Sharma Designs - Behind the Scenes of a Handmade Jewelry Business

Housekeeping and Book Reading

Sometimes I get the bug to shake things up a bit on the blog.  I made a few minor changes this weekend.  You'll notice that the "What Jewelry Flatters" posts have a pretty new picture.  And if you click the link it has all the tips on one page.  Oh how I love typepad and their endless pages!

Also in Sharma Designs blog news: I am in a book about blogging! 

It's just a short interview about my business blog and how it has affected my business but it's pretty cool!  The book, Clear Blogging by Bob Walsh,  looks very informative too.  I plan on reading it in my very few spare minutes over the next few days.     I'll let you guys know what informative tips I pick up from it!

I added a few new pieces over the weekend:

Branch Wood Pendant Handmade Necklace

This pendant is so beautiful!  I couldn't resist getting another one.  I love the color combination too!

Jasper Teardrop Handmade Necklace

This pendant is a jasper and it is just gorgeous!  Look at all those colors in there!  I have one more of these pendants and I am hoarding it!

Bold Retro Flower Wood Pendant Handmade Necklace

The lady I bought this pendant from renamed this pendant to "Sharla" after I told her it was SO me!  It is big and it looks retro.  I just love it.  I just had to pair it with some big bold beads.  Not for the dainty diva (an old Sharma Designs category for small necklaces) lover!

Get ready to get compliments if you have this necklace on!

Aqua Fire Agate Teardrop Handmade Necklace

I guess I was in a big bold necklace mood this weekend because this necklace is also pretty bold.  It is softened by the beautiful dreamy green color in the pendant.  It's such a pretty pendant.

White Mosaic Shell Handmade Necklace

The pictures just don't do this necklace justice.  It is a show stopper.  The shell is super shiny and you can see pinks and greens swirling in the shell.  It's perfect for summer.

I made a few pairs of earrings that I will list today  I have tons of beads and components on their way to me so be on the lookout for some beautiful new creations this week!

Happy Monday!

What to do with all Your "Sharmas" Part 2

Asian Flowers Jewelry box - Good for the necklace lover.  And the beginning Sharma collector

Large Copper Wall Necklace / Bracelet Holder Display Stand Organizer - This baby would hold a lot of necklaces.  Now someone like my sister would need 2 or 3 so it's probably good for someone with a medium sized collection.

Earrings Holder with Pink and Black - For the earrings lover.  I LOVE this one.

Japanese Cherry Tree Earrings Holder - So pretty.  A very clean look for your earrings

Jewelry Trellis - I thinks this one looks really useful too because it holds earrings and necklaces!

Cactus Jewelry Holder - Isn't this just too cute?

And there you go.  A few more artsy, yet oxidizing ways to store your jewelry.

If any of you guys have found a great little jewelry display that you'd like to share please let me
know.

And look!  I'm on Scoutie Girl today.  Thanks Scoutie Girl! 

AND Scoutie Girl has an awesome jewelry display tutorial.  See it here!

Newsletter!

Look on the left sidebar to sign up for my new newsletter.  I have been looking for a new mail service and this one seems to work pretty well.

Now you can be in the "know".  I will probably only send out newsletters once a month.  Maybe more if I have sales but never more than 2x a month. 

The newsletters will mostly be for announcing exclusive sales so get over there and sign up!

New Listings!

Everyone in my house has some nasty cold.  We have had it for days!  That is why there has been a lack of listings as of late.  When your kids are sick and not sleeping you go to bed right after they do.  Hopefully, we are reaching the end.  A sick 7 month old is a sad little sight.

So here are the recent listings.  I just posted some funky lucite hoop earrings last night.  My supplier had called them amber so when I got them I was surprised to see that they were quite orange.  I held onto them awhile because of that.  I can't wear orange at all!  Then the other day I thought "Hey!  Just because I can't wear orange doesn't mean that other people can't"  I know, seems like a no brainer right?  What took me so long?

They are very pretty.  Lots of colors in these ones.  They remind me of a tangerine amber.

These ones are a sienna color (you know like in your crayola box).  They also have a lot of great colors.

This pendant is called lucky jasper.  I just love jasper (as I'm sure you've realized by now) and this one is no exception.  I realize I don't do a lot of red but this one comes kinda close.

My other favorite stone is of course, agate!  This one is called crab fire agate and it's very pretty!

I have more stuff lined up to post in the next few days.  Hopefully we all get better and things can get back to normal!  Look tomorrow for part 2 of the jewelry holders!

Have a great Wednesday!

What to do with all your "Sharmas"! Part 1

I know that some of you have one or two Sharmas and some of you have more than me!  So I thought I would give you some storage options.

Now, keep in mind that most of my jewelry is sterling silver and idealistically these should be stored in an airtight location out of the sun to prevent oxidizing.  I know that my sister doesn't mind having to rub her jewelry clean every now and then and prefers to display hers in the open.  Maybe some of you feel the same.  I keep mine in a shelf in my dresser on a display tree with anti-tarnish strips below.  Seems to work just fine.

I have to cut these posts into a few parts because I found so many cool things.  Hopefully I found one in your budget.  Let's get to it!

We got this photo collage jewelry box for my sister in law a few Christmases ago.  I think it's so perfect.  Who doesn't have an abundance of pictures and jewelry?  Plus, your jewelry will be out of the sun and if you just put a few anti varnish strips in there things should be pretty well protected.

It also has a lot of hooks for both necklaces and earrings! It comes in black and mahogany.

This mirrored jewelry cabinet is for the hardcore jewelry fan.  It's pretty much perfect for me.  The best part is that it comes with anti-tarnish lining.  It looks like it may have a lock too.  I am seriously looking into this one.  It's only $145.  So worth it for all that space and a mirror!  The reviews on it are pretty decent too!

Here's a mini version of the standing mirror for $80.  For the Sharma newbie.

These are your standard jewelry storage options.  In my opinion they are better than your standard jewelry box because you can actually see your necklaces and they won't get all tangled up.

I'll give you some less standard more artsy options tomorrow.  Enjoy!

Happy Easter!

Better late than never!

Someone decided she would take the opportunity and eat more candy (I had cut her off!)

Wire is in the Building!

I am making one of these for myself.  I rarely do that but I LOVE this one.  And I wear a lot of pink and brown!

This one isn't listed yet but it's also very pretty and will go with many things.  Well, if you wear a lot of brown that is!

Did I just say I rarely make necklaces for myself?  'Cause I am making this one for myself too.  The beads are just gorgeous.  Very banded.  This necklace will be listed some time today.

I listed this bracelet yesterday.  It uses the same crazy lace agate beads.  It is super comfortable on.

I made another color version of this necklace.  I just really love this necklace.  It is so pretty on.  The aqua one sold right when I listed it.  If you have a certain color you would like to see this necklace in just let me know.  Chances are, I have that bead color!

I'm still working on my jewelry display/holder post.  I'm doing all the hard google work myself so you don't have to.  I have found some really great things so far.  I might just have to buy some for myself too!  Look for the post this weekend or early next week.

Have a great weekend and Happy Easter!

This and That

Well I did it again.  I ran out of wire!  So frustrating.  I get really into making things and before I know it, I'm out!

So I decided yesterday to make a bunch of bracelets and earrings in the meantime.  I am posting them all today in my etsy store.  Necklaces are obviously my first love so the earrings and bracelets tend to get ignored.  It was fun to just focus on the small pieces.

I'm trying to get together a post about jewelry holders.  I know lots of you need solutions to storing/displaying your jewelry.  I am always bookmarking these types of things so I want to share them with you!  Be on the lookout for the post.

Lastly, if you like tulips check out my tulip treasury!  I LOVE tulips and this is my favorite flower season because they are everywhere!  Enjoy!

Funky Retro Pendants

I am loving these pendants!  I rarely make jewelry for myself but I am definitely making myself one of these necklaces.  I love the retro feel of them.  They remind of something from the 70s.  So far I have two necklaces made but more will be popping up soon!

Fun Sharma video