Amber stone jewelry - Small Business

Precious and passionate Amber stone jewelry - Small Business

Amber is one of the most popular Neolithic stone discovered as a fossil. Amber stones are classified into five different species depending on their color, purity and quality. Amber has different names like Ambrite or Resinite depending on the location of its origin. Being one of the oldest gems discovered by men, amber is considered very unique and it has been used for various purposes which mainly includes jewelry making.

Amber fossils are found in different parts of the world and depending on their origin they are categorized as precious and semi precious ones. Amber fossil is mainly made of tree resin. It might also contain traces of animal life like ants, spiders, flies and other insects. Amber stones with fossilized insects are available and they are considered very rare and precious.

One of the rarest amber stones are the ones found in the Dominican Republic, the popular nation of Hispaniola Island. Usually ambers have a honey-like color, different shades of yellow or sometimes rich brown to red. Green amber is also very beautiful and lots of jewelers prefer it over other shades. For an amber blue or variables of blue is a much treasured color because such amber stones are found only in the Dominican Republic, near the Santiago mountain ranges. Although amber and other stones were mined in here since several decades, the place became popular for its Larimar jewelry after the discovery of Larimar stones (in 1974) at one of the sea shores.

Dominican amber is popular for its rich blue shade. Fluorescent amber stones are also mined in here which also falls under a rather rare variety of amber. Due to its rarity, blue amber has become expensive over time. It is also considered as a precious stone that has magical healing powers. Although people are not much aware of this rare colored amber, there is a growing demand for blue amber jewelries. A Dominican blue amber ring can cost you around $ 200 USD. The cost would rise to around 500 to 800 USD if it is a clear blue stone.

If you are looking for a genuine amber jewelry click here, it would be better to approach a branded jeweler. Amber stones are subject to depreciation and it should be well preserved. However, pure amber stones last longer if they are kept away from sunlight and moisture. Amber is considered as a lucky stone and there are many outlets and online stores dedicated to amber rings for women and men. If you wish to buy fluorescent or blue amber stones, know that they can cost you a fortune. However, you can procure the raw stones from wholesale dealers at cheaper rates and have them molded into jewelry of your choice.

About Author :

This article is written by john dev on behalf of drfinejewels, this is having topics on amber stones, Amber fossil and for more information click here.

Jewelry-business, The Big Plan

When I started, I had no idea of what a business plan was. As many beginners I thought “well, I’ll make the pieces and people will come”, but that only led to frustration! I had no one to show my jewels to, and sales were low or none for months.

Learning about marketing techniques is the best I’ve done for my business – in fact, before I learnt about marketing I did not have a business. I was just another person that made earrings and other sparkly items. Nothing of interest. I was losing time, losing money (that hurted the most!) and losing hope I could do that for a living.

If you have a home-based business making a good business plan is absolutely necessary. The longer you procrastinate this fact, the harder it will be for you to succeed. You have to set goals, see how you are going to accomplish that goals, work as hard as you can to reach that goals, and give a time to that goals to show. Does it sound like too much business talk for you? Yes, I know: you’ve probably been already searching the web about this matter and found many articles, all of them curiously vague and promising you a golden future if you let the Big Business Author help you…paying a little fee, of course. Or maybe not that little.


So, you actually grabbed a piece of paper and are ready to write your Super Business Plan. It does not need to be a formal statement, and you don’t need to know all the answers now. Leave room to add as many things as you need as you keep learning. Be sincere! To set goals properly you have to analyze deeply your situation today; you can use this questions as a guide.

1. You have to set goals.
- Where are you now and where do you see your business in 6 months/a year?
- Do you need to keep learning for maybe six months more before you start a business?
- Is your price competitive or self-indulgent? How much do you consider you should get paid per hour?

My Advice: Be reasonable.
Be reasonable with the amount of money you are paying yourself per hour. It takes years of mastering your skills to deserve 20€ an hour! Beginners tend to complain about not selling when the truth is, simply, that the work is not good enough.
Be reasonable with the time you give yourself to reach your goals. Forcing yourself to grow too quickly will only burn your creativity. Growing a business, branding and having customers coming back takes time and needs to be built little by little.
Be reasonable with the time you give a day for your business: don’t expect to succeed working five or six hours a day, because it takes twice that time!

2. You have to see how you are going to accomplish that goals.
- Are you showing your work to the appropriate customers? O you choose your customers, or do they choose you?
- Are you taking time enough to learn, or are you stuck using the same techniques over and over again?
- Are you learning enough about marketing/promotion?
- Do I have proper studio space, tools and supplies to accomplish my goals?

My Advice: Learn the Rules, but Add your Twist.
The world of business is just as it is. You have to learn almost as much as you will have to learn jewelry making techniques, and I think you should do both at the same time! Though you should follow the advice of business experts, always try to find out how does that apply to your specific situation. Every game has its own rules, and the jewelry business is no exception, but try not to sound and look like everybody or you’ll get lost in a crowd of crafters all trying for the same customers with the same methods. You are special and unique, so show it!!!

3. You have to work as hard as you can to reach that goal.
- How long does it take to take your ideas into action? Which parts of this business are you procrastinating and why?
- How many ideas or projects you have unfinished?
- What are you doing to promote your business and what will you do if that doesn’t work?
- What additional incomes can you make if you don’t sell? Do you teach classes, sell tutorials, write freelance articles? If you don’t do any, what would you need to learn or purchase to make it?
-
My Advice: Just Do It.
Don’t think: “Oh, I’d love to make a necklace like this” or “Oh, I’d love to make my own newsletter”. Go and do it. Learn whatever techniques you need and start making your dream take shape. Waiting for this and that won’t work. Do you want an example? When I didn’t have a printer I used to handwrite my business cards, one by one. Making 100 business cards by hand may seem crazy, but everyone has time to make 10 or even 5 a day.
Overcoming shyness is another big issue if you are interested in consignment in shops, but the advice is the same: just do it. Do as much as you can to put your jewelry out of your house, because it won’t sell from your studio by itself- and better today than tomorrow!

4. You have to give a time to that goals to show.
My Advice: Be Active, but Patient.
There is only one important question here, and it is about your alternative plans. You cannot expect to succeed and have a constant flow of customers until you have been working very hard for at least a few years. Going back to the topic in the paragraph above, you have to start working on alternative incomes from the start and focus on learning well what it takes to get them working and making money while you master your skills both at making jewelry and at selling it. If you are busy 12 hours a day growing your mastery you won’t have time for grousing about your unlucky destiny.
About the Author

Born and living in Tenerife (Canary Islands) Full-time jewelry artist and owner and designer of NeoVamp Jewelry, a OOAK fine bijouterie business. Expert in wire-wrapping and former illustrator and tattoo artist. I have also extensive knowledge in symbolism and healing properties of stones and colours. Every piece I make is completely handcrafted and unique, often recycling vintage jewelry. I've published a free course about Doll Customizing, a personal passion, and was interviewed by Rena KLingenberg in January for the Success Stories section of her site. In November last year I was interviewed by the Canary Islands TV Channel on the live show Canarias Directo. My future plans include writing more articles and downloadable tutorials, as I'm being asked constantly about my wiring techniques. Author’s Blog: http://neovampjewelry.wordpress.com

Jewelry-business - The Beginner’s Dilemma

Series Or One-Of –A-Kind? The Beginner’s Dilemma

One of the most repeated questions I get on my mailbox from starting jewelers is “Should I make series or one-of-a-kind pieces? What is most likely to make me succeed?” I had that dilemma for a long time too. I shifted from one choice to another, sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing. To be true, I was wrong in both positions.

In terms of supplies, time, investment and studio organizing, it really makes a big difference to make series or unique pieces. Let’s look at the good and bad points about both alternatives more closely:

The good sides of making jewelry in series:
- You can buy big quantities of beads, which usually makes the price lower, and so the price of pieces is also lower.
- Every time you make a piece again, you are mastering your skills, so the piece tends to take less and less time. That gives you the real average time you need to make it, which makes pricing easier.
- You don’t have to update your website so often because you can choose to change products seasonally – or never. That gives you time to improve your blogging, photographing skills, etc. It also gives time for promoting your business and making it bigger and better.
- You don’t have to be very inspired to work just as fine.
- Unsold pieces in small quantities makes great discount sales.
The bad sides of making jewelry in series:
- It can become unbearably boring. You will have to challenge your creativity in other ways.
- If you have a small market niche, you will have to make new series constantly to keep your customers interested.
- You have to buy big quantities of beads so, if pieces do not sell well, you will have tons of unsold inventory waiting to be recycled or sold underpriced.
- You need more studio space because you buy bigger supplies.

The good sides of making one-of-a-kind pieces:
- Every piece you make is a new discovery of your inner landscape. The experience is not comparable to anything. You can enjoy the process of making a jewel for as long as you want.
- Uniqueness raises considerably the price so, you can make more money working less.
- You don’t need big quantities of anything so you don’t need to invest a lot of money when you are starting and you don’t need a big studio.
- Customers tend to think you are a better artist if you don’t do series, because people love to buy uniqueness.
- Recycling vintage jewelry to make one-of-a-kind pieces is a strongly growing market. Second-hand jewelry can be found at very low prices at flea markets and thrift stores. Also friends and relatives can contribute with broken or unused pieces, making a very profitable income for beginners.
- You can work with an endless diversity of materials and techniques, making you a more complete crafter.
The bad sides of making one-of-a-kind-pieces:
- It is very time consuming as you have to make a new design every time. That makes prices raise, and it is not easy to sell high if you are a beginner!
- That a piece is one-of-a-kind does not mean you will achieve it at the first try. Sometimes you have to make a piece two or three times but you only sell the last one.
- It puts custom orders away, because customers tend to buy what you have, not what you could make.
- The amount of time you need to make a one-of-a-kind piece is not an average time so pricing becomes more difficult. That you need two hours to make that earrings doesn’t mean it takes two hours to make them!
- A lot of unfinished projects fall on the way. You won’t earn a cent for the time you took making them.
- It is very hard to work if you are uninspired, worried, sad or angry.

My personal advice: Avoid boredom and do both!

If you own a home business, indolence is your main enemy! Making both series and one-of-a-kind pieces will keep you busy whether if you are inspired or not. Personally I make a couple of one-of-a-kind pieces between series. When I feel my inspiration is going down I do repetitive work, which you can use to get into a very relaxing meditative state of mind. Then usually a new idea comes up after three or four days. I also do the “office work” when I’m less artsy – I write my articles, update the blog and such.

I think this makes a very comforting and stimulating balance. Giving myself the chance to choose both alternatives have not only ended with boredom and inactive impasses, but also have increased sales wonderfully! Some customers only buy if it’s expensive, and some only buy if it’s cheap! You can have something for both, which is very positive when you have a small market.

If you work constantly you will find your regular rhythms, something that is crucial in reaching your full potential. For example, I always start the week with office work, then do some series, then some unique items, and the weekend is my best selling time. If you work naturally with your own energies, and get to know when’s the perfect time to go out and sell, or when you should stay home and work, you will be more effective, make less mistakes and earn more profits- not only money profits, but in general peace of mind and clearness to make the best choices for you. Stop fighting with yourself and start listening to yourself instead.

Author’s Blog: http://neovampjewelry.wordpress.com 
About the Author

Born and living in Tenerife (Canary Islands) Full-time jewelry artist and owner and designer of NeoVamp Jewelry, a OOAK fine bijouterie business. Expert in wire-wrapping and former illustrator and tattoo artist. I have also extensive knowledge in symbolism and healing properties of stones and colours. Every piece I make is completely handcrafted and unique, often recycling vintage jewelry. I work at my studio at home and personally keep my NeoVamp Blog. I decided to write articles as some answers to beginner's questions were too important or useful to keep them for one person only. Reusing beads and metal findings is essential to my work. Most of my pieces include vintage beads taken from unused or old-fashioned jewelry, from my own customers often. I am very aware of the need to be environmentally responsible and recycling is one of my constant goals. I've published a free course about Doll Customizing, a personal passion, and was interviewed by Rena KLingenberg in January for the Success Stories section of her site. In November last year I was interviewed by the Canary Islands TV Channel on the live show Canarias Directo. My future plans include writing more articles and downloadable tutorials, as I'm being asked constantly about my wiring techniques.

Avoiding Routine When You Own an Art Home-Based Business

Though all my customers know I make many different crafts, what I am known for, and consequently what I sell, is jewelry. In a week, jewelry making/selling takes 80% of my time. If I'm not at the craft room, coiling wire, then I am at the computer, promoting or writing. In many weeks, that 80% of time becomes 100%.

There are two sides to home-based business: if your products sell, you can easily get trapped in the routine of making always the same things over and over; but if you pick on too much different things, customers can feel confused about your work and you will sell less for sure. To get a business started and going can take months of long hours a day; once your business is going, you work exactly the same hours, if not more. It is not easy to find time for “hobbies” when a profession gets in the way.

Routine is probably the most powerful enemy to your mind. Routine KILLS creativity and leaves you blocked and worn out. It is a fact that your neurons create connections by habit: that means that if you constantly repeat something (could be a statement like “I'm not the creative type” or any other process, mental or physical) you are fixing it in your brain until neurons make connections that insure that you will always use that connection; that may be very useful for social habits, but not for creativity! Once your neurons have made the connection, that becomes the “accepted” way of working, and usually when that happens we hardly ever question that procedure.

There is no such thing as an artistic/creative personality type, but there are certain artists who are never blocked and can produce art continuously, even in different forms. Their designs are constantly evolving and art skills improving and renovating. They seem to go ahead of the pack and are usually copied by followers. What is the difference between that people and the rest of mortals?
That they have an improved ability to avoid routine: instead of producing, they are living creatively.

We were all 100% creative when we were about two years old; as we were discovering everything and looked at experiences with no prejudices, we had to create the ways to approach them. Our creativity was not bounded within what we call art; all things in life – relationships, conflicts, self-image – were approached creatively. We were living creatively.

Then, parents and school fixed the connections on your neurons about what you were, what you were able to do or not, or how should you behave in life to gain success and self-satisfaction. I'm sorry to say this, but most of it was wrong. So, it doesn't matter if you're 20 or 60 – we all started acting like 70-year old brains when we were 5 or 6.

Thankfully, all this patterns can be changed; we may never reach the freshness of a 2 year old kid, but we don't need to! It's time to revise our attitude and see if we challenge ourselves enough from day to day. A good way to understand how deep we are into routines is to keep written track of our actions; for two weeks, make a brief resume of your day every night. After that two weeks, check your activities: how many times did you eat the same thing? How many times did you watch the same tv shows? In the last two weeks, did you do something that you had never done before? Did you learn anything new? Who did you talk with? Did you meet anyone?
The answers to these questions are more important than what you may think: they are the diagnosis of your routine problem.

If there is one thing that is important to understand, is is that being creative is not a goal, is a method. As school and parents fixed that wrong ideas by repetition, we can alter any belief using the same method. Kids do not learn everything in one day, and nor will we.

The power of words and sentences is universally known; a mantra is a sacred sound that connects us with our divinities, but also with our Higher Self: the Creator. You can see this process through its spiritual side (this is, in many ways, a self-enchantment) or through its scientific side (you are teaching new connections to your neurons) – I prefer to see it through both as I don't see, really, any contradiction in this. Our first mantra would be:
I am a Creator. My infinite creative potential manifests in every one of my actions and thoughts.
Of course, you can write your own mantras, as long as you use always assertive sentences (never use “don't”, “never”, “not”) and be as general as you can. You can print the mantras and hang them around your craft room, add them to your scrapbook, diary, book of projects or wherever you want to remember important things. Other useful mantras for this topic could be:
I am aware of the infinite Beauty and Love of the Universe and I am constantly inspired by it.
All my choices lead me to a more creative and free life.
I am creative in everything I do.

Every time you feel blocked and tired of what you're doing, remember these mantras. They will help you fix the right stream of thought and, sooner than you think, you will have an instantly positive response – you have reached the habit. This will not only enhance your art production, but your entire life; then your art production will only be one of the many fruits that you will draw from your new creative way to see your life and your world. This theory is so simple that is hard to believe, I know, but if it worked for you when you were 2, why wouldn't it work today? You can have back what was taken from you – and I'm sure you will.
About the Author

Carolina Gonzalez Acosta Born and living on the paradise-on-earth Canary Islands (Spain). Full-time jewelry designer and maker, occasional doll customizer and painter. Before I was a jeweller I was a fantasy illustrator and a tattoo artist. I've been a private Tarot Reader and Spiritual Counsellor for 18 years. If you are interested in reading more articles or in purchasing my jewelry, please visit my blog at http://neovampjewelry.wordpress.com/

Sell Your Jewelry

To Sell Your Jewelry (Part One): Developing The Habit Of Selling

There is nothing like a dream to create the future.
Victor Hugo

I’ve heard and read many times the “I’m not the selling type personality, I don’t have the character” argument. I thought that of myself actually. I was even so childish to think that yes, I could make great jewels, but I would never sell them or live from it. I was so wrong! . I couldn’t see I was expecting for “something to happen” without noticing nothing would happen if I didn’t make it happen myself.

Opportunities are not casualty or good luck: opportunities are the result of knowledge and awareness. Every succeeding crafter in this world is not only a skilled master in her/his technique, but also a succesful seller. There are the same chances to succeed for almost everybody; why some do while others don’t?

This is very simple: a seller makes sales happen and does not wait for sales to come. When we believe we are not something, we are just stating we believe we cannot be something. It is not a fact but a belief. It can be changed then. Changing your point of view about yourself is the key to become a successful seller.

And NO, you don’t have to have a specific type of personality. You don’t have to a cold salesperson, nor start lying or covering any truth, because you already are something: a Jewelry Artist. Isn’t that enough to make you proud of yourself? You have a wonderful profession, you work with your hands in beautiful noble materials, and you make people look more beautiful and magical with your creations. Your work is bought with love as a gift to another, becoming a messenger of affection and generosity. You are probably self-taught and are thinking of starting your own business in a very competitive field, which means you are brave and are prepared to be steady and learn well the foundations of this business/vocation.

Sounds admirable, ah? Well, that is YOU! Don’t you see how lucky you are? Having that amazing conditions, it is only a matter of habit to start creating your own opportunities, and only a matter of habit overcoming all your self-inflicted obstacles. So, from now on, let’s say Jewelry Artist instead of seller, and I will show you how it’s only a point of view question.

A Jewelry Artist loves jewelry, jewelry making and wearing jewelry. When someone compliments the necklace you’re wearing, do NOT answer: “oh, that’s…nothing…I…made it …when I was bored”. How are you going to make someone want to own a piece like yours if you’re not proud of it? Instead of the former answer, you better say “Thank you! I made it myself – I’m a jewelry designer! Look, this is a fumeé czech bead and this are freshwater japanese pearls… I have an online business… would you like a business card?”

Believe me, the first time I did it I was sweating! Then you realize that not only nothing bad has happened, but also that the person in front of you is smiling and admiring your work. Admiring you. In a few words, you’ve told that person that you are a professional, that you sell your jewelry, that you have a business going and that you know what you do and what materials you use. After a few tries, it has become a habit – and that has meant a very good quantity of appointments and purchases! In fact, this happened to me last evening at a new rock shop that I visited, and when the owner praised my bracelet I started a conversation like the one above that leaded to a discount because I was a pro – they wanted me to come back and buy more because I sold myself well.

A Jewelry Artist does not underprice. You will not become respected by your customers if you don’t respect yourself. Though I always advice to be humble on you pay per hour of work as your skills grow, humble does not mean stupid. It is a business psychology law that slight overpricing increases the perceived value of things. You are selling jewelry, probably one of the items with a higher perceived value, so respect yourself! People would tend to think that there is something wrong with your jewels if your prices are low; if you want to cover a wider range of prices, work on your designs to make them more simple or look for cheaper materials. And if a customer just wants something that is unacceptable for you, just say no.

A Jewelry Artist always offers help and alternatives. Listening to your customers is essential. If someone asks you for a product that you don’t actually make, but would consider making, immediately ask for feedback. Almost everytime customers are more than happy to have their opinion asked. Email them with questions and ask about everything you’d like to know BUT the design. You’ll be surprised to see how customer suggestions can become best-selling items. You are here to fill a need, so listening to other people’s needs should be a main target.

A Jewelry Artist promises less than asked and delivers more than asked.
This is a very important point in what comes to custom orders and repairing services. If someone wants a piece I’ve made in another colour or wants me to fix or alter a broken piece, I always answer “I will try” instead of “yes”, even though I know if I can repair the piece with a glance. If I need three days to make it, I will ask for five days and then I will deliver it in the three I knew I would need. Most of the times are very simple things like adding a little chain on a necklace or making a new jumpring for an earring so I don’t charge nothing – which usually ends in my customers looking at the new creations while I fix the piece and, quite a few times, a purchase.

Is this so difficult? Really, I don’t think so – you need commitment in developing the habit of being successful but it really worked for me, so I’m sharing it with you. Once you’ve overcome the “firsts”, you become more and more confident, and as a result, more aware of the opportunities around you. And yes, there are more opportunities in front of me than the few I have time to explore… many more. That means that not only I have a Plan B, but also a C, a D, an E….and those opportunities are there for you too! In the second part of this article, we’ll look closely at some simple strategies to increase your opportunites in everyday life. Till then…be proud of yourself and go make some wonderful jewelry!
About the Author

Born and living in Tenerife (Canary Islands) Full-time jewelry artist and owner and designer of NeoVamp Jewelry, a OOAK fine bijouterie business. Expert in wire-wrapping and former illustrator and tattoo artist. I have also extensive knowledge in symbolism and healing properties of stones and colours. Every piece I make is completely handcrafted and unique, often recycling vintage jewelry. I've published a free course about Doll Customizing, a personal passion, and was interviewed by Rena KLingenberg in January for the Success Stories section of her site. In November last year I was interviewed by the Canary Islands TV Channel on the live show Canarias Directo. My future plans include writing more articles and downloadable tutorials, as I'm being asked constantly about my wiring techniques. Author’s Blog: http://neovampjewelry.wordpress.com/

Jewelry business, Art Home - Based Business

Avoiding Routine When You Own an Art Home-Based Business

Living Creatively

Though all my customers know I make many different crafts, what I am known for, and consequently what I sell, is jewelry. In a week, jewelry making/selling takes 80% of my time. If I'm not at the craft room, coiling wire, then I am at the computer, promoting or writing. In many weeks, that 80% of time becomes 100%.

There are two sides to home-based business: if your products sell, you can easily get trapped in the routine of making always the same things over and over; but if you pick on too much different things, customers can feel confused about your work and you will sell less for sure. To get a business started and going can take months of long hours a day; once your business is going, you work exactly the same hours, if not more. It is not easy to find time for “hobbies” when a profession gets in the way.

Routine is probably the most powerful enemy to your mind. Routine KILLS creativity and leaves you blocked and worn out. It is a fact that your neurons create connections by habit: that means that if you constantly repeat something (could be a statement like “I'm not the creative type” or any other process, mental or physical) you are fixing it in your brain until neurons make connections that insure that you will always use that connection; that may be very useful for social habits, but not for creativity! Once your neurons have made the connection, that becomes the “accepted” way of working, and usually when that happens we hardly ever question that procedure.

There is no such thing as an artistic/creative personality type, but there are certain artists who are never blocked and can produce art continuously, even in different forms. Their designs are constantly evolving and art skills improving and renovating. They seem to go ahead of the pack and are usually copied by followers. What is the difference between that people and the rest of mortals?
That they have an improved ability to avoid routine: instead of producing, they are living creatively.

We were all 100% creative when we were about two years old; as we were discovering everything and looked at experiences with no prejudices, we had to create the ways to approach them. Our creativity was not bounded within what we call art; all things in life – relationships, conflicts, self-image – were approached creatively. We were living creatively.

Then, parents and school fixed the connections on your neurons about what you were, what you were able to do or not, or how should you behave in life to gain success and self-satisfaction. I'm sorry to say this, but most of it was wrong. So, it doesn't matter if you're 20 or 60 – we all started acting like 70-year old brains when we were 5 or 6.

Thankfully, all this patterns can be changed; we may never reach the freshness of a 2 year old kid, but we don't need to! It's time to revise our attitude and see if we challenge ourselves enough from day to day. A good way to understand how deep we are into routines is to keep written track of our actions; for two weeks, make a brief resume of your day every night. After that two weeks, check your activities: how many times did you eat the same thing? How many times did you watch the same tv shows? In the last two weeks, did you do something that you had never done before? Did you learn anything new? Who did you talk with? Did you meet anyone?
The answers to these questions are more important than what you may think: they are the diagnosis of your routine problem.

If there is one thing that is important to understand, is is that being creative is not a goal, is a method. As school and parents fixed that wrong ideas by repetition, we can alter any belief using the same method. Kids do not learn everything in one day, and nor will we.

The power of words and sentences is universally known; a mantra is a sacred sound that connects us with our divinities, but also with our Higher Self: the Creator. You can see this process through its spiritual side (this is, in many ways, a self-enchantment) or through its scientific side (you are teaching new connections to your neurons) – I prefer to see it through both as I don't see, really, any contradiction in this. Our first mantra would be:
I am a Creator. My infinite creative potential manifests in every one of my actions and thoughts.
Of course, you can write your own mantras, as long as you use always assertive sentences (never use “don't”, “never”, “not”) and be as general as you can. You can print the mantras and hang them around your craft room, add them to your scrapbook, diary, book of projects or wherever you want to remember important things. Other useful mantras for this topic could be:
I am aware of the infinite Beauty and Love of the Universe and I am constantly inspired by it.
All my choices lead me to a more creative and free life.
I am creative in everything I do.

Every time you feel blocked and tired of what you're doing, remember these mantras. They will help you fix the right stream of thought and, sooner than you think, you will have an instantly positive response – you have reached the habit. This will not only enhance your art production, but your entire life; then your art production will only be one of the many fruits that you will draw from your new creative way to see your life and your world. This theory is so simple that is hard to believe, I know, but if it worked for you when you were 2, why wouldn't it work today? You can have back what was taken from you – and I'm sure you will.
About the Author

Carolina Gonzalez Acosta Born and living on the paradise-on-earth Canary Islands (Spain). Full-time jewelry designer and maker, occasional doll customizer and painter. Before I was a jeweller I was a fantasy illustrator and a tattoo artist. I've been a private Tarot Reader and Spiritual Counsellor for 18 years.
If you are interested in reading more articles or in purchasing my jewelry, please visit my blog at http://neovampjewelry.wordpress.com/

Jewelry, Classification of Mannequins

Most consider the word ‘mannequin’ to be a generic reference to a live, three-dimensional human. The truth is that there are a variety of these human representations. Most types fall under two classifications: dressing forms and mannequins. Both types vary in the degree of human realism they present to the viewer.

From a realistic standpoint mannequins are generally more lifelike. They are often manufactured with limbs and heads. In many cases fingers and toes and ethnocentric features are applied by the sculpture. Many can be modified by interchanging wigs. Most companies use realistic paint colors to recreate racial skin tones. Eyes, lips, and false eyelashes all create more realism. Muscularity and proportionality are common features. Most models are supported by bases that are visually unobtrusive. Calf rods can often be used which permit the use of displaying complimentary footwear. Interacting well by themselves or along with other mannequins and a limitless number of other props, mannequins create and enhance visual merchandising scenes.

In contrast, dressing forms are less realistic than mannequins. They are often manufactured headless and without arms and digits. Often, construction is a white or dark fabric layer over a foam and hard shell combination. Dressing forms are usually not manufactured with legs. Support is often provided by a base, which attaches to the bottom of the torso and is visibly obtrusive to the torso in some circumstances. Without legs, dressing forms cannot be designed to display attached footwear. Dressing forms tend to be visually less proportional than mannequins because they do not include limbs, heads, thighs, digits, legs and feet. These help to establish a viewer’s point of reference. Most dressing forms are racially neutral as they lack skin tone. Without eyes, lips, and body proportions gender differentiation is limited to breasts and/or clothing designs. As dressing forms lack realism and do not interact with many props they are not used as much as mannequins for creating visual merchandising scenes.

Mannequins often include realist body parts, skin tone, muscularity, and other human features. Dressing forms are designed to represent human bodies, but lack these features and are not as realistic as mannequins. Mannequins generally are more expensive than dressing forms. In every case budget, as well as project requirements will warrant using one style or the other. Consult a visual merchandising consultant or a mannequin dressing form manufacturer for the best solution.
About the Author

NYC Display, Inc is the leading manufacturer and distributor of Mannequin, Dressing Forms, Jewelry Displays, and Store Fixtures in the USA. NYC Display Inc has been providing custom orders, rentals and consulting for over 20 years.