Shopping and Lurking

Filed under: Philosophy | Back to: Homepage

I try to make an effort to see what other designers are making and occasionally take an afternoon to peruse the offerings at local boutiques. I’m not looking for ideas to “borrow”, but rather for styles that seem to be popular. I used to simply look at what was being offered. Is big and chunky “in” or is light and airy more popular? Are there any new color combinations that I’ve been missing? While this may sound like a good idea, it hit me that it’s possible that what I see a lot of in the stores isn’t really what’s popular, but rather what’s left over. In that case, the question could be “what isn’t here that’s already sold?”

Last week I tried a new approach. I lurked. Although I must have looked like a shopper, I was really watching and listening to see what customers liked and what they asked for. It was all that I could do to keep from giving my business card to the man who wanted to purchase a double strand of turquoise for his wife and was told he would need to by two necklaces of different lengths. I also wanted to tell him that what he thought was turquoise was actually magnesite; but, since I didn’t want to be escorted out of the establishment, I kept my mouth shut and my card in my pocket. Another customer wanted something light and airy with pearls for her adult granddaughter. She was fortunate to find a necklace that would work and I didn’t even try to accost her as she left with her purchase. I really wanted to tell her that what the clerk described as “handmade” looked strangely like a chain marketed at the bead shows, albeit the pearls were probably added by hand.

My other task as a lurker, is to see if my pieces look just like those made by other designers. I’ve never believed in sameness and don’t want to replicate what’s already available. I used to apply this approach when I wanted to author a new book for school teachers. I would study the books available from various publishers to see if what I wanted to author had already been written. If it had, then I turned to another theme. Then, I would talk to publishers’ representatives at conferences to see what kind of books teachers asked for that the publishers were unable to provide. My last book evolved from ideas hatched when a publisher said, “the teachers really want a book about . . . . “ I think great ideas for jewelry can emerge the same way. What do you hear shoppers in the boutiques say they want? Are they looking for a particular length or color that has been hard to find. Is that a design opening that needs to be filled?

Speaking of shopping, you probably know the rule for this time of year. Never go to the grocery store the day before Thanksgiving or the day before Christmas Eve. It’s dangerous! My father and I made this rule long ago and I take it to extremes. There are all kinds of substitutions that you can make for items you forgot to purchase such as corn juice for milk in bread, honey for corn syrup in baked goods, etc. No matter what, DON’T go to the store and if you simply HAVE to have a certain item, remember this rule: Send Someone Else!

Philosophy 2 comments

Winding Around

Filed under: Bracelets, Creativity, Wire Work | Back to: Homepage

Growing a bit tired of making the popular wave bracelets that I’ve done for months, I’ve been fiddling with other ways to form wire armatures for bracelets. I’ve attempted to apply the core of creative constructs, fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration; but got a bit stuck on the first f. My goal was to find as many different ways as possible to create a cuff armature to hold gemstones using a single length of wire. I wanted the bracelet to have at least three rungs to make it interesting. Armed with lots of wire, I began in an attempt to be fluent. Alas, I wasn’t very! The difficulty popped up in figuring out what to do with the ends of the wire. Although I created several ways to shape the wire, few of them were usable. The first picture shows a bracelet adapted from one shown in Beautiful Wire Jewelry for Beaders by Irina Miech. I’ve made this bracelet before and it is popular. Previously, I constructed these with deeper curves and more stones and they were nicer.

The second usable idea came quite by accident from a casual customer comment. When I showed her one of my large round collage pendants, she plopped it right down on her wrist, commenting that she’d like it as a bracelet. Of course, I went straight home and made one. (or two . . . or three . . . ) Two of the bracelets and one armature are shown here. I think the armature looks like a fish.

While working on these bracelets, I’ve had to challenge my thinking about practicing to learn. I’ve always thought that bigger was better while learning. For example, we use large letters and large musical notes in the initial teaching of reading. When I learned to do seed bead work, I started with larger seed beads until I learned a technique and then gradually worked down to the tiny one. Therefore, I figured that with wire, I could start with the big stuff and then refine it. That was the thought until my hands started to ache. With wire work, of course, bigger means heavier gauge wire that is usually more difficult to bend. Painfully speaking, I think I’m going to experiment with a lighter gauge and then graduate to the heavier wire. That said, I can only surmise that there are no absolutes in learning. How to go about it varies not only with the person, but also with the medium. I’m realizing that more pre-thought before jumping in might yield a more “comfortable” practice.

I’m still winding wire as I attempt to find the perfect cuff armature. Let’s hope another customer provides a good idea today.

Bracelets, Creativity, Wire Work comment

Back to the Blog

Filed under: Color, Metal Work, Necklaces, Pendants | Back to: Homepage

Many weeks have elapsed since I last wrote and it’s time to get back to the blog. We held our annual cattle sale here at the end of October and it has taken this long to get a good grasp on all the shipping, registration transfers, etc. With only a few more to complete, I can see the proverbial light at the end of the barn.

We enjoyed having our family with us to help at the sale. Grandson Gabriel certainly encouraged us to keep the proper perspective letting us know when we needed to eat and sleep. 

Fall brought beautiful leaves and I became intrigued by the possibility of capturing their great shapes. The first picture is of the real leaf I picked up and you can also view my attempt at replicating it in copper.

I also liked the shape of another leaf and achieved a different color for it using a shorter dip in liver of sulphur.  This picture was taken before I added a few bead dangles to the leaf where it attached to the necklace. It has already left home and I can’t take another pictures; so you’ll have to imagine it with the embellishment which gave it more personality.

It is good that I captured the leaves before the current rain storm. Most are now gone and today looks like the bleak mid-winter. Thankfully, this atmospheric condition will be temporary here in South Texas. We’re seldom too far away from another sunny day. I hope you’re making it a sunny day wherever you are.

Color, Metal Work, Necklaces, Pendants 2 comments