Handmade Jewelry

About My Shop:

I love to make jewelry and have a small design studio near Chattanooga, TN. My inspiration mainly comes from nature and I really enjoy working with gemstones and freshwater pearls, although I do incorporate other materials.
I run two Etsy shops, www.etsy.com/dixiedazzletoo, which features my handcrafted jewelry, and www.etsy.com/dixiedazzle, where I carry jewelry supplies.
My other sales venues are Fall craft festivals and I exhibit at Ketner's Mill in Whitwell, TN, Nillie Bipper in Cleveland, TN, Fall Creek Falls Mountaineer Festival in Pikeville, TN and Homestead Apple Festival in Crossville, TN.

Behind the Scenes at the Shop:

How did it all begin? Well, I have always crafted extensively and probably at least tried everything imaginable. My journey into jewelry started about 7 years ago when I bought a gorgeous dress with fall colors on a black background. Of course I then had to have jewelry for it and could not find anything I liked. I decided to make something myself. THEN, I discovered E-Bay and all the stones and replica cameos I had no idea existed and I have been happily hooked ever since.

Tips and Tricks

• Buy the highest quality materials you can afford.
• Be available to your customers and answer emails promptly.
• When I do shows I always take my tool box for quick adjustments.
• I make most earrings pierced, but I always carry clips in my tool box so I can quickly switch them out. I have gotten LOTS of extra sales with this.
• Be willing to take special requests.
• Be careful when adding clasps to necklaces - most folks are right handed, so I make sure I attach the clasp so that it is "right-hand friendly".