Selling my handmade jewelry: getting my name out

One of the most important things that I'm doing in setting up my jewelry business is getting my name out. Word of mouth pays off and I want to make sure that people remember Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations. Obviously, this blog is a way to put my name out there and I also include business cards in all of my packages.

Well, today I took a little risk in getting my name out and so far, it was worth it. As you know, I've been working on making a professional looking jewellery catalogue so that I can sell my pieces to stores at wholesale prices. I'm not yet done with the catalogue as we unfortunately had a family emergency and things are on hold. However, I don't want to sit idle, either.

After meeting girlfriends for lunch at South Street Seaport in New York City, we went shopping in the waterside mall. We stopped in a boutique-type store that had little statues, bags and costume jewelry. I purchased a bag and my friend got a beach hat. On a whim, I then asked the owner if he ever accepts work from local artists. I gave a brief description of my jewelry and he was really interested! He gave me his business card, as well as all three of his e-mails and told me to contact him when my catalogue is put together.

I know that I was advised to not approach store owners; that I should instead e-mail them with the line sheets, but I didn't think that it would hurt to give this guy my name -- and it didn't. He was so friendly and open to the idea of selling my work. This obviously won't guarantee that he'll buy anything from me once he sees my inventory, but it did give me some confidence. And I do think that my stuff would fit right in with this store, which sells jewelry in the $20 range.

I don't know what will happen with this store, but I'm glad that I at least made an effort to get some sales going. It will be so exciting, though, if my work ends up at South Street Seaport!

To purchase my jewellery, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewelry, head to MayaGirl Creations.

Craft Fair Etiquette

This past weekend, I sold my goods at the Farmingdale Street Fair. There was a large crowd, but it was hot as hell and we stupidly didn't bring a tent. Still, I made a few sales and many complimented my work. That's always nice to hear, even if those people didn't buy anything.

Unfortunately, I encountered many rude and annoying people during this particular fair. There was the one woman who broke a bracelet after trying to put it on without unclasping it first. Don't do that! Ask the vendor for help if you're not sure how to wear a piece. I should've charged her, but decided ton not make a scene. Luckily, I had my tools on hand so I could fix it.

Another woman tried on a necklace that had an obvious pendant, then placed it back on the display upside-down. Again, ask for help or take the time to think. It's jewelry, not rocket science.

I'm sorry if I sound so crabby because I really do appreciate every sale I make. But you have to understand that it takes hours for me to construct these pieces. I don't just assemble ready-made parts; I try to make everything from the chain to the jumprings to the clasp.

Next time you attend a craft fair, be mindful of the vendor and think about how much work went into their merchandise. Please make sure that you treat them -- and their goods -- with respect.

To buy my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs.

Etsy Mini Shop

Etsy has a cool widget where sellers can preview their shops on a blog. So I'm trying it out. Here's a peek at my Etsy items:

Silver bracelet with crystals and spirals

First up, good news! I made my first sale online! Now I hope the purchaser likes my item and wears it well. While it's nice to make money from online ventures, honestly, I'm not planning to be a millionaire (though that would be nice). It's more about the idea of people willing to pay me for my art. It's flattering when people want to buy your work and then show it off.

And now on to today's featured item ... my silver geometric bracelet with crystals and spirals. I'm not sure where I got the idea for this, but I wanted to make something unique and funky. At the time, I was playing around with different shapes and wanted to see how they could be combined. I twisted wire into a spiral and triangle design and liked how it looked, so I made some more links, added some crystals and voila! This bracelet was born.

One of the things about jewelry that can be so overwhelming is that there are SO many possibilities. Whenever I see beads I like, I get a million ideas about what to do with them. This is why I'm always challenging myself to make unusual designs and use odd color combos. I want to push the envelope a bit with my jewelry and I think I succeeded with this bracelet.

To buy my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.

Silver Wire And Paua Shell Bracelet

When I was younger, I used to love collecting shells on the beach. Unfortunately, the shells in New York weren't the most interesting. One summer we went to Florida, though, and the shells there were amazing! They came in shapes and colors like I'd never seen; they almost didn't seem real.

These days, I still have a love of shells and the sea so when I saw these beautiful paua shell squares, I just had to get them. I wanted to create a piece of jewelry that showcased the shells, rather than blending them in with a bunch of other beads. I'd originally planned to make a cuff bracelet, but didn't like how it was coming out. Instead I opted for this simple design which alternates handmade silver wire squares with the paua shells. I feel like the silver and multi-colored shells look good together and the square design frames the beads. The spiral nature of the squares plays upon the natural spiral which forms within many shells.

I've been trying to experiment with different gauges of wire and I liked this gauge, 16, very much. It wasn't too hard, but was tough enough that the squares have depth. I have enough leftover shell beads to make a matching necklace, as well.

For more of my jewelry, head to www.etsy.com/shop/naomirabinowitz

Welcome To Naomi's Designs!

Welcome to my online jewelry blog, Naomi's Designs. In each entry, I'll give the details on one of my handmade jewelry pieces. I mainly work with wire, though I also love beads and crystals.

I've always loved making arts and crafts, but have spent most of my adult years writing and making music. However, I broke my leg a while ago and needed something to do with my time. That's when I discovered jewelry making. I instantly fell in love and have been doing it ever since.

Though I enjoy stringing beads, I like working with wire because you can create the entire piece from scratch. Part of the fun of wire work is constructing the piece and figuring out how to align everything in order to make the strongest and most aesthestically pleasing design. I like that challenge and am always trying to learn new techniques. I've been on a bangle bracelet-making kick lately, but am eager to work with poly and metal clay. That'll open a whole new world of design for me.

Please check back with this blog often to see my latest creations! And check out my Etsy site http://www.etsy.com/shop/Naomirabinowitz