dreary weather + photography = failure

My special number that I am working to as a goal in everything at the moment is 50. I'm trying to get 50 followers on my blog and 50 likes to my ETSY shop as well as be added to 50 circles on Etsy. I also not want but NEED to get 50 items onto my ETSY shop. To do this however I need to take pictures of all the pieces of jewellery I have made, but I can't take decent pictures of my jewellery when the weather is grey and dark and bleak and generally horrible ALL the time. What can I do? (That is a rhetorical question, if you can tell me how to take good pictures of items when you have no good natural light I would love to know!)

So at the moment I am continuing to make lots but not put it on my shop....I neeeeed help!!!

One more thing to tick off my list

I told you recently that I'm working hard making all the jewellery for my first party, well today I put together the invite for the host to send out. This is what I came up with....

What do you think, would you come to my party?

Something other then jewellery

If I had all the time in the world I most likely would have 101 hobbies, not only do I love making jewellery but I also love all things textiles, art ect... pretty much anything creative, that also includes cooking and baking. Sometimes when I have been none stop making jewellery and my callused fingers and strained eyes need a brake I like to indulge in a good book or baking. Which leads me on to telling you about my latest little project that I started a few months ago, a reading group with my friends.

We all love reading and I'm always recommending books (I like to think I'm quite good at choosing books people like) so I thought it would be a nice social things to get together and chat about the book we have been reading. (sometimes 30% chat about book, 20% eat and drink and 50% chat about everything and anything else!) So as I was arranging it I hosted our first group, and because it was our first group I wanted to make it that little bit special. I must admit I had been checking out other people blogs and ideas for book clubs etc and I  got carried away wanting to copy all these amazing ideas I had seen other people do (and add a few of my own ideas) so our first book group became a bit of a party!

So I spent the week focused on my book group party all based around the obvious theme of books and reading.(and not jewellery) I made everyone their own book marks, I made table confetti, cake toppers, a Rosette, and cupcakes with book decorations on top made out of icing.

Looking now at the pictures I've taken I realise now that I should have moved the baby bouncer out of the frame. This makes me think generally when I take pictures I need to take a little bit more time to consider my composition, lighting etc... I love photography (another hobby) and really I should be ashamed of this picture because I know I could have made it better and if I had taken a little bit more time and patience I wouldn't be kicking myself now. I promise I can take better pictures have a look at my flickr site

We had a really great first book group and everyone enjoyed our first book "The Help"  Have you read this book? Did you enjoy it? Got any book you would recommend for us to read in our group?

So I know I deviated from all things beads and bling, but as all you crafters will agree sometimes you need to take a step away from what you enjoy and then come back to it with a fresh approach and clear head.

Lets get to 50....GIVEAWAY!

Okay so I've set a goal, I want to get 50 followers on my blog and 50 likes on my ETSY shop. So to do this I come up with an idea...a giveaway!!! These lovely teal drop earrings on silver plated ear hooks. Just follow my blog and leave a comment or Add me to your Circle on ETSY and favourite me. Once I reach 50 I will randomly generate the winner and let you know.

Hope to hear from you guys soon!

 

Decoupage papers

I'm still thinking about my jewellery display stands that I need to make  and have been looking for some paper to decoupage the stands with. I found these lovely backgrounds from MemoriesPictures that I thought would be perfect to use. Now all I need to do is buy the paper and the card and start making them. (Adding that to my never ending job list!)

I also found some really cute bird charms while I was perusing etsy aren't they lovely! I need these in my life!

These brass little bird charms are from wesweetlife. They have loads of different charms to choose from that are all really cute.

Also, these little charms with the birds in their cages are adorable! They are from CarissasSilverLining

Hope you like these charms and the shops you can get them from, let me know what you think.....

Beaded flower and kanzashi tutorial

Recently I was asked to make some more beaded hair pieces for two little girls to match their dresses, so I thought I would share with you the piece that I made for them.

One piece is like the red poppy I already blog a picture of. And the other hair piece is to go with a bright summer dress.

I really enjoy making flowers out of beads, it is time consuming and a little fiddly but the end results are always great.

Hope you like them, I'm always trying to think of other flowers that I could bead. (I made a really delicate vintage style rose beaded hair clip, but very bad of me I didn't take any pictures!) What other flowers do you think would be nice to bead? Have you made any yourself, I'd love to see some piccies if you have.

Something else I love doing and really appreciate is Kanzashi flowers. This blog called bitty bits & pieces shows you how to make some lovely kanzashi flowers, I followed the tutorial and found it really simple. I made some flowers and put them on headbands for my little one.

Also on etsy they have some lovely shops that make amazing kanzashi hair pieces. I put together this treasury list of some of my favourite. Have a look and let me know what you think....

Hope you like!

Making my own jewellery display stands

So I told you about doing a jewellery party well I now realise that I will need quite a few jewellery stands to display my work, however I have brought a few already to use in the shops that I sell my piece in and I have to tell you jewellery stands aren't that cheap. So I had an ingenious idea to make my own stands. I also thought it would be really nice as I can decoupage them and make them look really nice and unique to me.

I found this great link and thought I would share it in case anyone also would like to have a go at making their own stands.

                                                 How to make your own display stands.

As I was looking for stands I found some really nice ones on etsy, check these out....

This is a lovely little shop called wildabouttags they sell loads of beautiful labels and tags the the graphics are great. I liked these earrings display tents because they have a retro funky style.

I like this piece from DrommeLund because I made one before and I really liked it, makes a great ornamental piece as-well-as a jewellery stand

And how cute are these stands from NancysTeaShop really vintage beautiful pieces that are unique and functional.

Well when I have finished making my stands I will blog you the end results. Let me know what you think of these shops and if you have any ideas on what to do to make jewellery displays.