Show

I have been busy making. Very busy.

I have a craft show coming up in 2 weeks and in that time I am also heading down to NSW for a weekend.
So it is busy busy.
I am taking a different approach to what I do this time. I have brochures and business cards. I am oig to do a FREE drawing, yes that's right FREE where the people could win a pair of earrings. i need to take photos LOTS of photos.

I also purchased a proper tent. Why? Well in this case I plan to do a show once a month I want some protection. The good thing is that I can also take it camping as extra shade. I am also solely concentrating on my jewellery this time. I am not going to sell my other things this time. I am sharing a booth with my friend who makes stacks of things including jewellery. Is she competition for me? Well not really her suff is very different to mine and people who want her stuff wouldn't be after mine anyway.
The advantage of sharing this booth is that if people stop to look at one type of jewellery they may scan across and buy from the other anyway. If they are with friends then their frends may browse across as well.

It also helps cut costs and you are able to have a break when you need to. the only downside is that I am going to have my girls with me. DH has organised stuff on the same day so they are with me. I will be able to let them wander so far but not too far.
I don't have a banner yet and i want one. But if I get a banner it could cause problems with my friend. But my aim is to get out there and get known for her it is more of a hobby (she works very hard fulltime) where for me this is a chance to stay out of that rut that I hated so much.

So lets see I have a free prize drawing, gift certificates, flyers with information on my parties and brochures for my mothers jewellery. Phew.
I also approached a business locally today and they want me to send information on doing wire work classes for them.

I am making a conscious effort to spot chances. I am stopping and asking people that may be able to help me. I still have to come up with a way of not stumbling over my words. But I will get there. So far there has been no adverse reactions and the way I am trying to word it is so that it is beneficial to them as well.
For example Ii approached a shop today and asked about teaching through them. They were open to the idea but became more receptive as I explained that the classes would be held there and the customers would buy there proucts through them.

How do I do this? I send the customer to the shop to book for my class. While booking (either phone or in person) the shop lets them know about the kit for the class which they must purchase from there. While there they get to cusomise their kit (choose different beads) and be encouraged to purchase some basic tools (not expensive).

I charge a fee for teaching them and maybe give the shop a cut for use of their shop. The class will last 2 hours. And I will do 4 different classes for beginners.

I have to email her my stuf so will get to it very shortly.

Bits and pieces

Here are a few pieces that haven't made it onto the page yet.


metal comb, crystal beads twisted with the wire. The good thing with the wire is theat once it is in the hair you can adjust the beadsto sit the way you wish.



Simple pretty earrings sterling silver, artisic wire and swarovski butterflies


glass beads, glass crackle beads, sterling silver and artistic wire.

No Picture

I didn't get to create yesterday and today I have sick kids. Ugh.
I joined the International Guild of Wire Jewelry Artists
I really want to become professional at this and I want to support the fact that I adore wire work. I asked some questions and I plan to eventually start a chapter in Australia.
These guys are only young but I think with the support they will become a leading force in wire jewellery making.

I would love to see a university set up with them.

I did bead up a cross for my necklace but I think I will try a wire work one as well and then compare the 2. Wish me luck.

Rosary Beads

I love prayer beads of all forms. LAst night I sat down and made my first rosary. It isn't complete as I am going to add a sterling silver wire work cross I am not catholic but the importance behind them isn't lost on me.

IT is made from sterling silver wire, swarovski glass pearls, glass hearts and filigree centre. It wasn't a hard item to make but choosing the beads "Oye" that was hard I really wanted to make it look good.

Here is a peek before the wire cross and a decent photo!

I wonder who it will find its home with? Are you interested let me know?

How did you?

People ask how I became involved with jewellery making. I have only been involved with the whole process about 2 years. My neighbour introduced me and the rest took flight from there. Although I do enjoy beading my first love is wire work. I love that I am able to create without having to need a huge amount of tools and chemicals that is involved with silver smithing and wire work gives me more freedom of expression with the beads I use.

My daughters bead but my eldest shows signs of interest in the wire work. We will see how it goes. I am self taught with my wire work and have purchased quite a few tutorials to learn different techniques.

I have started to do parties and have been to the preschools to do classes with the littlies. I really enjoy the faces as they pull together items and make something unique to them. I think that is why I love it so much it is all unique. Hand 24 children the same beads and you will end up with 24 totally different pieces of jewellery. I recently went to a preschool and the children made mothers day bracelets for their mums.

This is the bracelet my darling daughter beaded for me. Each student got the same beads and the only assistance they received was when I crimped the toggle on the end.

If you notice my 'mum' isn't quite right there were a few 'wwu' and a couple of other variations. Did that matter to us? No this was a gift from their heart and I am happy to say I have seen quite a few mums proudly wearing their gorgeous bracelets.

It is a snap shot of what your children were up to and will always be cherished. The younger children made bookmarks not because I didn't think them capable but their attention span is a little shorter so the book marks allowed them the same expression BUT with less time.

I love jewellery making it really is more then just beads on a string.

Life goes on

This cuff is sterling wire with bali silver and glass beads as well as artistic wire and crystals

















This is a cuff based on eni okens tutorial
I actually named the cuff Watch over the Earth. There are beads in there that look like tiny eyes and I used all types of beads in all colours to try and represent the world. The cuff is totally different to what I normally do and I found I really enjoyed it. This bracelet would be excellent for using up all the odd beads we seem to end up with.

This piece uses silver plate and artistic wire. It was a prototype and I am really pleased with the effect. I smiled when I saw a tutorial for wrapping coils in this issue of Step by Step Wire as I had been playing with this idea for a while and made the above plus the red one.

Silver plated wire and split rings, ab 4mm red crystals and red artistic wire.


So when the article came out I was thrilled that I had managed to do something all ready. Beat the magazines to it! LOL.








This piece is sterling silver chain, artistic wire ans swarovski butterflies. I really love the heart clasp. It is a really girly bracelet.







This piece was created with random seed beads
I literally would not look at the beads as I put them on until they were all the same length and would add the focal beads.