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.

Attempt At A Bit Of Wirework.....

Each month some of the members of the Brisbane sector of The Beading Forum meet up to chat, eat and bead.  We pick a challenge every month.  This month was a wire project - Captured Heart Earrings - Bead & Button August 2013 - Page 24

My attempt is below. Not to be looked at too closely as I did have a wee bit of trouble remembering which way to wind my wire.  This is evident in the placement of beads around the main frame, however, as a first attempt at making them I was quite pleased. It has been modified slightly as the original has some bare wire loops in it but they were quite difficult to shape and very fiddly so I have added seed beads to hold the shape more easily. Although this project specifies Intermediate to Advanced level, I think you could probably give it a go with a limited knowledge of wireworking.  The main thing is not to kink your 28 gauge wrapping wire.  

Next month we will be back to stitching and I will be back in my comfort zone!

Gone Mad on Fluro Bead Buying

What to do with them is the question.   This is what I decided on.  A bit fiddly joining everything together but it does feel nice on.

Simple Stuff....Heart on a Feather

Here is the first "Simple  Stuff" project.   I have listed the materials uses but you can always substitute your own component ideas.    Sorry the text is all over the place but Blogger seems to have a mind of it's own despite where I  have originally positioned everything!

Materials:
Feather component
6 x Size 11 seed beads 
16 x size 15 seed beads
Chinese crystal silver backed heart
I earwire - I have used a lever back 

Fireline - 6 or 8 lb is best

1. Attach feather component to your earwire

2. Thread heart from the bottom. leave a 4" (10cm) tail. Pick up 4 x 15's, pass through the earwire in front of the feather, pick up 4 x 15's and go back down through the heart. Make sure you tail is still in place and pull snugly.

3. Pick up 3 x 11's and go back up through the heart to form a 3 bead picot at the base. *Go back through 4 x 15's, earwire, 4 x 15's, down through the heart, the 3 picot beads and back up through the heart*. You can repeat from * to * if you wish to strengthen further. Do a couple of half hitch knots and cut thread. Secure the tail by going around your picot a couple of times, do a couple of half hitch knots and cut thread.


4.  Voila...  Ces't finis.  It is finished.  Repeat for second earring.