Frequently Asked Questions
ORDERING:
To order an item,
simply add it to your shopping cart and follow the instructions at
checkout... you can use Paypal or any major credit card.
RESERVATIONS:
Yes, I will reserve stuff for you! Simply email
me at this address, and if I
still have it, I'll reserve the item for you for up to two weeks. You'll
be given a direct link to the top-secret invisible holding page, so
don't delete the confirmation email I send you! After two weeks, stuff
is automatically returned to the main website for sale; there are no
reminder emails, I can't keep up with those. I take reservations
seriously and hope you will too. If you reconsider your reservations
toooo many times, I won't be able to hold stuff for you anymore, so
please use your reservation powers judiciously!
The only caveat to my hold system; someone may hit the checkout button before I read your email, so you might want to cross your fingers. ;)
SPECIAL/CUSTOM ORDERS:
I'm sorry, I don't make beads to order. My
creative process functions best when I am working according to the
natural flow of things, and I have found that my ability to work slows
to a crawl when I am remaking beads by request or trying to reproduce
something by description. I do revisit favorite styles, often with a new
twist or different colors, and new beads are put up for sale on my
website every week. If you haven't already, you can sign up for my
mailing list by following the link on my main page so you can receive
email notifications when I put new beads up.
By popular request, I have posted a gallery of past beads so folks can browse some of my previous work... for fun, for inspiration, or just to see what I can do if I don't have anything for sale at the moment. I hope you enjoy what you see there.
WHOLESALE PRICING:
I don't offer wholesale
pricing. I made a decision when I first started out that I would sell my
work with jewelry designers in mind as a client base, and that I would
charge what I need for it -- and not a penny more. That means that my
prices are wholesale as they stand, and I have not included a markup
that would allow me to mark them *down*.
Since I individually handmake what I sell, there is no such thing as a "production run" like in manufacturing, where it's cheaper if you make a whole bunch of the same thing. There are no machines to set up, no dies to change, no lathes to program... just me, my torch, and some glass. So I hope you can forgive me for not offering any price breaks.
PHONE ORDERS:
I don't have an order or credit card processing interface other
than the one on the website, so there is no system in place for phone
orders. I almost never answer the phone because I'm out in my studio
torching, and I rarely (every few days) check my voice mail. One time I
found out that my voice mail had been broken for 2 weeks, and even
though I was checking, I wasn't receiving my messages! If you have an
urgent question, I strongly recommend email because I check it during
studio breaks.
SHIPPING:
I ship orders within three business days. USPS First
Class shipping with delivery confirmation and insurance is $2.00 to any
address in the US, Canada and Mexico, as well as APO/FPO addresses.
International shipping via First Class airmail is $3.00 to countries
outside of North America, and usually takes about a week, but can take
up to six weeks depending on the vagaries of Customs in the country of
destination. Customs forms will be filled out completely and accurately
per US Postal Code, and an invoice included with your beads; please note
that any Customs fees or VAT taxes are the responsibility of the
importer, and the exporter has no control or influence over the mail
processing in the country of destination.
THE FINE PRINT:
I do stand behind my work; if it fails you in any
way, please, please let me know so I can remake it, or give you a
refund. Should any damage occur in shipping, please let me know at once
and I will do whatever necessary to make things right.
STUDIO LOCATION:
(Please note that I do not have a retail
storefront and that my private studio is not open to visitors.)
Portland, OR
503-381-8810
