The R&T Extra!   December 2007

Fraud Alert: Protect Yourself!

Scams happen year-round, but the holidays can be a time when folks are more susceptible than usual. Wanting an extra bit of cash for presents and other niceties can convince people to drop their guards. Make sure this doesn't happen to you!

We were just reminded that these scams effect businesses as well as individuals. Rings & Things' UPS account number (a part of our identity) was recently hijacked, and fraudulent checks were sent to unsuspecting individuals using that number. If you receive a check from an unknown firm – especially one that arrives in a UPS Express envelope and claims to be from Rings & Things, Spokane, WA – please be very careful. Rings & Things has nothing to do with these phony checks and fraudulent offers. The checks are drawn on stolen or fictitious bank accounts. If you cash fraudulent checks (like these), you will be responsible for providing the funds to cover them.

Before cashing any unexpected check, verify its authenticity with your bank or attorney. And, don't just watch out for these scams over the holidays. Remain wary of them throughout the year. There are reliable resources to help inform you on these issues, including the following:

• the Web site fakechecks.org offers videos, case studies and other information on how to project yourself against check fraud
• the National Consumers' League (NCL), which created fakechecks.org, also maintains a separate Web site with information for both individual consumers and businesses
• the Better Business Bureau's national Web site provides an online resource library which offers consumers scam alerts, purchasing tips and an educational-video library

Rings & Things wishes you all a happy holiday season free of fraud and other scams!

Happy Winter Holidays from Rings & Things

Need last-minute holiday supplies? Our holiday components Web page makes shopping easy, with links to products for Christmas, Hanukah, New Years, and winter fun. Plus, see our December Free Project for a festive "Twelve Days of Christmas" sun-catcher ornament design!

If you're going to be in the Spokane, WA, area after Christmas, be sure to visit our wholesale showroom for a progressive Red-Tag Sale. From Dec 27-29, our showroom will feature great deals on overstocks, closeouts and "imperfect" gemstone strands. Better yet, the sale adds to your savings every day:

• Thursday, December 27: 20% off
• Friday, December 28: 40% off
• Saturday, December 29: 60% off

But don't wait till Saturday to start shopping — many great items won't stick around that long! See our wholesale showroom Web page for store hours and directions. In addition to sale items, you can also stock up on staples. Call ahead at 1 (800) 366-2156 to have a regular-stock order ready for you. We look forward to seeing you.

Finally, don't forget about our upcoming holiday closures. We will be closed on the following days, so our employees can celebrate Christmas and the New Year:

• Monday through Wednesday, December 24-26
• Tuesday, January 1
• Saturday, January 5, our showroom will be closed so employees can attend our holiday party. (We know, we know ... we recently opened the showroom every Saturday and now we're closing it for a party?!)

Mark your calendars, and stock up on supplies ahead of time! You can place an order through our online store even when we're closed. Just remember that orders placed during a holiday will not be processed right away, since no staff will be on hand.

Fuel the Fires of Giving: Wildfire Relief for Artisans

As you prepare for the winter holidays this year, remember that some people are struggling to make this season a festive one. Craftspeople who have survived the southern California wildfires this fall have, in some cases, lost property, resources and markets. Luckily, the Crafts Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) is ready to help.

CERF was founded in 1985 by Carol Sedestrom Ross (then president of American Craft Enterprises), Marilyn Dintenfass (ceramist) and Josh Simpson (glass blower). Their goal was to build upon the existing grassroots tradition of "passing the hat" at craft events for fellow artisans dealing with emergency situations. As of 2006, CERF had provided over one million dollars worth of funds, equipment, services and supplies to artisans in need — and the amount keeps growing! According to its Web site, "CERF emergency relief assistance includes small grants, no-interest loans, access to resources, waivers and discounts on booth fees, and donations of craft supplies and equipment." The organization is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization and is the only one of its kind in the United States.

In addition to material support, CERF offers several free resources. The CERF Disaster Relief Forum currently includes a "California Wildfire Message, Information and Resource Board" in addition to its permanent forum. The forum also includes a section where survivors can tell their stories. This service gives voice to those who need to tell their story, but that's not all. It also provides the rest of us with the personal information we need to better understand the disaster and its effects.

The site's "Emergency Recovery Resources" page links to several other disaster-relief providers, including the Red Cross and various mental-health programs, as well as other arts' organizations.

Rings & Things is proud to be a CERF donor since 2000. In addition to our normal giving, we recently donated 5% of our Southern California BeadTour sales to CERF for California wildfire disaster relief. Individual R&T employees added to that amount from their own pockets.

Whether you are an artisan affected by recent disaster or a concerned person in a position to help, check out what CERF has to offer. Giving and getting — let's keep our nation's arts & crafts community alive and healthy!

No Local Bead Society? Meetup, then Meet Up!

Rings & Things always encourages local bead societies and craft guilds. And, there are quite a few of them thriving around the country! It's fun and educational to get together and share tips, techniques, designs and more. But what if there's no group in your area? A great solution some of our customers use is Meetup.com.

At Meetup.com, you can look up current "Meetup groups" in your geographical area. If you don't find any nearby groups devoted to your interest (beading, for example) just click "Start a Meetup." You can use the "find a topic" feature to help identify the type of group you want to start. Then, just enter a few details and members in your area with similar interests will be notified. For some topics, there are already "Meetups in the Making," lists of interested people who haven't organized a group yet. So, you may find yourself with a ready-made bead society or polymer clay guild!

Crafts are a popular Meetup theme, and last time we checked there were dozens of beading Meetup groups. We've also noticed numerous polymer-clay Meetups as well as ones devoted to knitting, scrap-booking, jewelry making and more. You're bound to find like-minded people out there!

A great feature of Meetup groups is that they get to use Meetup.com as a bulletin board. Members suggest places and times to get together, then RSVP online. Afterwards, they post how many people showed up, along with personal notes from those who came. We couldn't help noticing, for example, that some people were organizing day trips to Rings & Things BeadTour shows, and posting positive comments about Rings & Things. (Thank you! You know who you are.)

Connecting with like-minded craftspeople might be just a few clicks away. Watch future issues of the R&T Extra for more tips on how the Internet can help you build your jewelry community and business.

Dig It! 2008 BeadTour (Including Date Changes)

Are you experienced? ... Experienced with the fun of a Rings & Things bead show, that is? Our BeadTour shows are R&T-exclusive, invitation-only shows that come to your area. At the show, you'll get to experience first-hand:

• an incredible selection of unique gemstones not available in our catalog or online store
• thousands of bead strands
• 15% off our already low wholesale prices for many gemstone and bead strands
• a wide selection of our most popular findings and stringing supplies at their regular low wholesale price

Best yet, you get to take home your discoveries the same day! There's no waiting for them to be shipped at a later date. If you don't already receive invitations from us in the mail, you can request a BeadTour invitation. Just keep in mind that these shows cater to professionals in the trade. You can also gain entrance simply by bringing a copy of your state resale ID. In states without sales tax, other business ID will work. For more information, see our BeadTour FAQ.

As you plan your BeadTour visit, please note the following changes to the 2008 schedule:

• Spokane Spring Bead Frenzy is March 2 (formerly advertised as March 9)
• Bellevue bead show is October 18 (formerly advertised as October 11)
• Tigard bead show is October 19 (formerly advertised as October 12)
• Spokane Fall Bead Frenzy is October 12 (formerly advertised as October 19)

We look forward to seeing you at a stop on our Tour! We're sure we'll have something to take your designs "Further"!

December's Free Jewelry Project

Make room for one more ornament on your tree! Or, hang this sparkling sun catcher in a window for maximum effect. But first, the fun part: making it! Our "Twelve Days of Christmas" design features charms that represent verses from the traditional Christmas song. Toho® Seed Bead Cocktails™ and a Swarovski® crystal prism fill out the design and give it a festive shimmer.

To view this Designer Tip Sheet (a PDF file), you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. You can download Adobe Acrobat for free here. Then, simply print the quick-loading or high resolution version of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" sun-catcher ornament today! Plus, don't forget to browse all our winter seasonal components for the rest of your winter-holiday needs.

R&T's String of Events: December 2007 Calendar

Between road shows, classes, purchasing trips and more, there's typically a lot going on at Rings & Things! Here's what's happening this month:

• Saturday, December 1: Vintage-Style Filigree Necklace Project in our Spokane, WA warehouse.
• Monday through Wednesday, December 24-26: Rings & Things will be closed for Christmas.
• Thursday through Saturday, December 27-29: Visit our Spokane, WA, wholesale showroom for the annual Red-Tag Sale! Great deals on overstock, closeouts and "imperfect" gemstone strands. Directions. For those of you who can't make it to Spokane, look for new closeouts coming to our online store in January!
• Monday, December 31: We will close early, at 4 pm Pacific Time, so our employees can enjoy New Year's Eve.

• Tuesday, January 1, 2008: Rings & Things will be closed for New Year's Day.
• Saturday, January 5: Our Spokane, WA showroom will be closed so employees can attend the R&T holiday party. (We know, we know ... we recently opened the showroom every Saturday and now we're closing it for a party?!)
• Monday, January 7:Our 2008 Super Supplement prices are effective as of today. We expect supplements to reach your mailboxes starting sometime this week. Hot new items include sterling silver leaf charms, raku-style beads and pendants, more lampwork glass and more bails. Enjoy!
• February 1-29: Enter your favorite creations made with R&T parts in our 5th annual "Your Designs Rock!" Contest. The Grand-Prize winner receives a $750 gift certificate. First-Place winners receive $250 gift certificates, and Honorable Mentions receive $75 gift certificates. Plus, this year we've provided several new picture-taking tips. Check it out!
• Saturday, February 2: Photographing Jewelry Workshop in our Spokane, WA warehouse. Take this class before entering our 2008 contest for a heads up on some great picturing-taking tips!

Thanks, and happy holidays everyone!

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