2014

Well it's now the 3rd of Jan 2014 already.
I hope you had a great Christmas and New Year ♥

My eldest is away at her Nans for a few hours and my baby just fell asleep on the tiles lol, so I've just put her to bed. Now I can finish off my housework. So whilst I mop and wait for the floors to dry, I figured this would be a good time as any to do my first post for the year.

I don't do resolutions.
I do goals.
Usually I give myself 5(ish) goals to achieve within the year.
Mostly techniques to teach myself and one goal to reach for my etsy shop.
Just before the new year, I managed to teach myself one last technique:

Prong/Claw setting.
I haven't attempted anything like this before and it was playing on my mind for the last few weeks, so I jumped in head first last week and am super pleased with the results for a first try. I'm even wearing the ring right now.

It's a big ring and it's quite a 'bling' piece. I am very proud of it and absolutely intend to try to make another soon. I've had a few rather large stones like this for a few years now, never knowing if I would ever learn to set them. Now I now what I am doing, the confidence is there to do it again. (not a pink fan really though, but it is a pretty stone)

My shop was closed for a little while over Christmas and I reopened it on the 1st of January. I have 40 pieces listed for the first time ever! One of my goals for my shop is to get to 50 pieces listed and to keep it there....if not more. I have a couple of new rings yet to list, so I'm getting there :)

Again I have revamped my shop with new pictures of my pieces. I am never happy and never sure how to 'stage' my photographs. So I just went with what I personally like and I'm happy with how my shop looks. For now.

Below are a few new pieces I have made. The fox I am yet to list. 

I am working on a few heart pieces for Valentines day, got to get in early. And another enameled fox is in the works. Generally I'm not one to make things that are 'trending' but sometimes I feel it's necessary. My other goal for my shop is to sell 50 pieces this year. And that is going to mean I will need to make current trend items to help bring traffic to my shop. I intend to invest more into my shop this year, as last year I fell way behind.

Well the floors are drying very slowly as today it is expected to reach 37C and that dear friends is getting damned hot. Tomorrow it is forecast to be 40C, the plan for the day ...?... lock ourselves indoors and put on the airconditioning!

I hope the new year so far is treating you well!
Em ♥

Aaaahhchooo

Yup, I'm sick. 

That's the one thing about having a baby in Winter time - a) you don't want (but would love) to go out in case of catching something, b) you can't do much about it once you have caught something!

I have been wearing a mask when I feed Poppy. I don't know if it would really keep much of my germs at bay, but I have to at least minimise them. I haven't been sneezing much and have only coughed a little, most of which I try to do away from baby and into tissues. I have the disinfectant spray out and ready to spray down the computer area etc when I'm finished here. I can't take anything to help with the cold either - neither can Poppy for that matter :( 

Anyway on a brighter note, I finally finished and listed my first collection. 

It wasn't an intentional one, it just sort of happened whilst I was making something and I couldn't really think of a cool name for the collection, so I went with 'Vintage Lace' as my work kind of reminded me of lace:

*Rabbit & Owl are sold*

Unfortunately the earrings I won't be able to list, as whilst setting the turquoise in one of them, a little piece broke off the top. It's very minimal, so it's not really noticeable, unless you were to say something. I was thinking of offering them heavily reduced on my fan page, as I would hate to see them go to scrap - they're still sweet :) or, I could just keep them for myself ...........

Poppy is now 5 weeks old and is alert and awake for longer periods of time. She isn't afraid of me when I wear the mask whilst feeding, so that's a good thing. She has a good stare at me, but there's no change in her expression. 

Summer starts back at school next Monday - thank goodness! So I may be able to get my creative mojo back on ... though I'm honestly not feeling it right now. I really hope this cold is over tomorrow (for more than the obvious reasons), I really wanted to drive up to visit my parents for the day, they haven't seen Poppy since she was a few days old. And once Summer is back at school I can't go up as it's too far away to get back in time to pick her up. Maybe I can go Saturday - here's hoping!!!! 

Time to cut my nails down I think ... they're getting to that 'could really scratch baby up' length lol

Em ♥

Wasting opportune time....

That's what I have done today. 

I took my daughter to her nan's for the day and I came back home and did ..... absolutely nothing. 

Actually I lie, I did do something. I lay on the couch and slept for over an hour.

Not something I ever normally do.

But I've been under the weather for a while now.

My brain is constantly on jewellery making. Constantly.

And I did intend on making something today, but just never got motivated.

I am SO motivated mentally. But so NOT motivated physically.

Nevermind.

Here are a few rings that I spoke about last post that I got finished and listed this week:

♥ SOLD ♥

Natural Garnet Druzy Size 7US

Laguna Lace Agate Size 7.25US

I have some new wires in to make a few cuffs and some wire to try my hand at making my own chain. I also really want to have a go at Etching. I've all the equipment now, though I'm not really sure on what I'm doing.

The year is almost at it's end. 

I'm almost at 100 sales.

I hope I can reach that before the new year!

Em ♥

Picked up.

I have picked myself up since my last post.

Still feel somewhat the same, but it resides at the back of my mind as I push on doing what I enjoy.

I am enjoying making rings at the moment.

This is the latest one I have made:

And I am working on 3 other rings.

Below are some pendants I have made:

And I finally made another Silhouette lady:

♥ SOLD ♥

All those pieces above will be available in my Etsy store sometime towards the end of this week. I think I will try and finish my other rings first.

I have been feeling a bit sick lately, so that hasn't been helping me get to the bench. New stones have arrived - Jaspers, Labradorites and Birdseye Rhyolite. I am focusing on making simple settings at the moment, at least until my creative flow comes back. It's hard to come up with new designs all of the time, but to still keep with your 'look' if you know what I mean???

Think I will sign off here and go get started on finishing those rings :)

Till next time 

Em ♥

New Background & Jewellery

Thanks to those of you who gave me your opinion on my background choices...I finally redid all the photography for my shop and I love my new background. I didn't end up going with what I posted about, but it got me to the choice I eventually made. 

It's cohesive, fresh and bright and I love how my shop looks now :)

As much as I thought the grey was for me, I was tired of it. Yes it helped my silver work stand out, but it was kinda lacking that certain something...

I have been trying really hard not to let the lack of sales get me down and stop me from making new pieces. It's damn hard though. When I make a sale it kinda motivates me to make more jewellery......when those sales completely vanish into thin air....well my desire to create kinda goes with it - as I'm sure is the case for many creators out there.

Now I just figure that, I have the supplies there, so I may as well use them and enjoy myself!! And I am definitely working on stocking up to do my first market someday soonish. I think I have an idea how I want to make my set up and once I have that figured, I will be able to see how much stock I need.

Next is a picture of a ring I just finished up this morning:

Yes I have been incorporating my latest skill with my new work lol...so I guess there will be a heap of work with tube set gemstones. I'm also working on my plain bezel settings - I find them the hardest to make look nice as there really is no forgiveness in the edge, not like scalloped or sawtooth or like those fancy bezel wires...you can kinda get away with all sorts when you use those settings, but with plain bezel.....well you can't get away with much at all! The reason I want to do more with this bezel type is I think it gives a more finished look to my work, as much as I enjoy using the fancy bezels, I want the stones to stand out more and the embellishments I use around the stones. I'll still use the other wire...but I want to get this wire perfected!

Apparently it's going to start heating up here this week....not happy....not happy at all. I still hate the heat, as much as I did last time it was hot. I can forsee a huuuuuge power bill at the end of the year :(

Well that is it for now....I have a couple of pieces I need to finish up and photograph and list over the next few days. Oh and I did a treasury this morning...first I've done in aaages. It was fun though and I tried to stick to a colour theme (which I find hard).

Have a great day :)

Em ♥

Beautiful Day.

It's a beautiful day, shame the same can't be said about my mood.
Summer is driving me crazy today. I've got my first custom order for an older lady in Brisbane and I just can't see me getting a chance to get it started till Summer goes to bed....but by then I'll be too tired. Woe is me. lol.

My sale is going okay. I hardly get to the bench anymore now though so I barely am able to add any new work to my shop. Everytime I see someones blog post/fb post about how much jewellery they have in the works I get kinda envious. I would give anything to have a regular day once a week just to work selfishly at the bench without any issues/interruptions.

Below is our latest antique we are going to restore to put under our new mirror in the dining area. We are having troubles deciding the finish we want on it though, we both have different ideas.

I have a busy busy week ahead of me, but on Saturday I am hoping to go and visit some markets, as a potential place for me to have a stall there. They're the biggest markets around, having approx 25000 visitors per weekend (it's near a big tourist area/beach). They apparently supply you a table and tent and the prices are pretty reasonable considering. So hopefully the weather holds out and I can give it a look see. Hubs and I have an idea of how I can display my works without anyone being able to pocket anything, so if all goes well, that will be our next project.

I am going to attempt to make my first ever batch of Cheese & Onion Scones soon. A recipe that my mother used to use when I was a kiddo, from my grandmothers recipe book that must be over 50 years old.
And I am going to attempt my first ever meat pie on Friday...yep you heard right...I've never made a meat pie before lol.

Well I am going to prob do another post on Thursday as I have some nice bits n pieces to blog about. So take care all till then :)

Finding Findings.....

So I have been searching the net on and off for some of the sterling silver filigree findings I see in so many other jewelers work. And I would like to incorporate them into my own work, to give me some more choice and variety. But I cannot for the life of me find the damned things!!!

It's really frustrating me. I have googled my butt off and have only found maybe one or two of them. If anyone out there feels generous, can you please share with me where you buy yours from?? Puleeeeaase??!!


Anyways, today's weather is really annoying me. It's that gloomy overcast drizzly weather. I did manage to get my floors cleaned, but it took about 40 minutes for them to dry, so Summer and I were confined to the lounge room whilst we waited.

Now I am sitting with a nice mug of hot tea and a shortbread biscuit. It's school holidays over here now for the next 2 weeks, which I am not looking forward to, for several reasons which I won't bore you with.

I haven't been making a whole lot lately, only small stuff, cuz it's quick and simple and I can make it affordable. I am waiting on a parcel of Turquoise cabs, not that I needed them of course.....I just wanted them!

Below is what I have made recently. Of course if you follow me on my FB page, you will have already seen these pieces.

I find resin loads of fun to play with. I hope to incorporate some with some of my PMC, or at least try to anyway.

K, well, I hope everyone is having fun and has their creating mojo with them. I don't at the moment...again....but I hope that will change soon :)

A strange weather day.

The weather is being really weird today. One minute it looks all lovely and sunny, like you could go out and have fun at the beach...then the next it's looking all gloomy like it might storm. So needless to say, I am not even going to bother going out today...though I really wanted to. Instead, I thought I would blog and work on a few things at the bench.


Below is a picture of a Medallion Pendant I made for myself this past weekend. I used some 9ct Gold and a Chalcedony. I love it. It's a really big piece, so it stands out, but that's the kinda accessories I like to wear personally.


I am buying up some more cabochons, all Turquoise this time. And I bought a few nice cabs from Iwoowoo on Etsy. I want to add a lot more smaller items to my stock in my shop

I've bought myself some resin too and some colours for it. I have been working on some earrings and rings using the resin, I'm enjoying it a lot, I just don't like the time I have to wait for it to cure :(

My daughter loves to play with my stacking bangles that I made myself a while back....she cries when I won't let her have them (she bangs them on the tiled floor...dints aren't a good look), so I thought I would make her one of her own yesterday.....but of course, the minute I put it on her, she want's it taken off! Sigh...can't win. I know one day she will want to wear jewellery and I love that I can make her something myself.

Below is what's on my bench at the moment. I understand why many make smaller pieces of jewellery, the solder Always flows and flows quickly and easily when I make a small bezel, when I made my Medallion, I had a whole lotta trouble getting the solder to flow just right, whilst keeping everything in it's place.

Okie Dokie, that's all I can think of writing about right now. I'm just finishing off a cup of coffee and watching some blogs on YT whilst I blog :)

Just a side note to a fellow blogger - Kim from KSKdesigns
Hope you are okay, thinking of you :)

Rest of my work.

Not too happy with the pendant, but I absolutely love the Green Jasper ring.....LOVE IT! :)

........

I had no idea what to title this post with.....so I just used dots.
Anywhoo, this is one of my fave rings so far. It's really really big and soooo pretty. I made it for myself (as you do) and then toyed with the idea of keeping it aside to list when I eventually open my shop. My mum has put dibs on it if I decide to sell it. I just can't make my mind up!! I suck at making decisions. It's a gorgeous pink/red colour coral fossil.

This one is a small Natural Kyanite ring. I am putting this one in my etsy shop too. I find making small rings a pain in the ass! But it is something I have to get used too as many women over here do like the smaller jewelry, unlike myself of course! The bigger the better I say!!!!!