I Need A Little Help From My Friends!

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I Need A Little Help From My Friends!

by Maryanne Murphy
(Atlanta, Ga)

A little help from my friends

Making jewelry for me is a pretty solitary process. I by choice and physical disability can spend days in my home hunkered down in my studio happy as a clam.

However, sometimes I can't "see" my work and need others eyes to help me, and I am asking that of you my friends.

You may or may not like skulls, and if you don't just look at them as a bead. I need to know which design is most appealing and/or what can I change...and reasons if you can give them. Pretty much look at proportion, design and texture.

Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback I know I will receive!

Maryanne
Maryanne Murphy
Biker Chic Jewelry
On the Rocks Gemstone Jewelry

Comments for
I Need A Little Help From My Friends!

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colors
by: Kathy

I rather like the white skull with black beads the best.

Agree
by: Irene

I agree w/Kathy. White and black are the best

Skulls! YAHHHH!
by: Barbara

I thought I was the only one who liked skulls (well... along with my customers ;-)

I have been told over and over, "Put some red in there and your stuff will sell," so I'll be contrary and go with the red and black. Maybe break the colours up a little so they're not too balanced, as well. It's the oddball colour hit/combo that's going to attract and lead your eye, so you have to figure out what you want the focus really to be, with the other parts having just enough oomph to keep your eye moving in and around the whole earring.

Barbara
www.barbaramacdougall.com
www.artefaccio.blogspot.com
www.artefaccio.deviantart.com

Skulls
by: Janet

Why not do some of each one.. Seems like every one likes either or.. Put them out there and see which ones sell better.. I like the black and white but there is always some one who ask for some other color, so why not do both...

plain is my vote
by: Abby

I like the simpler designs best--the plain white skull or red skull with black beads. I like the others as well, but for my taste they are a bit long for earrings.

Variety is the spice of life
by: Delia Stone

My advice is do not limit yourself to one style. Put the various styles out and allow your customers to decide for you which ones you should create again and again as likely there will be more than one favorite style as the comments here already reflect. It doesn't make sense to limit yourself. If you do shows, putting them on your table and allowing your customers to view and react to them can tell you a lot. Sometimes sitting back and ease-dropping on the conversation between shoppers about them can tell you more than a direct question posed to your shoppers. Remember that variety is the spice of life.

Why pick just one?
by: Tracey

Maryanne, I like all of them. My choice for the day would be based on my outfit and where I'm going. I'd be willing to bet some of your customers might like to have more than one style too. However, if I could only have one pair, I'd have to flip a coin for #3 and #5.

What a great variety to offer your customers.

Tracey
mycorabella.com

All of them!
by: Annette

I would have to second (or third?) the comment about not limiting yourself. Each design has an appeal to someone different. Personally, my favorite was the red rose and skull on the ball and coil hook. Though I certainly wouldn't turn down any of these earrings!

Skulls
by: Theresa

Hey, I like them all! Everyone has their own personalities so should your jewelry!
My fave are the ones with the black flowers, but again I love the ones with the red too! I bet you sell alot of them all!

Great Skulls!
by: Verna M.

If you have access to black or orange skulls, perhaps you could try using those along with black/orange roses. These would appeal to the biker chic crowd. They're always looking for these colors. Nice work!

Skull Earrings
by: Ricki

I was first drawn to the third one - with the black rose and then to the other black & white one. But ultimately, I agree with most of the others...do some of all of them. The black and red are also eye catching. I say, go with variety. I have never really been big on skulls - but these are very cool earrings.

Fun style!
by: Lynda

Since you have used an unexpected mix of elements...skull, crystals, flowers...perhaps try an unexpected design format.
Namely, assymetrical. One earring's layout is the opposite of the other. Or one earring's bead colors are the opposite of the other one. p.s. my favorite is the red and black. Go forth and bead!

Lynda Carson
Fresh Baked Designs
http://freshbakedesigns.wordpress.com

I agree, variety is the spice of life!
by: Marcy

My favorites are #3 & #5. But I don't personally like the bicone crystals wired to the earwires. Maybe a different shape of bead would appeal to me. But selling at shows has shown me over and over that it takes all kinds, and there's a buyer for every style. And the ones I HATE seem to sell quickest lol.

You Are All SO amazing
by: Maryanne Murphy

Wow!!! I got A LOT of help from my friends...and so quickly!!! You'll must do what I do...open Rena's e-mails first:) Thank you all so very much for your "eyes."

After I posted this for your "trained eyes," I had an idea, not original, but it was the first time I thought about it.

I put the photo up on Biker Chic and asked "the family" which they liked.

This is what I found out:

1. I got a response from 15 people with-in a matter of minutes..I also ran a little contest that someone would get a pair of the earrings they liked for free.

2. This is amazing.....the break down was the same. Most liked 2nd from the left. 2nd was the white & black rose, and last was the white with red.....and several people liked them all!!!

Just to let you all know I did do a different style that everyone loved...especially the all black...I do have black skulls:) Will post it.

It's interesting that the pink didn't enter the running. That the 2nd from the right black & white was liked more then the first (proportion, I believe) and one red rose was picked over the other. Which suggests to me why people would hesitate to purchase a color combination they like because "it doesn't feel right."

THAT'S EXACTLY why I needed your help so badly. I couldn't distinguish the proportional difference between the 1st & 2nd black & white skull. All I did was flip the teardrop bead over, but it obviously made a BIG difference. Of course, you all gave me feedback on a lot more which I so appreciate. I find this skull bead very difficult to work with because the head is just hanging in the air...but there is still something very appealing to his wide grin.

Just so you know, they are carved howlite.

I thank you all again, my friends for your feedback and positive comments!!!:)

Black and White
by: ginette70

I agree, the black and white ones are the cutest. Something about black and white that you just can't go wrong with. The red and white ones are cute, too, don't get me wrong, but the black and white ones rule! Great work!!

Looks good.
by: Anonymous

I like the second one from the left, but I also like the black flower, I would put a small black bead first, then the white skull, then the black flower hanging below. And I like the red flower with the skull also, all the way to the right.
I have to remind myself that I can't always make stuff that I like when going to shows, because not everyone has the same taste as me. :)

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