Busy Times

I seem to have been more busy with the office side of things at the moment. I set up two Folksy shops one for Cornish Dragon and the other for Storm Glass beads, I have also set up a new website for the beads at last. Today it has been a lovely warm day, and I have been stuck inside with housework and uploading photos, it all takes up crafting time. I'm also about on twitter more and I love twitter I think I actually prefer it to facebook. I have also found a lovely new Forum, I love it there is lots of different creative bits going on, some stunning jewellery, beads, ceramics, paper crafts, oh loads, if you are a crafter and haven't checked it out do so you'll see the link on the side column.
So what have I created not a huge amount admittedly, but I have made some of my Charm style bracelets. I had a sort out of the beads stash which made me determined to use up some of the old stock. Trouble is I'm now low on findings, can I buy the findings without getting any beads as well, What do you think?... maybe not. I also have some lovely material which I want to make some bags with oh and some coin purses, well I need to make myself a purse really, I had better get some zips.

Bags n Stuff

The month has seemed to have flown by.

So to my new make, well if you're following me via my facebook page, you will know about the Bags. so far I have only made a few but have sold one and kept one.                                                                                                    

The Skull pleat bag and the Rose Tote are both available in my Folksy Shop, I will put the link up to it soon but if you search for CornishDragon you should find them, along with a couple of pieces of jewellery and some of my punk elves. Talking of the Punk Elves, one got Folksy Friday'd  this week you will find it on this blog by Little Day Dreamers . 

I haven't made as much jewellery as I have been busy making beads, but I did make these using some of my beads of course.

What's in a Name?

apologies for not blogging for a bit I seemed to have been busy with other things, hopefully I'll keep things updated bit more regularly.

Sometimes you get asked how did you get or decided on your design / business name. Well lots of people decide to use their own name, initials or even places they live etc. 

So how did I come up with Cornish Dragon and Storm Glass Beads. Well when I was making cards I used the name of Cornish Fairies as I was mainly making faerie & fantasy cards so the name stuck for a little while and worked well with the elves etc. But it didn't seem to work right for when I really got started with the jewellery so Cornish Dragon came into being. Cornish well I live in cornwall and it is a good selling point. Dragon well now that was fun I have a love of dragons and of course a dragons hoard is made of precious gems, metals etc so it seemed fitting to use this. Storm Glass beads was a little more difficult as I wanted to keep the two parts separate as one is a sort of raw material and the other is a ready made product. I could have used Cornish Beads etc but it didn't feel right, Spy Glass beads nearly happened along, but I settled on Storm Glass beads. Naturally the "glass beads speaks" for itself but Storm, now that is inspired by where I live in North Cornwall. I live about a mile away from the cliffs, and sometimes you can here the waves crashing on the cliffs or at a local beach called Duckpool, this is louder when we have a storm. Atlantic storms can be fierce but exhilarating I love it when the wind blows and I can here the wave pounding in, so Storm was chosen.

I'm starting a new project soon that will be the start of a new product line, now I have thought about using a different name for that line, so far this sound fun "Not All Girls Love Pink" but I have decided it will be easier just to stick with Cornish Dragon a lot easier really.

A couple of Photos of jewellery I've been busy making, and I have been bitten by the Chain Maille bug and I will post about that at a latter date.

Too Cold

It really is a little bit too cold for me to go in my workshop / shed at the moment even though I have a little fan heater. But I did manages to get in there last weekend, well I did need to finish an order and I ended up making some necklaces and bracelets with some old beads and some of my Storm Glass beads.

                            

I got some hand-dyed silk ribbons and strings which look lovely with the beads, I was going to use them for the copper jewellery but they look better with the beads. I've also sourced some sterling sliver findings that will go well with the beads, including some really nice earring hooks.

Hopefully I can get back into the shed when it warms up soon and then I'm going to start on my mens range, so far Bronze and leather is going to be the main materials I'm hoping to use, and I've been inspired by the film "300" so expect some Spartan inspired mens jewellery.

The New Year

is creeping by and I can't believe that half of this month has gone already. If you've read my bead blog you will know I've been busy over the holidays in the shed playing with glass and my Hot Head torch. I've made some really nice sets and have a few single beads that I want to make pendants out of. The mushrooms and an Urchin bead are two I will start with and a lovely set I made this weekend that will look fantastic made into one of my Charm style bracelets.

I have recently purchased some hand dyed silk ribbons from Sowerze Designs, they are the most lovely colours. I have bought from them before but haven't used them I always  felt that they were too nice to use, I am the same with some beads I buy. But the strings and ribbons will look lovely with my own Lampwork beads.  

I was going to make some Jewellery this weekend and have some ideas in mind like the above pendants but I haven't really felt motivated. This time of year isn't the best for me motivation wise so I do have a tendency not to make much jewellery this time of year. But I'm thinking of a Jewellery party in either Feb or March so I will need to start creating again. But with the weather as it is at the moment, Its either raining or Misty so most days are grey, Isn't exactly inspiring. So I'm contenting myself with reading books, playing Wii games with my kids. The Mojo will return and then they may have to drag me out of my shed.

Yuletide Greetings

Well the winter solstice crept up on me fast this year, I've been busier that I thought more with family  but I have been playing with the glass and making more beads. I've created a couple of my popular charm style bracelets with some of my own beads.

The snow we had at the start of the week is still hanging about in fact the top of our road is still a bit slippery. But with having a puppy we need to go out and walk so I have been bursting with inspiration wether colours for beads or even an image from a film that has inspired thoughts of a range for men in bronze. Now will I get time to create something in my very cold shed I wonder.

Have a great Christmas.

Victoria

BRRR........

Yes its quite cold here in North Cornwall we had a dusting of Snow on friday but it melted much to my children's disgust. Unfortunately it does mean I  don't wan t to go out in the shed and get cold while working, but the call of making glass beads is strong so no doubt I will be making jewellery out of the beads I hope to create.
I have been catching up on the orders from a Jewellery party, plus I'm busy getting costumes and other bits and bobs sorted for my children's school play and Fayre and there is the christmas shopping as well. I'm coming up to what I call my shut down time I sort of have a bit of a break from mid December to early Feb. I try not to create anything and review what has sold well and what hasn't etc. sometimes I even break up pieces of jewellery that haven't sold for a while, this helps keep my stock fresh and also it's not wasted as more often it is all reused.

Now I'm off to sort out some Cake Baking for Christmas and the School fayre...