Some days are harder than others. On the hard days, I usually skip blogging because I’d prefer to keep the energy I’m putting into the world positive. But today I decided to harness that energy into putting together a little collection of encouragement for your own dark days.
Since I’m not feeling too chatty, just click on each image to see more from each vendor—here’s to a better day tomorrow!
I’ve been doing a lot of shopping lately, and it seems every trendy store I walk into has these beaded leather wrap bracelets. At once earthy and glamorous, I’ve been coveting one for weeks! Instead of buying a piece shipped from who-knows-where, I decided to see what the sellers on etsy had to offer. Lo and behold, I found the very talented Allison Rennemo just a few states away in Denver, CO.
In her shop, Ida Estelle, Allison offers not only the classic brown/metallic combinations, but also green, red, purple, blue…. all in a variety of sizes and patterns. She’s been in business for a few years, sales are picking up and she generously shares her secrets to success! Enjoy.
Tell us about your work—why do you create what you do?
I grew up in a DIY family, so whether I was painting with my mom, working on some sewing project with my sister or assisting my dad with his latest contraption I was used to working with my hands. I love seeing the before and after, so for me, making these bracelets is instant gratification. I wonder what a certain color of leather will look like with a certain metal or gemstone, and voila, there it is!
How did you learn your craft? Tell us about your process—start to finish. How do you source your materials?
I learned to make these by trying a bunch of different processes…a lot of trial and A LOT of error! I had seen something similar a few years, studied it, bought some materials I thought would work at my local bead shop and went from there. Now that I have my methods down, I know what sort of beads and leathers will work for me. When I’m shopping for materials I don’t always know how I’m going to use them…I’m a little impulsive so I when I see stones or metals that spark a feeling of creativity in me, I buy it! Sometimes I’ll use those materials right away, sometimes it will take a few months for me to decide what to do with them.
Where do you work? What type of environment stimulates your creativity?
My dream is to have a room full of shelves, drawers and windows with a huge drafting table (at standing height) dedicated to all my projects and bracelets. I’m working on making this dream a reality but at the moment I work mainly at my dining room table which overlooks the Rockies. Nature is a big inspiration to me and always helps ignite my creativity, so if I can see outside, I’m good.
How has your work evolved?
When I first started making jewelry I was really concerned with what I thought other people would like and stuck to really basic pieces. Now, after making the same style bracelet for about two years, I have found that I need to make pieces that inspire me and reflect my lifestyle. If I don’t love a piece I made and wouldn’t wear it, I wont sell it.
What is your greatest challenge?
It’s challenging to put all the pieces together…sourcing materials, designing, hand making all the product, pricing, marketing, researching new ways to grow a business and keeping up with paperwork can be really overwhelming when you’re doing it by yourself. I love every second of it though!
What inspires you?
I’m inspired by everything. I literally have hundreds of notes written everywhere with ideas and thoughts I’ve had while being somewhere, doing something or meeting someone. I revise the previous question…my greatest challenge? Keeping all my notes of inspiration straight.
Tell us about your etsy business.
My sister introduced me to Etsy about three years ago when she opened her own vintage shop on the website called Extra Virgin Home. She opened her shop about the time I was first interested in making these “awesome new wrap bracelets” I had seen in a magazine. While I was helping my sister with her vintage shop I had been making my bracelets for friends and family. On a trip home about six months later my grandma asked me why I hadn’t started my own shop on Etsy…I thought, a shop for what? Oh, right, my bracelets! So, I made a profile on Etsy, photographed some of my bracelets and started my shop.
My beginner mistake was thinking that’s all you had to do, the “if you build it they will come” mentality. That was not the case. It took me about six months to really get on board with selling on Etsy…posting items everyday, visiting other shops and expanding my product line. I feel lucky that I’m in a place in my life that I can focus on growing Ida Estelle into a full fledged business. Whereas before it was more of a hobby, now it’s my full time job. This next year I’m focusing on expanding my online reach with tools like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
What advice do you have for new etsians?
I think my biggest piece of advice is to be your own biggest fan! For so long, I would down play my jewelry and I didn’t think what I was doing was that special or unique. Now, I’m 100% on board with what I’m doing and am looking forward to expanding my product line and getting my brand out there.
Where can readers find your work?
Currently, other than Etsy.com, I’m selling my items at a shop in Telluride, CO called Telluride Naturals. I have a few other things in the works, including selling my jewelry at an event called Family Circle Cup this Spring in South Carolina.
Other places you can find me:
Visit the official website idaestelle.com
Buy Ida Estelle’s famous wraps on idaestelle.etsy.com
Follow Ida Estelle’s adventure @ida_estelle
Like Ida Estelle facebook.com/idaestelle
Perfect for fall, going rose is the latest trend in fine jewelry. I love the way rose gold flatters any skin tone and instantly gives you a creamy glow. Plus, it mixes beautifully with either silver or yellow gold, so it’s great for watches or rings you want to wear every day. Here are a few great finds to get you started!
Tri-color skinny stack by J. Lorlee Designbytes.
Twiggy open bangle by Our Family Jewels.
Forever fall earrings by Amor Orquidea.
Too often we get sucked into a downward spiral of pleasing others. Making sure your friends are happy, your family feels loved, you’re keeping up with everything you “should” be doing. All this outward focus makes it easy to lose track of yourself.
Lately I’ve been thinking about the importance of taking the time each day to do a little something nice for yourself. It can be as simple as indulging in a half hour of your favorite tv show, painting your nails (or allowing yourself not to worry about them!), picking up a sweet treat or going for a bike ride.
Inevitably these little indulgences will include a little shopping… for yourself! Not a garment that will make you look better at work or that someone else will think is cool, something you want just because it makes you happy. Here’s a selection of things that are making my list!
Full disclosure: I ordered this ring from PlastiCouture a couple weeks ago and it makes me smile every time I look down at my finger!
I don’t know what it is about mustaches, but they always make me chuckle. (The cartoon ones do anyway… real ones make me gag a little.) Funny mustaches made of sugar? Even better. Thank you Vintage Confections!
The curse of being Someone Who Makes Things and being friends with People Who Makes Things is having way too many Things That Sit On Shelves and Things That Hang On Walls, but you can bet if I didn’t I’d have one of these little owls from Fruit Fly Pie!
Johan’s wood-inlay rings first caught my eye on the etsy frontpage months ago, and every couple of weeks one of his new pieces pops up on my news feed. I’m eternally impressed with the beautiful consistency and high quality of his pieces. Enjoy as he answers a few questions about his art and his business.
Tell us about your work—why do you create what you do?
I love to create things others admire, it is a wonderful feeling, a high.
It helps that I have an inquisitive mind and I am never afraid of starting/making something that others are not willing to try.
I made my 1st ever ring when I was about 12 years old. I took a nut (as in the counterpart to a bolt) that was big enough for my finger to fit through, shaped it with a metal file into a signet ring. I never did wear it. I just had the inquisitive mind to do it.
How did you learn your craft?
I have a “can do” attitude. I believe those that talk about it never succeed, only those that actually do it will succeed.
I did a lot of reading and watching videos on the Internet. I made some rings and found it was easy enough if you know the material you are working with and how it will react when you work it.I have also received some formal jewelry manufacturing training, stone setting and casting rings, mainly for engagement rings with intricate settings.
How has your work evolved?
When I started selling on Etsy I started with a natural wood ring as no one else was doing it at the time. I made the hole with a little hand drill, filed the rest with a hand file, sanded and waxed it. I was pleasantly surprised that it sold in about 3 days. I thought that this was too easy to make money with so I made a lot of wood rings. A few months later I purchased a wood lathe to make the rings faster. A few months later I bought a very small bench metal lathe to make Titanium inlayed with Wood rings. This helped make the rings stronger as wood rings do break easily.
Things happened fairly quickly from there. To date I have purchased 3 big metal lathes and a big metal milling machine, not to mention all the Jewelry tools and equipment.
Now I can custom make any ring the client requests: Platinum, Gold, Palladium, Silver, Titanium, Meteorite, Damascus, Mokume Gane, setting of Diamonds and Gemstones.
What is your greatest challenge?
I have a Patent Pending ring I designed and manufacture out of Titanium. It is called the “Interchangeable Inlay Ring System”, some call it a “Hybrid Ring” [above].
You buy one ring and many inlays. You open up the ring and replace the inlay with another inlay. With this system you will have a new ring every time you exchange/replace the inlay. Some buy up to 10 different inlays, that is 10 new rings.
With a normal inlay ring you are stuck with what you have and it usually costs hundreds of dollars. If something would break with a normal ring you have to throw it away, if it is a wood inlay, the wood inlay can break or if it gets wet it will eventually break as well.
With my system you need only make a new inlay, replace the old inlay with the new inlay. Your ring is back to normal within days, at a fraction of the cost of a totally new inlay ring.
My new patented inlay system solves many problems. I have many clients return and order new inlays from me.
My current challenge is doing the same with Platinum, Gold, Palladium and Silver rings. It is very difficult but I will get it to work.
What inspires you?
A great challenge. If I cannot do it at first I will try and try again until solved. I love to design and develop new rings. To date I have designed 3 rings, 1 of them is Patent Pending. It is a great feeling to know that a ring exists because of you.
It is such a great feeling when people congratulate you on your new ring design.
What advice do you have for people looking to take up a new art form?
Read up about it. If it interests you and you want to give it a try, DO IT. Don’t keep on thinking about it. Get some training if it is affordable and you have the time.
With practice you will get better and conquer it. Everyone starts as a novice!
How does one care for a wood and metal jewelry piece?
Because it is updated with new info I suggest read the FAQ on my website www.jewelrybyjohan.com
Tell us about your etsy business.
I started making and selling rings on Etsy in June 2008. My beginner mistakes include not taking good photos. When I started taking good photos my sales picked up drastically.
Etsy is my full time job. The amount of orders forced me to make it my full time job. My turnaround time has been between 4 and 6 weeks the last 2 years. It is currently 6 weeks because of the wedding season.
Where can readers find your work?
My rings can be found on my website www.jewelrybyjohan.com. I wish I have the time to show my rings in galleries, I have been asked many times. If I get my backlog worked down to 3 days—it is currently 6 weeks because of the wedding season—I will consider sending my rings to galleries.
What advice do you have for new etsians?
My clients are King. I only provide the best service to my clients. Help them whenever you can, even if they are wrong. A disgruntled client has a negative impact on your business. Returning clients and word of mouth advertising are about 30% of all my sales.
Invest in a good camera and only use good photos in your listings. My sales picked up a lot when I started listing with good photos. At first I used a camera with bad close-up, it made the items look small and distant. My new camera shows good close-ups and you can see all the detail.
Make use of all the tags/keys available to you when you list a new item. Think like a client and enter tags that will get your items listed on the first page of search results. Search Etsy forums, they share lots of info on tags and search results.
Search for listings similar to yours, how does yours compare to theirs, look at the keywords, price, tags, description, how far up on the search did they appear, etc. Later on you will be the person others search for and want to copy. You have to keep one step ahead of your competitors, be a leader not a follower.
622 press | LETTERPRESS GOODS MADE BY HAND 