There's so much focus on Hearts at this time of year. From "Go Red for Heart Health" to lacy Valentines for your sweetheart. Reds and Pinks seem to take the chill out of dreary Winter days, And who can resist the idea of love and romance? That's one of the things that's so special about buying hand made jewelry direct from the artisans here at 1000Markets. No cookie cutter sameness, no impersonal mass production. I have a theory that creating jewelry is a little like romance. Sometimes there's a rush of inspiration that drives a particular design or piece. And though I blush to admit it, I for one have personally experienced bead lust. Sometimes, like lasting love, creating great jewlery takes a little trial and error to get it right. But each piece that you buy carries a little of the artist along with it. The jewelry you buy here truly comes From the Heart.

Lampwork Heart earrings pictured are by KP Glass Jewelry.

Online selling venues like 1000Markets have opened up a whole new world for jewelry artists & lets us share our work with people that would be geographically impossible to reach in our normal course of business. Without the expense of brick and mortar shops we can devote more time to creating, and offer our clients high quality at affordable prices. The perfect arrangement, right? Well, maybe…

There will always be customers that want to hold a piece in their hands before they decide to buy. Shoppers who love the thrill of the hunt; that moment when you spot something beautiful, pick it up and decide you just can’t let it go. This is one reason many online sellers also participate in Art shows, or sell in boutiques & museums. For some sellers, Summer finds you pitching your tent at outdoor festivals, or Fall finds you preparing for Holiday shows.

How does an online seller “Get this show on the road”? It may seem hard to shift gears from the up close marketing of photographing your work to a larger scale, more cohesive display of your pieces. But the payoff can be great. Not just in added sales, but in the valuable information to be gained through face to face contact with your buyer. I often learn more from observing people that visit my booth and DON’T buy than from the ones that do. Watching these customers has helped me to evolve both the overall look of my booth set up and to refine the type of pieces I make. More on that subject in a future blog post. Today’s post is about the overall look of the booth or display.

My own set-up leans toward a beachy feel that includes shells, sandy colored table coverings and white busts & trays. Vonna, of Just Vonna, tailors her set up to the event or venue. I’ve included a picture of her table for a wine themed event. Her colors and display really complement the vineyard concept of the show and highlight her beautiful pieces. Linda, of Must Haves uses glass cases & sleek plexi pieces for her Museum & Art show setup that really allows her amazing work to be the star. Cheryl, of LibertyO, uses standing grids and lush purple fabric along with a treasure trove of items placed at different levels. Seeing such a booth it would be almost impossible not to venture closer to touch the pieces.

Whether you’re going to try your first in person show, or just want to fine tune your display, consider a few points…

1) What’s my image? Do you want a whimsical look? Elegant? Earthy and natural? Take that into consideration and try to tailor your displays to enhance that feeling. 2) Elevate…In my early days I started by arranging my pieces on beautifully covered tables. It was pretty but literally a bit flat. Think about creative ways to get your pieces up where people can spot them from a distance and be drawn to your booth. 3) Roadies…Stage musicians have semi trucks and burly roadies to move the things they need for a show. But for the artisan, portability and ease of set up and break down are key. A “Wow” display that’s difficult to move or set up will just frustrate you in the end. 4) K.I.S.S. That’s right. Keep it simple. Don’t have so many bells and whistles that the display becomes the star.

Next post will focus on show experiences & the valuable things that you can learn when you show in person.

It's true. I'm like that little kid that won't come off the beach and get into the car, no matter how loudly my parents call. The one that keeps running out into the surf just far enough that Mom doesn't want to wade in to pull her out. I'm simply not ready for Summer to end.

And yet, there's no denying the signs. Back to school ads everywhere with the usual calls to Buy Buy Buy! But I'm not ready for school supply lists and meet the teacher night. My Inner Brat tells me to just say NO! Fear not, fellow beach combers. No matter how far you are from the ocean your spot on the sand is still available here at 1000Markets. A simple search of words like Summer, or Beach will turn up hundreds of beautiful creations that allow you to hang onto Summer as long as you can. I've turned up amazing art work, from paintings to photography, and jewelry to let you wear your Summer mood whenever you'd like.

At the Artbead Divine Market, our members still have unique Summer inspired pieces you can wear now and for many years to come. I've included pictures of a great Summer Sand Dollar Necklace from Jocelyn Grace, fantastic Seahorse earrings from Fire & Glass, a shimmering abalone necklace from Libertyo and an eye popping necklace called Undercurrents from TMarie. There are so many more to choose from.

So don't shake the sand off that beach blanket just yet. Build a sandcastle. Take another stroll at the edge of the waves. Watch the sun set over the water with someone you love and marvel as colors wash across the sky that will only be that way this one time...this one moment. Enjoy every minute of this Summer til somebody drags you back to the car.