Clockwork Alchemy 2024, April 19-21I’m pleased to announce that I’m heading to the Bay Area’s premier steampunk event, Clockwork Alchemy on April 19-21. I’m presenting two historical slide shows and serving as MC for the Belly Dance Show.
If you’re interested in learning more about this event, visit their website for schedule, location, pricing, and more.
I’ve recently had more than a handful of people asking for information about buying, selling, or trading used and vintage jewelry pieces.
If this is you, here’s a list of things I do before I put together a jewelry/accessories drop. However, this to-do list applies to selling virtually anything from a pair of shoes to a wood-burning stove.
Listing Research – Take some time to have a hunt around the web and find out what’s for sale today. As you read listings, make a note of word choice, photo quantity, and quality. The goal is to figure out what things are priced at today, and what the current style in listings looks like.
Ask Yourself “Is it worth it?” – After the research phase is “done enough,” consider the time and energy it will take to create and upload a listing. If you don’t have the time, skills, or energy, you can step back from this project knowing you’ve e made an informed decision.
Clean and Repair Your Pieces – Make time to thoroughly wipe down and polish your jewelry pieces. If you have the skills and tools, make any necessary repairs to get your pieces into their best shape.
Measure – Make your listing more complete by including the key measurements for the pieces. Listings with complete measurements are more appealing to shoppers.
Photograph – Take many photos of each piece. Try to capture every angle, at a distance and close up. If you can snap photos modeled on a dress form, stand, or even better, a person. Many online sellers put objects like rulers and coins to show size and provide scale.
Create your Listing – This is my personal choice, but I build my listings in a text document on my computer first. Then if I’m going to put my listings in a couple of places I can copy, paste, and repeat. Think Marketplace, eBay, Etsy, and right on your feed.
Before Posting – Review and double-check the details. Listings should include specific information about payment methods and shipping costs. Include packaging details and timelines from order to shipment.
Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog! I wish you luck and good fortune in your dance and costuming adventures!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
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True Confession: I have a strange hobby – I cosplay as a college professor at steampunk conventions.
Over the past 20 years, I’ve traveled to conventions up and down the West Coast presenting slide history talks focused on 1850 – 1920.
This year, I’m doing something I haven’t done in many years. I’m going to make a costume to attend one of my talks!
This year, Clockwork Alchemy has a fun theme, the Aetheric Ocean. For this event, I’ve put together two 50-minute slide-show talks. The first, “By The Sea” is a survey of Victorian and Edwardian bathing customs and costumes.
As I have pulled out primary source materials, I’ve been bitten by the bug to make a historically inspired bathing suit to wear while I give the presentation. 
Design is all about making decisions, since I’m my own customer for this one, I’ll spend a couple of days musing and thinking about what I’m going to make, how I’m going to make it within the parameters of my cash budget $100 and time budget 3 weeks.
In the next post, I’ll share my design brief and the approach I chose for getting this job done fast and under budget!
Happy Costuming!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
March, 2024