great way to show your individual personality, but there are a few good rules of thumb to remember.  Keep in mind that you want your product to be front and center in the buyer’s eyes.  Busy, patterned backgrounds may be beautiful on their own, but does your treasure get lost in it?  Save that fun, multicolored paper covered in shooting stars for a beautiful card and chose something a bit more subdued for your product pictures.  Same goes with props, while you may love that bright orange flower, does your product really show up in all its glory or is it competing with the prop?  Take a critical look at your images.  Close your eyes and open them to your image.  What is the first thing your eye sees?  Is it your product or your background or your props?  If it is not your creation then maybe you should rethink how you stage your pictures.

One thing that has helped me with my images (and trust me, I have a long way to go!) is by looking at other’s product pictures.  I happily scroll through hundreds of pages on various handmade websites and rather than dreaming of owning that darling pair of earrings I let me eye wander the page and take note of where my eyes land.  What is it about the image that caught my attention?  Just as important, what is it about the others that made my eye not even take notice.  I am in no way telling anyone to copy another’s staging, but doing this will give you a better idea of what to do, or not do, to best show off your work from a buyer’s perspective.  Check out high end shops that sell similar products to yours and take note of how they photograph their pieces.  Would Tiffany’s stage their stunning jewelry on an old quilt?

Finally…editing.  Most, if not all, photos will need a bit of work to make them truly memorable.  This can range from cropping out a bit of background so that your treasure is front and center to brightening an image or adding more contrast.  Many computers and cameras have some form of editing software such as Microsoft picture which you can do basic operations such as cropping and basic fixes.  If you want much more editing freedom for your pictures, you can use a free program such as Picasa or a purchased program like Photoshop and really go to town with changing backgrounds, colors, lighting, etc.  No matter what software you use, the most important thing to keep in mind is that your handmade treasure be shown in its best light to catch a customer’s eye.  Stay true to your piece.  If the background on the card is a soft purple, please do not edit it to make it a dark violet!  Your customer will not be happy if the piece he receives is entirely different from the one he saw online.

The most important thing to remember is all of this is to think like a customer.  If you were shopping around online would your creation stand out to a buyer?  Would your pictures catch your eye as special?  Take a close look at your images and forget that they are yours…what do you see and what can you do better?