Sarah Kling of BellaSweet
September 10, 2009 | By
Meet Sarah of BellaSweet. When asked which is her favorite piece in her shop she replied “I love them all. I couldn't honestly sell something that I didn't love. I mean, this is ME...my jewelry is all Sarah..If I make something and am iffy about any part of it..it doesn't get a price tag!” Sarah says that people would describe her as whimsical, but I can tell you her jewelry is anything but that. One visit to her shop and you will see her passion is gemstones. Let's find out a little more about the brains behind this lovely jewelry:
Name: Sarah Kling
Location: Enola, Pennsylvania
Shop Name: BellaSweet
How did you come up with the name of your shop?
The love of my life (well, my boyfriend and her rival for this title) is our boxer, Bella. She's my heart and the sweetest girl ever, and I put my heart in every piece of jewelry. So it made sense to name my business Bella-Sweet :)
Tell us a bit about your craft/medium:
Why you chose it?
I've always loved gemstones and jewelry. I could name any gemstone shown to me by the time I was 10. I love the glitter of jewelry, how it completely changes your outfit. I wanted to create it..so I did!
Did someone teach you?
Nope. I am 100% self-taught via books, the internet and good old experimentation.
What is the most difficult part of your craft?
Pricing. I am really bad at pricing. I tend to underprice myself and am told I need to change it.
Do you create in more than 1 medium?
I mostly use genuine gemstones..lots and lots of pearls, they're my favorite thing to use! Every once in awhile, a CZ pendant will catch my eye or some glass beads and I'll use them. But 97% of my work is done in gemstones.
Where do you create or work?
I move around a lot..usually, I'll be sitting on the floor..watching TV, making necklaces..stopping to get a boxer-kiss :) Then back to work! All of my beads are in boxes and I tote them around with me.
What is the best thing and the worst thing about being your own boss?
Best thing is I can create anything I want and not have to answer to anyone about it. Worst thing is that I feel this constant, low vibe of pressure to succeed. I don't want to fail and disappoint anyone.(myself included)
What has been your most successful marketing technique?
Make sure you're visible. Give out business cards, promote yourself by wearing your jewelry. Lets face it, there are tons of jewelry designers out there..if you're not pushing yourself(and your work), then you're lost in the crowd.
Where can we find your work?
Artfire is my only online venue-BellaSweet.artfire.com. Otherwise, I do many local shows and home shows. I cannot stress how much I love to do shows. I love the hustle and bustle of setting up, meeting new people, sharing my art with the world.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose? And why?
I'm so happy to be wherever my family is. I've only lived in one place and it suits me. If I had to choose a different country, then Ireland. I am so charmed by the magic and lore of the entire country..plus I'm Irish so it fits!
How about some of your favorites?
color? Purple..all shades, lilac, lavender, periwinkle, violet
movie? Willy Wonka, I love the magic of it all.
Quote? "If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever" -Tennyson
Holiday? Christmas! Oh, I adore Christmas. I've loved it since I was a child..I love the smells(crisp pine, cookies, the smell of candles burning at church), I love the sounds(bells jingling, that perfect calm after it snows) I love the colors and all the decorations. I love finding the perfect gift for someone special. I love the food! lol I love everything about it.
Have you made anything that you just can't bear to part with?
I often have a hard time parting with pieces. But there has been only one time that I've had something at a show and I pulled it from the table because I needed it for myself haha A pair of earrings, made with antiqued silver and lemon quartz briolettes.
What’s your supply addiction; is there a specific color or type of supply you just can’t pass up?
Briolettes and faceted gemstone strands. I love them, I get so much pleasure just to see them laying on tables at bead shows. All that glitter and sparkle! I always think of treasure chests, bursting with jewels. Can you tell I'm obsessed with magic and imagination? Lol
Where do you get inspiration from?
Everywhere I look, its inspiration. I see a beautiful flower and tuck the color away in my head for a future piece. I see a strand of aquamarines at a bead show and instantly, the Carribean is in my mind. My Mom will show me a pendant she likes and I'll create a necklace around it. My boyfriend noticed that I work with darker colored stones a lot..so now I'm trying to mix it up and do lighter colors. Everyone and everything inspires me.
Thank you Sarah, for taking the time to do this interview. Please be sure to check out her shop BellaSweet where you may just find a treasure you can't live without.
Photos courtesy of BellaSweet
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