A few weeks ago we talked about bartering your jewelry for goods and services – and what Kari Anderson got in exchange for her pearls.
In a comment after that post, Cindy Burns related how she’s traded with other artists at shows.
I love bartering with other artists too! I have a lovely collection of items I use and enjoy every day, thanks to trading my jewelry for them.
I’ve bartered for stained glass, pottery, jewelry, prints, paintings, notecards, wine bottle stoppers, glassware, woodwork, and more.
And because I know the artists, these pieces are even more special to me.
This month I worked on a custom wire jewelry order for my pottery artist friend Tari Federer.
She had a river rock, a tumbled stone, and a crystal that are very significant to her. She asked me to turn them into pendants for her, and to create leather cords in two different lengths for these pendants.
Although I ran out of time to photograph the pendants before I delivered them to Tari, I took pictures of her incredible pottery for which I traded my wirework:
This rustic, rectangular serving plate (measuring 10″ x 14″) has a slightly concave center, making it a sort of shallow bowl. Tari pressed pine needles into it, which left an almost fossil-type of imprint:
She pressed sprigs of rosemary into the matching oval platter (measuring 6.5″ x 16″):
Sage green is my favorite color, and I have a set of dishes called Lotus Grove that work beautifully with these two platters.
I couldn’t be happier with our jewelry-for-pottery barter, and Tari feels the same way!
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Barter is alot of fun isnt it :p Enjoyed reading your blog tonight .
I have received tickets to a local jazz evening from the drummer/bandleader who wanted a necklace for his wife. I really came out ahead when I traded a silver bracelet for a friends granddaughters charms for a large box of estate jewelry. What a treasure hunt that became.
I have bartered for many, many things including welding services on my boat, mechanical work on my car, dinners at restaurants and tickets to local events. I always ask when I am seeking something if the person selling “like jewelry” and if it is a guy, I say “do you have a wife, girlfriend or daughter” and they usually ask “why” and then I explain. It works about 25% of the time.
Becareful though, a lot of times, the other person wants to full retail value of the item they are giving you and then asks for a discount on your prices. This erks me, but I usually just give them a discount.
If anyone has any ways to resolve that, I would love to hear them!
Michael
Bartering is useful and so fun. A famous author and I bartered for books and sea glass jewelry. It was perfect. We’re both happy. Now if I could just pay my bills this way!
Fair Winds and Calm Seas,
Deborah Leon
http://www.mermaidspurseseaglass.com