I got a chain order the other day, and with it I had a design epiphany, about my child’s flower necklaces. The epiphany was: what I found off putting about it, was the style of chain.
I am notorious for over analyzing my work. I have to tell myself to put much of what I do away and revisit it, when I can be less emotionally invested in the design. This was a little different, because I always liked this piece, just something was…off for me.
Originally because I designed this piece just for kids, I attached the only 14 inch chain I had in stock, which happened to be a sterling silver box chain. And thus it remained for no other reason but convenience. I also had the undesirable task looming of putting up my price for this piece, because I have officially ran out of my original wholesale lot of chain, that I acquired years ago at better prices. So I either ordered more of this chain at a higher price and therefore a higher price for my customers, or find an alternative.
With this new chain, which is for both for a good quality silver plated and gold plated rolo chain, the necklace just looks right to me. It’s not something I can explain. It is a feeling – the energy – of the entire piece. I think I find this chain more youthful than the box chain. Seems like a lot of thinking just about style of chain, but that is what you can expect out of handmade work. We put a lot of heart & soul in everything we create, whatever it may be!
Switching this chain out means I don’t have to raise my prices on an item that is in a limited run. In fact – I was able to put the price of the gold version down $2 to match the silver! It also comes in 30 inch length for silver, and 26 inch length for gold. That means I can offer customers any chain length they desire under that maximum length, making the child’s flower piece suitable for teens, young adults or the young at heart. 😉
