Creative Jewelry Show Display – Zipper Pulls

When I started selling zipper pulls at my jewelry shows people weren’t really sure what they were supposed to do with them.

Also, they are small and can get lost on a table full of jewelry.

I decided to create a display that wouldn’t take up too much room but that would show how they are used.

I decided to sew a zipper into a piece of fabric and mount that into a small frame. I put the zipper at an angle so that the zipper pull would hang against the fabric and not the actual zipper.

This worked perfectly.

It was inexpensive, transported and stored easily and was eye-catching. If you don’t sew you could easily re-purpose an old piece of clothing with a zipper and with a little glue transform it into a display.

Get creative!

Creative Jewelry Packaging Series - Hand Made Felt Pouches

Felt is a wonderful thing!

It is so soft, comes in a ton of colors…and the best part is it doesn’t have to be hemmed.

When I made some special silver necklace charms I knew I wanted some kind of pouch to package them in. I decided to create one myself that would fit my needs in a more custom way.

I knew it needed to be something that would be very easy to create and something I could make over and over.

First I made a pattern out of paper to find the right size. I ended up with a long rectangle.Then all I needed to do was fold up the bottom and sew along three sides…just a quick straight line.

The excess on top folded over and was secured with a small piece of organza ribbon. They were so simple to make I ended up with a whole bucket full in one sitting.

I preferred to do more of an assembly line…cut all felt, sew all pieces, cut all ribbon, etc.

The color or pattern can be chosen to complement your pieces…for a more natural, earthy look…tie with raffia, for a more modern, contemporary look tie with metallic thread…or for a more romantic look tie with a thin strip of lace…

Presto! A small pouch …inexpensive, custom…perfect.

Creative Jewelry Packaging Series - Small Wood Boxes

When you take a lot of time and care to create a very special, hand crafted piece of jewelry it is important to think about how that little creation will be packaged for the recipient.

At most national art and craft stores, in their unfinished wood sections, you can find small, unfinished wood boxes in a wide assortment of shapes and sizes…most prices around $1 or less.

There are so many things that can be done to incorporate these inexpensive boxes into your presentation...

• hand paint them in a color or theme to coordinate with your piece of jewelry

• decoupage them with decorative papers or tissue

• stain them with a wood stain or simply clear varnish

• spray paint them and add your signature or write a personal note or poem

• glue fabric or trims on them

The list goes on and on…

Just think what a special experience the recipient would have receiving one of your creations, wrapped in colorful tissue paper, carefully tucked inside a beautifully decorated box .

It is a complete presentation!

Creative Jewelry Packaging Series - Clear Top Boxes - Part Two

Ok, so you have the right boxes…now what do you do with them?

As I said in Part One of this series…I didn’t care for the cotton usually supplied with jewelry boxes. It would get caught on my jewelry and the little hairs would look messy.

I chose to buy a large piece of felt from a craft store and cut small rectangles to fit my boxes. This was very affordable and I could customize my colors to match the pieces of jewelry or my display.

A tip…to save your sanity when cutting felt, make sure you use sharp, fabric scissors…even if that means you need to pick up a new pair along with your fabric purchase! There is nothing worse than trying to cut felt with dull scissors or scissors that are regularly used for cutting paper.

The other great thing about clear top boxes is that you can see what you have.This is handy for display and for storage. It saves time when you are hunting for something not to have to remove all of the lids to find the item. It also saves time when setting up to do a home show or fair.

While it’s usually best for customers to not have a barrier between them and your jewelry, in a time crunch the tops can be left on and they can still see what you have.

The tops can help with moisture and dust too…for some added protection.

Creative Jewelry Packaging Series - Clear Top Boxes – Part one

When looking for boxes to package my hand crafted jewelry I chose clear top boxes.

While a little more expensive than other choices I thought they would serve two purposes…Storage and display.

For me they have worked great.

I was lucky to find them at a local company that buys surplus items so I got a really good deal. I have also ordered some from popular jewelry supply and packaging catalogs.

The size I found to be the most useful is about 5 x 7 and about .5” deep. The clear top nestles into the box instead of on the outside for a clean look. I found that the cotton commonly found in jewelry boxes got caught on my findings and ended up looking messy so I chose not to order the cotton filling.

Instead I bought a large piece of felt and cut it to fit inside the bottom of the box. I also sometimes use colorful card stock to mount smaller items to so that there is more body and so it’s more rigid.

Look for more ides on how to get the most out of your clear top boxes in my future blog posts!

Jewelry Show Display Sample - Single Table

A Jewelry Show for The Make a Wish Foundation of Rhode Island

This was a show I did at an art gallery to benefit The Make a Wish Foundation of Rhode Island.

It was a small table but my display ended up being an effective use of space.

Having displays that gave some height really helped to maximize limited table space and gave people multiple places to look.

It is important to me to have items easily accessible for my customers. I want them to be able to see and try on the pieces.

Keeping the background fabric light helped to show off the jewelry and didn't compete with the variety of colors and textures I use.

Having a couple of busts are great for showcasing a few special pieces.

Jewelry Display Idea - Antique Store Finds

Shabby chic jewelry displays!

I found this shallow, white, coated metal, scroll, basket at an antique store I enjoy to poking around in. I liked it and it was very inexpensive so I bought it...knowing I would figure some way to utilize it.

Then at another store...a little later on, I found a tall metal candle holder...aha!

I wired the White basket on top of the candle "tower" and voila...an interesting, versatile display.

It gives my show display some height and saves valuable table space.



I can put items in the basket, stack another display on top or hang necklaces and bracelets from the scroll hooks. I can layer items in front and sometimes I even put it on a lazy susan so it can spin.

If you see something you like...you can always find a way to incorporate it into your life!

Bracelet and Necklace Jewelry Display Board Idea

A trip to you local home decor shop can provide numerous jewelry display options!

These bulletin boards...sometimes called French Message Boards....can be purchased at most large art and craft stores or discount department stores. They are available in a wide variety of fabric choices and can cost from $5 to $25.

They generally have a sturdy wood frame and are padded...perfect for using u-pins to securely attach bracelets and necklaces.

You can also easily make your own board or recover pre-made boards when worn or to coordinate with your jewelry style.

The crossed ribbons are the perfect place to tuck small signs or tags.

The boards can be placed on an easel or leaned up against a wall or other display item.

For shows, I load the board with jewelry at home and cover the entire thing with kitchen plastic wrap to protect the jewelry during transport.

Scrapbook Supplies as Jewelry Photo Props

Craft stores are a great place to find small props to make your jewelry photographs more interesting.

I found these cool little pre-made cards at a national arts and crafts store in their scrapbooking supply section.

At the time, I wasn't sure how they would work but I liked how graphic they were and what they said.

Below are a couple of ways that I decided to use them.



I think they add visual interest and create an eye catching background.

Creative Jewelry Photo Displays - Napkin Rings

Not Just For Napkins!

National import stores can be your best source of inexpensive, interesting, small photo props and jewelry displays.

Be sure to check out the table-top section and napkin ring bins.

Napkin rings are great because they can usually be purchased individually, are not expensive and come in a wide variety of styles and finishes.They are easy to store and transport and can be updated each season.

This is how I have used some of mine!

Creative Jewelry Photo Displays - Votive Candle Holders

Need Props when Photographing Your Hand Made Jewelry?

A votive candle holder can make the perfect display for shows or when photographing your pieces. They are small, inexpensive and easy to store and transport.

Matte finishes like this frosted glass or aged metal serve as a simple, unobtrusive backdrop, they don't compete with the jewelry and resist glare.

See what you might have in your housewares assortment!

Jewelry Photography Prop Ideas

These are just a few of the items I find useful as props for my jewelry photography.

small glass blocks, feathers, dried flowers, Popsicle sticks, stones, votive candle holders, Cork coasters, bowls, place card holders, small branches, small boxes, leaves...

I LOVE My Light Box!

Purchased at a national electronics store for about $100...this little kit has made photographing my jewelry fun and a lot less painful.

It saves me time and has been instrumental in the improvement of my photo taking skills.

As you can see from these before and after pictures...the light box had captured the detail and helped the color balance.

The set included the colapsible light box, two lights, a small tripod and carriying case.

Creative Jewelry Displays - Home Accesoories

Jewelry Displays in the Housewares Section?

You never know where you will find an interesting display item for jewelry shows or as a prop when photographing your jewelry.

This hand sculpture was an inexpensive little surprise I found at very popular, national, discount department store.

I think it's fun and modern and it has helped me photograph some "hard to photograph" items!

Creative Bracelet Display Idea

On a recent trip to Columbia I was impressed by this clever, colorful, portable, handmade bracelet display.

I think a smaller version of this would work wonderfully for holiday fairs and craft shows.

Very eye catching and adaptable for many styles of jewelry.

Jewelry could be stored and transported on the "rolls" too. Then slipped into sleeves for protection between shows.

Creative Jewelry Displays for Earrings Series - Double Wood Tray Idea

A portable, easy set up Hand Made Jewelry Show Display for Earrings...Wood Trays.

Ok, this is the third post in my series of four about finding creative ways to display earrings.

This one takes a little work...but only a very little!

I went to a national unfinished wood super store and purchased two small unfinished wood trays. The top rim of the trays were straight and not arched...that was important. At the same shop I purchased 3 small hinges which came with screws.

When I got home I placed the trays on top of each other inside to inside...and laid the hinges along one of the long sides. I marked where the holes were and drilled a tiny pilot hole. Then I screwed the hinges onto the trays one at a time.
This made it possible for the two trays to stand up and be sturdy when opened like a book.

Inside I attached thin wood strips from the craft store (model building section) with small pieces of wood behind them so that they were raised from the back. You could also use some wire strung side to side with small eye hooks.

...and Voila!

Your earrings hang on the rails and the whole display can be loaded before your show at home. Transport your items to the show with the trays closed together for protection and then opened like a book at your show. These trays had cut-out handles on the short sides which made carrying easy.

These could also be decoupaged or painted to match your jewelry style!

Hanging Earring Card Tip:

I use business cards to display and package most of my earrings.
Sometimes I fold them in half like a tent…that way the can stand up on a table or hang over one of my displays.

Another option is to apply sticky back plastic hangers/earring card adapters to the cards…that way they hang neatly on the wire rails. The earring card adapters can be found at jewelry packaging supply shops and by searching online.

Creative Jewelry Displays for Earrings Series - Basket Tray Idea

Hanging Earring Display For Jewelry Shows

This is the first in a series of four consecutive posts on creative ideas for displaying your earrings at shows. My hope with these four posts is to help open your mind to unexpected options and materials. There will be more jewelry show, display, photography ideas in the weeks and months to come!

I found a couple of these flat, woven basket trays at a discount department store and knew I could find a use for them as a jewelry display.

I have since used them in many ways but this was particularly effective. Some of my earring cards fold over and the basket tray was able to stand on it's side...bingo! A small, compact display.

I slipped the earring cards (business cards folded in half with two holes punched with a straight pin) through the slots and tied a small sign to the top. The earrings were easily removable for customers to take a closer look and I think had a nice, clean appearance.

My show displays have always been sort of eclectic but this idea would also work well with a single theme.