I'm back on Folksy

I'm back on Folksy!

I first opened a Folksy shop years ago, not long after they launched, and were still in beta mode.

I left and closed my shop when they decided to enforce a rule about what was deemed "handmade" which affected many of my crafting friends, mainly jewellery makers.  Whilst this rule didn't really affect me I saw the small businesses run by my friends torn apart and they were devastated.  They were forced off Folksy and most moved over to Etsy. I felt that Folksy had treated my friends badly - they should have enforced their rules from day one.  I decided I didn't like how Folksy had treated their customers (us, the sellers) and closed my shop in support of my friends. I moved over to Etsy too and found that being on Etsy was the best thing that could have happened to me. My Etsy sales have increased year on year - shipping all over the world.

However I've always felt that I needed a UK presence too and have thought about reopening on Folksy for a while.  The site is only for UK sellers and I like that - it keeps out the sellers from the Far East selling at silly prices that we can't compete with.

So I'm back on Folksy.  I've opened a shop and am slowly stocking it.  I've bought a "plus" account and am going to give it a year to see what happens.

Here's a link to my new FOLKSY shop - Click Here

Snail Shell Jewellery

I bought a bag of little snail shells. The underside of the shell have a really pretty pattern.  They were in the flower arranging section of the craft store but I thought they'd look good cast in resin jewellery.
All these items are listed in my Etsy shop.

I haven't added links to the individual items but if you visit my Etsy shop and put "snail" or "shells" in the search box you'll find everything listed.  Click here to visit my Etsy shop

Steampunk Jewellery made with Small Watch Parts

All these items have been made with tiny recycled watch parts.  Some have the watch parts cast in resin and then made into jewellery and keyrings.  Others have been set into blank jewellery bezels and sealed with a coat of clear resin.

All these pieces are listing on Etsy.  If you click here and type "steampunk" into the search box you'll see everything available for sale. 

Gone fishing

I was asked a while ago to make a keyring with fish hooks cast in resin as a custom order.  It turned out really well so I made some more, as well as necklaces and cufflinks.

Then I decided to see what fishing flies would look like cast in resin - and again they worked well

All these items are for sale in my Etsy shop - click here 

If you use the search box - put in the word "fishing" and you'll find everything fishing related

Fruit Salad anyone?

I'm in retreat from the golf - my OH is watching The Masters and has been hogging the television for the past 4 nights.  I'll be glad when it's finished, just the sound of the inane commentary drives me to an early bedtime.  I always think I'll read for an hour or so but seem to nod off much too soon.

But before I have yet another early night I thought I'd share my latest makes.

I love using these tiny little slices of fruit in my resin jewellery. They are made from polymer clay and come in a thin cane that I cut into slices and then cast in the resin.

All these items are listed in my Etsy shop - as usual type fruit into the search box to see everything fruity for sale.  

Click here to go to my Etsy shop

Tea or Coffee Jewellery

I recently bought coffee beans instead of ground coffee at the supermarket - I obviously wasn't paying enough attention.  Turned out to be an expensive mistake as we then bought a little coffee grinder - but Nick says he likes the taste so we're now buying coffee beans.

I thought I'd see what the coffee beans look like when cast in resin.  I wasn't sure if they would colour the resin but it turned out that air bubbles would be the problem.  The air bubbles seem to pop out of the coffee beans when I'm not looking.

I hope people don't mind the air bubbles too much.  I need to play some more to work out how to avoid getting the air bubbles, although I don't really mind them.

The keyring below was my first attempt - and I've listed it as a Seconds in my GroovyCart shop due to the air bubbles. 

Having used the coffee beans my mind turned to tea - what would that look like in resin.  So I rummaged in the cupboard and found a box of Green Tea with Lemon.  I snipped the top off the tea bag and sprinkled some into the resin.  Again I was expecting the tea to colour the resin but it didn't - this is the result...

Everything is listed in my Etsy shop apart from the Keyring which is listed in my GroovyCart shop. 

Fish swimming in blue resin water jewellery

It's a glorious sunny day here and I've been quite productive.  I've been making a custom order, taken photos of new stock and created "draft listings" in my Etsy shop - all ready to go live when I'm ready.

I keep the door of my workroom closed when I'm not working as Pepper does like to investigate.  The fascination is probably because she's locked out of here most of the time.

I was asked recently if I could use blue resin rather than clear resin with the little fish - so it looks more realistic.  I wasn't sure if it would work but had a go - and these are the result.

All these items are listed in my Etsy shop.  As usual type "fish" in the search box to find them - as well as all the other fish jewellery.

Click here to visit my Etsy shop.

Pepper is now bored with my workroom and with me working - she is rubbing around my legs and miaowing at me to go outside and play with her......

Sewing Jewellery

Last year I won a Facebook giveaway to have a pencil drawing done of my pet by Rebecca Vose.

 

We chose this photo of Pepper as it sums her up completely - watching the birds fly in and out of the hedge.

This is what Rebecca drew - it captures Pepper perfectly - and we love it.

Click here to visit Art by Rebecca Vose on Facebook

I like to make jewellery that has a theme.  Today I'd like to show a selection of jewellery with a SEWING theme. 

These pieces are for sale in my GroovyCart shop. 

To see everything type "sewing" into the search box. 

Click here to visit my GroovyCart shop.

These items are for sale in my Etsy shop. 

As usual type "sewing" into the search box to see everything.. 

Click here to visit my Etsy shop.