ONE OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS I GET ASKED IS "DID YOU MAKE THIS"?
The answer to this question is really a, "yes" and "no", to most of the items we have for sale.
For instance, I don't make crystal beads - I just use them to make bracelets or necklaces. I also don't hammer out the metal or make the natural natural semiprecious gemstones. I just use them to make earrings and anklets. I don't make metal finger rings or sterling silver neck chains. So what is a home or hand crafted item and what is a buy and sell item?
If my wife or I was involved in the production of the final product for sale then I think of those goods as home crafted or hand crafted; Whereas buy and sell goods are items that we have basically bought for resale.
Assembled items are hand crafted items, if you have purchased the components to make a new product and have assembled them in a novel way. Many of our pendant necklaces are hand crafted because we buy the focal bead, (the pendant), the bale, (silver tone, sterling silver, or silver plated), the neck chain, (fabric voile, leather, sterling silver, whatever) . We then assemble the components.
Voila - we have a beautiful pendant necklace. Usually this process takes a lot of time looking for and then buying the matching components whereas the actual assembly is a straight forward, easy task.
However beading is far more complex. Many of our earrings, bracelets and necklaces, contain several components and then we have to bead them in such a way that they are appealing to the buying public. A three stranded bracelet using Swarovski crystal or a double stranded necklace using Mother of Pearls beads is far more complicated than just assembling an pendant necklace.
Added to that is the fact that skilled workmanship is required (like in earrings) to bend over metal eye or head pins and/or attaching clasps on necklaces. To do a good job -
time - is the main cost of production. Time has an impact on everything we handle. Sad to say we cannot charge for all of our jewelry making time. We are constantly told our jewelry looks lovely, but it is over priced, - because people compare our jewelry to the jewelry they can buy from India, China, Thailand or Malaysia. People don't stop and consider the different wage rates and cost of living between our county and countries such as these.
Our overall aim in providing jewelry to you is that it is a hobby first and foremost. I get a lot of enjoyment from presenting and displaying both my creations and the jewelry I think looks lovely. Secondly I want to find jewelry that makes you look good and makes you feel good too. So with these two thoughts I am always concerned about competition, but I will more or less follow my own path with your purchases always being the main indicator as to how well I am accomplishing my mission.
So Thanks for looking at my blog. I have enjoyed putting up the pictures on the net for you to view. If you feel so inclined, please don't be shy in leaving me a comment. Thanks again.
To make life simple for you - the reader of this blog. I have put a (HC) for hand or home crafted items and a (B&S) for buy and sell items.
This is a turtle, a yellow turtle.
I got serious here and actually made a few beads. Then I strung them together and it could be called a necklace. My very first from Polymer Clay.
Whatever I can do, my wife can do better. Nothing else needs to be said except this is her very first time too. I thought she did a very nice necklace.
Beautiful Natural Jasper Necklace Approx 19" Asking $79 (HC)
Pandora style beads on elasticized wire (informal bracelet), Double stranded Dyed natural Chinese turquoise bracelet (HC)
Feminine light pink Natural Rose Quartz (Double stranded) Necklace Approx 19" Asking $89 (HC)
(On black background) Feminine light pink Natural Rose Quartz (Double stranded) Necklace Approx 19" Asking $89 (HC)
Swarovski single stranded 8mm crystal bracelet; Rose Quartz double stranded bracelet
Light pink Swarovski bicone 6mm crystals; (Partial Embroidered) Necklace Approx 19" Asking $75 (HC)
2 Bracelets, one natural turquoise, one dyed Howlite - Right - Individual dyed Howlite beaded bracelets; Left, Single stranded natural Chinese turquoise Approx 7.5 inches on elasticized wire
Ceramic, Crystal and Natural Carnelian beaded necklace Approx 19" Asking $59 (HC)
Opal and crystal bracelet; Double stranded natural Chinese turquoise (LOL Reconstituted Turquoise, made from crushed natural turquoise semi-precious materials)
Swarovski bicone 8mm crystal Necklace Approx 19" Asking $89 (HC)
Woven crystal bracelet; Woven amethyst and crystal bracelet (B&S)
Swarovski bicone 8, and 12 mm, crystal Necklace Approx 19" Asking $89 (HC)
Beautiful Natural Turquoise Necklace Approx 19" Asking $79 (HC)
Mainly 8mm Swarovski crystals with natural crazy lace agate Necklace Approx 19" Asking $115 (HC) (5 super humungus Swarovski crystals at the focal point. )
Genuine Mother of Pearl Necklace Approx 19" Asking $59 (HC)
Natural Black Onyx with two toned black/gray agate Necklace Approx 19" Asking $129 (HC)
Breathless Natural and Beautiful - Tiger Eye Necklace Approx 19" Asking $129 (HC)
Swarovski crystal with Sterling Silver Spacers - Closure: will stretch, elasticized, Approx 7.5" Asking $35 (HC)
Ceramic beaded bracelet. Beautiful colors. - Bracelet measures approx. 7.5" Closure - Will stretch, elasticized - Asking $15. (HC)
Imitation or Faux pearls. Uniform rounded pearls with excellent color - Bracelet measures approx. 7/8" Closure - Lobster claw style - Asking $15. (B&S)
Pandora Style bracelet. Some beads are .925 silver core. Beautiful colors - Bracelet measures approx. 8" Closure - Lobster claw style - Asking $49. (HC)
Sterling Silver Plated C wrist bracelet - Bracelet measures approx. 7-8" Closure - Wrap around wrist, by pinching or bending Asking $30 (B&S)
Natural agate beads. Beautiful black and white colors - Bracelet measures approx. 8" Closure - Elastic will stretch Asking $29. (HC)
Pandora Style bracelet. Some beads are .925 silver core. Beautiful colors - Bracelet measures approx. 8" Closure - Lobster claw style - Asking $49. (HC)
Pandora Style bracelet. Some beads are .925 silver core. Beautiful colors - Bracelet measures approx. 8" Closure - Lobster claw style - Asking $49. (HC)
Woven beads with chip natural amethyst. Beautiful amethyst shades of purple and violet - Bracelet measures approx. 7" Closure - Elastic will stretch Asking $29. (B&S)
One pearl bracelet with button freshwater button pearls and one bracelet with round pearls. Beautiful color and lustre - Grade AA+ - Bracelet measures approx. 7.5" Closure - Lobster claw style - Asking $25. (B&S)
Natural Indian Agate. Beautiful earth green color - Bracelet measures approx. 8" Closure - Elastic will stretch Asking $29. (HC)
Sterling Silver Rose - Bracelet measures approx. 7-8" Closure - Wrap around wrist, by pinching or bending Asking $90. (B&S)
Crystal with silver tone metal spacers. Beautiful blue color - Bracelet measures approx. 7" Closure - Elastic will stretch Asking $20. (HC)
Crystal and glass inset in metal frame. Cancer survivor color - Bracelet measures approx. 7" Closure - Elastic will stretch Asking $20. (HC)
Blue agate pendant on voile Asking $16 (HC)
Yellow dragon agate pendant on .925 sterling silver chain Asking $25 (HC)
Multi-Colored South African Turquoise pendant on .925 sterling silver chain Asking $29 (HC)
Earth Tone Jasper pendant on .925 sterling silver chain Asking $25 (HC)
Moss green agate pendant on .925 sterling silver chain Asking $25 (HC)
Yellow layered dichroic glas lotus flower glass pendant on leather neck chain Asking $18 (HC)
Black Onyx wire wrapped pendant on .925 sterling silver chain Asking $28 (HC)
Freshwater blister pearl in polished nacre (On sterling Silver neck chain) Asking $26 (HC)
Blue Crazy Lace agate pendant on .925 sterling silver chain Asking $27 (HC)
Blue Turquoise pendant on .925 sterling silver chain (Inlaid in 30% Tibet Silver) Asking $27 (HC)
Freshwater blister pearl wire wrapped in polished nacre Asking $26 (HC)
