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Click to Enlarge 		Joe Rushing
From Saraland, Alabama


Tell us your story.
My story is probably a little different, as I went from building ships to building jewelry, seemingly very sudden. After years of work "in the yards" I spent the last ten years as a Training Instructor and Foreman for several local Shipyards here in Mobile Alabama. Due to an injury, I was no longer able to work, and had to suddenly find a new career.

From the very beginning, I had a knack for steel, and for building things. I tinkered with wood, aluminum and glass on the side, and several times, picked up design training along the way.

Never dreamed I would be building much smaller objects, but from the moment I touched that first gold nugget, I was enthralled, and wanted to build "just a few necklaces". Naturally, gotta' be the best right?, so I set out to find the very best I knew.

The wife & I went to a gold & gem show at the Fairgrounds, and I saw a lady with all the customers. She was sculpting pendents and putting them on chains and she had the line. So she had my attention.

After returning home, I went to work researching for 8 months, and made my decision by Christmas.

Without question, the work of Master Sculptor Preston J. Ruther was by far the "creme of the crop" of all training programs that I could find, and just as soon as my first CD arrived I was off and running.

Since my wife owns a Hair and Wig Salon, we decided to include the jewelry, and I must say, without a doubt, the program works. Start to finish, simple to complex. You can make a few things and get started right away, or you can take your time and really build some incredible pieces of art.

My story is that I am well satisfied with every single dollar I have spent. Jewelry is being made and we have even branched out into a owning a web jewelry store, complete with a full line of beautiful jewelry & gemstones.

Where do you sell your jewelry? Do you have any tips on selling there?

Our jewelry is currently being sold in two places: our retail location at Creative Hair & Jewelry, 1102 Shelton Beach Road, Saraland, Alabama and at www.finehandcraftedjewelry.com on the web.


Since my wife already owned a hair & wig salon, it became a simple decision to include some fine hand crafted jewelry into her store. The gemstone jewelry shows well in the glass displays. As a tip for others; get your jewelry in the stores. Offer a locked display cabinet to accommodate your work.


As for the web, today everyone can get at least a few web pages or even a single page for just about nothing. Put a little cash into it and you can create your very own store. Note however, the web is not a place for quick sales unless you intend to spend money advertising. It takes time to have your web listed in the search engines working without a budget. You can get there much faster if you advertise. Buy a few "clicks" with Google or Yahoo or MSN. Don't buy to many! You can get to many callers & email, and then cannot be able to talk to everyone or fulfill the demand. So take your time. A few customers a week is all you need for gemstone jewelry. Buy your gemstones in wholesale Lots of the same type and/or color so you can make matching sets, & sell by the caret.




What's your biggest selling piece and why?
Our biggest seller in earrings are the RoadRunners. I designed the earrings while trying to make something else, and they turned out to be the best of the earrings. Another good jewelry piece seller is the marque Topaz birthstone (non wrapped) rings in silver.

As to why; people love unique jewelry, and they certainly love to browse through an open, well lit, sparkling jewelry cabinet. Probably a combination of the two, but one does seem to go with the other.

What one piece of advice can you give to other aspiring jewelry makers?
To be the best, associate yourself with the best. Get the best training you can find. Then practice using copper or brass. Practice making curls; practice wrapping; practice measuring. Then design.

Have you quit your day job yet? Can you give us any idea how much income your jewelry is making?
From the beginning, just after receiving the wire-sculpture CD's, I started making jewelry. After practicing for a few days, I was probably working for less than 5.00 an hour, as I was very slow. But as time passed and after staying with it, I got faster, and began working for about 20.00 an hour because more jewelry was being produced.

Today, I am much faster, and becoming even more creative. We're also taking on local polishing contracts of all types of jewelry, and working birthday parties and home shows.

If a person follows the direction of the CD's, and choose one or more of the included marketing plans that simply fits their lifestyle, success is all but guaranteed just by sticking to it.

What would you say to someone that might be hesitant to invest in Preston's course?
I would say that person has not done their research homework yet. If there is better information, training and support out there for jewelry sculpting, I sure haven't found it, and I researched the subject for nearly a year.

When you consider the facts, I just do not see anything out there that even comes close.

First, we're learning not just to wire wrap, but to actually perform advanced sculpting techniques, which is a key to selling beautiful & unique jewelry. Second, there is excellent customer support and a whole host of support related materials and products. Plus, you can actually buy all or most of the materials you need, including marketing plans, tools, supplies and etc... All in one location.

I just do not see that anywhere else. Period.

Has jewelry making changed your life in any way?
Jewelry has definitely changed the direction of our lives here in Alabama. It has added to our business, and made us into busy people. Everywhere we go my wife is asked about "her" jewelry and we usually wind up with everyone looking at our "portable display" that we carry with us.

Do you sell any of your work on line or on Ebay? Do you do well there?

We do not currently sell on Ebay. Might in the future though. But right now we have all the business we can possibly do with the "jewelry shop", home shows & birthday parties, as well as our web at www.finehandcraftedjewelry.com. If we get any more business, we'll have to stay up all night just to make it.




What's your plan for the future?
Our plan for the future is to increase our product line by adding even more elaborate gemstones & diamonds into the work, which we hope will add more value and open up larger and specialized markets to us. But even if this does not happen, we will be pleased to be just where we are today.

And for that, I personally say;

"thank you wire-sculpture".