How to join SRA?

[bubblefizz]

How do you join the SRA  ive emailed them but i dont get a reply
does anyone know how i can join, or what i need to do?

[Caroline]

are you selling? cause they want either your website address or a link to where you sell so they can check you out

i know it can take a while cause the woman who runs it dose so free of charge and it depends what else is going on in her life, all i can say is wait

[bubblefizz]

Thanks Caroline, thats probs why as i dont sell anything yet but i will be selling soon 

[Billie]

I'm not selling and I got membership.  I just had to prove I was making glass beads by sending a picture of my workspace, my eBay and JustBeads ID, and a picture of my beads.  I explained I was in the process of building a website (waiting on James so taking FOREVER) that I was making beads in my kitchen and advised what the website domain would be.  It took about 6 weeks in total and a month of that was waiting for the email back asking for proof.

[Vicki]

I emailed ages ago too, but no reply...I have a website!

[Dragonfire Glass]

I applied & got membership within about 2 days - same for the SRAJD, but my business partner had to wait about a week. Guess the timing was just right.

[LesleyMac]

Marie who runs the site was busy having a baby and moving house but she is back up and running now so I reckon it will all be speeded up, be quicker if you provide proof of what you do and/or have a website otherwise she doesen't know who you are and the whole point is to avoid the mass produced stuff getting in.

[beadysam]

I gave it up as a bad job!

[Dragonfire Glass]

just try again - my friend did & she is now registered.

[Pam]

Yes, Sam try agian, I tried a few months ago and was about to give up, then I sent about 3 emails in sucession and that did the trick.

[Phoenix*]

I got a reply this morning about this which says: "Before we can issue an SRA number we need to verify that your work fits our criteria."

They asked for pics of my work and studio etc which is fine and I have sent those, but checking that the 'work fits our criteria' does that mean they decide whether your beads are 'good enough'?

[Les]

As far as I know it is just to ascertain that you are actually making them yourself....

I could be wrong though ?? I joined the scheme aaaaages back now.. maybe they have changed or tightened their criteria up a little.. ??
Dunno...

Les xx

[Kalera]

No, if it's the site I think it is, all they want to do is make sure it's made by you and not imported! But it can take a while, as it's all checked by her and a few helpers one at a time, and everyone has their own stuff to take care of as well as volunteering for the SRA duties.

[Phoenix*]

ok cool  thanks girls hopefully I will be ok then 

[Billie]

The response I got when I sent a picture of my beads was that the ends appeared good and the designs were nice and clean. I was asked to send three pictures of my beads - were you..?  As no two beads will be identical this is further proof the beads are made by hand and not mass produced (which is also why they want to see the picture of your workspace).  Hope this puts your mind at rest.  I think the basic requirement is that the beads are "artist" made and there will be several indications from your pictures to confirm this.  Bethany (Gwacie) helps out with the registrations, as does Su Poole so they may be able to shed more light as to whether there is a standard your beads need to meet.