Progress Towards 2014 Goals: Getting Published

In my first post on this blog for the new year I laid out a list of goals for myself and my business for 2014.  You can see that post HERE if you missed it.  I'm happy to report that I'm making some serious strides in several of my goal areas already, one in particular:  to pursue getting my designs published in a jewelry making magazine.

I'm no expert on how all the different magazines work, but Stringing Magazine puts out themes and/or color palettes ahead of time for each of their issues.  Jewelry designers can choose to email pictures of possible submissions to the magazine ahead of time and get a response back about which (if any) of your work they would like to see in person.  (This is a nice service that they offer which saves the jewelry maker time in filling out forms and the expense of mailing things back and forth that the magazine knows they aren't interested in.)

Right at the beginning of the year Stringing was accepting entries for a special issue that they do.  I didn't have time to make anything specifically for the color palettes, but I had a couple of pieces on hand that seemed to fit.  I dutifully (and hopefully) emailed in a couple of pictures, and to my surprise, they wanted me to send a pair of earrings in for closer inspection!  To make a long story short, they didn't end up wanting them, but I refused to let that get me down.  You can't win if you don't try!

In the meantime, I had let the email deadline slip past me for the summer issue but decided to send a couple of items in anyway (you don't HAVE to run things past them, it's just a nice service they offer).  Just two days after my first rejection letter (you see, I have no doubt that there will be many more in my future) I got exciting news... Stringing wants to publish not one but both of the items that I sent in for the summer issue!  I'm going to be published in a real live print magazine!   Just a tiny taste of success, but it is sweet indeed.  I can't wait until the issue comes out and I can share with you all.

With that tiny victory under my belt I was more excited than ever to try and design something specifically for the Fall issue.  Three out of the four themes were right up my alley and I ended up emailing pictures of four necklaces to them.  Of the designs I sent in, they only asked to see one in person (and have since declined that one) so I thought I'd share the pieces with you all.

Their first category for Fall is "Wanderlust."  They wanted travel inspired jewelry with a mix of components that convey a richness of culture and a worldly feel.  Here is the suggested color palette (not that you have to use all the colors they show).

I had already made my necklace for the January Inspired by Reading Book Club based on The Enchantress of Florence and I immediately thought that it would be perfect for this theme.  I know I shared this one on my blog already, but here is the collage I made to send into the magazine.

For "Shiny Copper" they really did want a focus on bright, shiny copper.  Most of my designs with copper tend to be on the more antiqued end of things, but I was hoping that this necklace with the etched copper blank from Vintaj might be shiny enough to spark their interest but, alas, it was not.

The last category that I made a try for was the only one I got a nibble on... "Dark Glamour."  It was all about a dark, gothic, almost fantasy look.  This one felt the most up my alley and I made two looks for this theme.  My first necklace was probably more on the glamour side with the tasseled chain and rhinestone rondelles.  (I love the way this one turned out and might just keep it for myself!)  The second design features a resin raven pendant I made paired with pyrite rounds and black Czech glass rondelles.  The magazine asked to see the raven necklace, but, as I mentioned, it didn't make the cut.

As I write this, the Winter 2015 Stringing guidelines have just been posted.  So, it's time to see what I can come up with for the editors' consideration this time.  The deadlines always come quicker than I want them too and there's already a lot on my plate so wish me luck!