Snow, Christmas, Traffic, Snow

Long time no post. I feel like I've been away for a very long time. My Christmas travels took in Scotland, snow, Manchester airport, snow, Yorkshire, snow . . .








and a nine hour drive south through snow-studded landscapes which were replaced by small traffic jams and then big traffic jams and more cars than I knew existed . . .




Now it's the new year, a time of beginnings. And more snow. I've yet to get back into the groove of making although design ideas are coming fast but, for now, I'm going to have a bit of a sale on some listings that are soon to end in my Folksy store . . . Do take a look as these photos are just a selection . . .

Listed at last . . .

I've finally made time, pushing other things firmly to one side (and considered throwing some of them out the window . . .), to do some listing on Folksy.

I've put some of the seashell necklaces I posted about here the other week for sale, and am hoping (but not promising . . . ) to have some solely silver things up soon as well.

I've also put something on sale, knocking the price down by around 25% which sounds an incredible amount!

And I've finally sorted out my postage prices for overseas selling, just in case, you never know, etc . . .

Oh, and I've twittered about it all as well.

And as the sun isn't really shining today, I think I'll finish with some sunshine from earlier in the week . . .

Folksy result!

Things have gone well on Folksy. I've sold far more than I expected to in far shorter a space of time. Well, let's face it, I did suspect I might not sell anything at all. But, so far (and probably all that will be sold before next year. Assuming anything sells next year . . . ) I've sold five items to four buyers. Yes, someone even wanted two pieces of jewellery which left me feeling just ever so slightly chuffed!

So, if nothing else, I've covered the cost of listing although probably not the hours it's taken me, as I've found it very consuming of time; taking photos, getting them the right size (after finding out how to get them the right size), working out just how the listing works, then going back and doing it properly, then making right what went wrong and I didn't notice had gone wrong etc. But, that aside, it is a nice buzz when someone actually likes your work enough to part with money for it, and even nicer when you find out they really like it when they receive it too! I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever get over jewellery-related low self-esteem . . .

I've been experimenting with backgrounds and props with my photography, making the most of the sun when it came out on Saturday after spending what felt like a brief eternity sulking behind grey clouds. I'm quite pleased with the results and that I got out of my 'comfort zone' and tried something new. It may not seem dramatic but different coloured pebbles seem to have made a big difference to the way the silver looks, even if it's just to me!



I also used the elegant hand/arm prop:



I messed around with a black background as well but it dulled the clarity of the silver and meant the texture of it was lost so unless I learn a little more about cameras and perhaps have a better quality one at my disposal, I might well steer clear of that idea for now. The first photo is, obviously, on a black background. The second is, again obviously, not.





See what I mean?


But this (and Christmas shopping, wrapping presents, writing cards - all of which seems to have taken at least twice as long as it ever has before this year) has meant that actually making the jewellery, you know, taking bits of silver and then fashioning attractive items from them, has been sitting on the back burner, feeling a bit neglected and wondering if I've forgotten it.

I've not. I've got plans for the new year, have been looking through notes, letting ideas formulate and percolate . . . although I must try and remember that just because I've made something once doesn't mean I can't make it again. It'll never be exactly the same, handmade jewellery - made by me anyway! - just doesn't work like that, so I know when I find a design I like I can revisit it, even develop and adapt it. But I always seem to find the urge to try something new just a little too tempting . . . Perhaps a New Year's resolution is in order.

More items listed . . . and a first Folksy sale!

I've listed a few more pieces on Folksy today, although not as many as I would have done as I needed to take some more photos and the weather has bee so dull and abysmal that the natural light just isn't up to it. Must make one of those handy white boxes I've read about . . . although I don't know how much that'll help with the light. Hmm.

But some more listings anyway.

And my first Folksy sale came on Thursday, just before I was heading out to my silversmithing class! One of my leaf pendants, which always attract attention.



I've another finished and one, a smaller one, as a work in progress but nearly done. I've also a tiny one nearly finished, and some potential tiny ones to create. They're all individual which can make them tough to part with . . .

But I've listed one of my silver ladies



and if I can part with them then I can part with anything!

Progress is slow right now though, with Christmas shopping seeming to take several years to finish . . .

First Craft Fair Done!

The First Craft Fair is over. It's unjust to call it a disaster but not quite right to classify it as a resounding success. Jewellery was sold (two necklaces, two pairs of earrings), business cards were taken, compliments were received (more than sales!).

It wasn't an auspicious start though. Being my first craft fair as a stallholder I can't deny that I didn't really know what I was doing. So I rolled up at the venue, a couple of helpers at hand, and found the map that directed me to my table. It was by the door, the wide open door where all the other stallholders were entering and exiting by as they set up, and, confusingly, it was at an angle, as if it was an entrance table where people paid their fee before perusing the rest of the stalls.

So was I sharing the table with the entry fee takers?
Was I meant to be the entry fee table?
And just where was I going to put all my bags and bits and pieces if the back of my stall was in the middle of the room?

The kindness and helpfulness of other stallholders I'd heard rumour of came to the fore and the consensus seemed to be that this was the entrance only for stallholders, and it would be shut when the fair started, and my table moved in front of it (despite the fire exit signs above it . . . ).

Which meant I now knew just where the front of my table was and could start to dress it. Not easy to do though when you're as good as in the centre of the room, generally in the way, and having to contend with the cold from the door and the increasingly strong breeze that was making its way in as well. The latter certainly isn't ideal when the things you're laying out tend to be on the light side, especially pendants strung on ribbon, and the organza bags I was using as part of my table display (doubling up as gift bags) really didn't like this!

But we prevailed and the stall was set up (which takes longer than you think when you've nigh on 70 items of jewellery to lay out!), mostly to the plan I'd been practising with at home. The table was then, very carefully, lifted and moved into place. And nothing fell over or out of place! A success!

Here's what it looked like, although it was still a bit of a work in progress at the stage, and the table hadn't been moved into place:



The people who, apparently due to bad signing, thought this was the entrance to the fair weren't quite so impressed however, when they had to go all the way back around the building to the official entrance.

But, hey, I was set up, the (official) doors were open, and people were actually stopping to look at the jewellery on my stall! I decided against grinning like a loon and just sat looking interested but not pushy. Well, that's my hope anyway.

It took nearly two hours for any sales to occur and I was a nervous, but happy, wreck by the end of the transaction. Not long after, someone else bought a pair of earrings, one of my favourite pairs that had taken a fair bit of work and were made purely from silver. She seemed to really like them, and was buying them as a gift, which was quite a buzz.

Then a long lull. Admittedly I was pretty happy now I knew that I wasn't going home having sold nothing, but, still, I was rather hoping for a bit more selling than just interest. The interest was good though, don't get me wrong, and it was fascinating to hear people's comments. "Delicate" seemed to be a common one.

But the long lunch-time quiet came and went. Sandwiches were consumed - by pretty much all the stall holders - and for a while the room was empty of fair-goers.

I nipped to the loo. I returned to an interested customer! She liked two pendants and I offered her a deal but, sensible shopper that she was, she decided which she liked best and bought that.

And then it was almost time to put the jewellery back into all the tiny plastic bags I'd fetched it in, as neatly as rushing slightly allowed, and discover if it was possible to fit everything, including display props, back into the bags I'd fetched it in. It wasn't . . . And this discovery wasn't helped by the fact I was by the door the other stallholders all wanted to leave by. In the end, it was easier to carefully shift the table back into the middle of the room again, but that bit of added pressure may just have made it trickier to make all my things fit where they should. But, with minimal damage, and at least some sales, the day was done.

What did I learn?
Well, chances are you'll always find someone who has sold less than you and more than you - in this case it was on the stalls either side of me.
That other stallholders are pretty nice.
That a big dish of sweets on the front of your stall could be a good idea.
That cheaper prices is probably a better one.
And that my stall lay out seemed a little . . . flat.

So that's quite a lot to work with and be getting on with until . . .

The Second Craft Fair!

Right. Where next...?