(or copy/pasted below)
Getting to Know…MajentaDesigns in 10 Questions
March 5, 2008 – 10:09 am I first discovered MajentaDesigns in December while doing Christmas shopping. Unfortunately, I was too late to put in an order that would arrive in time and well, my funds were seeing red. Fortunately, I start a new job today and there’s no Christmas rush! So MajentaDesigns, expect to send an order over to MyWoodenRobot in about two weeks (pay day!). Until then, I had the pleasure of getting to know MajentaDesigns in 10 Questions.
(Do check out her blog to find a special Spring Break Sale offer!)
- How did you begin making jewelry?
- Describe the process you take (from start to finish) to make a necklace.
- How long did it take for you to find the process that worked for you to get the desired effect?
- How often do you make new jewelry?
- Where do you get the ideas and inspiration for new designs?>
- When and how did you decide that your crafts were good enough to sell?
- Can we find your jewelry anywhere else aside from etsy?
- What do you credit your success on etsy to?
- Do you have any advice to give to other aspiring etsy sellers?
- What do you hope will be the future of Majenta Designs in the next 5 years?
I have always loved jewelry making. Ever since I was young, I always enjoyed going to the bead shops and buying beautiful items in trying to come up with creations.
First, I find a piece of paper I like. I started off just using designs from magazines, and then I found the wonder of beautiful Japanese chiyogami paper while I was traveling in Japan last year! Anyway, so I take a glass tile and I hold it over the paper, and running it around the paper to see what would look best. Then I trace the tile, and then cut out that portion of the paper. Then I glue the paper onto the glass, and squeeze out all the airbubbles (this is my least favorite part as it can take awhile). After that, I coat the back with a waterbase sealant, so making the piece more wearable. Then I glue on a bail, then I measure out a piece of chain, and I add crimp beads to the end, and attach clasps using jump rings, to make the necklace strand. And that’s it!
Fish Pond Pendant $15
I think its an ongoing process to perfect making my items. Just last week I found a new glue and turns out it works much better on the glass…but then I later learned that it only worked well with certain glass shapes, where as the other shapes there actually was more air bubbles. So I’m constantly trying to perfect my crafting process.
I have so many ideas, I am constantly creating. Each week, I try to post up new items, so definitely check my Etsy shop often!
In fact just recently I decided to make a whole new line of products, and all your readers will be the first to hear about them! Basically, I wanted to play one of those “Buy and Replace” games on the Etsy “Promotions” forums, so I found someone who was selling cute beads so I thought they’d come in handy for some crafting goodies, so I just got a set. But then I perused the rest of her shop and she had so many cute buttons I ended up buying a bunch of them! Then I realized that they looked a lot like earrings I used to wear as a kid, so I came up with the idea to turn these adorable buttons into cute earrings! I bought surgical steel posts too, so these creations are perfect for children as well as the young at heart too! They’re also great as you get a lot of comments wearing them too!
Bumblebee Stud Earrings $3.50
Mostly from walking around the craft store (I <3 ACMoore!) and seeing what supplies they have and I get so many fun ideas of things to make! (drives whoever is with me crazy as I spend so much time there!), I have a weakness for pretty scrapbooking paper and beads! But its so funny as when I come across everyday objects something might pop into my head and be like "hey I can make something with that!"
After I took this jewelry making class in Korea using Swarovski beads, I thought the items looked really professional and people always would comment on where I bought the items. Soon I found out about Etsy, so I started off selling those items. Its always so exciting when people comment on the jewelry you’re wearing that you’ve made and they think you’ve bought it, so to me, that was a sign that I was ready to sell my items.
For now, they are mostly sold on Etsy, I have the same items listed on lov.li. I am very excited as a boutique in South Carolina called “GalleryUp” will be selling some of these glass pendants soon. Their site is www.galleryup.com . Also, feel free to read my blog to find out about my latest items and usually a story behind the creation of those items! http://www.majentadesigns.blogspot.com . One of my goals or aspirations for my creations is that I’ll hopefully be able to get more wholesale and consignment orders and have them sold in actual shops and boutiques too.
Grape Earrings $15
I think having a variety of items, constantly having new and different type of items in the store, and having great customer service.
Don’t give up! I’ve seen lots of forum posts where people are discouraged because they aren’t selling, but it took me 2 months before I got my first sale! And some of my items have been sitting there for 3 months with few views, but all of a sudden someone bought those items too! I think a lot of it is quality in your products, having detailed descriptions and great customer service, but I think part of it also is luck and having that person that is seeking exactly what you offer! So if you have an idea for a creation, go for it! You might stumble across something that ends up being a hit! For me, my grape earrings and glass pendants have become my big sellers.
I am hoping to do craft shows soon, as well as having more of my items sold in boutiques and B&M shops. I’m definitely hoping the business will grow and more people will know about the shop, and refer their friends, etc. I also hope to continue to be inspired to make new and unique creations for others to enjoy.
No comments:
Post a Comment