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November 3, 2007 - Saturday
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Update on the 90 Day Challenge
Category: Blogging
We are moving right along on the 90 Features in 90 Days Challenge, and despite a few people who dropped out we now have 54 participants of the 91 total we need.
If you sell on Etsy or if you sell your artwork somewhere else and have an Etsy buyer's account we welcome you to join. If you don't have any account on Etsy it's simple enough to start one, and well-worth it to get in on this innovative new marketing plan for the holidays. Just think how much more traffic you could drive to your site and how many more people will get to see your art items! Some are already reporting sales from brand new buyers who just signed up!
Members of the challenge have hooked their blogs up to a number of tools designed to maximize traffic, and we are hoping that this will be a great buying season and that shoppers out there will buy from "the little guy" this year instead of going to the mall and spending their cash in big department or chain stores.
Technorati Profile" target="_self">Technorati Profile
Apparently when I attempted to activate Technorati before it didn't take, so I'm trying it again.
If you'd like to add this blog to your Technorati favorites, click on the link below:
..http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add=http://blog.myspace.com/giftbearer">.. src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" />
1:31 AM
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October 27, 2007 - Saturday
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October 4, 2007 - Thursday
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90 Features in 90 Days-Press Release
Category: Art and Photography
Get your art or fine craft featured 90 times in 90 days! Want to know how? Here's the deal; post on Etsy's messageboard on this thread; http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5276160 (if you don't have an account you can easily open a free buyer or seller account at http://etsy.com in order to post there), and agree to swap features with me and however many others also post on that thread there as you want. If you have either a blog or a website that you can use to post pictures and 1-2 paragraphs complete with link to that person's online store on each feature you swap, you can do this! If not, and you would like to participate, you can easily start a simple and user-friendly blog by going to; https://www.blogger.com/start and set one up in a matter of just a few minutes. I was well into my 40's before I ever knew what a blog was and I picked it up very quickly.
For those readers who don't know me, my name is Pippit Carlington, owner and jewelry artist of Giftbearer, and Street Team Leader of The Art Jewelry Collective, a group of jewelry artists from Etsy who collaborate in our marketing efforts with the goal of educating the public about the value of art jewelry, supporting a living wage for jewelry artists, and upholding standards of high quality and innovation in the jewelry industry.
The 90 Features in 90 Days Challenge came about as a way to increase sales in my own business, but it occurred to me that the group and even others outside the AJC could utilize the same method to increase their number of sales, based on the law of averages. Just imagine being front page news every day until Christmas, the biggest gift-buying time of the year!
I figured if I could swap features with 90 people and do one feature per day between the time I get 90 participants and Christmas, that should create a large enough internet splash to have a noticeable impact on number of sales. The results of many blogs reciprocating, when combined, would be like advertising in a much bigger venue. The impact of such a marketing challenge will make whichever sellers do this extremely visible all over the web; the more people you swap with, the more visible both you and they are. You can also increase this exposure two-fold by linking to your feature stories.
The end result should eventually be increased sales because you have reached a larger number of potential buyers of your work, and because not all the participants are working in the same medium, there is great potential for cross-promotion, such as handbags with jewelry, or clothing with jewelry, and with only about 10 minutes a day invested in posting your features. So this holiday season not only raise a glass, why not raise your odds, and maybe even… your income!
3:31 PM
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March 25, 2007 - Sunday
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Strange and Wonderful Space Orbs-Jewelry of the Future
Category: Art and Photography
Strange and Wonderful Space Orbs-Jewelry of the Future
I will soon be listing these unique and beautiful necklaces in my Etsy store (the second one is listed already). They range in price from $125-$140 and are part of a limited edition line of only 3. They definitely are "out of this world".
To purchase one of these or a wide variety of other jewelry designs, please go to http://Giftbearer.etsy.com
It only takes a few minutes to set up a buyer account, and it's free, safe, and secure.
8:34 PM
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January 21, 2007 - Sunday
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New Fine Silver Line of Jewelry Is Here!
After many months of saving and planning I was finally able to purchase some tools and supplies with which to start my new fine silver line of jewelry. For those who are unfamiliar with the medium I used Art Clay (sometimes referred to as PMC or Precious Metal Clay which is actually just another brand name). The material isn't actually clay, but it feels like it in the hand, as it is pliable and you can do with it most anything you can do with ceramic clay and polymer clay. The material is fired in a kiln, with a torch or on the stove, and the binder burns away leaving a slightly smaller piece of .999 fine silver ( a higher purity than sterling which is .925 pure).
Having worked extensively in wax for casting, I found the process of painting organic material such as leaves and vines pretty logical. With wax you run the material from solid to liquid, and with clay slip the process is just in the reverse although it operates basically on the same principles of flow. The material acts amazingly similarly. It was not long before I got the hang of it and could attempt some more advanced methods. I found that most pieces painted with slip require 15 or more layers in order to be thick enough for firing, and that each layer dries relatively thinly once the water evaporates from it.
This vine bracelet shown below took me approximately 2 weeks 8-hour-a-day work to complete, and it had to be fired several times in steps to attach all the bezels, and shape and refine it the way I wanted it. (I am a perfectionist). I sanded and filed before and after firing. When it and the other pieces were fired and the final sanding was done, I used liver-of-silfur on the bracelet and the leaf (which is a patinating agent used to create either an antiqued look or other colors on the surface of the metal). I never used to like patinas on metal. I didn't see the point of using a precious metal like silver, copper, or gold and then covering it up, but in recent years some uses of it have grown on me and I think if used appropriately it can actually bring out the character of a piece. On these two I dabbed on just enough to get the feel of the natural items they represent. I used a Q-tip to apply just enough to get into the veins and grooves and to give the whole piece overall a bronzy-gold look. On the leaf near the bottom I even got some irridescence which looks really nice.
On the vine bracelet I put a slightly lighter coat so that in certain places the silver would shine through giving it a shaded effect.
I can hardly wait to order more clay and make some more! I'm working on getting a kiln so I can make hollowforms that are deeper/broader, such as vessels.
Keep an eye on my Etsy shop for more coming in time for Valentine's Day. If you really want to impress your significant other, one of my pieces is definitely worth the investment!
Early Budding Vine Bracelet- fine silver hollowform with 8 5 mm. Chrysoprase cabachons set in it to resemble buds
Soul of an Oak Leaf Immortalized- fine silver slip painted in over 15 layers onto a real leaf, then binder burned away. (Leaf has a 5 mm. Pink Tourmaline set in it at the top). Note: This Piece Sold for $365.00 w/bali sterling woven chain in place of the leather cord.
Fresh Evergreen- fine silver evergreen sprig earrings w/sterling beads and leverback hooks, and spearmint green pearls.
Forevergreen- fine silver evergreen sprig earrings w/sterling beads and leverback hooks and pink pearls.
For more information and/or to purchase these or other pieces of my work please go to my Etsy store at; http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=3855
1:10 AM
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August 22, 2006 - Tuesday
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Cool Jewelry!
Current mood:  hopeful
New Line of Jewelry- Message-In-A-Tube
I recently made a necklace for the EtsyCraft Contest that has an innovative design. It is different from my usual style, but I think these might be popular because they are customizable. If you'd like a necklace, bracelet, or earrings with your name on it or any other special message (up to 4 or 5 words per bead), please contact me at my Etsy store, www.Giftbearer.etsy.com and I'll give you a price quote. I am very willing to fill custom orders. Most will have one bead per necklace or bracelet as centerpiece, (two per earring pair), but if you want a longer message on several beads side-by-side I can do that. It would just cost more, as each bead is really made from scratch. At this time I'm not selling these as components; only in finished jewelry, as they are a very unique design.
The ones I made for the contest say "Craft:". See below;
1:21 PM
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August 15, 2006 - Tuesday
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News
I'm looking forward to the contest being held collaboratively by Etsy and Craft magazine. The challenge is for artists to design something that has the Craft logo in it, a representation or reinterpretation of it, and judging will be held on August 21st. Staff of both sites will choose 4 items to be featured by both Etsy and Craft, and winners get other nice perks as well. My first of three entries is posted now and I've been just thrilled with how many hits it's received. The contest entries page is acting like the front page in many respects, drawing alot of traffic from the Etsy Blog, the Etsy Garden. I have two more innovative pieces in the works, each different. You can see my first entry by going to my etsy store. It's the first item on my list and it's sort of tongue-in-cheek. www.Giftbearer.etsy.com
3:02 AM
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July 27, 2006 - Thursday
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Revolutionary New Softies (TM) Line - Apparel and Jewelry Merge
Category: Art and Photography
Revolutionary New Softies (TM) Line- Apparel and Jewelry Merge
Be bold, be fearless, be a trend setter in your community! This new line is quite adventuresome and stretches the boundaries between jewelry and apparel. Using textile and beads together, the results are that of comfort, cutting edge style, and in some cases a pleasing sound as the dangles tinkle like windchimes in the breeze with every movement. Imagine a soft blanket on your wrist that you can take with you to work or school, or out on a date. This is likely the most comfortable bracelet you'll ever wear (and necklaces are coming soon). I have to say that I rarely wear bracelets because they often feel as if they get in the way, but I put on one of these and I liked it so much I didn't want to take it off even when I went to bed that night!
Priced at $20.00 - $75.00 each, these are worth every penny. I make them in both standard and non-standard sizes recognizing that women's wrists come in all sizes. Feel free to contact me through my Etsy store if you'd like to put in a custom order for a certain exact size and/or color(s). To purchase the one below, go to http://www.etsy.com/view_item.php?listing_id=337197
12:30 PM
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June 24, 2006 - Saturday
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Elaborately Beaded Treasures for the Runway
Current mood: hopeful
Category: Art and Photography
Calling All Stylists, Publicists, Models, and Accessorists in the Fasion Industry
For a number of years now I've been developing unique and innovative one-of-a-kind and limited-edition beaded jewelry designs using genuine gemstone, glass, bone, freshwater pearl, and precious metal beads.
I've watched trends in magazines, on television, and out at the mall. Now I am looking to set trends. People have suggested to me on many occasions that my pieces would be just right for wear on the runway if only I can show them to the right people, so I'm offering that intention up to the universe in case "the right people" are out there, listening and reading.
Please feel free to take a look at my work at www.Giftbearer.etsy.com and see if you think my designs will fit models as an adjunct to their (or if you are a model yourself) your apparel. On Etsy there's a Conversations feature (the equivalent of private messaging) where you can contact me but if I've contacted you by e-mail feel free to respond that way.
For representatives making quantity/ongoing commissioned work inquiries a price break is negotiable (serious, bonafide inquiries only, please, and be prepared to show proof/Valid Tax I.D).
Individual pieces are also available from my site at full price if you'd like a personal piece for your collection. Note: To jump-start this endeavor, I am making special pieces as gifts for a very limited number of models/celebrities. I would be honored if you'd show them around, wear them on TV, etc. and give my Etsy web address and name to your friends and associates.
As an independant artist, my goal is to be fully financially secure, so if you like my work, and you support female entrepreneurs, show me some love
Some people say you can't make a living in art in this country, but I beg to differ.
Below is a group picture of a line I call Rainstick Necklaces. Each one is very labor-intensive, taking anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks to make (based on 8-hours per day).
Tiny seedbeads are painstakingly woven around a hollow tube filled with beads and/or seeds that rattle when the piece is turned end to end. This weaving process creates a mesh called Circular Peyote Stitch. This part becomes the pendant.
Then, I in most cases I add a signature bead at the top. I attach a long strand which generally measures anywhere from 26-33" in length, combining genuine gemstone, glass beads, and sometimes sterling, gold-filled, bone, or other natural materials such as shell heishi. It is designed to go over your head without need for a clasp. I often spend many hours getting the sequence of shapes and colors just right.
The final step is the embellishment on the bottom and sometimes the side of the cylindrical centerpiece. Depending on the design some are elaborately fringed and some have a nice pearl or bead at the bottom of the centerpiece. Many of these retail for $265.00 apiece on my website but are well-worth the price if you want something of quality workmanship that you won't find anywhere else. Depending on cost of materials and amount of labor some may be more. To many women, something so unique has much more sentimental value than a diamond, many people prefer colored stones, so these are the perfect gift for a significant other. If you pay through PayPal, credit cards can be processed that way. I have been known to use some very high-end stone beads in some like Spinel or Tourmaline. One day when I'm making more money at this I plan on doing some of these with Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, and other premium stones, however I can do custom orders now with pre-payment. There is also a Mini - Rainstick Necklace line, but those do not rattle as the larger ones do, as I couldn't find tubes in the smaller size with a big enough inner diameter to allow items to roll around.
11:55 PM
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