Working for more time to work?

So, I spent all day today cleaning, cooking and helping daughter find shelves.
I'm having my family over to dinner tonight, instead of Sunday, like I usually do, so I can have all day Sunday to work on my jewelry....somehow, working to be able to do more work just doesn't seem right! LOL

The only thing I didn't do is bake bread like I usually do, instead I made scones for myself from my Scottish cookbook....yummy, I already ate 4!

I ordered some sterling chains to put my pendants on. Here's hoping they help sell them!

I have some ideas for reticulated pendants that I want to try out tomorrow.

Cheaptweet, yes or no? also rant on Etsy

I belong to Twitter, and this "cheaptweet" person is following me, and frankly, I don't like the premise of what he's doing.

Apparently, he searches Etsy, and other websites, for "cheap" buys. Frequently announcing a "find" for under $15 or less.

I, and I'm sure a lot of others, spend hours working a my jewelry, some more than others, and honestly, if I just paid myself $10 an hour, for my time, I would be charging a lot more than I am for all of my pieces.

I don't want my work to be touted as "cheap", and probably will never have it called that by this person, but for some reason it just bugs me.

Its the same reason, kinda, that Etsy isn't a favorite for me either, because most of the buyers, are other Etsy shop owners, and let's face it, if you are doing jewelry, how many other '"jewelry" people are going to buy yours? I don't see "big ticket" items being sold a lot on Etsy and I'm sure that is one reason why.

There is a shop that also sells beautiful jewelry on ebay. Most of her sales are for buying, not selling, and the items she has sold, with one or two exceptions are the least expensive items she has. I don't know why she bothers with Etsy, she sells 20 times over on ebay every week!

I came across a shop that had, so they said, and I don't know why it wouldn't be so, that the byzantine bracelet was sterling silver. The price was $25.00! I can't make a bracelet for that in just the materials, let alone my time. That person had to be working for nothing. 18 G sterling is over $2.00 a foot, it takes 10 feet in 18g to make a normal size bracelet. I can't spend that amount of time to do a bracelet like that for $5.00 plus factor in all the other costs that go into making a bracelet.

Ok, my rant is over...whew, that felt good! LOL
I was hoping that Etsy would do away with me having to do live shows at art & craft fairs, but it isn't looking like it will. I guess people just need to see my pieces in person to appreciate them.

If you have an opinion, jump right in! This blog is even boring me!

Excited!

I am loving working with reticulated silver. Let the silver dictate where you go.
Besides, its great using up odds & ends!

Changing direction

I am going to start experimenting more with reticulated silver.

I like the way the heat moves and forms the silver and leaves patterns.

Its easier for me, than hammering, and I don't have the aches & pains afterwards.

Did a little work today, was babysitting again, take up a lot of time.

Hopefully will finish tomorrow, but have grandson's 3rd birthday party in the afternoon.
Cake & ice cream! Yeah....my sunday treat.

I need to do this like its a full time job, and take more seriously.

Looking for new inspiration

I am looking for inspiration! I usually feel something new in the spring, but spring hasn't come around here yet!

I have a lot of Pietersite cabs, so I probably should use some of them and make necklaces or bracelets. Probably bracelets as necklases don't seem to be flying out of my shop! LOL

Ordered more silver today, hope to do some work this weekend.

My goal: Out of the Box!

Some new items created in attempt to get out of my box. Trying to not be so concerned with equality and eveness.

I am hoping this will start up some new ways of thinking.

Brass, copper & sterling pendant with my last Laboradite cabochon! Sterling wired bail.

Reticulated silver & Chrysocalla cab. Cab moves freely. Hangs from the bail. I love the way the silver melted & fused! I guess I still have the need to fill the holes! LOL

Artfire shop open

Decided to open an Artfire shop as well as Etsy.

Added similar pendants, in a race to see which one sells first, or at all.

Etsy is disappointing so far, maybe Artfire will be better, although I don't like the way Artfire showcases the products. To see Artfire go to: http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&seller_id=20058

Peruvian Opal Earrings

Tempted to keep these!

New laboradite pendant, on a roll...

Finished up sterling & laboradite pendant today.

Started earrings with Peruvian Opals, and other pendants with or withoug gemstones, and reticulated silver. Its fun to see what transpires with the silver. Maybe its luck, maybe its ability, who knows! http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20578698

Jewelry

Working on a necklace I started for myself with a huge Pietersite cab, but fritzed around with the bezel, and couldn't make up my mind about the necklace part.
Finally last night, just went for it, got some nice carnelian color , although they are not, red "african Jade", so they say, beads, and interspersed some Carnelian beads, and chained them together with 18g sterling. First time to do that. I like it better than stringing so much.

Waiting for the bezel piece to tumble & will put together with a picture later.
I love Pietersite, I must have a cache of at least 20 cabs....I guess I'd better get started, trouble is I don't want to part with them!


Results: Finished the necklace, wore it out, and the side ring that attached to the chain fell off!

So, I'm taking the stone out of the setting, doing it over, with a top bail instead. Just the old bezel will be scrap, or maybe I can fire it down & reticulate/fuse the silver...hmmm will have to try. Getting the stone out of the bezel is the hard part.