AJE Component of the month Blog Hop

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Claire

So, some weeks ago, I was one of a lucky little bunch of beaders who won a giveaway and received one of Lesley Watt‘s beautiful bronze pod beads.

Lovely, hey? They were the Art Jewelry Elements Component of the Month this September. The one requirement was that we winners make something with one of them (tough, I know) and that we share what we made today. I’d been admiring these beads for a while so I was very pleased to win one. Here’s my pod:

Can you tell that I’ve used it in a necklace that’s particularly tricky to photograph? Well, I have, see:

I decided some time ago that I wanted to make some sort of a lariat kinda thing but I only arrived at the design a few days ago. I’ve added some Scorched Earth bead caps to echo the shape of the pod, and hung them from some of my verdigris patina chain.

Thankfully, it wears a lot better than it photographs!

A large thank you is owed to Lesley: thank you, Lesley! If you fancy getting one of these pods you can find them in Lesley’s shop, Thea Elements. As I said, I wasn’t the only lucky winner. You can have a look at the other winners’ (or guest designers’) pieces by following the links below. The members of the AJE team have all been given the opportunity to use one too. I’m really curious to see how everyone used their beads - I’ve got a feeling there’ll be some surprisingly different designs.

Guest designers:
Erin Prais-Hintz - Tesori Trovati

AJE team

New pieces

Posted on September 28, 2013 by Claire

This is going to be another of those mammoth posts with lots of new jewellery. After the last market and my birthday sale, I’ve had to be busy making lots of new stock. Some of these pieces are listed but some are unlikely to get listed before the next market day, so if you like something but can’t find it in the etsy shop, let me know and I’ll list it for you.

(ceramic beads - Scorched Earth, copper dangles - Cinnamon Jewellery)

(polymer cardinal - Rejetta Sellers, wooden barrels - Pymatuning Crafts)

(ceramic spikes - Scorched Earth)

(key tile - More Skye Jewels, ceramic heart - Gaea, ceramic beads - Scorched Earth, wooden barrels - Pymatuning Crafts)

(lampwork bead - Cheeky Cherub, ceramic discs - Jubilee)

(ceramic connectors - Scorched Earth)

(ceramic leaves - Scorched Earth, wooden discs - Pymatuning Crafts)

tower and flowers 1

(ceramic tower block - Jubilee)

(lampwork beads - Puffafish, wooden barrels - Pymatuning Crafts)

(lampwork beads - Puffafish, patina chain - Something to do Beads)

(ceramic wheels - Kay’s Krea Corner)

(polymer caps - Rejetta Sellars)

(ceramic owl - Blueberribeads)

(ceramic bead - Jo Lucksted)

(ceramics - Scorched Earth)

(polymer poppy - Elise Canning, ceramic flowers - Captured Moments)

(lampwork bead - Moogin)

(polymer flower - Tree Wings Studio)

(ceramic heart - Scorched Earth)

frost flowers 1

30SOMETHING Off

Posted on September 19, 2013 by Claire

Tomorrow is the day for taking time out to mark the fact that I am still ploughing steadily through my thirties. I don’t tend to make that much of a fuss about it generally, however I’ve noticed others offering age-appropriate discounts on their birthdays and, well, it sounds like a plan to me. So, I’m going to be offering a whole 30(!!!)% off in the jewellery shop. The code is 30SOMETHING and - as a sneaky thank you for reading this - I can tell you it is already active. I’ve got most of my new designs listed, but, while I’m here, here are a couple of things that might(!) be listed in time for tomorrow. If there’s anything that particularly appeals, let me know and I’ll make sure I get it listed in time for you to get the discount.

(giraffe pendant - Jade Scott, ceramic spikes - Scorched Earth)

(lampwork beads - Puffafish, ceramic wheels - KaysCreaCorner, ceramic drops - Scorched Earth)

(lampwork beads - Puffafish)

(ceramic tips - Scorched Earth)

Guess what?… new jewellery

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Claire

So, it’s properly Autumn now, hey? I’ve been hiding inside, trying to shake off the last of my cold. Here’s some new makes from the last couple of days.

(beaded beads - Malin de Koning, ceramic flowers - Captured Moments)

(ceramic heart - Scorched Earth)

(fibre beads - Carolyn Saxby, headpins - The Curious Bead Shop)

(ceramic drop - Scorched Earth, faceted polymer bead - Something to do Beads)

(ceramic drops - Scorched Earth)

(enamel connectors - 4 Ophelia)

This last pair is mine - I seem to be getting quite good at rewarding myself. And here’s a final couple of bracelets, which I’ve already listed. I did a bit of a listing blitz to stock up the shop ready for this weekend, when…. well, watch this space!

(ceramic hoop - Scorched Earth)

Gee but it’s great to be back home

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Claire

So, I’m home from the French wedding odyssey. It was a bit of an epic trip. I got back full of cold and generally feeling rather seedy and lived-in. I’d love to think I embrace travel but the tedious nuts and bolts of it all drive me up the wall more and more. I was very, very ready to be back. My homecoming was made all the more welcome when I discovered a massive - and vaguely shaming - mountain of post. It was such a pleasing haul I thought I’d share it here. I did bring a couple of things back from France. I’ve never been to a French bead shop, but I’m always very happy to come across a haberdashery, like the one I found in Chalon town. I didn’t have time to look at all the buttons - just the wooden ones. I coped:

I also picked up this preposterously cute ribbon.

But, back to my magic post day. I’ve been meaning to buy some beads from Claire Maunsell of Stillpointworks for some time. I wish I’d got more.

I’ve also wanted some of these big disc beads from Grubbi for a while. The glazes are really lovely and rich, especially the blue to the fore of the picture.

There was, somewhat inevitably, a nice fat Scorched Earth parcel. I feel I should add that the size of it was - in part, at least - owing to Petra’s ever generous extras!

There was also a nice haul of tasty czech glass from Mountain Shadow Design.

Aren’t those orange dragonflies a stunning colour? I love the massive English cut rounds too! I’d kinda forgotten placing this order from Earthbutter Studio. In my defence, there was a sale.

I didn’t just have beads waiting for me. There were some new patinas too. I’ve no idea how they’ll work but fingers crossed for patina chain in pink and plum.

The biggest parcel was from Yuki Designs. I’ve been admiring their stock for a while and I had a rash moment - or two - last week when I went for broke and just ordered (well, nearly) all the things that took my eye. I was braced for a customs charge and a bit of a wait, but my order slipped through customs and arrived within a week. Even better!!

Finally, there was this collection of handmade wooden beads and blanks from Pymatuning Crafts. I’d lost the will to take things out of bags by the time I took this pic. Plus, they’re all made from different woods (all storm damage, etc.), so I didn’t want to mix them up.

So many possibilities! I think that’s everything. If you’ve enjoyed looking at these anywhere near as much as I enjoyed opening them, you must be smiling right now. Maybe you’ve been tempted into making a purchase - I hope so!

New jewellery - stacks of it

Posted on September 2, 2013 by Claire

Okay, so this post is going to be a pretty long one, heavy on pictures. I had to make up a stack of new stock over the last couple of weeks, so I had enough stuff for yesterday’s market. It was a good day, but my table was a bit bare by the end of it and it’s left the Etsy shop looking a bit picked over. I don’t know when I’ll get chance to list these new pieces. I never seem to keep on top of the listing situation. A few of these pieces have gone but I’m still faced with a bit of a monster listing marathon. So, if there’s anything here you fancy, do give me a shout. The light is a bit iffy in a number of the pictures, I’m afraid. I had to get them photographed before I put price tags on them all, but the sun wasn’t prepared to cooperate: