3 of the best… Polymer clay jewellers on Etsy

People who can use polymer clay and actually come out with a sellable product astound me. I have tried and tried, and clay is just not for me. I loved Fimo as a kid and have only been able to create childish blobs with the stuff. These sellers really inspire me, they take clay and make it into art. I really wish I had the talent that they have!

Chocolate Swirls from Pips Jewellery: $30.00

Would you love me necklace from Block Party Press: $25.00

Hummingbird Pendant from Mars Design: $15.00

I am taking part in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month), so I will be blogging every day in November. Today is post 17: http://www.nablopomo.com/

Rawlins Community College Craft Fair

Today I went to a craft fair at Rawlins Community College in Quorn, Leicestershire as a buyer, and I’ve nearly got Christmas all sorted! I went and visited Incy Wincy (http://www.incywincystitches.com) and bought some hair bobbles and a bracelet that I was going to give to my (hip) grandma, but thinking of keeping for myself! I was very nearly tempted by her button bracelets too, I may buy one online in the near future 😉

I also bought this bag charm/keyring for my sister from Ticketyboo (http://ticketybooforyou.etsy.com):

And I bought some pottery by Helen Collington. It’s really beautiful stuff and I almost don’t want to give it away. I loved the little funghi/toadstool designs and bought three pieces:

I am taking part in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month), so I will be blogging every day in November. Today is post 16! http://www.nablopomo.com

Magazine and giveaway winner

I bought Beads and Beyond (Issue 15) today, my tutorial is on page 30-31! I could have been happier with the photo taken to illustrate it, but it’smy first published piece, so chuffed 😀 Here’s a quick snap of the article (I’ve no idea what that big “2” means) and the piece you can learn to make:

Also the winner of the November Giveaway has been drawn and the winner is comment 6, Lauren from MayBeads! Congratulations, I have contacted you for your details.

I am taking part in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month), so I will be blogging every day in November. Today is post 15! http://www.nablopomo.com

3 of the best: Christmas Cards on Folksy

It’s time to be buying Christmas cards again. Here are three of my favourites from www.folksy.com

blueberrypark: £3.00

paperleaf: £4.50

The Home Press: £2.00

Don’t forget to enter the November giveaway here: https://pennydog.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/november-giveaway/

I am taking part in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month), so I will be blogging every day in November. Today is post 14! http://www.nablopomo.com/

Interview with… Ali Bali Jewellery

 

Alison makes pretty jewellery with beads and silver. Her designs are classic, with a wide appeal, here’s a little bit more about Ali Bali Jewellery…

 

Who are you and where do you come from?
I’m Alison, I live in Edinburgh.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love playing tennis, badminton and when I have the time, sailing!

Please tell us a little bit about what you make.
I make hand crafted jewellery from a variety of materials including sterling silver, semi precious stones, freshwater pearls and quality glass beads. I also use art clay silver in many of my pieces. Art Clay silver is made by a Japanese recycling company and consists if fine recycled particles of silver suspended in clay. Once the clay is fired the silver binds together to form 0.999 fine silver.

What do you enjoy making most?
I’m obsessed with bracelets, definitely my favourite item to make, probably because they’re the piece of jewellery that I most enjoy wearing.

What part of jewellery making do you dislike the most?
I don’t think there is anything I don’t like. Probably waiting for art clay silver to dry…. I get impatient to get on with the next stage in the process.

What are your main inspirations for making a piece?
Inspiration comes from loads of sources, initial inspiration is often buying a new item of cloting and wanting to make a piece to compliment it!!

Do you plan out your designs or do you get stuck in straight away when inspiration strikes?
Occasionally designs are planned, but most just evolve!!!

What are you currently making?
My current obsession is crocheted silver and so I’m making lots of items with that (especially bracelets!). I’ve also just started doing silver fingerprint jewellery and have a number of orders part made after a craft fair on Sunday.

Do you make custom orders?
Yes, I love the challenge of custom orders. I’m currently making a ‘bali’ inspired necklace for a friend to wear at her wedding.

Where can we buy your work?
I have three online shops:
http://www.alibalijewellery.folksy.com
www.alibalijewellery.etsy.com
http://www.alibalijewellery.dawanda.com
I also sell at a number of craft fairs in the Edinburgh and Scottish Borders areas, details are on each of my websites!

Don’t forget to enter the November giveaway here: https://pennydog.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/november-giveaway/

I am taking part in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month), so I will be blogging every day in November. Today is post 13! http://www.nablopomo.com/

Folksy Angels

Continuing the recycling theme from yesterday… I love competitions, especially ones that require a bit of thought. Folksy and We Make Christmas (which I will be demonstrating at) have got together to make a quickie competition (entries must be in by 30th November- yikes!) where you have to make a christmas decoration all or mostly made from bits and pieces found around the home that would otherwise be thrown away. It’s an interesting idea, but feel it might be a little tricky! I do have an idea though and I will share it with you when it’s done- if it works!

The winner gets free Folksy listings and no commission for a year, and as things are going well for me on there at the moment, it could be just what I need!

If you want to enter, the Flickr group where you need to post your photo and also has a comprehensive list of rules and what-not is here: http://flickr.com/groups/963614@N22/

Don’t forget to enter the November giveaway here: https://pennydog.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/november-giveaway/

I am taking part in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month), so I will be blogging every day in November. Today is post 12! http://www.nablopomo.com/

Anna Clifton

I came across these on Google today. I love the idea of using recycled materials such as these drinks cans to create beautiful jewellery. It looks just as good as precious metal and I imagine she pierces it the exact same way. Ingenious! My favourites are the “Eco flowers” as shown here.

Photos borrowed from www.annaclifton.com

Don’t forget to enter the November giveaway here: https://pennydog.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/november-giveaway/

I am taking part in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month), so I will be blogging every day in November. Today is post 11! http://www.nablopomo.com/

A couple of triumphs!

Another short post today, but I just wanted to let you know that Handm@de Oxford was a success, and I look forward to doing another one! Lovely people and well worth it, though very tiring! Over 1300 people passed through the doors, which was fantastic, and twice the number expected! There are early murmurs about another in the spring and possibly organising one in Cambridge, which is great for me as students are my main buyers! Here’s a couple of pictures I borrowed off TwinklySpangle ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/twinklyspangle ) on Flickr (I didn’t get chance to take any of my own)!

Also On Crafteroo (www.crafteroo.co.uk) I reached my 1337th post, which was quite cool:

Not sure how well you can see it but it says leet 😉

Don’t forget to enter the November giveaway here: https://pennydog.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/november-giveaway/

I am taking part in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month), so I will be blogging every day in November. Today is post 10! http://www.nablopomo.com/

Spotlight on… Tinctory

It’s a bit naughty, but I’ve blogged in advance for NaBloPoMo today. I actually wrote this post yesterday as I am at Handmade Oxford today! Today I want to share the textile jewellery of Tinctory on Etsy(http://tinctory.etsy.com) as some of you will have already heard of. Based Birmingham (UK), her work uses colourful recycled silk, with contrasting threads to make little smocked bunches and fan effects for truly unique jewellery! Here’s some of my favourites:

Don’t forget to enter the November giveaway here: https://pennydog.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/november-giveaway/

I am taking part in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month), so I will be blogging every day in November. Today is post 9! http://www.nablopomo.com/

Graduation

It’s my photography HNC graduation ceremony today, so not much craftiness will be happening! I will show you some of the work for my final exhibition that was a big piece of the course instead. These pictures were taken with various models to advertise my jewellery (it’s still relevant!) and were then displayed with a showcase of my resin work too. These were shown at the LCB Depot in Leicester in June this year. I still like to do these shoots every so often, but no longer have a studio. If I win the lottery I will definitely be investing in a good kit 🙂

 

 

Don’t forget to enter the November giveaway here: https://pennydog.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/november-giveaway/

I am taking part in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month), so I will be blogging every day in November. Today is post 8! http://www.nablopomo.com/