Springing back into action

Spring green necklace £35

It was such fun doing the craft show but such a relief when it was over too that I was in two minds about doing the next one on 1st March. But I decided to go for it so now its full throtle making again.

This is the first new design for the show but it does bring together a lot of ideas I have incorporated into other pieces. I feel like I am building a library of techniques and elements to use in my designs now.

So its copper coils and cages and green polymer clay beads where I tried to mix bright fresh greens with some green catseye effect beads discovered in my stash that echo the lines in the copper and polymer nicely.

I'm going to try keep the blog updated with my makes for the craft show but already I feel like there are just not enough hours in the day

Fairs fair

I've been quiet for a reason this last month I was busy getting ready for a craft fair. It has to be one of the most nerve wracking things I have done in a long while. It was also enjoyable , exhausting and I learnt a heck of a lot and I can't wait to do another

I was worried for what must be all the usual reasons will I sell anything? Yeah!! I did!!

Will people be rude about my stuff?
Well not to my face anyway :) They didn't even gasp at my prices and tell me I was having myself on.

Will I sell all my stuff? well maybe that is not a usual worry but for some reason  I had decided it would be awful to sell everything and be left with an empty table even I am sitting here shaking my head at that one!

So what will I do better next time?

The Christmassy looking cloth didn't really show off my jewellery to best advantage so I'll go with the natural calico I had in mind in the first place.

Take a mirror that will stand on the table  to encourage people to try things on

Make more purple . . .. well maybe . .. . . everything I had in purple sold

Put some info on there to make sure people are aware that I have personally made all the focal beads on my necklaces and dangles on my earrings and such as opposed to being bought in bits assembled and that each piece is a one off

What did I get right?

Although it might not look like it having items laid out on the table rather than "arranged" on display stands gave people permission to pick things up and look at them.

I had mulled wine and chocolate brownies for lunch which perked up my sales patter considerably 

Roses are red Violets are violet

More flowers this time on a brass cuff. This is the first anticlastic bracelet I have formed I did it with the help of my trusty rolling pin not having stakes.

Halloween Flowers

The kiln called and I answered and made a job lot of copper flowers. Some in orange and some turquoise.

Then I spent ages wondering what to do with them. I was blocked obsessing with the idea of using them all in one project and it just had to have rivets.

Then I remembered some black knitted copper wire I bought because I had to have it even though I had no idea what I wanted to do with it. I made the three bracelets below in quick succession then having cleared the blockage so as to speak went on to make the little flower pendants which are riveted (yippee) to the bales. So not a bad weekend all in all. Except for falling off my bike but that's another story.

Coils and leaves yet again

Woodland walk necklace

This might be the last of this series for a while but then again . . . . here copper autumn leaves are teamed with copper coils and wooden beads for a simple seasonal pendant.

Now well my kiln is calling probably to distract me from the bunch of beads I have made up that I haven't done anything with yet.

Not to mention the cuff bracelet obsession that has had me turning base metal into, mmm scrap metal for most of the week.

Also the new hammers are fab bet the neighbours are getting tired of them though. So much to try so little time I just love this hobby!

Woodsmoke and autumn leaves

Definately a seasonal one this with autumn colours in abundance and the autumn leaves.

I can smell bonfires and that sweet smell of leaves on the woodland floor

Dark Hearts

Dark Hearts Necklace
Sold

Today I am keeping up my good intentions of yesterday to post every day.

And killing time untill the hour is reasonable to test out my new hammers. I have one for not leaving marks and one for leaving marks. The neighbours love me you know.

I also have something which to the untutored eye looks like a rolling pin (yes the shop thought it was a rolling pin too) but is actually a bracelet mandrell I have a sudden yen for beating out cuff bracelets.

No nothing to do with the new hammers ... just coincidence . . . really