Mermaid Lore

This necklace was created for the Beadweaving Emporium Market's November Challenge themed Beachcomber. The first thing I thought of was shells, and then I started thinking of all the things that could be washed up to shore. My head started swimming with shipwrecks, treasures, and yes....mermaids. I have always been fasinated with fantasy, legends, and the Sea.

I imagine walking along the beach one afternoon, pondering lifes many lessons. The foaming tides covering my bare feet as they washed to shore. The winds very crisp, wild, and refreshing, and the Sun has taken refuge behind some clouds in the distance. I can feel a slight drop of rain touch my face as I gaze out into the great, vast ocean . I wonder what it would be like to be a mermaid, just for a day, to explore and unlock the many treasures and mysteries of the sea.

Just then, from the corner of my eye, I spotted something just ahead on the rocks. This sparked my imagination, so I ran to explore what the sea had gifted me. To my amazement, a very beautiful and enchanting necklace lay at my feet. It appeared to be very old, enchanting and alluring, almost calling to me. I was entranced with it, and had to try it on. It fit perfectly, and just as I closed the clasp, I was transformed into a beautiful mermaid.

Ahhh, what a fantasy. Although this necklace will not actually turn you into a mermaid, you can let your imagination run wild, while wearing it. Mermaid Lore is completely hand sewn with much care and with great attention to detail, and to VOTE for your favorite please visit our voting polls now through the 15th at http://www.thebeadweavingemporium.blogspot.com.

I must also mention that the Etsy Beadweavers are currently in the voting stages of there November challenge as well. Although I didn't have enough time to enter the challenge this month, the entries are breathtaking and deserve much admiration. So please go to http://www.etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com to VOTE for your favorite and browse through all the gorgeous creations!!

Pricing Beadwoven Jewelry

How do you price your beadwoven or bead embroidered jewelry? Is there a method to this? What things do you take into consideration? Am I underpricing my work? Am I charging to much? These are all valid questions, and I would like to shed a little light onto my thoughts about all this. Let me say first, I do not create jewelry as a hobby, I do this as a passion, addiction, and a business!!

1. I take many things into consideration when figuring out my price for one of my pieces. First I take into consideration my cost of materials. You must be sure to keep track of your materials....For instance, if you buy a 16" strand of 8mm pearls for $8.00 and there were 50 pearls on that strand. If you use the whole strand that is easier to calculate, however if you use 37 of those pearls your cost would be $5.92. I usually put the cost per bead on the container when I check my items in.

2. Then I take into consideration, how much time I have invested. You must figure out what you are going to pay yourself for your time. I charge approximately $18.00 an hour. It used to be higher, however I considered with the economy, I would lower my hourly wage, just like many others in this nation have.

3. To have a successful business, you must consider your other business costs, such as advertising costs, business cards, signs, displays, show entry fees, shipping fees, travel expenses, learning materials or expenses. I am only naming a few things here, however there may be many more business expenses to consider.

If you are doing word of mouth advertising via social networks, consider your hourly wage in here, however keep it to a minimum! We know this could raise our costs considerably, because we spend a large amount of our valuable time trying to promote our work. How long does it take you to snap, edit, and post your pictures and listings? These are all things to consider!!

After I have taken all these things into consideration, I have the basis for my costs.

For instance if I made a big necklace that cost me $30.00 in supplies, and 23 hours to create, plus I add on the average $4.00 to each product to average out my business expenses. My necklace would wholesale for $448.00!! I actually sell my necklaces for wholesale prices, however if I had a larger business, that had larger expenses, I would sell them at retail. Retail (to my understanding) is usually considered triple the cost of wholesale.

I have every bit of faith in my work, and I sell One of a Kind pieces of art that I have poured much of myself into. When someone asks me, how can you sell something for $450.00, I simply state that I feel my prices are actually on the lower end, when you consider the amount of cost and time that I put into it.

My target market is not someone who can not afford my pieces, but rather a collector who truly appreciates art and who can not afford not to have one of my pieces!!

Artists, have you found the value in your work?

2 Days Left

There are only 2 days left to place your vote for your favorite. The art of bead weaving and bead embroidery is one of passion and patience. At times we can spend many hours, days, or even weeks to produce the beautiful end results, that you see. The participants of these themed challenges, do them for many different reasons. I cannot speak for every one of them, however I can say that I do these challenges to broaden my views, increase my abilities, and get exposure for my works.

I truly believe if we had more artists in the world, it would be a much better place. Art takes us in directions, that we may have never taken, without it. It opens our hearts to compassion, and extends our minds to possiblities. It can broaden our view if we allow it too, and most importantly it is the very best way to express ourselves.




Please show your support for our art by simply placing a vote for your favorite piece.

I've Got The Power

"I've got the Power" is my entry for the Etsy Beadweavers October Challenge. My favorite super hero of all time is Wonder Woman, who is probably the worlds most famous Amazon!! The Wonder Woman show started when I was just a young girl being raised by my true hero, my mother. My sister, cousins, and I used to play wonder woman all the time. We would all put on our bathing suits, and make wrist bands, crowns, and belts out of paper sacks and crayons. The only problem was that we all wanted to be Wonder Woman, so there were never any bad guys....lol. As an adult, I still love her, and look back fondly on all those special times, I had as a child.




Wonder Woman was a great role model for young girls growing up in the 70's and 80's and I dedicate this necklace to all women who have found their own inner beauty and strength.


For other gorgeous Etsy Beadweavers Entries please type EBWC into the Etsy search bar. The voting will begin October 9th and continue through 15th at the Etsy Beadweavers Blog.
So please show your support by placing a vote for your favorite!!

The voting has begun

It's that time again!! This challenge was an especially fun challenge for me. Indian Summer is all about the last bit of warm whether, with all the beauty of Autumn. My challenge piece is called Tropical Indian Summer (shown below) and she is one of my favorite pieces to date.

The members of the Etsy Beadweavers really knocked this challenge out of the park, with all of there interpretations of Indian Summer! I was blown away, by the beautiful array of colors and textures used in their work. Come take a look for yourself, and show your support by placing your VOTE for your favorite entry!! Please don't be shy and tell your friends about it as well!!