Start to Finish: Hammered Copper Earrings

After a mopey month, the last couple of days have been creative storms. With hubby Jim agreeing to take up more of the marketing activities I suddenly don't feel so overwhelmed and ideas are just pouring out in a good way.

One of the activities I want to focus on with my blog is to show work that I'm doing from start to finish as well as tutorials when those make sense. I learn mostly by reading books and finding information online and I love folks who do share their information in return.

This afternoon I tackled a project that I bought materials for two months ago: 24 gauge copper sheet, blue rubber Dremel polishing tips, tripoli and rouge buffing compounds. I had seen these hammered copper earrings in the Chic Metal jewelry book by Victoria Tillotson and felt they would be a good next step from the metalsmithing class I wasn't able to finish earlier this year.

[Safety seal says, 'arf arf' which translates to put your dust mask on, eye protection, and when you get to hammering to put your earplugs in!]

I started by cutting two identical circle shapes out of the copper sheet. I used the base of my earplug carrier for the size and first put them on tracing paper, glued to the copper sheet with gluestick. Because the copper sheet was a bit thin, sawing went rather quickly although wasn't as smooth as I've gotten used to with my new method for sawing jump rings.



Once the circles were cut out, I filed down the edges and rough spots starting with a large file and then switching to a smaller one to try to get the edges as round and smooth as possible. I probably could have done more filing but I like a bit of an organic circle and knew that the hammering process around the edge would wiggle things out too so I wasn't overly concerned with perfection, just wanted to make sure there weren't any really sharp or odd bits.

Using the ball end of the hammer I started gently hammering starting at the edge and moving in concentric circles, overlapping where needed so that the entire surface would get bonked. Doing this caused the copper sheet to curve up gently at the edges but again, a nice organic touch and will help catch the light along with the hammered texture.



Once I was happy with the hammered texture it was time to add a hole for the earwire. I have a new center punch that went right through the copper sheet although I was only going to use it to mark where to drill. Oh well, it worked so no worries.

Next, time to work with the Dremel tool (as I didn't have to load up the drill bits this time). I loaded up a blue rubber polishing tip, put one of the hammered discs into the wooden hand vise (because I have found it helps my stability and also because copper heats up quickly) and smoothed out the outside edges some more.

Next I switched to a felt head and used some tripoli polishing compound on both sides of the copper rounds. I know the backside of the earring isn't going to see a lot of action but if you wear your hair up a lot like I do, having a funky side to an earring that you don't want anybody to see isn't great fun.



I had no idea how shiny this process would make the copper. I've been using my tumbler for chains and earwires and it does a fabulous job but for large surfaces using the Dremel really makes a difference.



The last step was to whip up some earwires so I used some 19 gauge copper wire and used a new set of mandrel pliers to make a matched pair to work with the discs.



The end result is a very classy pair of hammered copper earrings, not too big and not too small.

Getting back into the swing of things...

I've not been handling stress well the last few weeks and have felt pretty much like I'm stumbling around (sometimes literally) a lot. I've dealt with a few sick days, a few of hubby's banged up elbows (he's teaching himself to skateboard but that's been fun) and just an overwhelming sense of too much to do even if it's stuff that I want to do. I tend to shut down completely when that happens.

But not today, no sirree, I got back up on that horse and got some neat photos taken of a couple new pieces including Moops (moderate hoop earrings) in copper and a necklace-length Mmm, Mobius.

Tomorrow I start work on learning Full Persian chainmaille weave in a bracelet for hubby so will post photos on that work in progress.

Listings on Etsy:
Mmm, Mobius - http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30243130
Moops in copper - http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30243515

Friday Front and Center: Purified Art

A couple weeks back I clicked on a random link in a twitter feed (click to recreate the moment) and lo the sky opened and down tumbled some Purified Art. It was a ring, described as future-primitive on the Flickr feed, but I knew it was unique and I liked it. Isn't that enough?



The gent behind the purification is Bill Martin, who maintains a blog called "Here there be Monsters" and I highly recommend putting it on your reading list. One of the things I like about how Bill approaches blogging or twitter or facebook, is that he is himself, it's not constant, "I listed twenty things, go look, go now, buy buy buy." So when he does post a link to a new creation, I'm excited about it and want to go look (and buy, but more on that next).

Bill does a fantastic job of keeping his Facebook fans up to date and keeping the flow of comments going as well. If you aren't a fan, go be a fan by clicking here and doing your being a fan thing.

So on Wednesday, June 10, 2009, at precisely 6:55 pm, Bill posted a photo of his new creation which utilized omg-yummeh-fantastical-you know that was tree sap once-AMBER and my brain melted. I mean, I'm a sucker for a few things in this world (honey, sock monkeys, fresh paper mmm) and amber is right at the top of the list. The absolute ONLY thing that saved my pennies was the size and as soon as my pennies are equal to the amount that would behoove not saving them, I will contact Bill about making a precious for me.



Bill on twitter is @Billpurifiedart and his Flickr photostream has a lot of really great photos of his current work and past art. See more of his creations for sale in his Etsy shop as well. Take a moment to visit Purified Art and let Bill know what you think!

Keishi pearls, yummeh!

Katey knows, I was hankering for keishi pearls for awhile and made a point of looking at all of them at the intergalactic bead show (although depending on the quality and size, oh my are they expensive). I read a great primer on pearls recently and learned that keishi pearls are in fact freshwater pearls but they don't have any starter material so they are the purest pearls so to speak because they are whatever the oyster churns out.

I love working with materials that were created in a process like that similar (in my mind anyway) to amber or honey. It came out of something else that may or may not have known we were going to process it so like Tom on Top Chef says, 'you have to honor the protein.' That may not make any sense but what I'm trying to say is that I feel a connection to the material and want what I make from it to be the best I can make it for what I have on hand or my skill level.

I didn't use to like pearls but that's before I knew they came in such crazy colors and shapes. Now I'm pearl crazy! Oh wells. I posted these (Dark Blossom) in the Etsy shop so please to enjoy!

Time to eat your veggies!

Peas and Carrot earrings are currently featured in an Etsy Treasury all themed around peas and carrots! It will be viewable through Saturday.

Oddly enough, it was one month ago today the amber grapes were featured in a treasury. We'll see if our luck holds true on June 20...stay tuned!

A little Etsy shop cleaning.

I decided during the organization of my office and work area and subsequent cleaning out of my jewelry case that I didn't want to carry around so much stuff and I also think it has been in there awhile! I created a sale section in the Etsy shop and deactivated quite a few listings that I think I put in there when getting the shop going but since sold those pieces offline so no use having them in there at this point if I'm not going to make another set, etc.

So get in there and take advantage of my compulsive nature to store things for awhile and then resulting need to have them gone right away!

Click here to view the new sale section in the Seedlings Etsy shop.

3 Simple Customer Service Rules

Over the past decade in roles from retail to consulting in industries as varied as baking to web design, I’ve experienced a range of customer service. I’ve heard a lot about it too but mostly from executive types who loved charts and graphs. I’m sure there were nuggets of wisdom in their countless slides but the folks who deal with people every day will tell you they have a few simple rules to keep their customers happy.

1. Keep your customers informed. Whether this is an e-mail letting them know you’ve received their order or a verbal acknowledgment to someone in your shop, “I’ll be with you right away,” you can stave off so many difficult situations if you just keep the lines of communication open.
   
   Why wait until something is a problem when you can get your customers involved early and work out a solution quickly? For example, I recently ordered a custom item from an online retailer. We e-mailed back and forth over all the details and I was assured it would be shipping out the next couple of days but after that initial flurry of information, nothing. I sent them a message to find out what had happened and got a quick, “sorry for the delay, I had some difficulties getting everything together.”
   
   How simple it would have been to send that message two weeks ago instead of inspiring me to write an article about good customer service. Even at the beginning of the relationship with your customer, make sure you have enough information about your products or services that they can get the basics before coming to you for help. How you frame that information i.e. marketing and promotions is part of it...



2. Be consistent with your message. This includes your branding, your packaging, your pricing across shops – anything that is your product identity needs to face the same way. The next time you are at a cold beverage display, pay attention and if some of the bottles are facing with the label off-center; see if it makes you skip that bottle or give the impression the store is messy. It’s subtle but important.
   
   When I first created the look for Seedlings: Jewelry Because, I had so many people ask me if it was a brand I was reselling because everything was so coordinated. Everything from the little cards to hold earrings to the colors of the links on my blog were in essence facing forward in the display.
   
   In the latest A List Apart, Stephen Anderson has a great article about the importance of aesthetics in design, how it conveys confidence in your product. I feel this carries over into everything that is part of the message I’m trying to convey with my jewelry and they are easy things to do. Even if you aren’t a pro with graphics or printed materials, make some friends who are and do a trade!
   
   Beyond creating an experience for your customers, being consistent solves potential problems with your shipping policies or pricing between online shops. If you do market differently depending on the shop, see rule number one and state up front why there is a difference (i.e. these are my fashion earrings versus the ones made entirely from rubies and butterfly kisses.)
   
   As you reach out to your customers in various ways with consistency they will look forward to your updates, to your new creations, to weekly blog posts, to tutorials and contests. They will be ready to reach for a second bottle from your forward facing display and share it with others...



3. Follow-up or “make new friends but keep the old.” If you are keeping everyone informed and being consistent with your message, you will have repeat customers. These folks appreciate you and your product and are now fans. How fantastic do you feel when someone remembers your name or sends you a note thanking you, puts a little something extra in your package or even just a coupon for a friend?
   
   From a communication view, a quick e-mail a month after a sale asking if they are still happy can be an opportunity to turn them into a permanent fan with recruits. One popular feature for my recent customers has been to get Spotted in their Seedlings. I ask people to take photos with their new jewelry so I can feature them on my website and Facebook fan page. Another easy follow-up would be to give your previous customers a special discount on new items.

Customer service can mean many things to many people. To me, it’s about consistent communication on all levels of your relationship with your customers. With handmade items, you really are putting yourself into everything you do – why not make the entire experience a true representation of the best of yourself?

I challenge you all to examine one aspect of your current customer service and find an area where you want to make some changes. Use the upcoming month to create a plan to move the business side of your creations forward. I’d love to hear about your ideas and if you feel the same way (or not) about customer service!

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Law of equivalent exchange.

So I'm no alchemist but as I upgrade my wire and take the plunge into making my own findings (I love that I'm starting to make pieces where I can say I made everything) I find that I have more questions sometimes than I can find answers for. At every step along the way I have found people willing to share their knowledge and not only does that make me happy it makes me want to do the same in return except I know I'm not there yet.

An extraordinarily wonderful co-worker gifted me this week through a little deceit. She had overheard me talking with my main cohort in craftiness, Katey, about the latest catalog from Fire Mountain Gems. So co-worker "J" sends me an e-mail telling me she has a cousin who is starting to get into jewelry and what online shops would I recommend. Me, getting all chatty, goes on for like 3 e-mails about my favorite places, etc. so later that day I get an e-mail letting me know despite her best efforts, those particular shops don't make gift certificates easy but here's a gift to your PayPal account!

I did a happy dance! The story about the cousin was a complete fabrication but what a nifty way to say thank you. I immediately wanted to make her something very unique but I have noticed she is nary a jewelry wearing person so I offered to make something for her mother knowing that her mom is recovering from surgery and Mother's Day is coming up. Again, co-worker "J" demured but I had something up my sleeve...peonies.

My grandmother on my father's side died last year of a sudden heart attack. She was always an inspiration to me in all things botanical. I always loved going to gardens with her because she knew all the plants, knew what made them special, what would make them grow. She was also a beekeeper at times and had a shock of white hair she always kept tucked behind her ears. Some of my favorite memories of visiting her farm (in Missouri) are of the peonies she always had.

I love those flowers, especially the double peonies. Such big flowers and bright colors and there would usually be a big black ant crawling around enjoying them just as much as I did.

So when my mom called me and asked me if I wanted some peonies of course I said yes. I had heard they were a bit difficult to get them to thrive in the south (north of Atlanta) but it was possible. Co-worker "J" is very into gardening and I knew this so I knew giving her one of the peonies would be perfect and hooray, she couldn't resist!

The other thing I did was do my research on metals and decided I wanted argentium wire. I used her gift to buy some from riogrande.com after looking around at several places on pricing. Thank you to all the crafty folks out there who have posted their knowledge online about various wires and what has worked best for them.

The flower in the photo is not a peony but is a photo I took on a recent hike through Cloudland Canyon State Park in northern Georgia. I saw so many tiny flowers and knew my grandma was there.

Sunday for me.

I go through varying phases of ups and downs, high energy and sluggishness, and sometimes mania and depression. I've learned to cope with all the phases mostly but definitely enjoy the times of high energy as opposed to days like today when I just feel like a lump.

I decided to make myself a pair of earrings in a style I'd done last weekend but much smaller since I'm not a huge hoop person. The green beads at the bottom are aventurine. I really like the subtle variations in the stone. I think they turned out rather nicely and Susan (my mother-in-law) asked for a pair so I'll enjoy making those as well. I want to try a super small pair later this week I think with some bright yellow round shell beads I found.

Going to start on a necklace project but I'm not sure how far I'll get tonight. My energy level is definitely low.

Little sleep but having fun!

So this last week I finished up the last batch of wire swirls for the grand vision of Swirlmaille and I have to say I'm very happy with the result. I do consider this version 1.0 though and have several ideas for improvement in the next round. I am itching to work with actual sterling silver and fine silver among other things and plan on getting that going very shortly.

I'm waiting for a few new supplies to come in from folks I found on Etsy including a chainmaille kit for hubby!

I started a flickr account to help keep my photos organized and to get them out into the world a bit more, http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedlingsjewelry and I also post these photos to the Facebook page but apparently not everybody is on Facebook (haha)!

More New! Spring Blossom and Tumble

Perhaps its all this lovely weather and the smell of fresh dirt but my mind has been whirling with designs and I'm thrilled with the results.

Spring Blossom is available in both earring and pendant, lovely, dainty and ready to dance. Available in a smaller green or larger blue along with a complementing pendant.

Tumble takes me away from my favorite round and swirly things and plants a firm, square dangle. Available with magnetic hematite or turquoise.

Visit the Seedlings: Jewelry Because website to view more detailed photos and order via PayPal. If you have any questions please contact me by e-mail.

Viva la spring!