Wire Wrapped for the Holidays!

When I first discovered a wire wrapped piece of jewelry I fell in love with it. Once I figured out how to do it myself I was addicted. Anything can be turned into jewelry with wire wrapping. I have even used marbles and turned them into pendants.

The best way to start wire wrapping is to watch some tutorials on youtube.com. Also, start with silver coated wire. You will no doubt need to waste quite a bit of wire at first, until you get the hang of it.

Etsy is a great place to view pictures of different styles and techniques. I have even ordered jewelry from there, because I found such wonderful unique pieces.

My favorite wire wrapping project is a fairly simple one. You need a large stone, preferably faceted. Six to eight inches of wire, depending on the size of the stone. Start by making a loop at the center of the wire. This is where the point of the faceted stone will sit. Next, wrap the wire around a corner twice. Find the opposing corner, and wrap that twice as well. On one end of the wire, cut it short, and using pliers, turn the short end so that it won't be poking anything. The other end is to be shaped into a loop for the necklace.

Keep trying new ideas, and feel free to share them here. Happy wrapping! Don't forget to stop by and say Hi at my Etsy page. etsy.com/shop/dietrichdesigns

Making Sales On Etsy

I have been dabbling on Etsy for a few months. It's a great way to promote your craft and get to know others who have similar interests as you. I have read quite a few blogs on the ins, and outs of Etsy. The first thing you need to know, is that it isn't easy to make the sales you want on Esty.com. You have to stick with it.

Learn to take and edit your pictures in a way that best showcases your product. Add new products daily; maybe even several times a day. Be sure to tag your new items appropriately, and with as many tags you can think of. For example, if you post a sterling silver necklace, with a red pendant, make sure you tag the color, pendant, sterling silver, and also the size, and type of the chain. If you wire wrap your jewelry, there is a tag for that also.

Surf Etsy as a shopper. See what's out there and always add shops and items to your favorites when you like something. Share with your Facebook friends! Just don't over do it. Business cards are a must! There are a lot of free templates out there and you can print your own. Leave them everywhere you go!

There is a lot of competition on Etsy. I like to think of it as fellow crafters instead. We can all learn from each other, and buy from each other. I have purchased supplies and tools all from Etsy sellers.

I haven't sold as much as I would like to, but I'm getting there, and you can too! Stick with it and remember, that you can't fail if you don't try... but you can't succeed either!

Feel free to stop by and say "Hi!" and add me to your favorites! etsy.com/shop/dietrichdesigns

To Home Party Or Not?

I'm thinking of doing some home parties. The problem is, I hate those parties! Don't get me wrong, I love the company and the products; I just hate the presentations. They are usually very rehearsed and cheesy. If I were to do a home party, what are some ideas you have that would make it fun and inviting?

Another issue, is how to display the jewelry. I wan't to make as many things available for the customers to try on and ooh and ahh over. So, I need some ideas for that too!

Please remember to leave some feedback on my Etsy page! etsy.com/shop/dietrichdesigns

Getting Started

I opened up my etsy shop last week. I have been contemplating doing this for some time, but have been hesitant. I decided to start making jewelry last year, when I was inspired by a piece that I bought at a festival. Once I started, I got the bug! I spent hours searching the internet for the supplies I needed. The jewelry I wanted to make was unique, and the supplies weren't readily available at my local craft store. I bought wholesale snake chains, 14x14mm stones from Taiwan, and silver wire to wrap the stones.

It was easier than I thought to make the jewelry. So, now I had all of these pretty pieces, and no where to sell them. I tried Ebay, but didn't have much success there. I did manage to sell a necklace to a lady in Slovakia! That made me feel quite special.

I decided to try some inexpensive venues. I signed up for a table at a mom to mom sale. I paid just $15 for the table. I sold one item for $4. I felt like such a failure! I even did a free table at the local bus garage lounge for 6 hours and only made $8! At this point I'm starting to get frustrated. I found a local craft and antique mall and rented a booth there. It's called the Countryside Craft Mall, located on VanDyke Ave just south of 18 Mile in Sterling Heights MI. I've had a little more success there, but not enough to cover the cost of the booth.

So, back to my Etsy shop. I have already made more money there, than it cost to list everything. I add new items every day, at different times of the day to keep them high on the list of the most recent items. If you have and etsy shop, feel free to leave the link here, and I'll visit your shop and add you to my favorite sellers. All of my items are $3o and under. I want everyone to able to afford my pieces. To all of you crafters out there, if we all unite and only buy handmade products whenever it's possible, we can all have some success doing what we love! Good luck!