The R&T Extra!   February 2008

News for a New Year: Contest, CosmoJet, 500th Road Show & Treasure Trade

Our year has started with a bang! First, we want to remind you that our 2008 design contest is now in full swing. The grand prize winner will receive $750 R&T credit. Each of six first place winners will receive $250 R&T credit, and honorable mentions will each receive $75 R&T credit. Best yet, your designs don't have to be jewelry—they can be anything! For full details, image guidelines, FAQ and entry form, see our 2008 contest Web pages. Entries will be accepted until midnight February 29th.

More good news is that we once again have Swarovski® CosmoJet crystal beads and pendants in stock! CosmoJet is not a regular part of Swarovski's production anymore—we keep an eye out for them and get them whenever we can (hint, hint; these may not stay in stock for long). This special finish combines the sleek blackness of jet with the intense shimmer of lighter-colored crystals. How? CosmoJet is a black coating applied before final faceting. The final facet cutting removes the coating from select facets, which provides windows to the lighter base color underneath.

We're also excited to announce that Rings & Things 500th BeadTour show is coming up in March and, by coincidence, it's happening in our own hometown. The March 2 Spokane Bead Frenzy marks the 500th time our road crew will set up dozens of tables of unique, hard-to-find gemstones, trade beads and more. The 500th time they'll spend the afternoon helping you with great finds not available in our catalog or online store. The 500th time they'll repack the remains, restock and move on to the next town, to do it all over again! Plus, because it's located in our hometown, the Spokane Bead Frenzy will include demonstrations not available at our other road shows. If you haven't yet been to a Rings & Things BeadTour show, find out what you've been missing. If you've been before, we look forward to seeing you again.

Don't live in Spokane, but want to visit the Bead Frenzy? Make a weekend of it—visit the Spokane Art School's Treasure Trade on Saturday and the R&T Bead Frenzy on Sunday! If you're coming from out of town, you can receive hotel discounts for R&T customers.

At the Treasure Trade, bead addicts and treasure hoarders can barter excess art supplies, beads, bric-a-brac and other goodies. The event takes place Saturday March 1st from 9am to 3pm at 920 N. Howard Street, Spokane, WA:

• 9am to 10am: set up, light breakfast & mingling
• 10am to 3pm: trade (swap) & sell

• Register ahead of time for table space; $15 provides you with a 3x3-foot table space.
• Or, show up on the day with your goodies to swap; $5 entry fee to swap without table space
• If you don't have any goodies to trade, you can still join in the fun. Free entry gives you the opportunity to buy from swappers.

We hope your 2008 is starting with a bang too, and we hope you can participate in some of our new-year fun!

Homegrown Style: Do It Yourself Antiquing

In last month's R&T Extra, we talked about how etchall® etching liquid can clean a patina off your solid copper, keeping it shiny and new looking. But what if you want an antiqued (distressed) look and all you have are shiny metal beads and findings? You might not know it, but you probably have antiquing and oxidizing agents in your home right now! This article offers some homegrown methods for creating both antique finishes (surface colorings that do not require a chemical reaction) and actual patinas (surface effects resulting from chemical changes on a metal's surface).

General Information: A patina is a corrosion or oxidation that takes place on a metal surface. Rust on iron is one example; tarnish on silver is another. Patinas often form naturally by long exposure, but can also be created artificially by other chemical means, such as the use of acids. Oxidation can be considered a nuisance, for example on the surface of Grandma's silverware that no one has time to polish anymore. But in the world of jewelry making, patinas often serve as purposeful, attractive enhancements.

A metal like sterling silver will naturally tarnish (gain its patina), unless polished. Often what happens with a well-worn piece of sterling is that the patina will form in low spots and crevices but high points will remain naturally polished, due to constant contact that keeps it shiny. Antique finishes mimic this natural process.

Antique finishes are often used when an actual patina would be too difficult or unpredictable to create. For example, plated goods can have any sort of metal underneath the plated surface, each of which will react differently (or not at all) to chemical solutions. For that reason, antique finishes are often preferred over patinas for plated components and plated jewelry.

Cleaning Your Components: Because of the way some components are produced, they might be covered in a thin (often invisible) layer of grease that will prevent both antique finishes and patinas from working properly. Other contaminants such as lint and dust can also get in the way. So, components must be thoroughly cleaned before being treated. For complete degreasing, wash with a detergent in warm water, rinse well and dry with some agitation to prevent water spots. Heat lamps, warm boxwood sawdust and similar methods work for speed drying.

Antique Finishes: If you're using plated components, or other items you're unsure about applying an actual patina to, try one of these antique-finish methods. Keep in mind that these methods work best on components that have crevices or other "low spots" where the dark color can nestle and take hold despite tumbling and polishing. Smooth components with no dimensional pattern (for example head pins, most chain styles and smooth round beads) will merely become a bit darker in color/luster when adding an antique finish, because they have no crevices to "hold in" the finish:

• Apply black or brown permanent magic marker to the surface of cleaned components. Once the surface is completely coated, wipe off excess marker with a lint-free cloth dampened with nail polish remover. This creates your highlights (directions from S. Vallee's "Quick & Easy Antiquing").



• Apply black or brown paint and lacquer thinner to the surface of cleaned components. Allow to dry, then tumble in a rotating rock tumbler to clean up the high points and remove drips or globs.



• Place your components in a rotating rock tumbler. Spray black or brown spray paint into the tumbler, add 5 or 6 drops of paint thinner and tumble for a few hours. Then, lay the parts out on old newspaper to dry. This method provides slightly dulled highlights and a lot of dark in the crevices.

Actual Patinas: Simple household possibilities also exist for creating real patinas! Remember that, because this is a chemical process, the type of metal you treat will effect the end color of the patina achieved. For example, treated silver items will become covered with a black silver sulfide, and treated copper items will gain a bluish to greenish oxide or sulfide surface:

• Perhaps the safest (and slowest) homemade method is to use egg yolks. (Used cat litter and wet diapers also work, but we don't personally suggest those materials!) Once your components are thoroughly cleaned, simply immerse them in the egg yolk (or used litter/wet diapers) in a sealed plastic bag and wait.



• Another simple household method is to suspend your cleaned metal components over an open container of bleach. The disadvantage of this method is that you have to smell the not-so-nice bleach fumes. If possible, do this method in an isolated, well-ventilated area that you can stay away from during the process.



• With a few simple steps, you can add a patina to stamped raw brass charms and findings by baking them in the oven (directions from S. Vallee's "Aging Tips"). Once your parts are thoroughly clean, scrub (buff) them with fine steel wool. Then, soak your brushed components in vinegar and salt (approximately 1 tablespoon salt to 1 cup vinegar) for about an hour. Rinse thoroughly in warm water and, as soon as possible, lay them onto aluminum foil on a cookie sheet and bake at 450°F for 30 minutes to an hour. If blue or purple tones develop that you don't want, let the components cool, then quickly dip them in a 1-to-1 solution of vinegar and water and immediately rinse with cold water. Leaving them in the vinegar for too long will undo the antiquing you've already done—which can be a good way to recover a shiny component if you change your mind!

Professional Methods: Many books provide recipes for more technical and controlled ways to create your own patinas, including methods that add beautiful colors to metal components. We sell two such books:

• The Jeweler's Resource, by Bruce Knuth
• The Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes, by Jinks McGrath

Closing Thoughts: Whether you create antique finishes or patinas, whether you stick with homegrown methods or venture into more technical territory, be sure to always complete a small test batch first. This will help ensure desired results. When using store-bought solutions, always read the complete directions before using, and adhere to safety precautions. And, as always, have fun!

A Beneficial Book: Review of Marketing and Selling Your Handmade Jewelry

Learning how to make a profit as a jewelry artist is not an easy task! Not only do you have to make a great product, but also:

• create your brand and signature look
• figure out how to get your jewelry to the people who want to buy it, and
• run your own business (profitably!)

In under 100 pages, Lareau provides some great direction to entrepreneurial newbies on branding, distribution and turning a profit. Within a slim amount of space, the book presents a sound plan for getting started in the craft business. Probably the best advice is in chapter 3, where Lareau's straightforward approach takes the mystery out of pricing. Among other things, she suggests you "[l]ook at your handmade jewelry as more art than craft, and you will understand and appreciate its value more readily." Her pricing formula does a great job of factoring in the time and expense that truly go into each piece of jewelry while keeping the math simple. Averages are a beautiful thing!

Not all of Lareaus's advice is going to work for everyone. For example, she suggests doing your own photography, desktop publishing and Web site in order to maintain control over the finished products. (About the only thing Lareau is quick to hand over to other professionals is her taxes.) Such a strong DIY attitude might work for artisans with a lot of time, patience and/or exceptional technical aptitude, but can be a waste of time and energy for others. The strategy obviously does work for Lareau—her business has grown into two stores with multitudes of classes, regional shows, a new high-end jewelry line and more. However, readers should be realistic about their own skills before setting out to "do it all."

Having said that, Lareau's 20-plus years of experience (and success) in the beading industry greatly help to make this book credible. Attractive photographs of jewelry artists' designs and promotional materials illustrate her key points. So, even though you're on your own when it comes to to creating a great product, this book is definitely a useful tool for achieving the other steps necessary to turn your dream designs into real revenue.

R&T Employee Spotlight: Interview with Josie Arndt

Josie Arndt is a spirited member of our sales team. She was happy to talk with us about her life both in and out of the workplace. (In the accompanying image, Josie hams it up for the camera and dons an intricately-beaded Yoruba crown.)

R&T: Describe yourself briefly for our customers.
Josie: I'm 28 years fresh, a Pisces and a proud parent. I define my style as "dark eccentric."

R&T: How long have you worked at Rings & Things?
Josie: I've worked here for almost three years now.

R&T: What is your position/role in the company?
Josie: I primarily work in the sales department, taking orders over the phone.

R&T: What's your favorite part about working for R&T?
Josie: I became interested in working for Russ after learning of his management style. He treats us very well; we're all equals regardless of rank. My coworkers are more like family members, which makes "work" feel like anything but work. ... There are many great aspects to my job, actually. I enjoy creating and designing for our marketing department (making stuff is fun!). I love coming to work with such a fun-loving, eclectic group of individuals. And, honestly, I enjoy doing phone sales with our customers—y'all are some of the sweetest and most artistically talented people I've encountered.

R&T: Here, here! What's the most recent piece of jewelry you've designed for Rings & Things?
Josie: That would be the "I Love You To Death" bracelet design. It's been on display in our showroom recently.

R&T: How long have you been making jewelry?
Josie: Like a lot of girls, I started making friendship bracelets and simple things as a child, probably at eight or nine years old. At this point, I only make jewelry for personal décor or gifts for friends and family when I'm not making it at work for our flyers.

R&T: What are some of your personal interests?
Josie: I've always been into collecting unique rocks, so, of course, I love the fabulous variety of gemstones R&T carries (I often get carried away overspending on beads in our catalog or showroom that I just can't resist). It's so alluring, the concept that such a blunt simple object can contain such an abundance of complex beauty! ... I collect river rocks while camping. I take my kids camping as often as possible in the summers. We really love the lakes, rivers and expansive forestland in this region. There's nothing like laying on the beach at night, seeing a full sky of stars, undeterred by light pollution, and hearing the quiet sound of nature rather than the chaos of city life.

R&T: So, you're not very fond of city life?
Josie: Actually, I enjoy the buzz of the city, here and there, too. The kids and I love "park hopping" around Spokane; there's quite a diversity of parks in this town. And, I love rockin' out to a good punk rock show (on the rare occasion of relief via babysitter). In general, I bounce off the walls with my kids, am full of affection for my boyfriend and am an all-around silly spontaneous kid at heart.

R&T: Yah to that! Here's a kid-at-heart question for you. If you were an R&T stock item, what would you be?
Josie: I'd be Swarovski's 50mm crystal dreidel prism because it sparkles, it's not cheap, it spins and twirls for fun and, when the light hits it just right, it refracts rainbows of light! I'd like to think my "rainbow" extends to others, killing dark negative feelings and embracing the sunny-happy days life throws your way.

R&T: That's a healthy sentiment. Thanks, Josie, for taking the time to share a bit of yourself with our readers.

February's Free Jewelry Project

Here's an easy and functional design just in time for St. Patrick's Day and spring! Or, make a variation with red hearts for a last-minute Valentine's Day design. Help yourself and your customers keep track of keys in style with the "Have a Heart" key chain.

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 our "Have a Heart" key-chain design today.

Browse our February Frolics for last-minute Valentine's Days supplies, and Spring To It for spring seasonal supplies, including components for St. Patrick's Day, gardening and Easter.

R&T's String of Events: February 2008 Calendar

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

• 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: Glass-Pendant Necklace Project in our Spokane, WA warehouse.
• February 7-15: Rings & Things joins the gem-happy throng in Tucson. Come see us at the Gem and Lapidary Wholesalers show (GLW), booth #631/633 in the Holidome (10 am to 6 pm Feb 7-14, and 10 am to 3 pm Feb 15). Don't forget your wholesale ID (you'll need it to gain entrance).

• Saturday, March 1: Treasure Trade at the Spokane Art School, 9am-3pm, 920 N. Howard Street, Spokane, WA
• Sunday, March 2: Spokane Bead Frenzy – six hours of sales and jewelry-making demonstrations. Come visit us in our hometown for our 500th BeadTour show!
• Friday, March 14: BeadTour show in Houston, TX
• Saturday, March 15: BeadTour show in San Antonio, TX
• Sunday, March 16: BeadTour show in Austin, TX
• Tuesday, March 18: BeadTour show in Dallas, TX
• Wednesday, March 19: BeadTour show in Oklahoma City, OK
• Friday, March 21: BeadTour show in St. Louis, MO
• Saturday, March 22: BeadTour show in Kansas City, KS
• Monday, March 24: BeadTour show in Des Moines, IA
• Tuesday, March 25: BeadTour show in Omaha, NE
• Thursday, March 27: BeadTour show in Denver, CO
• Saturday, March 29: BeadTour show in Salt Lake City, UT
• Monday, March 31: BeadTour show in Boise, ID

Thanks!

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