Earrings and More Earrings All Over The Place
If you make and sell handmade jewelry, chances are you have more than a few extra pairs of earrings in your inventory. Perhaps your design style has changed from boho to punk rock and your earrings, while perfectly fine, no longer fit with your image. Maybe you overestimated the popularity of a certain style, making chandelier earrings long after the trend had switched to simple studs. I personally have shifted my jewelry to a fairly narrow niche market and some of my older earrings do not fit my new focus.
So Many Earrings, So Little Time
What should you do with these all these extra earrings that are in brand new condition? Sometimes changing venues helps. If you only sell online, try selling your work at a craft show. If you only sell at one online website, try another. You could also try to put them on sale and sell them at a discount. You could take them apart and use the pieces to make something new. Or you could donate them to a good cause.
A Little Earring, A Big Difference
I last wrote about Ears to You back in September 2013. This charity donates earrings and hats to cancer patients of all ages. The idea is simple, but powerful: a little self adornment can help boost your self esteem at a time when it may be in short supply.
Over the last few weeks, I've been going through my handmade earrings and pulling out ones I want to donate. I'm replacing some of the ear wires and making sure that the earrings are all in perfect condition. I have quite a few Christmas earrings with special handmade lampwork beads that I want to donate now so that the organization has time to get them out for the holidays.
If you're interested in donating your own new, unworn earrings (lead- and nickel-free), learn more at the Ears for Your website. A wide range of styles is welcome since each recipient will be drawn to different styles and colors.
P.S.
While researching this blog post, I found another earring-related charity that was new to me. It's called The Orphaned Earring and they use single earrings to create bracelets which they sell to raise money for orphans. I also found Lobes of Love which accepts used earrings for its charity. If you know another place that accepts donations of earrings, feel free to share the information in the comments.