Veronica: Muse at Play: Slide Pendants

Veronica: Muse at Play: Slide Pendants: Feeling creative after a noon time nap (my work was really nice to close up at noon today) so my creative muse came out to play tonight. How...

Words!

Dear friends,
                   I have been looking at blogs by other artists this afternoon. Too many to name but words can never describe the unbelievable wealth of talent out there in " cyber world". Stitchers, jewellery designers, bead makers, glass artists! You name it! They never cease to amaze me. I wish that I was half as good at what I do. I wish that my blog was bigger, better, more colorful etc. I am not in the least envious, but in awe!
 I , however, endeavour to be inspired by my fellow artists and be better at my designs, to stand out more, to be better at my marketing and branding.  Learn HTML so I do not always need help from my daughter's if I want to post links etc!!!  I am rather pathetic when it comes to social media. I get by on luck, rather than skill and judgement and have learned a little to play with my computer as I now know that it will not explode or do something equally grotesque if I press the wrong key! I know there are a lot of people out there who feel that way about technology but usually they only open a couple of e-mails in work. They do not operate a plethora of Facebook pages for business and personal use,run blogs and Tweet and run online shops as well as a Flickr photostream! I sometimes wonder how on earth I ended up doing all these things! A few years ago, I didn't even have an e-mail address!!! What on earth happened??? The jewellery happened! I suppose "necessity is the mother of invention" and everything just followed from there. But I still can't get my head around how I arrived at this moment. Will let you know when I do.
    While I have been awestruck by other designers,I noticed that Lorelei has a fab give away on her blog from Lark books. Go and check it out!  I have already entered and hope that I win. Keeping my fingers (and toes) crossed!!! Love to you all,Anne. x

Changes Galore.

Dear friends and fellow bead freaks. I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas Day. I am feeling a tad delicate today as I over indulged in the Christmas spirit,so to speak!!
   Oodles of exciting things have been happening since I last put pen to paper(or paw to keyboard). I have moved my studio but in spite of my valiant attempts at being organised,it looks as much of a tip as before.  However lots of exciting new designs in the pipeline for 2012 and I successfully completed my first ever craft show with lots more planned for 2012 as well. My work is also now available at the Cynon Valley Museum. I am very excited about this but as you all know it doesn't take a lot to excite me. Especially where beads etc are concerned. I am working on some altered art tile designs and a fab set for my craft shows. A bit of a "WoW" factor  as based on an all American theme,rustic but sophisticated!! Something new for the UK!  I have also asked my partner-in-crime Debra to make some new beads and I am hoping we can come up with some fab color schemes for the New Year. Watch this space as have a renewed sense of purpose! I have also had new Moos printed and looking forward to my new branding and image. A new range of boxes and tags are under design as well.
   2011 was a year of extreme change for me. Sometimes frightening but I think it was all for the best. I am a very different lady from the one I was last Christmas. I have also met a lovely new guy and I hope we can bring out the very best in each other. He is simply adorable and he even paints a little which is fantastic.
   I will stop gushing now and wish you all a very happy  and prosperous New Year. Love and light to al,Anne xxxx

New Shop and Studio.

Dear Friends,
                     I have been very,very busy since I last blogged. I have opened a dress agency in Aberdare. Selling best quality new and used ladies clothes,shoes and accessories. More importantly I  have moved my jewelry studio to the shop so I can sell directly to the public and my Etsy listings are also available in the shop. I will be running classes in the shop when my workroom has been decorated. Will post dates and times of available classes in the near future. Anyone can pop in to see me working or just for a chat. We are open six days a week. I will be updating photos this week and adding new things to Flickr.   If  you print off a copy of this blog with the code SHOPBLOG1. You can have 10% discount off anything in store. Valid until 14/11/11. If you post a comment on my blog,I will enter all comments in a giveaway for one of my bracelets. Good luck. Hope to see you at the shop soon.

Studio Layout and Color Schemes.

Dear Friends,
                   Sorry that I have not blogged for some time. To tell you the truth,the creativity fairy has been far too busy to visit me much recently and as a result not as much got done around here as I would have liked! However I am now back on track,I have completed some very successful commissions and started to set up my UK based supply shop on Folksy. The next step is to improve the layout of my studio and redecorate it! I am on the hunt for some rustic furniture and have decided to paint the walls a soft teal color. Very restful but not so boring as to make me fall asleep in my bead soup!
     I have taken possession of some fab new findings today and have had some lovely lampwork beads from from my dear friend Debra Roberts,especially made for a commission. I will be stocking Debra's lampwork beads online in my Folksy shop very soon. Also when I make a decision on what to order will be stocking Patera findings and acccessories as well. I have a number of  "found" objects to list and will be scouring flea markets and car boot sales for the quirky and unusual items we all love!
 I will be listing new items in my Etsy shops over the weekend and Code SWEB22 will give an automatic 20% off everything instore. Just use the code at the checkout. I will be entering every blog comment on this blog posting into a draw to win a surprise giveaway, Texa MacLean won June's Elaine Ray earring giveaway. Well done to Texa. I will not leave it so long to blog again,I promise.  I recommend Lorelei's blog for extra reading today as about booths and setting up outdoor shows. There are some very attractive displays on there for inspiration. Love and light to all my beading buddies,Anne.

Happy Customers and Other Assorted Parapharnalia!

Dear friends,
                  My creative tendancies have been rather haphazard of late so only now can I justify blogging about making and designing new jewelry! My mixed-media building for Cloth Paper Scissors was damaged due to the builders fixing my plumbing using equipment that raised more dust than a storm in the desert! I will probably have to do that from scratch as easier! Least said about that the better!
  However I cleared my exhibition jewelry from Arts and Enterprise in Ebbw Vale and I am hoping to have a jewelry party near the end of July! I am working on some new designs and will be adding these to my Flickr slideshow in the next few days.Keep your eyes open for those. I was surprised how many items I had on display in Ebbw Vale. I know I had my inventory in my hand when I went over but it was like discovering hidden treasures when I was opening display units and boxes.I had forgotten how lovely some of my pieces are!
 My sister has bought me a lightbox for my jewelry photography and I am impressed at the diffference in the way the box defuses light so harsh shadows are not cast,even in very bright light.
  This morning, I recieved a string of chyroprase beads and some tiny sterling findings from Cathy Daly on Etsy. I was very impressed by the stunning quality of the beads and the speed at which they arrived! Very impressed indeed! I had also ordered findings from Patina Queen and as always they are fabulous.
 Don't forget to add a comment to my blog to be in with a chance of winning the fab Elaine Ray earrings worth $45. Love and light to you all,Anne.

Rain and Roses

Dear friends,
                  The weather has been a very mixed bag in Wales since the beginning of June. This has really disrupted my photos shoots as I prefer to work outdoors if possible. I have been threatening to buy a light box for some time but still haven't got around to it! I have tried  to do my pictures in between showers but they end up looking rather rushed and don't look as good as they need to for Etsy listings. Getting very fussy these days, not such a bad thing as good photography can make or break a sale. Also having my portfolio looking good on Flickr helps to get commissions!
   I have had my fabulous prize from Smitten Beads. Lots and lots of fabulous goodies for my bead stash,ribbon,silk flowers,buttons and lots of findings and sequins. These will be fab for my mixed-media artwork as well! I have had lots of inspiration as everything is in a different palette to one I would have probably chosen for myself.
    Finally after my successful giveaway last month,I am offering another pair of Elaine Ray earrings,this time in sterling silver,crystal and ceramic. These are worth $45. All you have to do is post a comment on my blog and I will pick a winner at random from all comments made! Really easy,so start commenting! On my next blog I will be offering a new voucher code as the current code runs out on the 11th of June! The current offer is 25% off and the code is SWEB9, hurry to take advantage of this fab discount.
           Love and light to all my beading buddies.Anne.

Purchasing Sterling and other very scary things!

Dear friends,have had a mad urge to stock up on supplies for studio. Madly enough I have had to buy sterling wire as have had a commission  in that is 100% sterling,no mixed-media for this customer!!!! I very nearly gave birth to kittens when I seen the terrible price on 20g sterling wire! Shot up on the back of rocketing gold prices these last few months and I have been too chicken to look at the price at the bullion suppliers never mind actually buy any! However that shock,aside. I have been into Cardiff to buy  wire and crystal at Crystals and Ice. No sterling ear wires as apparently their supplier has no stock at all for at least a month. They sent me to John Lewis' as only they had it in stock.Truly very crazy!
  Now for the good news! I won first prize in Smitten Beads design competition! My very first "first". I have also got three more competitions to design pieces for and one mixed-media piece for Cloth Paper Scissors. I am also taking part in their summer challenge to design a 3D mixed-media cottage. Have partly designed it(at least in my head) but now the challenge of building it! Should be lots of fun.
  I have also bought some Coppr Clay to play with as a very special treat/late birthday present to myself. Really looking forward  to playing with fire! I will torch this lot in the garden if I can as the smell of the binding agents seem to linger for days!  If successful will post pics on Facebook! Managed to get some sterling ear wires from Cookson's at the same time.
 Slowly getting my Etsy shops up and running and really need to do some serious updating on profiles and shop feeds etc. I am planning on stocking Nunn designs products on crystalriverbeads soon to add to my range of hand-patinated wire and hopefully some beads as well soon. Light and love to you all,Anne.
P.S. Re my Elaine Ray earrings giveaway. This was won by Melissa Muir. Well done to Melissa  and thanks to everybody who entered the giveaway. My silverpuss voucher code is stll valid until the 11th of June. I will issue new voucher codes on my next blog along with another giveaway.

New Studio and New Beginnings!

Dear friends and fellow beaders,
  As most of you know I have had to relocate since my last blog. This was actually a blessing in disguise as I now have a lovely indoor studio with carpet and even a radiator,such luxury! I also have a lot more space. I have big plans to improve the way I work and design. However my attempts to keep my studio tidier have failed already. I do intend buying new furniture etc when I get time so that should help. The mess was not helped by an e-mail yesterday regarding a competition deadline for midnight last night. The challenge was to create a bracelet for the Spring season in yellow. I do not use a vast amount of yellow in my designs so pulled out nearly ever box and drawer looking for suitable beads and some inspiration as well. I only gave myself an hour as I was re-opening one of my Etsy shops yesterday as well,so was rather busy! You should have seen the mess when I had finished,terrible really! However it did not take long to design the piece once I had an idea and all my components on hand.You can view the piece on my Flickr slideshow as well!
 I also re-opened silverpuss.etsy.com yesterday with a small amount of stock. I will be adding new things all week and hopefully re-opening crystalriverbeads.etsy.com towards the end of the week as well. I kept my shop on Folksy open anyway as I sell very little on there. I have a plan to open on Ebay soon as well.
 I have a voucher code for a whopping 25% discount in silverpuss.etsy.com,valid for one month from today only and free shipping for the forseeable future. The code is SWEB8.
 Also if you care to comment on my blog I am entering every comment to win a surprise pair of earrings featuring beads from the legendary Elaine Ray. I will e-mail the lucky winner for shipping details after the draw. Light and love to all my beading buddies and followers,Anne.

crystalriverbeads' photostream

crystalriverbeads' photostream on Flickr.

Dapping Blocks and other parapharnalia!

Dear Friends and fellow bloggers,
                                                 I have spent the last couple of days cleaning and re-organising my studio. I have found it very therapeutic. I have also found a quatity of items I thought I had lost forever. When I start creating I am in the habit of getting rather carried away and pulling out half my bead stash. Inevitably I do not put them away again till the next blitz!
 A problem highlighted at the weekend was where on earth to store everything. I have a wide range of jewelry tools,art and mixed media equipment and dapping blocks,disc cutting machines,blow torches etc. How to store everything within easy reach but keep it neat is a challenge. I have very limited studio space like most artisan crafters so find it difficult.
 I would also love to start making my own lampwork beads but finding space for the torch,gas,rods,kiln etc is impossible. That is another addiction that I should not even contemplate but having tried melting glass at Debra Roberts studio in Merthyr, I am in love with the idea! Might just have to get a bigger studio!
  I did post pictures to my Facebook page yesterday of my nearly revamped space so you can get an idea of how much junk I really do have and I do confess that I am a notorious hoarder as well. Feel free to leave comments on your own storage solutions.Would love to hear them. Love and Light,Anne.

Oops!

 Dear friends,
                     I just realised that I mentioned Folksy on my Etsy Team Cymru blog! Sorry! I didn't mean to do it! To be honest I was busy thinking about the necklace I am in the middle of making. I have just taken delivery of some fabulous lampwork beads from one of my favourite Etsy shops, Blue Seraphim.  They were made for the lovely silk ribbon from Tangledlair on Etsy.Watch this space!!!
 As you hopefully will see,I have added some new pictures to my slideshow. Some older photos and some new ones. I will try to update more often as I am trying to get more organised.Love and light,Anne.