How to make bookkeeping and taxes FUN!

Carol Dekle-Foss

Ok yes, that was just a ploy to get you to read this post, but stay with me!  I'm going to review an indispensable software program called Jewelry Designer Manager by Barbara Carleton. It's not only amazing for keeping track of finished jewelry, but it's also great for keeping track of handmade components as well.

I have been using it for 3 years now and absolutely love it! There are just so many unique ways you can utilize the program. I'll be honest though, you have to enter all you data and that can be a bit time consuming. But once that's done, you have a powerful tool that can track and manage every aspect of your business. Seriously, this program rocks! 

Ok, so here are the top reasons I use this software.

NUMBER ONE. Inventory! This is where the genius comes in. You input your beads and other components into the Jewelry Parts section, and then when you make a piece of jewelry, you build your piece in Jewelry Assembly. (See next pic)  You select the parts that are included in the finished jewelry piece and the program adds up the total cost of materials. 

NUMBER TWO. Pricing.  Basically the program does this all for you. It takes into consideration all your raw materials, your labor and any other costs, and recommends the price according to the mark-up options you have set up. It helps you calculate your prices so you get paid for what you are worth, and also so you are charging a fair price to your customers.

So now, not only do you have raw inventory data for all your beads and components, you also have finished pieces data. This comes in very handy during the dreaded tax season when you are calculating your COGS. Now that's fun stuff!

NUMBER THREE: Keeps track of customer purchases. The above pic is the field where you enter customer data. Below is the invoice field.

You can also print detailed invoices to send to a customer.

NUMBER FOUR: Lastly, the software creates comprehensive reports. Being a detailed person, ok, obsessive, I like to track things. You can manage your sales, parts, customers, create PDF catalogs to send to customers via email, and create professional labels.

This program keeps me organized and on top of things so I can then spend more time in the studio. Well that's the theory anyway. Now if I could get it to feed my animals and do the laundry that would be great! 

Check out the program for yourself here and see if it's right for you!

I would love to know how you track your inventory. What works for you, do you use spreadsheets or Craftybase? 

Here's a collage of some of my recent studio creations.

 I hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday!

Taking Time to Care...ABOUT YOURSELF! By Karen McGovern

It's madness out there.  I mean, seriously.  Holiday fever has hit with the efficiency of a targeted missile strike--which, according to my TV and newspaper, is pretty darned spot-on.  I will not take a bunch of time here to tell you what you already know.  We are all under intense pressure as artists right now to create for our clients, for our shops, for our family and friends--all while somehow balancing annoying things like EATING and CLEANING THE HOUSE.  And, those people we live with, constantly expecting us to ACTUALLY HAVE TIME FOR THEM. Talk about juggling chainsaws....

So, as I try to do the 1,000 things I do every day anyway, and try to fulfill orders and commitments artistically, I have decided to add one more thing to the very top of my list.  Take two hours EVERY DAY TO DO NOTHING.  Now, I say take two hours....that is so I can negotiate down if needed but still feel like I have given myself a break.  I go to Starbucks and have a grande iced upside down caramel macchiato with salt an extra shot of expresso.  OMG THAT IS SOOOO GOOD!  And, have you tried the new pastries Starbucks is now carrying?? THE LITTLE PECAN TARTS ARE FROM THE DEVIL.

I read.  I take a nap. I sit in my orchid house.  And, if I am in the studio, I take that time to make something JUST FOR FUN.  Like this ornament.  I don't make ornaments, but this one just sort of happened.  It's a partridge--like from the pear tree thing.  It also sort of looks like a fancy version of the animated birds in the opening of the Partridge Family (GOD I AM OLD).  If you are looking for a quickie hostess gift to make, a simple brass or copper spiral (14 or 16 gauge wire), soldered to itself at the end and hammered makes a lovely ornament. Color with patina or metal paints, add a ribbon or raffia string (please do not use a crappy wire hook like I did), hang from a wine bottle and you have a great gift! 

I have taken to throwing myself (and my husband if he is not frantically working) a happy hour every day from 4:00 to 5:00 pm.  We sit with an orphaned bongo antelope we hand reared who needs the company until she is ready to be introduced to the herd.  She will be one year old this Thanksgiving and yes, I will be throwing a birthday party for her.

Hello, My name is Delilah and I am the cutest thing on EARTH.

I work seven days a week from dawn until dark.  Seriously.  That's what it takes when working with captive wildlife.  I could throw a joke in here about how anyone with kids understands working with captive wildlife--AMIRIGHT???  And, all the cliche things we read about how we are no good to anyone if we are not good to ourselves may be trite, but are also true.  Especially this time of year when we are in creative overdrive on top of everything else.

Bottom line, taking time for yourself to do nothing is not only okay--IT IS NECESSARY.  AND, if anyone dares to try to make you feel guilty for doing so, they deserve to be punched in the throat.  Or ignored.  For two whole hours.

Now, not everyone can take two hours every day.  So that's where the negotiating comes in.  Take an hour.  Break it up--15 minute here, 20 minutes there, whatever.  Pop a clean, dry dishtowel in the microwave for 15 seconds, spritz it with lavender and mint essential oil, plop it on your face and lay down for 10 minutes.  YOU WILL EMERGE A PRINCESS OF GOOD MENTAL HEALTH.

Also, the day after Thanksgiving, make a pitcher of coquito and label it something hideous so no one will drink it but you.  "Mom's diarrhea medicine" will work nicely.  Then, give yourself a huge glass sip every damned day till it's gone.  Try not to drink it all at once.  It will be difficult, as this is a coconutty dream of a beverage created by angels and delivered to mortals via unicorns raised by ancient Puerto Rican Shamans, passed down through the ages by the grace of all things alcoholic and wonderful.  If you don't want the booze, skip it, and add some rum extract instead.  You can thank me later.  Why wait till after Thanksgiving you ask?  WERE YOU RAISED BY WOLVES? Coquito is traditionally a Christmas beverage, so anytime after Turkey Day is wide open. 

Whatever you can come up with to give yourself a boost, a mental break, a pick-me-up--DO IT, and do it as often as you can.

Finally, I made earrings.  That's sort of a big deal for me, because I would rather chew my own arm off than make earrings.  BUT, I wanted to prove to myself that I could and I DID IT! As of this post I have created 30 PAIRS OF EARRINGS!!  Also, I like displaying them on a big wine glass....might do this for the holiday gift show I am in this coming Sunday.  Wish me luck!  

For those of you participating in holiday shows, I wish you crowds of appreciative shoppers scooping up your wonderful works.  I wish all of you a happy and peaceful season.  Enjoy yourselves, and make something BEAUTIFUL!

In closing, I leave you with this from Archie McPhee. Because EVERYONE needs a Santaur this holiday season.

Shining is good for stars, but not for my metal..............

by Staci Louise Smith

When I made the leap from sterling silver to base metals, I knew I would have to grub them up to love them.  Bright copper and brass are just not my thing.

Liver of Sulfur is what I used for silver, and it worked just fine for my copper too.

I buy my copper wire in bulk, and take a good amount of each size off the roll, then dip it in LOS until its darkened.  I work with it in the antiqued state.  It is mess, but let me tell you why.

(Here is where I usually buy my copper:)

http://www.riogrande.com/Product/Copper-Round-Wire-18-Ga-Dead-Soft/132318?Pos=1

You see, I use all kinds of beads, including my polymer beads.  I cannot dip them in LOS....I have also found it effects other items too, like some fossils or beads that are coated so they don't crumble.  It has even antiqued the silver dots on ceramic and glass beads that I didn't want to darken.

(sample of my pieces with a variety of beads on them)

Another bonus to pre-antiquing my wire and metals, is that I can take them to shows with me and work on new things.

So this was going all fine and dandy, until I tried to use some brass.  Well, LOS does not antique brass very well!!!  I was told that Black Max does, but I try to keep the chemicals in my studio to the milder ones, so no black max for me.

I discovered (quite by accident) while making ball head pins and soldering brass, that if I take my torch to my brass it sort of dulls it up.  

Don't you love when that happens?????

Now, I don't use a lot of brass wire, but I LOVE this handmade solid brass chain from Rishashay.  

(sidenote:  I searched all over to find unique, quality, solid brass chain, and I cannot say enough good things about these guys.  I am really picky about my chain, but that is another post).

http://www.rishashay.com/c0879a-brpc.html

However, it is pretty shiny in person.  

So what I do, is I cut a length of it, fire up my butane torch and hit it until it gets red, sometimes a little less, and voila!  No more shiny brass.  Now you have earthy brass chain to use.

Here are some of my new designs that feature the dulled down brass chain

Basically, it is just giving your metal a torch patina, and depending on the amount of heat applied, the amount of time, and the oxygen ratio, you will get varying effects.  I like to play with the flame and time to see what shades of dirty brass I can get.

Please use all torch safety precautions ect ect ect.  Especially when heating metal, window open, fan, fume extruder, ventilation.....do it!  Your lungs will thank you!

Creating price tags that will make a lasting impression

Carol Dekle-Foss

 The details are not the details. They make the design-Charles Eames

I believe that creating a cohesive brand identity is the key to impressing customers and enticing them to "want" to buy a product. This though, is no easy task.  There are so many details to focus on, your amazing jewelry of course, but also your business name, company logo, cards, price tags etc etc...it can be very overwhelming. My best advise? When creating your brand identity never lose sight of what makes your jewelry unique to you, and have your marketing materials resonate with your style.

So price tags are just a tiny part of this whole process. They are just as important as say your logo, or business cards. They will help to create your OVERALL brand identity and highlight your unique style.

I'm going to share how I solved my price tag challenge and also provide a couple more suggestions

Here is some of my tagging arsenal.

Ok, the bottom sheets are rectangle barbells from Online labels. I like the larger rectangle size because it has more room for my logo, but you can also get them in round. What's nice about Online Labels is they have a label design software called Maestro.  You can use this program to design your own personalized labels by uploading your logo, unique backgrounds, and also use fonts that you have on your computer. The downside of the program is that it's a bit tricky to calibrate and line up the print option, and also the access code they give you is only good for one month. I now just use Photoshop to make and print them. They are a great price too, $22.95, for 100 sheets, for a total of 3600 tags. If you want,  you can just buy one sheet for $3.88 if you would like to try it out first.

Here are the tags I use if the barbells are too small for a piece and also for pricier items that I want to give a special touch. Also these tags are great for writing out any product details I would like to include on the back. I created the tag design using Photoshop, printed them out on textured card stock using an inkjet printer, and then cut them out with a paper cutter. The hole punch size is 1/8" in diameter. I then use chocolate brown string to tie it to the piece. 

I just love these earring card hang tags! I was inspired by the oh so talented and ever clever Erin Prais-Hintz. She talked about some earring cards she designed in this post on Earrings Everday. Check out how she used one of Vista Prints stock business cards to come up with a unique earring card holder that stands up! Clever girl. Thank you Erin for the cool idea! It was just luck that they fit perfectly in my shutter mirror display.  If you use leverbacks for your earrings, you can use this punch to cut out your holes. On the back of the card is my web address, a place for an item number and price, and plenty of room to include an item description. You can see the backside in the pic above. 

I used the same card stock for continuity and the tag designs are similar so there is cohesion with the overall look and feel of my brand. Now If I could just do the same with my jewelry designs!

There are so many ways to be unique with your tags, that it can be impossible to decide. Just remember to focus of what makes your products unique and try to create tags that resonate with your style.

Here are some more tag ideas! 

You can use punches to cut out your own tags.

 Use embossing punches to create texture.


Use punches to make pretty edges

Have a custom stamp made with your logo and use it on tags. This one is from Rubber Stamps.

There are just so many ways that you can be creative when designing your own tags. If you do a Google or Pinterest search, you will find tons of inspiration!

Also there are shops on Etsy that have ADORABLE tags that can be custom made for you, and will have a professional look. Personally for me, I like the creative freedom (and price) of doing it myself.

So how do you tag your items? Do you have a cool technique that your love? Please share what has worked for you!