By Christine Gierer

Handcrafted Jewelry Designer Rachel Morgan Kalina of Adorned by Morgan is one busy lady! Living in Astoria, New York, 23 year-old Kalina juggles “parronting” (Rachel’s word) her 14year-old Quaker Parrot, working as an assistant editor of a magazine in Manhattan, and creates handmade jewelry in her spare time. She sells her jewelry on the now very busy and well-known handmade selling site ‘Etsy’, at various New York boutiques, and has also been recently featured as DIYer on the Cheap Thrills DIY Blog.

Rachel was kind enough to answer my questions by email and she writes so eloquently that I think I’ll just let her tell you everything in her own words. Take it away Rachel!

About Rachel Morgan Kalina, Handcrafted Jewelry Designer, Parront, and Regular 9-5′er

I am Rachel Morgan Kalina, 23, Astoria, New York. I’m a parront of one Quaker Parrot, 14, and girlfriend of one amazing guy. My 9-5 is as an assistant editor at a magazine in Manhattan. I’ve also worked as a reporter, held many journalism/publishing internships, worked in retail and created jewelry for a company based on Long Island.

Adorned by Morgan is my part-time career/hobby, although I often wish I had more time to create jewelry and try other artistic endeavors.

A note about the origin of my business name: Morgan is my middle name, and I used it in my business title instead of Rachel because I wanted to separate my literary identity from my crafting one. My occupation involves writing, but my craft involves flexing a different type of creativity. Also, I think “Adorned” captures an idea of elegance and really goes hand-in-hand with images of jewelry.

Handcrafted Jewelry Designer Training?

Although there have been classes and workshops throughout my high school and college experiences, I haven’t had any formal jewelry training. Most of what I’ve learned has come from observation of design and reading magazines/books on the subject. Working a full-time job, it is hard to find the time to create. But once I get that yen to craft, I find a way to get my hands moving as soon as possible— whether it be by banging out a pair of earrings or even just sorting my extensive bead collection. Sometimes the anticipation of crafting and the immediate denial of being able to do so just increases my creativity and productivity once I do have the time and materials in front of me.

How Rachel Became a Handcrafted Jewelry Designer

Since I was a child, I’ve been “artsy.” I loved to play with others but I also enjoyed the time I spent drawing, beading, knitting or engaging in any other type of crafting on my own. There are pictures of me wearing some fairly bold, handmade jewelry— even in elementary school. I guess I felt they set me apart; that’s part of the reason why I decided to start selling my jewelry about three years ago. It’s just too easy to quickly buy an item simply because it’s cheap and close to the checkout line in any clothing store. When I realized jewelry was losing meaning for me, whereas it had always been a form of self-expression, I decided it was time to really crank out some cool pieces and share them with others.

Also, my grandfather Leo was a jeweler and I feel that jewelry-making helps me to continue a part of my family’s past. He owned a tiny shop in Manhattan, and many of my early childhood memories are linked not only to my grandfather, but also to his craft. I can remember picking up small watch parts or rhinestones that had accidentally found their way to the floor for him while I sat next to his workbench. He was a very important and influential person in my life. Jewelry-making is in my blood.

One of a Kind Jewelry

With a few exceptions, my jewelry is mostly one of a kind. Aside from the fact that mass producing jewelry is boring for me, creating “one and done” type pieces helps to keep my work unique and my wearers feeling special. They aren’t going to see five other people walking down the street on any given day with their same earrings or necklace or whatnot.

I don’t sketch my designs, although I know some artists carry small notebooks with them for this purpose. I find my jewelry just comes together best when I have all the materials in front of me rather than a blank page. The bold colors, unusual textures and unexpected combinations of shapes all just seem to “click” when any such elements come together. I mostly gain inspiration from the materials with which I work.

Word of Mouth Marketing, Local Indie Boutiques, and Etsy

Adorned by Morgan gets into the hands of customers through word of mouth, local Indie boutiques in Astoria and Brooklyn, and of course, my Etsy shop at www.adornedbymorgan.etsy.com . I recently switched my domain name on Etsy to reflect my business name; when I signed up it originally was LiteratAvian. Now, I only host supplies at www.literatavian.etsy.com– I tend to buy more beads/baubles than I can ever use, so this is a great outlet for sharing.

Materials From Stores that Remind You of Your Grandfather’s Basement?

One of my favorite pastimes is visiting hobby or craft stores, especially older ones that remind you of your grandparents’ basement. You can get some really unique finds in those types of stores. I get a rush from deconstructing vintage necklaces and recycling them into newer pieces with fresh components in my work. This allows me to contribute new collections to the world without having as much of an impact on the environment, because there is no mass production involved in making the materials and I am incorporating already-existing creations into my work. As a vegan, I also never buy or wear animal by-products, or use them in my work. This includes pearls (only glass ones here), leather, suede, silk and shells.

Tips for Budding Designers: Have Fun and Read, Read, Read

Have fun with your craft! Try reading up on it while you’re in commute whenever you have some free time, and it will make it easier once you get your fingertips involved. I’m a visual learner, so I find the best how-to books are those with an abundance of clear photographs and diagrams.

Adorned by Morgan on the Web and Elsewhere

You can check out Adorned by Morgan on the Web at www.adornedbymorgan.etsy.com, and my supplies annex at www.literatavian.etsy.com . I offer previews, tips, reviews, anecdotes and more on my blog at www.adornedbymorgan.blogspot.com. I love comments from those who stop by, so drop me a line!

Adorned by Morgan is also currently at Indie boutiques Candy Plum (www.candyplum.com) and SITE (www.sitedesignnyc.com) in Astoria, New York and Love Brigade ( www.lovebrigade.com) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I’m looking to expand into other local shops where my work meshes with the aesthetic. Of course, I’ll have to find the time to create enough jewelry to do so!

(Note from the Author: Don’t forget to check out the Cheap Thrills Blog article about Rachel. You can access that article here: Cheap Thrills Blog – Rachel Morgan

What did you think about this article? Leave me a comment!

By Christine Gierer, The Jewelry Sweet Spot, http://www.thejewelrysweetspot.com

Nectar Jewelry Designs, owned by jewelry designer Sharon Fiorini, instantly caught my eye when I was surfing on the Etsy website.

Sharon’s jewelry is a really interesting mix of elements. Some of her pieces have a really modern feel with clean, clean lines, while others sort of feel fragmented and post-industrial. These remind me of post-apocalyptic movies for some reason like Blade Runner.

Christine: Hi Sharon, tell me a little bit about yourself and your work.

Sharon: Well, I live in Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA, and I’m married with one son and two dogs. I started making jewelry in 2003 when I was pregnant with my son. I started with stringing beads, graduated to wire-wrapping, and from there I moved on to forming metal and polymer clay. Since I’m completely self-taught, I always want to learn more. There’s so much out there that I have yet to learn! I discovered that designing and creating jewelry is my passion – it’s what I love to do. I’m always thinking about new jewelry designs. I have post-its all over my work area with designs I have sketched out while I was at work.

Christine: Your work is so wonderful! You obviously love sterling silver and polymer clay. Is that generally your focus?
Sharon: I usually use sterling silver, copper, polymer, and sometimes some gemstones. I really love metalwork but it’s more mixed media. I like to combine things that haven’t really been combined before – like sterling & polymer.

Christine: Your work is very “shape” oriented if you know what I mean. Do you have an arts background?

Sharon: You know Christine, I have always been creative. As a little girl, I was always drawing and painting with watercolors. In college as an Art Major, I took every art class that I could – sculpture, printmaking, painting, drawing, papermaking. After college, I became a Graphic Designer. I have been a designer for 16 years now.

Christine: Your graphic design background is really evident your work. Do you make jewelry for a living now, or is your graphic design still your bread and butter?

Sharon: I’m still a full-time Graphic Designer.

Christine: With your family and your job you must be a busy lady. When do you find the time to make jewelry?

Sharon: I find time to create jewelry mostly on the weekends and wherever I can fit it in – usually later at night.

Christine: Do you have any other hobbies?

Sharon: Ha! After family, work, Etsy, jewelry, there’s just no time left for other hobbies.

Christine: I hear you there. So is the jewelry business a new thing? How long have you been selling your jewelry?

Sharon: I have been selling my jewelry since about 2005 doing jewelry parties, and selling to friends and family.

I have some really good friends that buy my jewelry and wear it all the time. People will constantly ask them where they got their jewelry from. I have to keep them stocked with business cards at all times. Etsy was a real online breakthrough for me. It’s a great opportunity to expand my jewelry business and reach people that never would have known about my jewelry otherwise.

Christine: I understand you have your work in a few shops well.

Sharon: Yes, I do have my work in a few stores and boutiques in my area and I’m currently getting stock ready for a few more. (I’m always open to wholesale inquiries and custom orders.)

Christine: A lot of budding jewelry designers will be reading this article. Do you have any tips for artists starting out?

Sharon: That’s a tough one. I guess I would say to keep working to reach individuality in your designs. I think every artist works through the times to get to the point where they can say, “That’s my design. It’s me through and through.” That’s the hardest thing to develop as an artist. Then grow from that point. Don’t stop learning.

Christine: Thanks so much Sharon! Is there anything else you’d like to say or to promote?

Sharon: There are a few things I would like to mention. First, I really hope everyone enjoys my jewelry as much as I enjoy making it!

And of course visit my shop…nectarjewelry.etsy.com.

I’ll give a little plug for Etsy as well: it’s a great site with tons of great artists and tons of great products. Without Etsy, I never would have had the opportunity to get my work out there to such a vast audience.

Photographs by Nectar Jewelry Designs. from the top: Copper Moon, Branch, Petalo Ring, Orbit Necklace.

Resources listed in this article:

Nectar Jewelry Designs: nectarjewelry.etsy.com

Etsy: www.etsy.com

Dear Readers, I am finally getting back on track with my Featured Jewelry Artist profiles!

If you are one of those who have been following my featured artists on my Jewelry Making by Cg Handmade Blog (www.cghandmade.blogspot.com) thank you so much for your patience. I do so appreciate it.

I guess I should have realized that summer would be a write-off for me with my busy 2 and 4 year-olds, their many playdates and excursions, our camping trips, and all the other summertime things going on.

Hopefully I can keep on track and post my articles a bit quicker now. This site is where I will be posting any new featured artist articles from now on. If you would like to read the previous Featured Artist Articles, you can view them here:www.cghandmade.blogspot.com

This interview with Kate Szabone dates back to June I think.

Before you go on to read the interview, let me gush a little bit about Kate’s work. I love it! In my own jewelry-making endeavors, I really enjoy working with precious metal wire and gemstones so I guess I was naturally attracted to her work the first time I came across it on the net. I see a lot of similarities in our techniques although our styles are very different.

Here are some examples of Kate’s gorgeous jewelry (click on image to enlarge) :

Gold-Dipped Eucalyptis Leaf Necklace-This one-of-a-kind necklace is made with a beautiful gold-dipped eucalyptis leaf and faceted smokey quartz and garnet gemstones. Strung on 14k gold-filled chain, this piece is lovely in it’s natural simplicity. Leaf measures 1.25 inches in length. Chain length is 22-inches, but can be made shorter upon request.

Aquamarine Wide Bangle-Like a waterfall on your wrist, this beautiful bracelet is made with sterling silver wire and faceted aquamarine rondelles. March’s birthstone. Fits small to medium wrists.

Prehnite and Onyx Wrapped Earrings-These one-of-a-kind earrings are made from handformed teardrops wrapped in fine sterling silver wire and adorned with stunning faceted prehnite and onyx gemstones. On sterling silver french earwires. Approx.

2-inches in length from top of earwire.

Gorgeous no? You can view more of her work on her website www.kateszabone.com

Christine: Hi Kate! Tell me a bit about yourself and how you came to become a jewelry artist.

Kate: I am 27 years of age, married with a 3 year old daughter. It was while trying to balance my life between family, home and working as a real estate agent, that I realized I was not enjoying life. So I left real estate and redirected my interests into my love for jewelry, especially one-of-a-kind.

Christine: I find it so interesting that you say that. I have not found one person that makes jewelry that started out making jewelry. Every jewelry artist seems to have had a previous life. As many of my blog readers know, I was previously a mental health counsellor and previous to that, a corporate purchasing agent. Okay, okay, blah blah blah, I know it’s not all about me. So Kate, you are Canadian, as I am (one more thing in there about me, now I’m done).

Where do you live, Kate, and where do you work. Do you have a home studio?

Kate: I do work from home. Our new home in Whitby, Ontario, has a very large basement with a room that has become my main work area and lots of room to expand.

Christine: Sounds ideal. How did you learn your craft?

Kate: I am largely self-taught, taking courses as I can through schools such as Haliburton School of Arts. The internet became an invaluable source as I searched out web sites of individual artists and later discovered Etsy.

Christine: I hear you saying that you find a lot of inspiration on the internet. I do too – there is so much talent out there! One of my challenges is not taking someone else’s great idea and running with it. Of course I don’t – because that is wrong wrong wrong (that’s for any unscrupulous cretins out there, and also to remind myself) and really bad karma too.

Kate: I am proud to say that my designs are my own although occasionally a family member comes up with an idea which I can translate into my style.

In fact I have learned and been inspired over the years by my mother, a photographer, spinner and weaver. Her sense of design and love of gemstones has been invaluable to me.

Christine: It sounds like creativity really runs in your family. I hope my kids will speak so adoringly about me when they grow up. My daughter says she wants to make jewelry like mommy when she grows up.

There I go again, off another tangent. Back to you Kate. Tell me more about your work. I love your jewelry. I have often visited your website for inspiration, and just to admire. I had you bookmarked back in my pre-business days.

Kate: That’s so nice to hear! To answer your question about my work, here it is in a nutshell. My work is in silver or gold, with or without the use of gemstones, and most of my designs are very simple and organic.

Christine: And I understand you are taking some new courses too. Will we be seeing some different design as a result do you think?

Kate: This summer I will be studying at Haliburton learning to make cuffs using sheet metal with silver, gold and copper. Metal Clay art, is also a new technique I am experimenting with. Designs for both techniques are in the works and new items will be ready for my web site and Etsy by September.

Christine: How fun! I look forward to seeing those new designs, especially the metal clay. I promised my husband I wouldn’t take on anything new that would require a new outlay for supplies and tools – at least not until I become profitable. I’m jealous!

Let’s move on to the business aspect. You have an Etsy shop and a website.

Kate: Yes. I joined Etsy in January 2007. Although I have a web site my main source of sales is Etsy. I think I mentioned that I have a 3 year old daughter. I am able to work from home while my daughter is in daycare three days a week. My sales on Etsy are my full part-time job. I love it!

Christine: That is really inspiring to me that you make the bulk of your sales on Etsy. I am so intrigued when others say they make a lot of jewelry sales online. Jewelry is so often an impulse purchase and people like to touch, feel, and try on jewelry. That is so wonderful to me that you sell mostly online.

I would love to know more about how you make most of your sales online. Do you have a system/ daily/ weekly routine for posting new items, reposting, online marketing strategy, any of that stuff?

Kate: I try to keep a weekly and daily system which includes renewing an item or two on slow days, listing a new item each week, and of course re-posting sold items promptly. I haven’t had time to work on an online marketing strategy yet, but I hope that updating my webpage and taking advantage of all blog interviews and inexpensive advertising.

: I try to keep a weekly and daily system which includes renewing an item or two on slow days, listing a new item each week, and of course re-posting sold items promptly. I haven’t had time to work on an online marketing strategy yet, but I hope that updating my webpage and taking advantage of all blog interviews and inexpensive advertising.

I also have a facebook group where members get monthly discounts and draws for gift certificates and jewellery. I am in the midst of re-vamping my website with a new colour scheme and feel (see new Etsy banner – it will take on that “look”).

With the Holiday season coming up I am doing my best to pre-make orders and have lined up a couple of lucrative jewellery parties. I am very excited about it all!

Christine: I took a look at your Etsy shop – I love your new banner. You have a great sense of color. It’s always difficult to figure out what exactly makes people buy something, but in your case, I bet the sense of calm you create goes a long way towards creating the proper emotional atmosphere.

Marketing Lesson: Kate’s website is a great example of what I call “emotional positioning”. Emotional Positioning is creating a certain “feel”. This is a good marketing lesson for you if you are just starting out, or if you are wondering how to improve sales. If you think about it from the buyers perspective, the buyer wants to feel good about buying something, especially online where they can’t touch or feel something. Purchasing is emotional more than anything else. I think Kate’s colour scheme, combined with the way she sets up and shoots her product photos creates a really wonderful, almost tangible sense of calm.

And you say you work from home. I think most of my readers do as well. Have you always worked from home?

Kate: I have only been working out of my home for 9 months now.

Christine: I know from experience that it is tough working from home because home and work get all mixed together and you can’t really escape either an focus on just one. It’s exceptionally hard when you have small children around like you and I both do. Can you speak a little to that?

Kate: I agree with you there. I find the hardest part of working from home for me is separating myself from daily life. I find it hard to discipline myself, not so much to get to work, but to get out of my home office to the house end of life. There is a constant ‘desire’ to keep checking for new orders, cruise new artists and just look around for new information.

Christine: Sounds like me too. I always love to hear that others have the same struggles – makes me feel like I am not alone! Any advice for those of us in the same boat?

Kate: I guess my best advice is that you must always remember you have a life. It is called family and friends. They are as important to your development as an artist and the time you spend on the internet or reading books and magazines.

Christine: Great advice. I sometime fall short on that myself. Kate, I want to thank you for taking the time to speak with me, and i look forward to seeing some new work from you!

Kate: Thank you again for taking the time to do this. I wish you all the best and much luck with your business!

Resources mentioned in this article:
Kate Szabone’s website: http://www.kateszabone.com