Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Festive Peppermint.......

Here's my latest treasury with a Peppermint candy love theme =)  I happen to have a box of peppermint candy canes in the cupboard, as they would not be safe on the Christmas tree!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Craft Britannia Treasure-Thon Treasury Made USA Etsy Front Page....

 
I found out tonight that my "The Nordic vibe at Christmas" Treasury made the USA Etsy Front Page, so I'm really pleased at that, as I think it's my first treasury to make front page anywhere =)

So congratz to all who's lovely items where featured in that treasury and wishing you more sales from it!

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Russian Inspired Floral Pocket Mirrors....

 These are my latest pocket mirror designs, just the photo's for now, will do a little writing later =) They are now available in my shop to purchase!

Sunday, December 9, 2012

This months special offers....

Well it is the gift giving season, so with that in mind this month every order gets a free gift and a 15% discount when you use the coupon code CELEBRATE15, also check the shop for last Christmas order dates =)

Saturday, December 8, 2012

December is here!....

And still my Christmas tree is not up!  So wanted to have it up on the first, I've always liked putting the tree up with all the lights, but its still in the attic.

So its the season of sparkly and shiny things, snow flakes and mince pies, candle light and frosty nights.  I guess even tho its freezing cold there are things I like about this season.

So on the crafty side of things, what have have I been up to you might ask, well I've printed up my first cards and drawn some new designs to be made into a new range of pocket mirrors.  The cards turned out quiet well and I can't wait to see the mirror's, come on my post man!!!


I've also been using twitter to promote my goodies and those made by others in the teams on Etsy that I take part in.  So far most of the prezzies I've bought have been hand made or vintage and now that they've arrived they are lovely!  I also made a new board on Pinterest for the Craft Britannia team, to show off all the lovelies.  I can't stress enough the amount of talent that is out there and I really think that buying from and supporting Designer Makers and small businesses is very healthy for our communities.  so with that said let me show you a couple of my latest treasuries =)



Monday, November 26, 2012

Only 30 days till Christmas.....

And I've done a little more shopping and started digging out recipes for stuffing and other bits.  This weekend I took part in the Craft Britannia BNR (buy and replace), which is always fun and is great for finding out what other people make.  I have to say that I think this years presents will be more interesting and fun!  The great thing about buying handmade and vintage is that the variety of choice is as diverse and unique as the sellers themselves.  

 Customize Your Own Flower Hair Slides
I won't show you what I bought, but I'll show you examples from the shops.  That's fair and won't give my secrets all away =)
Shabby chic Retro floral bunting 3 metre 10 feet 12 flags - red, blue, cream and green
For the record I have to say that I can't sew and haven't knitted since the age of 6-7, would love to learn tho!

Wristwarmers / Armwarmers / Handwarmers / Fingerless gloves for women. Diamond Jubilee inspired.
Love this colour and was very tempted to buy these as well =)


Vintage Shot Glasses set of 5 Retro Poppy Flower design Autumn Poppies Yellow Gold Orange
These retro vintage beauties have such vivid colours!

Peach Melba Blossoms and Waves Japanese Inspired Design Pocket Mirror - UK Seller
I've got to package up some earrings and pocket mirrors for postage tomorrow, I've only got two of this design left now =)

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

The Last of My Treasure-Thon Lovelies

Warm and Spice laced, this is my tribute to that cosy, snugly feeling we should all enjoy this winter.  One of the best things in winter is to be snug under a blanket or with a nice warm drink and something yummy to eat, when its cold outside.  Ever since I was a child one of the things we always and still have are lots of clementines and oranges at this time of year =)


Inspired by scenes like that shown in the winter wonderland print included here, I went for a Black and white theme.  Snow flakes and icicles and wonderful contrast =)


Hope you've enjoyed having a look at the beautiful finds I've found this treasure-thon!

Winter Sunshine Earrings

These earrings are so easy to wear that I've made a collection of them in lots of yummy colours and now also with stud fittings =)

The Treasure-Thon Continues...


 Citrine is this months birthstone, so I decided to create a treasury capturing some winter sunshine! 




Here's my snowy winter wonderland with lots of icy blues and mints =)

Winter Blues...New colour added to the collection

Some blue eye candy for you =)

Craft Britannia's November Treasure-Thon.....Winter Weddings

 Well one of the themes this treasure-thon was winter weddings, so I put together some treasuries based on this theme.  For this one I added lovely touches of blue and wanted a kind of fairytale vintage feel to it.  You'll note the swan, a bird associated with love, partnership and found in many myths and fairy tales =)



This time I used whites and creams with some nature inspired items being the main focus.  I was kind of going for a soft snow effect..... 


And now for that burst of Christmas red with some traditional dark evergreen.  The idea for this treasury in part came from the old Christmas hymn "The holy and the ivy", which I had to sing at school and is maybe one of my favorites =)

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Leather Work Shop...



LEATHER BOOK MAKING WORKSHOP

Use beautiful leathers and fabrics to decorate your own notebook.

Workshop content: Using appliqué and simple sewing techniques, you will embellish your own A6 leather notebook.

Location: Hornsey Library Gallery Space, Haringey Park , London N8 9JA When: Thursday 1st November 2012 from 3 - 5pm

Cost: £20 Spaces are limited.

Please contact Melo for more information and to book a place on the workshop. 07951553856

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Early Bird Coupon Code and Christmas.....

To help with the cost of Christmas, this week you can save 15% by using coupon code EARLYBIRD15 for a 15% discount at checkout, until Midnight 4th of November.  


This year I've already started buying little gifts, to try and spread the cost.  As for food, there are offers on long lasting food and drink that I'm starting to buy as well, as I'd rather spend the time closer to Christmas baking and doing Christmassy things with the family =)

Monday, October 8, 2012

Craft Britannia's Shop Of The Week Colour me Fun...

Lego Men Inspired Crayons - Set of 8 
This week's shop of the week is bursting with colour!  Bright, blod and beautiful describes the wonderful collection of crayons that are available to buy for kids of all ages and sizes. 



 Gingerbread Man Crayons - Set of 8

If your looking for a fun educational stocking filler put these on your list, I am and prices start from as little as £3 =)

The lady behind the crayons is Danielle and to read her interview with Craft Britannia 

Something new....

 
Well these little lovelies are my newest addition to my shop.  They kind of remind me jewellery that might be found on a archeological site, although I have used shiny sterling silver wire to make these.

I Think that the copper beads really work well here in helping to bring out and complement the colours of the glass beads!



Wednesday, October 3, 2012

October Craft Britannia's Treasure-Thon...

 Thought I'd share the love and show you the collections of goodies I put together =)



Lets not forget blue at Christmas.  Bright cold blue winter skies and ice scenes from fairy tales come to mind, with snow Queens and frost imps =) 


 This treasury is a bit softer and lighter, but it still has a hint of Christmas spice.

 A more grown up themed Christmas treasury =)


And here we have the more traditional reindeer's and robins treasury.



Monday, October 1, 2012

Autumn Butterfly.....

Here's a pic of a necklace I recently made using Mookaite, which is a Australian form of Jasper, where it is considered to be a healing stone.  

As you can see this stone has lots of lovely colours and tones from deep reds, browns and yellows, to creamy whites at the lighter end of the spectrum.  Caramels, chocolate, cappuccino froth and espresso coffee all come to mind when looking at this stone.

Autumn Eye Candy.....

With it being so dull out side, I thought I'd add some colourful images of my lastest creations to my blog =)
 Will write more later, but for now I'll leave you with these lovely colours to look at!

Sunday, September 30, 2012

The British Sellers on Etsy Team £100 Give Away....

I'm taking part in this team give away where the winner will have the chance to win £100 (approx $160) worth of goodies.  

The give away is international so everyone can enter!

For all the lovely details please visit the teams web site


The give away closes on Saturday 6th October at 4pm BST.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Yummy to look at only....

Felt chocolate cupcake, banana and kiwi, pincushion, play food

 But you had better not try and eat one, as these lovelies are not edible (well unless your a goat and I don't think goats read blogs).

 They have been made by Lorraine from wool mix felt and they are purely stitched by hand.  Coming as you can see in a selection of yummy choices and in my opinion are super cute.  

Why not have a look at her shop and see what else you can find =)

Free Mirror Offer.....


Well its that time again and if your anything like me, Christmas shopping seems to ponce on you at the last minute!

So with that in mind maybe its worthwhile doing a little early Prezzie shopping before the last minute panic kicks in and you buy and spend too much on things you maybe wouldn't of really wanted to get, had you more time to think about it.


So this week I'm offering a free mirror if you spend £15 and if you Spend £25 you get 2 Mirrors whilst stocks last! 

Please note that the £15 and £25 total has to be before postage and packaging, although there is no charge for sending the mirror =) 


Just let me know which colours you like best in note to seller and I'll try to give you that one =) Offer ends 30th October. 


There are lots of lovely sellers on Etsy also offering discounts and free gifts so its well worth a look.  But don't leave it too late, as it has to make its way to you through the post!


Here's a link to my shop Blossoming Silver or you can use the Mini Etsy here on the side of the blog!

 Look down the side of my blog page & you'll also find links to other crafty shops!

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Well I'll be plum'ed...


 But I didn't realize that I hadn't posted any picture's of my Autumn collection, other then the Honey Bee Set.  So here's the eye candy if you haven't been to my shop for a look around =)

I love these colours, Autumn is just so pretty when its not pouring down with rain and windy.  The fact that I'm creating jewellery has made me think more about the colours of the season and appreciate them more!

 So as you can see I've been using Amber's, coppers, yellow's and plums with a touch of green.  I might add some more greens to the collection and even some reds in the near future.  

These earrings are all made with sterling silver and Czech glass beads and briolettes. 

Swarovski crystals and fine silver beads added to compliment the designs.

The fine silver beads were made by Karen Hill Tribe and are Fair Trade.  You can see them in the picture below. I love using them and love that they are not just plain and round in shape.

Which colour is your favorite at this time of year?
I'm not quite sure which is my favorite, but combined together they are beautiful =)

 And here is the plum, although I'll have to make some more with green crystals, so they are a bit more like the fruit, which I'm happy to munch on at this time of year, along with fresh figs!

I hope you get to enjoy the colours of the season, even if its with a bowl of butternut squash soup or some coppery ginger biscuits!

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Twittering like a little bird...

Well this week I've been getting into the hang of Twittering a bit more and I have to say that I defiantly saw an increase in views to both my shop and my blog.  I also found it to be a really good source for information on events, guides and relevant websites to me as a crafter and a seller, rather then just goggling.  The reason for this maybe that most of the people I follow at the moment are craft connected.  But it is a great format for sharing on and promoting yours and other peoples work and the things you like and want to share.  I'm still learning new things, like the twitter lingo and trying out different #tags, but I'm getting there =) 

Here's a handy link if your new to Twittering, 7 Instant Social Media Tips for Etsy Sellers,
by Heidi of Etsy's UK & Ireland Seller Support Team.

I Still Love Making Treasuries....


 And I made this one in honor of this weeks Craft Britannia's Shop of The Week Cwtch Bugs.  I'll have to write a proper blog post for that shop, but in the meantime I couldn't resist showing you this collection of gorgeous super cute baby and little one finds!

Why not click here to go to this treasury and have a good look at these shops for yourself =)

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Friday Night Crafty Chat...

Well its the start of the weekend and tonight I went with my friend Melonie to the Little Paris Shop in Islington, for a Custom-Made party.  Its always nice to see what other creative people are up to and to be tempted to buy beautiful things.  Melonie makes hand crafted lovelies using leather, I think I've metioned her before but still need to get a hold of the pics to show you!   Any way it also gave us a chance to chat about the whole sphere of pricing, trends, ideas, taxes and everything that goes along with selling your handmade goods.  So much goes into what we do that the buyer only really gets to see the tip of the ice burg.  I myself am really in love with the Handmade Movement as it were, because I love the fact and the idea of supporting other people in being creative, maybe spending more time with family, the quality I've seen is high, its not massed produced and the variety of choice is amazing.  I've never believed in buying cheap, I think its false economy, although I do love a bargain =)

Well those are my thoughts tonight and I've just made a HAPPYWEEKEND10 coupon code for a 10% discount in my Etsy shop this weekend, as its the weekend so why not =)


Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Craft Britannia's Shop of the Week Ministry Of Shiny

Black beaded necklace hematite lava stone choker 

This weeks Craft Britannia's Shop of the Week is Abbie's  Ministry Of Shiny, which offers handmade and crafted fine silver and gemstone jewellery.  
 Silver initial K necklace personalised charm
One of the lovely items in her shop is this Fine Silver initial, that has been made by her using metal clay, which is a product made using recycled silver and one that I'd love to have a go at using, although I'm not sure how safe it would be to have a blow torch in my house.  I remember my other half not being to keen on it a few years ago when I was looking into it, but Abbie does say that its fun to use in her interview with Craft Britannia's Nadine.

Crafty Weekend...




Well I had a bit of a busy weekend.  On Friday I went to visit the Barboot event at Little Paris in Crouch End, My friend had a table and its always nice to see what she's up to as she handcrafts a variety of handy items using leather.  I know she took some pictures too, so I'm going to try and get her to put them up on the web.  
  
On Saturday I went to the Festival that was being held at the South Bank, there were soo many people it was packed!  I managed to get through to the area where the handmade stalls were, the team We Make London was there with their beautiful goods and I spotted Molly Moo and Jessica too there (how could you not with the eye catching Union Jack Steggies!) and meet the lovely and very friendly Gemma Payne who makes all these beautiful items.  Etsy was there and I meet Amity who curates shopping content for the public and press, specializing in European Etsy products, who was there giving helpful advice and free tote bags, which I forgot to take, oh well. 

I had taken my two daughters so after all the looking we tried a chicken burrito and then churros  and chocolate =)  I wish I'd taken some picture of the stalls, but as I didn't here is a pic of one of Molly Moo's creations to give you a taste of what was on offer.

Large Union Jack Steggie
On Sunday I had family visit and found out that not only does my sister in law sew, she makes lighting sculptures out of various materials, so I can't wait to see pictures of her past work.  We spent time talking about and looking at Esty and all things crafty =)