Our Newbie's Guide covers the basics, and answers to pretty much anything else you might want to know are covered below. If you still have questions after reading both of those pages, email us!

What does Wyrding mean?

To quote Wikipedia, "Wyrd is a concept in Anglo-Saxon and Nordic culture roughly corresponding to fate." Kythryne and Amy and Kate had been bouncing ideas around for several months, and it was Kate who finally came up with Wyrding Studios in a fit of creative insomnia.

How do you pronounce Wyrding?

Weird-ing. Which is very apt, as anyone who knows us will tell you.

When are new things added to the site?

We add new items every week, usually on Friday evenings. You can check the calendar for our current update schedule.

How can I find out about new items, sales, special offers, and so on?

There are lots of options. You can join the mailing list, read the blog, get involved in the forums, view the calendar, join the LiveJournal community, or add the blog's LJ syndication to your friendspage.

Where can I see photos of pieces that have been sold?

You can use the search function to look up items by name or material, check out what's been purchased in the past week, or browse through the thousands of photos posted on our Flickr page.

Where are you located? Can we visit in person?

We are located in Concord, NH, about an hour north of Boston. We welcome visitors, but as Wyrding Studios is run entirely out of our home, studio visits are available only by appointment. Please contact Kythryne at kythryne@wyrdingstudios.com to arrange a time to visit. Studio visits will not be available between December 2010 and March 2011 due to Kythryne's maternity leave. What are your series?

Our series consist of pieces which are all based on a specific theme, concept, or combination of materials, while being unique in execution and design. Each series is given a name, and pieces within that series are either numbered (i.e. Gratitude #52) or given themed names (The Wee Pirate, When Pirates Plan Ping Pong, The Pirate's Ear Trumpet). We have created over sixty series, many of which are still in production; you can see many of them in this gallery. A few designs have begun as a series and later become open editions.

What kind of wire do you use?

Our silver wire is custom-manufactured for us; it is silver plate over a copper core, with a clear enamel coating on the outside to prevent tarnishing and skin reactions. Our copper, brass, and harvest gold wires are also enamel coated. All of these wires are extremely durable and non-reactive; many people with severe metal allergies are able to wear our jewelry with absolutely no problems. Our earring findings are high-quality sterling silver, gold-filled, or surgical steel, and the bails on our pendants are silver-plated.

What's the deal with your shopping cart? Why do things sometimes vanish before I can buy them?

Because we sell one-of-a-kind items and usually have a lot of people on our site at any given time, we use a custom-designed cart system which works a little differently from other shopping carts. You can learn more about how it works and why we use it here.

Do you ship internationally?

Absolutely! If your country has mail service, we'll send things there. Please see our shipping rates and policies for more information. We recommend that you use the insurance option if your package will be going overseas.

How long will it take to get my order?

If you ordered something from the website, we will usually send it out within 1 - 3 days, and then it's at the mercy of the postal service. A few items on the website are made on demand when you order, which can add 2 - 4 days to our processing time; those items are all clearly marked as such. Subscriptions typically ship within a few days of being billed each month, with the exception of the first month you join, which takes slightly longer. Please see our shipping rates and policies for more information on transit times.

Do you take commissions or do custom work?

Yes, absolutely. You can find more information on custom work here.

Do you wholesale?

Yes! Our minimum order is $300, and you must be a legitimate business with a Tax ID number. We also occasionally do consignment. Please direct all wholesale inquiries to kythryne@wyrdingstudios.com.

What kind of chain or cord should I get for my pendant?

We suggest our neckvines, which are thin, flexible wire necklaces with a simple hook and eye clasp made specifically to hold our pendants. If you'd prefer something more traditional, we suggest a simple sterling silver or gold chain. Some people prefer to use silk or leather cords, or ribbons.

How can I tell how big something is?

We post measurements of every piece in the description, but if you're having trouble picturing the size of a piece, we have a handy printable chart showing the relative sizes of several common dimensions.

I saw a piece on Flickr/your blog/somewhere else that isn't on the website, can I buy it?

Most of what goes in Flickr are commissions and pieces that will be in an update. If they're commissions, then they're already spoken for, and if they're headed for an update, we can't pre-sell them. You can always ask us about making something similar, though. Can I send you a check/money order/cash/wampum?

We regret that we can not accept mailed payments at this time. If you are visiting our studio in person or attending a jewelry party, we will accept checks, cash, credit cards, and PayPal. We do accept barter offers in some circumstances.

Do you accept returns?

Only under very specific circumstances. If you feel the piece was misrepresented, or if it arrives damaged, please contact us to discuss returning it. We do not accept returns because a piece is larger or smaller than you expected, as we provide accurate measurements on every piece. We do our best to make our customers happy, and if a problem arises we will gladly work with you to try to find a solution that is fair to everyone.

Can you repair my jewelry if it breaks?

Our jewelry is quite sturdy, but stones sometimes have hidden flaws, wires may bend, and dogs occasionally decide jewelry is tasty. Please contact us and we will be happy to discuss it with you. If the damage was due to an error on our part, we will do the repair at no charge; if your dog ate it or your toddler plugged it into an electrical outlet, we will repair it at a reasonable price. We do not offer repair services for jewelry we did not make.

How can I learn to do your style of wirewrapping?

Please understand that we are all full-time artists and this is how we make a living and support our families; we have all spent years practicing our techniques and developing our unique styles. As such, we are not a wirewrapping resource site, nor do we offer instruction. We feel quite strongly that art should be inspired, not copied, so we encourage aspiring wireworkers to seek out basic technique books or tutorials (which are widely available at your local library or online) and then experiment to develop their own style.

I have a website, can we do a link exchange?

If a company is listed on our links page, it's because we have personally done business with them and can wholeheartedly recommend their products or services. We feel very strongly about only linking to companies which we personally know to be outstanding, and for that reason we do not do unsolicited link exchanges.

Where can I buy wire/stones/beads like you use?

Most of our wire is manufactured specifically for us, and we buy the bulk of our stones and beads from wholesale companies locally and in New York City.

How can I find out what a specific stone looks like, or what properties it has?

Kate compiled a marvelous stone reference guide which she has kindly permitted us to use, and you can find it here.

How can I tell which side of my pendant is the front? Or which side is up?

The best answer to this question is "whichever way you want it to go," but if you want to know what we had in mind when we made it, you can always use the search function to look up the original photo. Another clue is to check to see where the wire ends are located -- we usually snip the wire so the ends are tucked under somewhere on the back of the piece.

Can you lengthen or shorten a necklace or bracelet?

It depends on the piece, but we can almost always add an extender to necklaces, and we can often add or remove a small amount of length on bracelets. Additionally, many of our necklaces are designed to be sized for the person who purchases them; if this option is available, it will be stated in the description. If the option is not offered, please ask us before you place your order and we will be glad to look at the piece and let you know if we can adjust it for you.

Are there any types of jewelry you can't or won't make?

At this time, we do not do any cast metal work or beadstringing, and we do not make wedding or engagement rings as we feel that cast metal is the best medium for a piece which will be worn on the hands for decades. We may also occasionally decline a specific commission if we feel that we are not the right artists for the project; in that case we will be happy to refer you to someone better suited for the job.

Why do the stones in your jewelry look different from the stones I see in traditional jewelry?

We primarily use semi-precious gemstones and crystals, and on the rare occasions that we use precious stones such as emeralds or rubies, we usually use "low-grade" stones which are more affordable and often more interesting than the flawless gem-grade stones used by conventional jewelers. The modern preference for flawless clear stones is relatively new in jewelry design; stones with interesting inclusions have historically been used extensively by famous designers in fine jewelry. These inclusions, refractions, and other so-called imperfections provide fascinating amounts of visual depth, while allowing us to keep our prices accessible to almost everyone.

How do you come up with the names for your jewelry?

The answer to this question is often "we were bored." Or "we were tired." Or, occasionally, "we were drinking."