Took Me Long Enough

I don’t know if you remember, but over a year ago now I bought some beads from Linden Avenue Designs on Etsy. I loved the colours and bought them on impulse without really knowing that to do with them. Then we moved house, and I started studying A363 and so they got put to one side for a bit.
But I have been thinking about them and so with two weeks off work for Easter I’ve finally made the necklace that I wanted.
I know it looks simple – just thread them on the wire, but I actually had to drill the holes as they were really tiny, but that wasn’t a problem with my little multi tool.

What I love best about them is the fact you can change the colours, so if you’re wearing blue you could have a blue necklace, red and it’s red and so on. Or all of them for something brilliant and cheerful.

Thanks to ShortForNothing for taking the photos!

Christmas Beads

For Christmas my Mum bought me a Pandora/Troll style necklace. When she asked me what beads I wanted for it I asked for just plain silver spacer beads so that I could choose my favourite beads from sellers on Etsy.
Working from left to right:
The first bead is from Elysium Beads – all the way from Australia. It’s a lampwork glass bead called ‘Ethereal’ and in the light it really is ethereal. I was very impressed with how quickly I received it; I would never have guessed it came all that way.
The second bead came from Luccicare Lampwork. It’s a lampwork glass bead lined with sterling silver and filled with 8 cubic zirconia’s crystals. Again in the light it flashes like diamonds.
The next two come form Studio Mees & Merel. The first is ivory dots on turquoise and I think is my very favourite. The second is hot pink fuchsia stripe and was a present from ‘im outdoors. Bless him. The hot pink works so well with the blues.
The last was from my Mum. I think they are all brilliant and I love the fact that I’ve room to add more if something catches my eye.

HydraHeart

Look what’s just arrived for me! Beautiful new shoes.
Once again Etsy has come up with the goods, this time from HydraHeart (you can find her on my etsy favourites below).
Molly makes a variety of different shoes – all handmade and vegan! And all of them are beautiful. Mine are Keyhole flats in mossy green, and very pleased with them I am too. What I really like about them is how delicate they feel. You don’t feel like your wearing shoes at all, which is just how I like it. But by wearing these my feet don’t go black! (sorry too much detail.)
My only concern is that because they feel so delicate I don’t think I’d dare wear them outside. But they will be perfect in the new flat – wooden floors do not appreciate heels.

BEST

By now you should know how much I love Etsy and how I can’t wait to get a shop on there. And of course how much I like making/experimenting with book making – I hesitate to call it binding.

Anyway as I was browsing on Etsy today I came across the Bookbinding Etsy Street Team – BEST, and their blog. And they have a flickr page. Oh my life people like me! This is amazing. So much to read and so little time.
I wonder if anyone will be able to help me with my Coptic Stitch.

I hesitate to join the team without a shop, but it’s going straight on my list of Etsy things to do.

I love how the Internet helps to connect like minded people even when there's a great big ocean in the way.

Stamp and Logo

I have to admit to being rather excited right now!
Nope I didn’t make it into the final 50 applicants for ‘the best job in the world’, and I’m not aware right now of anyone wanting to publish one of my stories; this is something far better.
Finally with a lot of help from my Dad I have finally worked out a way to mark my books as mine. It’s taken maybe 4 months to get to this stage, but the end result is worth it!
Basically I wanted to be able to mark my books as mine but without using stickers which I think look a little naff, and come off way to easily; or having to write something on everyone. I wanted something which would constantly look the same on anything I do.
I started by drawing myself a logo using the words ‘Wild Creations’ as this is what I call my self. But how to get it on to the books?
Talking to my Dad we came up with the idea of making a stamp which would emboss the paper or card with the design. This was just what I wanted.
It took a while to get the materials and technologies together but my Dads knowledge of circuit board printing really helped.
And finally I have a working stamp. It’s better than I’d hoped for – remember that I had to draw it onto the metal by hand, backwards! So to have it stamp so well has made me really pleased. I just need to practice stamping now, so I don’t do it too hard or not hard enough.
The idea of opening my own Etsy shop now seems real instead of a dream. Much more to do, but nothing I can’t do given a little time.

The Handmade Pledge

Today, as part of my aim to improve myself in 2009, I took The Handmade Pledge.

The pledge is to buy handmade for myself and my loved ones, and request that others do the same for me.

Its all about getting away from mass production and the environmental effects that mass production has on our world. But it is also about people. Global manufacturing has left us all dressing, furnishing and decorating alike. When we buy handmade we reconnect with real people and start to be more individual. And from what I’ve found on etsy so far, who wouldn’t want a handmade gift?

Visit their website for lots more information about how we can leave mass production behind, and who else has taken the pledge.

Etsy

If you love handmade stuff, and I do, you need to go check out Etsy.
I adore this website. Its full of some of the most beautiful things I’ve found on the net, from jewelry to wool to furniture to badges to handbags etc etc. You can see some of the below. Ok so some of the things are a little mad, but I guarantee that you’ll be able to find something you like, maybe even love. But don’t blame me if you spend too much.
My dream is to have my very own shop some day. Now that really would be excellent.