I can't believe we're here - the final blog post in B'Sue Boutique's 2016 Build a Line Challenge (BALC)! It has been an incredible learning experience for me and I'm pleased to announce the first run of the All Jeweled in White collection!
Here is a short & sweet video introducing my new All Jeweled in White line. Press play & enjoy!
In this last session of BALC 2016, we spent a considerable amount of time discussing, well, time! I really thought through how I would manage the limited time I have available and made some serious decisions about the level of inventory I wanted to make, how I wanted to approach sales of my line, etc. I have listed the pieces in this post on Etsy at VintageCravens with the intention of adding more styles throughout the year. I sketched up over thirty designs for this line and more ideas are floating around in my head!
The simple, yet elegant, earrings above are an example of time management and branding for All Jeweled in White. I learned how to batch work for building jewelry and also designed hang cards to feature my new Vintage Cravens logo. I had a goal to make enough inventory to launch on April 1 to coincide with this post plus come up with packaging that will work for both selling online and in person. I'll be working on booth designs over the coming months for a show I'm doing with my Mom & sister in August. Stay tuned for more...
As the class progressed, we learned about branding. I learned so much over the past few years in running VintageCravens for vintage and antique jewelry, but this was a new experience for me in thinking through how to tie a line together. The photo above is an example of where I landed. I love the robin's egg blue color that was popular during the Art Nouveau movement, but decided to add a little gold and off white to my background to give it a more modern feel and to anchor everything in my photography for All Jeweled in White. I purchased some beautiful antique French love letters and will use them along with several books, lace and other timeless props in my photographs for this line. I love how the letters look with this beautiful pendant necklace featuring a vintage French filigree panel studded with rhinestones, pearls and crystals. This necklace is designed to go with the simple, elegant earrings I shared earlier in this post.
As I practiced jewelry making techniques during the BALC 2016, I felt drawn to the beautiful bird charms from B'Sue Boutiques like the one you see above. I love their timeless style and their ability to go from delicate to bold in an instant. For my All Jeweled in White line, I have used this sweet bird motif in several coordinating pieces including a long necklace, a choker and bracelet. All of the pieces work well together and with my elegant earrings as well as other earring designs in the line.
One of the most exciting things about my new line is a patina I created to replicate the beautiful calcium deposits found on bronze statues in many gardens across the states and abroad. I call this a 'calcified bronze' patina and have written a blog post about the inspiration for this patina here. This patina is on a few pieces in my new line and I will be adding more over time. As I was making these bracelets, I began exploring options to make them adjustable for multiple wearing options. I decided to do this with all of the bracelets I make by adding extender chains in just the right places and tipping them with crystals, pearls or antique brass beads to complete each design.
While the majority of the pieces in my line are made as multiples, I will continue to create one of a kind designs to top off All Jeweled in White. The example above, Lady in White Bib Necklace, is one of these pieces. I applied my calcified patina to a piece of polished raw brass giving the beautiful lady a whitewashed golden garden statue look. She is surrounded by vintage components, pearls and crystals and suspended from a beaded chain I made using vintage Japanese glass beads and Czech glass pearls. The Lady in White is also signed and dated. She is truly unique and there will never be another like her.
I hope you've enjoyed a peek at my new line (entire collection available at VintageCravens on Etsy). I have really enjoyed this class and am thankful for the opportunity to have met so many talented ladies while learning from one of the best artists in the industry - Brenda Sue Lansdowne of B'Sue Boutiques. I feel confident in taking the next steps to continue developing my All Jeweled in White line, taking it jewelry to local venues and the future possibility of wholesale options for boutiques wishing to sell my pieces.
This is the final post in a three post installment for the BALC 2016 blog hop (post 1 is available here). I hope you have enjoyed this journey as much as I have!
Have a wonderful spring!
Chris
In this last session of BALC 2016, we spent a considerable amount of time discussing, well, time! I really thought through how I would manage the limited time I have available and made some serious decisions about the level of inventory I wanted to make, how I wanted to approach sales of my line, etc. I have listed the pieces in this post on Etsy at VintageCravens with the intention of adding more styles throughout the year. I sketched up over thirty designs for this line and more ideas are floating around in my head!
 |
| All Jeweled in White - Elegant Drop Earrings in Pearl & Crystal |
The simple, yet elegant, earrings above are an example of time management and branding for All Jeweled in White. I learned how to batch work for building jewelry and also designed hang cards to feature my new Vintage Cravens logo. I had a goal to make enough inventory to launch on April 1 to coincide with this post plus come up with packaging that will work for both selling online and in person. I'll be working on booth designs over the coming months for a show I'm doing with my Mom & sister in August. Stay tuned for more...
 |
| All Jeweled in White - French Filigree Pendant Necklace |
As the class progressed, we learned about branding. I learned so much over the past few years in running VintageCravens for vintage and antique jewelry, but this was a new experience for me in thinking through how to tie a line together. The photo above is an example of where I landed. I love the robin's egg blue color that was popular during the Art Nouveau movement, but decided to add a little gold and off white to my background to give it a more modern feel and to anchor everything in my photography for All Jeweled in White. I purchased some beautiful antique French love letters and will use them along with several books, lace and other timeless props in my photographs for this line. I love how the letters look with this beautiful pendant necklace featuring a vintage French filigree panel studded with rhinestones, pearls and crystals. This necklace is designed to go with the simple, elegant earrings I shared earlier in this post.
 |
| All Jeweled in White - Long Necklace with Bird Charm, Pearls & Crystals |
As I practiced jewelry making techniques during the BALC 2016, I felt drawn to the beautiful bird charms from B'Sue Boutiques like the one you see above. I love their timeless style and their ability to go from delicate to bold in an instant. For my All Jeweled in White line, I have used this sweet bird motif in several coordinating pieces including a long necklace, a choker and bracelet. All of the pieces work well together and with my elegant earrings as well as other earring designs in the line.
 |
| All Jeweled in White - Calcified Bronze Lily Bracelet with Pearl & Crystal Drops |
One of the most exciting things about my new line is a patina I created to replicate the beautiful calcium deposits found on bronze statues in many gardens across the states and abroad. I call this a 'calcified bronze' patina and have written a blog post about the inspiration for this patina here. This patina is on a few pieces in my new line and I will be adding more over time. As I was making these bracelets, I began exploring options to make them adjustable for multiple wearing options. I decided to do this with all of the bracelets I make by adding extender chains in just the right places and tipping them with crystals, pearls or antique brass beads to complete each design.
 |
| All Jeweled in White - Lady in White Bib Necklace |
While the majority of the pieces in my line are made as multiples, I will continue to create one of a kind designs to top off All Jeweled in White. The example above, Lady in White Bib Necklace, is one of these pieces. I applied my calcified patina to a piece of polished raw brass giving the beautiful lady a whitewashed golden garden statue look. She is surrounded by vintage components, pearls and crystals and suspended from a beaded chain I made using vintage Japanese glass beads and Czech glass pearls. The Lady in White is also signed and dated. She is truly unique and there will never be another like her.
 |
| All Jeweled in White - Loop Drop Earrings |
I hope you've enjoyed a peek at my new line (entire collection available at VintageCravens on Etsy). I have really enjoyed this class and am thankful for the opportunity to have met so many talented ladies while learning from one of the best artists in the industry - Brenda Sue Lansdowne of B'Sue Boutiques. I feel confident in taking the next steps to continue developing my All Jeweled in White line, taking it jewelry to local venues and the future possibility of wholesale options for boutiques wishing to sell my pieces.
Have a wonderful spring!
Chris
BALC 2016 Blog Hop
Be sure to visit the talented students in the BALC 2016 class. I am amazed at the amount of work these talented ladies have been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time.
