Rising Temperatures, Rising Costs and Rising Prices

Watching the price of gold continue to increase so drastically over the past couple years, I've been a bit like an ostrich - with my head buried in the sand. Occasionally I'd peak out flutter my prices up a bit and think that was good enough and how I felt bad for increasing the price for my customers. Alas, the time has come that I'm having to truly evaluate everything with a fine tooth comb. Part of this occurrence is the fabulous accountant I have. I've become a lot more organized and actually calculate my profit and loss each month. *Gasp* (That's what I do when I see it calculated)

And it is time I quit keeping my head buried, quit being in denial, and realize that my cost of materials has gone up so. much. more. than I have raised my prices. In the past year, gold has gone up about 33%.... in the past TWO years - gold has nearly doubled... While, apparently I've raised my prices less than 10%. So if you know anything about math, I think you can see how the price of gold really affects my income. Instead of getting a raise, I've been demoted... It all goes back to that being in denial and thinking the price of gold will go down and it'll all be okay.

So I've been doing some seriously calculations and changing prices - some quite a bit and some not so much. But I am feeling a bit more secure that I'm not merely buying gold and giving it away.

I'm puttin' on my big girl pants and realizing, that yes, this is what it means to run a business. I love my customers and I want to provide an excellent product at a fair price - fair, for both of us.

Oh and what do raising temperatures have to do with it all? I have no idea, but it is darn hot in my studio. I'm ready for fall - and falling gold prices. One will come in a couple months - the other... well... I don't think I can keep my head in the sand that long.

EtsyMetal Blog Carnival - 7.11.11 - Artist Inspiration/Influence

This month's EtsyMetal topic is:

Artist's Work That Has Influenced My Own

It is a really interesting topic - particularly because I've tried to not be influenced too much by anyone and really prefer to try to find my own way. For a long time I didn't want to look too closely at any other jewelers' or metalsmiths' work. Going through art school - we were often assigned projects where we had to choose another artist and base something off of their work. I generally tried to pick artists far away from metal! For years I did a lot of mini nude female pendants and rings inspired by Gustav Klimt. I loved the flowy nature of their bodies in paintings like Medicine and Philosophy - which are a bit different than the standard you think of when you hear the name Klimt...

medicine

philosophy

You can read more about these paintings - on wikipedia of course!

Though to look at my work now, you probably wouldn't see the influence so much, but I know it is there.

Another artist I love that I think has influenced me on a deeper level is Andy Goldsworthy. If you aren't familiar with his work, you should check it out! His connection with nature is truly incredible as is his way of looking at patterns and attention to details.

Make sure to check out all the other participating EtsyMetal bloggers!

Theresa - http://tkmetalarts.blogspot.com
Kate Jones - http://www.katejonesdesign.blogspot.com
Fluxplay Jewellery (Maria Whetman) - http://www.fluxplay.blogspot.com
2Roses - http://www.jewelrytutorial.blogspot.com
Elizabeth Scott - http://esdesignsjewelry.com/blog
Andrea Ring- http://www.amuckdesign.blogspot.com
Nodeform - http://nodeform.blogspot.com/
Inbar Bareket - http://inbarbareket.net
Cynthia Del Giudice - http://cynthiadelgiudice.blogspot.com
Evelyn Markasky - http://markasky.blogspot.com/
AdobeSol - http://www.AdobeSol.com/blog
Quercus Silver - http://quercussilver.blogspot.com/

Look for photo updates on Facebook Fan Page

Recently I got an iPhone - which I love - including the amazing Hipstamatic app which is really fun for taking interesting photos. I also figured out how to post photos on my fan page really easily and have started updating with progress photos of customers rings! So "Like" my fan page and keep an eye out if you've ordered a ring from me - you may just catch a glimpse of the process!!

Inspiration

It's create your own quote day!!

Okay, so I doubt that is ever really a day... but today is mine!

I woke up super early this morning - feeling full of inspiration. So early, it was still dark and I was hoping to fall asleep again. Lots of thoughts were coming up, mostly about inspiration. Not just the inspiration for being an artist and being creative, but inspiration to DO things.

and the thought I had (here it is... my quote! and yes, you can quote me if you want)

Allow your inspiration to become action.

How often I am totally inspired by something, but nothing further than lovely and pretty thoughts. Which is great, the feeling of being inspired is wonderful. But it is totally another world to put that inspiration in to action and actually create something from it. Is there some sort of inspiration threshold. Something is SO inspiring it triggers some sort of action button in the brain? maybe... after thinking about it further though, I am going to work on it being an awareness - harnessing that inspiration and allowing it to come out.

What am I so inspired about... skydiving. Elephant Journal posted this video (loove the elephant journal) and it nearly brought me to tears (not so much the swimming w/ the sharks or base jumping from the Eiffel tower) as the gliding in the special flying squirrel suit - which after some reading is apparently called proximity flying. and the song is amazing - I bought the album and now I think about skydiving when I listen to it...



I've only been skydiving once (tandem, wonderful present for my 25 bday from my boyfriend/now husband), but it was possibly the most amazing feeling ever. My thought at the time was, "when I have the money, I'm going to take lessons." Then it was more like, "when I have the time, I'm going to take lessons." And that is currently where I am - finding the time to have a "hobby", much less a hobby that needs to be taken seriously. I can't even seem find the time to paint - which wouldn't require going anywhere or buying anything! But skydiving is something I want to do, not something I want to have only done once. So my goal - within the next year, go tandem again. Get that feeling back first hand, not just the fabulous feeling of watching an inspiring video. (which by the way, Roberta, the gal in the video, is only a year younger than I am) Then I'll talk to them about the specifics of taking lessons. Sounds reasonable right? Making a (very public) declaration I find is also extremely helpful in following through.

But even more than this one instance - it really has sparked this internal dialogue of what inspiration is. Not just what is inspiring, but what do you do with that inspiration? What do I do with that inspiration?

Blog-o-sphere Think Tank - Favorite Past Time Activity

For this month's installment... the topic is a favorite past time activity.

Interesting.

I'm not really sure I have any "past time activities"... it makes me think of things I used to do as a child for fun and maybe still do?

And pretty much the first thing that came to mind was holding my breath. Most kids do that don't they? Like in a swimming pool or bathtub - see how long they can hold their breath. And I still do. sometimes yes, in the bathtub. I'm sure if I had a pool I would test it out in the pool as well. But now, because of my yoga practice, I can hold my breath in a much more controlled and healthy manner. And still love it.

So I'm not really sure if that was a good answer for the topic, but it was the first thing that came to mind, so I figured it would be an entertaining post :)

Make sure to check out everyone else's favorite past time activities!

Andes Cruz
Kathleen Krucoff
Mary Spencer (WATTO)
Stephanie Clark
Shaun Young
Shannon Koochin
Brad Severtson
Wendy Kelly

EtsyMetal Book Club - Hyperion

Yet another new fun challenge from my buddies in EtsyMetal. Erin proposed a book club - and since I love reading, it sounded like a great idea to me! And to have an excuse to make a fun, non-commissioned piece sounded nice as well.

The first book we read was Lost by Gregory Maguire. It was... not so great in my opinion. I can't remember reading a book where the lead character was just so horrid. It wasn't very inspiring even though I did have a good idea for a piece. I think I resented the fact that anyone could think this was a great book and didn't want to actually make the piece. Either that, or I was just too busy and not really all THAT inspired... But I just wanted to mention it since it was technically the first one we ready. Moving on....

To the second book - Hyperion by Dan Simmons, was by far more inspiring, and well, a better read. Science fiction tends to be one of my favorite genres, so that helped. Simmons is also an excellent writer and I found very easy to read. It was a little rough at first. Many of the 'other worldly' aspects were given names, but not really described. To start with, it seemed a bit confusing, but very quickly I found myself just accepting these new words or objects and using my own imagination to create the mental landscapes. What better to create a jewelry piece than an author who encourages the reader to use their own imagination so strongly?

So I don't have time to write a full review or description of the book (you can look it up if you like) - the basic plot - there is a group of people going on a pilgrimage to see the Shrike at Hyperion - the planet that is home to the Time Tombs. The Shrike is a legendary "being". From Dan Simmons's description, my own imagination and discussion with the EtsyMetal gals - the idea for my piece was developed. The Shrike is a dangerous and vicious creature - maybe somewhat humanoid - or giant armadillo/sea urchin made out of metal. An entirely metallic being with armored plates and spikes and blades, but still organic in nature. It is mostly a character of legend, not making a direct appearance in the book. And I found it to be wonderfully inspiring - and created the Shrike Ring! Maybe a ring one of it's followers would wear... since I doubt it has anything resembling a finger or any need for a ring...

It was the first piece I have just made for fun that isn't a wedding ring in a really really long time. In fact, I can't really remember the last time I just made something. Yay!

And there are more photos on flickr as well.

EtsyMetal Blog Carnival - 6.6.11 - Etsy Metal Studio Tour

Yay! It's EtsyMetal Blog Carnival time! This month's topic is:
Etsy Metal Studio Tour

Show us where you work!
Describe what you love about your work space and/or any changes you would like to make in the future.

This past weekend, I got an iPhone! and I am SO excited. I love some of the photo apps, particularly the one I've been playing with the most - Hipstamatic. I mean, it just makes my studio look so interesting doesn't it?!

Today I was doing a quick casting (very short burnout) and decided for the blog post, I would document the process, in addition to some other general studio photos of my work stations. I meant to get a photo of the thermometer today... some other day... There is no air conditioning and by the afternoon most days, it's near 100. ouch. and with the kiln going, it doesn't make it any better. ah, well, I think it's better than huge blizzards in the winter.

Here's my photo journal for today!

investment about to be mixed

investment about to be mixed

mixed!

debubbleddddd

more debubbbblingg

setting up

metal all weighed out!

flasks are ready (and normally, no, the door isn't wide open)

melting sterling

melting gold - sooo pretty! it's my favorite part!

cast!

cast and cooling

quenching

all cast and ready for clean up!

casting area and torches

soldering/fusing area

second workbench, mostly for engraving and mini drill press (hidden under the bag)

my main work bench - a total mess like most jewelers' I know!

So that was my studio! Hope you enjoyed the tour! Make sure to check out the other EtsyMetal members who are participating in this month's blog carnival!

Rebecca Bogan
Shirlee Grund
Elizabeth Scott
Cynthia Del Giudice
Michele Grady
Erin Austin
Nodeform
Evelyn Markasky
Kathryn Cole
2Roses
Lauren Anabela Beaudoin/Creative Dexterity

Blog-o-sphere Think Tank - #4 - May Edition - Favorite Quote

It is that time again for the Blog-o-sphere Think Tank! This month's topic is a fun one. And though I thought it would be easy... apparently it isn't! I'm one of those people who loves quotes. In college, I had different quotes pasted all around my room. It's hard to not love anything by Einstein. I mean, he was a genius after all!

"Imagination is more important than knowledge" just might be my favorite. I had this tshirt when I was in high school. Though I quit wearing it, I kept it b/c I loved it so much - it's in my studio for inspiration.

I also remember loving this one the first time I heard it:

"Your mind is like a parachute. It only works if it is open." - Anthony D'Angelo

And really they both relate to each other. Having an excellent imagination and an open mind go hand in hand!

Must post one from my dear Swami Satchidananda: "People often ask me, "What religion are you? You talk about the Bible, Koran, Torah. Are you a Hindu?" I say, I am not a Catholic, a Buddhist, or a Hindu, but an Undo. My religion is Undoism. We have done enough damage (with religious dogma). We have to stop doing any more and simply undo the damage we have already done."

Love. It.

And my favorite made up quote.... "Everyone has issues, some people just have more than others." catchy right?


Make sure to check out everyone else's favorite (or favourite) quotes!

Andes Cruz
Brad Severtson
Kathleen Krucoff
Wendy Kelly
Mary Spencer
Stephanie Clark
Barbara Donovan
Laura Flavin
Thomasin Durgin
Shaun Young
Kathryn Cole
Natsuko Hanks
Andrea Bell

Jess and Erin

I had been having a rough day this week when I got a wonderful email from Jess sharing her and Erin's wedding photos with me. It warmed my heart, brought tears to my eyes and completely made my day. Like most artists and jewelers that I know, I have days where I wonder what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, etc. And then I get to actually SEE the why. It is wonderful to see two people completely in love and my rings involved in that! I feel so honored to be a small part in the lives of these two gorgeous women. Thank you Jess and Erin!!

Jessica bought Erin's engagement ring from me last year,
and then I made the two bands as well.

these photos taken by and copyrighted by Gary Sexton

EtsyMetal Blog Carnival 5.14.11 - Pages from a Sketchbook

So this is a funny and kind of ridiculous topic for me to write about. I just hardly ever use a sketchbook, and if I do a sketch is usually for a piece I am making right then. I suppose if I had times when I could just make something as opposed to having a list of commissions, I would try to sketch things out, write things down etc, to have them fresh and ready to go. Most of the pages in my current sketchbook are notes and tiny sketches from meeting w/ customers. It rarely happens in person, so I don't even have that many pages like these - but I thought it would at least bring another image in to this blog post!


and the rings as they turned out...


and I scanned two more pages - these were from over a year ago, but at some point will be a new wedding ring design. I thought they were particular fun b/c you can clearly see my doodle to idea fulfillment process. and on the one page you can see the sharpie bleed through from another sketch. clearly you can see how serious I am about my sketchbooks! haha!





Make sure to check out pages from everyone elses's sketchbooks! (or lack of sketchbook)


Rebecca Bogan
Shirlee Grund
2Roses
kate jones
Erin Austin
Nodeform
Michele Grady
Elizabeth Scott
Su Trindle
Evelyn Markasky
ArtigianoJewelBox