Creative Bank Holiday

My weekends have been busy and this bank holiday I was determined to get out in my shed and make some jewellery. I had made a second batch of beads a couple of days before so it was jewellery time, it has seemed like ages even though I made a brooch the other weekend. One thing I need to insist on is that if I'm in my shed working the kids need to ask their Dad questions not me I just want to get on, the tinkers. So I made some of my favorite type of bracelets the charm style, and a charm style necklace, and a few little thongs.

And now the kids are back to school today so my week is free so I can make more jewellery, I can't wait.

Autumn is here?

I know it's still the summer holidays but it feels like autumn, today the weather is forecast for rain all day and it's dark like a winter day. Not pleasant for the kids on the last full week of their holidays, they are back to school next week.

I have finally found time to make my first beads you can read all about it in my Storm Glass Bead Blog, the link is on the right.

Autumn Wire Leaf Brooch Copyright Cornish Dragon

This is my entry for the monthly competition on the Making Jewellery Forum, the comp was for a brooch and I don't do brooches. I was going to go for a polymer brooch but I thought about wire leaves, so I had a go. My fingers were a little on the sore side afterwards and I did do six leaves but I removed one as it looked better with five. of course as it was leaves in brown wire it had to have some autumnal colour beads in it. I'm pleased with the result I wonder what we have to make next month.

New Hobby on the way

I seem to collect hobbies like some people collect stamps. during the collecting  I've learned Encaustic painting, Fairy drawing & painting, paper crafts and much more. Some of them I have stuck with and still do for pleasure and work. 

So my new Hobby, well it is something I have always wanted to do for a few years, I even bought a book on the subject that has been sat on my bookshelf gathering dust. Well it's my birthday soon, so encouraged by my friends the hobby I've always wanted to do I can now do so as my lovely Hubby will be getting me a Kit. So what is this new Hobby, well I'm going to get a Hothead kit and I will be trying my hand at making my own beads.

What put me off years back was the fact to sell the beads they need to be annealed in a kiln, so they don't break or crack. Kilns are not cheap and this fact was the sticking point so to speak. But doing some research on forums etc I can batch anneal at a later date. Which gives me time to have fun making beads, practicing techniques while saving for a kiln, or sweet talking hubby to help out. I will be setting up another blog which I will add those first beads how ever bad they turn out. I'm still thinking of names for it so far the winner is Storm Glass or Spy Glass but I can decide on that soon enough.

Oh despite it being the Summer Holidays and having the sprogs at home I have managed to make some jewellery. Beribboned beaded necklace and a vampire inspired necklace.

  

Customizing or Remaking?

So remaking or Customizing something old or new is fun. I bought this watch while I was buying some clothes. It was a bit plain and well it was just begging to have more added to it.

                                                 

So out I went to my shed this week and hmm what can I add to it, well it needed to be perhaps slightly on the dark side without losing some sparkly glam and it needed to be removable. So I added some hearts, crystals, black and dusky colours all very sparkly, then some lucite roses, and of course some charms. Well here is the result.

     

I love my Vamps

I'm really loving exploring my darker side with some Gothic "Wee Folk". I decided to make some Vampires ones to start with to see how they go. On the Left is "I Love Vampires" and on the right is "Bite Me" . I think I may try to see if I can make a fang charm or similar to go with some Jewellery though I may need to hide anything Vamp from my daughter she loved watching the Twilight DvDS and I treated her to a fab Team Edward Bag I nearly kept it myself.

I'm also busy replacing stock I sold and have made a nautical themed charm bracelet. I made it in red white and blue but wonder if I should have done it in black and white. It nearly got called Captain Jack Sparrow but I decided on "A Pirates Life For Me". Along with the nautical theme I'm also doing a Driftwood collection with bits of driftwood found at my local beach. I've done one so far called Seashore and have plans for a few more.

Fascinating

Well the jewellery party went very well, I could have sold one bracelet many times over. I'm now busy getting some orders made up well I will when the stock arrives. I'm not sure which I prefer Jewellery Parties or Craft Stalls? with a party there is less of an overhead and you do have a captive audience but everyone wants the same piece and you may not be able to make another one. With a fair you have more variety of customers but you may not sell anything. I think I like both, but I don't want to be doing Parties every month so I've made a choice to only do one every season and I may do an extra at Christmas, we will see how it goes.

My friends and customers are great as they give me lots of new ideas. A very good friend was discussing why no one wears hats to weddings anymore, this led to a discussion on Fascinators. This set off a train of thought for me could I make them, well I had a look round and they are not much different from a tiara, so well I think I'll have a go and see if local customers will purchase them, and the advantage is you can't get anything like that in our area.

Party Party

I've got my first Jewellery Party tonight, and I'm looking forward to it. I'm going to have a little demo making some Silver Earrings and I will raffle them and the host will give the money to a charity of her choice. The host has also asked if I bring along some Elves so I have a nice selection along with some Kokeshi and my new Fairies. The "Cool Britannia" punk elves get their first public showing tonight, and I'm already planning my next limited edition ones I've got lots of ideas.
  

I've been busy in the shed again making more bits and bobs for the party, If you've been on the Cornish Dragon facebook page you will have spotted them.