The Bling Upsell

Thanks Ashley...didn't even think of taking off the paint...duh. Do you let the glue tack or just stick it on wet?

D.

When I use glue, I let it tack a little first.. but I've never used it on a face for kids before.. it would probably do fine with wet as well if you're in a hurry.

Even my little grand nephew wanted a jewel. I put an oval one on his spider in the middle of his spiderman mask.

I like the idea of a $5 upsell which includes Liquid Bling and several gems - if you're going to "wow" you might as well "WOW"!

Next question: Are all your gem baggies the same? Do you let them choose? Just tell them that you'll pick the prettiest one for their design? I'm thinking that really, most don't care if they're the same as long as they're pretty, but I love knowing what you guys do!

I use eyelash glue that has no latex (my daughter applies the gems while I am on to the next face if she is not busy with a glitter tat). My son has a latex allergy that makes him break out in little bumps, so I was a little nervous about the ones with adhesive. There are some gems at Micheal's sold without the adhesive in packs of 100 to 160 in the smaller sizes. It can give you more control over colors. At my Micheal's they are on the wall next to the jewelry wire. They are 2.99 each but with the coupon its minimal.

I have read that you use glitter tat glue, but I was worried about how long it lasts. Do the kids have to use alcohol to remove the gem? Every sample tat I wear. I end up having to remove with alcohol.

Yes I will post some of the higher priced faces. I have to watermark them first though. I do not do that for line work, I do that for individual appointments only. Usually at Halloween and Christmas time. Last year I had a horrible time with people showing up at Halloween though but, Christmas was better. I create something that they just want and it is not something I offer on a board or anything. I have just started to compile a regular portfolio booklet of designs like that because I would really like to pursue more work like that.

I don't want to give the impression that I get that all the time LOL I WISH! Most of the work that I do is for kids. But I do have the premium faces by appt for special parties. Basically I take my $15 face and add more swirls and usually crystals which cost more or the rhinestones. It takes me about 30 minutes to do a face like that because adding the crystals and rhinestones can be tedious. They are pretty small and I use tweezers. So far I have been decently successful at it.

So for special things it is a pretty easy upsale. If I say it is only $10 to add real Swarvoski crystals for a Christmas then it sounds like a small splurge.

I just bought a ton of the rhinestone swirlies from ichaels lastnight. I had a 20% off everything, including sale items. The average pack was $5.00 with 4-5 individual swirls. Some actually look like full crowns. So cool. Now, to figure out how to display them. Maybe in a portfolio book and have the prices on each one as an add on. Then I'll do some pictures for my sign and place those faces under the $15 range.
Still working on the details. My bill was $178 before the coupon. After the 20% was deducted it came to $138. So, I got me alot of bling. ;0)

I use the same glue as my glitter tattoo glue. I put it right over the paint once it's dry, let it go a little tacky & then place the gems.

Some of my baggies are similar & some aren't, it just depends what I could find at Micheal's. For the clusters I usually have a grouping for the center & then 4 smaller groupings for the 4 corners of the design. I also like to stick a gem next to the corners of the eyes.
I haven't yet let the child pick the gem grouping just because I feel it'll be too time consuming & they might pick colors of gems & paints that would clash.
For the big hearts, I put them in the center of the forehead & find a matching swirl pattern from a border strip for both sides(sometimes they don't really "match" but I try to get them close). I keep scissors on hand in case I need to adjust a cluster, remove a gem, etc to fit the childs face size. Sometimes I discard the unused gems into a baggie & sometimes I find a place to glue them into the design. I try to avoid placing a lot of single gems around a design or in a row, etc. It's too time consuming & my fingers get a fumbled. I tried using tweezers, but found them too clumsy & I also must keep my finger nails short, but not to the quick. If not, they get in the way or if I have no nail I'm all thumbs. I tried the birthday candle technique that henna artists use w/o luck....
Here's some samples of gems I've paired

oriental trading has some christmas ones right now on clearance. its about 3.00 for two sheets of sparkly holly and such. Im thinking of buying some.

glitterfly wrote:I just bought a ton of the rhinestone swirlies from ichaels lastnight. I had a 20% off everything, including sale items. The average pack was $5.00 with 4-5 individual swirls. Some actually look like full crowns. So cool. Now, to figure out how to display them. Maybe in a portfolio book and have the prices on each one as an add on. Then I'll do some pictures for my sign and place those faces under the $15 range.
Still working on the details. My bill was $178 before the coupon. After the 20% was deducted it came to $138. So, I got me alot of bling. ;0)

I went to Michael's today too - found some on clearance! Couldn't use the 20% coupon on top of it (boo) but they were $2.99/pack and had 4-5 pieces in each, so it's not too bad, lol.

I'm having trouble thinking of how you'd use the asymmetrical ones - know which ones I'm talking about? I got some of the symmetrical ones so I can use them in the middle of the masks, but I know I'd feel horribly lopsided if I used the others...too bad because they were super pretty.

Linda, the cluster in the baggie with the pink heart - was that cut from those longer (3"?) strips?

Yes, I got the pink & the blue. The blue ones get lost in the design, but the pink ones rock! I just cut them up & sometimes I'll cut a few up as I'm planning out the design.

So I found the large gems that Marcela is using from china town.. it looks like they are actually cell phone stickers.... here is a link to what I found http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/348875681/Jewelry_Diamond_mobile_sticker/showimage.html
so unless you want to pay an extreme amount in shipping or buy in 1000 unit bulk... there are a lot out there in pretty designs I will let all know if I find more...

I searched Amazon for Mark Richard's Crystals and I found some really beautiful ones. They average $3 each, but may of them look like you can cut them apart to use separately. You may be able to get them cheaper elsewhere too. They look a lot like some of the things Marcella was using too. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_21?url=search-alias%3Darts-crafts&field-keywords=mark+richards+crystal&x=0&y=0&sprefix=mark+richards+crystal

i just wrote to the seller of the big gems and asked what the minimum order would be... if it's under $1000 I might make a big order and then be able to sell them off to everyone who wants some. We'll see!

Ashley, Any luck with the vendor of the big gems?

they have some on ebay! http://cgi.ebay.com/Mobile-Phone-Purple-Heart-Star-Rhinestone-DIY-Sticker-/160615513993?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item25656e3f89 they are cell phone stickers

Ashley Pickin wrote:i just wrote to the seller of the big gems and asked what the minimum order would be... if it's under $1000 I might make a big order and then be able to sell them off to everyone who wants some. We'll see!

wow....I love these big gems

michellesfantasyfaces wrote:wow....I love these big gems

Hey Michelle,
did you ever look into a local toystore, stick on gems for girls to play with, at Hema they have pink hearts (stick realy well on the face...) and small cowns, ehm... maybe pippoo's has them or the local craft stores...
A while ago I needed them for my girls-b-day party and found those from the hema and at the intertoys just in the craft section.

Good luck!

Take care, love Jantien

PS. the pink heart is about the same as on the picture above!!!

Zeeman also has nice ones.

we don't have a pipoos very nearby..but I will go there with my sister soon..

all these large bling stickers are for decorating mobile phones..I've found some really beautiful (not cheap) ones that I will order through Ebay.

and they have beautiful ones from Marianne design in the scrapbook section..

http://www.aguinij.nl/?aktie=m19

I just got back from Michael's and bought $200 worth of the large gems. The design ones by Mark Richard's.
The are original priced at $2.99 and I got them for .99 plus 13% tax.
I was so excited.
So, if anyone wants to buy some let me know.
I will post all the desgins when I get home.
They are awesome and I actually applied one to my foot 2 days ago with glitter tattoo glue and it is still on. 2 days of swimming and 2 showers later.
These may outshine the glitter tattoos. We'll see.
Anyways, if anyone is interested...let me know. I have a bazillion of them.
And, I wasn't in there to buy more bling. Ugh......I cannot help myself when it comes to shiney thing.

http://www.uxcell.com/star-heart-style-purple-plastic-crystals-cell-phone-jewelry-seal-p-112467.html

http://www.sourcingmap.com/floral-sparkling-jewelry-seal-sticker-light-purple-for-cell-phone-p-112426.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=usfroogle

glitterfly, can we see pics?

For sure. I bought them on my lunch break. So, when I get home, I will post pics.
They are the Mark Richards ones.
I also bought the beautiful ornate ones but they were $2.49 plus 13% taxes. So, I didn;t buy a ton of those.
I will def. post pics tonight.

Just to add my 2 cents- I add the little flower center now and then for free, but when it comes to blinging something out, it cost $5. I think to do it for less, makes it seem like it isn't that cool- that way too, when someone does buy the bling, I can go all out without feeling like I'm taking too long. I do not let them choose, I have found the more input you give someone during the process the more they critique you at the end. So- if someone says yes, bling it- I totally do. I make enough to pay for all the gems I use, and maybe a little extra.