Hey you all, if you're like me, always looking for the next best super deal on craft and art supplies, than you better start buying wholesale.

Okay, in order to buy wholesale, you gotta first get a business license, but if you do lots of work and sell on etsy, locally, or any where else, than trust me it pays off.

I've been buying supplies from my local Ben Franklin, and a few other craft and bead supply stores, and Oh My God!, they just upped their price over 100%. How do I know this? Well as of January of this year (2009), BFC upped there Jessy James Bead line from $4.99 to $7up. Wow! That's way to high of a jump, especially in such a short amount of time. Even the other shops have upped their prices, about 20% in the last few months. Which trust me in this little town of Hilo, is to much of a hike, especially when the economy is not that good. Lit alone that the items that they marked up is the same items from the day before, and the next day it just morphed over night. Come on now, that's in sane.

Any ways, I decide to really start to shop on line, at places that really give whole sale price breaks, as well as the items are already really greatly priced to begin with. One of my faves is The Colorado Bead Company, dam, check it out, especially the Sale category.

What blows me is that, do they really think customers are stupid, especially artist that shop almost every day. I know that nothing can really be done, especially if you need that item right now. But please, don't they know they'll lose business that way. More and more people are trusting the Internet, and ordering, doing business and selling where the money is good. And if they're on a budget, and need to keep cost down, they'll find some thing else to use or just do with out. Especially if it saves $3.00 bucks on something that wholesale costs only $2.50. Wow! What do you think?

So I did my research, checked out Jessy James Dress Up Beads site, they have the item listed @ $2.50 with a minimum order of 6 pkg. Do the math, it still comes out hell of a lot cheaper, I get more, and that's with free shipping on a listed purchase. Can't beat that. They got my business. Not to mention, etsy has some really cool supplies as well, plus shipping or none at all. So think about it, be savvy and save money, make a profit, and get all that you want and need.

By doing this we l can keep doing what we do, keep our cost down, and keep our prices reasonable for our customers. This keeps sales up, and us happy. Lit alone able to stay in business with out breaking the bank.

  Pk

Yesterday, I decided to take a chance and put myself out in my community again. I use to do it a lot in the early 90s, when my children were younger, I was more into seasonal crafting then. I did lots of local style items for different gift shops, craft fairs, and a few Friends who owned speciality item shops for "Omeyagi, goody baskets."

Now that I'm more into my wearable items, jewelry, and fine arts, I just really wasn't seeing the impact on my sleepy little town of Hilo. But I woke with a fresh new vibe, and I just figure, why not just take a change and go for it.

What I did was approach a Friend that represented my work, as I mentioned earlier, she was more than helpful, she choose a few items for consign met, and asked that I make some pieces she felt would do well in her shop. I than approached a second friend, who also use to pick up some of my Native American pieces, and she did the same. What was so exciting, was in a week, she called me that my pieces were already selling.

Than my final leap of faith, was a shop that I always love to shop in, and everyone locally and from Japan, visits. Trust me when I say, I held my breath all the way.
Any ways she purchased 3 pairs of earrings, ordered custom made copper belts for her own fashion line, and, made a deal to pick my work up on consignment, if all goes well she'll pay out right. I walked out of there on cloud nine.

Here's my tips if you choose to get your feet wet, take the leap.

1.   Make sure you've got enough really good looking business cards on you. If not it really looks unprofessional, and don't forget to ask one of theirs. It's great to do call backs. Plus you want to remember the persons name you spoke and dealt with.

2.   Make sure to call ahead for an appointment, if not when you stop in, ask to make one when they're more able to spend some time looking at your work. But if by luck they say they can see you right there, make sure you got a few samples of your best work. I suggest low end to high end so they have a range to choose from.

3.   Dress the part. Be neat, kept and Wear a piece or two of what you create. People are visual, they always remember what they see if they loved it.

Hope these helped.

PK

http://www.stoneandbone.etsy.com, http://www.jewelrybyreshell.etsy.com, http://www.creativecaldron.etsy.com

http://www.blacklightningstudiogallery.blogspot.com

Style Intuition ~ knowing what you like and what works on you, no matter who's the designer, when it was created or what it was.  Trends come and go. But style never goes out of fashion. True fashion icons stay the test of time, becuase of class, inner knowing and most of all a sense for the zest of life. Happiness is the greatest accessory you can ever have. Waring a smile makes you powerful, beautiful, and most of all sexy. It's also original, priceless and so you. So put your best foot forward, rock them skyscraper heels and whatever else turns you on, but by all means flash them sexy pearly whites. And trust me, you'll get every one wagging them tongues. The accessories you rock is just part of the glam, the fashion is all you baby.

As a designer / artist, I can' seem to get enough of trying old and new common materials, and inventing new ways to work them into my pieces. I think one of the coolest things to do is take something that most would feel wouldn't work and re work it into something wearable and functional, as well as keeping it original. I like the idea of adventure, the hunt for that particular material or bead that just sets the piece off and make is pop. And the final key is to know when to walk away and just let it be. The rest is up to the wearer, they complete my work. Collaboration in function.

When working with my customers, I find it really interesting that they're always being slaves to fashion. One of the all time questions I'm asked is, "What works for me?" My responds is this, fashion is fickle. But knowing the trends, and what turns you on is a start. Trust me that doesn't mean it works. It means that it's a place to begin. And beginnings is what matters. Fashion is one thing, trends is another. Look for trends that match your personality, take bits and pieces of what you like from diffrent trends, and work it into your style. Than own it and rock it your way. That's the real meaning of a true fashion icon. If you find a designer that you resonates to your inner goddess or fashionist, than by all means follow that artist, and keep up with their latest dos. Even create a file on your computer with all their updates, so when needing something new, you can start there. Plus support the designer, let them know what you're interested in and show interest. Especially the up and coming talents. If you have frenz that are true shopaholics and fashion addicts , and the designer lives in your city, host a party with that artist doing a fashion show or trunk show. Who knows, you may  get a special item that you like for a really good deal from that artist as well as help spread the word of up and coming  talent in your area. It's a win win situation.