What a couple of weeks!

Well, here I am, spinning head and all. I've started my new job which is so fast paced and stressful that when I get home on a night I can't even be bothered to turn the computer on. Ive been feverishly making jewellery to sell at the many markets I have signed up for. The next one is the re launch of Pudsey craft market on Easter Sunday which I'm really looking forward to. I've discovered a jewellery supply store close to home which I may make my second home. I'm determined to be back here properly soon but lately I'm so tired I can't bear the thought of staring at a computer for one more second. So please don't leave me! I will be back on a regular basis, I just need to adjust.

Love you all

XX

I am alive

but busy. I don't have internet access like I used to at work on my lunch so I can't post from there. I will be back shortly with more pointless posting.

XX

Not another post...

Yes like it or not LOL

I took a scary step today. I opened a business account with ..... a credit card! Ahhhh, I've never had a credit card before so I think everyone around me will be a little scared. It is however for business use only. I'm not about to go out and buy shoes and handbags with it (although that would be great)It will allow me to pay for the stalls at the Artsmix Arts Markets. I knew that there would be several points when I would have to take risks and this was the first so fingers crossed.

Well I've been collating my receipts and getting organised so now I must start keeping a track of everything I sell as I registered as self employed with the Inland revenue today too. I also need to do a stock take and evaluate my assets (sounds pervy LOL)

I'm at Holmfirth Craft Market tomorrow and I'm hoping it will be a better turn out than last time. I hope that the 10,000 fliers they sent out early this week have made a difference and I hope that the weather is as lovely and sunny as it is today.

Right, I'm off to Posters Anonymous

Yup, you guessed it .... I'm excited!

After being stood all day in the cold on Saturday and earning very little for it my darling husband decided that there must be better markets around that are more established and more geared towards art and less towards bought in stuff. So I suggested that even though I had searched extensively (obviously not that extensively) that he should look for himself and he did.

Well that clever boy of mine succeeded and found a company called Artsmix . So I had a look on their website and it looked great, so good in fact that I didn't think there would be any stalls left.

Despite my doubts I emailed the very nice lady and she sent me some application forms which I filled in and set back with photographs of my work. I ticked every date hoping that at least one would be available. Well she emailed me today and I've been accepted on every date I applies for, that's one a month from May until November and then three in December. I was amazed! Now the only issue is paying the £320 fee.

I have also been ringing around for public Liability insurance and I found that by becoming a member of the National Market Traders Federation for £78.00 I get public, product and employers liability insurance. How great is that?

All I have to do now is pull £398 from somewhere...any suggestions?

Loving Lampwork

I've just been naughty and bought some more Lamp work beads, this time from Crafted Gems I couldn't resist. Sorry Jimmy!

When I first started making jewellery properly almost two years ago I knew very little about the components, I didn't know what Lamp work was or how to use tiger tail or make ear wires from silver wire. I used cheap glass beads that looked pretty but had no story but that's fine because i was learning, I still am. I like to tell a story. I did a jewellery party last week at a pub near my house and I took my lower cost items and lowered the prices further to meet the market. For ease I priced all my earrings at £2 a pair or 3 for £5 bracelets £4 or 3 for £10 necklaces £8 or 3 for £20. Most of the pieces were just simple pretty glass except for one bracelet. I was trying to tell the customer about it, give her a little idea of what she was buying but she didn't even listen which was just rude. I was trying to tell her that the bracelet was made of Chinese Jade which I bought from a market seller in Dubrovnik whilst on my honeymoon. Now if I was buying a £4 bracelet and someone told me a story like that it would make the piece all the more special. Plus the fact that I actually pay attention when I am being spoken to.

And that is ladies and gentlemen why I will never lower my prices like that again. If you want cheap crap go elsewhere. You get what you pay for. Funnily enough some one has convo'd me on Etsy today and asked me to sell them my Marina earrings for $15! Seriously WTF?! I'd made a serious loss if I sold them at that. THE PRICE IS THE PRICE IS THE PRICE

Anyway, moving on before I move into perpetual ranting. I really want to make my business as ethical as possible. The wholesaler I use only uses ethical suppliers and claim that their products are all fair trade. I want to replace the plastic carriers I use with recycled and re-usable packaging. To me the point of buying handmade goes beyond the quality of the piece and the skill involved, you are supporting someones dream. We should all support small businesses and we should all consider what we spend our money on more carefully. Times are hard for most people right now and it's time to put your money to better use. Obviously if you are struggling financially you aren't going to buy jewellery but you can buy from markets selling local produce and farm shops.

So to follow on from this I want to promote the people who create the beautiful beads that I use. When I sell a pair of earrings I want to be able to promote the bead maker and tell their story, and weave that through mine. Create a new story.

My newest creation... the story? Oh right, yeah, well, you see...errrrm?!

Mt First Treasury

I'm so happy that I finally got a treasury. Please, go take a look here

Obsessed? I'm not obsessed, who said anything about being obsessed, not me not me. maybe you are obsessed and your calling me to mask your obsession?

Okay maybe a little. Heres a few more pics of Marina

In day light
and with flash

My god how pink are my fingers?

Ok so I changed my mind

They are on Etsy but I'm going to add some more photographs once I have some better ones.

The most beautiful earrings in the world

I was a very happy girl last night. When I got home I noticed that there was some post for me. Now ignoring the £500 in energy bills the post was great. Firstly my comic arrived (Elle) and then my newest addition to the bead family my Marine Lizard beads made by bead artist Laura . My housework plans thus thwarted I sat with my pliers and made some earrings. I tried numerous combinations of beads, none doing the beautiful beads justice until I stumbled across the perfect combination. Now I've taken a couple of pictures and they really don't show them off properly. May I introduce Marina...

I was going to put them on Etsy but until I have some better photographs they're not going anywhere.

Laura's work is truly inspirational, these beads are so intricate and beautiful and that makes it almost too easy to make something gorgeous. The combination of the antique gold and olive Swarovski Crystals with the beads is amazing. I was so lucky to finally get to buy her beads. They sell so fast!

I must say I have Jelveh to thank as she convinced Laura to sell her lonelies. Jelvah is another amazing Lamp work artist you should take a look at. So thanks Jelveh.

One day I'll try Lamp work, put me down for a course next year Laura!

Holmfirth Craft and Food Market

Saturday was craft market day in Holmfirth and although I'm not going to be retiring on the profits anytime soon I had a good day. On the way there we took a couple of wrong turns (my fault for reading the map wrong and his fault for not knowing better than to trust my map reading!) and so we were a little late but it didn't seem to matter as a few of the regulars arrived after us.

The market building itself sticks out like a sore thumb in picturesque Holmfirth, a mid 20th Century golden stone box nestled amongst the19th century blackened buildings. It's split over two levels. Upstairs leads onto the main street and the downstairs entrance is on a much quieter back street. They have recently reduced the size of the market, limiting the traders to one floor, curiously the lower floor. Inside the market has recently been painted and looks clean and much more inviting. The stalls were covered with sunshine yellow canopies with light bulbs running along making it all look very pretty from the outside.

There were about 5 unoccupied stalls and 10 occupied, 5 food and 5 craft. I have tasked myself with recruiting new traders. I'm going to approach local Etsians who create appropriate lovelies and invite them. I really believe that with a little perseverance this can be successful. In order to have a stall over the summer you must become a semi permanent trader now, it's quiet at the moment but it will be worth it in the summer, I'm sure. The council sent out 10,000 fliers this week and it's going to be advertised in the local press.

So If you or anyone you know would be interested in attending email me at apriljaneellis@yahoo.co.uk Please note that Jewellery stalls are all taken, sorry!