Glassy Notes!

What's New In August

2006-08-07T04:48:00.000-07:00

Well, school is just starting up next week for the kids! That's good news!
Unfortunately, I went to summer school myself, and so didn't get much of a break. It was intense, but fun too!
I made a few pendants though! I made a cross with swarovski crystal dangles. I added one tassel with the salvation colors in swarovski crystals.
The others are in light blue and clear crystals, signifying the water of life that Jesus is. It hangs about 3 inches, and will be available in my Ebay store!
If you don't know what the salvation colors stand for:
Black -I was lost in the darkness of my sin.
Red - Jesus died and shed His blood for me.
Clear - Now I am clean and my sins have been forgiven.
Blue - I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Green - I am growing in my relationship with God.
Gold - I have the promise of eternal life to walk the streets of gold.

Summer Fling!

2006-06-20T18:23:00.000-07:00

My new set up for auction this week! Pretty light green and aqua blues too! This set even includes one heart and a mini vessel:)
Beautiful and soft just for summer.

Besides that, I have been in summer school, so have been busy, but its fun! Hope you're having fun too!
Cindi

Rennaisance Fair at the Muskogee Castle

2006-05-29T19:34:00.000-07:00

This month, we also went to the rennaisance fair with our family who visited us. It was lots of fun, and if you are in the area, don't forget to check out the Muskogee Castle. They also have a fireworks extravaganza coming up, and there is also the haunted castle for Halloween!
We had lots of fun.

May Madness-at least mine:)

2006-05-29T19:27:00.000-07:00

This month has been expecially hectic, and so I haven't had lots of time to add my pics here, sorry! Have had some family come and visit, along with our sons baseball games,swimming, and so on. All fun though!
Anyway,here are a few excerpts:)
This band is Mercy Me, a christian band, and they played in Tulsa. They were great!

On the left, is our son, Ryan, at his baseball practice. Its his first year, but he's doing well:)

Tommorrow is the day!

2006-05-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

Well tommorrow night, my stepson is coming, and we will be having company for awhile. He will be coming to see if he wants to live in this area, and if so, getting ready to find work, etc!

I have been busy making some bead sets, and they will be coming on auction this month. Here is one of the new sets I have been working on! The blue set is on auction now, and the flower set is coming next week!
I know, I know very different directions! But that's how it goes for me:)
I go from one idea to the next.....
Have a great week!
Cindi

Visitors!

2006-04-27T21:55:00.000-07:00

Well, lots has been going on lately! The other day we had a huge electrical storm, and this time I REALLY heard the lightening! Wow! It seemed so close. But storms pass quickly around here, it's surprising.

We have been very busy cleaning up, and getting ready for my stepson to come for awhile, and just a few days later, my father will be coming! Everyone comes to visit at the same time!
But I will be glad to see everyone.
Baseball season is also here, and my son is on a team, and he's really enjoying it! I will try to post a photo tommorrow.
Until then, sleep well!
Cyndi

Strawberry Fields

2006-04-10T05:50:00.000-07:00

This is my newest set of beads. If I can upload the photos, I will post it on Ebay, but so far haven't been able to upload it for my auction template.
Anyway, hope you like it!

Donkey Basketball

2006-04-10T05:42:00.000-07:00

I've never heard of such a thing, but Friday we went to see for ourselves, and we had a blast! It was totally hilarious!

Oh Dear!

2006-04-06T03:32:00.000-07:00

Recently, I have been going to a joint specialist for pain in my knees. Well, the other day he said that because of all the problems, I will have to tolerate the pain until I can't anymore, then get knee replacements.
Because of this, I have been on a strict diet, and started walking and swimming to lose weight. (easier on my knees!)
I go walking in a nature preserve with a friend of mine. ( She has the two dogs in the photo!)Yesterday, while walking, there was a little deer there, and he followed us until we left! I've never had an experience like this! The little guy probably was being rehabilitated, and was used to people, but he walked just behind us all the way!

He did come up to us a few time when we tried to give him water and applesauce, but then he'd act like he was going away, and kept folllowing!
He was soooo cute!!

We also got to see an owls nest, with a baby owl, but that's another story!
Many blessings to you, Cyndi

Seashells & Turtle!

2006-04-05T21:07:00.000-07:00

I have a cool new set on Ebay right now! They are a set of 9 seashells with one turtle to keep them company!

I also have 29 beads on auction starting at 99 cents!

Lots of great deals right now:)
Until later, Cyndi

Upcoming Festivals!

2006-03-26T05:03:00.000-08:00

Two great events through Lapidary Journal!
Jewelry Arts Expo Plus Gem & Mineral MarketAt the Fort Washington Convention Center,PA

Wire Jewelry FestJuly 15 & 16, 2006 (Saturday & Sunday)At Chase Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington, DE Class Registration is now online!
They are also having a new Mineral Faire , Lots of great new teachers, and looks like a whole lot of fun!
Jack Berry teaches die formed jewelry., and I just had to show you a photo! You use sheet metal to form these pendants.
Check it out!

http://www.lapidaryjournal.com/ for more info

New bunny image!

2006-03-22T08:54:00.000-08:00

This set will be on Ebay on Friday, and I think itscute! Bunny is watching over baby while he is sleeping among the flowers:)

Also, I added the photo of the vessel for the drawing.
Blessings, Cyndi

Win a Free Vessel!

2006-03-16T22:17:00.000-08:00

Starting well, Now!, we are giving away a free vessel each month just for signing up for our Newsletter!
We just decided to change to a yahoo group for our newsletters, so everyone who already signed up, please sign up with the Yahoo group, and you are also eligible to win! Has to be fair for all:)

Drawings will be on the last day of each month. So, sign up and start checking the mail for your Free Vessel!
No gimmicks, and you don't even pay for shipping:)

This month we are giving away a perfume vessel, and its larger than our normal mini vessels. It is a transparent pink with a cubic zirconia.
I will post photos tommorrow, so stay tuned!
Have a great night, I have to get to sleep:)
Blesssings all

Simpler Charm Bracelet

2006-03-11T16:46:00.000-08:00

This is another, simpler charm bracelet using some of the beads. These beads aren't partially transparent like the ones in the Island bracelet, but pretty too:)
Blessings, Cyndi

New Bracelet

2006-03-11T16:11:00.000-08:00

Well, today has been a kind of stay at home day, but our son Ryan has had a playmate over and is spending the night, so I've been home making jewelry! Here is one of my latest creations:) I call it island because the deep aqua remind me of the carribbean. These include some of my latest beads, or which one set is on auction right now. The set is called Turquoise Dancer.
I used sterling silver and small coral beads to accent the colors.
Check out the bead set. It is on auction for 10 days, and at good prices!
Cyndi

New Name:)

2006-03-09T06:49:00.000-08:00

Some exciting news! Our ebay id changed from Glassaffinity to GlassyDreams! I like it better, and we( my mother & myself) are starting to make some changes towards making glassydreams come true! Becoming a small home business, and our business name is GlassyDreams. It will probably take some time for everything to change, but we started with the ebay id. You can also reach our website with the address: http://www.glassy-dreams.com
Thanks in advance for your patience whith these changes:)

Update on New Auction!

2006-03-04T23:07:00.000-08:00

I just added a new 10 day auction tonight that I hope you will like:)
It is called Garden of Flowers, and its a floral 13 bead set with a mini heart pitcher included!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8910723486&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1
Always adding to the store too!
http://stores.ebay.com/Glass-Affinity-Lampwork

Thanks, Cyndi

Updates & News!

2006-03-04T22:58:00.000-08:00

Well, its been two weeks since I last posted, and I have been busy making jewelry. We were able to find a large jewelry case in a resale store for almost nothing, and I managed to get my Hubby to cover the shelves, clean it up,and it is now in a store. I made a few new pieces:) It was fun! Here are a few photos:

strange weather here in Oklahoma! Last week it snowed for a few days, then it was 91 degrees, today it rained, who knows what tommorrow will bring!
Blessings, Cyndi

Snow, Snow, and more Snow!

2006-02-19T14:10:00.000-08:00

Not quite all that bad, but it has been snowing:) Yesterday and today, everyone is mainly at home because of the snow. It is supposed to melt tommorrow, so we are hoping:)
Our son had a blast sledding though! We did badly need the water, and it does look pretty!
This last week, I did get to spend some time making jewelry, and here are some photos.
Have a good one!
Cyndi

99 cent Auction Special!

2006-02-15T13:31:00.000-08:00

Just added some auctions yesterday and today:) My first was Turquoise Roses, a pretty focal bead for only 99 cents! I also added a new set called Copper Play. I was experimenting with new designs, and using copper. Turned out well, check and see!
I will be adding this new floral set tonight, so keep looking:)

Art Glass Collectors!

2006-02-04T22:20:00.000-08:00

If any of you hang around Ebay, and you love glass, this is your official invitation to join a great group called Art Glass Collectors!
Here is the link: http://groups.ebay.com/forum.jspa?forumID=5230

I hang out here often. This group is for Contemporary Art Glass,and Antique glass lovers alike.

If you are new to Ebay, just go into Community, and you will see all the groups. Our group is called Art Glass Collectors. We are a warm, friendly bunch, so come join us!

Experimenting

2006-01-29T19:21:00.000-08:00

I haven't been very talkative lately, but I have been busy experimenting with new designs! I have been working with dots, and trying to get some new ideas on new bead styles. What do you think?

The first one is a lentil bead set that I like a lot.
I call it waterfall because I have some dots raked, and to me, they look like a mini waterfall. The lentil itself has lots of transparent aqua and green, lending to that effect. The others are three sets of two, and they all have a transparent base, so that you can see light through the bead, although you can't see it in the photos!
There is one set of pink with a black base. That is the set of five pink beads. There are two photos of the light green dots. I love that set! It has a dark amber base, and copper dots! It is very shiny, and because of the transparent base, light shines through very prettily, although again, you can't see it in the photos.
Anyway, I don't think these are going up for auction, because I need to make some jewelry. But maybe these styles will appear in my bead forte!
bead happy!

New Project? Valentines?

2006-01-23T12:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I started making some new beads for a black and white bracelet my mom wanted. She already had one, but she lost it, so.....
I can't ever seem to stay on task, so, while I was making the beads, I started making one for myself.

I wanted black, and ivory, for a slightly more ethnic look. Of course, I just had to make some pink roses too!
What are you working on? What is your Valentine Project?

I'll post some photos of the new bracelets later too!
Happy Beading,
Cindy
P.S. I added a new link if you want to subscribe to our newsletter!

New additions to the Store!

2006-01-18T20:53:00.000-08:00

New lentil sets on auction, and one ending tommorrow!

2006-01-17T20:21:00.000-08:00

I just posted these two new sets on Ebay today, so check them out! Also keep an eye on the store as I post new items every other day or so.

Go to Ebay store

A New Beading Magazine!

2006-01-16T07:10:00.000-08:00

I found this great new Magazine for Jewelry Makers- take a peek!

Beading Life - Beaded Jewelry Making Guides is a website for people who are interested in making beaded jewelry, from the casual beading hobbyist to the veteran jewelry maker. It is written by beaders, for beaders, and aims to provide a broad depth of information and tips on techniques, tools, materials and designs. It also contains illustrated step-by-step instructions on how to make a number of popular beaded jewelry items, including beaded earrings, necklaces, bracelets and more. The site is continually updated, with a new design posted each month.
www.BeadingLife.com

Fall 2006 Designs from Atelier Designs

2006-01-16T06:49:00.000-08:00

Spice market hues and tones of nature as fall turns to winter. Textures of bark, stone and
berries feed the creative imagination of Atelier Designers - This is the theme of the February
through Spring fashion and jewelry collection at atelier designers in New York City." This is a
[B]Quote[/B] from their press release for their upcoming February 2006 fashion show.
What does this tell us?We are still going to see the larger beads, ethnic style jewelry and vintage will be in demand
the coming year. Some of the 60's styles are also in this continuing trend toward using
historical references in new contemporary ways. Colors this year? Varying shades of browns, greens and dark reds that are shown in nature, like: blackberry,
juniper, tea green, ebony, garnet, burgundy.
Some of the rising stars in the jewelry arena are:

Julie Fenton Young: who designs handcrafted urban organic jewelry.
Amy Kahn Russell: Uses Sterling silver and semi precious stones in her designer jewelry.
Gretchen Schields: known for her African & Asian inspired jewelry of vintage Japanese, Chinese & West African fabrics, pearls & semi-precious stones.
Amy Leiner: She was recently nominated for Fashion Group International's Rising Star Award

Down below are photos of their work in order. Great eye candy!

So, if you are in New York City, it will be at the Rihga Royal Hotel, so check it our for us!Here is the link for Atelier Designers
I have a poll on sheunlimited on what styles of jewelry you like the most, so vote

Changes in Blog

2006-01-16T06:38:00.000-08:00

I am changing from bloglines to blogger, so I am republishing some of my blogs in January, and adding them here. If you want to see some of my previous blogs, I added this link.
Thanks! Cindy

New Home in Oklahoma

2005-12-16T22:19:00.000-08:00

Hi Ya'll!

Well, we're finally getting settled into our new home. Almost completely finished with our unpacking, and I'm working on getting the studio set up again. In the move, a few bricks were damaged in the kiln, and I am now working on getting these repaired. But I expect in January, I will finally feel all set and at home again!

Right now, the studio needs some work. There is no insulation, etc. But little by little:)
I took a photo of the beautiful white snow we had a few days back, and will post it. Makes it really feel like Christmas!
Blessings,
Cindy

Glass Artists- It's Springtime! Put Stamens in Your Flowers:)

2005-03-29T15:38:00.000-08:00

It's Springtime, and everyone just loves Spring themes! Now we can talk about my favorite subject, encased Florals:) So here's a little tip for us glass artists on how to put stamens in the center of our flowers.
Start out with a clear glass rod. I use Vetrofond glass because it seems to be clearer and doesn't have as much junk in it to muck up my glass. Put two streaks of yellow on the opposite side of the rod. I then apply clear in between the yellow streaks so that the yellow doesn't melt together. Then Encase the yellow.
Apply your creativity! It doesn't have to be yellow, use coral, or sometimes I use blue. If you want to make your stamen even more intricate, after encasing the yellow the first time, you can add yellow streaks in the opposite sides of the encased yellow, and re-encase it. You will then have four yellow stamens instead of two:)
When adding them, just melt the center part of your flower, and add the glass rod into the center of it. I leave it slightly long, before melting the stamen. Then i slowly melt the stamen to the length I want it to be in the flower. If you want it to look like it is extending, just leave a little long, and encase with clear around it before encasing the rest of the flower.
Have fun ! Cianna
For more glass tips: http://www.glassaffinity.com/glass_artist_tips.htm

Let Your Website Make $$$ While You Sleep, and all that other B.S.!

2005-03-13T23:07:00.000-08:00

Well, you've got your product, started your home business, and even have your website up on the internet. Only one problem, where is that money you were supposed to be making? Nothing! No one is knocking down your door to buy your product! Well, here is the real world answer. Just because you have a website up doesn't mean much if people can't find you among the masses of sites out there. And you thought you were done:) Now, the real work starts..... Need marketing strategies......

But there are some rules in internet marketing, and here are some:

No. 1 Rule: Never spam- The best way to get a bad reputation, and lose any future business is to spam. This is at best a short term solution if one at all. There are a lot of companies that sell email. I wouldn't buy from them, or send email to anyone who has not requested it. It is a good way to get into trouble at the starting gate. So, be patient, and do it right:)

No. 2 Rule: Don't link with everybody- "Don't fall for the pay only 10.00 and submit your website to 1000 search engines junk" although you would think that any link exchange is good, search engines look for content sites and their quality. The trend seems to be starting to use human editors for sites, so they will visit your site, and see what you are up to:0 So.. only link with sites that add something your potential customer may want or need. I have heard many times that "Content is King" with a quality website. People keep coming back to one that has what they need, or want to learn about. Make sure your links are relevant to what your site is offering.
Some easy and free online marketing marketing tips:

1. Look for relevant sites, and ask for reciprocal links. Most will be happy to link with you if your site is not an affiliate, mlm, and has some quality their customers would like.

2. Do a search for free areas to post classified advertising. Again, look for some that are relevant to your site. You don't get customers by advertising to people who are not interested in what you have to offer.

3. Join newsgroups, hotmail groups, yahoo groups that are relevant to your business. You mostly can't do blatant advertising, but put something in your signature file, so people will know about what you have to offer, and contribute to your group. Since you should contribute, choose topics that interest you, so you can be a productive member of your group. Also, there is something to be said about participation, and it helps to keep up with trends in your business this way. There is always something to learn, and someone else's point of view can help a lot:)

4. Submit to search engines- But first make sure you have your keywords for your business in order, check with www.overture.com for a keyword search. your descriptions of your website, and their pages, and title tags, and meta tags done on your website, so the search engines can find you. (Note: keywords need to be actually on your web page)
To learn a lot more about submitting to search engines, and marketing check out www.selfpromotion.com He has a lot of free helps for newbies like us just starting out in internet marketing, and many tools to help you promote your website.. A great and free resource!

Hope this helps in your new adventure Cianna@glassaffinity.com
Cianna is a glass artist , and creates glass beads and aromatherapy vessels. Her website is: www.glassaffinity.com

An Easy Way to Measure Bracelet Size

2005-03-09T20:00:00.000-08:00

One very easy way to measure for a bracelet size is to put a piece of masking tape around the wrist of the person you are measuring. When you have the size, take the tape off and tape it on the table you will be working on. You then have the exact size in front of you while you make the bracelet. If you make the bracelet exactly the size of the tape, it should fit just right, and not be too tight. This is because you will be adding a little extra length when you add the clasps. This should make it just loose enough so that it feels comfortable:)

Top 10 Essential Oils For Your Medicine Cabinet

2005-02-22T20:42:00.000-08:00

So here's our list of the top 10 essential oils we feel are a must to have in your medicine cabinet, and what some of their uses can be. That is, what they can do for you.

What we did in this list, is pick some essential oils that are fairly common, so are easy to find, are also not too expensive, I did leave out some like Jasmine, and Rose, or Neroli ( can't put them all in the top 10 anyway) Even though they are some of the first ones people may think about, they may also be more expensive. I chose these because these have a lot of good healing properties, and are not as expensive. I also left out Rosewood, even thoughit is used a lot in the perfume industry. It's use contributes to the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest.

I also tried round out areas of the body, so tried to pick some for each body system or area. This is a very brief overview, and I hope that it leads you to examine these essential oils further. This is purely for informational purposes, and meant not to diagnose or treat any illnesses, discomforts, physical or psychological problems.

1). Tea Tree- This one is relatively new, but it is potent, and is even being looked at for helping in the fight against aids.It offers strong resistance to infection. It's oil is distilled from the leaves and twigs of this small Australian tree.It has long been used by the aborigines, and has many effective antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.It can be helpful against: respiratory infections, Tuberculosis, Asthma, Bronchitis, Sinusitis, middle ear infections, parasites.It has a warm, fresh smell

2). Bergamot- Comes from a small tree which is native to Asia. Sometimes is a little more expensive. Has a light and refreshing scent.Properties: Antidepressant, Antiseptic, Sedative It is good for respiratory problems, like Bronchitis. Also is good for bladder problems. Helps relieve anxiety and depression, and is a good insect repellant. Precautions: Stay away from direct sunlight if you use this oil. It can increasephotosensitivity.

3). Lavendar-Comes from an evergreen shrub with violet flowers, and is one of the oldest English perfumes and folk remedies.Properties: lots of uses including as a: sedative, has a calming effect, antiseptic,painkiller, helps fluid retention, and is an insect repellant.It allieviates mood swings, has a balancing effect on the central nervous system,so helps those with Manic depression, heals abcesses, boils, heals burns and Bronchial problems. It has a floral and woody aroma.

4). Geranium: a very common plant, widely cultivated. The whole plant is scented. Originally thought to keep away evil spirits.Properties: balances the Hormones,and helps allieviate heavy periods,and helpsMenopause sufferers. Reduces water retention, relieves headaches, andis a good insect repellent. It also helps depression, and keeps skinclean and supple.It is very safe when used in moderation. If used in large quantities it canirritate skin if you are sensitive to it.

5). Melissa Lemon Balm:A fairly common plant. You can eat the leaves in salads, and use them in tea. Properties: calming, comforting, soothing, Antihistamine, Antispasmodic, relieves Depression, Hysteria, soothes bee stings,and helps fungal infections.It has a sweet, floral aroma

6). Ylang-Ylang: It is calming and soothing, and is regarded as the "smelling salts" of AromatherapyProperties: Antidepressant, Antiinfective, Aphrodisiac, sedates the nervous system, and stimulates the Circulatory System. It can help with mild suspected food poisoning, postnatal depression, helps stop palpatations and panic attacks, balances the hormones.It comes mainly from Indonesia, and the Philippines, and has a exotic floral scent.

7). Angelica: Mainly comes from the roots, fruit of the plant. It has a lot of healing properties.Properties: Counteracts dizziness, nausea, colds, congestion, Pleurisy, Bronchitis.Speeds up healing by stimulating the Lymphatic system, and can be used to aidArthritis sufferers. Also relieves Cystitis, and has an affinity for the Urinary system. Is also a fast acting pain reliever, and is good against headaches, toothaches. is good for the skin, and works against Psioriasis.Has an earthy and sweet scent

8). Roman Chamomile- Not as expensive as the Matricaria Chamomile, but has similar properties. This is a very good overall essential oil.Properties: Alleviates muscular pain, helps with Arthritis and headaches or toothaches, earaches. Works well in compresses for join pain, regulatesmenstrual cycles, soothes the stomach, and helps alleviate Colitis. Can alsoHelp liver problems, or Cystitis. strengthens the immune system. and alleviatesstress, depression. Smells similar to apples

9). Mandarin - it is nontoxic, and non-irritant. Good one for treating indigestion in children.Properties: Encourages the appetite, stimulates the Liver and Bile, and fat digestion. helps with fluid retention. revitalizes, helps peripheral circulation. Also are very safe to use when pregnant. tones the skin, promotes healing, clears acne. sweet, light tangy smell

10). Yarrow- It grows in abundance, and has many powerful healing qualities. Because it is potent, be careful with its use during pregnancy, and excessive use can cause skin irritation in individuals who are sensitive to it.
Properties: It acts on the bone marrow to stimulate the production of red blood cells, and so strengthens our bodies. Normalizes mild high blood pressure, aids varicoseveins( don't massage directly over area), helps inflamed ovaries, and balancesmenstruation. In digestion, it helps us absorb foods, and digestion, helps diarrhea,flatulence, cramps, colic, helps to cure bedwetting because it regulates kidney function. It also lowers fevers, cures headaches.It smells sweet and spicy

Take a peek at our Handmade Aromatherapy Vessels!

Marketing Your Art Online- For Free!

2005-02-07T23:53:00.000-08:00

If you are looking to sell your art online, but your pocketbook can't take a lot of pressure, you came to the right place! The good news is that there are a lot of free places to market your work online.

But first, you needto think about exactly what kind of computer skills you have, or are willing to learn. This will determine what type of sites you will be needing, to be able to market your work. There are certain things you will need no matter what online help there is.
1. You will need to be able to at least take digital photos, and put then online for others to see, Or have someone else do this. Now, a scanner is a great way to do this, and much cheaper than a digital camera.
2. Do you know the basics of web site development? If not, then you will need to find either an online store in which to market your work, or at least a photo album or portfolio in whichto show your work.

Here are some free photo albums:

If you are looking to open a store, but need some structure already there, these are great places to start. There is already some traffic coming to these sites, to give you a boost at first.
Here are some free consignment stores:

Almost the same, but more geared toward crafters, are some craft fairs and booths online.

Guess what? I found a turnkey solution to opening a store. Best of all, it is completely free! They offer free merchant set up, they use the oscommerce shopping cart. I just got one myself, it was such a good deal:)

www.vstore.ca

If you want to build a web site, here are some free ones to get you started. Some of these,like geocities, and bravenet, also have a web site building wizard to guide you in setting up your web site.

If you want a little more services for your web site, these are good and low cost web hostingcompanies:

www.ocatch.com- besides offering a free site, it offers low cost hosting, starting at $6.95 per month. If you do have a problem, they are prompt in rectifying it.
www.hostorange.com- this is the hosting company that I currently use. They offer a lot for the money. You get subdomains, and you can host more that one domain at the same price, and a lot more extras. They are also prompt in ansering your problems, but they have no phone, and everything is online.

Now that you have your site up and running, you need to start promoting it. Learn how to optimize and promote your site for free.

www.selfpromotion.com can give you lots of help, and freebies for your new site.

If you would like to find more freebies. www.thefreesite.com - lots of free info

Another good way to get some increased exposure is to belong and post your work in some online galleries. There are many free ones that allow you to post 4 or 5 photos of your art work.

The internet is a wonderful resource, but the fact is that you need to generate a lot of traffic to make any significant amount of sales. One way to increase exposure is to take advantage of free links on these sites. Most of these sites are undoubtedly larger than yours(expeciallyif you are beginning), and generate traffic. At least your work will be seen by a larger audience. Also, the type of people who will be seeing your work will be your target audience.Those who are interested in your work! The same goes for online consignment stores. Most have developed traffic to their site, and it may be worth your time to tap into this. Best of all,it's free advertising:)
Here are some galleries to get you started:

www.wire-sculpture.com- has a free gallery for jewelry makers
www.electroniccottage.com
www.artquest.com
www.artdepot.com
www.espectro.com
www.artzee.net

So, try these out, there is nothing to lose, everything to gain:)
Good luck, and until next time, Cyanna

And remember "Don't take life too seriously,,,it isn't permanent"

You Don't Have to be Blind To See

2005-01-29T17:07:00.000-08:00

I read this wonderful book by Jim Stoval. Now,Jim Stoval is blind, but he became a television producer. In his book, he tells you step by step how to realize your dreams, regardless of your circumstances.

One section in particular spoke about the difference between goals and dreams. This is a very important, and is the difference between success and failure. Yet, many don't really understand it.

A dream is a wish without any timeframes, dates, or to do lists.

A goal is a plan. It has time frames, dates, and to do lists. I am going to do this step by...
A goal is a step by step plan toward your success, achievement,..... your dream.

If you don't have a plan, you are not really dedicated towards your goal. It is only wishful
thinking, and daydreams. And you should be doing something daily towards the goal you
are striving for. .

For example: If your dream is to become a computer scientist, you need to daily be studying towards that goal.
As he says so eloquently in his book" Success is measured not by what you achieve on a daily basis, but by what you do toward achieving your ultimate dream, and that activity must be daily"

You see, success itself isn't measured by daily output, but to achieve success is a measure of daily output.

Until next time, Cianna

Make money, by educating your customers

2005-01-26T21:22:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of websites out there selling jewelry these days. On About.com there was just a commentary on just how many jewelry makers there are currently. Since I am interested in jewelry, I have seen a lot of websites. Most tell about their jewelry, and show photos, etc. A lot of them are very nice looking, and the layout is good. So what makes yours more special than the next one? You should be asking yourself that question, and finding answers to it, because that will be Your unique selling proposition. The reason people will buy from you, and not your competitor!

One thing I see very little of in most sites is education.
What I mean by that, is that not many sites even tell the public what their product actually is. If someone doesn’t know what a Swarovski crystal is when they get to your site, they are not going to learn while they visit yours. This can lead to a lot of sales losses, and maybe only because the customer doesn’t know what they will be getting. It may be wonderful that you use only Swarovski crystals in your jewelry, and not any other, but doesn’t mean a lot to your customer if he doesn’t know what a Swarovski crystal is.

One area that you can shine in, and start to develop an image as being an expert in your field, is through customer education. It gives added value to your product if you tell them WHY your product is betterJ, and gives them another reason to buy yours product. You win on all sides! Sooo, why don’t more sites do it? I Don’t know! It is a very overlooked area, and one in which you can set yourself apart from others without a lot of extra work, so try it!

How should you go about doing this?
Add specific information on your jewelry components. One example is what exactly is Bali Silver? What makes it special? Where is Bali anyway? Give some information, background, or lore about your gemstones. Add little stories about your products. Think of things that someone new to your field may not know.
It is also known that many people revisit sites to look up information. This will give you more chances to make that sale. The more times someone visits your site, the more they feel like they know you. The more likely they will be to buy from you.
Here are a few tips to get you started

Good Luck, try it and see what happens