Really trying to build up my stock here in jewelry, as well as try new things. I follwed a couple patterns in an old Stringing magazine that I'd really liked and then tried doing them differently.
Also trying to use up all these little findings I got forever and a day ago in a findings assortment from FMG (that's Fire Mountain Gems) by making earrings, and even a dainty little focal. I'm behind on my picture taking because it always seems to be cloudy or otherwise dark when I'm ready to take pictures. I'll get them done and posted soon, I suppose. Yeah, I know, I say that a lot and then never do it, but I suppose my intentions are good.
Going through an Etsy success shop makeover series right now....it's pretty helpful, actually. I have also discovered that while I'm getting the hang of my crimping beads, wrapped loops are a whole new animal. Whole. New. Animal. It's not really that they're hard; they just require....patience....
Will update soon! (hopefully with pictures!)
Showing posts with label shop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shop. Show all posts
Monday, January 24, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
New Year, New Plans
I'm ignoring the fact I haven't updated this in forever. Really, I am. So, here's what I've been doing....
I FINALLY got my mom's necklace for Christmas finished maybe the week of Christmas. I found these topaz-y flowery connectors at Michael's and fell in love with them. So I picked out some brown facted rounds with gold around the edges and a smaller version in a more rice pellet shape. Then I strung two strands of the larger rounds on the lower half of the connectors (and typing this is making it sound MUCH easier than it was--took me two or three tries to get the length right!). I had orignially intended to use one strand of both sizes for the top and bottom strands, but I like the larger better. for the top of the connectors, first I strung four little rice beads on each side and then crimped it so it looked like a little triangle. Then I just strung it as usual until it was somewhere between 18-20 inches total length. I believe that part took me two tries because I made it too short....and I forgot to take pictures so you'll just have to use your imagination!
I decided I wanted a more beachy themed necklace too, because I had beads left over from my sister's necklace (which didn't take me NEARLY as long). It had a silver hoop connector with a strand of blue pearls and a strand of bluish rounds and tan mother of pearl-ish shell beads. These went over to a flying bird connector with a regular silver chain to finish it off. I didn't have a present for my grandmother yet, so I gave her that for Christmas. My aunt was very jealous. :D I'm making another one for myself because I liked it so much, but it's a much different version because I'm running out of those beads. And I have to go restring it because I crimped it wrong....blegh....
I also went and completely rephotographed every piece of jewelry I have for sale in my Etsy shop. It looks SO much better now, and I posted some new pieces of jewelry!
I promise to try to keep this up more often!
I FINALLY got my mom's necklace for Christmas finished maybe the week of Christmas. I found these topaz-y flowery connectors at Michael's and fell in love with them. So I picked out some brown facted rounds with gold around the edges and a smaller version in a more rice pellet shape. Then I strung two strands of the larger rounds on the lower half of the connectors (and typing this is making it sound MUCH easier than it was--took me two or three tries to get the length right!). I had orignially intended to use one strand of both sizes for the top and bottom strands, but I like the larger better. for the top of the connectors, first I strung four little rice beads on each side and then crimped it so it looked like a little triangle. Then I just strung it as usual until it was somewhere between 18-20 inches total length. I believe that part took me two tries because I made it too short....and I forgot to take pictures so you'll just have to use your imagination!
I decided I wanted a more beachy themed necklace too, because I had beads left over from my sister's necklace (which didn't take me NEARLY as long). It had a silver hoop connector with a strand of blue pearls and a strand of bluish rounds and tan mother of pearl-ish shell beads. These went over to a flying bird connector with a regular silver chain to finish it off. I didn't have a present for my grandmother yet, so I gave her that for Christmas. My aunt was very jealous. :D I'm making another one for myself because I liked it so much, but it's a much different version because I'm running out of those beads. And I have to go restring it because I crimped it wrong....blegh....
I also went and completely rephotographed every piece of jewelry I have for sale in my Etsy shop. It looks SO much better now, and I posted some new pieces of jewelry!
I promise to try to keep this up more often!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
PICTURES!!!!
So my Winston Churchill quote today said, "The short words are best, and the old words are the best of all." I like that. I think my favorite old phrase (or maybe it's just British) is "hey, presto!" Pretty much the equivalent of
"Voila!" I'm ignoring the fact that I haven't updated in eons and still haven't put pix up....okay, I'll do that now....
Black Pearl swirly earrings--made in a fit of creativity. I'm quite lucky I had all these stashed away from a very productive day as I had some earrings featured in a Piercings category.
Pearl and Jade earrings, very elegant. Discovered a second pair and decided to keep those!
There! I posted pictures! I've got some more necklaces I whipped up this past weekend, but I'll tell you about those later! :)
"Voila!" I'm ignoring the fact that I haven't updated in eons and still haven't put pix up....okay, I'll do that now....
The somewhat troublesome howlite necklace
Coral Earrings--I've got about 3 pair of them, I was trying to use up all my chips
Pearl and Jade earrings, very elegant. Discovered a second pair and decided to keep those!
 |
And...a Christmas-y looking bracelet! Well, the colors are, at least! I think I have enough to make one more, possibly!
There! I posted pictures! I've got some more necklaces I whipped up this past weekend, but I'll tell you about those later! :)
Friday, November 26, 2010
Black Friday Sale!!!!!!!!
Black Friday sale on my Etsy shop! Use coupon code BF2CAH20 when you checkout to get 20% off of your order!!!!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/tocatchahummingbird
http://www.etsy.com/shop/tocatchahummingbird
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Quick Update
Just a quick update because I'm tired and want to go to sleep. I made a necklace with some howlite dyed to look like turquoise-- and there's a really funny story in that, but I'll save it for tomorrow :). I finally got my shipping rates all figured out-- hallelujah!--so I can stop stressing about that. I've got tomorrow off to make stuff and I'm really trying to get a bunch of stuff made to start selling for the year's biggest shopping season....but I'll get very busy at work also. Busy at work=tired at home, but I'll make it work. Somehow. Now I need to go to sleep, 'cause it's been a looong weekend....!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Update
Okay, so no pix tonight....my bad. It's been a long day. Hope everyone had or wished a member of the military a Happy Veteran's Day! And yesterday was the 235th birthday of the Marine Corps, Semper Fi!
Now that that's out of the way, time to get down to business. I bought a TON of stuff today at Michael's (20% coupon!) and already made a Chrstmasy-looking red bracelet with green dangles, and a dyed howlite necklace on leather cord. It's my first time using leather cord, so that was a bit of an interesting experience!
I got down to this one bit of howlite and the cord just stopped partway through. Rather disconcerting. So I finally peered through the hole and discovered it was uneven. So I went downstairs to see if my dad had a drill tip small enough to straighten the hole out. He did, looked at the stone and said it looked straight to him. But he gave it to my brother, since his eyes are younger and therefore better. So I followed my brother, threatening him that if he broke it, he was buying me a whole new strand. He looked at the bead and proclaimed it to be "not straight." I said something along the lines of, "I'll alert the media!" Case in point, he did straighten the hole--without breaking anything--and now I owe him a chocolate milkshake. The necklace is complete, and all is slightly better with the world. Now I just need to get my act together with my shop!
Now that that's out of the way, time to get down to business. I bought a TON of stuff today at Michael's (20% coupon!) and already made a Chrstmasy-looking red bracelet with green dangles, and a dyed howlite necklace on leather cord. It's my first time using leather cord, so that was a bit of an interesting experience!
I got down to this one bit of howlite and the cord just stopped partway through. Rather disconcerting. So I finally peered through the hole and discovered it was uneven. So I went downstairs to see if my dad had a drill tip small enough to straighten the hole out. He did, looked at the stone and said it looked straight to him. But he gave it to my brother, since his eyes are younger and therefore better. So I followed my brother, threatening him that if he broke it, he was buying me a whole new strand. He looked at the bead and proclaimed it to be "not straight." I said something along the lines of, "I'll alert the media!" Case in point, he did straighten the hole--without breaking anything--and now I owe him a chocolate milkshake. The necklace is complete, and all is slightly better with the world. Now I just need to get my act together with my shop!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
*snooze*
Yes, yes, yes, I know it's been awhile. I haven't updated in ages and I haven't posted anything new on etsy in ages. Right now I am dragging! I have the next two days off so I will TRY to give a longer update then. But until then, GOODNIGHT.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Pictures!
Okay, here's the pictures I was going to put up yesterday, but with all the bloghopping I didn't want to make it any harder for people to find the challenge piece. So here they are! Enjoy! Oh, and the last two bracelets, along with some earrings that match the last one, are up for sale on my etsy shop!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
I'm Back! *crickets*
I have no excuse for why it's taken me this long to update, especially since I've been on "vacation" this week....! But I HAVE been making jewelry and of course I haven't posted any of it because I haven't taken pictures because I'm lazy like that. But let's not beat that dead horse into the ground anymore.
So my mom says the other day that I should wear more of my jewelry so when people ask me, I can tell them I made it and direct them to my shop or comission a piece for them. But I said that most of the jewelry I make doesn't go with anything I have. So I decided to make some. But before I get to that.... Tuesday, I believe, my dad came up to me and asked if I'd make a necklace and earrings set for my mom, because their anniversary is in a week. AND he'd pay me....so of course I said yes and went to Michael's the next day and got a bunch of stuff, none of which I ended up using. I DID however, use the goldstone/blue goldstone swirly beads with blue goldstone rounds between them to make a very respectable-looking necklace, and then a pair of earrings with the leftover swirly beads. I'll post pictures tomorrow, because the light in my room is very green. I was kind of nervous, though, because the beads aren't traditionally "pretty." But my dad didn't say anything (aside from the fact my mom was 20 ft away), so I suppose it'll be all right. She does like goldstone. I even had some organza bags to put them in, although you can see right through them.
But anyway, I had a half-formed idea to do something with these purple glass and amethyst beads and silver rose chain connectors for my mom, but that kind of fell through in favor of the goldstone, because my mom tends to go for a more traditional look versus an artsy look....unless she REALLY likes it. So I decided to make a necklace for myself. Without stringing, because I hate crimp beads with a hot and fiery passion. Though it is faster. So I started laying out my necklace while watching the end of PotC 3, which I had started when I made my mom's. I was sitting on some pillows on the floor with my bead tray/mat in my lap. I made about a 20" necklace (again, I'll post pictures tomorrow)and had some beads left over. So I made a bracelet in the same style. and then I had a couple rose connectors left, so I used those in a pair of earrings. All of which I wore today. It was a little after 10 when I came into my room. I unfolded myself from my position on the floor, looked at the clock....and....12:37am?! Stringing is much faster, but using eyepins and findings is much prettier. Although my thumb hurts because I was bending the wire up against it for lack of another solid surface.
I also restrung my challenge necklace for perhaps the fourth or fifth time and was FINALLY satisfied. I made a couple of bracelets yesterday....or maybe it ws just the one.... And today I made some necklaces and a bracelet and restrung a bracelet that was just a smidge too tight. I will put pictures up tomorrow, along with the challenge pictures!
So my mom says the other day that I should wear more of my jewelry so when people ask me, I can tell them I made it and direct them to my shop or comission a piece for them. But I said that most of the jewelry I make doesn't go with anything I have. So I decided to make some. But before I get to that.... Tuesday, I believe, my dad came up to me and asked if I'd make a necklace and earrings set for my mom, because their anniversary is in a week. AND he'd pay me....so of course I said yes and went to Michael's the next day and got a bunch of stuff, none of which I ended up using. I DID however, use the goldstone/blue goldstone swirly beads with blue goldstone rounds between them to make a very respectable-looking necklace, and then a pair of earrings with the leftover swirly beads. I'll post pictures tomorrow, because the light in my room is very green. I was kind of nervous, though, because the beads aren't traditionally "pretty." But my dad didn't say anything (aside from the fact my mom was 20 ft away), so I suppose it'll be all right. She does like goldstone. I even had some organza bags to put them in, although you can see right through them.
But anyway, I had a half-formed idea to do something with these purple glass and amethyst beads and silver rose chain connectors for my mom, but that kind of fell through in favor of the goldstone, because my mom tends to go for a more traditional look versus an artsy look....unless she REALLY likes it. So I decided to make a necklace for myself. Without stringing, because I hate crimp beads with a hot and fiery passion. Though it is faster. So I started laying out my necklace while watching the end of PotC 3, which I had started when I made my mom's. I was sitting on some pillows on the floor with my bead tray/mat in my lap. I made about a 20" necklace (again, I'll post pictures tomorrow)and had some beads left over. So I made a bracelet in the same style. and then I had a couple rose connectors left, so I used those in a pair of earrings. All of which I wore today. It was a little after 10 when I came into my room. I unfolded myself from my position on the floor, looked at the clock....and....12:37am?! Stringing is much faster, but using eyepins and findings is much prettier. Although my thumb hurts because I was bending the wire up against it for lack of another solid surface.
I also restrung my challenge necklace for perhaps the fourth or fifth time and was FINALLY satisfied. I made a couple of bracelets yesterday....or maybe it ws just the one.... And today I made some necklaces and a bracelet and restrung a bracelet that was just a smidge too tight. I will put pictures up tomorrow, along with the challenge pictures!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Etsy Shop Up & Running!....Kinda
So, I got my etsy seller's part up today....finally! I was super excited until I remembered that I wasn't going to list any of that new jewelry I made Thursday until I changed the clasps and earwires, which I can't do until my order gets here. Then I was a bit let down. And then I remembered my Gothic style Halloween necklace that I was going to sell anyway, took some pictures, did some cropping and now I have my first listing up! It's going to be a bit of a rough patch here in the beginning since I don't really know my way around selling online, but you have to crawl before you can walk and walk before you can run....!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)