rainy weather

I for one, hate the rain.   I don't like being out in the wet, and driving in LA in such things is totally treacherous.  Not to mention what it does to my hair, even when I'm not out in it.   Ok I know it's beneficial for the foliage- but still, this is a bit much, right LA?   It is kind of poorly timed for many brick and mortar retailers- it's the holiday season and people are sitting at home not wanting to go out in the rain.  I wonder if online sales have increased in southern california.

Maybe the rain will encourage people to make handmade gifts.   I have lots of things sitting around my house that I can make into interesting gifts for people and I don't have to leave the house.   I know everyone doesn't have a jewelry studio in their house but I bet everyone has SOMETHING they can turn into a great gift.  Perhaps you have a sewing machine and some old clothes- you can cut them up and make an interesting pillow, quilt, stuffed animal or new item of clothing.   Maybe you put away those knitting needles years ago- pull them out!  You could print out a particularly good photo from your camera and frame it... Do you like to cook?  Don't forget cookies/cakes/ food in general!  This site has a bunch of ideas.. http://www.pioneerthinking.com/crafts-general.html

For me I think it's a good time to make some new items for next season.  I'm planning on acting as though I actually can't leave the house, and am sketching and designing new things.

look at these cool things made from household items that I found on the web:

check out this blog for more diy ideas

ok the rain stopped for a minute, I'm running out for supplies and then I'm going to start creating.  

- myfriendroze  handmade jewelry every day

handmade theft?

 This weekend I was at a show of all small handmade designers.  I felt like i was at home and in a little community.  I guess I got too complacent and/or comfortable because I was the victim of theft. What was sort of ironic about the piece that was stolen, was that I had been holding it in the back for someone for almost the entire show.   I finally gave up and put it back out for sale, only to have it stolen within minutes.

Whenever I am at one of these show I somehow figure that the people coming out to see the handmade items appreciate the amount of work that goes into each thing, and if they can't afford it they find something else to purchase.  I figure they know that most if not all of the vendors are sole proprietors and don't have enough merchandise or money to build in theft as part of the cost of doing business.   Turns out, I was wrong.  

I am trying to be positive and look at it as some sort of flattery, i.e. they liked it so much but couldn't afford to buy it so they took it?

I was talking about it to some other vendors, only to find out that I am super naive.  They ALL have had things stolen and some have something stolen every time they do a show.   I was mortified.

here are some things that have been stolen from me at the past few shows:

...and I am sure there are even more things I am not aware of.     

I wonder really how these people feel ok with stealing from a show like that and I think to myself that it has to be kids that have no idea what goes into these things...  at least I hope it's kids.   I also hope that they are at least wearing the items and not selling them, or throwing them away.

This upcoming weekend I have another Renegade craft show in san francisco and have vowed to be more vigilant!  

handmade jewelry every day-  myfriendroze

Renegade Los Angeles and San Francisco

I'm preparing for my last two holiday shows of the year, one in Los Angeles and one in San Francisco.   Renegade Craft has gotten some great publicity and grows every year and I am excited to be a part of it.   I am honored to be a part of such a great show with other great artists.    What I really love about Renegade is their dedication to finding quality handmade artists, and their ability to really make it a fun experience.  (Not to mention they never charge an entrance fee for shoppers).   All the artists seem to form a community and I have made some great friends that I am excited to see again.   I looked at the list of artists and here are some that I hadn't seen before, and am exited to meet (and perhaps spend some money with):

kirkiture

solidio

veqdesign

Plus there will be so many other great artists there that I may go broke!    Happy holiday shopping everyone!

handmade jewelry every day-  www.myfriendroze.com

handmade hanukkah

Happy Chanukah Chanukkah Channukah Hanukah Hannukah Hanukkah Hanuka Hanukka Hanaka Haneka Hanika Khanukkah or however you want to spell that.   My home smells like oil and feels like it too... I made a hundred latkes last night, had a lovely party, and it was super satisfying until today when I had to clean.  I feel the same way about creating anything.   I never want to clean.  Maybe it's a holdover from my childhood of being a tomboy.   I decided this year not to make anything holiday themed... but I figured I would look for some handmade things to buy!   Anyway here are some nice handmade hannukah and cleaning items:

toys by carl

ARCHITETTE

ella jewelry

bagel soap!!!!! by bubblegenius

star of david soap

handmade jewelry every day- www.myfriendroze.com

why to buy handmade

I am totally cutting and pasting this from a better blogger scoutie girl.   But it's everything I wanted to say- the reasons to pay more and buy handmade:

1. support an individual.

when you pay for something – say $30 for a t-shirt instead of $10 – you are paying a real person, who lives in a community very much like yours, for their time and skill. you’re opting out of the system of poverty that allows corporations to pay so much less than a living wage (whether in america or abroad). you’re choosing to pay someone what you’d like to get paid for the same work.

2. support an economy.

you know that global recession we’ve just started coming out of? i am convinced that part of the problem is our unwillingness to recognize the true value of the stuff we consume. when we inflate the value of executing the management of a company and put little to no value on the products it produces, most of us lose out. and when people like you and i lose out, we don’t have the money to consume much of anything – creating recession.

by choosing to pay more for better products, we help support job creation throughout the economy.

3. support yourself.

ugh. the need to consume is so draining! when you pay more for better products, you’re less likely consume quite so many in the never ending cycle of “i need this.” you’ll feel free be more conscious of each buying decision you make. when you cut out the $1-here or $5-there purchases you can purchase quality, design, and uniqueness. you can complement your life with stuff that reflects your value[s] instead of filling your life with stuff that has none.

i was recently introduced to the story of stuff, an internet video phenomenon, that describes the exhausting cycle of working to buy and buying to feel good about yourself. annie leonard, the writer behind the story of stuff, says she’s not looking to get rid of stuff. she says, “i want us to have more reverence for our stuff.”

seems like a good reason to pay more to me.

handmade thank you

I am thankful for you… all of you who have supported me, inspired me, encouraged me, and pushed me.

I am thankful for my family, who encourage me and help me in whatever way they can.

I am thankful for my friends that have gone out of their way to help my business be where it is today, whether that be helping me at shows, buying my jewelry as gifts, telling their friends about me, handing out cards, having parties for me- etc.

and again, I’m thankful for you… my fans and customers!  

To you, it might just be 2 seconds out of your day to “like” something on my page or re-tweet my message or suggest something to a friend, but to me it's priceless... THANK YOU

so in saying thank you I want to also remind you of the sale for the 3 Fs Friends Family and Fans,  because really you all mean so much to me.  I offer 20-40% off for the holidays.   Enter the code holiday on my etsy site and on my personal site in the paypal comment section mention the sale and I will refund the difference.  

happy thanksgiving-  now go eat!

handmade jewelry every day- www.myfriendroze.com

handmade black friday or cyber monday

It's officially here...  holiday shopping season.   The salvation of the economy- right?   Well I'm in the spirit.   I'm having a black friday cyber monday sale in my etsy shop with the use of the coupon code "holiday" you get 20% off


I wonder if handmade artisans can really make use of black friday or cyber monday.  Are handmade items really what people expect to be 50- 60% off on friday- monday?  or do people expect EVERYTHING to be discounted for those few days.   Will my sale increase my sales?       Etsy is supporting this by having us tag our items with black friday sale.   Also many california crafters in the etsy team CCCOE are having sales and you can search for the tag "cccoe black friday"  so if you are in california you can buy local!

here are some of the cccoe shops that are having sales:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/knittergirl

http://www.Nansglam.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/theskinyourein

There are many more shops having sales and I hope they are all successful.   You can also get a holiday discount on my regular site by putting in the paypal notes the words black friday sale, and I will refund the difference.  

happy shopping!   

handmade every day - www.myfriendroze.com

handmade spirit

I've got spirit yes I do- I've got spirit how 'bout you?   I'm not really a cheerleader, but I need one, and I think a lot of handmade artisans need one too.   I hear tell of the economy getting better- but I personally am not seeing this, in my line of work.   Is handmade the last to feel the boom- or is it just me?  I have had a series of disappointing shows and it's holiday season, so it's worrisome.  I worry that people are not buying handmade, or that handmade artisans are undercutting themselves in order to sell anything at all- which in turn does not help us stay in business.

This past weekend a bunch of great artisans stood outside in the cold with impending rain, and tried to sell their handmade goods.  Handmade artisans bonding together to try to boost each other up.  Much needed cheerleaders! Several I met through Etsy, and an Etsy team called CCCOE.  (I think that is etsy's version of cheerleaders, and honestly it does help make you feel better when you can see that things are happening to everyone, not just you alone)

 A few of my favorites from the show:

eri sugimoto

pinkcandy studio

luna + reese

Well- as my friend said, I made it through the day and I'm here to see another one, and make more jewelry.    This week is thanksgiving and believe it or not there is another show next sunday,  www.patchworkshow.com in santa ana.   I look forward to this being a better show personally so that I can purchase some handmade items myself!

handmade jewelry every day-  myfriendroze

handmade heartache... or the story of never knowing what to do

I swear I should call this blog the trials and tribulations of being a sole proprietor, and not knowing what you are doing.   Or, how artists (handmade artisans) starting out get taken advantage of.    Yesterday I didn't blog because I had a big order.   Sounds great right?  Sometimes not.   Last year, a catalog company picked out a pair of my earrings to sell.   When a catalog company wants to sell your jewelry (remember this is all handmade) you have to give them a volume discount.  This started out being ok,  because the orders were relatively small (50 pieces) but they ordered more than once so the volume discount seemed manageable.  Then they started ordering 75 to 100 pair a month.   Hurray!  my earrings are popular!  (I thought)  Then I started getting sad.   Silver prices started to soar and the other part of being in a catalog is that you are under contract to keep your prices the same for the duration of that catalog season.    They placed a last order for this catalog season of 150 pair.   Silver is now so high that I can't even afford to pick up the supplies let alone make this order.  (did I mention this catalog doesn't pay you for 30 days after receiving the order?)    I sent them an email saying that if they wanted to keep these in the next catalog I would have to raise the price.   They wrote back that they were having a lot of returns and that they would no longer be carrying these earrings.   This seems strange to me when they have ordered over 1200 pair of earrings.   They wouldn't keep ordering if they were being returned so much- right?   This is a big loss of income for me (not if they won't agree to a higher price- but still).   I sent them an email saying I would try to work on whatever kink they were having that was making the earrings be returned since they seemed to be selling so well.  We'll see how that turns out.    Anyway back to the new order.   I go to pick up the 300 earrings (150 pair) in their raw state to start work on them and it's ungodly expensive.   I get them home and 70 of them are broken already and have to be redone.   70!  that's a lot.    So I return those 70 and get to work on the next 230...   While I am working on them 100 more snap and I have to solder them back together...  I spent what should have taken me a few hours 10 hours so far on these earrings and still have to make the 35 more pair!  Already based upon the price I'm not even able to pay myself any labor on these earrings.... it's 8:45 in the morning and I am still working on the broken pairs that are here- is it too early to start drinking wine?

sterling silver spiral hoop

have I mentioned how much I now hate these earrings?    

you can see the rest of my jewelry here-  myfriendroze

Handcrafted Holiday Shows

I'm not really inspired today, I apologize in advance for a potentially boring blog.  I have to make jewelry for upcoming shows but I'm tired and worried all at the same time.  There are so many shows upcoming I wonder how well attended any of them will be.  I also wonder if going to shows is popular at all anymore, plus has the economy turned around enough for people to be shopping for handcrafted items?  If there are so many,  how does a potential customer choose which show they are going to?  How do artisans decide which show to vend at?  For me it's trial and error, and sadly lately it seems to be mostly error.  I didn't have the luxury of walking through all sorts of shows to decide whether or not I would do them the next year, I just had to try and see.   For some I tried more than once, and then either continued or gave up.   I did look on the websites of every show (if they had them) to see what vendors had done them before, to see if it was something I would like to go to.   I do tend to try to sell at shows that are considered more "indie" and I really try to be at shows where the vendors are all handmade.   It's hard to compete with all $5 made in china items when I handcraft each item.   So with that said I'm hoping I made some good decisions for this holiday season.
My next show coming up is called Patchwork show.  (actually they now have two)  I really was (happily) surprised at how good this show was last year, and can only hope for another great year.   www.patchworkshow.com   This show is Nov 21st in Long Beach and Nov 28th in Santa Ana.  It's a smaller show but I think the quality of the work is great.   I'm excited to see some of my friends like:

amanda k lockrow jewelry

Blue Platypus 

Roscata Jewelry

for a complete list of my upcoming shows http://www.myfriendroze.com/events.html

handmade jewelry every day -  myfriendroze

handmade jewelry return policies?

Last week I was contacted through my website from someone who bought my handmade earrings from a store in Olympia, Wa.    One of the earrings had broken and she was wondering what I could do to help.   I was surprised that she didn't to attempt return to the store that she bought the earring from...   I told her I would be happy to fix her earring for a small fee ($7- which included shipping back to her) or suggested she try going to the store perhaps they had a good return policy and I would then deal with the store.  These earrings had to have been bought long ago (though she said she has not had them "that long")  as I haven't shipped this kind of earring to that store in over a year.   Her response was this "I appreciate your reply, though it is somewhat unsatisfactory. I had hoped for a replacement or a free fix (I would have to pay shipping) Furthermore, I figured you would want to see the problem to alleviate future misfortunes.  The store is in Olympia and I am on the Peninsula...Lets keep the dialogue open?"  
I am incredibly annoyed that this woman assumes that my time and supplies are worth absolutely nothing.  But I cannot think of a polite way to respond to her and haven't as of yet.   She did not purchase from me, so why is she trying to return to me?  I don't want to upset a potential customer or potential other customers whom she will speak to but as I mentioned I am (well ok, let's escalate) infuriated.   I can only assume the store already refused the return.
Let's face it, things break sometimes, no matter the quality, but there has to be some sort of cap on timing, not to mention a charge to fix.   I am not Nordstrom, Kohls or some department store (who also may not accept such a thing back when not purchased from them), I am a handmade jewelry company. I am already struggling- why is this ok?  
I do accept returns when purchased from me (whether you are a store or a single customer), and also exchange things.  I have exchanged a necklace that the person didn't like the way it looked when they got home- for a ring.  They were perfectly happy.  I stand behind my work but somehow this just doesn't seem fair.  Does it to you?  These are the earrings:

sterling silver handmade square hoops

handmade jewelry every day- www.myfriendroze.com

hold the pickles hold the lettuce...

...special orders won't upset us- ok maybe they do.   Remember that Burger King jingle? "Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders won't upset us, all we ask is that you let us serve it your way. Have it your way....Have it your way."  I'm probably aging myself, but we used to sing our own version of that on the way to camp. "Hold the pickles hold the lettuce shut up lady you upset us"...(that was ours).   I'm rambling but what I'm actually whining about right now is what to do about people who want custom orders.  As a lot of my  handmade jewelry has a ton of options, or are basically custom as it is (you can choose the color mosaic, or the color ceramic, or the size bubblewrap, or the chain) i have opened myself up to a constant stream of custom order requests.   I really don't mind mostly- but what I do mind is that I am not sure people are willing to pay what an order made just for them is worth.   Part of the reason for a price increase is that I cannot make a single piece as fast as I can make a piece already in my production line.  Many times when people "design" their own piece it's a large stretch from what I normally do, and I know upfront that they won't like it, but how do you tell them that?  I think a  custom, handmade, order most often should not be returnable, but in this day and age- everyone wants the option to return.  I continue to wonder what the policy on custom should be.   Here are a few custom pieces I just made:

handmade sterling mosaic ring with inset amethyst

three mosaic necklace

handmade jewelry every day- myfriendroze

handmade homework

Sometimes you just have to push yourself to do something. You know, give yourself some sort of incentive, even if making things is your passion. Sometimes you just get bored, or tired of making the same thing. I know Etsy teams have challenges like the CCCOE team that I (kind of) belong to used to have a monthly challenge (do they anymore?), and Etsy metal has "Ring a Day" here is how they describe it "This is an exercise in creative exploration. The rules are simple: create a ring every day for the entire year of 2010 out of anything, no matter where you are." I don't know how many people made it this far (it is november and all) and well that's a bit much for me.... but here are some I found that I like a lot on their flickr set:

What is your handmade homework? what do you do differently to push yourself? The holidays are swiftly approaching and I know that should be my impetus, but I'm still here in my studio, looking at my same old things wondering how to get motivated. The increasing price of my materials is not helping... maybe I will try to think of new materials to use and THAT will be my handmade homework.... I think I'll go eat.


www.myfriendroze.com

handmade jewelry- art or craft

The other day I was reading someone's blog who asked what is the difference between art and craft? This question hits very close to home for me, as I dated a man who considered what I do craft and not art, and therefore not worthy of any sort of admiration or time spent. I guess however that I find that even I, who went to art school, considers some of the things I do craft. I also think I might share some sense of snobbery when it comes to this BECAUSE I went to art school (and not for jewelry). But I do wonder where the line can be drawn or even if it should. There are people who add the word "art" to jewelry in order to distinguish themselves. But I wonder if they are distinguishing themselves from craft or as handmade from mass made items.

Below are a few examples of handmade jewelry that may blur the line:

meghan patrice riley

MaRía GoTi

Lynette Andreasen

monday morning

it's raining and it's monday morning.... what a way to start out the week. Thankfully it didn't rain this weekend while at a show.   The show turned out to be a nice mix of handmade and vintage.   much like            Moda Viajando Handbags 

I didn't find too much there that I really liked, aside from the food.   But, I always like the food.  There was Olvera street Tamales (yum!)   Plus the restaurant attached to the venue- super cute and had great pumpkin pie.

Also there was the gourmet crepe company who were giving out free samples.   Their booth was directly across from mine.   I think they lost a few extra samples to me.    My personal favorite was the nutella banana crepe.

As a review of this show, it was cute- not totally well attended and not personally my style, (A lot of wind chimes and garden gnomes being sold) and  I think my handmade jewelry was a little too funky for the show.   I did debut my amoeba jewelry and sold one of the sterling silver bangles which was nice!  Below is one of the new Amoeba necklaces.   This one has a ruby on one side and a smoky topaz on the other.  Brand new handmade reclaimed sterling silver necklace by myfriendroze.  What do you think?

the story of myfriendroze

A lot of people ask how I named my company, I guess because it sounds like I really didn't actually name it... But I did, and here is the story.  
Once upon a time, in another life, the life of Rose Braunstein the promotion person who worked at Jive Records-, I (Roze) was feeling frustrated and not creative.   So I decided to start making jewelry again, on the side in all my spare time (ha).   I spent a lot of time (sadly) with the Backstreet Boys.  Taking them to radio for interviews, and making sure they did their meet and greets and silly things like that.   One of them, asked me about my sterling silver vine rings.   He said he really liked them and could he have one.   I said SURE- that was exciting for me.  Soon thereafter, he lost it, and was sad about it and asked for another one, which I gave him happily.  However, a week or so later he lost that one too... He asked me for another one to which I said "dude, you're going to have to buy them like everybody else" (I mean he does have a lot of money- right?) he looked me straight in the eye and said "don't you want my publicity for free?"  I looked right back at him and said "You're right!  I absolutely want your publicity for free!!! What is my last name????"  He stared at me blankly for quite a bit until I said "great- so what kind of publicity am I getting?   "my friend roze made it?"  The more I thought about it the more I realized, all my friends who bought or had gotten my jewelry for gifts were saying "myfriendroze made it"   I thought it was perfect, because now ANYONE who has my handmade jewelry can say "myfriendroze made it".  

handmade sterling silver and 14k gold vine ring with garnet

handmade sterling and 14k gold vine ring 

Hamsa

Channukah is so unbelievably early this year...  it's closer to Thanksgiving than to Christmas!  On that note I figure that I should start making some holiday gifts even earlier.   Yes, I even make judaica!   It's not normally on my website because I don't specialize in it, but I am kind of obsessed with hamsas.   I collect them as long as they are handmade.  I have 45 ceramic hamsas hanging in my studio, and I even have one tattooed on me.     Do you think I should bring out some Judaica to the early craft shows?   

handmade sterling hamsa with carnelian set in a mosaic

Behind the picket fence

this upcoming saturday my friend Debby who is the brains and talent behind Rebe clothing asked me to come share a booth with her at behind the picket fence for their sale...  It's last minute but I can't give up any chance to get out there! It's a vintage and handmade sale so I hope that we are able to do alright up against vintage items which could possible undercut our prices.  Here is the link to more information on the sale  behindthepicketfencemarketplace.blogspot.com.     Since we met, at a show, Debby has always been a great friend and inspiration to me and I am always so impressed by all the new things she continually makes.   I'm excited to once again spend the day with her and see all her new clothing and accessories. Most, if not all of her handmade items utilize eco-friendly material and she uses her scrap to make great purses, blankets, and makeup bags,  etc.    Check out a few of my favorites below.  You might also notice a handmade myfriendroze necklace in the photo :).

rebe dress handmade ceramic myfriendroze necklace