Inspiration from Traveling

Where do you find jewelry inspiration? Sometimes we find our best inspiration by traveling to new places. We can get inspiration from looking at historical monuments, or homes from the 1800's, watching the leaves on Oak Trees that have been around for hundreds of years, or going on tours and sight seeing. Recently, we took a trip to Mackinac Island, which is an island from the 1600's involving Native Americans, the French and the U.S. for a scramble for territorial rights was heavily prized for its fur trapping trade.

30 minute ferry rides leave Mackinac City, Michigan and head to the island. Watching the boat hit the waves as the sun slowly departs in the sky over the water is a sight worth watching. As we arrived onto the island, we headed up the hill for a quarter mile walk to Mission Point Hotel. Comprised of several buildings, this hotel used to be a college that held the women's dormitory. Presence of ghosts are supposedly said to haunt the golf course and main lodge.

Walking downtown in the crisp autumn air with the beautiful blue water from Lake Michigan is so inspiring for craft making. Even sitting outside at the downtown cafe on the island and watching horse drawn carriages go by is remembrance of older days when life was simple. You can feel the slight breeze brushing across your face while smelling the beauty of lilacs. An ideal scene like this allows you to pull out your jewelry supplies, pencil and paper and sketch a new design for earrings. 

DIY Jewelry Making: Wire Wrapping Rings

One of the most difficult things to do with jewelry is learning how to wrap wire. Before you begin, you want to ask yourself, 'what do I want to make?' Are you interested in wrapping wire to make rings, pendants, charms, earrings, or bracelets? This will help narrow it down. Once you decide, then you can begin to gather supplies and tools. If you decide to make rings, it's easier if you wrap the wire around small objects that you can find in your home. This includes liter bottle caps, wine corks, toilet paper rolls, or any type of small round objects.

What Do I Need? Basic Jewelry Supplies and Tools for Wire Wrapping:

1. Round wire (sizes 16, 18 or 20-gauge)
2. Beads (optional) sized between 6-10mm
3. Round or Chain Nose Pliers
4. Wire Cutters
5. Round small objects or 'ring mandrel' - any object that you can wrap the wire around to make it into a ring.

 

Tutorials on Wire Wrapping Rings:

• Wire Wrap Beaded Rings
• Stone Rings
• Knitted Bow Ring
• 13 DIY Jewelry Crafts
• Instructables: Wire Wrapping Tutorial
• Buying Tools and Supplies for Wire Wrapping

Alien Jewelry: Earrings, Pendants, Charms

Jewelry, Aliens, and UFO's. Never thought those words could be connected? Well we found a niche online made up of a small group of jewelry artisans who seem to love designing these beings. These artisans handcraft alien eyes, bodies, and UFO spaceships out of wire or polymer clay. There seems to be a market for it, especially on Etsy.com

Often when we think of 'alien' we picture green 'dudes,' however these artists present their jewelry as gray beings, or gold and brown. Do we really know the true skin color of alien beings? Or is there more than one? If humans have multiple skin colors, what do aliens have? 

Here's a list of Handmade Alien Earrings, Necklaces, Charms, Pendants:

1. Necklace: UFO Silver Pendant

2. Pendant: Alien Face Pendant for Necklace

3. Charms: Alien Body in Sterling Silver

4. Earrings: Blue and Silver UFO

 

6. Earrings: Black and Gold Alien Body Earrings 

5. Pendant and Charm: Silver Alien Head and Black Eyes 

 

 

 Do you know any Alien Artisan Designers? 

Market Local Craft Fairs and How Vendors Sell Products

Selling your handmade crafts or interested in visiting a local jewelry or craft show? It's amazing to see the diversity of craft fairs and items for sale when you're in a local town compared to a large city. Jewelry, purses, cosmetics, glassware,  woodworking and art booths are commonly displayed at craft fairs. Keep in mind that both buyers and sellers each have a goal in mind that needs to be fulfilled. Buyers, how can sellers attract your interest? Sellers, how can you get buyers interested in your product? Event Coordinators, what is the best way to market a craft show?

EVENT COORDINATORS: 

Keep in mind several factors when preparing for a craft fair: traffic, customers, quality products, booth display and interest. Traffic and customers are dependent upon advertising and marketing. Unfortunately, this means you have to rely on Event Coordinators (those who plan the craft show) to promote the craft fair and hope they have the knowledge to do so. Here's a list of ways to advertise. Often these places will have free advertising since it's for the public:

1. Craigslist
2. Submit a listing to websites that post craft show events.                               Ex. ArtFairCalendar.com, EventLister.com, NationalCraftShows.com
3. Post info to your city's website (if possible)
4. Social Media - post info to Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, Pinterest. Or, post it to your town's Facebook page.
5. Newspapers (local or college)
6. Radio stations
7. PBS or local news TV stations
8. Place signs around town, local shops, or at the college campus 
9. Bulletin Boards  - put flyers up in shops or restaurants  
10. Chamber of Commerce 
11. Word of Mouth to coworkers, clients, neighbors, friends or family

VENDORS:

Once the Event Coordinators market the craft event, it's now up to you to sell your product. Craft fairs may seem intimidating for introverts (and extroverts) because there's lots of face time and direct interaction with potential customers. In an essence, you're a salesman/saleswoman whose goal is to make money and break even after the booth fee. 

But selling isn't the only way to grab customers. You need to have quality products and a colorful booth display. Forget the dark tablecloth and black jewelry stands from Joann's and Michael's. Use bright and cheery colors (not neon or dark) for the tablecloth, stands, or holders. If you choose to use dark stands/holders/shelves, than hang colorful beads, short curtain shades or lights around the booth to make it stand out and colorful. Make sure you have enough products on your table so it looks busy, but not overcrowded. If it looks too bare, customers will be turned off and may think you don't have anything to sell. Most importantly, keep your table organized. Necklaces on one side and rings on the other. Buyers are attracted to your booth, not just the product you're selling. In fact, customers might not be interested in your product, but they may like the look or 'appeal' of your booth and decide to walk over and take a look. Now you've caught their attention and you have a chance to sell your item!

Is Jewelry Gendered?

Is Jewelry 'gender specific'? What Type of Men Wear Jewelry? For What Purpose? 

Men and women both wore jewelry in prehistoric times for symbolic reasons. Men, especially rulers and wealthy folk, wore jewelry to emphasize control, money, power, and honor. Handcrafted pieces were constructed differently for each gender and crafted from multiple fabrics, metals, and ornaments (charms, pendants). 

Wearing certain pieces of jewelry reflected an individual's social rank and class status. In this case, warriors and rulers wore head dresses, special garments, and jewelry to emphasize 'male honor.' 

 

Currently, there are many native societies around the world where both men and women wear jewelry to reflect their traditional rituals (puberty, passage into adulthood).  Warriors within the Naga culture of India wear large necklaces to symbolize honor in killing, or 'headhunting'. Necklaces are constructed of animal skulls, fur, brass rings, and feathers. Other native cultures in Indonesia and the Philippines dress themselves with rings and large 'red hornbill' earrings.

In this modern era, is hyper-masculinity causing men to rethink about wearing large hoops, earrings, and bracelets?

Further Reading:

"Jewelry and Gender," Thesis Paper by Rebecca Ross Russell

Ancient Jewelry Discovery Prehistoric Rings

What is History of Jewelry? 

Where did it come from? Who wore it and did it have a special meaning? Did ancient civilizations mold their own beads? What tools did they use? How did ancient cultures like the Egyptians, Aztecs, or the Byzantine Empire handcraft their jewelry pieces? Whatever happened to these pieces? 

In 2013, a group of archaeologists from Tel- Aviv University uncovered several ancient jewelry pieces from a prehistoric site near Apollonia-Arsuf in the Middle East. Pieces included coins, gold jewelry, and small bronze rings.

The items were initially 'thrown out' by the prehistoric natives who tossed them in large dump pits. The reason for this is unknown. 

Archaeologists dated these pieces to the 5th and 7th centuries C.E. Is there any special meaning to this jewelry? 

Interestingly enough, one of the bronze rings that was discovered has an inscription on it that translates to: "Adonai is his name." The article suggests that this particular bronze ring is an unusual finding and quite rare indeed!

Further Reading:

Article Link 

Craft and Gossip. Host Jewelry Parties?

How about Hosting a Jewelry Party with Friends?

Get a group of girlfriends together and share ideas on jewelry making. Host a party at your house, provide cheese and wine, and everyone can sit around the table with supplies, dangling wire, and an assortment of beads. Handcraft gold hoop earrings, minimalist wire jewelry, necklaces, silver rings, or stainless steel bracelets. Add colorful charms or painted beads to ultra thin wire. Learn to use minimalist wire to create ultra thin jewelry.   

What about show and tell? 

Share your latest projects with each other, demonstrate how to mold polymer clay, paint beads, or bend wire. Try it as a game, go around the room one by one and show off your handmade crafts. The best part is everyone has a turn to show off stylish knitted sweaters, socks, baby blankets, hats, scarves and more. Who doesn't like to brag about their crafting ability or special handmade jewelry?

Think of jewelry parties as knitting clubs where women gather together to knit, talk gossip, and eat. Who doesn't love spilling the beans about their coworkers, in-laws, or husbands? 

Add a potluck to make it more fun. Everyone can bring a dish to pass, dig in and don't forget the cheesecake! If everything goes well, host another party and make it a monthly get together.