September Chat thread

[#1]

Welcome metalsmiths ( or should I say "metalworkers"?)
If your name isn't on the list, head over to the Introduce Yourself thread and follow the instructions there please :-)

AbellaBlue = Jessica
AlegraJewelry = Vicki
AlexSharDesigns = Gaynor
AlisonMooreDesigns = Ally
anidem = Jesse
artdi = Diana
AZBluerockers = Mary Lou
bagsnstuff = Dianna
BeatrizFortes = Beatriz
BellaBijouJewellery = Jaime
BellaBijouToo = Jaime
bddesigns= Christen
bijoutery = Jen, Jennifer, or bijoutery
Brokentreasures= Amanda
Brontotheroocity= James L.
cabbingrough = LauraH
CGWhitfield = CG, or Cliff
CharOuellette = Char
Chrissilynn2=Chrissi
Chrissicabs=Chrissi
corybethy = Cory
DaisiemaiCreations = Janea
DaVineJewelry = Danielle
DiemDesignsJewelry = Sarah Jo (CarpeDiemGems)
DominicanLounge= Alpha
Doxallodesigns = Janice
Doxallostudio = Janice
Duffy Designs= Duffy
Eklektisch = Cole
Elementaldesigns= Denise
EmilyWiserJewelry = Emily
Epiphany of a Dragonfly = Wanda
evelynjewelry = Evelyn
evittscreekarts= Lois
ericafreestone = Erica
EyemaginationRSB = Robin
FiliGraceJewelry = Grace
fix8ion = Tammy
FoldAndSpindle = Mike
FoxyGirlBoutique = Melissa
GirlLovesGlitter = Lilian
HappyTortoiseSupply = Jason
Hartleystudio = Ann
HRBeaDesign = Heather
InbarBareket = Inbar
JackStones = Jack
JaneaPauline = Janea
JazznJewelry = Kathy
JelliesJewelry = Jack
JenniferCasady = Jen or Jennifer
Jewelrytutorials = Janice
JonesingforJewelry = Carin
KarlaWheelerDesign = Karla
karmahjean = Karen
kiliari = Raina
KimberlyBellDesigns = Kim
KimVGlass = Kim V
KitandCaboodleShop = Gayle
KriksSilver = Kristie
lamazonian = Vema
LauraRoberson= Laura
LeahBestDesigns=Leah
Lilnut = Caroline
litapsilverj = Lita
Lovebuttonsca = Laura
lsueszabo = Sue
Luxedesignworkshop = Peg
MarcusBerknerJewelry = Marcus
Markaplan = Mark
mattjohnsondesigns =Matt
Maythenwolfbane= Nicole
Metalluxe = Peg
MieleMelograno = Liz
MissToryDesigns = Lina
novadesigns = Tess
novaofsweden = Tess
NRjewellerydesign = Nikki
OrmanaDesign = Katya
OverThinkingIt = Bree
Ppennee = Pennee
PureDichotomy = Wendy
RadianTrace = Ronnie
Ranchiquita = Becki
rockaholic=Peggy
sbevisdesigns = sue
ScrapMetal = Addie
ShireJewelry = Lisa
SilverBlueberry = Esmeralda
SilverLinesJewelry = Jenny
SilverMade Studio = Teresa
silvermaven= Carol and Jackie
StoneBeautiful = Jenn
StoneTemple = Mark
SToNZ = Susan
SugarCity = Grace
thebutterflygirl = Veronika
TheSpeeceCollection = Pat
ThirteenGems=Melissa
tinkertown = Sue (tinkerSue)
Treasuregypsy = Darcy
TreeFrogJewelry = Sheryl
TwoSilverMoons = Birgit
UntwistedSister=Terri
valerietyler = Valerie
verysmallbird = Heather
VillainAccessories = Brandi
VisionQuest = kim or VQ
WednesdaysDesign= Kristina (Wednesday)
wpcardenas= Wanda
2trickpony = Rachel
3sweetpeasjewelry = Gina

[cgwhitfield]

Happy birthday, Jeanne.

Now to bed.

[SilverBlueberry]

Happy birthday Jeanne! Many happy returns of the day, as Pooh would say it. :)

Sue, congrats with the amazing sales!

So - sigh. A guy wanted to buy a pearl ring for his wife's birthday, express shipping. We convoed last night but it was my bed time, so I sent him a convo with all the sizes I had ready, and changed the shipping for all my pearl rings to express, and checked in the morning at breakfast if he had purchased yet, so i could bring the stuff along with me and mail it today. Nothing!
And then I get to work, and he has purchased! That means either I go home during lunch and get everything and mail it, or I mail tomorrow and lose a precious day. People and their slowness...

[VisionQuest]

that is SOOOOO annoying when they want it RUSHED, but don't do their part to get it rushed!!

congrats on the sale anyway!

happy bday, jeanne

[SilverBlueberry]

Yes, a sale is a sale! ;)

[LauraStasa]

Good morning.
Happy Birthday Jeanne!

Sorry I was missing yesterday. DH and I spent the day working on the wood pile and the only time I checked my computer was briefly to send in my rio order. Actually, I did try to catch up on the thread last night but exhaustion won out.

Congrats on the sale, Esme. I've been in that position too. Most of my pieces are at the store so if I sell something on my weekend, it's a 50 minute round-trip to fetch it.

[PPennee]

Morning Laura and Esme!
Yeah on the sale Esme- looks like a run home and to the PO for you - no lunch today. People are goofy aren't they- they want you to rush, but no rush for them!

Today 8 AM is the big day for Etsy ads- I will watch with great interest to see how many who bought ads actually see a return on investment and how many cry foul!

[SilverBlueberry]

Morning Pennee and Laura. It's lucky I live close to home. I brought my lunch back home with me, had lunch there with the kitties, prepared the item for shipping, went back to work via post office, all in an hour. Not bad!

Yep, it'll be an interesting day. You're trying an ad, or not?

[kimberlybelldesigns]

Morning Laura, Esme and Pennee.

Congrats on the sale Esme. Sorry it was such a pain. I had one of those last minute express orders once. I got to the UPS store 2 minutes before closing. I did get very nice feedback from the guy.

Happy Birthday Jeanne.

[PPennee]

I am Esme- I will not re-new while the ad is running to see if it makes any difference. Not like this is a well controlled scientific experiment, but at least it should give me an idea of where to best spend my money. What I really want to know, and don't know if I'll spend money to find out- where will re-news fit?? I can't imagine Etsy is willing to give up all those .20 they get daily even if they weight things so the ads are more important. Since there are only 4 slots per page and the avg search is only 2-3 min are they going to make as much as they will with thousands of people renewing all day and night.
I've been in sales/marketing way to long- this type of thing really interests me.

[Former_Member]

Happy birthday, Jeanne!


Esme congrats on the sale! Some people just don't understand that we don't live in our studio (although that would be nice ha ha)


*sprinkles some more sales dust on the thread*

[Former_Member]

I almost finished two necklaces yesterday with my little sea creatures. I have to take some photos when I come home. Super happy with them. In the process I came up with another design idea that I am super excited about! I love when that happens :)

[tessjordandesigns]

Yesterday I also worked on a new ring display for craft shows.
We went to a huge warehouse where they sell a ton of scrap metal stuff and old furniture. The place is amazing. I bought some old cart/trolley wheels to use a foot for my stand. And then I am going to attach a wood slice for the rings to rest on. They will be secured with fishing line and sinks (drilling small holes through the wood slice). I did a test yesterday and it looks great (and it works)!

[hartleystudio]

Morning. Happy Birthday and congrats on sales!

I'm only partially here. Very tired.

[cgwhitfield]

Good morning.

Ads? Not a worry to me, my favourite category has all 115 pages with 4 ads at the top. Is an ad on page 78 really going to be seen very much?

And fewer renewals mean I don't drop down as fast. Interesting to see how it all shakes out.

[Former_Member]

thanks for the bday wishes, decided to wait for dh birthday check bfore i clicked buy on rio, now must make sure he's awake early enuf to give me time b4 metal price goes up today as i fear it will.
tess, glad the ring display idea is working. i'm trying to figure out which earring display to use, i'm liking the stacked wood ones to hold them on cards, i've been mulling over looking at moldings to make my own...

[Former_Member]

hmm, this display could be modified w/ fishing line
http://www.etsy.com/listing/61117216/ring-display-cedar-wood-store-shop-craft?ref=sr_gallery_7&ga_se...
imagine the forums will heat up even more now that ad day is here

[Former_Member]

that's a cool display!

For my earrings I am making cloud shaped corkboards. I bought a roll of corkboard and David is gonna help me cut them to shape. I'll take pics of my display's when they're done. I would love to see everyone else craftshow setup.
I am not planning to do one until maybe june next year.. but I like to plan ahead..


<--- staying away from the Ad thing. Just seems like a waste of money to me.

[SilverBlueberry]

Would be great to see your new displays Tess. And congrats with the steady sales!

I have no nifty displays. I do know that some of my smaller earrings just don't get noticed. Like the small studs. It's like people don't even see them.

[Former_Member]

just popping in to say shana tova! happy jewish new year to all....

now i'll get back to cooking!

[cgwhitfield]

Couldn't resist a peek at the forums. Not gonna be pretty.

[cgwhitfield]

Erga, happy jewish new year. Not going to attempt to spell it, I'll get it wrong. And happy eating, even if you're doing all the cooking.

[Former_Member]

erga happy jewish new year!


I already hate the ads.
I did an advanced search for metalwork cabochon > jewelry.

NONE of the ads displayed on top fits that category.

[lsueszabo]

oh god tess, why does that not even surprise me?
morning all
definitely want to see your displays - i need something that works better for me but i haven't figured out what it is yet. i need a push.
i'll be popping into the forums for fun today, should prove interesting. i hope anyone running an ad will report back in with results.
erga- happy new yr!
susan- i love your site. i want to update mine now. how do you plan to sell off it? is there a special program you are using or how did you set that up? though paypal? credit cards? i am interested in being able to sell off my site but don't want to get to crazy involved. it's got to be in the keep it simple stupid category.

[lsueszabo]

oh, i just saw, you're selling through etsy. duh. anyone selling off their website directly that can give me an easy way to do it?

[hartleystudio]

Morning Sue, how are you feeling today?

Those ads are not good. I'm glad I listened to Erga and skipped it. It's funny, when I searched "hammered sterling silver bracelet" I got no ads at all. But when I just searched "earrings" there they were. I wonder if they only get "so" specific and then when the search gets more specific they aren't there??