Branding!

I feel like I've been a busy bee this week! I've made more progress with my Secret Santa, finished a Christmas Bauble, and now want to make more, and got plenty of housework and paperwork done. Also, you will notice everything gradually being re-branded - I finally got off my butt and made myself a simple but quite pretty (I think) logo. What do you think?

I'm having real problems at the moment with ribbon ends, and have had to resort to using a different technique for my SS - I guess some things we are just not meant for, and ribbons are not my thing.

I've also indulged the last two weeks in two of my favourite magazines, Bead & Button and Beadwork. There are some absolutely beautiful patterns in there this month, and there just aren't enough hours in the day. What's your favourite magazine?

Two items listed in my Folksy shop now, hopefully more before long - any comments would be appreciated.

Happy crafting
x

Folksy Festivities

I had the pleasure of meeting plainprimitives at a craft fair my mother in law was selling at on Saturday. I've been teetering on the edge of starting a Folksy shop for a matter of months now, and wasn't sure whether to take the plunge or not. On the promise that the tax side is not so hard, I finally took that plunge yesterday, and have listed my first item today. I'm all excited, I know it's not that much so far but I'm hoping to have a few more items to list very soon.

Also, I have taken new photographs of a chunk of my jewellery as you can see - courtesy of my mother's lovely hunk of quartz. My knees were so unbelievably stiff after an hour of shooting these pictures, but it was so worth it.

Secret Santa is coming on - Jim's out at darts tomorrow night so I hope to get a bit further with that too.

Thought I'd just share Saturday's project with you too :)

Happy crafting
x

Secret Santa

Woo, work's starting to pick up a bit now the weather's getting cold - good old heating maintenance... It's nice to get home and chill out of an evening and get down to some beading.

I got so excited this week - the arrival of my Secret Santa package for our Bead Buddies challenge turned up, and I was sooo nervous at the thought of what might be in the selection but I needn't have feared! Lovely colours and the beads are right up my street, so I have made a start. Just got to decide where I'm taking the started item... Wish I could give you guys the details but as it's Secret Santa, I can't do that until my Buddy has received and opened it! Something to look forward to ;) hopefully you'll love it - and hopefully my Buddy will too.

On another note, I took the plunge this evening and have opened a shop of Folksy - don't get too impressed just yet, I haven't listed anything, but now I have a reason to get my butt into gear and get over to my parents in daylight tomorrow to get some acceptable standard of photographs so I can get down to listing. Fingers crossed Little Treats will be up and running tomorrow evening - watch this space.

If you wouldn't mind spreading the word a bit - please 'like' my facebook fan page HERE - I'd greatly appreciate it.

Happy crafting
x

Update

Bloggers! Does anyone else have ideas to post on the blog during the day/night, but by the time you come to the screen, ready to type away, you just don't know where to begin? I've suffered this alot recently, not only with blogging but my beading, which is not good at all!

I am underway with my cuff, just chasing inspiration now - I've just got Microsoft Office this week though, and discovered MS OneNote - for the win! I'll have a designated inspiration gathering space for any project I start now. For my first cuff, I'm going for a gunmetal/black/turquoise colour scheme with the snowflake obsidian cabochons. Watch this space.

I sat and photographed my jewellery before I went out to see some old friends last night. They seemed to come out OK, but having reviewed them on screen I'm a bit gutted. It looks like daylight is my only option - only problem is, we don't have a great supply here in our flat. This is going to have to be a mission to complete at dad's when the weather's not too grim - if only my sister had just got her butt in gear, I wouldn't have to be doing it in the first place! I've also decided that I'm still not happy with my website, but I just can't afford hosting with MrSite or anything like that, as little as it may be. I think in all seriousness, I'm in no position to have an online business yet, I've nowhere near enough stock (or time). Perhaps one day.

Over at Bead Buddies we are having a Secret Santa! Everyone taking part gets a mystery goody bag and we have to use only what is in the bag to make a gift for our partner. Of course we can add a clasp where necessary. I've never done anything like this before, so I'm nervous but excited. Partners are to be drawn later this week when the bags are sent out. I hope there are seedies in mine!

I've made a decision that between now and Christmas I am going to try and finish (or pick apart) all of my UFBO's (unfinished beady objects), so that I can make a fresh start in 2011. I came across one such piece whilst taking my photographs. Having put it on the bust, I actually like it asymmetrical and think I may take off the green beads and replace them with a couple of lengths of chain - what do you think? Obviously the bottom needs finishing too.

Blimey - from no inspiration to a long blog entry - thanks for the venting space blogosphere, and if you're still reading, thank you! I would love feedback from you guys on my website and that necklace.

Happy crafting
x

Christmas plannings

Well, I have just treated my DH to the new Bond game on the Wii - the limited edition one, with the golden controller. Yes, he's a big kid :)

He's promised me another beady goody bag for my stocking this year in return :D Much excitement - just got to figure out a few essentials and drop some hints now... If you're reading this Jim - stay tuned!

Our car is fixed. She starts better, she stops better, and best of all - there's a working clutch. Hoorah.

I have decided to put my beaded flower onto a length of brass/gold chain, but am still not quite happy with it, I think it needs something underneath it and I'm not sure how low it should hang either - time to experiment a little.

Onwards and upwards - happy crafting!
x

BEAD GIVEAWAY FOR U.S READERS!

Lorelei's Blog: Sisterhood of the Traveling Beads Giveaway!: "Last week, I was the lucky recipient of the Sisterhood of the Traveling bead box- (Originated by the talented Heather Powers of Humblebeads-..."

Midnight Monday

Midnight - Disassembly-Boy on deviantART

Because - can you believe it - it was dark when I left work today. DARK! Pitch black. And I wasn't very happy about it. Apparently today is one of the most depressing days of the year, and I would be quite prepared to believe it. How rubbish is it when you get up in the dark to go to work and then when you leave to go home... It's dark!?

I have had a peek and tried to find some brighter takes on 'Midnight' - just to cheer myself up a bit!

Midnight Garden Pendant - Lottie of London

Midnight Garden cards - made by lolly

Pink Owl Necklace - Ich Bin

How cute is the little pink owl? I love it :P Suddenly, I feel much happier. I had a slight glitch in the starting of my embroidered cuff this evening - I thought I would make sure the cabochon had stuck properly, and possibly pulled it a bit too much... Right off in fact (oops!) Lessons learned, I definitely need some sort of sanding paper to rough it up for future pieces, and also, just let it be and bead a tight bezel to keep it there?? Numpty that I am. The learning curve has begun.

Happy crafting x