Feeling Creative \o/

After all the goings on on Folksy its been a relief to get back to making jewellery again. I've been going through the stash I got from Oxfam earlier in the month and taking the broken jewellery apart and sorting out what findings I can salvage. So far I have managed to get some really nice copper jump rings and loads of pretty beads and spacers. Here's what I got in the jar.



It only cost £4.99 so I was chuffed to bits :) I've so sorted a lot of the beads and made a pair of earrings. I used some blue beads I got given a while ago and added them to some spacers I got in amongst the latest haul. I'm really happy with how they've come out and have just listed them in my shop.



Finally, a note to all my followers, I have decided to move over to my new blog permenantly on 1st December 2011. For the next month I will post all posts on both sites but from the 1st December I will only be posting at my new address on my site. The address for anyone wanting to make the move over now is here.

Busy, busy, busy!

I've been busy beavering away on my new website and listing stock. I have also made the decision to close my shop on Folksy as my heart just hasn't been in it since they made all the changes to their definition of handmade. Also, the thought of making a sale and giving even a tiny part to them as commission was also leaving a nasty taste in my mouth.

I'm loving the freedom of having my own site. It took me a few days to get my head around the fact I could list whatever I liked :) I'm also considering moving my blog over to the site. What you you folks think? I hope you would all come and visit and follow me in my new home :) If I know you're coming I'll bung the kettle on and even rustle up some cyber-biscuits ;)

I've also been enjoying getting to know the other ladies (and gentleman) from Shhim. Mrs Diddybears has done an absolutely fab job on the site and is currently working on a Christmas showcase! I can't wait. I do owe her a huge debt of gratitude. Not just for all the hard work she has done with the Shhim site (which is currently doing in her own time and for no fees!) but also for being the catalysis in getting my arse in gear with the website. I think its one of the best things I've done and its really inspired me to get creating. Thank you Mrs D and also the other Shhim ladies :)

If you need a little bit of cuteness you should pop on over to her shop and check out her Diddybears. They are utterly adorable. Everyone is different and they come with their own birth certificate. My favourite bit is the description on the about page :)

I can haz new shop!

I finally took the plunge and got myself a website with shop. Its a bit of a gamble as I've always sold my jewellery through other sites like Folksy and Dawanda but I think after the nonsense on Folksy I felt it was time. I'm going to keep my Folksy shop till my listings run out and haven't decided what to do with my Dawanda shop yet. Dawanda have always been supportive so I don't want to abandon my shop there but I have to be honest, I get a fraction of the traffic I did on my Folksy shop and pricing in Euros is a little awkward.

You can find me here so please do take a look. Any feedback would be very welcome. If you have a shop/website you would like me to promote just leave me a comment with your details.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

While reading through Bust Magazines Blog I saw this cheeky little reminder for getting the ladies to check their boobs. Such an important message and done in a way that made me chuckle, so I thought I had to share it ;)

Preparing for my First Proper Craft Fair

I've been creating more stock for my stall and now have 9 little cat brooches. I'm really chuffed with them and hope people like them. Here's them all together :)



I've also been shopping for cheap picture frames today and picked up a couple from my local Pound shop. The plan is to remove the glass and cover the backing in black fabric and then use them to display me earrings. I'm planning on getting some bowls to put my brooches and bracelets in and then hanging my necklaces up somehow. I also need to pick up a cheap mirror as I've learnt from past experience that people like to see what items will look like on.

I'm so looking forward to doing the fair and it would be even better if I sold enough to cover the stall cost. I figure either way it will still be great experience and a great opportunity to give out some business cards and SHHIM flyers :)

My Two Penneth

Oh dear Folksy :( I am so disappointed in you. Everything was so good and you've kind of ruined it. At the beginning of last month Folksy decided, in its wisdom, to get picky and introduced us to the wonderful term 'assembled'. Apparently jewellery items which are made up of mass produced items such as charms do not measure up the Folksy vision. Other items were also swept up in the assembled put down and included candles made using vintage cups and glasses and cards made from mass produced embellishments. Apparently these items are not creative enough!

In some sense I was lucky that most of the bits in my shop 'measure up' but unfortunately the damage has been done. The snootiness in the forums, the arse about face way they announced the changes, the fact that they aren't refunding listing fees for items accepted less than a week earlier and bad feeling, inconsistent message and uncertainty they have created amongst loyal shop owners has thoroughly got up my nose. On top of this, the bit that pisses me off the most is how patronising this all is to buyers. What is really wrong with using charms or embellishments bought elsewhere. How is this different to using fabric brought elsewhere, using a sewing machine or buying mass produced wool.

I would also like to add that skill is most definitely needed in order to make and sell the items they are now classing as assembled. I've had a go over the years at making cards and I suck. Its really bloody fiddly and your work has to be off such a high standard to make any money from selling them. The card market, like the handmade jewellery market, is also chock-a-block with competition. You are also competing with the convenience and prices of the high street. Keeping your prices affordable often requires making use of some mass produced components.

Anyway, I've said my piece. I'm going to need to hold fire from ditching my shop altogether as I have a ton of business cards printed and a craft fair next month. Once the dreaded Christmas is out of the way though I intend to let my shop die out and focus my attentions on my Dawanda shop.

If any of you lovely folk would like to lend your support, Diddybears has set up a site offering free advertising to any Folksy shop owner effected or outraged by the changes. Its such a generous thing to offer and is well worth a look. As their slogan goes - Supporting Handmade However Its Made. Amen!

Cats & Pots

I've just got back from a nice hour down the plot. The weather has been glorious, better than the summer! We got a visit from the black and white allotment cat and she was extremely purry and excited. She was especially lucky as I had a cat stick in my bag for just such an occasion =).



I've also been making lots in preparation for the craft fair I have a stall at, at the end of November. I've been making more brooches and have been lots of these little cat brooches. I'm really chuffed with the design and how they are coming out. I'm also going to make some keyrings too, so watch out for those.

As my giveaway hasn't been whipping up very much enthusiasm I'm also going to throw in one of my new cat brooches. I will leave it up to the winner to select the colour scheme as I have masses of different colours of felt, so I should be able to accommodate. To enter just follow the instructions on the previous post :)

Finally, my Boyfriend has also had a successful time with his crafting. He works in ceramics and had his first open studios last weekend. It went so well and he sold loads, far more than he was expecting. I feel extremely proud :). He's also set up his own blog so if you want to follow his tales as a potter then pop on over to his blog :)