A beautiful day

I have just popped inside for a little afternoon nap in the shade. The weather here is absolutely glorious so I have been enjoying 15 minute stints in the sun. I love the smell of hot summer days, but don't like sitting in the baking sun, so I in now for about the 10th for a big glass of water and lime and some surfing!

I have finished retaking all my photographs and have been making a few new pieces. I love this bracelet, all purple and precious and in the shop.

I am going to run a few experiments this week:

1. twittering

2. blogging

3. listing new items

4. relisting

5. making (of course)

I'm going to keep a note of my stats and see what is most effective. I'm loving Google Analytics, I can find out so much info and try and use it. I'm going to be quite strict with my time and see if I can find a happy balance between createing and promoting. I'll post my finding here on Tuesday 9th June, so I can give it a full 7 days.

Hope you are all having a glorious Sunday too!

All things aquatic

Listed in the shop today!

"Mazu (simplified Chinese: 妈祖; traditional Chinese: 媽祖; pinyin: Māzǔ; Wade-Giles: Ma-tsu; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Má-chó·; literally "Mother-Ancestor"), also spelt Matsu, is the indigenous goddess of the sea who protects fishermen and sailors, and is invoked as the goddess who protects East Asians who are associated with the ocean. "

Information from Wikipedia

One moment in time...

"A moment"

Thanks for all your great quotes, I love finding out what makes other people smile :)

I got all my press releases orginized, printed and beautifully and funkily packedged and posted, so heres hoping I get featured in Vogue! And because of that I have been busy making and listing in the shop, you know in case 100's of customers come flooding my way!

I have been sorting out my stock and found so many tiny bits of chain or random beads that I hang on top, just in case, and have finally been inspired to use them. My cousin was over for a visit the other day and she came through to the studio to have a nosey through my bead boxes and she started selecting random beads. Then she picked up 3 pieces of chain and layed them out and placed the beads on top, a said, "I would wear a bracelet like that!".

And so my "Something old, something new" collection was born. I love how they are not all neat and exact, with 5 of this stone or 10 of this bead and all balanced and shiney. Sometimes I get to close to a design and want it formal and balanced. This new random flow has been so exciting to make plus I'm getting to use up otherwise redundant bits and bobs.

Do you like things neat and ordered or do you draw ontop of the lines?

x

Etsy Sale

Well, that is me I have finally reached my 100th post! So in honour of this I have opened the sale in the shop. I have also added a few new bracelets and there are new earrings to come this week. I have spent most of today photographing them and getting the listings ready to add over the next few days. I have also decided to change the way I name my items and have gone for French girls names. This way they take on more of an identity and are a little more exciting sounding. What do you think, something a bit different or simple description?

"antoinette"

"aurore"

Happy Tuesday evening, off now to tidy my desk and read my book!

Long Awaited Competition Results

Firstly I would like to thank you all, my new blog friends for taking the time to answer my questions about why you blog and your top tips! Also I would like to thank you for your patience, this would have to be the longest running competition in blogland. I promise I will not do that again, I know myself I would be like... come on......

So here goes the winner of their very own custom made bloggin bracelet is mushroommeadows (I used RANDOM.ORG to generate the winning number). Just send me an email with your postal address and we can discuss what you would like your bracelet to look like :)

Nothing creative of my own to show you all today, I have tummy ache and am a bit of a grump, (Bo has gone out for the evening to get out of the firing line!) I have cleaned the fridge, the oven and blitzed the rest of the kitchen, so now I'm off to sit on the sofa and surf the net. Happy Tuesday to you all and I'll hopefully have an exciting post tomorrow night ..........

blogging barcelet competition

Don't forget, 15 days left to enter my competition. Just leave a comment telling my why you blog and your top tips to enter. Closing date 11.59pm 31st March GMT

100th Post Competition

Well here is my first ever blog competition to celebrate my 100th post which should be coming pretty soon. I started this blog on the 1st October 2007 and oh my, I have learned soo much and met a bunch of wonderfully creative and inspiring people. The reason I decided to start one was that I had found a couple of other designers had pages and I got great pleasure reading what they had been up to and seeing little snippets of their work. So I decided I would do the same! It has been such a delight making contact with people all over the world and forming electronic friendships, Flickr, and of cource you showed me ETSY! So thank you! My business is now growing much faster and wider than it was with just my website and I am motivated on a daily basis to create something new.
I would say my top bloggin tip is to share as often as you can and want to, and show a picture of something, whether it's something you have made or something that is inspiring you. I love sneeking little peeks into other peoples creative worlds! And my next tip would be to find a cluster of like minded folks whos blogs you like and comment on their posts. I remember the first comment I recieved and it warmed my heart that someone out there, from another country had found little old me!

Anyway enough about me, this is all about YOU now! Tell me why you started your blog and your top blogging tips, and in return I'll draw one lucky person and design and make them their very own Bloggin Bracelet! I will use your blog as a theme as inspiration for colours and style.
So get thinking, typing and spreading the word!
I will close the competition on Monday the 31st of March and announce the winner on Tuesday 1st of April. (This has nothing to do with April fools day, the date just falls with when I should be writing my 100th post!)
GOOD LUCK
xoxox

Happy New Year

I am back, holiday is officially over and now it's back to work. I have had a lovely break and am refreshed and full of ideas and things to get making.

I have sorted out my Flickr account and joined some groups this time, I think that was where I went wrong the last time, nobody knew I was out there! I have also been going through my photographs for my new etsy shop and added this the other day.

I got this in a beautiful bouquet of flowers last year for my birthday and don't really know what type of flower it is. I got lots of suggestions on an etsy forum but so many to chose from, so I'm calling it 'Violet Crunch' for now! I got my second treasury yesterday too. http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=21549 , I called it 'Come fly with me'. And I was featured in 2 other treasuries this week too. A big thank you to Kala and Samskiart for including me!

This is 'Key to my heart', a lovely valentine themed bracelet using a combination of rose quartz chips, swarovski crystals, jet bicones and other little gems. I added a key charm I have had for ages but didn't know what to do with before. I have just finished another blue/ aqua bracelet tonight so i'll get that added to the shop tomorrow. I am also working on cards tonight, lots of red and hearts and love!