JTV Blog

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

This Week's Jewel School Hours (Note the times listed below are EST)  Due to the tremendous havoc caused by super storm "Sandy", this week's schedule has changed.

Tuesday 10/30--NO Jewel School Show

Wednesday 10/31 9-11am (Happy Halloween!)

Saturday 11/3--NO Jewel School Show

Jewel School and JTV both wish all of our east coast friends, customers, vendors and artists all our best while recovering from Mother Nature's wrath.

NEW November Jewel School Hours!!  Beginning Sunday November 4th

Yes we are changing time slots again, as we work to accommodate all of our wonderful JS viewers! Please note that the times listed below are EST. Sunday shows will be increased to 3 hour shows while the Monday and Wednesday shows remain 2 hours long.

Sunday 10am - 1:00pm

Monday 10am - Noon

Wednesday 10am - Noon

October 31-- Happy Halloween!! Due to weather and flights, Leah Helmrich will not be on the Jewel School set, BUT she will Call In during the show (between 9 and 11 am EST) to talk about the new kits she sent us from Parawire.

Inspired by the way petals unfold on a lotus flower, perhaps you have seen Leah's "Blooming Lotus" necklace on the recent cover of a magazine?

Photo by Karen Helmrich

Please be aware that many of our Guest Artists fly in for each show, depending on how badly the storm affects flight plans and for how long, the following guests may need to reschedule.

November 4-- the always creative Katie Hacker will join our Jewel School host, bringing fabulous findings from Beadalon, along with her personally authored 101 Books!

November 4 & 5-- tune in for Patti Bullard who will share even more jewelry making tips, using her amazing Wubbers line of pliers!

Beads of Courage Update!                                                               Thanks to everyone who bid on the amazing jewelry pieces created by our Guest Artist Team for the BOC auction. Bidding is now closed. Congratulations to the winners!

"Cougarism"-- (sales stickers, tags, labels)

This week, I'd like to talk about whether or not you should "show" the price of your work, on a tag or sticker. Several of you have told me that you DO show your price, while others have said that they do not. Here are some reasons and opinions:

Folks who display their work for sale and do not show a price have said that they feel this will encourage a customer to talk to them, opening a conversation that could lead to a sale. They have also shared that price tags clutter an otherwise lovely display and tend to use price stickers on the back of each piece.

Although I agree with the "clutter" factor, personally if I can't see the actual price of a piece of jewelry I probably cannot afford it, so I walk away. To reduce the need for tags my solution is to print (either by hand or computer) a small label that states the name of the piece (if it has one), materials used, the retail price and my inventory number. I line these little cards up along the outside edge of my display case, in-line with the jewelry item they describe. I have found that this method does encourage customer conversation, as they can see the price of something they are interested in and often ask about the stone/materials used.

 

Bracelets and rings are different of course, as each of them needs to have an attached tag (like sharkskin) with the size, materials, price and inventory number. Here's a little tip: have you ever wondered why folks insert either a coin or a plastic tab into each unfilled ring slot? It's not to see if a ring has been stolen, rather it's to help them replace rings that folks have tried on! If a space is not filled, a customer may just stick a ring into any open slot and after you have continuously spent a lot of time putting rings back where they belong, you will use this method too!

I will be continuing this series of short articles, blogging next week from Switzerland! (Depending on storm flight plans, of course.) Until then...

Stay "twisted"!!

Dale/Cgr

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

October-New Jewel School Hours (Note the times listed below are EST)

Tuesday 4-6pm

Wednesday 10pm-midnight

Saturday 6-8pm

Sunday remains 10am-noon

October 23 & 24 Tuesday evening and Wednesday night: multi-media artist Christiane Ross will join our host on Jewel School, sharing some of her vast knowledge about a variety of jewelry making products.

What a beautiful silver clay leaf pendant Christiane has created!

Oct 27 & 28 On Saturday evening and Sunday morning, yours truly, Dale Cougar Armstrong will be playing with Beadalon wire and tools, showing some seasonal wire jewelry designs.

Beads of Courage Update!

Follow the link below to view and bid on the extraordinary jewelry pieces made by Jewel School's Guest Artists for the wonderful Beads of Courage program! BOC Auction

JTV's Gem Lover's Conference Mini-Summary

Last week Jewelry Television hosted an amazing two day event for our customers who absolutely LOVE gemstones and gemstone jewelry! A few of the fabulous team of presenters included: Master of Ceremonies, JTV's Co-Founder and Executive Vice President Jerry Sisk; Chief Executive of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, Jack Ogden who helped set up JTV's offering of an introductory course in gemstone identification to our customers; Terry Chandler, the President and CEO of the Diamond Council of America; Renee Newman and Antoinette Matlins, both authors and gem and jewelry experts, and high end colored stone dealer of collectible gems, Edward Boehm. The list also included many more respected experts in the gemstone and jewelry field, including Jackie Truty, owner of Art Clay World USA, and me (Dale "Cougar" Armstrong)!

I enjoyed meeting and chatting with Terry and Cynthia Chandler about diamonds after dinner.

Participants had a difficult choice between a huge selection of gemstone classes on appraising, designing, gem identification, learning about diamonds, colored stones and so much more! Our guests even had the opportunity to learn how to turn stones into gems with Don Dupue and his assistant, who were set up in an outside tent sharing the magic of how to use Diamond Pacific lapidary equipment.

Guest speaker Edward Boehm gave a fascinating talk, educating us about the many reasons that gemstones prices are inflating.

There were so many "extras" too! The library was a gem lovers paradise, featuring: Bruce Barlow and his gorgeous cabochons; high end, loose colored stones for purchase; a selection of gemstone books and a lovely display of Jewelry Television's "vault" collection, spotlighting all "natural" gemstones that had been set into one-of-a-kind cast designs!

Don't you just love this natural tanzanite necklace, earring and ring?

There was a nice reception and dinner, classes and mini seminars, book signings and talks; there even was a room with bowls of cut stones where participants could make their own "parcel" of stones.

Did she find a fire opal in the bowl?? Yes!!

Personally, I enjoyed chatting with all of the experts I could and having my books signed by Jack Ogden and Antoinette Matlins. What a fantastic opportunity to spend quality time with some of the best in this industry!!

"Cougarism"-- (sales)

I have received some great answers from you, dear readers, talking about your pricing formulas and more. Thank you for sharing with me! Please note that this series of articles is meant to make you think more about everything you put into your work, and hopefully assist you with your pricing challenges.

Designing and creating handcrafted jewelry can be very gratifying. We make it to release our inner muse, express feelings, as a stress reliever, etc.  and it feels great to be able to give a gift to someone that you made yourself! However if you are not independently wealthy, eventually you will find that you need to sell your work, for nothing more than to afford your hobby--for if you do not sell your craft it is a hobby, and hobbies cost money!  

Pricing is always the hardest part of any art form and because there are so many ways to formulate, jewelry prices are  the most difficult to determine. When you are making and selling jewelry in today's economy, you may not be able to receive the compensation you fully deserve, but you should be able to survive if you price correctly for your area.

Are you paying yourself?? Most hobbyists (who make pieces as a way to relax and to obtain a little extra cash) will take the price of their materials and multiply by 3. Many of my personal students will multiply their materials cost by 3 if they purchase retail, by 5 if they purchase wholesale, and then add a realistic hourly rate for their time. It is important to know that this time does not include any learning curve, rather when you can make a piece without hesitation and no mistakes, that amount of time is what you charge for. As you become more proficient with your skills and the piece is made more quickly, then you are increasing your personal rate of pay per hour. 

Why multiply the supply cost? Well, consider the price of the extra electricity you may be using, as well as any postage, gas, printing, business cards, metal price fluctuations, price tags, packaging, etc, are you adding these into the cost of making a piece of jewelry? By multiplying the cost of  materials, these many "small" costs are covered.

More next week!

Stay Twisted"!

Dale/Cgr

Jewelry Television Announces Gem-A GemBasics Course, Online Gemstone Education

Jewelry Television Premieres Online Gemstone Education

Jewelry Television is opening a vault of knowledge with the online GemBasics Gemological Course, designed for the passionate gemstone collector and anyone else interested in learning more about gemstones. Plus, learn how to use the simplest and most useful portable gemological tools. The course has 12 lessons and each lesson is divided into four instructional sections. The GemBasics Course, available now from Jewelry Television and jtv.com, furthers JTV’s mission of sharing knowledge and information so the jewelry and gemstone consumer can make educated buying choices. 

Most gem education courses on the market today are generally written for people already working in the trade including buyers, designers, bench jewelers, and wholesale or retail store employees. JTV has partnered with the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A) to bring the consumer an online course specifically written for the non-jewelry professional with an appreciation for the gorgeous and gemstones found in personal collections and used in gem-set jewelry.

Gem-A provides educational programs in more than two dozen countries around the world. Based in London, England, Gem-A has been offering gemology education since 1908. No one else has been providing gemstone education longer. Now, the reputation of Gem-A as an infallible source for international gem education, partners with  Jewelry Television--the world’s largest retailer of natural gemstones, and the company known for introducing colored gems in a broad price range.  

The Jewelry Television and Gem-A GemBasics Gemological Course ignites the fire for knowledge by helping the student become a gem detective, utlizing an understanding of gemstones and how to ask informed questions before making a purchase of loose gemstones or jewelry set with gemstones. In addition to the course notes, students receive online access to additional information and videos, basic gemological tools, an assortment of gemstones and specimens, and quick feedback after completing the required tests.  A student has one year to complete the course, with three opportunities make a passing 80 score on the final test. 

Becoming highly qualified gemologists and internationally recognized experts like our own Jerry Sisk and Gem-A’s Dr. Jack Ogden requires years of gemological study in all facets of the business including mining, buying gems, color evaluation, and use of complex tools for measuring the properties of gemstones.  While it takes years to reach expert status, the GemBasics Course will start you down the path of becoming a better educated consumer. 

The GemBasics course information is produced by:

•    Author and Project Director, Dr. Jack Ogden of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain

•    Research and Content Advice, Gerald D. Sisk, Jr. G.G. (GIA) and JTV Co-Founder

•    Project Advisor, Robert F. Hall, JTV Co-Founder

The course may be ordered online at jtv.com or through the Jewelry Television Call Center at 1-800-581-3002. The GemBasics Course is $499.00 and students will receive a personalized Statement of Achievement accrediting them as a Gem-A Colored Stone Associate (C.S.A.) upon successfully completing the course. Here’s to making your passion for beautiful gemstones even better!

 

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

October---New Jewel School Hours !! (Note the times listed below are EST)

Tuesday 4-6pm

Wednesday 10pm-midnight

Saturday 6-8pm

Sunday remains 10am-noon

October 16 & 17- tune in to Jewel School Tuesday evening and Wednesday night and join Guest Artist Candie Cooper as she demonstrates some great products from Beadalon. Always fun, she has some new bangle designs to share:

Are your curious about Candie’s lovely pendant?

October 17, Wednesday late night- yours truly, Dale "Cougar" Armstrong, will join our host to talk about a few of my favorite tools AND my most recent "Wearable Wire Art" DVDs (Pssst.... I think they will have a “special show time only” price too!).

Oct 20 & 21- On Saturday evening and Sunday morning, Guest Experts Joe & Anat Silvera will share some great metal smithing techniques, using affordable specialties from Euro Tool! Known for their fabulous teaching skills, one of their specialties is soldering, such as this Double Bezel setting:

I am always curious about what our Guest Artists will be featuring. Joe described his upcoming appearances, "I'll be demonstrating two different projects: making an open, two-sided bezel (as seen above and below) and a free form prong setting. Both of these are great practice for soldering. They're also excellent projects for capturing any unusual stones or beads in your collection, like tumbled beach glass, river rocks, beads without holes and even stampings!

"The soldering skills needed are beginner, simple and fun. With my Double Sided Bezel project, you can make a fine silver bezel around the stones' edges, so both beautiful sides are exposed.

The Free Form Prongs project teaches how to make simple settings that can be used to capture all sorts of objects, with just sterling wire and a little soldering. Using just the basic set of soldering tools from Euro Tool and a few inexpensive specialty tools, you can start setting stones!"

(How cool! You'll have to tune in to see how Joe creates these awesome prong designs!)

Anat Silvera will be showing us how easy it is to create folded metal jewelry, such as these lovely copper cuff bracelets.

I think maybe Anat loves texture even more than I do, exclaiming, “Texture is so much fun! I'm looking forward to demonstrating how to texture and fold metal to make earrings, bracelets, pendants and more. You can never have enough texture, and the process of folding and unfolding metals makes gorgeous patterns! Plus, I'll demonstrate some cool pliers from Euro Tool, that make fast textures on metal. I hope you can join us!" 

(I already know that I need those pliers, how about you?)

"Cougarism"-- (sales)

While I work on this series, I have a few more questions for YOU:

Do you tag your work so the prices show? Why or why not?

Do you participate in shows, indoor or outside?

Do you set up fund raisers using your work?

Do you work on jewelry (make it) while the show is running?

Do you eat in your booth?

 This series begins next week!

Until then......."Stay Twisted"!

Dale/Cgr

 

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

October---New Jewel School Hours !!

 (Note the times listed below are EST)

Tuesday 4-6pm

Wednesday 10pm-midnight

Saturday 6-8pm

Sunday remains 10am-noon

October 9 & 10- join our own Christiane Ross on Jewel School, Tuesday evening and Wednesday night. AND October 13 & 14!!

It doesn't matter if it's chain maille, wire wrapping, kumihimo, metal clay or beading, she has tried them all. Incredibly creative, not only does Christiane make jewelry but she is also a photographer, instructor, dancer, seamstress and a videographer! (Whew!)

One of the features Christiane will share this week is Basic Beading:

Below is one of her latest pieces, a peridot set in an ankh pendant made of silver Art Clay.

Christiane says, " I am continually evolving and trying to learn everything I can. I am fortunate in my position, as Jewelry Television’s Jewel School Coordinator, to meet and learn from amazing Artists who are experts in their fields. And it is my goal to help every person I meet learn so they can embrace their own artist."  (And she's so much fun to be around!)

Personally, I think Christiane's chain maille bracelet (made of sterling silver with black star diopside cabochons) is gorgeous!

The only thing that is constant, is "change". Due to the Jewel School broadcast hours changing, some of our artists need to change their schedules too! As such Kate Richbourg will NOT be here until November 13 & 14. JTV apologizes.

Nov 13 & 14- Tuesday evening and Wednesday night, Kate Richbourg brings some of her favorite bench tools to Jewel School, from Euro Tool. Rapping, tapping, dapping, cutting, soldering and filing....as seen in the photo below, this is going to be a fun show!

An amazing metal smith, Kate explained a bit more about her product choices this week, " With 20 years of experience under my belt, I really know jewelry tools. You see each tool has to be put through its paces, to really understand both its quality and how it works. As a Guest Artist on Jewel School, I am so excited and happy to share some of my favorites with our viewers! From torches to hammers and files, these tools are the same ones that I have in my workspace at home. Because it's hard to choose from all of the options out there, my goal is to present you with tools you need; telling you a bit about each one, so you can use that tool with confidence."

From this unique pin....to the cuff bracelet below, Kate shows the versatility of her wonderful (and sometimes whimsical) designs.

"Cougarism"-- (sales)

Due to the upcoming holidays and cooler weather, autumn is usually the best Show Season for handcrafted jewelry makers. Whether you are setting up outdoors under a tent or inside, it's important to remember to Properly Price your work!

At the Jewel School Event last month, I was honored to speak on this sensitive subject, along with some help from fellow instructors and attending students. The one thing we all agreed upon was, Do NOT Under Price your work! We all shared some popular formulas, display ideas and sales techniques.

Before I delve more deeply into this important subject, I'd like to hear from you!

How do YOU price your work?

Do you have a formula you would like to share with us?

What type of venue is your favorite? Why?

What are your questions about pricing and selling your work?

Learn more next week! Until then......."Stay Twisted"!

Dale/Cgr

 

 

 

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

October---New Jewel School Hours !!

 (Note the times listed below are EST)

Tuesday 4-6pm

Wednesday 10pm-midnight

Saturday 6-8pm

Sunday remains 10am-noon

October 2 & 3- Patti Bullard with join our Jewel School host on the Tuesday and Wednesday shows this week, featuring "Tools of the Trade." The owner and inventor of Wubbers Pliers, Patti is a leader in the development of innovative tools for the jewelry making industry. Patti and our host will review and demonstrate some of the hottest, most popular metal working tools and techniques; so get ready to fuse, drill, punch, stamp, texture, hammer, and shape metals! Having the right tools makes designing your own jewelry fast, easy, and fun. Be sure to tune in for a dynamic show that is sure to spark your creativity!

Describing one of her latest creations (above) Patti shared, "Made of copper, Argentium silver, and brass, the name of this bracelet is "Shimmer". The metals were stamped, textured and then fused together. The Star-shaped toggle was made using the Wubbers Wide Flat Nose Pliers and 14-gauge Argentium wire. The toggle bar is a square, hollow tube made from Argentium sheet metal that was formed on the smaller jaw of the Wubbers Small Square Mandrel Pliers. Each end of the five links was gently rolled back to add more dimension and interest to this whimsical, celestial bracelet."  

Oct 6 & 7- Saturday evening and Sunday morning, Leslie Rogalski brings some new design ideas to Jewel School; combining Beadalon products with her signature style, Leslie said, " I love enticing people to play with so many new tools and materials because you never know what you are capable of creating!"                                                                

Below is a fine example of how Leslie was inspired to embellish onyx beads with Beadalon's antique brass color bead caps.

Personally, I especially enjoy the way Leslie combined her signature use of rubber tubing with Beadalon hematite wire and yellow quartz beads to create this edgy necklace:

AKA the "Sleepless Beader", Leslie further explains, " My style tends to be modern and minimal but with historic references such as armor and steampunk. The same goes for the seed bead pieces, the technique for which I'm most known: both of these are loom woven, but one is very graphic and the other, using metal elements, definitely references medieval banners and insignia."

"Cougarism"-- (inspiration)

Welcome to October! For a lot of us the weather is cooling down, causing the leaves to change colors and inspiring autumn toned designs in metallic hues of gold, bronze, copper and brass; warm, rich colors that make us feel good, comfortable. October also brings Halloween (one of my favorite holidays)!

Thinking about Halloween, last month, during our Customer Fashion Show, one young lady walked the aisle covered in handmade beaded spiders!

She had cleverly made them into bracelets, a ring, necklace and pins for her blouse as well as for her hair. VERY cool.

(Many thanks to my friend, Fernando DaSilva for sharing these photos with me.)

I did a quick Internet search and found many free patterns for making beaded spider jewelry, some even speak of using plastic beads and stretchy cord for jewelry that is "older-child-friendly". Thanks so much to our "Spider Girl" for this fun Halloween jewelry inspiration!  

Until next week, Stay "Twisted"!

Dale/Cgr