Thursday, December 18, 2008
Silver Clay Is Really Cool...Just Be Gentle With It
I have recently forayed into Silver Clay, and I love it. So many designs that I thought impossible to me are now looming on the horizon. I've developed a whole collection built around this material, and I really think you're going to like it. Look for it in January, right before Valentine's Day. It's going to be huge.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Plan Your Work, And Work Your Plan
With any project it is crucial to have a sense of direction. It's very important to have a plan of where you are going with anything you do. Not only will it keep you on task and on time, but also on budget.
It is necessary to look for the best values while getting the concept together; that way a realistic figure can be quoted even when working with several designs. Keep in mind that searching for just the right materials can be time consuming but well worth the time. It is always so very rewarding for me to be able to design a piece of jewelry that is stylish, and reasonably priced.
Typically I will give an estimate for the time needed to complete the piece and several payment options. Its nice to lay these things out for a client, so they know what to expect and when.
I generally start with the sketches, then price the concepts, present the proposals, make any changes, rework the quote, order the materials, and start the work. I start with the plan and hold to it, otherwise I'm letting myself and the client down, and that is not good for business. Keep the client in the know and things should go very smoothly.
It is necessary to look for the best values while getting the concept together; that way a realistic figure can be quoted even when working with several designs. Keep in mind that searching for just the right materials can be time consuming but well worth the time. It is always so very rewarding for me to be able to design a piece of jewelry that is stylish, and reasonably priced.
Typically I will give an estimate for the time needed to complete the piece and several payment options. Its nice to lay these things out for a client, so they know what to expect and when.
I generally start with the sketches, then price the concepts, present the proposals, make any changes, rework the quote, order the materials, and start the work. I start with the plan and hold to it, otherwise I'm letting myself and the client down, and that is not good for business. Keep the client in the know and things should go very smoothly.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
I'm Back!
I haven't necessarily been away from designing. I've actually been doing quite a bit of that. Posting on the other hand, not so much. The website www.slhayesdesigns.com has been doing well, and thus the lack in communication here. However an end to that is near. It has dawned on me recently that the viral networking opportunities present through cross-posting are limitless. So it would behoove me to post as much here as on the website. Sneak peeks, previews, exclusive options for blog readers. It just makes sense to make use of this wonderful resource. So that's what I'm going to be doing.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Monday, June 25, 2007
Joy Connecting
Well it's been a while, but here I am back with some fresh new designs. The season got off slow, but I am happy with what I am presenting here. I think that is what is most important, being proud of the work, that you are putting forth, emphasizing the time you took and the quality that was produced. Here is summer part one. Enjoy.
Monday, April 30, 2007
SLHayes in VIP Gift Bags
These are the earrings that I created for the Recording Academy Honors. There are three pair available for purchase on my website SLHayes Designs
Friday, November 17, 2006
New Collection Coming Soon
The Holidays are a great time to go outside the box. Speaking of which, my two older daughters are actually co-designers on the polymer clay butterfly pieces that will be released.
I've got new pieces for the upcoming season, and I am so excited about finally showing them off.
This time go round my focus is really on the little girl in your life. I have three of them and they are each little princesses. All little girls are beautiful and they want to wear beautiful jewelry and accessories. SLHayes Designs has a wonderful selection of pieces that will make any little girl feel like the princess she was born to be.
Butterflies, to me exude femininity, and little girls love them, so they will be prevalent throughout most of the designs. This collection will be dominated by Swarovski crystals and Sterling Silver; it is sure to be a treat for young and old alike.
Make sure to come back next week for the launch. It will be a great time to do a little shopping for the holidays, right from the comfort of your own home.
I've got new pieces for the upcoming season, and I am so excited about finally showing them off.
This time go round my focus is really on the little girl in your life. I have three of them and they are each little princesses. All little girls are beautiful and they want to wear beautiful jewelry and accessories. SLHayes Designs has a wonderful selection of pieces that will make any little girl feel like the princess she was born to be.
Butterflies, to me exude femininity, and little girls love them, so they will be prevalent throughout most of the designs. This collection will be dominated by Swarovski crystals and Sterling Silver; it is sure to be a treat for young and old alike.
Make sure to come back next week for the launch. It will be a great time to do a little shopping for the holidays, right from the comfort of your own home.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Starting Out- What You Need
It's amazing, you start out making jewelry as a hobby and then people say "that is beautiful you should sell your work". Why do we automatically think we need to go out there and buy more, and often times, more expensive tools? It's not absolutely necessary, and I wouldn't advise it, unless you were thinking about changing the direction of the type of work you were going to be doing and you needed more tools specific to that line of work.
The three tools that I would definitely suggest you start with, are really very basic. They are the round nose plier, the flat nose plier and flush cutters. The round nose pliers can be used to make spirals, decorative endings and loops. The flat nose pliers used for tightening, straightening angles. And obviously the flush cutters for making "flush cuts".
As time goes on you can add more tools to your repetoire. Down the road, crimping pliers are a great addition. These are the basic tools you need to get started and they should carry you well into your jewelry making career.
The three tools that I would definitely suggest you start with, are really very basic. They are the round nose plier, the flat nose plier and flush cutters. The round nose pliers can be used to make spirals, decorative endings and loops. The flat nose pliers used for tightening, straightening angles. And obviously the flush cutters for making "flush cuts".
As time goes on you can add more tools to your repetoire. Down the road, crimping pliers are a great addition. These are the basic tools you need to get started and they should carry you well into your jewelry making career.