Another step in the right direction
I have found work annoying enough lately to have become motivated to get a move on with creative business ideas. So to make some progress I have bought myself some domain names: www.isobelhamilton.com and www.isobelhamilton.co.uk. These aren't up and running yet, but eventually they will be the portal for my craft sales.
today's craft thoughts
The problem with the crafts I choose is that the materials are hard to find locally. So yet again I find myself online, browsing for things to buy :o/
I have found somewhere which will sell me soutache cord, though I'm going to have to buy from 2 different places to get all the colours. I've decided to try and copy a necklace I've seen online to see how easy it is to do. I'm sure it's not easy, but there's not much in the way of instructions anywhere so this seems the best option.
I've also found somewhere to get some more nice beads; from the US (again!).
My brass findings arrived!! Thank goodness they didn't get stuck at customs and cost me another £20. I'm quite excited about trying a project, but knowing me I'm going to have to ponder for a while before I start.
I've also been looking for places to buy 4mm faceted glass beads for a bracelet - I seem to do this every 6 months or so but never buy any... we'll see.
I've been doing more of my flower garden bead embroidered necklace. I just have the background to put in on the main section so I'd love to get that done this weekend. I mean, it's only been a project on the go for a year or so :o/
I've also changed the background of this from pink to green. Definitely better!
I have found somewhere which will sell me soutache cord, though I'm going to have to buy from 2 different places to get all the colours. I've decided to try and copy a necklace I've seen online to see how easy it is to do. I'm sure it's not easy, but there's not much in the way of instructions anywhere so this seems the best option.
I've also found somewhere to get some more nice beads; from the US (again!).
My brass findings arrived!! Thank goodness they didn't get stuck at customs and cost me another £20. I'm quite excited about trying a project, but knowing me I'm going to have to ponder for a while before I start.
I've also been looking for places to buy 4mm faceted glass beads for a bracelet - I seem to do this every 6 months or so but never buy any... we'll see.
I've been doing more of my flower garden bead embroidered necklace. I just have the background to put in on the main section so I'd love to get that done this weekend. I mean, it's only been a project on the go for a year or so :o/
I've also changed the background of this from pink to green. Definitely better!
These are amazing!
OK, sometimes it is best *not* to browse too much. I have come across a new style of jewellery making, rather like bead embroidery but not quite. It's called 'soutache' and seems to involve twists of cord combined with cabochons and seed beads.
Isn't that wonderful? It's from the blog here:
http://myveryownrainbow.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html
It looks like it's a bit like macrame... this piece has even less beads; it seems to use a type of braid in place of the rows of beads:
This is by the artist Dori Csengeri, more of her work here http://www.dazzleandshimmer.com/dori.html
and also at her own website here http://www.doricsengeri.com/ which has some really amazing stuff.
The work of Anneta Vallious here: http://www.mylovelybeads.com/php/newsletter/200811/anneta1.html
And yet more here (in Russian) http://rinamor.ru/shop/
I think I came across a pic of Dori Csengeri's work a while back, but had no idea how it was made. I suppose while the internet gives you too many ideas, it does also let you find out how it's done!
http://cs.beadandbutton.com/bnbcs/forums/t/21339.aspx
OK I'll stop now :o)
http://myveryownrainbow.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html
It looks like it's a bit like macrame... this piece has even less beads; it seems to use a type of braid in place of the rows of beads:
and also at her own website here http://www.doricsengeri.com/ which has some really amazing stuff.
The work of Anneta Vallious here: http://www.mylovelybeads.com/php/newsletter/200811/anneta1.html
And yet more here (in Russian) http://rinamor.ru/shop/
I think I came across a pic of Dori Csengeri's work a while back, but had no idea how it was made. I suppose while the internet gives you too many ideas, it does also let you find out how it's done!
OK I'll stop now :o)
new links
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I've been spending some of my break times at (dull) work looking for bead embroidery inspiration, and I've found a few new websites which I'm adding to the link section on the right.
I also made it to my local bead shop in Partick. Wow that shop is expensive for gemstone beads! Yes they're lovely, but far too pricey for me. However they have a great but small section of muyuki seed beads. And I was hugely pleased to find the perfect colour to use on my flower collar necklace as the background! This is what I've been looking for for quite some time... it has been sitting unfinished because I've not been happy with the options. No excuse now :o)
I also bought some more green colours so I can get on with my bag/purse experiment.
The links really make me want to try out other things though! I also wish work wasn't so draining, because I feel like I desperately want to get on and try out ideas, yet when I get home I just want to slump in front of the TV and it's hard to get my brain going :o/
I also made it to my local bead shop in Partick. Wow that shop is expensive for gemstone beads! Yes they're lovely, but far too pricey for me. However they have a great but small section of muyuki seed beads. And I was hugely pleased to find the perfect colour to use on my flower collar necklace as the background! This is what I've been looking for for quite some time... it has been sitting unfinished because I've not been happy with the options. No excuse now :o)
I also bought some more green colours so I can get on with my bag/purse experiment.
The links really make me want to try out other things though! I also wish work wasn't so draining, because I feel like I desperately want to get on and try out ideas, yet when I get home I just want to slump in front of the TV and it's hard to get my brain going :o/
findings ordered
Ok, continuing the spirit of getting on with things, I have placed an order with Designer Findings in the US for a whole selection of fun things to use in bead embroidered jewellery. I spent a lot ($90!) but I think it is worth it - I just need to make sure I experiment with everything rather than just admiring it and then putting it away in a box. I guess it makes me appreciate having a job at the moment, because it let's me afford to place a $90 order; I might not be able to otherwise....
good comments
Yesterday at work I mentioned to a couple of people my new determination to try out my arts and crafts a bit more. Michelle told me about a craft fair in Ayrshire that she'd been to at the weekend, that is held once a month. She said she bought lots of things, that it was busy with people, and that she was walking round thinking that I should be going to things like that! I've found a link to the show:
http://www.ayrshirecraftfair.co.uk/
but it seems their jewellery section is booked up for all of 2011 already. I think the only way I could get in there would be to make bags, but I'm not sure I could make enough, or that they would be in demand enough? It is only £22.50 for a stall which is quite reasonable.
Laura told me that she has had a lot of comments about the bead embroidered brooch I gave her for a birthday present a couple of years ago. Not many people have seen my bead embroidery stuff, so it's good to know it gets remarked upon.
I need to remember this sort of thing when I have doubts that I can do it!
http://www.ayrshirecraftfair.co.uk/
but it seems their jewellery section is booked up for all of 2011 already. I think the only way I could get in there would be to make bags, but I'm not sure I could make enough, or that they would be in demand enough? It is only £22.50 for a stall which is quite reasonable.
Laura told me that she has had a lot of comments about the bead embroidered brooch I gave her for a birthday present a couple of years ago. Not many people have seen my bead embroidery stuff, so it's good to know it gets remarked upon.
I need to remember this sort of thing when I have doubts that I can do it!
At long last
after what has probably been 3 years of admiring the items for sale, I have finally compiled a list of things to buy from Designer Findings and emailed them about the cost of shipping to the UK. It's a lot of items on my shopping list, so the total is scary enough without shipping on top (and no doubt customs when they see the value >:o| ) but if I want to try out some of these ideas I have then I have to buy the parts! It took all afternoon to decide what I wanted, but at least it's some progress...
Hello
This is my blog, of acorns and muses. It is intended to be an inspirational blog for me, to try to encourage me to pursue the dreams I want, rather than just sit and think about them wistfully.
It is called of acorns and muses because acorns are the seeds of ideas which can become big, strong and longlasting, and muses are sources of inspiration. My posts are hopefully going to be discussing my acorns of ideas, and as a place for collecting muses which I have come across online.
If you should come across this blog, in google-searching or whatever, it would be great if you could comment to let me know. If I know people are watching it will make me more likely to feel I need to push myself!
It is called of acorns and muses because acorns are the seeds of ideas which can become big, strong and longlasting, and muses are sources of inspiration. My posts are hopefully going to be discussing my acorns of ideas, and as a place for collecting muses which I have come across online.
If you should come across this blog, in google-searching or whatever, it would be great if you could comment to let me know. If I know people are watching it will make me more likely to feel I need to push myself!
