Handmade Shop of the Week: Honey from the Bee

Janet Bocciardi opened Honey from the Bee in 2008. In a landscape overflowing with jewelry, she stands out; combining metalwork, beading and color.

Why did you decide to open your handmade shop? 
Jewelry was multiplying and I was losing control! Seriously, I love creating and finding new stones and objects to include in my jewelry. In order to do that, I had to start bringing in some money. After a couple years of successful art fairs, selling to friends and family, and a change in lifestyle that made it difficult to find the time to do future fairs, I decided to go online. It’s been a learning experience, as I spent the first year wondering where everyone was! Just having a stocked shop doesn’t mean folks that will love your work will find you.

Has your inventory changed much since you first opened? 
Yes. I love to learn new things and as I gain new knowledge in techniques I add them to my repertoire of things to pull out of my hat. You’ll find more metalwork and found object pieces now then say 2 years ago. However, I still like to do beadwork and love color, so beads will always be a part of my work.

Who are the majority of your customers? 
Since I don’t meet my online customers face-to-face I’ll just assume they’re similar to those I met through my shows. In fact, those that bought from me there do buy online from me now either directly or with special commissions. Other artists also will buy from me.

They are 25-70 year olds that are confident in who they are and like to wear jewelry that inspires them. They enjoy the interaction they get from others who can’t help but stop them to ask about the jewelry piece they’re wearing. Life’s too short to wear boring jewelry!

Friends and family were my first fans and still some of my biggest.

How did they find you?
my blog http://thehoneyfromthebee.blogspot.com
Repeat customers
Google search
Word of mouth
Etsy, ArtFire, 1000Markets
Newsletter subscribers

What inspires you to create?
Life is the simple answer. A longer answer would be that my love for nature, protecting the environment, family, emotional experiences, new techniques, color, … my favorites to create are those in which I’m telling a story. My story initially, but the most exciting thing happens when the absolutely perfect person finds it and believes somehow I made it just for them. That’s the universal condition isn’t it?

Touching someone with something you’ve created is the best feeling I’ve ever experienced.

What is your favorite item in your shop currently? 

I have a couple that I’ll probably regret selling so I guess they’d be my favorites:
Marie Antoinette bracelet: http://www.etsy.com/listing/33319309/vintage-mother-of-pearl-and-crystal 
And
Happening at the Barnyard as it reminds me of my youth and hanging out and playing in our big red barn:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/16212620/picasso-ammonite-set-in-silver-and-red 

Your most popular item? 
My jewelry is almost all one-of-a-kind, but overall I’d say my earrings are the most popular over the last year. Sign of the economy perhaps or that we all can use another cute pair!

What has been your greatest resource to make your shop successful? 
Facebook and I believe my blog, which I’ve finally accepted and really enjoy posting in. It’s probably not a coincidence that they are both ways for people to get to know me and what makes me tick.

Any changes coming to your shop in the future? 
There will always be new work popping up. I try to improve my photographs constantly to make it easier for customers to see what they’re buying. Change is a necessity, but I don’t have anything else I can think of right now.

How else can we find you online? 
http://honeyfromthebee.artfire.com
http://honeyfromthebee.1000markets.com
http://thehoneyfromthebee.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/honeyfromthebee
http://facebook.com/honeyfromthebee
http://www.honeyfromthebee.com

Any team affiliations?
EtsyTwitter Team
Olympic Peninsula Team (Etsy)
HAFTeam (Etsy & ArtFire)
Pacific Northwest (ArtFire)
ArtFire Metalsmiths

LET'S DO A GIVEAWAY!

Janet wants you to follow her blog to get the latest happenings at Honey from the Bee. If you sign up between now and July 28th and leave a comment here and on her wall, you will be entered to win a pair of her gorgeous Ginger Jar Earrings. She will even let you pick out your favorite color to make them a one-of-a-kind item!

Interested in being shop of the week? email me for information.