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 ♥

Stinky day ahead

stinky hot that is. It is set to hit 36 Degrees here at some point today. Not going to be fun for those that have to be out in it. Unfortunately, this means no bench time for me. It's just going to be too hot to use a torch.

I purchased myself some Opaque Thomsons enamels a couple of weeks ago. And I finally got my hands on a small sifter for them - they're sold out everywhere round these parts.

Seeing as I've a heap of copper sheets, I can practice enamelling with my torch and not have gone to too much expense to do so. I really do want to incorporate enamel work into my silver as I love the colour pop you can get. (plus I'm almost out of sheet and funds for it too :( - that's what you get for buying everything else under the sun and not what you really need - smack on the wrist!) So's I can have fun playing with the enamels and such till I've recovered my supplies fund.

Finally I have my newest Moo.com order (as pictured below). Now I have a cohesive look across the board. From business cards, to packing stickers, all with my logo. This is my first time trying the mini cards. I splashed out and got the Luxe ones.

The stickers for my jewellery boxes, I print myself on our laser printer. The little stickers are for my tissue wrapping inside the box. Overall I am very happy with them.

I received a nice bunch of labradorites in the mail yesterday and I have another big lot coming as well. Got myself some nice Broken Arrow Variscite too, which I haven't ever had before, must say I really really like it and think I will be investing in some more in the future. (see, this is where all the funds go ..... )

There are several pieces almost finished on my bench and one piece I finished setting the stone in yesterday, I probably won't get that listed till the weekend some time and who knows when I will finish up the other pieces. I'm a procrastinator at the moment (nothing new there) and just can't seem to get it together out there and get things done! Makes things even harder when you are down to that last few inches of silver sheet and you don't know what to do with it!

Well little Poppy is waking up now, time for some milk I guess. Better get to it!

Take Care
Em ♥

Holidays.

Well it's the school holidays. And already they're off to a bad start.
Summer has the measles :(
No one can remember if I've had them either.
Which means I probably haven't and probably soon will. So you can see, a pretty rubbish start to the school holidays.

Now I just wait with baited breath as to when I (and quite probably) my baby girl get them too. Not happy. At all. Actually that's an understatement.

Below is an earring display stand my FIL built for me over the weekend. ♥ it.

I am in the process of waiting on some sticky adapter things for the backs of my earring cards, so when I've got those I can start arranging my dangly earrings on this stand. Yes I am intent on getting to some markets in time for Christmas shopping. I have decided to try the ones closest to me, they're Farmers/Craft markets and about $33 a stall. I will have to borrow the FIL's gazebo tent and I have found a table to buy and I just need all the other bits n bobs - table cloth, vinyl logo and a mirror - then all I need to do is get more stock together and finally go! haha how long have I been saying THAT for??

Anywho, below is the latest off my bench:

Earrings and a pendant. I am working on more earrings and more pendants and a ring or two. There are some new tools on their way to me and some new stones, new books and some new enamels. Oh and I got new Business cards coming from Moo.com with my new logo on them! Lots to look forward too! :)

These are 3mm Natural Diamonds I purchased from a fellow jewellers stash on etsy.

I would like to flush set these. Which means teaching myself to do this. I have seen a couple of videos and read in mags/blogs etc how to do this. And most of these tutorials suggested making your own small burnisher, as the original burnisher we use to set stones is too big and will mar your metal and leave not nice scratches all over. Well I am not one to make my own tools. Not yet anyhow. So I purchased these off an Etsy seller also:

I haven't yet used them. Well actually I lie, I did try the metal twisted bezel rocker and found it a little slippery and a bit difficult to hold as it's quite small. But I will keep trying. Probably just used to using my big wooden handle one I guess.

Trying to get to some tuition for metalsmithing is pretty much out the window for now too. It's much too difficult to get to the classes, I will just have to be happy with trial and error and continuing to teach myself with the help of the internet. ♥ the internet.

Alrighty well I had better get back to my less fun chore of the day - bleaching the grout in our tiles. It looks terrible. Spesh when I have bleached the actual tiles and they're looking pristine. I am bleach/scrubbing them by hand and we have A LOT of tiles :(

Take Care
Em ♥

SPRING.

Well it was officially Spring 9 days ago.
Below is what we (or rather my other half) did on the first day of Spring:

We painted out our feature wall with a fresh new burst of Aqua. It was originally Chartreuse and we loved it, but I was getting bored and it didn't seem as bright and fresh as it once did. At first when we painted this colour, we were all like 'ohnoes!', but fast forward 8 days later and we pretty much don't even notice it anymore! lol

I finally joined InstaGram - you can find me under littlecherryhill ... of course :)

Poppy giggled for the first time last week, I so wish I'd of had my camera or phone ready, but alas, as I started to film her on my phone, she stopped :(

I now have 2 lovely display cases for the markets. If I ever get there. One I purchased off my mother, that she was going to use in her Antique store and the other I won off eBay from an old guy who used it for collectables. On Saturday coming, I hope to check out some Markets held once a month in a big old renovated building in the city. They're very steep to sell at, but they do advertise and supply you with a table and chair and it's indoors. So no having to deal with tents and the weather elements etc... so that's a plus.

Bench wise, I've been playing around getting a few things half made, actually I have almost finished a pair of simple dangle earrings, but as it is for all of us, there just isn't enough time in the day to get everything I want done. Or started. Or even attempted - sewing, furniture resto, selling off stuff blah blah blah.

Sounds like Poppy is starting to wake up for lunch....

Have a good week all.
Em ♥

A Gorgeous Day.

It's beautiful outside today!

My baby is asleep in her swing and my eldest is out with the Grandies having fun shopping with a little bit of pocket money tucked in her hot little hand to spend on whatever she wishes!

The other half and I are still sick :(
Either we are coming down with a new flu, or the old one is renewing its ugly self?

Below is another pair of etched brass earrings I made this week:

♥ SOLD ♥

Did I mention how much I am enjoying etching? Well I am. It's so much fun. I have ordered some more Ferric Chloride this weekend and patinas. I feel like throwing caution to the wind and busting out the Nitrate to etch some silver!! But, I am waiting. I have ordered a new lovely bench to come, hopefully early this week. I found a guy who makes them locally and for a decent price too, I really need the extra work space and this will give it to me. I can't wait to get it and set it up! It even has a peg board :)

Spent most of Friday changing my product photos for my etsy shop again. I wish I could be happy with what I had, but I am forever changing my tastes and love a fresh change. What do you think? Do my pictures look okay?

I have decided the other new skill I want to teach myself by the end of 2013, is flush setting. I have been on the brink of trying it many times, but never got around to it. So, I ordered some small 3mm cubic zirconias to practice with. I have read a few tutorials on it and watched a few Youtube vids on it too, so I feel I have the gist of it, just need to make a little burnishing tool of my own and I'll be set to give it a shot.

Is there something you hope to teach yourself or learn by the end of this year? It's flying by, it will be here before I know it!

Em ♥