Tuesday 29 September 2009

Artfire - Holiday Special

Art Fire are generously having a holiday special allowing all members, both free and verified account holders, to list an unlimited number of items in their shops with no commission or listing fees during the month of October. Superb! If you had been thinking about selling on Art Fire now seems to be a great opportunity to try it!

So, for the next month I'll be listing and listing! After last week's jewellery course where the students made memory wire bracelets, it put me in the mood to make some more, one of my favourites is this lovely grey glass pearl number, all misty and wintery, with black plated earrings to match.

Friday 25 September 2009

Florence Friday

The Cancer Research UK shop is filling up thanks to the lovely Folksy sellers and we've already had one sale! This morning I've added this trio of Florence prints:

Wednesday 23 September 2009

Selling Up and Teaching Jewellery

On Monday we had the valuation of our lovely house and it will be up on the market, officially for sale within the next ten days or so! I think if we could take it with us we would! So that is exciting, although, admittedly a little stressful, but let's focus on the exciting!

Yesterday, I ran the first of a series of jewellery making sessions and it was fabulous! There were eight ladies who were all lovely and so interested in the work and even asked me to tell me more about myself, makes a fabulous change from, um, less fun teaching experiences! After the session each lady had created a multi strand memory wire bracelet and a pair of earrings! I'm really impressed with the Workers Educational Association and so glad to be working for them! They offer a huge array of courses including literacy, numeracy, English as a secondary language, painting, creative writing, gardening, poetry, history. . . the list goes on! If you fancy having a go at something new or refreshing some dormant skills do check them out as they are all over the country. R starts teaching his Romantic Poetry course for them in Wolverhampton tomorrow so we're all about the WEA in this house at the minute!

More exciting news is that I made a sale through Facebook the other day, somebody spotted the 'A Satisfied Mind' Charm Bracelet and got in touch to say they'd like to buy it! I do love the tones in it and am going to make a second, similar one to keep in my Folksy shop. The bracelet is inspired by a chapter in Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain which is packed full of sumptuous Autumnal descriptions of apple picking, burning brush and evening skies, gorgeous!

Monday 21 September 2009

Vespa

Vespa Richard Johnson

I love this photograph! And no it's not Friday already as, whilst a very common sight in Florence, this little beauty was in amongst a whole host of stuff at the Chain Bridge Honey Farm! We're sitting at home twiddling our thumbs waiting for somebody to come value the house, not enough time to start anything new, everything is tidy and I can't think of what to do! Have finally packaged up the print for Amanda over at Kitschy Coo! Have handed over the resources for the Calligraphy session I've planned for Erasmus Darwin House, bought all the beads and tools for the first day of my jewellery making course and, once the valuation is done, I'll be completing the lesson plans and paperwork for the course. I'll let you know how day one goes tomorrow . . .

Saturday 19 September 2009

Silver Moss Jewellery

Last week I received an unexpected email from the lovely Silver Moss Jewellery letting me know I'd won a give away on her blog! I was very excited to receive these beautiful earrings:

Aren't they gorgeous?

I love the silver work in Silver Moss's shop where you will find delicately forged silver work inspired by natural shapes and textures. The use of striking gem stones and shells with the silver works so well and having another good look around has furthered my desire to take a silversmithing course, she makes it look so effortless, ah one day!

Thank you very much Mossy!

Friday 18 September 2009

Florence Friday

A much happier Laura greets you this Friday: I've handed in my notice on my temporary teaching contract so I'll be finished by half term, the Folksy folk are sending me loads of donations for the new Cancer Research UK Shop, we're nearly finished tarting up the house for valuation on Monday and we've had an offer conditionally accepted on a house many miles away near the sea! We don't think we'll get the house as we still have to sell up here but it's very exciting and we still have 14 more we like!

So, hopefully we'll be away soon and I'll have to think about my next job, once again perhaps I should turn to Florence for inspiration. . .

Cancer Research UK Shop Launch

The Cancer Research UK Folksy shop is now live! Thank you to everyone who has already sent their item donation details through and I'm looking forward to listing the rest when they arrive over the next few weeks! There is no deadline for submissions and it would be great to keep the shop stocked until Christmas so please keep sending your donations!

Christmas shopping? Check us out for gorgeous handmade gifts!

Tuesday 15 September 2009

Cancer Research UK Folksy Shop

Hello all! Having now spoken to both the lovely people who run Folksy and Cancer Research UK I can now let you know about the Folksy Cancer Research UK Shop.

The shop will, hopefully soon, be filled with beautiful handmade items donated by Folksy sellers and once purchased all the money will go to Cancer Research UK. I know this is a subject close to many people and I would really appreciate your support.

So, if you would like to donate an item please email me:
- three square images of your item,
- item name,
- the price,
- item description
- and if you want to dedicate the item to somebody please do, it will come up in the description.

My email address is laurajcameron@btinternet.com

When the item is purchased I will email you with the details of where to send it.

I'm hoping to be able to launch the shop next week once I receive enough item details and will then bring you details of what you can buy for Cancer Research UK!

Thank you in advance!

Friday 11 September 2009

Florence Friday

Some weeks just leave you feeling like this . . .

from the Boboli Gardens and as, yet, I still don't know what's going on! If you know please enlighten me!

Tuesday 8 September 2009

September

This week feels like the real first week of September as it's back to school time and already the hints of the heavy work load are batting against the window and it's hard not to get a bit low. However, I am only in school part time and have to mean part time to keep up with everything else. In my two days a week I have two free lessons so do you think I can plan, mark and create resources for five classes, eighteen lessons in two hours a week? No? Nor me but I am hoping to keep all school work within just those days.

Port Vale

Popped into a meeting at my new school and the department are nice and then today I've had to drive up to Stoke to a WEA meeting at Port Vale's ground. Those who know me know I hate trying to drive on the motorways over here, more than two lanes and my palms start getting sweaty! Ha! But with only a minor panic I made it and got to hang out in an executive box overlooking the pitch, I'll have been at all league grounds at this rate with educational organisations favouring a football ground for their own training! Within the next week I will find out how many people are on my jewellery making course so I can get the tools and materials ready to go and then with a bit of paper work tweaking I'll be ready to go on the 22nd September, exciting!

I have an ever growing collection of jewellery ready to photograph and list so that will be tomorrow's task, as for now, I'm going to relax and enjoy R's fabulous vegetable curry, ay it ahhh!

Friday 4 September 2009

Jewellery on Artfire

You can now buy my jewellery here, on this very blog! Thanks to ArtFire's super little Rapid Cart, which you can find over to the right, you can shop and checkout without having to register for an account. Prices are in US dollars so if you need it here is a link to a handy currency converter. You are safe buying this way, as ArtFire say:

"The entire process is secure, we use 256-bit encryption, and everything is tracked by ArtFire so that our members can run their businesses with the most accurate data possible."

Teal Heart Earring and Necklace Set

US 24.50

A big teal foil lined glass heart with complimentary crystals and beads dangle from an 18 inch silver plated curb necklace chain.

This necklace is matched with pretty little teal glass heart beads on .925 sterling silver fishhook earwires....