Quickie Post: A Studio Tip

Like everyone else these days, we've been enormously busy getting ready for the holidays and trying to finish up a few lingering projects. I've been doing a lot of roll printing (it is so addicting...) and thought I'd share a quick tip for helping to saw out the printed metal that I came up with (out of desperation).

The design on the metal can sometimes be really hard to see well enough to saw along the lines, so I cover the top of metal with black Sharpie.

Then I use a high grit (very fine) sanding sponge to remove the black from just the top of the metal.

This leaves the printed pattern clearly visible, which makes sawing along the lines much, much easier.

It's also super easy to clean up - a few minutes in the pickle and a good scrub with a brass brush and some soap, and the piece is sparkling and clean.

If you're scrambling to get your projects finished before the end of the year, you might want to check out our Tutorials page for more tons more tips and tricks. Here are a few of my favorites:

Super Easy Earrings

Braided Rope Tutorial

Making Components with Copper Washers

Merry Christmas!

Until next time -

How did I not know about this??!

My friend Gail Stouffer introduced me to something the other day that just blew me away. We were working on fine-tuning the project prototypes for our upcoming retreat workshops, and it involved laying out some templates for sawing. She promptly pulled this out of her stash.

It's called the Xyron Sticker Maker (affiliate link) and apparently scrapbookers have known about it forever. Low tech - no batteries, handles or cranks - but it turns out to be an absolutely brilliant addition to the metals bench. And here's why: usually, affixing paper templates to the metal we're going to saw requires the use of spray adhesive or rubber cement. Both are smelly and messy. This, on the other hand, creates a perfect repositionable sticker that accomplishes the same thing.

Simply print your image on plain paper, cut it out, and drop it face up into the hopper at the top of the unit.

Then pull the end of the paper roll sticking out of the bottom of the unit.

Rub the surface of the paper firmly, then peel off the clear plastic sheet on top.

What you're left with is that classic waxy sticker paper with your own personalized sticker on it, ready to be used.

And it really works! Stick it on your metal and saw away - it won't move unless you peel it off.

It's absurdly inexpensive, too - $8 on Amazon for the unit and about $6 for the replacement cartridges (affiliate links). No smell, no mess, just a custom sticker perfectly sized for each project.

I love finding tools that make life easier! What's your "latest and greatest" tool find?

Until next time -

Hosting A Destash Event

On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, I hosted a destash event on my Facebook jewelry page.  I not only discovered some tips about how to run one of these events, I also learned a bit about myself.

I have been collecting beads for around 25 years.  At first I only bought beads at hobby shops like Michael's or JoAnn.  Later I discovered a delightfully funky bead and pawn shop on the nearby Yakima Indian Nation reservation.  My jewelry designs were very basic in those days and I didn't even know there was such a thing as artisan beads...and maybe that long ago there weren't any.  A lot of those beads are still hanging around in my studio (can we call them vintage now and charge more?). 

Bracelet made with beads from Michaels:

Then I went through my gemstone and sterling silver stage.  I still ogle gemstones, but they don't seem to make their way into many of my designs right now.

 Tourmalinated quartz and Swarovski crystal bracelet.

Meanwhile I'm now grabbing artisan beads like they were popcorn and then I start getting interested in polymer clay, metalsmithing and enameling.  I am very lucky to have a spare room as a studio, but suddenly there is not enough room in there.  Hence the need to destash!

As I was sorting through beads to let go of, I felt a bit like an archaeologist, sifting through the layers of my development as a jewelry designer. I realized that those old beads had become an added stress in my life.  Every time I opened a bead drawer and saw a pendant or string of beads that were 10 years old, I felt like I "should" use them or I was "obligated" somehow to not waste them.  They were becoming an emotional burden that I didn't need. And because every designer's style is unique, what no longer fits for me, might be exactly what someone else needs.  I discovered to my delight, that not only do I have more studio space after my destash, I also feel a sense of happy relief.

So if you to need to destash, I've got some tips that might help you to go about doing this.

It seems to work best if you offer a set of coordinating beads rather than just one type of bead.  In my last destash, I worked in numbered "lots".  Most lots had a focal and some coordinating beads.  I had the most success with lots that were priced at between $3-$15.

Including a coin in the photo, helps the viewer to gauge size.  If the focal was on the expensive side, I offered it alone, but those didn't seem to sell as well.

If I had a lot of one type of bead, I offered the whole group as one lot.

I sold my items at below cost.  My goal was not to make a lot of money.  I just wanted to clear space in my studio.  I wanted the destash to be a good deal for my buyers, while helping me to recoup some of my monetary investment.

Offer to combine shipping.  I learned this after my first destash.  From now on I'll post something like this, "Lot  #19.   $10 + $2.50 shipping USA, for the first item, $1.00 additional items, invoiced though PayPal.  Please comment SOLD or MINE if you want this item. First come, first serve."

Be sure to clearly state that the shipping rate only applies to your own country, (or within the EU).  You can offer to ship elsewhere, but make the buyer aware that shipping will be adjusted to cover expenses.

Be sure to charge more to ship heavier items, such as books or weighty beads. On my comments for this lot, I said that I was charging $4 for shipping because the stones are quite heavy, but if it turned out to cost less that $4, I would adjust the price downward.

I pinned the following general policies to the top of my Facebook page and alerted all buyers to refer to it first.

Destash General Policy

Here's how we'll be doing this destash event - Write MINE or SOLD in the comment section if you would like to purchase an item. I will combine shipping on multiple orders and I will gladly ship outside the USA, but we will have to adjust shipping prices to meet the added expense. I will then message you and ask for your email address, after which I will send you a PayPal invoice. Items ship in 1-2 days after receipt of payment. All items offered are at below my retail cost. All sales final. Feel free to ask any questions you may have. Thank you.

I have also been a buyer at destash sales and you can really get some awesome deals.  I noticed that one of my buyers on Tuesday and Wednesday, was destashing some of her own items on Thursday!  And so, as we are all potential buyers, I want to alert you to the fact that on March 10th-14th, AJE will be hosting a destash event.  There will be more details as we approach the date, but mark your calenders now.  I'm looking forward to coming away with some bargains!

Have you ever participated in a destash event?  What tips can you share?  Keep the conversation going.

Disclaimer:  Check with Facebook policy before doing a destash event.  It used to be that Facebook could close down your page for selling directly off your Facebook page.  But many of us are doing this routinely now.  I don't know if their policy has changed, or if they are just not monitoring it closely now.  Neither I nor AJE can be responsible for consequences, if there are any.

Linda
Linda Landig Jewelry – ArtFire 
Linda Landig Jewelry – Etsy