How to Sell home-crafted Jewelry + Moonstone, May's Gemstone    
                             

This month covers selling your jewelry, & May's birthstone moonstone. Scroll down, or click one of the links below on the html version to go to a section.  For the bead store click MrBead.com or MrBead.co.uk

Thank you to everyone who visited us the other week.  Others in the UK still have change to see us and ask for your free gift!  
See us in the UK on Sunday 2nd May 2010 - Beads up North!  Haydock Race Course, Newton-le-Willows WA12 0HQ.  Full details here.

Some orders may be delayed until 6th May, especially those placed weekend to early-week

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How to sell your home-crafted jewelry
Magical Moonstone
Opalite Moonstone
15% Off Offer

How to sell your home-crafted jewelry

You can make a lot of money selling hand-crafted jewelry.  However, like any business: some do well, while others fail.  And the failure rate of new business is terrible. 

To succeed you need to carefully plan everything.  Minimize your costs, maximize your selling price, and spend a lot of time marketing.  If you design well and work hard, you WILL make money.  There’s a huge market for original well-made jewelry.  The problem facing most crafters is finding paying customers among the increasing competition. 

If it’s new to you, don’t open an off-line store.  Far too costly, and you’ll need big marketing skills to make it work.  Instead, try the best ways to sell jewelry outlined here.  Each point will be detailed in our book How to Make a Killing Selling Bead Jewelry, out soon - and also in future newsletters.

·         Networking
Expanding your circle of friends will get you ahead in the game.  You can’t impose on them by hard selling - but if you talk about your jewelry making and give little jewelry presents at special occasions, you’ll attract the opportunity to sell.   Expand your circle to include friends of friends, and you’ll find some want to buy from you.  And others will be keen on hosting a jewelry-making party or attending one of your jewelry-making workshops.

·   Craft Fairs
If you have made a lot of jewelry, look in your local newspapers or search online for craft shows where you can cheaply rent a stall.  This is an easy inexpensive way to start selling your hand crafts.

·        Home Jewelry Parties
Invite your friends and neighbors round for snacks, cheese and wine.  When the small talk begins, show guests your latest creations.  Make them feel your products.  Have mirrors handy and encourage guests to try your jewels for size. This relaxed and friendly environment works well because most of the guests know each other.

·        Online Store
Online stores allow you to reach a much-larger market.  Although eBay is saturated, it’s worthwhile and simple to set up a shop there.  It’s also easy and cheap to publish your own web site or online shop, but this will require marketing skills.  Put the URL (web address) of your shop on business cards and advertise in jewelry publications.         

·        Self Marketing
Think of other places where you can show your work - wear it at work or when you go out. When anyone compliments it, hand them a business card and be sure to let them (and others nearby) know that you made it and would be happy to show them other pieces later.  Never miss the opportunity to sell – hand your business cards freely.

·        Get Other People Selling for You
You can do this from someone else’s bricks & mortar or online store.  Either selling wholesale to them outright, or on sale or return.  Apart from jewelry and clothes stores, bridal and florist shops are on the lookout for quality jewelry to sell.

·        Promote through a Charity
Many large companies promote their products successfully while at the same time helping a good cause.  You can too!  Anytime people know you’ll donate part of their purchase price to a worthy cause, you’ll sell more. 

 Magical Moonstone: May’s gemstone

             
Moonstone is nature’s treasure with a sensuous and seductive charm.  The characteristic feature is its magical play of light. Moonstone is translucent, and softens the light shining through it to give a pearly moon-like glow which appears different whenever the stone changes position. Years ago, it was thought to be brought upon by the moon’s phases. This shimmering affect is caused by light being refracted inside the stone.

Colors
Moonstone comes in colorless, white, grey, and subtle yellow, but always has a blue or white sheen. Rainbow moonstone is colorless with a blue sheen and a rainbow-like array of colors.

Moonstone folklore
Much mystery surrounds this stone. In India it’s considered sacred to lovers, and is also known as a “dream stone” bringing beautiful dreams. In Arab countries women often were moonstone sewn into their garment as a symbol of fertility. It was also believed to be especially protective to seafarers, who have been using it since ancient times. During full-moon, moonstone is very powerful for reconciling love - and as the moon decreases, is said to allow one to foretell the future.

A feminine stone for female issues and the inner-child, but also used by men who want to reach their feminine side. Moonstone brings confidence, calms the emotions, and aids spirituality, intuition, and clairvoyance.  Also thought to protect against fever, fluid-retention and urinary problems. Its soft shine supports the emotional and dreamy side of a person. Wearing moonstone will also increase your sensitivity for others.
  
Natural moonstone
Classical moonstone from Sri Lanka shimmers pale blue and is expensive. Moonstone from India has a cloud-like plays of light on beige, brown, green, or orange backgrounds – and some have a cat’s eye or a multi-rayed star.

Uncut moonstone is dull and lacks the play of light. This is brought out by the cutter’s skills, who must locate the stone’s axis. Classical moonstones are always cut as cabochons.

Value
The more intense the color, the larger and more transparent the stone, the more valuable is the gem. Really top quality fine blue moonstone shows an incredible “three-dimensional” depth of color, which you will see clearly only when tilting. Such specimens are rare and expensive. Brighter colored Indian moonstones are usually less expensive, so are opalite moonstone.     
                                                                                                          
Opalite moonstone
Opalite moonstone is most common today.  This is a synthetic stone looking similar to genuine moonstone, that's only been around recently.  Against a light background, it appears milky white, shimmering golden faint lilac-blue and other colors.  Against a darker background, it changes to a bright icy blue with the highlights altering to intense oranges and reds.  The stone practically glows on its own, and demands attention by outshining all around.

Opalite moonstone adds a romantic feminine allure to your jewelry, always looking refreshingly cool - ideal for summer. Its pastel glow is soft and captivating, complimenting other light-colored stones like lilac amethyst, blue chalcedony, and rose quartz.  It also loves to compete with wild bright colors like reds and turquoise. This flamboyance makes opalite ideal to wear during a night out on the town. 

 Looking after moonstone
All moonstone is fragile and should be handled carefully. However, a jeweler can polish a dulled moonstone back to its original glory.

 To see all our Moonstone click MrBead.com or MrBead.co.uk           

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Offer valid until Tuesday 4th May 2010 only - so act now! Only for use in our store at the checkout and not valid with any other offers. 

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