Sterling Silver Chains - how to oxidize and relieve

Sterling silver chains are quite versatile, and unlike plated brass chains, they can be oxidized and brushed without worry about the plating coming off. Oxidized chains, once relieved through brushing, can provide a rich feel, with depth.

The easiest way to oxidize, or blacken, sterling silver chain is by using a silver blackener. Jax makes one for about $20. Some of the tools you'll need are: 2 plastic dishes, plastic fork or disposable chopsticks or brush, some rubber gloves, plenty of paper towel.
Pour water into one of the dishes, and set aside in the sink. Have this dish of water ready for rinsing. If you are blackening more than 1 sterling silver chain, tie them together by looping a wire through the locks. Put the sterling silver chains into the other plastic dish. Pour silver blackener into dish with the sterling silver chains slowly to avoid splashing. Pour just enough to cover the metal entirely. Swish around until the silver becomes entirely black. Use the plastic utensil to scoop the sterling silver chain and drop into the dish of water. Turn on the tap and let water run through for a while, rinsing out the chains. Use rubber gloves at all times. Drain and pat dry with paper towel.

To brush the oxidized sterling silver chain, put the bundle on the side of a board, and use long strokes to brush using steel wool. Flip over and brush the other side, until the lightness is even.

For a great selection of Sterling Silver Chains available at Stones and Findings please click here.

Jewellery Moms and Parenting Coach

I work full time in designing sterling silver jewellery components, and making jewellery. I also have 2 small children. Although I have a nanny to help care for my sometimes sweet, but often challenging, children, I know I need more reinforcement. I use a Parenting Coach and I highly recommend this support service to every parent, working or staying at home. Unlike a life coach or therapist, a Parenting Coach specializes in giving advice to parents on parenting and helping parents understand the family dynamics that are taking place around them.

Before my first child was born, I read What To Expect When You Are Expecting. And after she was born, and I had a glimpse of her strong characteristics, I read Raise Your Kids Without Raising Your Voice by Sarah Radcliffe, and Giving Your Child The Gift Of Inner Discipline by Barbara Coloroso, and many other books on child rearing that I could find at the local and airport bookstores. They are all very good books, with a few novel tips from each, particularly Parent Talk by Shapiro and Skinulis. However, neither books nor parenting magazine articles were able to address some of the more specific obstacles that I had with my child's behaviour. This is inherently true of all such media, they must be fairly general and cannot take into consideration of one's specific circumstances. I have yet to read any article about a mom who has to put sterling silver jewellery components way up high, after she's finished designing late at night so that her 2 year old won't eat it for breakfast, at their condo that is not much bigger than a walk-in closet, and the mom has to travel to jewellery trade shows. If you have read such an article, please send it to me so that I can compare notes.

By fate, I bumped into a long time customer of my jewellery business, Patricia Lee. I've been raising money for charity for many years and twice a year we're open to the public for a few days where the proceeds of the sale are donated. At each event Patricia and I would chat about children, and it all started with my comment that her children are unusually well behaved and polite. We see many at our events and often I think mothers shouldn't bring their children. They are bored and displays get knocked. Sometimes they'd pull things apart because they like the shiny sterling silver jewellery components . It's just not fun for them, or at least it shouldn't be. I was not yet pregnant with my first child but I was curious about hers and they inspired me to think that it is possible to have wonderful and well behaved children of my own one day. She would always have great advice and clear insight. I never asked her what she did for a living and just assumed she was an accountant because of her thick glasses and tidy appearance. I assumed she was just a skilled mom , and there are many far better than me at the job. Last year by a chance meeting, I found out that she is a professional life and Parenting Coach and happened to be meeting a client in my area.

The time was ripe and our meeting was serendipitous. My husband and I were struggling with a bunch of behavioural problems with my older child and more disturbingly, a serious problem with one of her friends for which we were at a loss for a solution. I'll tell you about the problems and her advice another time. I became a client of hers. I already knew that her advice and views would resonate with me. I also like the fact that we could choose to work over the phone, and this convenience factor is very important to me. Parenting Coach fees are similar to those of any therapist, but she does give preferred rates based on what the parents can afford, and she often works pro bono and has volunteered working with native families on reserves. I received a preferred rate of $85 per 45 minute session. She said it's because we're friends, but I think secretly she knows I don't make much money from selling sterling silver jewellery components because the margins on silver is so low.

Our Parenting Coach session began with a series of broad ranging questions, including what do I hope to gain from our sessions, and what do I hope to see in my children. This was followed with more specific questions to help her fill the picture. And very quickly I was able to start addressing some concerns I had. Her advice have always been very specific and practical, and thus far has really helped us improve our communication with our daughters, helped give them age appropriate tools with which to express and channel their emotions. It has also given us insight into our own expectations as parents and has allowed us to adjust them appropriately. More importantly for me, her advice has helped me better cope with busy parenting and allow time for designing sterling silver jewellery components, and be a cheerleader for my husband.

I have since shared the lessons learned from my sessions with our child's kindergarten teacher, whose teaching skills and passion for teaching I also greatly respect. She is very keen on other parents also receiving this service and has expressed this to the school's principal. We plan on creating group sessions for parents who cannot afford the time or expense of private sessions or who just want to sample some of the advice.

I greatly advise Parenting Coach services to all parents. Like athletes, many parents can be great and naturally talented, but a coach can help take you to a higher level and allow you to perform far better than you would otherwise with just effort and practice. I am a talented jewellery components designer, as are many of our Stones And Findings customers are talented jewellery designers, but parenting requires much more time, effort and clarity for a great job to be done. Unlike a gold medal, the reward of well adjusted children who go on to be productive members of society keeps giving back. It is worth so much more and is never ending.

Future Divorce of a Sterling Silver Findings Designer II

In my world of sterling silver findings and jewellery designing, I often see troubled relationships. Women speak much more freely about them than their male counterparts. Sometimes separations start off well, but go awry and turn ugly. My dentist has just told me the legal fees for her divorce proceeding have exceeded $100,000. She has a very successful dental practice and her ex-husband has changed his mind and now wants a larger share. He in fact has made it clear he wants to get even, at any cost. He does not care if financially the daughters are to suffer, as long as the mother suffers because word got back to him that she told her friends she sees her initial divorce settlement as expensive sperm service. His feelings of inadequacy, which dogged their marriage, returned in the most destructive way. This battle continues with no end in sight. It is a pity when people become fixated and myopic, doing damage to themselves and their children.

I often feel that while I enjoy creating sterling silver findings, I might I have missed my true calling as a soldier of justice, a.k.a. a lawyer. I often spend chatting with my friends and live the legal vicariously through them. I have a friend who is a divorce lawyer. He was one of the top students in my high school who, we all felt, was destined for more. He has become jaded and bitter about how his own life has turned out even though he has done well financially. He feels no one wins in a nasty, drawn out divorce case, not even the lawyers. Both parties become bitter, and stay bitter, even when they win a better settlement than they had expected. They also hate the lawyers, whom they view as vultures in the carnage. It is a terrible situation for all, even the party looking for revenge. Satisfaction in the courtroom is elusive.

I read in the newspaper recently that the average Canadian divorce costs about $20,000 when lawyers are involved. I am sure this is an underestimated, but even at this amount, as a humble maker of sterling silver findings, I know I best avoid the cost. The average cost for a decent lawyer is $400 per hour, and there is an additional minimum of $10,000 if the battle enters the courtroom. With lawyers, you get what you pay for. And I have important advice: do not cheap out on lawyers if you have to engage in a legal battle. There are many incompetent lawyers and certainly most judges either do not have the wisdom to see past poor legal performance and see fairness, or they do not sympathize. Some judges simply hate incompetent lawyers and will teach them a lesson at their client's expense. I've been in that situation for a different type of legal matter. To put it positively, judges are human and not infallible. So, it is best to hire the best guns to fight on your side, if you cannot avoid the battle altogether. And even if your lawyer seems competent, do not trust him blindly. He works not for you, but for himself, which means not necessarily for your best interest. Also, he might not know best even if he has the best intentions. If you do not like how he is positioning or bargaining, insist on what you want. He is under your employ and do not let him forget that. Lawyers are like sterling silver findings. If it is right and there is a good fit, you will quickly know it. If it is not, do not throw in more components just to try to make it work. It will not, and it will only end up costing you more.

You might have sensed my disdain for lawyers and judges from the above paragraph. I do not hate them; my brother is a lawyer, my grandfather was a judge, and most of my close friends are lawyers. I was studying to become one myself and through fate and good fortune, I got into designing jewellery and sterling silver findings and avoided a life of unhappiness. From the experience of my recent legal battle, I am forever cured of any illusions about the glamour of the profession or that justice can be found in the courtroom. And so, I am highly committed to finding our own solution, if and when the time comes to end this lovely marriage. If I become bitter, I will spend more time making jewellery and I will retain my sanity and happiness.

To go back and read part one of this article please click here.

Future Divorce of a Sterling Silver Findings Designer I

My husband and I have decided that, when this starter marriage ends (I am a sterling silver findings designer, and we're happily married with 2 small and beautiful children, but you never know how it will turn out), we'll keep the lawyers totally out of it. We have seen how legal fees can get out of hand and the children are the ones to suffer, financially and emotionally. We've agreed that if there was to be any disagreements on money, we'd put it in a trust for our daughters.

I know we can plan for all eventualities, but when it comes to matters of the heart and one party becomes embittered, all rules of engagement are thrown out the window. I am quite self-reliant when it comes to happiness, and I am happy designing sterling silver findings forever. And I already know the only way I will become bitter is if he has an affair behind my back. We have discussed this, and like any business negotiations, much better to talk about it before relations sour. I think I can accept an affair if he told me before hand that he was struggling in our marriage. We have promised to do what we can to fix it, if it comes to that point. And if there is no fixing, then we can decide our next steps together. We can even have an open marriage. You can always be attracted to others outside of the marriage. It is human nature. However, in my opinion, how one decides to act on that attraction is fully within one's control. Mind you, that is just us. My husband and I made our wills shortly after we got married in our late 20's, and we got the deluxe package from our lawyer, spelling out all possible scenarios we could think of at the time. I know that this is not for everyone. My artistic outlet is in sterling silver findings and jewellery designing, and everything else, I am morbidly serious.

Our goal as parents is to provide the best upbringing we can for our children. I want to provide them with a safe and happy environment within which they can thrive. I understand there are no guarantees and although many parents try their best, terrible conflict and sadness can exist. At the same time, I have also seen difficult circumstances turn out well, where parents at conflict with one another share the only common interest of doing their best for their children. Divorces are commonplace in current times. We can certainly learn some lessons from our family and friends who have divorced, even breakups in business partnerships, which I had done before I began designing sterling silver findings. I will share these and other stories with you over a few articles.

I have a story of a successful divorce. The ex-husband is in the trade show transport business and had helped me move my jewellery trade show booth from show to show for years before I began designing sterling silver findings. He was a former professional rugby player who went into customer service in the transport business. He had three young daughters and divorced when the eldest was ten years old and the youngest was four. His ex-wife was an English teacher who cheated on him with a fellow teacher. He noticed something strange about their behaviour when they were at a work party. He confronted his wife, who admitted that she had been having an affair for a number of months. He felt partly to blame because he was traveling a lot for work, and thought perhaps he had neglected her. He decided to work on their marriage.

However, when he found out later that the affair was still going on, and she wanted two more months with the other person because he was "leaving anyway" for a new job, my friend decided to end the marriage. He first had a chat with his daughters to explain that he had to move out, but that he loved them and very little would change. Then he had a more in-depth with his older daughter, and made a promise that it would not affect them negatively and asked her to be a support to her younger sisters and be his ears and eyes looking out for them. He moved out and later bought a house down the street. They decided to have joint custody and not to involve any lawyers. Although my friend went through two years of immense pain, he kept the best interest of his daughters at heart. He did not tell them of their mother's affair even though the children were upset he moved out. Instead he encouraged their affection for their mother and remained supportive of her when the girls were upset with her. He did not fight for any of their joint assets because he felt that it was there for his daughters and he could always earn more.

Seven years on, his daughters are happy and healthy, and he still lives within walking distance of his ex-wife, who has since re-married. He still talks to his ex-wife regularly when they have to schedule pick up and drop off duties now that their daughters are busy with full schedule of extracurricular activities. His daughters spend just as much time at his home as they do at their mother's. He made a deal with his employer to work flexible time to spend more time with them. He is about to get remarried, and it was difficult to find this perfect person because he, his daughters, and the joint custody with his ex-wife all come in a complete package. It is a success story and I know it is more of an exception than the norm.

To continue reading part two of this article please click here

Sterling Silver Chains Buying Decision Making

There are many things to consider when buying sterling silver chains , or any chains for that matter: unit cost, estimated possible uses, conduciveness to either short or long designs, my total budget, where we are in the season sales cycle, ease of reorder.

Unit cost of the Sterling Silver Chain

This is pretty basic. If the sterling silver chain is inexpensive, I can afford to buy more. Chances are, shipping or travel cost to get more will cost more than the sterling silver chain itself. I buy more just in case. If it is more expensive, then I defer the decision to other considerations.

Estimated Possible Uses

The more possible designs you can think of on the spot for the sterling silver chain , the more you should buy. However, as we all know, design ideas come to you after you've worked with bits of it. Sometimes ideas evolve. Some people say they can create designs in their head and then go back to buy the component. This ability, if it really exists to the extent some give themselves credit for, is rare. Most designers, like me, are tactile. They need to handle the sterling silver chain , and even link it up in different places. There is no perfect estimate. You don't want to go overboard, but there are some guidelines. If it is a staple like a sterling silver cable extension chain , you know you’ll use it up. Buy more. If the sterling silver chain can be used for obviously many things, like the sterling silver beading chain , buy more. If thesterling silver chain is more expensive, but you think you can cut it into sections for earrings, blend with cheaper chain for something long, works well as bracelet, like the hammered link buy more. You should always estimate your possible uses and then multiply with some rule of thumb, which I'll share later.

Short Chain or Long Chain

If the sterling silver chain looks like it would best be, or can be, used for a long necklace, I always buy more. One metre of sterling silver chain will just be long enough for one long necklace. There are some sterling silver chains that are obvious candidates for long designs such as this long oval sterling silver chain. Others aren't as obvious. If the sterling silver chain selection is in the grey area, buy slightly more you would otherwise.

Total Budget Considerations

I always have to think about this, though I don't always follow it when I am at a show or if I find some very exciting things. However, if I'm tight on budget, I defer this to the following two considerations below.

Position in the Season Sales Cycle

If it is at the beginning, I use up my budget on variety, but keeping in mind the number of samples and designs I will need to make. Also, I have to see if I am willing to take reorders for my work, and the lead time. So, if you have sale representatives or are sending samples out to boutiques, you will have to see how many simultaneous sets you need at the beginning of the season. If the lead time is small, you have to take into consideration of possible orders and accommodate. At the beginning of the season, buy more to accommodate the above and also note what possible designs you can make left over sterling silver chains into if your initial designs don't fly off the shelves. If it is at the end of the cycle and you are just filling in orders, buy less, keeping in mind how fast your delivery needs to be for your customers and from suppliers. If it is short for customers, but your supplier is far away or has a long lead time, you will have to buy more and hold stock.

Ease of Reorder

credit: http://www.tradeeasy.com/supplier/526636/selling-leads/1014557/ball-chain-on-spool-colored-ball-chain-brass-ball-chain.html

I always ask the supplier if they are carrying certain components forward. If yes, I can buy less. If no, or it is a close-out item, I buy a lot more, or will buy everything and if the quantity is high, I will see if I can get further discount if I buy everything. If you like something and it is being discontinued, you can shift your budget a little. The item can be used later. If it is being carried forward by the supplier, but they are far, hold more stock. Again, sometimes shipping is more costly than the merchandise.

Some Rules of Thumb

There are some things you should keep in mind:

Short necklaces are about 18" (can make 2/m of chain), bracelets are about 7", long necklaces that you can wrap 2x around the neck are at least 34", if you want to wrap 3x you need min of 44"

If you’re a small designer, remember you need to make and wear pieces yourself. Some customers don’t like to buy items worn by someone else, or you might become attached to it. Always buy enough for make, at the very least, 2 sets.

A good designer knows colour variations are a great way to increase sales. Ideal colour selection is 3 to 4 colours. This is usually the case for clothing designers.

I bought components for samples in 6's when I was a smaller designer. This gives you 3 pairs of earrings or 2 complete necklace and earring sets. I’ve graduated to 48's when I started doing other colours. For single colour items, I buy 24 if the lead time is less than 3 weeks for delivery to my customers. For chains, I buy expensive samples in 5 metres, and inexpensive in 10 metres. If it is less than $5/m, much cheaper just to do 25m spools.

For items that go to my sales representatives, I take the above and multiply each by 1.5.

Silver Earring Components

Silver Earring Components
by C.S.

There are limitless possible earring designs. However, popular Earrings have certain Jewellery Components in common. These Jewellery Components fall under the general categories of: Earring Hook component, and Findings, and sometimes Chains for longer earrings.

Earring Hook Component

This is the Earring Component that attaches the earring to the ear. It can be in the form of a Earring Hook, Earring Stud, Clip-On Backing. Stones And Findings carry a number of Silver Earring Hooks, Silver Leverbacks, and Silver Earring Studs. Sterling Silver Earring Findings, as well as Gold-Filled Earring Hooks and Gold-filled Leverbacks, and Gold Filled Earring Studs Gold Filled Findings.



Open ended Sterling Silver Earring Componentsallow for Semi-precious stone beads crystals to be inserted, and then a loop to be made for additional Earring Drops to be added. This allows for rather unusual accents for your Earring Designs.

Leverback Earring Components

Leverback Earring Components are wonderful and preferred by many Jewellery Designers because they don’t fall off the ear no matter how active the wearer is, and no matter how much their ear piercing has been stretched. The best Silver Leverback Earring Components come from Italian and Chinese factories, using Italian machines. Stay away from Silver Leverback Earring Components made in India, Thailand, and Bali. The spring mechanisms are not as strong, and don't spring back the way Italian machine made ones do. The price difference for Silver Leverback Earring Components is negligible, but the quality is highly noticeable.

Earring Studs

Earrings Studs are sometimes preferred to Earring Hooks, especially for those whose ear piercings have been stretched. The Earring Stud hides the stretched holes, which Earring Hooks do not. Silver Earring Studs and Gold-Filled Earring Studs are better than base metal because they come into contact with the skin. Some people are allergic to base metals, and even if there is a protective plating, the inside metal will leech out, sometimes changing the colour of a person’s skin. Earring Studs have more contact area with the skin.

Cost Saving Tips using Silver Chain

Silver is a precious metal, and it is important when using sterling silver chains, to be cost effective in your designs. Here are some cost saving tips:

1. Choose silver chains where large loops are connected with smaller soldered rings, so that you lose less when you cut the chain.




2. Choose silver chains that have a combination of different sized links. This creates an illusion of movement. The links look almost as thick as a thicker silver chain with consistently sized links, but will weigh less.



3. Cut a section of thicker silver chain for the front, and use a thinner chain for the back 40%. You don't see much of the thinner chain, and while lying flat on display, the thinner silver chain will just look a bit more tapered.

For the Back:


4. When creating a long necklace using silver chains, select a variety of weight and widths. Cut 4" sections and connect them. This creates interest and movement. The effect is bulking the look of the entire necklace, while cutting cost using lighter silver chains.



5. Save the cut loops from silver chains. You can reuse them as jumprings. Use them to connect sections of silver chain. They will blend perfectly. If the metal is soft, hammer lightly, and it will harden. For larger loops, you can use the silver chain loop as a split ring by turning them with a pair of round nose plyers.