Starting you own handmade bead jewelry business can be an exciting and fun adventure, but it can also be frustrating when you work so hard and attend your first craft show only to find a dozen other more experienced jewelry artists all working at the same show and vying for the attention of the same audience.
Lots of bead jewelry artists give up after they spend all their time and money making traditional jewelry pieces and don't sell many items at their first few craft fairs or flea markets. That's a shame because once you've mastered some of the basic skills of making jewelry then you've got a business that can grow in a number of different directions.
You need to learn to set your business apart from other bead jewelry artists even if your jewelry making skills are not yet fully developed. One of the best ways to garner attention at a craft show filled with other tables selling handmade jewelry is to create useful items that are not always thought of as jewelry. Sure, you will probably still want to offer the traditional beaded necklaces and bead bracelets and gemstone earrings that everyone else does, but you'll also want to have some eye-catching pieces that make people stop at your table to learn more about what they see from a distance. Here are two great examples:
Beaded Bookmarks - When you think of a bookmark you may think of them being made out of traditional materials such as paper and leather. You can, however, make some amazing bookmarks using a few simple beading skills and supplies and a little bit of imagination. A lot of people who shop at craft shows are also heavy readers so creating something that is both useful and beautiful at the same time is always a great way to pull people over to your table. Shepherd hook bookmarks are flat metal hooks that are decorated with a beading design of your choice. They have a nice heft to them and they really catch people's eye when you have a long line of them displayed at your craft show table. You can also make beaded ribbon bookmarks if you're looking for something easy and fast to make.
Beaded Eyeglass Holders - If you need reading glasses then you know how useful it is to use a corded eyeglass holder so that you can hang your glasses around your neck for easy accessibility. Why not spice up those old dull corded strands with some beads? You can make them in various lengths and with lots of different styles and colors to fit every audience. Be sure to use beads or materials that are comfortable when laying against the back of the neck.
These are just some of the many different projects you can create with the skills you've developed by learning how to make your own jewelry. Once you've learned the basics don't be afraid to experiement with different ideas. With a little creativity and luck your table may just be the hit of the craft show!
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