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Interview with Sonia Fielding, continued.
Can you outline the general process behind making a bracelet like the new Aqua Bloom ones on your website? (see right) I start by selecting the focal or feature beads of the design and throw them into a bowl with a few other beads that I think will compliment them. I like to experiment which different colour combinations and I find that mixing them together in a bowl works for me! It’s like creating a new recipe! Then I cut the chain to size, add on a toggle clasp with a couple of jump rings and start adding the beads onto the chain with head pins. I always start with a small daisy spacer bead on the head pin before adding the bead as I think it just finishes it off nicely. How long does it typically take to make something like that? It takes me around 20 - 30 minutes to make and when I am in “the zone”, I can make up to 20 bracelets in a night. Where do you generally buy supplies? Do you buy much from local stores or do you mainly order them in? I mainly buy my supplies from local craft shops, although it can work out to be quite an expensive way of buying beads if you are trying to make a profit out of making & selling jewellery. I have sold a few of my designs to local boutiques, although I tend not to do this too often as the retail mark up can be outrageous . I also buy supplies on auction websites and by doing this, I have met a couple of suppliers who import large quantities of beads directly from factories in China and sell them via Ebay or Oztion. Do you sell your jewellery anywhere other than online? Yes, I also run jewellery parties at people’s homes, schools, work place or anywhere they like. I also do fundraising with a couple of major organizations where I will set up my jewellery at their fundraising event and I donate a percentage of my sales to their fundraising efforts.
On weekends I mainly sell at markets, fairs, fetes,
festivals and I am constantly emailing schools, local councils, tourism
associations, sporting bodies, etc to see if they have any upcoming events
that I can be a part of. Yes and I am proud to say that I have even won some events! For the last two years I have entered my jewellery at a few of the South Australian Agricultural Shows and last year I received 2 x second prizes and 2 x third prizes at the Kapunda Agricultural Show and first prize at the Gawler Show. This year I am entering a couple of pieces in the Royal Adelaide Show, so fingers crossed!
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