So, how did you become an entrepreneur? What lead you to this business that you are in now
I think I was born an entrepreneur,LOL! I have quested after a dream most of my life. You know the old saying Jill of all trades……. that’s me.

I have been a dance instructor, I made fancy hand painted candies,wood crafts,painted on anything that didn’t move. I used my sewing skills and made hand crafted soft doll beds,and carriers. I worked in advertising,and sales,a bakery,always dealing in antiques. I took my poor children around with me to craft shows, they napped under my table when they were small.

What’s your business called and what do you do with it?

I have always loved anything shiny and collected vintage and antique jewelry most of my life. Since God blessed me with artistic ability, it seemed natural I turn to design and art jewelry. My Business is Nancy’s Wild Wire Jewelry and Art Studio. I design and make wearable art jewelry, I sculpt with wire, I paint, I sew, I dabble in everything artsy.

How did you finance your business?

Since I am self employed I have a lot of freedom to experiment. It really didn’t take much, I had material from my years of collections, I used electrical wire my hubby stripped for me, I went to yard sales, I got creative. I was in a financial crunch, but I had a great desire to create. I am still creative about materials, I barter sometimes, and I sell my work now.

I love that you cobble together what you can find and turn it into something so beautiful! How many hours in a week do you work on your business?

Well like most artists I put in a lot of hours. I shoot for 4-5 dedicated hours a day, but I fit in a lot more. I consider promoting part of my business to.

Nancy's wild wire custom arrowhead

What’s your favorite to work on?

My favorite kind of jewelry to do is the unplanned piece. Like when someone hands me an object or the odd stone and asks if I can do anything with it. I love seeing their face when I use a few wraps of wire,&it comes to life. I love to do custom work or any challenging piece.

The arrow head was bought from me, I added her old trade beads ,then made bracelet & earrings to match.

 

Do you feel successful, and how do you define that success?

I feel very successful. I have been juried into the Illinois Museum Artists program. That is a life time honor for artists who live and continue to work in Illinois. I have recently had two of my jewelry designs published in Copper Wire Jeweler’s Magazine.

Nancy's Wild Wire Faith custom necklace

What has been your biggest challenge as an entrepreneur?

Being accepted since I am self taught, I had to gain credibility.

The Faith necklace was a surprise piece for Judy Faith, several people donated elements and asked me to make her a necklace,it was my great honor and privilege. She is facing a major crisis in her life.

How did you overcome it and gain that credibility?

I really just kept producing my art. My work is unique, it doesn’t matter what category you try to put it in, it is simply art.

What advice would you give someone taking their first step into business?

Be persistent. Never give up your dream,go after it, it will not fall in your lap, and no one else will hand it to you. Work hard,set goals,enjoy the journey.

What’s been your biggest win as a jewelry maker and business owner?

When I walked in the Artisan Center and they recognized the jewelry I was wearing. They didn’t know my name , they knew my art. Then I knew my work was distinct, and would stand on it’s own merit.

Where would you like your business and life to be in 5 years?

I would like to teach wire wrap, I have my first classes coming up in the fall in Paducah Kentucky. I would like to do more of that, and I would like to make some video lessons to sell tutorials. I like live shows too. Of course I would like to be well known in my field.

Nancy's Wild Wire Soft Rose on the Vine Briolette Earrings

You blog for your business, why?

I do blog, I think it is a great way to give a glimpse of who you are, your real life. I have a great support system! My Husband Steve is great! He is a terrific salesperson, as well as my very good friend Mary Jane Graham. When I go to a show, they usually are there to talk to people, to build me up,they really do a great job.Visit Nancy’s blog.

What is your network and support system like?

I have many great friends on Facebook, I belong to Unique Women in business, Copper Wire Jewelers, Wire Wrap Jewelry and they are all very good at inspiring me to keep going forward.

What is your best selling venue?

I think the Internet, I love social networking,it works!

It sounds like you dedicate a lot of time to your business, is it full time?

I consider it full time and I plan my time, I have a schedule. I would not be able to get anything done if I was not dedicated. I also work out and eat healthy meals, so I am in shape for all the activity in my life.

Do you have any training in jewelry making at all?

I do not have any formal training. I am basically self taught, I learn 1 step at a time. I love to try anything new. I am fearless when it comes to that aspect. I have lots of failures, many projects end up in the scrap pile,but out of all that come my successes. I often go back to my scrap pile and pull out different bits and pieces and it take on life in a totally new direction,so there are no real failures, just delays. I think art is a lifelong learning experience,I really enjoy the many opportunities that cross my path to try new skills.

How have you marketed your business so far and have you found it successfull?

I use Facebook,Twitter, I have an Etsy shop, and a blog.
I am doing Art and Wine shows. My friends promote me as well. I am currently building a brand new website called Nancy’s WildWire and Art Studio. I will be launching that very soon.

I want to thank Nancy of Nancy’s Wild Wire Jewelry for sharing her story with us, and I invite you to check out her wonderful hand crafted wire jewelry when you get done reading this interview!

We have a co-worker who collects “spaceship parts” from all sorts of things that are broken and ready to be pitched. He’s a modeler. He actually builds models like spaceships and airplanes out of found parts and pieces. So, anytime we have a broken pen, a plastic bottle, or a tool that can’t be fixed, it has to be filtered for useful parts before being thrown out.

Birdhouses are made out of empty plastic bottles, jewelry is made out of wire, old jewelry parts and beads. String, plastic, metal, almost anything goes if you can free your mind enough to “see” the possibility.

So, where can you find this stuff? It depends on what you are looking for, or looking to make.

• Thrift stores – good for finding used dressy special occasion dresses that can be converted into something else.
• Junk stores- good for finding used furniture that can be cleaned, resurfaced and fixed up
• Yard sales – cheap stuff! Lots of household items that can be refurbished.
• Antique stores – pricey but often unique stuff that you might get a good deal on if you are willing to fix it up  on your own
• Estate sales – this is a perfect place to find old books, and vintage jewelry that can be re-purposed.

Where do you like to find your fixer uppers?

Old pop and beer cans are turned into funny, useful, ingenious items.

Soda can camera

Check out the pop can turned Camera.

Pull tab jewelry

How about this set of jewelry made from the pull tabs on pop cans? How much fun is that?

And what do you think of these beer cans turned into air planes? There is some great creativity being displayed here!

beer can airplane

Beer can airplane

Check out the fabulous ships, tractors, race cars, helicopters and planes this guy makes! And so much more too! Watch him make a plane while he’s talking to the camera.

Moolala.com This one lists many cities per state, but the deals may be the same regardless of where you live. The one at time of writing this post appears to be same no matter what city I choose.

reasons to sign up.

• 1. Daily deals will save you 50-90% off retail.
• 2.  They pay you 2% of the deal value on any purchase you make + 2% of the deal value your friends buy.It’s a 2% 5-level rewards system. And these aren’t one-time referral fees. As long as people in your PayMatrix are buying deals, we’ll keep paying you – forever.

Dealpulp.com I love how they show how many deals for each product was ultimately sold. It’s good info for small biz owners who want to try out selling their own deal. Their deals are also always available online and nationwide.

reasons to sign up.

• Daily deals between 50 – 80% off retail
• Affiliate program pays you 25% of any sales generated by you.

zulily.com This one seems to be mostly children and mommy deals. It is nationwide.

reasons to sign up

• Great if you have small kids, or are a mommy.
• They have an affiliate program through google ad sense.

Heartsy.me They send you exclusive deals on handmade items.Every day or so they email you one deeply discounted deal to use at an artist’s Etsy store. They actually have several items daily, and often extend deals too. The deals are online only through etsy.com sellers.

Lots of jewelry, arts, crafty hand made stuff.

• You get $10 for each referral who signs up through your links.
• You can vote for potential deals to get that stuff put up so everyone can buy that deal.

Groupon is the grand-daddy of all daily deals sites. They support locally sponsored deals, but I noticed they just added a “see all deals” tab on their site. Many cities actually feature online deals or deals that can be bought and used nationwide.

• Get $10 in Groupon Bucks when someone you invite gets their first Groupon. There’s no limit on how much you can earn!
• You can earn from 2% to 15% in their affiliate program

There are more that I’ve found, tested and found to just not be exciting or unique.

What deal site do you use, like, or love so much you don’t want to share?

When I was first introduced to Patricia, I was taken back to a time in my life when I was surrounded by unique, luxurious, hand beaded creations for wearing. I was in the belly dance community and back then, everyone pretty much hand beaded their own outfits. Months worth of intricate, tiny beading sessions took place just to make one belt. 

So, when I saw these pieces of artwork I could immediately appreciate how much time and effort it takes to make her jewelry. 

 Per her artfire store, 

This is a large work of wearable sculpture with lots of bead netting, a centerpiece of Russian Peyote-stitch and a dangling polymer clay bead that has been highly polished and draped with asymmetric fringe. The 2-cuts used in the netting and Peyote are very old, (from about the 1930s or 1940s I was told but cannot verify). Apparently, they came from a stash found in a warehouse in Rhode Island, The bugle beads and Swarovski bicones are contemporary as are the Czech beads (one lampwork and one textured druk) used for the bead and loop fastening and the larger 6/0 beads.

You can find more of Patricia’s wearable art at PatriciaCVener