What I'm grateful for in my jewelry business

In listening to the last podcast of Alyson Stanfield of the Art Biz Blog entitled Uncommonly Grateful, I was inspired to share what I am grateful for within my art business.  On this day of Christmas Eve, as many around the world prepare to celebrate, I too would like to do so by sharing my gratitude with others.

I am grateful for the modern conveniences of electricity and running water.  I have oftentimes thought about jewelry makers from thousands of years ago who had to do many of the things I do by machine, by hand.  I also appreciate that they had to use a pump operated by foot to blow air through a candle's flame to create a "torch" to melt metal and glass, while I am able to use much more modern methods.

I am grateful for the internet and the opportunity it brings for me to sell my jewelry.  I have made connections with people around the world that I know I could not have made otherwise.

I am grateful for the help and encouragement I receive from friends, family, fans and other artists.  Your kind words are a treasure!

I am grateful to my family for being supportive of my art and jewelry.  It means so much to me that you believe in what I do.

I am grateful for the large library of art and jewelry making books I have in my library.  Whenever I'm "stuck" or need some inspiration, I don't have far to look.


I am grateful for the work ethic my parents taught me.  Because of this, I continue to persevere and look for opportunities, rather than waiting for them to look for me.

I am grateful for the equipment in my studio.  I chose to work hard and earn money from jewelry making in order to buy the next piece of "what I want."  I have never borrowed money and found a way to buy it or decided to do without.

I am grateful for the artists who have truly touched my life and taught me skills which I continue to find valuable.

Finally, I am grateful for the browsers, fans, enthusiasts, and blog readers that continue to find enjoyment with my work.  It is because of you that I can keep doing what I'm doing.

Getting a jewelry appraisal

I don't do jewelry appraisals, but sometimes I get questions from my art jewelry customers about getting their jewelry appraised by a professional. Having a appraisal done of your jewelry is a good idea because many homeowner's insurance policies will not cover the full value of your jewelry if it's lost or stolen.  I refer people to the article, Appraising Fine Jewelry, which covers the basic details of what you should have appraised, who you should get to do it, and what you can expect it to cost.  Once you have the jewelry appraisal, you can then get a "rider" to your homeowners' insurance policy, which will provide the extra coverage needed for your jewelry.

Why didn't I think of that?

So I mentioned on the KMS Designs Facebook fan page a few days ago that I didn't like the pictures I had taken of my jewelry. Helen, one of my fans and newest friends, gave a suggestion on a setup to try. Once she mentioned it, I thought, why didn't I think of that?? I did some research on the setup she shared and had then idea to make my own. I took a styrofoam cooler and cut it to work for my tripod and camera. I like the resulting pictures much better! Thanks Helen!

It's prom season!

Yes, I'm a little too old to go the prom, but I came across a neat article from the Denver post the other day Prom Fashion: The long and short of Spring Formals. Neat article, mostly because I love that when you're young, you can wear whatever you want without judgment! (Case in point, the prom dress example shown here which is mentioned in the article.)

When I'm talking to people about my jewelry, I hear ladies talk about how they find some of my contemporary jewelry a little "too much" for them to wear. My advice? Go with colors you are comfortable with. If you're used to wearing blue, why not go with blue in a different setting? I'm from the school that believes less is more, especially when it comes to fashion and jewelry. Most of the fashion experts will tell you not to load up on every trend for a season. Pick a few that you like and feel comfortable with. You will wear them better because you are comfortable with them.

Contemporary art jewelry can be worm the same way! Pick a piece your two that you like (size, shape, color, etc.) and start with one piece (earrings, a pendant, one bracelet). Wear it a few times, then go from there on what to add next to your collection.

No, I don't sleep much

I get asked a lot how I manage to get everything done. The answer is, "I don't sleep much."

I have three small children. They pretty much run "wide open" during the day. The only way I can get any amount of uninterrupted work done is to work while they're sleeping. This might be during a early afternoon nap, but I would say 50 percent of the time, I only get about 45 minutes of time. I usually prioritize phone calls and emails then since most people aren't in the office at 10 PM. So, I'm usually up before 5:30 AM and up until about 11 PM "taking care of business." (I suppose the first thing I will do when they eventually move out is to sleep for a weekend or something.)

Oh yeah, my house is also a mess and my husband works at the grocery store, so he does all my shopping. That leaves me more time to make jewelry.

The next step in the resin jewelry making process

My last post showed how I made the pieces that I want the finished jewelry to look like. In this post, I will show how I make the mold.

Left: I'm pouring out equal amounts of silicone. It's a relatively safe substance. I just need to wear gloves and protect the surface I'm working on. This is the same stuff that the entertainment industry uses to make costumes, masks, prostheses, and the like. I have to get the measurement exact, otherwise it won't cure correctly.






Left: I'm pouring one of the resin measurements into the other. I'm stirring as I'm mixing and will stir for another couple of minutes to make sure it's thoroughly mixed.










Left: Remember those clay pieces from the last post? They are adhered to the lid of a recycled yogurt container (where the bottom has been cut off). I'm pouring the silicone mixture on top of the clay pieces.









Left: I mix enough silicone to complete cover the pieces. Once I've got my models covered, I need to wait two hours for the silicone to set up.











Next post: The finished mold