The Night Beader

Latest copper jewellery for Sept

2009-09-16T15:46:00.010+01:00

My two latest additions to my Artfire and Folksy shops, both in copper of course, and yes I know it has been quite a while since I blogged, and since I used twitter, and even since I've made any jewellery. As I've cured myself of insomnia I'll just have to find another slot in my day for doing all of these things, although it is often good to focus on other things meanwhile as they are all valid and interesting projects. I have to confess that my main passion right now is metal cuffs, so don't be surprised if I start producing mainly cuff bracelets from now on. I just can't find the sort of cuff bracelets I want on the internet, and so I'll just have to make them myself. I used to be an earring person and never bothered with bracelets at all. Now I hardly ever wear earrings but need something big and bold on my wrists, preferably in copper although I also like silver.

My first attempt at a cuff bracelet looked quite good in its minimalist incarnation, before I added all the coils. I'm currently experimenting with filling in the spaces with either beads or metal shapes, and am looking forward to making lots of different varied cuff bracelets from minimalist to OTT. I called this one Mata Hari Steampunk (have I created a new genre?) because it seemed like a cross between the two styles I had in mind. Made entirely of copper wire with silver covered copper wire for accents plus a few sparkly glass beads.

For sale at $49.00 from Artefact Creations on Artfire or on Folksy in GB pounds £29.95.

This necklace is one of my favourites so far as it is simple and bold, yet chunky and unfussy with a sort of primitive medieval or renaissance feel about it (ok history was never my best subject). I'm wondering whether I should perhaps focus on the medieval and renaissance fayre market and start listing on less general directories?

Handmade jewellery just seems to have more soul, it's an elusive something that is very appealing. All my stock is also one of a kind unless stated otherwise - I just prefer each piece to be different.

I also really love the colour of natural raw copper and so never have the desire to deliberately age my pieces with liver of sulphur, although they will certainly age naturally without any glaze. I may experiment with ageing some pieces when I focus just on the cuff bracelets. I've also decided not to buy any more supplies (apart from wire) until I've used up what beads and other components I've already got.

Necklace is US $39.00 (GB £24.00 approx) in my Artfire shop.

Also being listed in my other shops at Folksy etc. All stock is dispatched from London, UK and all currency is automatically converted to your own when you pay by card, so it doesn't matter which shop you go to as I just delete the other listings when sold.

Creative alignment vs. Resistance

2009-08-02T17:39:00.010+01:00

Having coffee in the local park last Friday I was just chilling out and appreciative of the fact that I could do this sort of thing on a weekday, especially as I need to have these moments of seemingly doing nothing but where everything is actually happening. Pauses seem just as important as action to me, and creative ideas get birthed during these times of reflection and just BE-ing. I find it hard to put my life into separate boxes labelled work, play, relaxation etc let alone a structure or schedule.

My 'weekends' often happen midweek, and my interests run through everything else too. New consciousness thinking permeates everything else in life rather than just something I read about occasionally. I don’t want to stifle any part of who I am or put it in a separate box, and I ’ve realised that any creative blocks I encounter are the result of more general life blocks, caused by my own energies not flowing properly (by focusing on ‘what is’ rather than what I want) than to any specific creative block.

I haven’t been blogging, twittering or making anything creative in recent days because,.....well..... life got in the way, and I need to align my own energies first because if I’m not in that centred and feelgood space then any action taken will be just wasted time and energy and not bring about wanted results unless I attend to my own energy alignment first. And there is quite a mixed bag of stuff that is affecting how I feel right now, so it is all good practice for cleaning up my vibration, so to speak.

I’ve long been familiar with the Abraham channelings, channelled by Esther Hicks, which is the source of the information behind the film ‘The Secret’ that speaks about the Law of Attraction . The final version of the film edits out certain facts, and tends to focus a bit too much on the money-making side of things rather than giving the broader picture. Esther Hicks and Abraham are also edited out of the final version of the film, but her original channelled material by Abraham is far better anyway, and anyone who wants to find out more can go straight to her website at abraham-hicks.com or watch any of the videos on youtube, of which there are many.

Even knowing about the Law of Attraction doesn’t mean it is always easy to apply in practice as old habits die hard and there is a tendency to keep focusing on 'what is' rather than what is wanted. Which is why we keep manifesting more of the same. I'm currently reading their latest book 'The Vortex', having read the previous two books in the Law of attraction series, and so I'm just following my joy and not even attempting to force myself to do what my thinking mind keeps telling me I 'should'. Creativity itself is about doing things differently, manifesting new ideas or products or inspiration, so why not apply it to life in general as well? Rather than force myself to make rules that I have to meet, or fuss over google statistics, or stick to certain hours and targets of production, I'm just going to go with the flow of my own well being and follow whatever inspires me in the moment.

Slowing down rather than speeding up is what is needed, and attending to the bigger picture can end up being more productive in the long run, saving hours spent going down the wrong path or being blinded to anything other than those goals or expectations that we put on our path in the first place. So maybe creative blocks are not really blocks at all, but a gentle reminder to take a tea break and feel into what it is we are actually resisting.

There will be a thought in there that is not serving us, and as all creativity starts with thought, it is a good place to look first......and to slow down enough to get away from the usual mental chatter that tells us we need to work faster or harder or that there are not enough hours in the day to 'waste' time drinking coffee by the lake.

First silver clay design attempt

2009-07-23T22:45:00.010+01:00

My first attempt at using Silver Art Clay for jewelry was interesting, and I'm not sure whether I'll continue using it much in my jewelry making but felt it was important to try out different methods and materials, and also decide whether it is worth my while investing in a kiln.

I bought a blow torch from the same supplier I bought the silver clay and other tools, but the torch wouldn't fill despite trying all of the nozzles on the butane gas filler, so had to buy another blowtorch from the local DIY shop.

Originally was going to make a silver chain link bracelet but decided to use a single chain in each different piece because the total weight of the intended piece was over 7 grams which meant I would need to get it hallmarked.

As these are just experimental pieces I thought I would incorporate a focal shape of pure silver in a mixed media bracelet with copper tube beads and other beads threaded on to silver coated copper wire.

The result was a delicate and magical looking piece which I've called Lady of the Lake, as it seemed slightly Arthurian, plus I spent a bit of time by the lake today. It can be worn further up the arm or more loosely around the wrist, but I prefer it as an arm piece than a wrist piece. I also loved the combination of copper and silver, and having the hook clasp at the side. The focal square has a leafy pattern on it, and the bracelet which fits all sizes is fairly flexible so that you can adjust its shape snugly once it is on the arm.

I'm not sure what I'll make from the other squares yet but I thought I'd put my first piece up on my blog, and then into my online shops. All of these will be one of a kind pieces, so even though I may list the same piece in more than one shop, I would delete all other listings whenever an item sells. So far I have just listed it in my UK shop Artefact Creations at Folksy.

Selling on Artfire for free

2009-07-12T16:25:00.016+01:00

Since my May post Where to sell handmade products online
I have felt somewhat homeless on the internet, a bit like in real life when I haven't felt sure where exactly I wanted to live or put down roots. The result has been a handful of items listed on one online selling venue and a handful there, while I make up my mind where to put the majority of my listings. Not having tried them all yet and not having sold anything either because I need to list more, promote more and buy more in order to build up my feedback, I am nonetheless getting a FEEL of what these different venues are like, so anything I write about any of them are all based on personal preference and not on sales figures (yet).

Etsy is a site that a few seem to do well on but is swamped with so many listings, and from what I've heard they look like they are going the way of ebay now they have become so big, as the complaints sound very much the same re customer service, treatment towards sellers etc and I still have the scars from ebay not to want to repeat all of that. Admittedly they get a lot more traffic to the site than some of the other online venues for handmade goods, so I will keep some presence there at least for now.

Folksy is the UK equivalent although only a year old and so not in the same league as Etsy even though some sellers have migrated over from there. It will no doubt grow but I'm getting the impression that there is little promotion going on for the site if the forum is anything to go by. Deciding whether to list some jewellery components under supplies I was surprised at how little there was in the category I was going to list in. Now this could be viewed either as negative in that there was less choice on this website, or positive as there was less competition and my listing wouldn't get buried like it would on Etsy. In fact the forum is the best part of Folksy for me (same for eBay now) and I have had some useful advice for improving my shop and am glad that I've now changed the banner more to my liking.

I remembered a seller on DaWanda who I had bookmarked as liking her banners so bought one from her, which I'd seen via a link to her website and which was also listed in her Etsy shop where I finally bought it. So I think this illustrates how having a presence on a number of websites is the way to go, but to maybe have a couple where the most effort towards listing is directed. For me I've decided to open an Artfire shop recently (or studio as it's called there) as my USA presence and to have DaWanda as the European one. At the moment I haven't found one based in the UK that I feel happy about joining, not that it matters as everything is shipped from the UK from any of my shops and Paypal converts the currency.

What I like about Artfire is the way you can see everything in your own currency and can also link to your other shops like Etsy. I've only taken out a basic account which allows you to list 12 items for free. For unlimited items and other features you can pay $12 dollars a month for an upgraded account as a verified member.

At the moment they have what they call a Freeride Program which involves referring 12 people to sign up for a verified account for the $12 a month subscription, and when you get 12 others to also sign up you can have your account (plus one for a friend) free for life - which means no subscription, no listing fees, no commission on sales, everything free - for ever! So check out Artfire yourself via my link below. I've only recently opened an Artfire shop so am still listing my items. If you decide to join as a verified member via my link (thank you!) I am one point nearer to having no fees and you can do the same once registered by referring others.

This promotion is for a limited time only, so act fast to start qualifying for your free account for life.

Click on this link to join Artfire's Freeride programme as a verified member and refer 12 others to get your account free for life.

Related posts:

Buying and Selling on DaWanda

Where to sell handmade products online

Week in the West Country

2009-07-03T09:58:00.005+01:00

Glad I chose the hottest week of the year to escape the city, and what was meant to be 3 days in the countryside turned into a week. Even though I’m now back in London and meant to be making new jewellery to sell, I know that online sales slow down in summer and I do have other areas of my life to attend to as well. So I’m uploading some of my pics of Cornwall and Devon.

My search in the Tamar Valley and Cornwall for a good location to buy a property is not entirely unrelated to this blog and my interest in copper, as Cornwall by the early nineteeth century was the greatest producer of copper in the world.

The affect of copper mining on Cornwall was drastic, demand for the metal was high with the industrial revolution, and prices were good with little competition from elsewhere in the country. With the discovery of huge deposits of copper abroad in the mid 19th century, the price of copper fell and by this time the best Cornish deposits had been mined out. No copper mining is carried out today.

Gunnislake Clitters Mine was a large copper mine located near Gunnislake in the Tamar Valley in East Cornwall. I stayed in Gunnislake for 3 nights and took the hourly bus into Tavistock through some of the most beautiful countryside I’d ever seen. I decided I couldn’t live in Gunnislake because it was too quiet with just a couple of pubs, a post office and a shop selling garden gnomes. It would have also been too big a contrast after living in central London, plus I was constantly out of breath walking up and down those steep hills.

Tavistock in Devon (3.5 miles from Gunnislake on the Cornish/Devon border) is unlike any town within the Cornish mining district. The dramatic remodelling of much of the medieval town by the 7th Duke of Bedford during the mid-19th century was achieved with profits from his mines, whilst a substantial proportion of the mining workforce was housed in model cottages built within the town. I actually went to view one of the 19th century miners’ cottages down by the canal in what I consider to be one of the prettiest locations in Tavistock.

It was just a short walk from the main shopping area, following a wonderful river walk, and I am still hoping another property will soon be available for sale in this area as the cottage I saw was just too tiny, especially the kitchen. Being a grade II listed building you can't just extend anything without planning permsission.

Lostwithiel was not far from Gunnislake by train, and had a few more shops. To me it was a quiet village but I was told by the Tourist Office that it should be called a town. I went to view a delightful early 19th century cottage here that I’m still considering buying, but the only drawback is that it doesn’t have a garden. Having adored Tavistock as a town to live in, especially as there is an indoor craft market where I could sell my jewellery, I was undecided between the two locations.

Throughout the 14th century Lostwithiel was the Capital of Cornwall.
It is surrounded by wooded hills and is known for its antiques shops and auctions.
Lostwithiel felt more like a community where everyone knows everyone else, and it has its own charms. I thought it would be too quiet for me at first but after the first day, and especially after my walk along the river to Coulson park and the Nature Reserve, I decided to keep this location on my shortlist.

It also has a train station, which Tavistock doesn’t have, so it is easy to get around the county to see other interesting places or to shop in the nearest big town.
I’m finding it really hard right now to concentrate on anything other than finding myself a home in the west country, with room for a studio.

Altered Art Jewellery

2009-06-14T18:54:00.007+01:00

This is another interesting jewellery project in the pipeline for me to try out as the possibilities are endless to create jewellery around specific themes such as literature, art, nature, cinema, Victorian photos, advertising or anything else. I've picked a few examples from sellers on Etsy.com and Folksy.com, and there is also a good online tutorial on Aunties Beads.

I've yet to decide what glaze to use as I hear that the images can smudge when applying water-soluble glaze to anything printed on an inkjet printer. I've recently ordered a CD of images to use in my altered art jewellery from Lunagirl.
I was excited to see a CD containing masses of illustrations from one of my favourite book illustrators, Walter Crane, so just had to have it. I could have just download images from the internet or scanned some of my own early illustrations for free, but the CD seemed to contain so many more that I didn't have access to.

There is a good article about creating altered art jewellery charms on Lunagirl's blog, so I won't repeat the process here.

Here are a couple of examples of altered art charm bracelets by Poetsummer on etsy.com

Alice in Wonderland is always a popular theme. I particularly liked the Absinthe charm bracelet as that is one of my favourite drinks.

Plus plenty of earrings to choose from by Jezebel Charms on Folksy.com. These are her Casablanca earrings.

If you want to buy images for your altered art jewellery then there is a wide choice available online, plus free vintage clipart (see link below), or use magazines, old photos and advertising labels.

Online jewellery making tutorials

2009-06-14T16:02:00.004+01:00

While it is possible to learn the basic techniques of jewellery making, as well as add new techniques and materials to your projects through books alone, I have found that online video tutorials are a good way of getting some quick answers or ideas.
Youtube.com has videos on various jewellery-making categories, which is good if you want an overview of a style or method before going ahead and buying any books on the subject.

This weekend I got stuck on ring-making, for instance, as the book I was using left me without proper diagrams and intermediary steps to finish what I started making, so had to abandon it at step 3. I'm new to rings, was never going to make them, and the book I had didn't have anything very inspiring on them anyway, so I went browsing on YouTube to see if there were any better examples or explanations on there. This lead me to discovering other video jewellery tutorials, plus their websites where I ended up purchasing even more supplies. So if you want to increase sales of your designer jewellery, beads or jewellery-making components I would definitely recommend putting some video tutorials on YouTube and also on your own website. It is probably the best marketing for your business you could ever do.

Although grateful to those who are putting out this information, I just want to mention a few tips though to those who are filming these videos by themselves:

1) Please show the table with the beads, tools etc rather than yourself. Although an intro is good to start off with, and having you in the camera frame is fine, don't talk about any beads, tools or anything else without a close-up shot of them on the table. In fact don't talk about anything unless the camera is pointing to it (preferably in close-up) even if this means having to stop and start the camera.

2) Don't be afraid to change the position of the camera occasionally. For instance, if you are threading beads and all I can see are your hands covering the beads, try putting the camera on the other side of the table, looking over your shoulder, or anywhere so that I can continue to see the item being made rather than having to wait until you have finished that stage.

3) Please, oh please don't wear any other jewellery like rings when doing a jewellery tutorial. The piece you are making is the star of the show! Clean nails are important, whilst overly long nails can cover up a lot of what you are illustrating. But wearing other jewellery seems to be the worst offender, and I found it to be so distracting.

4) Try to keep everything you are doing within range of the camera. There is nothing more annoying when following a tutorial than to have the hands and jewellery item suddenly disappear for a while. If necessary, mark the area on the table where your hands and supplies need to stay within, with a cloth or some other guide.

5) Very quick movements of the hands can easily create a blur on the video. And please do close-ups of certain techniques that are impossible to figure out from a distance.

Well, now I've got that out of my system I am also keen to find out about new products, from tools and settings to glues and glazes, so even product videos would be interesting for me to watch as there is just so much out there, and I want to buy the best and most appropriate tools and supplies for my own projects. In fact, only just today I decided that I also want to sell jewellery components, supplies and unusual beads, along with my own jewellery designs. So I may end up making those videos myself before too long if I am to follow my own marketing advice. Meanwhile, I have a heap of projects to make, new techniques to learn, and a couple of hundred listings to put up on both Etsy and DaWanda so I'm not quite there yet. I'm not short of ideas and inspiration at the moment, it is just a matter of finetuning the techniques or trying new ones to achieve what I want.........so keep those tutorials coming!

Here is a good page of tutorials for various jewellery-making techniques including bead and wire jewellery, which is my favourite method. I also managed to find there a video on altered art jewellery, which is to be the subject of my next post.

Steampunk Jewellery

2009-06-12T20:53:00.008+01:00

I have only just heard about this style of jewellery, having seen some interesting rings selling on Etsy.com by Catherinette Rings, whose blog I'm now following. Steampunk jewellery is often described as retro-futuristic and neo-Victorian, being inspired by fantasy and science fiction, as well as the era of the steam engine. It is an aesthetic which celebrates the vintage and antique in a fantasy and futuristic way, and the style is more industrial with hints of H.G Wells and Jules Verne fictional invention.

It appears to have gained more popularity in the USA than in the UK, but there are places here and online where Steampunk jewellery can be bought. I will put a few links at the end to websites I found and post a few photos from them as a picture explains it better than I can.

When I first saw examples of Steampunk jewellery I felt really excited at all the possibilities of creating original and contemporary fantasy pieces that is not at all like the usual fantasy jewellery offering of fairies, dragons and the like, although sometimes these other fantasy elements creep into Steampunk too. No, this was more like a mad scientist's invention. Translated into jewellery terms, some of the more common jewellery components used are old watch faces and cogs, antique keys and locks, springs, dials, typewriter keys - in fact anything that can be recycled from junk and antiques that gives the flavour of a fictional bygone era that looks both futuristic, fictional and nostalgic at the same time. Very clever, I love it.

And although it is not really my own style, I think my excitement at discovering it sprang from wanting to do something a bit similar, with the mixing of time periods into a new fantasy genre, before I ever heard of Steampunk. I am feeling my way into a style that is not Steampunk but will end up being my own. It is still gestating while I'm familiarising myself with different materials and techniques, and all I know so far is that it is an archaeological style with a more contemporary influence, mixed with a dash of Venice Carnival. I don't really have the words for it yet, but discovering Steampunk has inspired me further down the fantasy jewellery road and I'm actually going to try making a few Steampunk pieces myself.

So today I ordered some more supplies, including some watch faces and brass washers, springy looking jumprings and anything else that could be vaguely Steampunkish.

I shall have fun with this, and will attempt to get up early tomorrow to find myself some old watches and keys in Portobello market. I don't feel quite so silly now in having wanted to save all the offcuts of copper tubing that the plumber left behind when my kitchen was being renovated, as I must have been subconsciously tuning in to this artform even before I was made aware of it.

Here are some links to Steampunk jewellery websites:

http://www.steampunkjewellery.co.uk

http://PinkWaterFairy.etsy.com

http://CatherinetteRings.etsy.com

http://www.1000markets.com/groups/steampunkstyle

Buying and Selling on DaWanda

2009-06-12T03:07:00.007+01:00

I've now opened a shop at DaWanda, a German owned shopping website for handmade gifts and craft items, so will be listing my jewellery in euros there as well as in dollars on Etsy. Have yet to decide which UK site to go for but feel occupied enough with listing on those two for now. DaWanda has versions of their website in English, French and German and you can buy or sell on any one of these, although selling on the non-English ones really does require language skills if you are to interact with customers, sort out queries etc. I'm told that the German one is the most successful one to sell on, but as I have zero German I'll only venture as far as the French one once I've listed enough in English.

Having said that I thought I would buy some jewellery supplies on the German DaWanda in order to start off my feedback score, as it is hard to start selling as a newbie with zero feedback on any website of this sort. Some items I also bought from Singapore and Turkey, but I could happily pay via Paypal for those using my credit card. Most people in Europe pay by bank transfer rather than by credit card when buying goods online, so as I use online banking I bought some coin charms from a lady in Austria for 2.70 euros. What I hadn't anticipated was the £9.50 in bank charges that my bank added on for this transaction. Rather than confirm and complete the transaction today, I'm having to phone my bank tomorrow to find out how I can pay such a small amount without such hefty charges.

And to make matters even more ridiculous, when I set up this international bank transfer I had to wait for an automatic phone call from my bank and type in a special code before they would allow me to proceed with transferring the sum of 2.70 euros. Give me Paypal any day, and fortunately most sellers on DaWanda accept Paypal. You do have to check the payment methods accepted by each seller though, as they vary. It makes me wonder whether I should scrap bank transfer as an accepted payment method from my own customers, although I don't recall ever having this sort of problem when I was selling on eBay a few years ago.

You are given up to 7 days to pay on DaWanda and I emailed the seller to tell her what had happened (in English) although I'm sure she thought I was talking about the currency exchange rate rather than my bank charges. Hopefully this will get sorted out somehow or other, but it does go to show how important it is to become familiar with a new website as a buyer first.

London Jewellery Week 8-14 June 2009

2009-06-10T15:56:00.003+01:00

The 48 hour tube strike is currently on, but anyone interested in attending the Coutts London Jewellery Week, which I've only just heard about, should be able to make it towards the end of the week, and you can download a programme from the website. The Festival in Hatton Garden sounds promising, which runs from Thurs 11th to Sat 13th June. Many workshops in the area will be open to the public, and on Saturday there is a street party with jewellery making demonstrations in the street, plus jewellery themed walks and talks, musicians, food market, childrens workshops etc.

Jewellery will be on display at Platform, the new exhibition space in Greville Street, and will run the full gamut of the industry's illustrious history from The Cheapside Hoard - an astonishing collection of Elizabethan and Jacobean jewellery discovered by chance during the early 20th century - to the laatest contemporary designs from today's hottest new talent. (Nearest tubes: Farringdon or Chancery Lane).

Copper Wire Earrings

2009-05-29T05:42:00.009+01:00

Actually it's not quite true that I haven't been making anything lately as mentioned in my last post, as I have been playing around with some simple wire earrings. I need to stock up on some supplies before doing anything more complex, but I must say I'm quite into the contemporary and minimalist as far as earrings go at the moment, as long as they are made of copper.

Which reminds me of a scarey article I read online recently about the need to source metals, wires and jewellery components that are nickel free as your jewellery could be illegal to sell in Europe. Fortunately I source most of my supplies in the UK and Europe, as most of the metal findings and beads that would be illegal to sell here because of the nickel content, come from outside Europe such as the Far East and even USA. As I'm allergic to nickel myself it would be easy to test any metals on me although I'm wondering if there is a more scientific test one can do apart from taking the supplier's word for it? I did once buy a pendant from the USA which brought me out in a severe rash one summer because of my nickel allergy so I can sympathise with the need to find nickel free components as well as staying with EU law. Stuff gets moved around though and there are probably many shops in the UK whose suppliers are from countries where these laws don't exist. Anyway, I digress.

I haven't listed any of these in my online shops yet, and I'm quite excited that I've now opened an online shop at DaWanda although I'm mainly just duplicating my Etsy listings there for now.

I loved these metal beads that reflect a pink or green colour and intend to do some wire-wrapped hanging ones, once I've bought some finer copper wire. The earwires will also be copper plated (and nickel free) once I've ordered them as it looks too awful putting silver hooks with copper earrings. These beads were crying out for a contemporary unfussy approach, so I just threaded them on the thickest wire that would take them.

I had some crackle glass beads to use up and some ready-made copper chain. I made the hammered hoop and spiral myself out of thick copper wire. These earrings may look huge but they are so light to wear. I put a small crystal bead on either side of the centre bead, and just need to photograph it all with a black background so it shows up better. I'm giving a preview here of what's going to be added to my shop soon once I've re-done the photos, replaced the earhooks and made a few more of them.

Window Shopping 1 - London

2009-05-29T05:04:00.006+01:00

I've started getting into the habit of carrying my camera with me everywhere I go, so thought I'd have a monthly (at least) window shopping photo share on my blog. Preferably of jewellery but can be of anything, and not necessarily of stuff that I like or would buy. Could be useful to inspire other design ideas, or just to see what is selling at what price and where. But mainly as I don't have anything new of my own jewellery to share here yet, I may as well show other peoples' stuff.

These were taken on the way to the supermarket today:

Where to sell handmade products online

2009-05-26T00:43:00.009+01:00

Even though I only have a handful of jewellery items recently listed on Etsy.com so far, I was a bit concerned about something I read in the etsy forums regarding their search engine not working properly. Whether it is still a problem I'm not sure, but I have no intention of re-listing the same items on a daily basis just to ensure they can be visible on the site to potential buyers. I shall continue listing there as well as elsewhere so I can monitor the results, although haven't got around to doing any more to my Etsy shop lately. Am going to upgrade my camera, undo some of my existing jewellery work that hasn't yet been listed, and re-do the photos, upload listings on multiple sites including my own website which is under construction, and just delete any duplicate listings when something sells.

Today I'm seeking out other online selling websites for handmade jewellery and compiling a list of possibilities - so if you are successfully selling at any sites (apart from eBay or Etsy) please let me know so I can add them to the list, especially if they are based in the UK or Europe and therefore not priced in dollars. A few of the sites listed below are still fairly new so are not widely known to buyers yet. But if we advertise them on our blogs or websites we can soon spread the word, not just for the artisans and creators of handmade goods and art but for those seeking original or unusual gifts as many of these quality handcrafted goods are very good value and even underpriced compared with some of the lesser quality mass produced goods found in the high street stores. All the websites below allow you to open your own shop on the site.

UK

FOLKSY - Folksy champions cool crafts and design talent. We marry up designers and crafters with buyers who want individual, quality stuff that's made with love. Plus, we run design competitions and other fun stuff. Small scale production and handmade goods offer ways to manage resources effectively and support local economies. We're not anti-globalisation but we just like a thriving cottage industry too.

PINKDOODLE - Pinkdoodle is an online marketplace for buying and selling creative goods and services. Based in London, UK Pinkdoodle enables creative professionals from all over the world - ranging from artists and designers to craft specialists - to reveal their talent and market their products and services internationally, as well as offering buyers products and services that are rarely found on the high street.

EUROPE

DAWANDA - DaWanda is the place for unique and individual products and people.
Everybody who makes handmade products or offers customised and tailor made items can become a seller on DaWanda. Creating your shop is free. When you sell a product we take 5% commission from the sales value. Listing your items is currently free as well but we are planning to introduce a small listing fee per item in the future. Currently the listing period is not limited, so that every item stays listed until it is either sold or you unlist it. When you list a new item you can create your item in additional languages. Payment is by bank transfer for UK/European sellers.

(Note - Some sellers have said they found it hard to contact customers directly and needed to go through admin for this. Orders also need to be confirmed by seller via a link before buyer can pay).

USA

SILKFAIR - At Silkfair we aim to be the premier e-commerce site for users to buy and sell their handmade goods online. As long as you've got a valid credit card you can sign up. We're working on making Silkfair an international marketplace loaded with diversity of product from all around the globe. Sellers with existing eBay feedback scores can have their rating integrated into Silkfair profile. How much does it cost to sell items on Silkfair? Final Sales Fee : 3% of per item price sold. Listing your items to build your store at Silkfair is FREE, so upload as many items you want to sell as you want! However, although we would like to keep the system free from listing fees in the future as a long term permanent policy, we reserve the right to raise the possiblity of applying listing fees if abuse to the system occurs.

ARTFIRE - The premier online marketplace for handmade products designed by artisans around the globe. Our free community is designed for artisans to buy and sell their works, while celebrating unique handmade items and designs.

It is always free for buyers of handmade products to search through our listed artisans, buy, or request for items to be specially made. No matter if you are looking for local handmade crafts, or handmade products from artisans around the world Artfire is the marketplace for you.

RAMBLES - (To sell wholesale) Rambles is a retailer. If you are an artist, crafter or designer who wholesales and are interested in doing business with Rambles, please contact us by email with the info listed on the website.

We prefer to purchase items at a wholesale price. We also prefer to carry items that retail for less than $100. However, in special cases, we will carry more expensive items. We also carry items on a commission sale basis occasionally. Please indicate your preference (wholesale or commission) in your note.
Rambles is also your great gift hub. Know someone who’s stylish, different, eclectic, adventurous, unique, a true original? Rambles has the perfect gift for him or her.

MADEITMYSELF - Madeitmyself is a new online marketplace where users can buy and sell handmade goods. It’s the perfect way for vendors to display their unique wares while buyers search for and purchase one of a kind, hard to find items. Painters, sculptors, woodworkers and other artisans now have a way to turn their hobbies into profitable businesses. Registration is 100 percent free for buyers and sellers.
Along with the online marketplace, madeitmyself.com also provides a community feature where buyers and sellers can make special requests, share new ideas, collaborate on projects and much more.

Artisan Jewelry at RUBY LANE - As a seller on Ruby Lane, both you and your customers will be able to enjoy the pleasure of only Antiques & Art, Vintage Collectibles and Jewelry offerings on the site. There are no pop-up ads, no computers, cars, music CDs or other unrelated distractions. Ruby Lane's pricing is affordable even for small sellers. No commissions! There is a one time 30 cent Listing Fee to add each item; a once a month Maintenance Fee where the first 150 items is 30 cents for each item, and then each item over 150 is 20 cents (minimum $15 per month); an Advertising Fee of $20 per month per shop. Plus a one-time set-up fee of $75 which is refunded if your shop is not approved.

(Note - Well established and well advertised site, with more quality upmarket goods).

SMASHING DARLING - SmashingDarling is a place for EVERYONE who loves fashion that thinks beyond the mall. Whether you want to shop, sell your own designs, meet others, or just see what's new and hot in independent fashion...Smashing Darling is the place that brings all of these elements together and is a community like no other.

Who can sell? We accept most fashion items in clothing, jewelry, vintage, and accessories categories. If you’re not sure whether your items are suitable for our site, please feel free to drop us an email. Unlike just about every other site out there, SmashingDarling.com is absolutely FREE to designers until you actually make a sale. We do not charge for image uploads, listing fees, or anything of the sort. You’re welcome to have as many boutiques as you wish, with as many images and items as you want. When an item sells there is an 18% fee, otherwise, it is free to be there with as many stores and items as you would like.

( To sell if not in the US , contact us at info@smashingdarling.com)

YESSY ART GALLERY - Yessy promotes artists around the world. You can view artists in your country by using the Advanced Search to search by "Region". The annual fee is only $59. When a buyer pays through the Yessy ordering system, then a low 10% escrow/payment processing fee applies. This covers credit card transaction fees, escrow service, and related payment processing costs. There are no other fees. Funds are transferred to you directly into your bank account, or into your PayPal account, or by mailing you a check. You choose these options through your Commerce form after you have created your gallery.

What items can't I display on Yessy? Do not post anything that is not art. If it wouldn't be on display in an art gallery, don't display it on Yessy. Categories include jewellery, textiles, glass, drawings/paintings, ceramics, photography etc.
To avoid being charged the annual membership fee, you are fully responsible for canceling your account before, or on the exact date/time your 14 day free trial expires.

Related posts:

Selling on Artfire for free

Buying and Selling on DaWanda

Recycled Packaging for Jewellery

2009-05-11T05:15:00.003+01:00

Before going to bed I thought I'd better order some gift boxes for posting my jewellery in as I was originally going to use gold or black tissue paper inside bubblewrap and then a jiffy bag. As most people would probably be ordering for themselves anyway it seemed a waste to use boxes that would probably just be thrown away afterwards. But then again some of my jewellery items seemed to need a box, like the wire chokers, and gift wrapping was something that I was always happy to provide free of charge if anyone requested it.

I was therefore delighted to find a company that specialised in recycled cardboard boxes for jewellery, as well as recycled tissue paper and paper carrier bags.
They can even print your company logo or name on the boxes or carrier bags at a reasonable cost. The Tiny Box Company only offers recycled packaging and eco-friendly packaging, so if you care about the environment and the felling of trees - and remember we need trees for putting out oxygen in the air we breathe - then using recycled paper products can not only help reduce the wastage of our natural environment, it also degrades better than plastic when it does eventually end up in a landfill site.

They don't just sell them in plain brown either but provide a fair choice of colours, and I've just ordered a few in different sizes and colours before ordering in bulk, including some in leopardskin print boxes! They also include either cotton or foam inside.

Natural copper chain bracelet

2009-05-11T00:31:00.007+01:00

This afternoon I made a copper chain bracelet using thick solid copper wire of 2mm, with slightly thinner wire of 1.6mm for the side panel links. It was the first time I'd used this thickness of wire before, but I wanted a more solid look rather than a delicate item of jewellery.

I have now listed it in my etsy shop Artefact Creations for US$38.00 (£25.00 pounds).

I was pleased with the result and intend to make some other designs as well, also using thinner wire to add some beads. A few minutes after listing it I received a request for a custom order to make a belt like this. I was very pleased that my bracelet generated some interest.......was described as beautiful in fact, and that I received my first custom order request, but have decided to postpone any custom orders for now as it would take me quite a long time given how long it took me for the bracelet. At the moment I feel happy making bracelets to stock another website with items that are a bit faster to make, so I may attempt the belt later on when I have a bit more time to devote to a single item and when I'm more in the mood to do it.

I am happy to say that I'm back in the flow of jewellery making again, have regained my previously lost momentum and enthusiasm, and have easily returned to my usual hours of going to bed at around 4.00am.

Books on Bead & Metal Jewellery Making

2009-05-08T13:47:00.009+01:00

Thought I would compile a recommended reading list for the best jewellery making books in the areas, materials and techniques that are of interest to me and this blog - mainly books recommended by others (on my wish list) and some I own. So this list is rather biased towards bead and wire jewellery, and metal jewellery (which I will be exploring more fully later on) and ignores any books that have been given bad reviews or ratings.

It also gives me (as well as others) somewhere I can easily find the next titles to buy, after having lost my reading list from my computer desktop. And like the last post which gives me the UK beading events in one place, I should be more organised unless I lose my blog as well. So if I've missed out any recommended books or events please let me know!

BEAD AND WIRE JEWELLERY BOOKS

Bead on a Wire: Making Handcrafted Wire and Beaded Jewelry

by Sharilyn Miller.

I have this book, which is good for covering the basic techniques and has some interesting projects which I am still working on. Am about to try the Linked Hearts bracelet as I have some heavier gauge copper wire to use up, and will post the results on this blog - I love the heavy duty bracelets in metal wire. Quality and range of projects seems good from beaded bangles to party watches.

Creating Wire & Beaded Jewellery: Over 35 Beautiful Projects Using Wire and Beads

by Linda Jones

The first book I ever bought on bead and wire jewellery, and covers all the basic techniques which are clearly described and illustrated. A good range of projects including chain and wrapped jewellery, Valentines and wedding jewellery. For me personally I found less projects in this book that I liked compared with the book above, as I'm more interested in bold or chunky designs than anything delicate, but all designs can be adapted once you know the basic techniques.

GENERAL BEADED JEWELLERY BOOKS (including other techniques)

Although these books may include bead and wire jewellery projects, they also cover other beaded jewellery techniques.

All About Beads: Over 100 Jewellery Designs to Make and Wear

by Barbara Case

This seems to be a popular beading book according to reviews on Amazon and beading forums. Haven't bought this one yet but it is added to my wish list of titles to buy soon, once I've finished the projects I like in the Sharilyn Miller book and read the two I recently ordered.

Bead Fantasies: Beautiful Easy-to-make Jewellery

by Takako Samejima

Another popular book, which includes bead stringing and weaving. Books 1 to 4 by same author are all meant to be good.

The Encyclopedia of Beading Techniques

by Sara Withers

An encyclopedia to use as reference overview to the various techniques - useful if you haven’t yet found your favourite niche in beading.
Also includes how you can add detail, texture, colour and originality to garments and accessories by incorporating beads into your knitting, crochet and needlework. Learn traditional and contemporary techniques such as bead weaving, stringing, wirework and strand-knotting, and even find out how to make your own beads.

WIRE AND METAL JEWELLERY BOOKS (without the beads)

Making Wire Jewelry (Jewelry Crafts)
by Helen Clegg and Mary Larom

This book is easy enough for beginners to follow, but still packed with enough interesting ideas for an experienced jewelry designer to learn from. The projects in the book could be easily adapted for your own designs, adding stones, beads, etc. A good basic teaching manual.

Contemporary Copper Jewelry: Step-By-Step Techniques and Projects

by Sharilyn Miller

This title has not yet been released.
You may pre-order it now and Amazon will deliver it to you when it arrives.
I’m so excited about this book as I love working with copper.

Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Pre-order Price Guarantee: order now and if the Amazon.co.uk price decreases between the time you place your order and the release date, you'll be charged the lowest price.

Mixed Metals:Creating Contemporary Jewelry with Silver, Gold, Copper, Brass and More

by Danielle Fox and Melinda Barta

Contains 30 unique projects, ranging from necklaces, bracelets, and earrings that incorporate various kinds of metals such as silver, gold, copper, brass, PMC, and more. Projects are constructed using basic stringing and wireworking techniques that are accessible to beginners, while the boutique-style designs will captivate the more experienced beader. Most metal jewelry books focus on making the metal components either with PMC, wireworking, or metalsmithing. "Mixed Metals" is so much easier, focusing on making jewelry with pre-made metal beads, charms, chain, and components combined with accent beads using simple stringing and wireworking techniques. No metalworking required!

Hot and Cold Connections for Jewellers
by Tim McCreight

This is a bench reference book for all jewellers. In it the author discusses various ways of joining parts. These methods include: cold connections (staples, rivets etc.), hot connections (soldering, brazing and welding), and adhesives. In a no-nonsense manner, the author provides useful information through drawings and text, explaining the techniques in a simple fashion. He carefully discusses when to use the various methods, the pros and cons of each and the pitfalls to be wary of. In short, it contains all one needs to know about practical joining.

Beaded Chain Mail Jewelry: Timeless Techniques with a Twist (A Lark Jewelry Book)
by Dylon Whyte

A thorough introduction, illustrated with computer-generated pictures, covers the basics of chain mail techniques. Then Whyte reveals his patented, perfected beading method: rather than using difficult wire-wrapping, he threads the beads directly onto the rings before they're fashioned into chain mail. This exciting collection of 30 projects includes a delicate Persian patterned anklet, embellished with tiny silver bells; an amethyst opera-length necklace; and silver earrings shaped like inverted peacock features, edged with rings and turquoise beads. He also shows you how to chain around a cabochon which is something I've never seen explained in clear terms. The photography is stunning and the designs are simple yet very effective. The author includes the usual chain maille weaves, such as Byzantine but he also includes some slightly more complex ones, such as Persian, Spiral and one of his own design which he calls Rings Of Saturn.

Upcoming Bead Fairs 2009

2009-05-04T21:39:00.007+01:00

Sunday 24TH May 2009
http://www.jlfairs.co.uk
THE 5TH ANNUAL CHESHIRE BEAD FAIR
NANTWICH CIVIC HALL CW5 5DG
Open to the genberal public
10.30AM - 4.30PM
£1 admission all adults
Under 12s free
Pay on the door.

THE BEADWORK FAIRS
http://www.beadwork.net
Sunday 31st May 2009
Dorking Halls, Reigate Road, Dorking, Surrey RH4 1SG
By Train:
Dorking Station and Dorking (Deepdene) Station are a 10 minute walk from Dorking Halls and are served by trains from both Victoria and Waterloo (approximately 45 minutes).

Sunday 21st June 2009
The Millennium Grandstand, The Rowley Mile Racecourse, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 0TF

Sunday 26th July 2009
The South of England Centre, Ardingly, West Sussex, RH17 6TL

Sunday 20th September 2009
de Havilland Campus, University Of Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire, AL10 9EU

Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th October 2009
Pavilions of Harrogate, Great Yorkshire Show Grounds, North Yorkshire, HG2 8PW
Sunday 15th November 2009
The Millennium Grandstand, The Rowley Mile Racecourse, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 0TF

SCOTLAND

Scottish Bead Fair
Sunday 30 August 2009, 11am-5pm, Perth Concert Hall, Perth, Scotland
Put the date of 30 August 2009 in your diary as the 5th Scottish Bead Fair is going to prove to be the best event yet!
Precious Sparkle Beads is once again hosting this popular event which in addition to having the most enviable collection of beads in Scotland for sale, there will be many invaluable demonstrations and classes that you will not want to miss!
If you make jewellery, or are interested in learning how to, this is the event for you. With over 40 top exhibitors selling the finest selection of beads from around the world, there is no end to the inspiration available.

Edinburgh Bead Fair
Sunday 4th October at the Corn Exchange, Edinburgh
Opening times 11:00am - 4:30pm
Ticket price is £4 - Children under 16 free when accompanied by an adult!

The Big Bead Show17th October 2009
THE BIG BEAD SHOW
Sandown Park, Surrey

Call the FREE hotline to order your tickets today: 0800 435553

Email : support@ashdown.co.uk

Or write to :
The Big Bead Show
Ancient Lights
19 River Road
Arundel
BN18 9EY

Displaying jewellery

2009-02-26T17:23:00.006Z

Despite telling myself I’m not going to spend any more money on my jewellery project I’ve found myself unable to resist. Bought some supplies from etsy.com yesterday for future jewellery pieces, and today decided I needed some jewellery display racks as I’ve got nowhere to put everything I make. Will need them anyway if I’m to sell at craft markets, which I’ll probably do when the weather gets a lot warmer.

Although I need proper, stackable storeage boxes for the bulk of the stock, I found some fun display racks on ebay.co.uk at reasonable prices, and best of all they were in antique copper style (and copper is my niche metal).
I’m sure the ebay seller won’t mind my using his photos on my blog as I’ve bought these items and am promoting his shop as well (called The Bigger Shop, which sells all kinds of things apart from jewellery display racks and mannequins).

I just thought this revolving earrings display rack was lovely, and a bargain at £5.95 plus postage.

As well as a few other items, I just had to get one of those jewellery busts to display necklaces and earrings together, made from resin and quite heavy (£9.90 plus £4.90 postage).

I’m having so much fun with all this, and even though I keep reading on forums about jewellery sellers giving up because the market is saturated and they aren’t selling anything, it hasn’t dampened my enthusiasm one bit. To me it’s a hobby that could possibly turn into another income stream, and I need a creative outlet anyway, which I’m enjoying with jewellery making, along with the therapy it gives me of working with my hands late at night with wire and chain.

World of Handmade - 1000markets.com

2009-02-23T08:50:00.009Z

Thought I would do a monthly write-up of handmade jewellery items I’ve found on the web by other sellers that I like. It also gives me the opportunity to learn about different materials and beads that I’ve never heard of before, as well as stumbling upon interesting new selling websites for handmade goods. I have yet to do a thorough exploration of Etsy’s jewellery-makers, which is the only selling venue I have listed on so far. I hope to feature different sellers each month of handmade jewellery, whether on Etsy or elsewhere. There is also a new UK site like Etsy called Folksy, and no doubt I shall eventually register on there too. And now I have discovered yet another online selling venue for handmade goods, still US based and in dollars, called 1000markets.com.

This is the blurb that describes 1000markets:

Our merchants are small, independent, artisan businesses built by people who love their craft. They make and sell unique products, based on their own vision, personality and story. Working together, these artisans create marketplace
communities - gathering places where merchants can
exchange ideas, and customers can browse and talk. Our markets are large and small, broad and narrow. Some have themes, like food, crafts, or art. Others cultivate a sense of place around a region. And some exist simply because the people in them share friendship or common values. Each market fosters its own one-of-a-kind community, always unique and interesting.

To buy products or contact any of the sellers you have to register on 1000markets.com with a username and password. If you choose to purchase products on the site, you must have an Amazon.com account. When you're ready to checkout, you’ll be asked to enter your Amazon.com email address and password. Then you’ll be able to easily and quickly access your account information from Amazon.com and return to 1000 Markets to complete your purchase.

I have just found out that 1000 Markets, being new, is currently only available for US buyers and sellers, but will no doubt expand internationally later on.
Jewelry Artisans' Marketplace is a good place to start browsing the jewellery shops, although there are plenty more markets featuring jewellery on 1000markets.com. Not easy picking a couple of examples of the month from so many interesting jewellery pieces, but this bracelet really fascinated me.

Dragonfly Sterling Silver Cuff Bangle Bracelet $196.00 USD

From the shop Musthaves, the seller says : This one is not for someone that likes dainty pieces of jewelry. This cuff bracelet makes a statement and is sure to get noticed! I made this bracelet with different gauges of sterling silver wire, one heart charm, one dragonfly charm, cubic zirzonia briolettes and some Austria crystals for sparkle. I have oxidized, hardened and polished the sterling silver in this bracelet.

Musthaves also has a shop of the same name on Etsy.

From the lower price bracket, I liked these furnace glass earrings by Charmed I’m Sure.

Strawberry Mint Furnace Glass Earrings $13.00 USD

Handcrafted earrings of David Christensen’s furnace glass chubs of crystal clear glass with green and white stripes, and wide bands of pink, combined with tiny corrugated Bali spacers, green Czech fire-polish beads, and 5mm rose Swarovski crystals. They dangle slightly more than 1.25 inches (3.18cm) from 20 gauge hand-formed sterling silver ear wires.

Taking photos of jewellery using props

2009-02-20T14:59:00.008Z

Just re-took a few pics of jewellery I’d previously taken photos of with the blank white background, only this time on a cream cloth in my ‘lightbox’ with props. I have to say that I understand now how it works in adding interest and atmosphere, and even makes the jewellery easier to see when it is placed against or near other items, rather than floating in a stark void.

Not sure whether I’d take all my jewellery pics this way, but it has been fun so far with the few I’ve taken, so will continue experimenting for future photos. My ‘lightbox’ is actually a cardboard box without the roof. The box was too small to keep the roof, but I still had the sides, and just placed an old cream throw inside. The lightbox was still the main source of light plus I had a side lamp. Although some shadows are still there they are softer than the ones that appeared when the jewellery was on paper with just one direct light. I quite like some muted shadow, as long as it doesn't get in the way of the jewellery. I didn’t even clean the props first as I was just quickly experimenting.

Taking photos of jewellery

2009-02-20T00:09:00.010Z

Today I thought I’d spend some time browsing the Etsy community forums, firstly to ask for a critique of my shop before I list any more items, and secondly to familiarise myself with the Etsy website and maybe pick up some useful tips.

Well, it seems as though I may need to re-take some of my photos as three people told me that they were too bright and the background too white and stark. So I’m now in the process of making myself a light box and will try out different backgrounds and textiles instead of using white paper, and try to make my pics more atmospheric and the light more diffuse. With London still being overcast I don’t expect to be able to take any decent daylight photos for a while.

I’m still a bit confused over what I'm supposed to be aiming for, although dark shadows need to be eliminated and I can now see so many of them in a lot of my pics. The ones I took of the Queen of Diamonds red glass jewellery set seemed to work better for me holding them up to the light attached to white paper. Admittedly the light was quite powerful - it’s actually my S.A.D. lightbox at 10,000 lux strength. I felt quite pleased that I’d found another use for it in photography, rather than just trying to chase away the winter blues. The light is also a nice white light and I prefer it to ordinary tungsten lightbulbs which gives everything a gloomy hue, making the photos come out too dark. I don’t believe in touching up the photos except to brighten them, but I’ve obviously gone overboard with that.

So tomorrow I’ll experiment and post some alternative pics here once I’ve sorted out the lightbox and tried other backgrounds, with some props. I feel I need to get this right before I do any more listing, and hopefully get some more feedback first - so do feel free to give your comments on which photos work best for you, and any other suggestions you may have.

Featured in Etsy Treasury already

2009-02-18T08:59:00.004Z

Was listing a few more jewellery items on Etsy for the second time the other night, bringing my inventory up to around 7 (I’m sure I’ll get faster at listing with practice), so was pleasantly surprised yesterday morning when I read my emails to find one from an Etsy member who informed me that one of my items had been chosen to be featured in her Treasury! I took this as a good omen for my new venture , but being a newbie I needed to find out what exactly a Treasury was. This is what it says about it on Etsy:

Have you ever wanted to pick the Etsy.com home page items? Do you have the desire to choose and feature only 12 items from the list of thousands currently available for sale on Etsy? The following is some info to help you on your way...if you're diligent and lucky enough to snag a spot on the Treasury (it's in high demand!).

The Treasury is a member-curated gallery of short-lived lists of 12 hand-picked items each (plus four alternates). It functions as a high-demand (and pretty!) promotional tool that many devoted Etsians fight to get. Members can feature their favorite items, items selected on a theme, or just however they like. The Treasury is not intended for self-promotion, but instead to acknowledge and share the many cool things for sale on Etsy.

So, my shop is cool already! :-)
I feel quite honoured to have been included in someone’s Treasury on only day 2 of listing some items for sale, and I’m sure my Karnak earrings are now destined for fame and fortune !! (especially if this Treasury is ever picked for the Etsy home page). I've since reduced the price of all my Venetian glass earrings from $20 to $17.00 (£11.95) as a special introductory offer until the end of March.

Karnak earrings
Cobalt blue Venetian glass bead filled with silver, topped with real gold filled yellow glass foil bead, with a clear AB crystal bead on top for extra sparkle. Tiny copper coated smooth crystal bead at base. Supplied with silver ear wires.

The blue is quite vivid (I've not touched the colour in the photo) and they have an inner glow due to the real silver inside the bead.

Artefact Creations - my Etsy shop

2009-02-17T21:23:00.005Z

Artefact Creations started off as an idea to make jewellery pieces based on museum exhibits, amongst other things. I may still get around to going to the British Museum for some inspiration, but meanwhile I'm having enough fun just using my imagination or letting the beads themselves suggest combinations of form, texture and colour.

Having looked on the internet and seen other websites attempt similar things, I decided I didn't want to create exact looking replicas but to use ancient jewellery as a starting point for my ideas. I also knew that I didn't want to use any modern materials like acrylics or plastics, and neither did I want any of my beads on stretchy elastic or any modern thread. For me, even the parts I couldn't see were still important.

I prefer to work with mainly with copper and brass wire or chain. My beads are either threaded directly on to the wire itself or linked by a handmade chain. Sometimes I use ready-made chain just for the extension chain, if I use one.
It takes some restraint on my part not to hammer and harden the links until daytime, as I'm sure my neighbours would not appreciate that at two or three in the morning.

As I have described in my etsy shop, I see my jewellery as being a blend of both ancient and contemporary style. I like unfussy designs that are bold and interesting enough to make a statement, as well as being intensely colourful. One of the reasons I love Venetian glass beads is that they are very colourful and have an inner radiance that glows when the light shines on them, due to the 24k gold (or sometimes silver) that they are filled with.

I have to search in different places to get the colours I want, eg. my local bead shop does not do a very good red Venetian glass bead but they do a very good gold - still, the treasure hunt is all part of the fun! I also like using a mix of swarovski crystal beads and semi-precious or glass beads, so there is some variation and contrast of shape, texture and sparkle.

Looking around my local department store recently in the costume jewellery section, I was amazed at some of the high prices charged for designs made from very inferior looking metals and cheap materials. I think quality is as important as design and I may get around to copying that necklace I saw priced at £65, which could have been made out of tin in Taiwan, and can't wait to see how it will look using better quality materials.

About The Night Beader

2009-02-17T18:57:00.001Z

My favourite time for making jewellery is late into the night, when all is calm and quiet, apart from talk radio which I have on low volume in the background. That’s why I called this blog The Night Beader, as apart from a play on words (I used to do all my reading then) I seem to spend more of my time beading than reading these days..........or rather nights, sometimes until dawn.

It was a hobby I had dabbled in many years ago and neglected. I’d even taken classes in soldering and gem setting in the past, but it wasn’t until I had a sudden desire recently to start making bead and wire jewellery that I realised I had at last found my niche. What had once been a past interest had now transformed and was becoming a passion.

As a beader I am fortunate in that I live in London and can visit at least three bead shops, which are within walking distance of each other. I also buy some of my bead supplies online and try to source as much as possible within the UK.

Walking into one of my favourite London bead shops for the first time was like entering an Aladdin's cave. It was there that I first fell in love with Venetian glass beads. I love my visits to bead shops, I'm like a child in a sweet shop filling up all those little bags full of goodies.

For the past two weeks I've been feeling deprived of my late night hobby, as I have to get up at dawn to be ready for the workmen to arrive at 8.00am, who are renovating my kitchen. Meanwhile, I am starting my blog and have opened an online shop on etsy.com called Artefact Creations, where some of my beaded jewellery is listed. Fortunately I have enough completed jewellery to keep me busy listing in my etsy shop for the time being, and am already getting some design ideas for the next batch, which I'm looking forward to making when the workmen have finally gone.