Offer Ends April 1st

My March newsletter came out today and with it a special price for my Gem Tree Sculptures book. What's the deal? Instead of paying $17.99 you will only pay $10.00 for the book. Yes, that's right, but only for a limited time. How can you get this deal? Sign up for my newsletter, you can always unsubscribe later if you don't like it. Go to my web site and sign up (lower left hand corner), I'll get the notice and will send you a copy of the newsletter with the coupon code in it. Simple. Oh, and I also have gem tree supplies and kits on sale too.

Here is my web site info. http://danasjewelrydesign.com

Don't wait too long.

Cheers, Dana

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Special Price on Gem Tree Sculptures book

Finally made it back from vacation. I had 9 orders for small gem trees before I left, due 3/31 to be mailed and thought, I'll just take my tree making stuff with me since we are driving and in the evenings just whip them out. Yea, right. I made a few branches for one tree and then promptly put the stuff away and never got back to it so now you guessed it, I'll be making trees this week. Making the trees is usually no problem if I have free time, I just didn't have any on vacation. Humm, I guess that is what vacation is for.

So, this is a celebration post and one you can benefit from. I am teaching at the Puget Sound Bead Festival in July my first time at that bead show and have 4 spots left in my class, yea. I'm so glad it was well received. If you are interested in taking that class here is the link to that site - PSBF.

Also, I will be running a special on my book Gem Tree Sculptures on my ArtFire studio for those that sign up for my newsletter. Go to my web site to sign up - HERE. Bottom left. If you don't have my book and have been wanting to get it, it will be well worth your while to sign up to get the discount. Newsletter will be posted by next Monday the 22nd so hurry and sign up now as this will be a limited time offer.

I guess I better get busy making those trees now.

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New Use for Jewelry Tree - Easter Egg Tree

I was wandering around aimlessly in Michael's craft store the other day and found this great pink wire so I just had to buy it. I am a sucker for colored wire for these little trees. This style is the Jewelry Tree in my book and tutorial but in this instance I have made it into an Easter Egg Tree.

You can purchase the tutorial from my ArtFire studio (see Rapid Cart at the right). I'm already picturing a Halloween tree out of black wire....humm.

If you have already purchased my book or this tutorial and are wondering about the wire, I used 18 gauge colored copper. Very lightweight. It came 3 yards to a package so I had to buy 3 packages to have enough to make this large a tree.

Dana

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Book Marketing

I have this hard time selling myself or my book. I know the book is good, but how do I sell it without coming across as bragging? Today was my day to try to get more vendors selling my book. I had taken a book to Shipwreck Beads (very large bead shop) in Lacey, WA and left it for their book buyer to review a couple of weeks ago. I decided today was the day to follow up and call him to make sure he had received it. He had and ordered 6 books, now I know that doesn't seem like a lot, but it is a step in the door and that was what I was hoping for. I also took a book to The Bead Factory here in Tacoma for the owner to review and to make an appointment with her. I still have yet to hear back but I'm sure I will.

It has taken me awhile to feel comfortable enough to get out and do some of this marketing in person, but I figure if I don't do it no one else will. I still have yet to make it up to Jerry's Rock Shop in Renton. I sent an e-mail, but if they are like me, ignore those messages, so an in person visit is in order.

The other marketing that I still need to do is to get postcards sent to all the local gem and mineral clubs. I try to do as many gem and mineral shows as possible during show season, but not all shows have the room for a demonstrator. I'm still waiting to see if I get into the Bellevue show at the end of this month.

If anyone has any other marketing ideas for my book, please let me know. I think I'm ready to give them a try.

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Wow, What's Happened?

The past couple of weeks have just been booming for gem trees, gem tree kits and books. I'm not sure what has happened, but I like it. We demonstrated at the Southern Washington Gem & Rock show in Castle Rock, WA last weekend. It was amazing. We sold 11 trees and 5 books on a two day show and we weren't even vendors. My husband did teach a young girl to make her own tree and then she turned around and spent her money to buy a tree for her mother. What a great hobby. We have reduced the price of our trees at these shows to allow for more sales since we are making them left and right. They just accumulate here at home, so I figure someone else can enjoy them in their home for awhile. I didn't push the book too much which is probably why I only sold 5, but combine that with the order I received this week for 12 books and it was a great week of book sales.

In other news, I have started my outline for the next book. I'm thinking it will be called "Gem Tree Sculptures II". Yes, not too original, but follows the first book and does let people know that there must be a book one. So far, I'm planning on including some instructions for accessories to add to your existing trees and some more advanced features for larger trees. I do have plans for new tree designs like my palm tree and a couple of new willow type trees. I may even have a chapter on how to design your own tree. What I haven't decided yet is if I will add any more gemstone lore or healing gemstone information. Still thinking about that one as making a gem tree is very therapeutic.

I'm still working on a special vendor order of 10 small gem trees. I'm almost complete and just need to get them mounted on a rock base before mailing. This is a vendor that will be a the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show in February. If you have never been to this show it is huge with gem, mineral, bead and rock shows at every venue in Tucson. We went last year and only made it to a few of the shows, before we were tired of looking at rocks and gems.

If some of you are wondering where I get my supplies for my gem trees, I go to a local bead shop in Lacey, WA called Shipwreck Beads. They also have an online store. This is one of the largest bead shops you will ever go into. Simply amazing with all the various beads and supplies. I did take my book along with a vendor order sheet and leave it with their book buyer so hopefully I'll get some book orders from them. If you want to check out their web site, here is the address: http://www.shipwreckbeads.com/. Here one of the new trees I'm working on that includes freshwater pearls and glass leaves.

Enjoy and have a great day.

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Tenino Gem & Mineral Show

Well we made it through the weekend and now we have to get ready for Montana. My palm tree didn't turn out like I wanted it to... (not "Master" quality), so it won't be in my case. Maybe for my National title I'll get it all figured out.

These are a few pic's from the show with me and my student, he learned quick and then his sister made a tree with his help. He was 11 and she was 7, just the right ages and they were very attentive. As you can see I did have some of my books there and sold several to the vendors and show goers. The biggest seller was our small "recession" trees. These are little $5.00 trees that we make on little bases that were either given to us or we were able to pick up for less than $1.00. At small shows like this, it is always best to have reasonably priced items, so my show type trees were not at this show. I think the most expensive tree was $50.00.

The book is so self explanatory that I don't think a beginner will have any problem making a tree for the first time as long as they start with the small mini tree and not start with a tree that has 5 limbs and 15 branches.

As we are in Montana next week with the show and my workshops, I most likely won't post an update on whether I get "Masters" until I return...but just in case I have free time, I'm taking my net book computer.

Stay tuned and wish me luck.

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Gem Tree Book update

Yes, I now have books for sale on my 1000 Markets and ArtFire shop. Soon I'll be posting it on Etsy along with kits and finished trees. Please feel free to check out both shops if you are interested in purchasing a book. The publisher Trafford.com also has the book in their bookstore.

Here are the links to my shops:

www.danasjewelrydesign.artfire.com
www.danasjewelrydesign.1000markets.com

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Thanks. Oh and if you have e-mailed me to let you know when the books are published, that e-mail will be going out this week.

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Book is Finished...Yes Again

I received the final proof copy and it is good. I've order my copies and the book is available on the Trafford web site HERE. It has been a long road and I won't really consider it complete until I have all my printed copies in hand (end of next week), but just knowing that what the publisher has available is good is making me happy.

Next on my list is my two additional competition trees for Montana that need to be completed by the end of this month as well as my display case liners. I have the first tree almost completed, but I'm now trying to decide if it needs more stones. It is the Down Under tree (instructions in the book) made with faceted carnelian briolettes. I thought adding some peridot would bring a little bit more life into it, but it isn't working for me....maybe some freshwater pearls. I'll post a picture when I have it completed. The second tree I haven't even started and it will be the most challenging. It is a palm tree with braided wire branches and a woven wire trunk. This one may have to be on the small scale in order to complete it by show time.

I hope everyone is having a great Summer so far and I'll try not to wait so long between posts this next time. If you just can't get enough of me and want to read my daily blog about all the happenings check out THIS.

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The Book Proof is HERE

Okay I received in the mail last night a copy of the book hard copy proof and not just the eproof. I'm a little disappointed and sent an email to the publisher about the print quality, so we shall see if they can fix the problems. I'm so ready for this book to be finished. I'll take some pictures this weekend and post them again.

Off to the gem and mineral club annual show. More to come.

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