Sunday, October 27, 2013

Whirring.

That's how my mind is right now. Whirring. With ideas. Too many ideas and not enough time in the day. I find when it gets like that for me, I tend to do little bits of making here and there on something small or I don't do anything at all. I really frustrate myself sometimes. Wasting time thinking and daydreaming, instead of actually Doing. Well I am never really wasting time as such, I'm always researching and learning something .... but still, not actually doing.

I am focusing on enamelling.
And I am really enjoying it.
It took me a while to finally track down some of the necessary tools I required and I think I am going to stock up on a few more of those particular hard to find tools as back up. Just in case. Fortunately, they're not costly. Just so hard to find here.

A picture of my bench right now:



It's a little annoying having to clear all my silver work before I enamel, but to avoid contaminating my work, it's something that I must spend time doing. So because of that, I am trying to work out a plan for another bench of some sort, just for the enamelling side of my work.

Last week I received some new tools I'd ordered. One of them being digital calipers. Why the heck I hadn't ordered those before now I'll never understand, but they are a mighty handy tool to have around!

I've also been buying up new books. My husband found a great online bookstore a few weeks back and he suggested looking to see if there were any books I would like (metalsmithing books are always more pricey here and damned hard to get). And lo and behold, there were loads!

Below is what I have purchased so far and I've another on the way:























Not much else is happening round these parts jewellery wise. Etching has taken a back seat for the time being - but once I have mastered torch enamelling, I would like to try etching and transparent enamels together. I'm still yet to try etching silver. As I said initially, not enough time in the day to do it all, as I know you are well aware....

My shop isn't doing so well. I won't get talking about it now though, as I know where I could improve things. It does put a dampener on making new pieces though. So I am happy to be trying new techniques in the meantime. Etsy isn't as easy to be selling at anymore (as I'm sure you are well aware of that also). This is part of the reason in the new year I want to focus on selling at markets, where there isn't so much competition for my style of jewellery (yes I'm tired of me talking about damned markets too lol). Though I do have the pleasure of a commission order I'm working on at the moment.

Poppy is 5 months today! It won't be long now till she will be crawling and I will have to really try and organise my time even better, or I will never get to my bench.

I've a long overdue dentist appointment late this afternoon looming over me. Kind of ruins the whole day, especially when you know how many other things/bills you could be spending that large amount of money on!

So that's it folks.
I hope you are all keeping safe and well.
Em ♥

5 comments:

Maria Apostolou said...

Hi Emma! So many ideas so little time, I can relate to that! Have fun with enamelling and I'm sure that everything will work out eventually.

Cinnamon Jewellery said...

I hope you are having fun with your enamelling.
I'm looking at your pile of books with great envy! I recently bought a new one on stone setting but found it a bit disappointing as for some reason it also covered wirework and stringing pearls (that's not stone setting!)and I was hoping it would be purely stone setting. Anyway to me that's an excuse to buy another one :D

littlecherryhill said...

Tracy that's the problem with buying a book and not being able to see inside it first for a good look. You can't be certain what it's contents are. I haven't even looked through those books yet! I am totally enjoying the enamelling, now it's time to work out how to set things into jewellery!

K S Jewellery Designs said...

Hi Emma - just been catching up with some of my favourite blogs (yours is one of the BTW!)... anyway, I have had my eye on the Stonesetting book by Melissa Hunt but not sure whether I'm prepared to pay the high price it is currently at... is it any good?
Kristin :)

littlecherryhill said...

Kristin, would you believe I haven't even read it yet?!! I have to be in the 'mood' to read - even a smithing book. My brain is far too wrapped up in enameling right now :)