• Alone Star Jewelry

    Valentine’s is ON! and other…stuff

    Greetings once again. Why, it’s time to publish to the blog! Be sure to check our website for jewelry pieces that would be perfect for this next & sweet holiday..we have necklaces, earrings, and bracelets that fall into that category. I was taking a walk with the dog the other day (no, I was actually walking the dog–I am a Cesar fan), and musing about what my next blog post would be about. I am still somewhat foggy about the matter. Here are a few strays that are but surface observations and explanations that lack deeper meaning at this time…..We have new pieces that have been posted to the site:…

  • Alone Star Jewelry

    A change for 2007

    Greetings once again; now that the holidays have passed and our resolutions are in our faces it is time to set our sights not just to the future but to open our eyes to now. Our sister-in-law is undergoing her initial chemo treatments for breast cancer, and last night her hair finally let go–now she is bald. This makes one realize, and in her words, that for many of us the next 16 hours, the next stretch of awake time, should be the most important hours of our lives. Those exempt thus far from such huge and monstrous situations have to strive to appreciate our gifts, and I personally plan…

  • Artwork

    Steerhead Wall Art

    I wanted to post a picture or two of the steerhead wall pieces I like to make. I buy frames from flea markets, secondhand shops and other like institutions and back them with masonite and paper, then attach the steerheads and finish with acrylic paint. The story behind them is that about 17 years ago I was teaching high school art in a small east Texas town and there came a day when we needed to decorate our door for an alma mater contest. Being a Longhorn, the inspiration for the steerheads was born and we won the contest. Not wanting to throw away the precious little creations I decided…

  • Selling at Shows

    Our Bazaar Experience

    The bazaar is over, has been for a couple of weeks now, and we were very pleased, selling more than twice what we sold last year, and continuing to sell for Christmas via the website. Since this is all new for us, the show once again was a learning experience as we figured out what works and what doesn’t. We had several returning customers, and all but one of them (and she promised a buy through the website once she knew a bracelet length) bought again. One customer even told us we were the next James Avery! I took that as a compliment, but I doubt that will happen–it isn’t…

  • Alone Star Jewelry

    New Grasses Necklace

    This is the necklace I am working on now; it is the partner to the Grasses bracelet that was previously posted. I am lengthening it because the beads are large at about 8-9mm wide. Some of the chain from the bracelet will be attached near the clasp so that the necklace will be adjustable. This isn’t the greatest photo because the detail is not apparent on the pendant. It is the same image as is on the bracelet, just stuck onto a bigger disk and embellished with my little star button. I am fairly pleased with the outcome but am reserving full judgment until it’s completed. I love the calcite…

  • Alone Star Jewelry

    Alone Star Jewelry

    We haven’t posted anything to the blog lately because life has been throwing us lots of the stuff. School, children, relatives, church, and the list goes on and on. Lisa is a working mom although she is lucky to work from home a few days a week; Shauna is a stay-home mom but that doesn’t mean she gets to work on jewelry every day. The bazaar is coming up at the first of December, the show we did last year as a first, and after that perhaps this blog will move a little bit more. The writing is fun and useful, so we don’t plan to abandon this part of…

  • Auctions

    On the topic of jewelry auctions on eBay

    There has been much discussion about whether or not it is in the best interest of a jeweler trying to increase sales to post pieces in online auctions at eBay. We considered this and actually ran some auctions which you can see from our previous posts. We sold some of our jewelry in this way, but below our retail prices. The bump in hits on our website after the auctions did not increase much above the norm. We haven’t posted any new auctions because we have been mulling over whether or not the fees and the discounts are worth this form of advertising and the perceptions that come with it.…