It's done and it's open.

[Carl Martin]

As you all know I've been working on the website for the past month or so .. I've been promising some that I would get my butt into gear and put some of my jewellery on my website for sale - I'd promised that the Shop and Gallery would be open on the 1/1/10 - it's now open - Let me know what you think.
I'm not a photographer or Website Designer but I think I've given it a fair attempt at both.

Happy new year to everyone...

Carl

[Mila Jewellery]

Looks good :) There are some really nice pieces there - I like the silver & yellow gold bangle. Good luck with it ;)

[Petal]

Looks good :) There are some really nice pieces there - I like the silver & yellow gold bangle. Good luck with it ;)

I agree, I think the website is much improved. The only question I have is regarding the beautiful rings shown on the front page. They don't have prices when you click on them? Are they only available for couples to make on one of your courses, or are they all bespoke items?

Apart from that, excellent work Carl :Y:

[Mystic]

Very nice Carl, I love the first silver bangle, it's beautiful

[Lisa Quinn]

That's certainly a huge transformation Carl, well done, it looks great ( I hate to think how long it must have taken you?)

[Carl Martin]

I agree, I think the website is much improved. The only question I have is regarding the beautiful rings shown on the front page. They don't have prices when you click on them? Are they only available for couples to make on one of your courses, or are they all bespoke items?

Apart from that, excellent work Carl :Y:

Hi Petal,

I have only ever worked to commission for the past 13 yrs.Every item that I have produced has becuase somebody wanted it.

I have only been full time "smithing" / jewellery for the past 10 months and worked full time in another proffession prior to this. I have been kept busy over the last 13 yrs purely by word of mouth with an average of 3 or 4 commisions per month. I've done an awful lot of wedding rings over the years and was the basis , along with opening a studio and teaching, of going full time at the beginning of last year. What has transpired in that time is that the teaching has taken up 85% of my time. The silver bangle range is just to have a small shop presence on line to begin with, something thats has not been available from me previously. I have always worked with traditional methods and everything is made by hand in the true sense of the word as I do not use any machines other than a pendant drill.

For 2010 I'm actually moving into a totally different field, more out of total obssession than anything else and thats lampworked glass sculptural work using predominantly Borosilicate glass (pyrex strength and properties). This in the main will then add to the underestimated designs such as the silver bangle range which are relatively inexpensive but very elegant and can be worn with virtually anything.

Main reason for moving to another medium is that with teaching almost full time the jewellery which has been a very busy passion for me over the years is now quite demanding mentally. I'm not complaining by any means but I now want to move into a more fluid medium to work with and to incorporate silver and gold within Sculptured glass work, I'm also totally obsessed with glass.I have held 4 open days at my studio, now this was open to all but not one "jeweller" attended any of them. I was, however, absolutely inundated with lampworkers who wanted to know more about complimenting their bead work with silver.What has transpired is that I now also have demonstration days by a couple of very skilled glass workers who come along every two weeks and give instruction and help with all things glass.They are starting with me next monday to actually teach lampworking and dichroic fused glass from my studio on a formal basis.

Long winded but I hope that answers your query.

[Helenka]

What a lovely website - I bookmarked it for inspiration.Thanks for sharing.

[Hart-Star]

Two very minor points, which do not detract from a very business-like site which does the job well

It might help the purchaser if you included some rough dimensions on the bangles and pendants, just to flesh-out the nice pictures.

Not sure what software you are using to load your pictures into the web pages, but often there is an option for "Alternative Text", which can then pop-up when you hover your mouse over the picture - and/or include the item description itself into the name of the picture e.g. heart_forged_bangle.jpg, rather than DSCN0825.JPG

[ben b]

I see a logo at the botom of the homepage, 'top 50 crafters' which links to a website, not suprisingly..."top50crafters.dot whatever".
I dunno about anyone else, but the logo '98, top crafters' as appears on the page, is contradictory, and following the link, to find your 98 on the top....50...crafters is a bit odd to me? when i see there's more than 300 top 50 crafters on the site....it starts to loose relevance but is good for a laugh. I hope you didnt pay for it!

It reminds me of this silly logo you see on some sites, 'self representing jeweller' mebership number so and so. Hang on, if your representing yourself...why do you need to pay a no mark to sell you a numbered logo saying you represent yourself?...brilliant marketing, and a wish I'd have thought of it...but like they say, a fool and thier money....and like i say... i wish id have thought of it...

I mean this light heated of course, overall the site's great carl...but harsh critique is the realest!

[Carl Martin]

Hiya Ben,

no worries my friend I wondered if at first when I added it it might bring in some traffic,that was the only reason, and I also must agree that it looks poor, it will be removed sometime when I get 30 seconds. And no didn't cost me a thing.

I agree with the other point you made about the representing bit, does seem a bit daft.

[ben b]

Hi bud,
glad you took it in the light hearted way it was meant...ive upset so many on forums by my 'ways' lol.

I shot myself in the foot so many times doing sites, by including this and that...to get rankings, which actually confused the rankings and results.

In posts a while back i got into hot water by arguing with those who swore by seo....i dont see it or agree with it, not in the way peeps swear by it, or dilute content by it.
my main site, ben buxton...is easily searchable on google, and if you want me, know my name and know im a jeweller, im top of the list, one entry, and just that, which is how i want it, and i insuletd someone who had 3 pages of results on thier name check, by saying whats the point...but really, whats the point?
You can get me by my name alone, or by jewellers and my area...and peeps were saying my site had bad seo?

Ok search for diamond rings, i wont show up...but thats cause i dont sell em on the net! Through my various sites, ive found google to be realistic and fair, in listings, and couldnt ask for more, just by manual google entry and no seo.....from what you know about me, my name or location, or other details you have about me from this forum, can you google me and find me? if so..job done! in my book anyway..lol!

[Emerald]

'ive upset so many on forums by my 'ways' lol.' quote from Benb on 8.12.10 at precisley 10.28pm


not just by your 'ways' Ben!

[Carl Martin]

To be brutally honest Carl and I am no way trying to offend and pick holes but as you are selling I would consider re-doing the photographs. I know mine on my site are awful but I plan on totally re-doing them all when I plan on selling a few bits in March. They are a little dark and need simpler/brighter staging.

As someone else said, you should consider also adding some estimated sizes. You wouldn't want some huge old biffer buying one of your bracelets only to find she can't get it on her little finger. :D

None taken Jason, I'm not like that. some have said the pictures look good so I suppose it's all in the eye of the beholder. I'm not a photographer but as per my other thread i'm finding less and less time to devote to online stuff including forums. I never even had a web prescence before october last year and although i've learned alot about website shite, I'd rather just work at being a jeweller. I've done it for 13 yrs and survived ok and the start of 2010 has been bloomin good. My courses are well thought of and well attended so in my own small world (which is where I like to be) I'm very happy. Infact i visited my bank today to be told 4 of the bank staff are coming down for a days course. Thats what it's all about. Any how ..enough of me. I'm bowing out for a few months to get on and get busy.

Best of luck to all of ya..:~:

[ben b]

NO! no...CARL, dont bow out, even for a breather....if any of us have upset you, we are sorry, and i have PM'd you, explaining perhaps our 'humour', for which i appologise!

Your a great contributor, and like any forum, you get wise crackers...all par for the course...but well meant.

me and jason can be turds, for which i appologise! but its all well meant.

[Carl Martin]

Hi Ben,
I've tried to reply to your pm but it won't let me.

No offence taken and didn't take yours or jasons comments with anything more than a pinch of salt.

So no worries and all the best.