So I can't believe that

we're into the second week of November already. New York is getting cold, and I wish it was June. I am not a cold weather person. But it is what it is and I'll have to deal with it.

OK, I'm not a music critic, but I am a fan ... 4:13 Dream by The Cure is AWESOME. I cannot recommend it more highly. This is a really good new album. Buy it. You'll be happy you did.

So ... the site is doing well. I just set up a new shopping cart. This one is more secure and has more features, and it was very confusing for me to set up - good thing I have some experience with this stuff, so it only took a few days to get everything working properly. The cart is actually easier to use, and allows me to offer more options, so ... I added Google Checkout as a payment option. It must be more popular than I thought, because I've had a few shoppers use it already.

I sold a 20 inch long 9.1mm cable chain this weekend; been a while since someone ordered one of those. That is a big and heavy cable. I have a lot of new jewelry to take pictures of and put up ...

Saturday morning ...

Still very quiet ... but plenty going on here. Just made a bracelet! Checked my site optimization and I'm very happy with the results. This week was another link building week ... just makes the site stronger. Got into the Best of the Web Directory, and also about six smaller ones ... My creative urges are strong lately and I'm thinking about NEW designs ... I'll get 'em up here when I make them ... soon!

A good week ...

This week I made ten rings, and actually put most of them into the Etsy store. Seems like things are getting a bit better ... shipped packages every day this week. And this week the site is in the top ten for "handmade silver jewelry" - so now it ranks well for both the handcrafted and handmade keyword search terms. It's nice to reach a tough goal ...

So today I have a chain to ship ... and then I'm gonna see if I can get creative again! I have so much stuff to work with ... I buy all these parts and materials and then don't have time to put stuff together. Just have to make time, that's all ...

Spent a few hours yesterday submitting the site to directories. I have people pestering me to do link exchanges - especially now with the site at the top. I do WANT to exchange links but it has to be the right way, and they all want to do a triangular or 3 way link ... cause it fools the search engines into thinking you've got one way incoming links. But sooner or later the bots figure it out when they start going in a loop ... and the SE devalues the site as a result. So even though they charge a fee to "evaluate" your site directory links are the best kind ...

I am going to do my best to keep the site where it is. Not gonna be easy ...

OK, so I'm a bad blogger!

Yeah, I know. I've been neglecting the ole blog. Sure, I AM busy, but I could write about it ...

So we're not doing street fairs this year. Learned THAT lesson. Kinda stinks being inside working on the PC all day. Every day. Lately, even on weekends ... but we're getting stuff done.

Learned some lessons the hard way. The blog advertising I was paying for was actually costing us more than money. I saw a couple of webmaster blogs that mentioned the name of the ad service I was using in a very bad way ... apparently Google was punishing sites that sold - and bought - ads through them. My site was perfect, but I couldn't get to the top of the Google search results. So I thought "maybe this is why" ... and ended the advertising after almost two years. And ... two months later ...

The site is now in the top ten results for the search term "handcrafted silver jewelry" on Google. Not only is this saving us $220.00 a month in advertising fees ... but we're getting more sales!

Today I did a Google Base feed for my chains. Next I'm gonna do the jewelry in our Etsy store ...

I really should have blogged about the two times we went to see the Cure in NYC ... WOW!

Started a NEW Etsy shop. Not much in it, yet ... but there will be:

http://eclecticCrafts.etsy.com

I'll do my best to visit again soon ... Bob

Precious Metals are in Demand -- Why Jewelry Prices have Increased Dramatically

Our world is growing every day. Not the planet, of course -- but technology has made it possible for people living just about anywhere to live better, healthier more comfortable lives. Growing markets and manufacturing centers have raised the standard of living worldwide. Of course it hasn’t helped everyone, but it is great to see people in China, India and many other countries becoming more prosperous.

People buy much more than necessities like food items and basic clothing when they can afford to do so. Everyone likes nice things. Luxury items -- high end cars, designer clothing, travel and jewelry have become status symbols in these up and coming places just as they have been for many years in the United States and much of Europe.

Increased demand for precious metal has risen along with this economic growth. There are many uses for these materials other than jewelry making. Gold is the best conductor of electricity; it is used extensively in the electronics industry. Silver is unsurpassed as a conductor of heat and is one of the best reflectors known. It is in great demand for manufacturing many of the things we use every day.

Precious metals are a limited resource. They truly are rare and the increased worldwide demand drives prices higher. It is a classic example of the supply and demand principle.

Three years ago silver was less than $5.00 an ounce. As I write this, the ounce price is close to $18.00. The price of gold has increased over $600.00 per ounce in the same time period; today the ounce price is about $930.00.

Jewelers don’t have it easy these days. The raw material they use costs much more, and it is becoming hard to carry stock – the investment is in many cases prohibitive.

Many jewelers are using copper in their designs. Copper has also seen dramatic price increases, but is still very affordable. Combining copper with sterling takes advantage of their contrasting colors, which can be very attractive.

Leather, ribbon and rubber cords are being used in place of chain to hold pendants.

Many newer styles are lighter, made with thinner stock. Pierced designs and filigree are making a comeback. These techniques produce large size pieces with lower weight.

Beaded styles are more popular than ever. Many of them use very little precious metal -- gold and silver beads are hollow, so they give jewelry a “big” look with little weight.

Of course, people will always wear jewelry. Gold and silver will always be the materials of choice. Higher prices prompt creativity; innovative design can help keep pendants and earrings affordable by using these limited resources sparingly. Less can be beautiful.

For information on the care and cleaning of sterling and 14K, please visit this article:
Jewellery Care

Article written by Robert Edwards ©2008. Robert is a jeweler and metalsmith, and is webmaster of http://www.jewelry24seven.com/.

This article may be linked and used as content on blogs and websites conditionally ... ALL content - links, author, copyright - must not be changed in ANY way - it must appear exactly as the article appears above.

So ... We're into April ...

I have been doing the basic stuff that I never seem to have time for lately. My BIG project was my site's link directory. That took me over two weeks of dedicated work. It went from over 800 links to about 335. I had to visit every url, and most were either 404 pages, placeholders for domain resellers or sites that simply don't link back - many without any links at all. I expect the search engine spiders will be very happy with this housecleaning ...

I do try to make jewelry ... it is good for me to get away from the computer for a while. The extremely talented glass artist Tara C. of Combustion Glassworks made some fabulous dichroic cabochons for me, and I've had lots of fun making pieces with them - see our Etsy Mini above.

I miss going out to sell. I would LOVE to do a few craft fairs. No more street fairs, though. And we have done the flea market thing to death. It is just NOT worth the time. Or expense.

I have been considering selling through retail boutiques. I don't sell through any at present but may approach a few. I have lots of opportunities here in NYC ... there are small upscale shops in every borough.

I had three articles written for us, and have written four myself. Please feel free to copy them and use them as content on your blog or website ... the author information, links and copyright information must not be altered and must appear as it does in the original. Here they are ...

http://www.majon.com/articles/Jewelry/handcrafted_silver_jewelry_1116.html

http://www.majon.com/articles/Jewelry/handcrafted_silver_jewelry_1118.html

http://www.majon.com/articles/Jewelry/handcrafted_silver_jewelry_1119.html

http://ezinearticles.com/?Sterling-Silver-Jewelry---The-Affordable-Alternative&id=154176

http://ezinearticles.com/?Handcrafted-Jewelry---What-Makes-It-Special?&id=1032635

http://ezinearticles.com/?Recycled-Fine-Silver---Is-Your-Jewelry-Green?&id=1036543

http://ezinearticles.com/?Sterling-Silver-Chain---Why-Is-It-So-Popular?&id=1039453

Busy ...

I can't believe its MARCH! I have been working very hard on the Etsy business and the website. This takes time, and I know that. It has its ups and downs, but I have seen a general improvement in the website's visibility. And of course we are always making new jewelry.

I wrote an article for the Etsy Jet team blog :

http://jewelryonetsyteam.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html

The new installment is coming soon!

We are participating in the St Patricks Day Treaure Hunt ... Come play with the Jets! See the : JET blog for details ...

UPDATE: Running the JET Blog ...!

February!

I am SO happy its February! To me, it means the winter is on its way out ... and that brings lots of activity and new opportunities. The Super Bowl is over, baseball is on the way and everything turns green soon. We're planning on doing some craft fairs this year instead of the street fair circuit, and our focus on handcrafted jewelry has given us a great basis to build on.

I have so many things going on "the stove" right now I don't have time to think. But I know it'll all work out well ... I have increased our web presence quite a bit and we're in a good place now. If the economy doesn't tank we'll do just fine.

I am very happy we joined the JET Team on Etsy. I firmly believe working with them will help us sell more there, AND also think that I can contribute a lot to the group. We are going to contribute a prize for the St. Patricks Day Treasure Hunt, and will be participating - so watch for an announcement here - I'll post the details when they become available!

Still selling handcrafted rings and more on Jewelry24Seven ...

Etsy JET Team

We decided to join the Etsy JET team. This is a group of jewelry sellers on Etsy that have joined to help each other promote their shops. I have always felt there is a real benefit to having a membership in a union, trade association etc, and this in a way is very similar. I look forward to contributing what I can - ten years online has taught me quite a few things about marketing, SEO and customer service. I am also sure I can learn a lot from team members - there are new things I don't know about and the team members there are happy to share. I think its going to work out very well. Please visit the JET Team Store and the JET Blog (links on the left).

UPDATE ...

2013 ... still a JET member, and a Team Leader ... LOVE the JETS!

Back to work ...

So ... the holiday season is over, and its time to get serious about work again. We are planning what looks to be an active year; and forming a plan that will transform our business completely - from selling commercial silver jewelry to almost all handcrafted silver jewelry.

The emphasis is now on our own designs. We have been making new jewelry, and will be branching out into other jewelry forms. Many of the commercial items we have now will be used to make new handcrafted items - as component parts. Our kiln will be used more often. The one notable exception - we will continue to sell Bali silver jewelry as its handmade nature compliments our new direction. And of course silver chain will play a big part in what we do.

I have been optimizing the site for new keyword terms and have done well. The site has recently been added to several major directories and I have been adding relevant, highly ranked link partner sites. I expect we'll see an improvement soon. I do check, but don't want to get specific. I will say the site now ranks at #2 on the first page at Live.com (MSN search) for my target keyword. Not bad, but .. if that happens on Google I will do a REAL happy dance ...

Next on the list is our Etsy shop. I have new jewelry to list ... I have to take pictures of it. I added our Etsy shop to the listings at craftfaironline.com and at entireweb.com so the links will be picked up by search engines. I have also been looking at several Etsy "street teams" - groups of Etsy sellers who join to promote their shops.

MainStreetMallOnline is another venue I need to pay attention to. That also is a place we sell our handmade jewelry, and it needs some work. I have room to put a lot more stuff in the store ... I just need to make time for it, and will.

We are DETERMINED to find a good place to sell outside (offline). Artists and Fleas is good ... but not busy enough with customers looking for what we have on a steady basis. Our jewelry runs to the expensive side, and most people need an occasion to buy it. We are looking into a less expensive line for places like A&F. We want steady offline work ... not just at Holiday time.

The blog. I love it. But I am SOooooo busy ... Doesn't matter. I am GOING to post more often.

Back to work on Jewelry24Seven ...