Playing Catch Up

I've neglected this blog recently, so had better do a quick catch up of recent events/activities. First off, I finally made the Front Page of Etsy! A pair of my earrings were featured in CreamRose's treasury. I had been an alternate but she very kindly swapped me in at some point, and it made the front page. Thank you CreamRose!

It was my Maia - Vintage Green Lily earrings that were featured. I hadn't realised the impact a brief spot on the front page could have. I had an extra 560 views 17 shop hearts and 65 item hearts (25 for the lily earrings) and two enquiries about possible custom orders.

It took me a few minutes to make sense of the sudden increased interest. Admittedly, I hadn't been awake long and was on my first black coffee of the day. Then it dawned on me that I must have been on the front page. My Google Analytics visitor graph looks really weird; there's a little wavy line running all along the bottom of the graph, and then all of a sudden a witches hat appears as the line spikes upwards to the very top of the graph in a sharp point, and back down again to continue it's amble along the bottom.

I thought the witches hat rather apt... not because we're fast approaching Halloween, but because I had been moaning to fellow UK Etsian MoaningMinnie who is always on the front page, that I had never been on the front page. So she said she'd cast a spell to put me there. Low and behold that very night I was on the front page! How spooky is that!! MoaningMinnie makes hats by the way, not witches pointy hats, but beautiful vintage inspired cloche hats. Check out her amazing shop and see for yourself why she's so popular!

But enough of Minnie... this time it was my turn to be in the spotlight, albeit briefly, when the world and his wife was in bed.

Here is the treasured treasury:



In other news, recent items I have made include:

Vintage Plum Wine Bracelet

Chestnut Bracelet


Harvest Bracelet


Enchanted Whisper Necklace


Harmony Blues Bracelet

Front Page Treasury

Wahey!! My Etsy Treasury "You Red it Here" made the front page whilst I slept. Hope all those featured received lots of views and hearts, and possibly a sale or two!

WARNING: Chainmaille is addictive

Did I say I might not try making chainmaille again because I found it really difficult? Yes... but I also said I love a challenge! Guess which won!!

Actually, it should come with a health warning, because it's really addictive! But in contrast to last weekend's frustrating attempts, it's also proving to be really quite easy and very relaxing. I've jumped up a notch to a more complex design with the Full Persian weave. The trickiest bit is getting started, but once I get into the swing of it, there's no stopping me. It's really satisfying watching the intricate pattern develop and grow.

So this week's offering is a pair of earrings in a contrasting copper and bronze finish that I embellished with Apollo Gold Czech Bellflowers:



I also made a bracelet with the same contrasting copper and bronze weave which I further enhanced with Czech melons in a gorgeous rose gold and marbled olive gold:

I'm now keen to try my hand at other weaves and experiment with various combinations of materials and colours. So watch this space!

Weekend Offerings

I thought I'd try my hand at something new this weekend, and as I've always admired chainmaille, I decided to give it a try. I love the intricacy yet simple form of chainmaille, but the more complex weaves leave me baffled, and my poor arthritic fingers aching before I've even picked up my pliers! So as a beginner I felt it would be sensible to walk before I could run, and start off simple.

Am I glad I did! I don't think I have the mind for chainmaille, even with a very basic link I got confuddled and kept having to undo it and start over again. I'd say there's definitely a knack to it. I'm surprised I didn't find it easy because I have a very logical and analytical mind that loves solving puzzles... but this was way too frustrating for my brain.

This first pair of earrings were easy as it's just straightforward linking. I alternated brass and copper for a more interesting look, hung them from Celtic knotwork, and added a little bunch of hearts to finish off.

Cross My Heart Earrings

The second pair were much trickier, and although a simple pattern, I kept getting in a muddle trying to get the links to lie in the right direction. It looks really simple, and for some it might be, but my little brain really struggled with it. Mind you, it was late at night, so maybe I was too tired. I hung these from Celtic knotwork too, and finished them off by threading small ribbed brass beads along the bottom edge.

Guinevere Earrings


I'm undecided whether or not to try again with something more complex. My heart tells me not to, but my head is stubborn and loves a challenge. But I'm not noted for my patience, so we shall see!

Autumn Collection

I've finally made a start on the autumn collection for my Etsy shop with a couple of necklaces and a pair of earrings. I'm awaiting delivery of new beads and findings before I can really get stuck in, but yesterday's creative session went well, and I'm very happy with the results. One necklace is made with an antiqued brass filigree pendant to which I've wrapped bellflowers in Czech glass. I also made matching earrings but added a bigger central flower for the pendant. For the other necklace I've used vintage lucite in a gorgeous amber and these will pair beautifully with a pair of amber teardrop earrings I made recently.

Vintage Amber Lucite Necklace


Vintage Bellflower Filigree Necklace


Matching Earrings

Chinese Lanterns

I've had a bumper crop of these Chinese Lanterns (Physalis) this year. The plant itself isn't particularly attractive, until the small white flowers turn into these beautiful bright orange lanterns; that's when it really comes into its own! For that reason I haven't planted it in the border, but have it in a large terracotta planter on the patio. For most of the year it's behind other more showy plants. But in autumn when things are beginning to look a little drab I bring it forward to steal the show.

Mind you, they soon fade; the tissue paper thin cases deteriorating to leave a veined skeletonised structure containing a small orange fruit. So before they are past their best I like to collect them for the house. I've displayed some of them here in a cream ceramic bowl of winter potpourri, but may collect some conkers as I think they would make a lovely pairing!

Topsy Turvy Seasons

Browsing the internet for autumn colours for 2009, I came across Under the Loupe, a blog by jeweller Annette Piper, and in particular an article concerned with selecting stones and beads to compliment this years autumn fashion colours. This piece was written way back in March, and I was impressed by her forward thinking, wondering perhaps if I should have been planning this seasons designs and ordering supplies many months ago.

It was only when I saw her most recent post, concerning spring shows, that I realised she was in Australia and her March piece about autumn colours would have been written as they were entering autumn!

The reason I mention this is because I recently went through my Etsy shop collection changing and updating my tags to reflect the upcoming seasons of autumn and winter and deleting all references to summer. Bad mistake! I have potential customers in Australia, and have sold to someone there already. It must be really frustrating for them to be constantly bombarded with references to seasons months ahead of theirs and offered jewellery that is totally at odds with the colours they are wearing.

So, I shall pay a little more attention to my tags and promote some of my more summery colours, because many potential customers will be looking forward to the lazy hot days of summer while we're heading into winter, not to mention those who choose to spend their winters in warmer climates.