On Memorial Day, I was making a casserole to take to a
cookout, and it struck me – simple is better.
The casserole I was making was an old recipe from my grandmother. I cherish all of my recipes from her because
I adored her and boy could she cook. A
lot of recipes today call for a variety of crazy ingredients and spices, but grandma’s
recipes were simple and easy to make, and often taste much better than the fancy
recipes. This particular recipe was a
calico bean casserole with different types of beans, hamburger, bacon, onion,
ketchup and brown sugar. That’s it! Mix it all together, throw it in the oven and
voila – a great dish for the cookout.
My revelation got me thinking about my jewelry making and
how simple is often better there too.
Sometimes, I try to make my designs more elaborate than they need to
be. Why?
Because I figure if someone is going to pay the price for a handmade
piece of jewelry, they should get something elaborate. Don’t
get me wrong – the elaborate pieces are very pretty and I’m told they are very
reasonably priced. However, I find that
it is the simpler pieces that sell better.
I’m guessing that simpler is more versatile with different wardrobes and
different occasions.
One of my best sellers was this simple pair of disc
earrings. I textured and domed the
discs, applied alcohol inks, sealed them, and hung them on the ear wires. Nothing elaborate but they sold like
hotcakes.
I realized that it is not the elaborate components but the
design that people are looking for. The
lesson I take from this is: 1) Use
simple, high-quality materials, 2) Don’t over-think the design, and 3) Put a
little of my personality into the piece and people will love it.
What about you? Do
you like simple or elaborate jewelry? If
you are a designer, which sell best for you?
I too love simple (and in my case dainty designs)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Sandra. Sometimes I will look at a piece someone else made and think how simple yet how pretty it is.
DeleteThis is beautiful...and I agree, I have always thought simple was stunning...knowing when "enough is enough" is a skill that takes time to develop....many just keep adding and adding all the while taking away from the piece rather than raising it's beauty....your earrings are just wow!
ReplyDeleteYou hit it on the head, Keri -- it's a skill. Simplicity may look easy but knowing just what components to put together and how to put them together in a simple design is not as easy as it seems. I am learning how to stop myself before I go over the top. I find it very interesting to look back at some of my original pieces and see just how far I've come in designing.
DeleteI tend to wear what I think is simple, compared to what I see other designers make.And then one of my non-beading friends comments on how complicated it looks. :) I think we see so much of it, but the real world doesn't. I adore looking at elaborate beaded pieces, but I have never seen anyone wearing one. So I think the majority of people wear simpler styled pieces, and that makes me happy! (And I love those earrings!)
ReplyDeleteI agree, Shirley - the elaborate beaded pieces are gorgeous to look at but I very seldom see people wearing them. I think at that point it becomes more of an art piece than a jewelry piece.
DeleteOh, yes, the art of knowing when to stop adding! I am 100% for simple - it's more elegant and 'calling' :) Your earrings are lovely - and I would love that recipe too, if at all possible!
ReplyDeleteHey Alicia - just realized I hadn't responded to your comment. Send me your email address and I would be happy to send you the recipe.
Delete