How Many Days Until.........

Christmas......  Well I have not actually counted but it is not far away.  I am madly getting stock up for 5 markets, a country fair and the Warburton Visitor Information Centre where I have a section in their Handmade area.
I am making Christmas angels, earrings - Christmas trees, angels and maybe snowmen, wine glass charms (pictured below but with Christmas charms on them) and Christmas spiders.  It takes such a lot of work to get enough stock ready.  I am also trying to find time to make up beaded draped covers for the baubles.  Life is hectic at the moment.  Helping our daughter and son in law move from a rental into their new home, volunteering at the Visitor Centre and beading.  Beading bracelets, necklaces etc has gone out the window for a bit.

Great Idea To Store Your Fireline

These are great to keep your Fireline neat and tidy.  As you can see I have put stickers on to identify the thickness.  Here in Australia they are available from BCF fishing stores.  I have identified mine with a wee charm because often I am with a group of beaders and there is a need to distinguish which one belongs to me.

A Bit Better

Well now, the second market was a bit better.  I sold spiders, fairies and a bracelet.  Lots of great comments from people re my jewellery but not heaps of sales. One needs to be content with what happens each time and trust in future sales.  It does take a while to become established and patience is definitely required.  I have since put some work into the Warburton Visitor Information Bureau.  This is a wonderful place to visit with a large HANDMADE section, a gallery and nature habitat, a must for children and adults  alike.  If you are ever in the area, drop in.  You will find friendly faces and big smiles from the volunteers and plenty to look at.  Warburton and the Yarra Valley are the most beautiful places to visit, take a look.

To Market To Market......

That is the question.  Now that I have retired I need to get organised and perhaps return to the domain of the market.   In the past it has been very difficult to sell at markets.  Once a great experience but sadly replaced by the market organisers admitting stalls with cheap products.  It is almost impossible to compete with a stallholder selling a necklace or bracelet for $5 or $10 when yours  are sometimes 3 or 4 times that amount.  A number of shoppers cannot see the value in something handmade which is a shame.    Needs must however and for me markets will be featuring in my future.  In Warburton we have the Warburton Artisan Market.  It is undercover which is a big bonus in this area where winter comes in with a vengeance.  

I have sold here once since moving to the town.  Not a great success but I did sell a couple of items and the stalls are very, very reasonable at $15.  It's warm and friendly and everything MUST be made by the stallholder.  I am returning in June to have another go and, whilst jewellery is my preferred stock,  I realise I need something to catch the window or should I say stall shopper.   With this in mind I am going to bead up some lovely spiders, dancing fairies, bookmarks and spiral wine glass charms.  These can be sold cheaply and hopeful capture that shopper with just a few dollars to spend.  Here is sample of the spiders....

I apologise for the quality of the pic.  Very hard to take this one.

View From The Studio.....

Just thought you might like to take a look at the view from the soon to be studio.   You can see what I mean about being disciplined with work.  So easy to sit there with a cuppa and gaze out of the window!!!!

Thinking Of Doing a Tutorial For This Ring......

I am thinking of doing a tutorial for this ring.  It is a wire and glass bead ring.  Mainly freeform but just give someone an idea of what to do and what to use.  What do you think?

Tree Change........

Well my friends I am finally returning to my blog.  Yes, it has been ages despite promising I would keep at it a long time ago.

I have now retired from work and we have made a true tree change.  In February this year, 2015, we sold our home in Brisbane and moved to a small village in Victoria, 72 kms outside of Melbourne.  Warburton is a very "arty" community and I hope it inspires me to create my own designs and hopefully pass my knowledge onto others.

The home we purchased has a separate construction on the property which we hope to turn into a studio.  The views of the mountain are wonderful and I just have to be disciplined enough to stop myself gazing out of the window instead of working.  The house and studio are nothing fancy but the setting is beautiful.  We have birdsong instead of traffic which is a bonus.

I originally started this blog for beading but know I have more time on my hands I would like to open it up for other creative ideas such as cooking and general crafty things.  I hope you will indulge me dear reader.