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...

Christmas is coming............

The shops have started putting out their christmas stock since early September in fact before their halloween stock. I nearly had kittens when I saw a cream egg in a supermarket but I looked closer and it was a Scream egg. I would be nice that the christmas stock etc wouldn't come out until early November, I think the fact it is out too early does ruin the enjoyment a bit it isn't so much fun when you've had christmas in you face for a third of the year. Halloween in a couple of weeks is a favorite time and I've only just made a Halloween Elf called Boo.....

So I wait until this time of year to make my Yule stock, I just make a few pieces usually cards, Elves etc.. This year I'm having a bit of a change no elves or cards. So what to make well as you can see from the pictures below I've made some Angels, Snowmen and Penguins. They won't go on my website until mid november.

  

What is your favourite colour?

My children ask me this question all the time and I struggle to answer it. Colour is and a important part of what I do; always has been even when I was a Florist. Part of my floristry training included the colour wheel and the theory of primary, tertiary, complimentary etc. Even then when picking flowers for floral displays it was the customers preference, you may have made a lovely tonal bouquet and the customer doesn't like it they love clashing colours. 

Colours can lift moods and evoke memories, Red and Green - I bet you're thinking Christmas, Yellow and Blue - for me the beach, oranges and reds - Autumn leaves.  Take these bracelets I made a few weeks ago.

    

                                                                                                                                                            

The Red bracelet reminded me of the orient and it was inspired by Hong Kong, the Yellow  bracelet with the green reminded me of Sherbet Lemons and the Blue  bracelet with the gold also reminded me of things Oriental. To me every colour has possibility and can be combined with other to evoke many things. So I tell my children I like all colours I have no particular favourite.

 So what is your favourite colour?