I started creating and selling my jewelry in October 2012 and quickly realized that it is EXTREMELY difficult to sell jewelry on-line. Mostly because everyone and their mother is trying to do it. I was lost and looking for direction and I came across this team. I actually had to beg and plead to be let in because I didn't have enough "followers" to meet the criteria. Mona aka Sewing Grannie https://www.etsy.com/people/sewinggranny allowed me to join and became my mentor.
The team has helped my shop in so many ways and I have also had the opportunity to develop on-line friendships with people from around the world.
One of the many opportunities that have arisen because of this team is the opportunity to join
The Artisan Group
Janet Galla of Trinkets N Whatnots www.TrinketsNWhatnots.etsy.com is a member and let PFT know that they were excepting applications so I applied and was accepted.
I had to have one of Janet's rings!
So, The Artisan Group (TAG) is basically a small group of artisans who provides hand made gifts to celebrities, members of the press and other entertainment industry leaders. Major award gift events include The Emmy's, The Oscars and The Golden Globes.
These large events involve sending in 100 pieces of art to be given out at the "Celebrity Gift Lounge" before the event. TAG representatives at the event then make sure to get at least one picture of a celebrity with each participant's piece of art.
Making 100 pieces to be gifted is a little bit above what I am capable of right now. Janet Galla of Trinkets N Whatnots gifted her rings to the last Acadamy Awards. I decided to start out small and 100 of my business cards are being included in the celebrity gift bags at the 2013 Prime
Time Emmy's. My husband is working on adding some pictures of my products to my business cards for this event.
TAG is also occasionally contacted by stylists for different TV shows and movies. I watch very little TV but a guilty pleasure of mine is The Vampire Diaries. The stylist for The Vampire Diaries has asked TAG to provide 25 samples of jewelry to possibly be used on next season's episodes. They did the same thing last year and chose 13 of the 25 pieces that were worn on the show.
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Every time I watch The Vampire Diaries I watch the jewelry and dream about how exciting it would be if someone was wearing a beaded ribbon necklace. I am sure that my designs would grow in popularity if it could just be seen on this show which seems to fit perfectly with my style. I never could have imagined that it may actually be one of MY necklaces on the show!
So, needless to say I was extremely excited when TAG announced this opportunity. I was in the middle of meeting with a client at work when registration began so I was sure that I wouldn't get a spot but I did. I was so incredibly excited. I really hope the stylist is open to trying something new and different.
I'm still contemplating exactly what I am going to send but it has to be something I can easily reproduce. I'm thinking I may do paper beads so that I can continually sell the same design in my shop but I can still say that they are one-of-a-kind because no two beads will be identical. I may do a necklace similar to one of these but probably with red paper and black ribbon.
I have two big events this week so I will hopefully be able to start working on something next week. I will make sure to share a picture when I am done. Any suggestions are welcome of course :)
Watch out for my next blog which will be the follow up to The RAW Artists Showcase which takes place this Thursday, June 20th. I had promised that I was going to share pictures of the dress I found and the jewelry I made.
