They Like Me; They Really Like Me!

I applied a few weeks ago - 2 or 3 - for membership to the Society of International Jewelry Artisans. It's a small, closed group, so frankly, I figured once they got over laughing at my simple jewelry, they'd send me a mail saying "gee thanks, but we're not accepting new members at this time."

Imagine my surprise to find an email in my box today telling me I've been accepted. :)

I'm really excited, because a lot of the members make some really insane stuff. The kind of stuff I have my sights set on and want to design myself, one day. To be a member, you also have to adhere to a certain set of standards and business practices. Stuff like truth in labelling and the like, all of which I've been doing anyway, but in reading the code I am expected to follow, I discovered it is considered an unfair business practice to label a cultured pearl as a pearl. So since all my items with cultured pearls just say pearl, I have to go back into my product table and edit all my product descriptions to say cultured pearl.

The codes I am expected to follow are those of the United States jewelry trade, federal law, and can be found here.

Wow, huh?! It's a lot. I'm happy to say that except for the pearl thing, I've been sticking with it. And I'm going to try to ignore all the people I see selling jewelry on the web who aren't. Which will be the hardest thing to do, because I am a HUGE stickler for rules and can't stand to see people slipping by, whether from ignorance or apathy. So say a prayer for my blood pressure when you go to sleep tonight, and spread the word about fair labelling standards, coz I am *in*! :)

Jenie