sneak peek: charm and pendant sets for 2012

I took photos of my first glass/metal charm sets for my new line.  I started working on my initial ideas for this line back in the summer, so it's hard to believe that I'm really going to start getting these new listings up in a week or so.

Most of my wrap bracelets/necklaces will include one charm, but I will have separate sets of charms for sale.  I will definitely get this custom initial set up first.  Please click on the photos to see larger versions of them.

 

 

The large pendant is glass, and the letter charms are sterling silver.  Most of my charm sets will have silver plated charms to keep the cost down, but I wanted to do sterling silver for the letters.

I also photographed my flower charm set.

 

 

Most of my metal charms will be silver.  I really liked that little bronze flower so I picked it up for this initial set.  I ordered a bulk set of silver flowers for future sets.

My next sets will be: leaves (surprise, right?) and beach/tropical.  I'm also working on a heart set for Valentine's Day.

Future set ideas include: music, pets, cross/religious, dotted/circles, stripes, ballet/dancing, snowflakes, Christmas, other seasonal/holiday sets, kids, buttons, celestial, and books/reading.  Some of these ideas are coming together more easily than others.

I'm debating including a photo in the charm set listings with at least one of the charms on a sterling silver chain.  I may just photograph a few charms with the chain for the separate chain listing, though.

Feedback on the photos and set ideas would be much appreciated.  If there's anything else that you'd like to see, let me know.

I included this post in Michelle's Delicately Constructed Friday 12/23/11.

what I've been working on this week and a preview of my new wrap bracelet/necklace line

Here's my new listing for this week.

I sold a handful of these button bracelets at my final 2011 show.  It's a good thing that I'd made a few brand new ones, including this one, and have several more button sets ready to be made into new bracelets, too.  This one is available here.

I took a lot of pictures before my final show and am still editing and organizing them so I can get items that didn't sell up on Etsy.  Check out these beautiful pieces that did sell before they made it on Etsy.

I actually made two versions of the silver bells charm bracelet, both of which sold.  I also made two versions with gold bells, which did not sell.  I am rapidly running out of steam for Christmas listings this year so unless someone is dying to have one, I will wait until Christmas in July to list the gold.  As the silver is so popular, I will be bringing that back for 2012.

This week I've also been finalizing the last details for my new line of wrap bracelets/necklaces and the detachable charm listings.  I really appreciate everyone's feedback with this entire process!

There will be three different length options: single strand, double strand, and triple strand.  Prices will vary slightly depending on width, length, embellishments, and charms.  The general price range will be $22-$35 with a few higher end pieces anywhere from $40-$70.  No, I did not make all these this past week.  I have been working on herringbone pieces from time to time since the summer.

 

I'll also have a few three strand herringbone pieces.  Edi, yes, you were my inspiration for this color set!

Most pieces will include one charm, often something special like a large glass bead or lampwork focal.  I will have some with simple silver charms or no charms as well.

I've had a number of thoughts about my extra charm sets for quite a while and am now finally putting them all together.  I'm planning to release at least four charm sets within the first month and then keep adding more from there.  Yep, I did use regular paper instead of a card stock or scrap book paper for the third one and the glue did bleed the back a little.  This is a special one for a gift and will not be for sale.

Most charm sets will have one silver charm and one glass charm or other special focal.  I am trying to keep the listings as simple as possible.  However, all listings can be mixed and matched (i.e. one silver charm from one set, one glass charm from another), and I'm happy to do custom sets.  I'll have a BRIEF note about that in the listing to try to keep customers from getting too overwhelmed.  Some of my sets will include custom options, such as initials.  I have 17 ideas for charm sets right now and am open to suggestions, too.  As for an extra chain, the general consensus is that it can be listed separately so I will have a chain only listing.  It will have a jump ring attached to the end so that the charms can be easily attached.

Finally, I had a sudden inspiration that my giveaway piece for the January BBA giveaway should be a piece from my new line.  Of course I didn't have one ready for this so I got to work.

I will most likely be making another one in this color palette to add to my shop, too.

I used this post for Michelle's Delicately Constructed Friday 12/16/11 and Erika's It's a Wrap Link Party - 12/19/11.

new herringbone line: charm and focal possibilities

One of the neat aspects of my 2012 herringbone line is that all of the pieces will include at least one detachable charm.  As many of the pieces in the line can be worn as bracelets or necklaces, the attachment will function as a charm when the piece is worn as a bracelet and as a focal when the piece is worn as a necklace.  You got an early reveal of this for my November challenge piece.

As you can see in the picture, the charm attaches with a lobster clasp.  I have also considered using a split ring for the charms.  The lobster clasp is a little more user friendly but stands out a little more.  Preferences/opinions?  I really want this line to do well so I want to do what will sell, not just what I think will work.

I want this line to be very versatile.  One of the aspects of the versatility is the charms and how they:
1) will hang differently depending on how the piece is worn
2) can be switched out for new charms at any point
3) can be removed entirely

I am planning to offer at least one charm with every piece.  This is another aspect where I would like feedback.  Would it be more desirable to include two or three charms?  Obviously this would increase the price but again would increase the versatility.  Not all of my charms will be handmade, such as metal charms that I purchase, so I don't feel right selling all of them separately.  I am planning at least two different types of handmade charms that I can list separately.  Would this be desirable?  Or should I just include the charms with the herringbone listings?

This brings me to my original inspiration for this post: What types of charms would people like to see?  What would you want to buy?  I don't just want opinions on what looks good.  Put yourself in the buyer's shoes and consider what would or would not make these wrap bracelet/necklace listings marketable.

I am planning to continue to use large beads for focals, as I did with this challenge piece.  Of course leaf beads have been the first thing on my list.  What else would work well?

I am also planning to start making glass pendants.  Should I offer silver chains so these pendants can be worn separately?  Again, this would add more versatility to the listing but it would also increase the cost so I don't want to include something that won't be used/isn't necessary.

I will also include metal charms with some listings.

Metal charms are very easy to order so I can customize this option as people like.  One thing that I will mention in listings is that I can add initial charms.  Are there other popular charm options that I should suggest or consider including?

I am going to order lampwork, sea glass, and other hand crafted/hand drilled charms as I can to include with listings.  Is there anything specific from this category that people would like to see?

Here are some other options that I think would make good charms.  I'm not planning to make or order these myself, but I could customize them for people so they are detachable charms that would work with my line.  What do you think of these final ideas?  Is there anything else that you'd like to see here?

My official release for my herringbone line will be early January 2012. I would like to have a plan in place with the charms by then.  I need feedback for this to happen.  Any and all answers to the questions in this post would be greatly appreciated as well as any other thoughts on this topic.  Thanks!

I included this post in Erika's It's a Wrap Link Party 11/28.