About the Work - Frequently Asked Questions
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FREE shipping! I'm now offering FREE first class shipping to all U.S. customers, and FREE airmail shipping for my international customers. Your jewelry will be mailed in a padded (protected) envelope. If you prefer Priority Shipping in the U.S. or Registered international shipping (regular airmail is pretty reliable but Registered is of course the ultra-secure best) please let me know because I do have to charge extra for that. How to Order Click on the "buy" button at any jewelry item to activate the shopping cart. You can charge your purchase via Paypal, or call me at 816-358-6152 with your Visa or Mastercard information. (Please don't send your credit card information in an unsecured email.) If you prefer to pay by check, you may also use the "Send Order" button to contact me. Or just send me an old-fashioned email and tell me you want to send me money. :-) How are Paper Jewels made? First I do a sketch (all my designs are original, and copyrighted), then save it as a graphic file. I make from one to four copies of the design for the front and back, depending on whether it is a pin, pendant, or earrings. I cut additional layers of paper to make the work stronger (and thicker). The more delicate pieces (some of the animal pins, for instance) also have a metal armature (tiny skeleton) for additional strength. After the layers of paper are cut and glued, and earwires or other "hardware" inserted, I hand-paint the edges of each piece. They're thin but definitely three-dimensional! Then the lacquering begins. There are four to six layers of lacquer applied to each piece (both sides and the edges). Of course there is drying time for each layer and that's why the work takes a week or so to complete. Can't rush that part! Some of these earrings are big! They must get heavy. You've just found one of the major advantages of using paper. Even the largest earrings are lightweight. When I use gemstones or pearls, there is additional weight - but the earrings are still lightweight and comfortable. That's one of my requirements! Isn't the jewelry very fragile? It's just paper! Not at all. In multiple layers, and with the protective lacquer coating, the pieces are quite strong. I'm still wearing Paper Jewels made over 15 years ago. To my knowledge, Paper Jewels can't be accidentally torn. I've never had a customer mention it to me, and it's never happened to the pieces I've kept in my own collection. They're strong! I like kanji jewelry but there's something different I want to say. Can you do other kanji? Absolutely. :-) Please email me to tell me what you'd like to say! What I really want is my own name in kanji. Can you do that? Yes! I've added your name in Japanese and your name in Chinese to my line. Just email me and let me know what name you want in your jewelry :-) What does the back of the jewelry look like? The drop earrings and all the necklaces have designs on both sides, because of course either side will be seen. The clip earrings and pins are usually finished with a solid color back. Can you make the jewelry in other colors? In a word - yes. :-) Do you do custom work? Absolutely. For example, all of the "name" jewelry (your name in japanese, or your name in chinese) is custom work. Because there are invariably extra emails, ideas, and pros-and-cons exchanged, custom work can be slightly more expensive than the pre-made work shown onsite. But not much. :-) Contact me and we'll go over the details. What are the earwires made of? I use sterling silver or gold-filled earwires. I can also provide karat gold or other metals (hypo-allergenic niobium, for example). Tell me what you need and I'll let you know if there is an additional fee. And I can change earwires to earring posts, or vice versa. There is no additional fee for that service. Additionally, many styles can be made as either clip-ons or pierced, as you prefer. If my jewelry turns out to be not what I expected, can I return it and get my money back? Absolutely. If you're not satisfied with your jewelry, for any reason, return it within two weeks in original condition and get a full refund (minus shipping fees). I want you to love your Paper Jewels! There's a store near me where Paper Jewels would really fit in. Can I pass along that info to you? I love to hear about these stores. If you give me store info and they order from me - you get free jewelry! It's a win-win situation. :-) Just contact me to learn more! What's your privacy policy? I never share your personal info with anyone for any reason. Ever. |
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