Jewelry Stands

 One of my revamping projects for my business is to take better pictures and making a better display, while still on a budget.  I want everything to look professional, but when your money is funny, you have to make do.  Here comes my version of DIY jewelry displays.    Let me show you what I mean. 

I found these acrylic cases at my local thrift shop

30 cents is not bad, plus they come apart for additional storage of business cards, bracelets or earrings.   Ya think?

Sorry about the mess.  Sometimes, I create better in total disarray.    I found this photo frame at another thrift shop.  The frame was surrounded by glass beads.  I stripped the beads(to be shown later).  The backing was just the right size for a earring display. 

I added white board, trimmed off the excess, and punched to holes for the earrings to hand from.  At a garage sale, I purchased this photo frame.   Unfortunately I did not take a pic of the beaded frame or the glass.  I plan to use the left over   glass as another back drop when taking pictures.  Waste not want not. 

I can't believe my luck.  I found this lighted display at the same thrift shop.  Only $1.50.   Now I can use an under light to help when taking pictures.  

This is how it looks in a dark room.   I will post my pic after using this light, so you all can see.  Get it?  Never mind that spot in the upper right hand corner.  I plan to paint that and use a bulb with a higher wattage, say about 75 daylight.  This should give my pic's even more definition.   We shall see.

Here is what I am really excited about.  I found this piece at another garage sale.  Only $1.00.    Can you guess what I am going to do?

When you put the pieces together, this is what you have.   I plan to make something else.  I decided I needed something white to showcase my necklaces.   This was the perfect stand.

I traced  the shape on to white board.  I cut two pieces, front and back.

Next, I taped both pieces to the side of a white box that I already had.

Here is the side view.  This old box will help this display stand up.

I used tape strips to adhere the cutout to the display.

Here is one side of the finished(well semi finished) display.  I plan to cover the bottom again with more white board.  If not, I can always crop out the bottom.

As you can see, all I need to do is trim the excess.  

As my creativity holds out, I shall be making more displays.  Stay tune. 

New Jo-Ann's

There is a new store in town.  It is called Jo-Ann Fabrics.    Well I guess it is not new, but it does have a new location.  They sent out flyer's for the grand opening this pass weekend. I was unable to attend the 2 day event(I know, I am still crying too), but I did make it this pass Sunday.   The store looks impressive, compared to its other location. It is bigger, brighter and full of all the fun things we jewelry, crafts, artist, seamstress, decorators need to complete a project.   I made a bee line to the beads section.  I was in awe.  The inventory has taken on a life of its own.  Beads galore.  And not just any beads, but new beads(and some better prices I might add), findings, glue, books.  I found earring kits in Pink, Blue, Black, Orange, Red,.  Beading kits to embellish your clothes, purse, head bands, shoes.  New clasps,claws, hooks and wires.   The beading wire was plentiful.  I finally found some large kidney hooks(shout out the buyer).  The  sales were fantastic.   I was in beading heaven.  My mind was racing.  Everywhere I turned it was something new. Instead of the one sheet instructions, they have little booklets with instruction on how to use the findings in several different ways.  I liked that, I really liked that. I would love to meet the buyer.  She, He or them did an excellent job. I commend them.  If this is the trend that beading is going into, then, let me ride till the cows home(I never have understood that expression.  I did not know cows ran away.  What is worse is that I am using the expression).  I felt like I kid in a candy store.  I admit, I do not go out and buy the new craze, but I think I am going to start very soon.

Now my one little hiccup with the new Jo-Ann's is that the style is similar to Micheal's craft store.  The look and fill of the store reminded me of being in a Michael's store. Down to the layout. HMMMMMMMMMM.  Other than that, it has what I need to satisfy my craving for beads, and paper crafts and any other creating I want to do. 

Once I stopped drooling; and going Oh, Ah, I picked out two things(they were on sale for a $1.20 each) and hurried to the cashier before the temptation to buy some more reared its ugly head.  Plus, all I had was $5.00. My in tended,  big spending spree would have been halted due to the lack of funds.   Before leaving the store, I took one more walk around the bead section.  As my hands sailed across the strands of beads, my mind begin to wonder and I was lost in my own little beading world.  In that moment I saw, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, and other beads to use to accessorize and made by of course me.   If the funds would have cooperated, I would have brought almost every bead and finding in the store.  I don't know how long I stood there,in my haze.  Good thing someone else came into the aisle and I came to myself.   No matter what, I am always going to find a new bead or finding that will excited me.  We will be always improving and restyling.  

I will probably go back to Jo-Ann's and check out some of the other wonderful creations that they have.  Jo-Ann, thanks for reawakening my creativity spirit once again, if only for an hour or so.