The Beginning of Business

     Last week we published a letter from a reader in Portugal who is making jewelry on a very tight budget.  I told her that we went through similar experiences when we were first starting out.

     Response:  Yes, I too have seen those days, especially as a young single mother.  I shopped mostly at garage sales and thrift shops for years.  Even though I no longer need to be so thrifty, I really learned how to get by on so little.  I have bought jewelry next to nothing and taken it apart and remade many pieces.  I have found necklaces made of beads and findings that were very old, cleaned them and reworked them.  I would add new beads and findings from shops.  The possibilities are endless.  This is such an inexpensive way to find quantity and a lot of times quality.  Necklaces are especially great as there are so many beads in one. 

     Hang in there as you never know when the tide will turn!  Best of Luck!

     Question:  My friend and I are both in 10th grade and love making all sorts of jewelry.  We make hemp stuff, earrings, necklaces, bracelets and someof our own creations.  For the past 1 and 1/2 years we have just be selling them to friends or people we meet.  To expand this what would you suggest doing, finding a store and selling it there, a market, internet, eBay or something else?  What would you suggest?

     Answer:  Thank you for your e-mail.  This is the time of year when people are buying gifts and there are a lot of opportunities for selling items.  Church and school bazaars are an inexpensive and profitable place to sell your items. 

     Another very successful place to sell your items is at home parties.  You might ask your mother to invite some friends over for a jewelry party.  This is fun and profitable.

     You might want to try selling a few things on eBay.  Start with a few items to see what works for you.

     Look for places to sell your jewelry that don't cost a lot of money.