OT? - Yesterday's Lunch

Had a lunch meeting with some lovely ladies yesterday to discuss a
private-by-invitation-only/fine-art sale. That's a mouth full, eh?

I wore my "Spotted" necklace and a matching bracelet in case anyone
wanted to see my handy work. Good thinking on my part because they
did and one woman literally drooled! That cinched it, I'm in and the
cost is a bottle of wine for guests plus a savory goody. There are no
limitations on the amount of jewelry I bring and because I'm one of
two jewelry designers in the group, I don't have a cap on pricing.
(the paper guild ladies have a price range they're keeping to which
apparently is the norm for them). I also will be providing a piece
for the guest raffle. woooooohooooo

I'm very excited about this show! This is a wonderful opportunity for
networking and of course if I sell some jewelry it would be the icing
on the cake.

Are there any caveats from anyone who has done similar shows? I'm all
ears, ready, willing and able to heed any and all wisdom.
--
Margie
http://www.PictureTrail.com/margiek
My auctions:
http://snurl.com/245y
http://www.justbeads.com/search/ql.cfm?s=upeggedme

That sounds great! I know you'll do well.

I wore my "Spotted" necklace and a matching bracelet

Ooohhhhhh - I LOVE how it turned out, Margie!!! I'm not at all surprised that
the ladies were drooling over it! And I am SOOOO happy for you about the show
- I know you will kick some serious butt!! Take lots and lots of stuff -
you'll probably sell it all!

Carol in SLC

On Thu, 2 Oct 2003 11:01:00 -0500, "starlia"
wrote:

That sounds great! I know you'll do well.

One way or the other I will! Thanks Starlia.

--
Margie
http://www.PictureTrail.com/margiek
My auctions:
http://snurl.com/245y
http://www.justbeads.com/search/ql.cfm?s=upeggedme

On 02 Oct 2003 16:03:08 GMT, ospam (Carol in SLC)
wrote:

Ooohhhhhh - I LOVE how it turned out, Margie!!! I'm not at all surprised that
the ladies were drooling over it! And I am SOOOO happy for you about the show
- I know you will kick some serious butt!! Take lots and lots of stuff -
you'll probably sell it all!

I was proud to wear it yesterday, Carol. The lady that drooled, said
"ooohhh an amphora vessel!" before I even had a chance to say
anything! I'm bringing that one just for her or maybe her 3 adult
daughters.

--
Margie
http://www.PictureTrail.com/margiek
My auctions:
http://snurl.com/245y
http://www.justbeads.com/search/ql.cfm?s=upeggedme

I'm very excited about this show! This is a wonderful opportunity for
networking and of course if I sell some jewelry it would be the icing
on the cake.

you are absolutely right!!

Are there any caveats from anyone who has done similar shows? I'm all
ears, ready, willing and able to heed any and all wisdom.

Put your items out in such a way that they carry their own paper--earrings on a
card, or pins on a card, or necklaces with a hangtag---whatever works. Paper
makes you more "real" in marketing terms. Then, have your business name and
minimal contact info there, and price everything so that it is visible, but not
neccessarily in inch high dayglo orange ink....something discreet but *there*.
Many people will not ask. Also have business cards. In fact, ALWAYS have
business cards, everywhere you go.


Sarajane

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery
http://www.polyclay.com

view my auctions at:
http://www.polyclay.com/Collage/auction.htm

Double your prices.

VERY true. This actually works.
Sarajane

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery
http://www.polyclay.com

view my auctions at:
http://www.polyclay.com/Collage/auction.htm

First, congratulations for this well deserved opportunity.

As regards Kathy's advice, it sounds like you may not want to include the
lower priced items, or at least not more than one or two. The ladies who
interviewed you sounded like they knew their stuff and are looking for the
best you can bring.

And I think Bali clasps qualify as the good stuff. As opposed to spring
rings, lobster claws, etc.

Play to your strengths. Good luck.

Tina


"MargieK" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 2 Oct 2003 12:34:31 -0400, Kathy N-V
wrote:

On Thu, 2 Oct 2003 11:53:47 -0400, MargieK wrote
(in message ):


Are there any caveats from anyone who has done similar shows? I'm all
ears, ready, willing and able to heed any and all wisdom.

Oh Kathy, I could just hug you!! You've given me plenty of pointers
and you also validated some of things I am planning on doing.

{{{Kathy}}}

This is like the charity auction I do each year for the handicapped
children's center. It's by invitation only, $250/ticket for dinner, and
well
- a lot nicer than my usual dinners. I've been doing their auctions for
~4
or 5 years, and each year I learn lessons that bring in more money.

Whoa! Now I'd like to do one of those....someday.

At first, I made simple beaded stuff, and very few people were
interested.
Each year, I see lovely crocheted baby sweaters and such that go for a
song
because the craftsperson used cheap acrylic yarn instead of cotton or
some
such. People spending at that level do not look for price, they want
quality.
That being said, you have to _tell_ them that your stuff is quality, and
not
mass market stuff. This year, I'm attaching each jewelry set (necklace
and
matching bracelet) to a grey velvet jewelry easel, with a calligraphed
note
on the back, describing the piece. I'm going to use my best "Coldwater
Creek" marketing jargon to sell the piece.

That is a wonderful idea, Kathy. For next weekend's art/craft show I
had dh build me a screened frame for hanging earrings on and I have a
couple of ceiling tiles that we cut in half and covered with black
velvet for the necklaces. He still has to add a stand similar to an
easel on two of the ceiling tiles, so that can sit on a table. I have
two others that will be mounted on one side to a child's two-sided
easel that he acquired for free from a friend.

Do you think that gray is better than black for show casing most
jewelry?


Last year I found out that the people buying the jewelry all wanted to
take
the easels home with them, so I bought just for that purpose. The
descriptions (on gorgeous scrapbook paper) will be glued to the back of
the
easel, along with my business card. The jewelry is going to be pinned in
place, along with one of those Chinese silk jewelry bags (Fetpak had them
for
a song). That way, each easel is a complete display unit. The
volunteers
handling the auction won't even have to think about it. Stand the easel
up
and they're done. (When I do this tonight, I'll take photos)

You know, Kathy, I love giving credit where credit is due and had
thought about including the business cards of the artist whose beads I
use. I wish all artists gave up their cards! Was thinking that I'd
put their card in the boxes or bags that they carry out with them and
mine on top of the box or on the outside of the bag. This is still in
the think stage for the private show. For the public show coming up
next weekend I am writing the artist's name on the back of the price
tag along with all other particulars.

Oh please share your photos, I'd love to see this creative and compact
unit you're doing!

Double your prices. When I first started donating, I valued the pieces
at 4
times the cost of materials (which wasn't all that expensive, since I
wasn't
using the highest quality components). People barely looked at $25
items.
The next year, I priced things at $150 and up, and everything got
snatched up
in a second. This year, I'm pricing each necklace and bracelet set at
$200 -
$250, and I fully expect that the school will get every penny.

I was thinking of having jewelry at various prices. This is my first
and I'm thinking it's a good gauge for see what sells. What type
items did you sell at $25.00? I make some nice knotted necklaces that
I whip up easily that I thought I would include. You know, the kind
that looks nice but isn't costly because it's not artist beads?


Don't scrimp. Every little piece of the package makes a difference. A
cheap
clasp on a gorgeous necklace will leave it unsold. (Actually, I put
fancy
clasps on everything, and I try to have a theme. Make it something you'd
be
unable to get anywhere else) Test-wear every single thing you make, just
to
be sure. You'd die of embarrassment if someone at the sale pulled on a
bracelet and it broke. I double crimp everything, just in case.

What do you consider fancy clasps? I have been using mostly bali
silver but have thought that maybe I should spend the time to make my
own SS wire clasps. And I test wear my jewelry too!

These ladies informally interviewed me. They asked me the type of
silver I use what type of wire and string, do I use crystals, that
sort of thing. I was not prepared to be interviewed but I didn't mind
it all. In fact it was nice to talk face to face with people who
really were interested and knew what I was talking about!

This is a YMMV thing -- I've found that people do not respect
beadweaving. I
haven't seen one seed bead item ever get anything close to a reasonable
price, which is really too bad. I would keep all my nice beadwoven stuff
for
my own enjoyment, rather than see it go for a song and break my heart.

I don't have much in the way of my own beadwoven stuff. Currently I
only have my lacy bracelets which I love to make. I'll leave them at
home.

Thank you and I hope you don't mind me picking your brain too much,
Kathy!
--
Margie
http://www.PictureTrail.com/margiek
My auctions:
http://snurl.com/245y
http://www.justbeads.com/search/ql.cfm?s=upeggedme

Woo hoo!!! Sounds great! Best of luck!

Kathy K
"MargieK" wrote in message
...
Had a lunch meeting with some lovely ladies yesterday to discuss a
private-by-invitation-only/fine-art sale. That's a mouth full, eh?

I wore my "Spotted" necklace and a matching bracelet in case anyone
wanted to see my handy work. Good thinking on my part because they
did and one woman literally drooled! That cinched it, I'm in and the
cost is a bottle of wine for guests plus a savory goody. There are no
limitations on the amount of jewelry I bring and because I'm one of
two jewelry designers in the group, I don't have a cap on pricing.
(the paper guild ladies have a price range they're keeping to which
apparently is the norm for them). I also will be providing a piece
for the guest raffle. woooooohooooo

I'm very excited about this show! This is a wonderful opportunity for
networking and of course if I sell some jewelry it would be the icing
on the cake.

Are there any caveats from anyone who has done similar shows? I'm all
ears, ready, willing and able to heed any and all wisdom.
--
Margie
http://www.PictureTrail.com/margiek
My auctions:
http://snurl.com/245y
http://www.justbeads.com/search/ql.cfm?s=upeggedme

On Thu, 02 Oct 2003 23:28:19 GMT, "Christina Peterson"
wrote:

First, congratulations for this well deserved opportunity.

As regards Kathy's advice, it sounds like you may not want to include the
lower priced items, or at least not more than one or two. The ladies who
interviewed you sounded like they knew their stuff and are looking for the
best you can bring.

And I think Bali clasps qualify as the good stuff. As opposed to spring
rings, lobster claws, etc.

Play to your strengths. Good luck.

Thank you, Tina! I will be taking your advice and making a few of the
knotted necklaces for the art/craft faire which is for the public who
will think everything I make is too expensive. Well that's no proven
yet but I've seen some things in my time. g

I'll take the advice and the luck!

--
Margie
http://www.PictureTrail.com/margiek
My auctions:
http://snurl.com/245y
http://www.justbeads.com/search/ql.cfm?s=upeggedme