New Website

All of my jewelry will now be for sale only on our new web site BarkleyGold.  We will be adding more prospecting supplies as they come in!   We have decided to pool all of our efforts together into one place and this made the most sense at this time.   Please stop by anytime and visit our site.  I will periodically stopping by here to post updates!  Thanks everyone for your time.

Maddy Barkley
JewelrybyJane29
www.BarkleyGold.com

Look back but Move Forward

There are times when you have to look back to move forward!  I have been designing, making and sometimes selling my jewelry for over 10 years now.   My prices have doubled and even tripled in some cases from that first bracelet I sold at below cost just because I was so flattered to make my first sale.   When I look back at photos of pieces I made and sold at such a low ridiculous price I realized that it is Ok to look but you can't dwell on the past. Just use the event as a learning experience.

   The pink bracelet on the right I sold for $15.00  It is made with Sterling Silver Beads!  And Pink grade one Cats eye!  A package of 4 of those bead cost about $6.00.  The blue pendant Larry, my husband cut the stone for me and it is wrapped with gold filled wire.  I believe that also sold around the same with a
gold filled chain.  NO consideration for cost of materials or labor!



Now a days my prices may seem high to some people but at least I am not loosing money.  You have to take into consideration material costs, labor, overhead such as tools, work areas and all the little things that you have to buy.  And whether you sell your items in a craft show, consignment or on-line the costs of selling no matter the venue has to be taken into consideration.  And finally there is shipping and packaging.   Every cent you spend to to sell your handcrafted item whether it is jewelry, woodworking, crocheting or what ever need to be added into the cost.  There are many programs out there to help you.

Visit my Etsy Shop!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/Jewelrybyjane29

One of my many listings!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/232832977/black-diamond-round-swarovski-crystals

I have started a new Formal/ Bridal Line!  Here are a few of the items!



       Follow Jewelry by Jane 29's board Bridal/ Formal Pearls and Crystal Jewelry on Pinterest.  

Please Click on this link to view our

Holiday Gift Guide

Tips on Necklace Lengths

This chart is from Nordstrom and shows where different lengths fall on an average person.   This is only a reference the actual size that fits you may be different depending on your build, thin, average or heavy, your height and also the size of you neck.

Nordstrom Necklace Chart

   I for instance I am about average in size, but I am short and I have a thick neck.   My neck measures 15 3/4 inches.   The necklace I am wearing in the below picture measures 18 inches!

The below picture with the Peach Coral Measures 20 Inches.

I personally feel more comfortable with the 20 inch necklace.  And yes it is because I have a double chin and I am over 50 years old.  LOL.   But that is the greatest thing with jewelry.   It comes in all sizes and it is up to you what feels the best on you.  

How to Keep your Spirits High

This art world I am in is extremely competitive and extremely tough on a persons mental state.  If it was just a process of finding materials you love and constructing them into a finished product you love would be one thing.  But it doesn't stop there!  I would love to create a sculpture or paint a picture that would be worth millions of dollars after I pass on but no!  I had to pick jewelry making!   I never truly thought of jewelry making as art but I have been told it is   I never considered myself an artist.  But I have been told I am.

Right now there is   6,857,870 pieces of jewelry for sale on Etsy alone.   I have 223 pieces of jewelry listed just on Etsy  https://www.etsy.com/shop/Jewelrybyjane29  I have made some sales but not consistently, not enough to keep my spirits high.  How I do keep my spirit high part of that is to spread my work around.   I have my work in three different shops in as many states.  They are not consistent either, but are frequent enough to help my spirits.

Even though I am not making lots of money that I would of hoped I am treating it as a business.  I try to do all of the things that must be done for a business including the bookkeeping.

When I create I lose myself in my work!  A few minutes turn into an hour! The world around me turns into minor bumble bees buzzing around.  Then when I finally finish that piece I get gratification.  I tend to work on bracelets or simple designs that give me instant gratification.   Every so often I work on something that takes more than several hours to finish.  I guess that is why I keep going.  I can get lost in my work!  

I found that when I did craft shows my moral was boosted during every show.  I would get oo's and ah's and usually sold quite a few things.   I stopped doing shows because besides the wear and tear on me there was evidence of wear on some of my more fragile pieces so I went to consignment shops instead.

This is one that took many days to complete.  It was made for a contest and I was very proud I actually completed it in time.  Unfortunately I did not win the contest or even get any votes.   But it does not define me so it doesn't break my spirits.  However, it may be some time before I compete again! Jewelrybyjane29








The necklace on this one was fast gratification.  Once I picked the beads it just fell together.  The wirewrap on turquoise cabochon went quite well also.











This is why I do what I do!  I don't make lots of money I don't get recognition or cudo's!  It just lets me be me!  And that is the best job in the world.  

The Journey of What to Make And a New Years Resolution

I often get asked how I know what I'm going to make!   Well, that is tough to describe because sometimes I don't know I what it is until it is finished.

A lot of the time when I shop for my beads and cabochons or even my wire, when I see something that catches my eye a vision comes in my head of what it would look like in a piece of jewelry.  The vision isn't always clear but a vision non the less.   So you see I have quite a stash of visions in my drawer.  The only problem is when I start working on a piece if I've waited too long the vision fades and the piece turns out completely different. But once in a while I get lucky and it all falls into place and I get a winner.



On this piece I got lucky!  The vision actually worked
 and almost done!  I have to add more bling and a focal
dangle that just came in and finish putting on the clasp.




But there are many more visions that are still sitting unfinished because the vision got lost or weakened over time!  So my New Years Resolution is.  When I purchase the bling I am going to actually do a sketch and take notes of what the vision is so I will remember!  I've got a month to go until New Years maybe I will start now if I purchase any beads.