New Year's Resolutions, and it's only December 29th :)

So Christmas is over for this year. It was lovely spending time with family and getting the house decorated for the festivities...

Pressie-wise we were quite restrained this year, but I was lucky enough to receive these:

Venus Beadery, Etsy

They are wire-wrapped amber, and absolutely stunning. I'd like to learn how to wire-wrap like this in 2013, but don't know if I have the patience!

However, I do know what I shall be trying, very very hard, to do next year. It all starts here:

I know from chatting to other jewellery makers that this is quite a common sight... 

Certainly I frequently end up like this, with beads and various projects scattered arranged everywhere, until I am literally working on the very edge of the table. Not helpful!

So I used the upcoming festivities as an excuse to spend quality time sorting it all out.

Much better!

The thing is, since doing this (on Christmas Eve!), I've been far more productive (well yes, I know it's the holidays too ;)

I've made lots of earrings, which I'll be listing shortly...

 


And some bracelets too...

So my New Year's Resolution? A nice tidy table at all times. I'm sticking to it so far ;-o

What are your Resolutions for 2013?

Giveway Result!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered my Etsy One Year Giveway!

In all there were 15 entries, and I'd like to thank each and every one of you. And thanks too to everyone who commented on the bracelet - it was a new technique for me and I was pleased with how it turned out. Of course the beautiful handmade connector and beads were the stars of this piece!

Anyway, earlier this evening I did the draw. I wrote down the names of everyone who had entered and assigned everyone a number. Then I used random.org - 

****

And the winner is.....

That's you, Despina Vnt!!

Congratulations! Your bracelet will be winging its way to you very soon.

Thank you once again to everyone who entered, and I hope I'll see you back here next time I do a Giveaway :)

Etsy First Birthday Giveaway

Well I can hardly believe my Etsy shop has now been open for nearly a year...

To celebrate, and as a thank you to my Facebook fans old and new, I'm having a Giveaway!

This is the prize:

You can see more views in my Giveaway album on my Facebook page.

This bracelet features a beautiful handmade ceramic connector in earthy grey-brown with a butterfly etched into it in lilac. The connector and the pink ceramic bead both came from Blueberri Beads on Etsy . If you haven't visited Caroline's shop before, it's full of lovely things!

The bracelet also features two stunning handmade lampwork beads by Shirley Giles of Fyrebirds. They are mini works of art.

The bracelet is completed by Czech glass bell flower beads in mauve / lilac.

It measures 18cm.

How to enter

You can enter by doing any of the following:

1. Like my facebook page
2. Share my Giveaway album or post on facebook
3. Follow this blog
4. Share this blog post

Once you're done, make sure you pop back here and leave me a comment to say what you did! Leave me your contact details so I can let you know if you're the lucky winner!

The draw

The draw will be done on Wednesday 19th December shortly after 9pm by pulling a name out of the hat, so make sure you've entered by then and good luck!

Silent Sunday

1000 Facebook Giveaway

1000 Facebook Fan Giveaway

As a 'Thank you' to my facebook fans, I'm having a little giveaway.

First prize will be your choice of 2 items from my Giveaway Album

There will also be a runner-up who will choose 1 item from the album.

It's easy to enter! All you have to do is -

1. 'Like' my page on FB (if you don't already :) Phoebe dreams jewellery

2. Leave a comment here or message me on FB to say you'd like to enter

And that's it!

You have until noon on Sunday 8th July to enter. 

The winners' names will be pulled out of a hat later that day, so you will need to keep a look out on my FB page!

Good luck everyone!

Silent Sunday

May Flowers

Well, up until a week or so ago it still felt like winter, with cold winds and constant rain. Everything outside was soggy and, frankly, uninviting.


Now, suddenly, we've been enjoying the kind of weather which we always long for in summer (and rarely get, of course!)


Very confusing for us humans, as we have to find our 'summer' clothes, packed away somewhere, and get used to having windows open all day, and being able to hang out the washing again!


As ever, the natural world seems able to cope. Turn your back for just a second at this time of year, and everything has shot up, filled out, and become beautiful.




The apple blossom is out:

The tulips and wallflowers are hanging on (only just):

And who would ever have thought dandelions could be so beautiful?

Thankfully, this is a nearby field, not my garden, so I can just enjoy them!

New and coming soon!

I've been working on some new ideas recently, inspired by some beautiful handmade lampwork beads I've had for a while, and some new art tiles I found on Etsy.


This was the bracelet I made using an adorable burnt wood tile from J-Lynn Jewels:


Rose Garden Bracelet

I enjoyed matching beads, gemstones and metals with the pretty colours in the heart. It's funny how you start off with an idea in your head, but, as you start putting it together the design sort of takes off by itself. You end up with something a little bit unexpected, but even more pleasing, as it's a bit of a surprise!




I've also just completed some earrings using fabulous handmade lampwork beads by UK artist Shirley Giles from Fyrebirds. They are greenish in shade with an amazing depth and intensity. I think the lovely handmade sterling silver earring wires from Etsy artist Tracy Smith at Cinnamon Jewellery complement them perfectly:

I love the quality and uniqueness of these handmade beads and findings. 


I am also working on some earrings using handmade copper wires from Cinnamon Jewellery, and a project involving these J-Lynn tiles, once I can decide whether to use them separately or all together!

All I need is more hours in the day...!

Spring: Clean and Trying to be Tidy!

It's been a day of sunshine, showers, and even hail - a typical April day in other words. 


We didn't mind the rain too much on our afternoon walk.

And the rain is good for the garden too

I've been having a bit of a spring clean of my beads today. It always looks awful to start with!

It's taking a long time as I'm trying to be very thorough, but I've also occasionally been distracted by playing around with some new designs!

If you're anything like me, you often have several projects on the go at once, and storing them can be a bit of a problem if you haven't got lots of room.


Today I had the idea of packing up each project in a sealable plastic bag which I can then store in a basket.

I've done one each for bracelets, necklaces and earrings. The great thing is I can now stack the baskets so they take up less room.

This hopefully means they will be easier to find when I want to work on them.


Now, I just need to finish tackling this little lot!

Lovely lilac

Lilac, mauve, purple - gorgeous colours, and some of my favourites on Etsy lately:
Click the links to see more details on these lovely items :)


Polymer clay mosaic tiles  by Penelope Stern

Pink Blooms gift tag bookmarks by Craftie Nellie

Wildflowers blank card by C Shell Cards

Glass bunting by Redbrickglass

Lavender: Purple stems original painting by Art in Wax

and finally

this necklace from my shop :)

Hope you enjoyed looking at these lovely lilacs!

Silent Sunday

And the winner is ...!

Thanks to everyone who shared my blog giveway details, and especially thank you to the seven entrants for leaving such lovely comments!


Last night I assigned each of you a number in the order you posted, and put the numbers on little pieces of paper in an envelope. Then I asked my OH to pick a piece of paper out, and this is the result!

So - Congratulations Catriona - you are the winner!!!


You can either leave me your email address here - or, if you prefer, you can email it to me at phoebedreamsjewellery@gmail.com.


Your earrings will be winging their way to you very soon :O

Facebook Fan Giveaway!

*** To celebrate reaching 700 fans on facebook, I am having a little giveaway! ***

The prize is this pair of earrings, faceted sparkly coated Czech crystal beauties, presented in an organza bag and ready to send to the winner!

If you would like a chance to win, all you need to do is leave a comment here on my blog by 6pm Friday 3rd Feb and I will enter your name into the draw (which will take place on Friday evening). 


My hubbie will serve as the 'random number generator' by picking a name out of the hat! I will publish the result here and on facebook, so you will need to check back  so I can contact you to ask for your address. Simples!


Good luck everyone :)

Projects for today

Well, it's a glorious day here - the sun is shining and it's lovely and still.


Here's what I'm going to be up to later.


As usual, I have several things on the go at the moment, so I'd like to finish them. Two bracelets and some earrings which are nearly done, as you can see here: 

In the top right you can see my first ever experimentation with memory wire, which I'm quite pleased with so far. For some reason I had thought that it would be a lot trickier than it is, but unless finishing off the ends is really difficult, this hasn't proved to be the case. The beads thread on really easily, and it's actually quite fun to do!

Then I have some gorgeous new beads which arrived yesterday to put away. I placed the order mainly to have some more of the rhinestone hearts, as they make lovely pendants, but I couldn't resist popping a few 'extras' in my basket at the same time!

And not forgetting to admire these fabulous tulips. I bought them earlier in the week and they have lasted really well, but I can see they haven't got long to go now - they're at the stage where you know the petals will be dropping off soon, but still time to enjoy them!

So I'd best get started then!!

Folksy Friday : January Blues

It's cold outside, it's grey, it's raining .... yes - it's January in good ole Britain. 

If you're anything like me, this time of the year can be the hardest: the festivities of the Christmas holidays are long gone, the days are still far too short, the garden looks sad and dreary, and you long for the spring, the sun, the bursting green shoots of renewal.

So yes, January is a time for the 'blues'.

This set me to wondering, though, why it is we associate the colour blue with sadness?  

Blue is quite a rare colour in nature: apart from the sky and the sea, which have the appearance of blue, there are not many natural blues. Blue flowers are prized by many gardeners precisely because they are rarer, and often harder to cultivate successfully (think of delphiniums, blue poppies, and the elusive search for a blue rose), while the blue stone lapis lazuli has always been highly valued as a rare naturally occurring instance of blue:

Yet blue is also credited with being cooling and calming; scientists have reported using blue light successfully to treat a number of pyschological problems; another theory states that people are more productive if they work in blue rooms; while for the poet John Ruskin, "blue colour is everlastingly appointed by the deity to be a source of delight"! 

Personally, I love blue, in all its shades. Here is a small selection of handmade blues to delight in and help banish yours :)

Rockpool Lampwork Beads by Pixel Pyro Lampwork

Embroidered Heart Charm by Lynwoodcrafts

Valentines Heart Turquoise Enamel Necklace by Cinnamon Jewellery

Peacock Blue Silk Clutch Bag by Wild Rose Designs

Mosaic Key Holder by Rock Jelly Mosaics

Knitted bear by Yarn away knits

Dark Teal Mittens by Shoogly Beads

Turquoise Charm Bracelet by Phoebe dreams