tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28234174146449202862024-02-07T20:21:15.151-08:00Twinkle twinkle, shiny things......Adventures in assemblage jewelry, tribal & fusion belly dance costuming, belly dance and life....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-14504269320900743962014-05-04T10:24:00.002-07:002014-05-04T11:00:36.501-07:00Pretties!I have some new pretties to show you.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3InKsZnsBox4jYAjOs1tcKque3bSnOGwuwo1IaWyXxtpMj96eYi1OGsyfwxShp6SFqfJhaq_2-ZRinuGU4rA0ororaPDWVZUM056bumDYIPFQ17_jqSmPSU1uuQRuU50X13SA66TvGmI/s1600/IMG_7906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="assemblage jewelry" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3InKsZnsBox4jYAjOs1tcKque3bSnOGwuwo1IaWyXxtpMj96eYi1OGsyfwxShp6SFqfJhaq_2-ZRinuGU4rA0ororaPDWVZUM056bumDYIPFQ17_jqSmPSU1uuQRuU50X13SA66TvGmI/s1600/IMG_7906.jpg" height="640" title="" width="433" /></a></div>
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Here's all of them plus a few others, all at once! I love to display them in this way, it's so sumptuous, and it's a great way to use my Assuit scarf as a prop.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10kQtjkkJyZYV2MXw_bXJcdmysPB49GWMiCouEvUVOLiLQ3YVOfWrLhaBV5KFA64r87s5VA7YoUD0UXr-Q9GdhPkB_cPj2fQrl3Cin4eyWs9V3rNeUV_5uCntDohj7OgACpv1s4hYkkY/s1600/IMG_7862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="altered turkoman pendant" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10kQtjkkJyZYV2MXw_bXJcdmysPB49GWMiCouEvUVOLiLQ3YVOfWrLhaBV5KFA64r87s5VA7YoUD0UXr-Q9GdhPkB_cPj2fQrl3Cin4eyWs9V3rNeUV_5uCntDohj7OgACpv1s4hYkkY/s1600/IMG_7862.JPG" height="300" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is the big momma of the clutch. An altered and be-dangled Turkoman pendant, with the addition of a pyrite, smokey quartz, pearl, glass and crystal necklace.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAL8ssgr7Uh-5GSGi1ydeI2CRQLyYFKCbxy2qm04SFz7S0HREVgf0OhUqWXkUknrMEoefmpBNMqe2vrJy0m4Us42TYPxsgkZtxnyDGOIrEUXb7u_Q9mci1bhJ-buHbau_oMh_5ZqdBlQ/s1600/IMG_7872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="assemblage jewelry" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAL8ssgr7Uh-5GSGi1ydeI2CRQLyYFKCbxy2qm04SFz7S0HREVgf0OhUqWXkUknrMEoefmpBNMqe2vrJy0m4Us42TYPxsgkZtxnyDGOIrEUXb7u_Q9mci1bhJ-buHbau_oMh_5ZqdBlQ/s1600/IMG_7872.JPG" height="300" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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One of two hematite scarf clip necklaces. On both I couldn't resist adding extra dangles and the one above is a mixture of apatite and labradorite and other sea-green stones.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2AQwZZxcKEECMeigJvzDpzc8Hr2lhJcWwlEqRsF04c-5WeR1oV8z06tlUooUAU-LPFsA1ND8n1-7XMMQTOmxqE3z1qTQVJ037SuaRl6GPRgn0y6Bcbn-uhnjkOrHudMyjWjR8fV1yqW0/s1600/IMG_7876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2AQwZZxcKEECMeigJvzDpzc8Hr2lhJcWwlEqRsF04c-5WeR1oV8z06tlUooUAU-LPFsA1ND8n1-7XMMQTOmxqE3z1qTQVJ037SuaRl6GPRgn0y6Bcbn-uhnjkOrHudMyjWjR8fV1yqW0/s1600/IMG_7876.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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This one, although similar has coins and fluorites, kyanites and glass.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5sTG5CUlJ0nuMkoJJnueX924ydfK2DXXTEQwp3hGKM2dL-UzbyLVcrNuVL2NzeIewGrMB3kBfdzyJnkTV3_1c_j1m9nB8CCBp2Ucyrhh_APsb4Iuw95pSw05q425GaPYRd0IOjcx_Ik/s1600/IMG_7878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="assemblage jewelry" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5sTG5CUlJ0nuMkoJJnueX924ydfK2DXXTEQwp3hGKM2dL-UzbyLVcrNuVL2NzeIewGrMB3kBfdzyJnkTV3_1c_j1m9nB8CCBp2Ucyrhh_APsb4Iuw95pSw05q425GaPYRd0IOjcx_Ik/s1600/IMG_7878.JPG" height="300" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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A sparkling brooch as the main accent.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pHP8UIClewGg0kTKC7FHap0UY6HDwOpGnrcly4Ztnn9yyuInjuY9hQV9qTzIkWeTe5DqPiefvwuZbclcVljomTB6fv63h12G9CwqKGINbEAGB4RVhA9-0TnA3rXKxtxHdYiHzwd3_5g/s1600/IMG_7886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tribal dance jewelry" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pHP8UIClewGg0kTKC7FHap0UY6HDwOpGnrcly4Ztnn9yyuInjuY9hQV9qTzIkWeTe5DqPiefvwuZbclcVljomTB6fv63h12G9CwqKGINbEAGB4RVhA9-0TnA3rXKxtxHdYiHzwd3_5g/s1600/IMG_7886.JPG" height="300" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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Metal, labradorite, smokey quartz, pyrite, glass, freshwater pearls.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44c87cJjrbwgMNhXNvGLcG9WC-3QBlD0Vpfb2_00zh2fNlLSfRTlxNsfvHlOFCR9t5F9mtQjpyo1JfJOvFEy1KwsfrrvgRcxPaoMBByt8eWihJd_QMneN_oYXxUAaO1kzpQUpYE5lJ2s/s1600/IMG_7888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tribal belly dance jewelry" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44c87cJjrbwgMNhXNvGLcG9WC-3QBlD0Vpfb2_00zh2fNlLSfRTlxNsfvHlOFCR9t5F9mtQjpyo1JfJOvFEy1KwsfrrvgRcxPaoMBByt8eWihJd_QMneN_oYXxUAaO1kzpQUpYE5lJ2s/s1600/IMG_7888.JPG" height="300" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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Titaniumm doused points and matching rondelles with copper. This one is reserved already.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdB0UMIuPzlkw6-lWmbkgxbY6k5T-SMuuYpshHCKtzU1vXhwIVBVPzOlSVbVCmB56ALlBwl2ALRC-lFoPm43bm3GpmGFgaI1gM4slqvCIGZ52C42q2E6Otw4QEdwjp9DXFwHPlE-lTzRg/s1600/IMG_7893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="serene jewelry" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdB0UMIuPzlkw6-lWmbkgxbY6k5T-SMuuYpshHCKtzU1vXhwIVBVPzOlSVbVCmB56ALlBwl2ALRC-lFoPm43bm3GpmGFgaI1gM4slqvCIGZ52C42q2E6Otw4QEdwjp9DXFwHPlE-lTzRg/s1600/IMG_7893.JPG" height="300" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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A serene Buddha pendant with a mixture of light tones beads.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wdXs-EIFjrv4H7yI9sLtwLWngGfwqT2UTgbiIqUyIaQA4WtLkgX04ti6UKnYd9yw4JRG8RYel7us9gA6dfXlQ0OBeVkilH8LRaUf2jHaEglHD93V7rzxSHK9p4lQb0Uxc-PPWx0Q_2I/s1600/IMG_7904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="vintage brooch" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wdXs-EIFjrv4H7yI9sLtwLWngGfwqT2UTgbiIqUyIaQA4WtLkgX04ti6UKnYd9yw4JRG8RYel7us9gA6dfXlQ0OBeVkilH8LRaUf2jHaEglHD93V7rzxSHK9p4lQb0Uxc-PPWx0Q_2I/s1600/IMG_7904.JPG" height="300" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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My absolute favourite was quite rightly put on reserve. This piece is 6 pieces combined and it is soooo sparkly it's almost a crime.</div>
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All of these pieces are up on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/defoxy45/media_set?set=a.10152495634220832.1073741844.768675831&type=1" target="_blank">FB page</a> at the moment, and you should snap one up whilst you're there as once I do the extra edits needed and they're up on my website the price will increase by a teeny bit.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-27948981237043109172014-01-28T14:52:00.000-08:002014-01-28T14:52:51.809-08:00Silver LiningsWhen the world is grey what I need is a little sunshine.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrA5Yk0P843qfzuX3_OY-nAYey57mJja56phQcSbpCtzwgiXmiYmYHo3f2-59JymwjahU2DFUrJdOHAAUjjalBrB1RkS8uyvZ2EaHzhhrtLvdIx9gN-YipYa2gBKQ3DW0pjjifSAIREQ/s1600/IMG_7259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrA5Yk0P843qfzuX3_OY-nAYey57mJja56phQcSbpCtzwgiXmiYmYHo3f2-59JymwjahU2DFUrJdOHAAUjjalBrB1RkS8uyvZ2EaHzhhrtLvdIx9gN-YipYa2gBKQ3DW0pjjifSAIREQ/s1600/IMG_7259.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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There you go, in these dark and dingy and rainy days you need a little blue sky. Well I do, just for a while.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWJ4zcG4BvRShBZqtlTXkPZ2nImoItLrzFHNa09sBkMpVGDbs9N-w9MAVIxS7KSpYys21zLDLN4H-p0Dmg7y0BOnXs8mB7zO-3mNSYbL02Msy4GG2I8ZOcSgpU5Je3JngU3AXgzztth8/s1600/IMG_7250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWJ4zcG4BvRShBZqtlTXkPZ2nImoItLrzFHNa09sBkMpVGDbs9N-w9MAVIxS7KSpYys21zLDLN4H-p0Dmg7y0BOnXs8mB7zO-3mNSYbL02Msy4GG2I8ZOcSgpU5Je3JngU3AXgzztth8/s1600/IMG_7250.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Hopefully, if I've any photographic skill (I use that term loosely) at all, it''s in finding a moment when it looks as though there was no-one else there at all. </div>
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This is as good as I can get for the photo of the bay....<br />
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No it's not!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzIx-q7yHFkyO7tCZoBAOebnp8ugyXqGrehI5VDGsSJsfTec-Pg5YS0p5_7VPjT0p1dxHIVlVTYv-1H7l4RcdYCjh2YlEi3wIKZHJ4Rl-b_E0-KW1cjqmY9f1DxXhP5EB-pIcd-MDX8c/s1600/IMG_7283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzIx-q7yHFkyO7tCZoBAOebnp8ugyXqGrehI5VDGsSJsfTec-Pg5YS0p5_7VPjT0p1dxHIVlVTYv-1H7l4RcdYCjh2YlEi3wIKZHJ4Rl-b_E0-KW1cjqmY9f1DxXhP5EB-pIcd-MDX8c/s1600/IMG_7283.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is on the evening we took the kids down to the beach (me and the other singlies) and let them play in the water until dark-o-clock.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHvwjPgTk_4KO4F0iE_Sw5zDYMmS83lDftb8QXFcy0d8y_yVQS_OME9KjSrx6CgsB68u_Z_Z3A2vyCnMLznN3sJjXV0Zta8mG-ESsiUnKQW0bNCWWAFY8aSmNeW3SDOSfP8cvQOpS8MU/s1600/IMG_7288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHvwjPgTk_4KO4F0iE_Sw5zDYMmS83lDftb8QXFcy0d8y_yVQS_OME9KjSrx6CgsB68u_Z_Z3A2vyCnMLznN3sJjXV0Zta8mG-ESsiUnKQW0bNCWWAFY8aSmNeW3SDOSfP8cvQOpS8MU/s1600/IMG_7288.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hello to the couple who were quite happily swimming alone until we let our monsters in.<br />
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Anyway, I'm already looking forward to our holiday this year in exactly that place.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-84266936251436659362014-01-01T13:09:00.000-08:002014-01-01T13:09:11.618-08:00Happy New YearAs it's a shockingly long time since I last posted I think I'll just skip that section of my life last year and say, "I had a creative block." <br />
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My creative juices have started to flow again and for a while I'm just going to play around with some ideas and techniques and see what comes of it. It's been such a long time since I was creative just for the hell of it I need some time to just see how creative I can be. I have to get ma groove on ya know?<br />
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For the longest time I have loved the shape of ammonites and spirals and circles and how they sit next to squares and oblongs and such when it comes to shape and interplay. I have some clay texture plates in my kitchen that I made at school when I was 14. Even now they resonate with me, and I can see me in my work. <br />
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Blogger pulled that one in sideways.....<br />
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You should understand something about me - in all creative endeavours since school I am self-taught. Ok, I look at books and now have the Net but ever since I've done anything I've just had a go and gotten on with it. Plus I'm very visual and in the last few months I've been really busy with a new job, so much so that I haven't fed my soul with any visual loveliness. As Christmas was upon us last week I used it as an excuse to buy some coffee table books - Art Deco illustrations, Art Nouveau illustrations and interiors and deep space. And a beading book. I'd forgotten how much I love pictures and how inspiring they can be. Looking at things on Pinterest doesn't have the same spark as looking through a book and being able to go back to the photo or illustration.<br />
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So in the last 5 days I have come up with some new projects (all of which need me to be able to use what's already in the house):<br />
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~ Make some Klimt influenced jewellery pieces. A choker is my first project as I adore his portraits of women when they are wearing throat encasing chokers. I should also add that I'll be adding my love of spirals/straight lines aesthetic so they're not Klimt copies per se, just influenced by his work. And I'll be using a silver and copper colour palette just to get away from the gold thing.<br />
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Here's a shot of my set up so far. You'll have to excuse the colours, it's night-time here and in my kitchen everything looks muted, although to be fair these are quite muted colours. The fabric being used was cut from faux suede blinds about 6 years ago. It's good for beading on as it doesn't fray and it has a vinyl backing. It is wrinkled but I kind of like that about it, it's another texture.</div>
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I've set out the length and width with tape, and this will help to sew in a straight line - much better than a drawn line. I might change the shape yet. Or maybe I won't, I quite like a broad choker and the ends of this will sit just behind the ears. I've played with a basic focal structure; a piece of etched copper (I may etch new ones yet, I'm just playing, and the etch on this one isn't right...or maybe it is....we'll see), some faceted "stones", brass stampings and some rhinestone. I don't want to fill the rest of the space with edge to edge beading, I want to have some negative space, so I may emboss some markings onto the fabric backing that I should be able to sew through fairly easily. As I use PVA glue as my bonding agent for the embossing powder there's potential for the needle to get sticky so I'll have to ponder a little more and then just get on with it. I figure if I can try and predict where beading will look best I can emboss in the spaces and then see what happens.</div>
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The beading and other things that might get added will be in silver (clear beads with silver inside), copper, dark and copperish brown and all manner of things that I may or may not add as they occur to me. I may even make some copper squares as I'm not loving the brass. At the moment though I'm just playing with shapes. </div>
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~ Embroider a nebula or a galaxy. This is something I have longed to do for some time and in searching for fabrics to help me on my way I found some of my earliest attempts at mixed media bead embroidery. It wasn't called that at the time but I can recall the day I looked at the book that contained some work that blew me away. I'll wait for some good light to photograph those pieces because it's dark and dreary here at the moment. I have to step up my game for the galaxy piece or I'll end up producing something that I'm unhappy with, or glorky looking (see below). The book is full of awesome photographs so there's a lot of inspiration there, and I love the way different filters get used to highlight different areas within galaxies and nebulae.<br />
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~ Use some crystals in my possession to create some pieces. Without them looking too glorky....you know what glorky looks like? It's kind of nice but a bit mundane. I'm sure they'll start out glorky but I aim to move on from that.<br />
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~ Try out some beading techniques advocated by <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=sherry%20serafini" target="_blank">Sherry Serafini</a>, even though I don't always love her work I adore it - does that make sense? And how ironic is it that I just gave you a link to a Pinterest board of her work? Beadwork. This is what's leaking into the Klimt influenced pieces too. <br />
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Part of the process for this kind of project is all about finding a way to keep all of my ideas and supplies easily to hand. When I have a commercial project to do I put it all in a very useful and basic plastic container. It's wide and deep enough to hold a lot of "stuff" and it's practical. <br />
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This project though is gorgeous before it starts. On returning to the source of the books I had bought to get one that I didn't think I needed (which it turns out I really did) I spied an Art Nouveau influenced tray so I bought that too. Again it's sideways and I can't sort that out...<br />
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Into this I have placed a slightly cut down Christmas selection box inside (the kids had so much chocolate this year they don't know that they have another 3 selection boxes each).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8iBMR1kjF9kJng5XFj5_KhbQUDneDwcqgtegB-6uTjS_9oLiyROuBTIa5fVEtbvOe4IzG07YVl_r0y-zn81100iY-UTmHHsSgEtBrpd4IGLunTmF_Pm-2cOCpW2UcCA3U8twPQwtSUs/s1600/IMG_7543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8iBMR1kjF9kJng5XFj5_KhbQUDneDwcqgtegB-6uTjS_9oLiyROuBTIa5fVEtbvOe4IzG07YVl_r0y-zn81100iY-UTmHHsSgEtBrpd4IGLunTmF_Pm-2cOCpW2UcCA3U8twPQwtSUs/s400/IMG_7543.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Once I start to weed out what are day-to-day items I will need somewhere else to put the "ideas" and they will go into a tin I've been saving and found again in the last few days.</div>
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Sideways Mucha is still good Mucha.<br />
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There's nothing in the tin as yet, but it's there when I need it to be.<br />
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And that? That's just a gratuitous picture of my "proper" sewing box.</div>
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Happy New Year to you all. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-83849484526825841772013-08-18T10:52:00.000-07:002013-08-18T10:52:30.912-07:00And relax.....Over the last couple of days I've done lots and lots of making. How so? Well, one of my constant dilemmas is that I don't have a set workspace, but for the most part I have tools and some materials in the kitchen and everything else lives in the cupboard under the stairs in the living room so I can sit on the sofa and watch TV or listen to music as I'm playing around. I keep wondering how easy or not it would be to make myself a workroom in one of the bedrooms whilst the children are still young enough to share. But I keep feeling as though that's really over-indulgent of me (I prefer to be around for the kids and I do a lot of making at night when they are in bed) plus I like pottering in the kitchen and sitting on the sofa when I'm making. Anyway, I cleared some more space in the kitchen and as a result got lots done whilst the kids were playing.<br />
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First up I had a revelation. I can't wear earrings as everything makes my lobes itch like crazy (ok, so I've not yet tried titanium or gold but I'll get around to trying them sometime). Anyhow, I thought I'd have a go at making some ear cuffs out of some bits of copper I had etched.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKgN-huNQrCp9usa4T6lQ9R0BsS9rLG5PZgjVBeOXQM5u6DRPhKLpu60wCsNmh0xXj6HzOMoZ7lS0fMBYhh8N70n7ejsjdhNinGLwzSQmZZv5pkis62_7xqdT9AL10JKAW-0UTtHlHZc/s1600/cuffs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKgN-huNQrCp9usa4T6lQ9R0BsS9rLG5PZgjVBeOXQM5u6DRPhKLpu60wCsNmh0xXj6HzOMoZ7lS0fMBYhh8N70n7ejsjdhNinGLwzSQmZZv5pkis62_7xqdT9AL10JKAW-0UTtHlHZc/s400/cuffs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is they before they've been liver of sulphured. They're kind of cute and I plan to add a couple of dangles to one or two of them before I take some proper pics and get them up in the shop. And obviously I'm wearing a couple of them all the time. Have you ever tried getting a picture of your own ear? Seriously hard to do.</div>
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Next up - earlier in the week I read on <a href="http://beatnheart.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/polymer-clay-madness.html" target="_blank">Beatnheart's</a> blog about a polymer clay tutorial sold by Ginger Davis-Allman in her <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/130573164/tutorial-rustic-beads-and-components?ref=shop_home_feat" target="_blank">Blue Bottle Tree</a> Etsy shop. I was suitably impressed and so bought it and this weekend was the first time I'd had a chance to play around. I didn't make many bits and bobs but here's the outcome.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifQ1Tk5pNh3YqJ0iouGMNo8EUwdHzvtyVwMGXhagDEuOLjv7lCOe13Mkpzo94lMG2TVLfddp6qbe6b9BRKSI3Iu3cIX1FI1xPFMnAs_uiVi66l5Cl2rI-VvOYvHENv6Db8FSpjkb7amU/s1600/IMG_7203%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifQ1Tk5pNh3YqJ0iouGMNo8EUwdHzvtyVwMGXhagDEuOLjv7lCOe13Mkpzo94lMG2TVLfddp6qbe6b9BRKSI3Iu3cIX1FI1xPFMnAs_uiVi66l5Cl2rI-VvOYvHENv6Db8FSpjkb7amU/s400/IMG_7203%5B1%5D.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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I don't know why this pic is sideways - blogger won't let me turn it around. I have a couple of pieces of ammonite, one fossil and one piece of rock where an ammonite was extracted so I used them to texture three pieces of clay. I love ammonites. These aren't done yet in terms of being painted/finished but they're getting there. I'm quite pleased with them.</div>
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These three pieces were textured with a couple of old belt medallions. Yes, the colours on all of them are pretty similar so I'm going to have to do way more experimenting with different colours but my brain gets stuck into a green-ish purple place more often than not. More on that later.</div>
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Some pods. I quite like the pods, I just need to use them all now.</div>
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I made another bangle stack. These are probably for me. I'm going on holiday with the kids next week and realised that I don't often wear jewellery so i figured I should make something that will go with mostly everything I have. Again, the groove is a neutral pinkish/purple/green/black/metal thing going on. Dinge. I like dinge, it goes with a lot of things.</div>
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Some necklaces - etched copper, a Buddha pendant (left as-is, for now) and a key assemblage piece.</div>
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Some earrings using etched copper and beads, etched copper ammonite (again) that's a bracelet. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtOTXvVhyphenhypheneZ4lvEFzbNAo9UKKkfRqyhQqiyRXdKjNCKj77Dz5MrG1z83goye0gYNT-aL8xZrQGVZQ-hDsp1dBCuvfv6PlJAC-46E4OF6EYuio4zA6c3PMysOIlY-R1fTElps1xu7xXSM/s1600/IMG_7232%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtOTXvVhyphenhypheneZ4lvEFzbNAo9UKKkfRqyhQqiyRXdKjNCKj77Dz5MrG1z83goye0gYNT-aL8xZrQGVZQ-hDsp1dBCuvfv6PlJAC-46E4OF6EYuio4zA6c3PMysOIlY-R1fTElps1xu7xXSM/s400/IMG_7232%5B1%5D.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Another sideways one. This was my experiment in making those bright shiny Buddha cases look aged and grungy. I've a couple more of these somewhere so I shall grunge them up too. But my experiment was fun - I used gesso, alcohol inks, embossing powder and my heat gun. My heat gun nearly killed the whole thing because these cases are made of plastic. There's no metal or glass in these at all (although the Buddha's themselves are stone). But the heat-gun made the clear cover go all warpy but in the end didn't do too much damage.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCjSE2Hmvmup7hGbVmn9rxLPy4TZFcL3O-8XMeTUGm0ySSrh6eviYjNBuiCZUj3MBXpAI2HCp2iWbtBnr8m9Vj0WFv3nomhfsHHHJEPxmOIkicK2tv3ahBLzxr2LsBtTU4lKtXhDbnqI/s1600/IMG_7236%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCjSE2Hmvmup7hGbVmn9rxLPy4TZFcL3O-8XMeTUGm0ySSrh6eviYjNBuiCZUj3MBXpAI2HCp2iWbtBnr8m9Vj0WFv3nomhfsHHHJEPxmOIkicK2tv3ahBLzxr2LsBtTU4lKtXhDbnqI/s400/IMG_7236%5B1%5D.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Then because I was playing with embossing powder I decided to try and add some silver dots to the pods - I love when bead artists do this with real silver on glass beads. I think my technique needs some refinement (as in, not doing it when I'm cooking tea for the kids) but I'm liking this a lot. In fact I've realised that all I need is to keep hold of a felt-tip pen that's lost its juice and I can use that to dab the ink or the PVA glue on.</div>
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In the meantime the postman came and delivered these babies! Wowsers. These are a lot bigger than I thought they'd be, even from the description that was given. Excellent. And yes, they are that purple, greenish. goldish colour again. I've decided to stop trying to get away from it and just go over-board with the purple green gold thing. Once I get it out of my system I might be able to do other colours. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2z0gkiQ8_wTunowLVHKgd3nJpaQ8r545eXbglLmKiAvY4Sv_RQOIMup_G8l0siJUWFKTw7rotuIJCDL_5rntWQhYgYBxL5o0S86WasI7gXiX4u71dF-fWxXtxu7bAeX-Y14l_neqlf8/s1600/IMG_7226%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2z0gkiQ8_wTunowLVHKgd3nJpaQ8r545eXbglLmKiAvY4Sv_RQOIMup_G8l0siJUWFKTw7rotuIJCDL_5rntWQhYgYBxL5o0S86WasI7gXiX4u71dF-fWxXtxu7bAeX-Y14l_neqlf8/s400/IMG_7226%5B1%5D.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Funnily enough my current costume commission has been from someone who wants a fusion belly dance costume in, you guessed it, purple and green. She might find herself with some crystals on it.</div>
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So all I've got to do now is settle in and get some jewellery made.</div>
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And to finish? In amongst all of this my 4-year-old geek son wanted me to find the teeny tiny sonic screw-driver for his teeny tiny Dr Who and friend. I'm sure you can imagine how easy it is to lose them? Anyhow, what can I do? I dug a lolly stick (the rolled paper kind) out of the drawer (I keep them at the moment because you can make light-sabers for teeny tiny Star Wars figures....) and using the kids felt pens made a new sonic for the 11th Dr. My son did a 10th Dr version for the 11th Dr's friend.</div>
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Men at work. Best not get in the way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-87795398379807361112013-08-13T15:39:00.000-07:002013-08-13T15:45:34.368-07:00Mojo? Where are you?Ok, probably my problem is that I am not as creative as I would like to think I am. But this isn't some "poor me" fest, it's a proper, "What am I doing with my life?" questioning period.<br />
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As a belly dance teacher and performer I am questioning everything at the moment. I have a niche that I should probably run into head-long but as usual I am questioning my ability in this very niche area (I'm mainly rubbish at self-promotion) but I'm beginning to understand that it IS something I should do and be more proactive about.<br />
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Other creative areas in my life are making costumes for fusion belly dancers and making eclectic and experimental (for me) jewellery. I'm at a hiatus with both but try and push myself with the jewellery making and keep getting custom work coming in so I have to keep going or my brain will explode (and so will my house as there's no room to keep everything).<br />
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In a bizarre head-rush of fusion this week there were two posts from belly dance <a href="http://www.facebook.com/medina.maitreya/about" target="_blank">costume</a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/kathleen.crowley?fref=ts" target="_blank">design</a> crushes of mine about, 1) copying styles and how crap that is and, 2) offering tutorials which free you up, give you licence to use what you've learned to make things you can sell as your own and how that might influence your own path.<br />
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When discussions of this type start I am always brought back to a blog post by someone who influences a great many jewellery makers, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/15032434965998552318" target="_blank">Marina Rios</a>, aka <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/fancifuldevices" target="_blank">Fanciful Devices</a>.<br />
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More recently this worldwide discussion relates to me buying a tutorial about <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/transaction/142868056?ref=fb2_tnx_title" target="_blank">making polymer clay pieces and focals</a>. A great many jewellery designers and makers seem to have come across this tutorial and have sucked in every iota of information that was expressed, and i'm sure that they were as greatful as I was to have it all so clearly explained. <br />
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Today there was a post on FB in a group I'm in (Tribal Fusion Bellydance UK) about cultural appropriation and the discussion that followed was about how we all felt about throwing things into the mix. Should we use markers from other cultures that we love because they look beautiful to our eyes or should we only build in a personal story about how we cannot add these because it is inappropriate, even to people who will now gift us or sell us those markers? (Saris and bindis being the bigger players in these stories). This is a difficult subject to approach because amongst other trades the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk_Road" target="_blank">Silk Route</a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spice_trade" target="_blank">Spice Trade</a> both brought benefits to the cultures they came from, and to the cultures they arrived at. In the same theme should assemblage jewellery makers use religious medals, crosses and sacred beads in their work? If a jewellery designer understands the cultural mix that is implicated by using elements from a different culture and yet <b>comes</b> from a country and was brought up in a culture that uses images and symbols that are both important and common but that they have decided not to assign a meaning, does this make their work <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art" target="_blank">art</a> or the bastardisation of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entitlement" target="_blank">entitlement</a>?<br />
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Within this mix I always come back to the most <a href="http://fancifuldevices.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/art-theft-manifesto.html" target="_blank">influential blog post</a> by the inspired jewellery maker Marina Rios/Fanciful Devices who thoroughly encourages people to copy her as she understands that it is by copying and <b>then</b> by experimenting after copying that one finds ones own space. She understands, and knows from sales, that her skill is never really hit by anyone who tries to copy her outright.<br />
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Should we copy someone we admire? Should we, can we copy from a person or a culture that we admire and aspire to emulate? Does it inspire us or constrain us?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-47796225133439968022013-08-09T15:55:00.000-07:002013-08-09T15:55:09.862-07:00Been away too long......and I have nothing to show you. <br />
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I'm not sure that I'll ever have anything to show ever again but I'm going to try. It's hard not to get caught up in the day-to-day stuff of life, particularly with small children who still need me to be around, but each day I get a little more time. Sadly I seem to be getting lazier. The summer we've been having so far has been pretty awesome, so I can't blame drizzle and grey skies for my feelings of sadness and my lack of mojo.<br />
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No pressure. Let's see what happens<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-32511948516814229782013-06-17T07:08:00.000-07:002013-06-17T10:16:53.393-07:00Mojo RisingYay! Remember that job interview I went for? I was offered the post so am a very happy bunny indeed. It ticks the boxes for me in all sorts of ways, not least in that it's a term-time job (so no mega-expensive holiday child-care to pay out for) and part-time so that if my hours do run over school-pick up time the kids can go to the after-school club across the road a couple of afternoons a week, and I can still do my self-employed dance teaching and creative making.<br />
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The other thing it has done for me is it's unleashed a corner of creativity again. Once I'm working for someone else later this summer (references pending!) I won't have to rely on the creativity money so much, and so my god-awful selling skills won't be tested to their outer limits on a daily basis. If it sells it sells and if it doesn't...well....that's a consideration for another time. <br />
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Quite often when making something I err on the side of affordability for the potential customer, but this often translates to something mundane to my eye. After all, the higher the cost of the components the higher the overall cost of the item. Not that a lot of my components are in and of themselves expensive (well, some are but I try and collect things as economically as possible) but once you start stacking them up it's surprising how much you can rack up onto one costume piece. However, this particular mind-constraint left me at the weekend. this was going to be opulent and to hell with the cost.<br />
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Saturday should have seen me at a craft fair but on waking up at 6.30am on Saturday the very last thing I felt like doing was going to a craft fair where no-one was going to buy anything from me. Occasionally I've made back my stall fee, sometimes made back my stall fee and my travel costs, and on other occasions done rather better than that but I was conscious that more more conservative items had all recently sold and that it was unlikely that I would do more than chat all day and interestingly I didn't feel like chatting, I felt like doing. I got as far as making my packed lunch for the day before finally deciding that sometimes I'm allowed to change my mind.<br />
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Feeling somewhat guilty I contacted the fair organiser and explained my absence (and apologised but to be fair she had had my stall fee in advance) and then decided to pull out all of my fabrics and jewellery and bits and bobs and see what could be divvied up into things to keep and things to sell online or at the belly dance events I'll still be attending as a vendor, as I generally do well when I'm with the sparkly people.<br />
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But it didn't work out that way......after finding a section of gold net with beautiful ornate embroidered bullion work and sequins......not a large piece, only around 25cm by 20cm at it's widest point.....I pondered what to do with it. The realisation was that I should put my big girl pants on and cut it up if it was going to get any use at all as I wanted to turn it into a tribal fusion belly dance belt.<br />
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I'll spare you the blow by blow account of what and why and cut to the pics...... (p.s. if you <b>want</b> the blow by blow then chuck me a message and I'll explain it to you).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckXig5KPci-YB9zevDqhx3rwtpu3rR2gtZbN1IlN-CmEj-IYM8wxeZHeM79pB5dncDqvyNkoC3bCRyVtK-wTUDo0eAeBzgjwJqukQto9Kmn5rsiySuZwYFkKz1oh_BKbKxWXScnJlw04/s1600/IMG_7123%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tribal fusion belly dance belt" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckXig5KPci-YB9zevDqhx3rwtpu3rR2gtZbN1IlN-CmEj-IYM8wxeZHeM79pB5dncDqvyNkoC3bCRyVtK-wTUDo0eAeBzgjwJqukQto9Kmn5rsiySuZwYFkKz1oh_BKbKxWXScnJlw04/s400/IMG_7123%5B1%5D.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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So, here's where it was at after about 6 hours of sewing. But it just didn't feel right.....it needed some extra va va voom........</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLopqa9n6_fufgGiLCuzcgdm-wtJGnO5gJPawJXGCB2uNI2TBk6bwPkDKc9CfvM4Xekjt_KwsWBjBYHDYw3nVQRP2WZdqR5xPSDE2KsnlrctuiLyAgA3LTA13CDBEV9qcuWM8E2XcNXQ/s1600/IMG_7127%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tribal fusion belly dance belt" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLopqa9n6_fufgGiLCuzcgdm-wtJGnO5gJPawJXGCB2uNI2TBk6bwPkDKc9CfvM4Xekjt_KwsWBjBYHDYw3nVQRP2WZdqR5xPSDE2KsnlrctuiLyAgA3LTA13CDBEV9qcuWM8E2XcNXQ/s400/IMG_7127%5B1%5D.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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Tassels were made from some cute bead caps I had made by cutting up a big old metal bead with my super strong craft scissors (love them so much, they cut through thinnish sheet metal like a dream) and using some Egyptian bead fringe from the stash made some tassels. To make sure the tassels were secure I used tiger-tail rather than thread and sewed it up through the tassel, through the bead cap, up through the beads, into the fabric and inner layer of the belt and then back down again before crimping it securely in place.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLG0vDGX0zysZjt5hz-DRwzGmz16-cC1j1bPqBVVzm7yhCHhfCVPsk84vdUM7xwytVkF4SFgz_Ybdk5jaARKsWawgRjq_w-U1-QGP_Hq9veqaZ-4lZSXVqBNaDDqtQ6FGZf2wFwBL5NY/s1600/IMG_7121%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tribal fusion belly dance belt" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLG0vDGX0zysZjt5hz-DRwzGmz16-cC1j1bPqBVVzm7yhCHhfCVPsk84vdUM7xwytVkF4SFgz_Ybdk5jaARKsWawgRjq_w-U1-QGP_Hq9veqaZ-4lZSXVqBNaDDqtQ6FGZf2wFwBL5NY/s400/IMG_7121%5B1%5D.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's a close up of the bullion and embroidery work. Although it's a scary thing to cut through (omigod will it all fall apart!?) previous experience told me a few beads will shed from this stuff but it is so resilient it can withstand it and it was all firmly sewed into place on the brocade backing before adding the extra embellishments.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctZLiwzS5uwaImaYbUquHvbL4wFWwFfJp43y6QJBKLCTj-hJqGvSjFV0E5yicGsjnGwUZA1h9H94u6Ynj2-DMZLTo6xTfd1zOGjFOgJnkFuzolD-kfIYMYAKbgdkI13taaKZKhAL-xTA/s1600/IMG_7128%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tribal fusion belly dance belt" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctZLiwzS5uwaImaYbUquHvbL4wFWwFfJp43y6QJBKLCTj-hJqGvSjFV0E5yicGsjnGwUZA1h9H94u6Ynj2-DMZLTo6xTfd1zOGjFOgJnkFuzolD-kfIYMYAKbgdkI13taaKZKhAL-xTA/s400/IMG_7128%5B1%5D.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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Once upon a time I would have used just one element across the top or bottom section but these days it's so much more satisfying to play around a bit and for this one used combinations of old Turkoman buttons, new metal stampings, shells, chandelier beads, and use some silver ric-rac to thread the Turkoman buttons and tribal coins onto......in fact this is still very symmetrical so the next challenge is to do take inspiration from my <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/123686876/tribal-belly-dance-tribal-fusion-belly?ref=shop_home_active" target="_blank">opulent headdresses</a> and make them "balanced" but not symmetrical. After pulling out my stash of vintage brooches I found two big golden star/flower shaped ones and popped those on for some extra impact.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJBCxQg07OSE27UbIaax-09l9l2M41IPMOVz1nmrKwR4Hk-X4H4x8MC6UQ4ySKkHI6w7y5GeqjgJzwh1Y9eeYL0qKkutifI95gypToRPaOM7ruQc6uocBckeq_0FvbYVOl9IBoJv8MZU/s1600/IMG_7129%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tribal fusion belly dance belt" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJBCxQg07OSE27UbIaax-09l9l2M41IPMOVz1nmrKwR4Hk-X4H4x8MC6UQ4ySKkHI6w7y5GeqjgJzwh1Y9eeYL0qKkutifI95gypToRPaOM7ruQc6uocBckeq_0FvbYVOl9IBoJv8MZU/s640/IMG_7129%5B1%5D.JPG" title="" width="480" /></a></div>
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This pic makes me feel slightly woozy but only because blogger won't let me turn it around...... those chandelier beads? All vintage..... in fact quite a lot of the components are vintage and have been waiting to be used on something as opulent and decadent as this. Looking at where the net is sewn to the base I think it may need some more love, a scattering of vintage rhinestones might stop me from wincing when looking at it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwUdSRqZHZZABXDnKVju1tK_wR8d6s-vVQqP7s1epxjohU5_bxfhHA6rNp-SFK0lv5qVWO05uZ6QGaRHwRnnJELkGaRBOOq05F4-C8ZRB3_wpyKqpaFRMoKxFJ_YT4WTzszF0joWBLrlA/s1600/IMG_7119%5B2%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tribal fusion belly dance belt" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwUdSRqZHZZABXDnKVju1tK_wR8d6s-vVQqP7s1epxjohU5_bxfhHA6rNp-SFK0lv5qVWO05uZ6QGaRHwRnnJELkGaRBOOq05F4-C8ZRB3_wpyKqpaFRMoKxFJ_YT4WTzszF0joWBLrlA/s400/IMG_7119%5B2%5D.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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See that big sparkly thing by the ring at the end? That's a button! There's another at the other end too. They are hugely heavy and I can't begin to imagine what they were on originally - maybe a coat?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosK9P5M75B_WuITTGgz5blZJowV6JieqEFRqNuKYznbBYMHBLE5_aL1B9uRw2drwbX72vsOpYSqWKFexyp0Cic7Frt__YIVZRAuq7qvAEmzY9l0pFF2RRB_kW24USEVhy7buqcj3r4eI/s1600/IMG_7130%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosK9P5M75B_WuITTGgz5blZJowV6JieqEFRqNuKYznbBYMHBLE5_aL1B9uRw2drwbX72vsOpYSqWKFexyp0Cic7Frt__YIVZRAuq7qvAEmzY9l0pFF2RRB_kW24USEVhy7buqcj3r4eI/s400/IMG_7130%255B1%255D.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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These clear acrylic buttons are also vintage.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jEU6stF4ontcGyaxEAMkxFe7mzc5l_g0itOkefbOX2vq1ejcFwsOOGkpRd2uX16Eku_LJPlR0vKLpU502YwmegXI5ngRuGX-Mons-2O-5CHUVpuaikeKzhX5-ecwzJ7fd9AK2lYECnk/s1600/IMG_7126%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tribal fusion belly dance belt" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jEU6stF4ontcGyaxEAMkxFe7mzc5l_g0itOkefbOX2vq1ejcFwsOOGkpRd2uX16Eku_LJPlR0vKLpU502YwmegXI5ngRuGX-Mons-2O-5CHUVpuaikeKzhX5-ecwzJ7fd9AK2lYECnk/s400/IMG_7126%5B1%5D.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's the whole shebang but obviously you can't see the detail....hence the picture fest.....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoyMGRlX7tUWQdpu55kls1sPZuVY_9_58BvOxDvtPaYiiHdxoLvbQK9LCsulhP76gjQGT8R6pxyzgHEcIBXVwTND5KNO_vodONIKbagYb2fDAR6NEYckcscizusAv80ThVNQM9rrKvqA/s1600/IMG_7131%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tribal fusion belly dance belt" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoyMGRlX7tUWQdpu55kls1sPZuVY_9_58BvOxDvtPaYiiHdxoLvbQK9LCsulhP76gjQGT8R6pxyzgHEcIBXVwTND5KNO_vodONIKbagYb2fDAR6NEYckcscizusAv80ThVNQM9rrKvqA/s400/IMG_7131%5B1%5D.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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And here's another close up of the gorgeous embroidery work - at the top there is a bracelet bought at least 5 years ago that's been waiting to be used - I can date it because I remember being pregnant with my youngest and he's just coming up for 5 years old. The glue on the bracelet gave the big stones a yellowish hue, which annoyed me initially but being a magpie couldn't get rid of it and it turned out to be perfect for this gold and silver combination. In the end there was about 8 hours work on this and there may well be a few more tweaks till happiness sets in completely.<br />
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Now what's needed is to do is use up the rest of the net and the bullion/embroidery work. There's an edge section left that will make a great edge on a bra, plus there's enough gold net to cover a bra too as the groundwork for more embellishment. And there should be just enough bits and bobs of embroidery left to make a headdress that "matches" although I don't really enjoy making matchy matching things.....<br />
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Also tucked away in my stash is some even more amazing bullion work on a red fabric so you should look out for a red and gold version of this, there's a black shalwar kameez that has black and silver leaf and stem embroidery that will make cool set, and work is ongoing on a blue chiffon base/gold and pink embroidery costume that's properly for myself. Properly because if these babies don't sell then they're all mine aren't they?<br />
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It's not up for sale in the shop yet but I'm willing to sell this beauty for £120 - she measures about 3" deep and is 40" long from D-ring to D-rind and can be tied in place with a scarf or other fabric. Feel free to message me if you're interested. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-82648879015179692012013-05-31T15:11:00.001-07:002013-05-31T15:11:41.745-07:00Ch ch ch changes......?It's been more than a month since I made my last, slightly depressed, blog post so I thought I ought to do a quick catch up.<br />
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I've been making some necklaces recently...... one of them sold within minutes of me putting the pics up on Facebook and another one sold the next day at an event I was at so yay!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnU_oonByLph6ZkszWqg4DePla0_Ys3U70yd2TQbhfXQ-NRdPUkqgWCtxLC8ugyMprvSgDrJfe9LakpP4_fgIe4peL_2uAkjw_miuZpGNTP1ZZjbrwlUXIQHP6-S4bsnEpU6rmzNJ8M4/s1600/IMG_6980%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnU_oonByLph6ZkszWqg4DePla0_Ys3U70yd2TQbhfXQ-NRdPUkqgWCtxLC8ugyMprvSgDrJfe9LakpP4_fgIe4peL_2uAkjw_miuZpGNTP1ZZjbrwlUXIQHP6-S4bsnEpU6rmzNJ8M4/s320/IMG_6980%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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This is one that sold......</div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/151604308/fusion-assemblage-necklace-fuorite?ref=shop_home_active" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirSSvGG5lGf4p4umG47NxItGI2YfyRwuy4qjoa78hNlxRrikiZrs8306DQY6wcEpVF0jiAFOfobGND5L2w27aS21atAR5eZbJYLDN_8FtZV4vuHAFsk_XlfIYHyUi2LH31GHxgN5TMqZk/s320/IMG_6986%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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this is still available.....</div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/151608873/fusion-assemblage-necklace-fluorite?ref=shop_home_active" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZLu5cqm9XoOE6P2bV5BhNieqEAxqjDlkecuyXczAaAoQE44XPm0ELxLcTh4qmTHE73n-WUDabzkxIii-0_yAaHnkAW60nUPdvjBFfu5_4GIu2XkdhGYDxOPFgGbh4_g6GMCUD3wpkqg/s320/IMG_6974.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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so is this one......</div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/151608061/vintage-wedding-20s-style-headdress-deco?ref=shop_home_active" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQDU2ZCy7BrYbtROpum8qKx-vzVoo09jk6oRkpq_apltG_R3gtKY_ZpyBQG_DNcNLP_W4fMzinzMZQLgCpK-B8c6XCkqqIsUORWclsOjH8zTpnAkFouZMrEJE6w5v_P-HOl0UKyeMYhU/s320/IMG_6998.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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and so is this headdress......</div>
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I have more headdresses to make and I've made two more necklaces tonight but I can't get pics cos my camera battery is dead - I'm such a numpty. </div>
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But my biggest news is about a real life job. Now. I know. You're scratching your head and wondering why on earth I might be seeking out a real life job when I could just carry on being a starving artist. Guess what? I hate being a starving artist, I have me and two kids to look after and some weeks it's just too stressful.</div>
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So I need a real life job. I'll not bore you with the ins and outs of life as a single parent (trust me, I never ever imagined I would be a parent let alone a single parent at age 46) but my life would be made a little easier if I could find a part-time job that I could do alongside my part-time self employed hours. </div>
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This week I had an interview for a job that I'm pretty sure I could do well. Fingers crossed eh? </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-65566810641139665362013-04-07T15:11:00.000-07:002013-04-07T15:11:35.156-07:00Quiet Times.....Since my last post I've been reflecting, feeling anxious and hugely uncreative. Not good eh? Hmm, no, not good at all....<br />
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I'm struggling and feel as though I'm swimming against the tide - my swimming strength is not good and I feel unable to go further out to a distant shore, nor to swim back to safety and so my strength is sapped and my resolve is weakening.<br />
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My desire is for my love of creating and dancing to be able to go back to being pastimes, not my bread and butter. It's time to accept that although my creative work is admired by those who are demonstrative about such things not enough people love it enough to buy it. My marketing skills are nil - and to be honest I'd rather not force anyone to buy anything, they should buy because they can't live without it.<br />
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It used to be that my pastimes and experiments could be sold here and there and I'd be happy with that as it offered me a little extra, a way to buy new supplies and play around with new techniques. For the last two years I've needed the money to be able to buy food, pay bills and it's barely happening. Two years ago I moved out of the home I had shared with my (now ex) partner, the father of our two children and with whom I had shared 10 years of my life. During that time the children were born and because we were able to we decided together that I would be a full-time mother and he would work and bring home the money. I was happy with this decision and was able to do a little work here and there, never expecting that giving up my place in the larger workforce would be the desperate issue that it is now. Despite what you may read in the media, very few single parents ever planned to become one.<br />
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So now I'm treading water - not selling enough of my work to make it viable, too dependent upon the benefits system to live without it at the moment, so far unable to gain other employment (but still trying), battling inner demons that keep me awake at night and most devastatingly beginning to accept that what I do is not admired enough to make it worth carrying on. <br />
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Filled with sadness I have to keep swimming but my arms are tired and I don't know where to swim to.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-53162007179681716362013-02-09T03:38:00.000-08:002013-02-10T05:53:47.604-08:00Tribal Fusion Belly DanceFor some reason I had gone off the boil when it came to making tribal fusion belly dance costumes in the last couple of years. Actually, I think a bunch of stuff had happened, not least that I moved home due to relationship breakdown and I've had to shift my ideas about a lot of things in my life.<br />
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Anyhow....after making a conscious decision in the last month to re-embrace the whole sphere of creating costumes for dancers I re-vamped my <a href="http://www.blackwillowtribal.co.uk/headdresses.html" target="_blank">Blackwillow Tribal</a> website and I'n currently re-assessing my supplies and then this week this happened:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgxtiEb8a0V7HZzq9bUMMQEYtPOoh1ibUdK4EqJqoFCyjNF6_gH0Tg_GiPV1Kf66wSmEs1X7unyhjLjy2Nllv9OEmBqKBjlesTha4AqDDyYWrRzE1KcX-UamuSNa4rH_yBhmdyRwRUwQ/s1600/tribal+fusion+headdress2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgxtiEb8a0V7HZzq9bUMMQEYtPOoh1ibUdK4EqJqoFCyjNF6_gH0Tg_GiPV1Kf66wSmEs1X7unyhjLjy2Nllv9OEmBqKBjlesTha4AqDDyYWrRzE1KcX-UamuSNa4rH_yBhmdyRwRUwQ/s640/tribal+fusion+headdress2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's the most opulent headdress I've made yet, dripping with beads and metal and feathers. I'm definitely going to be making more of these and once I get another stash of coins and stuff I shall make an accompanying costume.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlzwJh6NMlmAH8pv4ekzoIPd0Cj75j1XlDzzWrQHJ2rc57cWikYmJmil6kcMCrB5J9TqnurlyN1QXL6T4_B_L9Bg11R19t21s2nWUNRxHaiUSG7cpBEKU91r9sjJrmIJUKgVZOftF5MaY/s1600/tribal+fusion+headdress3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlzwJh6NMlmAH8pv4ekzoIPd0Cj75j1XlDzzWrQHJ2rc57cWikYmJmil6kcMCrB5J9TqnurlyN1QXL6T4_B_L9Bg11R19t21s2nWUNRxHaiUSG7cpBEKU91r9sjJrmIJUKgVZOftF5MaY/s640/tribal+fusion+headdress3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The other things that happened this week was that I got myself a new patroness - I had a long email conversation with her this week and she wants to send me some of her stash of goodies so that I can play with them for her and make lots of new things. She's already bought some jewelry from the shop and she want MOAR! I love it when a customer sees jewellery as art.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWS6_x3Ey4pP7n4uoANBc6VawrXzosfLGtZlIh99jB91m-p8bGnfF88RCALGHyDMrQ3R6XnJdIVAlP0F_3NCwGwUTAbCKF2e704vS_sJ0RiFht2Xg0T9SpKhd3CWlRvHA_h9SxU2qX00/s1600/tribal+fusion+headdress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWS6_x3Ey4pP7n4uoANBc6VawrXzosfLGtZlIh99jB91m-p8bGnfF88RCALGHyDMrQ3R6XnJdIVAlP0F_3NCwGwUTAbCKF2e704vS_sJ0RiFht2Xg0T9SpKhd3CWlRvHA_h9SxU2qX00/s640/tribal+fusion+headdress.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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There's also a new costume waiting to be discussed with the awesome <a href="http://www.facebook.com/lily.devla?fref=ts" target="_blank">Lily Devla</a>, a most passionate and engaging woman and dancer. I'm looking forward to getting together with her again for that project.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3e51tUSCYhSXSuhh80nPd3OSlbucRKa9TtKRpD7OydMKsv9Zdh_sGEipj_7qlF54bUh0T_LJtk3AUXTUTBW6c7fKp0GvPg6YI_0ohbxkW_T6ea29By2FpYuAoAagz6aZby_MTBRHxH1k/s1600/tribal+fusion+headdress4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3e51tUSCYhSXSuhh80nPd3OSlbucRKa9TtKRpD7OydMKsv9Zdh_sGEipj_7qlF54bUh0T_LJtk3AUXTUTBW6c7fKp0GvPg6YI_0ohbxkW_T6ea29By2FpYuAoAagz6aZby_MTBRHxH1k/s640/tribal+fusion+headdress4.jpg" width="450" /></a></div>
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And so now the weekend, I hope, is given over to the opulence of romanticised 20's style headdresses. Given that the weather is less than inspiring outside I might as well cosy up and get making.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0xJW2sBhucOTdwcurLVZeooqLl6CD3v30JTXz2JFlKjYe7i-7Gw3Rvoo2YooaganRvWgXRYpv04C_ARQ_mU2S14L37OXJe21SFQbOLwVrCjXMFozZ4TwfC7d86qbWWWJcKBh-588dyA/s1600/tribal+fusion+headdress5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0xJW2sBhucOTdwcurLVZeooqLl6CD3v30JTXz2JFlKjYe7i-7Gw3Rvoo2YooaganRvWgXRYpv04C_ARQ_mU2S14L37OXJe21SFQbOLwVrCjXMFozZ4TwfC7d86qbWWWJcKBh-588dyA/s640/tribal+fusion+headdress5.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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And I have had a music epiphany - after struggling for months to find music I like to listen to and could imaging myself dancing to I am smack bang in the middle of a gorgeous <a href="https://soundcloud.com/jef-stott-embarka" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a>, currently listening to Jeff Stott.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-34813791520543376682013-01-21T06:11:00.000-08:002013-01-24T02:51:40.097-08:00Jewellery Display IdeasThis morning has seen me coming up with some new ways to use some of the items I already have and make them even more useful in terms of displaying my handmade jewellery. I've set myself a task this year and have booked myself into a craft fair each month for the rest of the year. So I wanted to make sure that I could get everything set up as quickly as possible and have it look good too without having to spend any extra money.<br />
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First of all I took out my print tray and considered screwing in some little eyes so that I could hang earrings but then I had an idea......why not use some of my card-stock and make cards that could slot into the sections. Each card has two holes and then the earrings (and a few other things) are hung on the cards. Customers can then take out the card and even buy the earrings with them still attached to the card should they wish to.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvX5RaG__R2s6XaOpHspzLqhKEeZUFu_KPBUtpK4C-VTvrt3mM263MkYZGIURVS84h-xChXhX5x4iVO3SSpeE49dX9ZaLIHicHjLRNIRXYUjD1Aoyb0ua7MnLoGq5nVaZoJkzk2m-S_I0/s1600/jewellery-display-idea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="jewellery display case" border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvX5RaG__R2s6XaOpHspzLqhKEeZUFu_KPBUtpK4C-VTvrt3mM263MkYZGIURVS84h-xChXhX5x4iVO3SSpeE49dX9ZaLIHicHjLRNIRXYUjD1Aoyb0ua7MnLoGq5nVaZoJkzk2m-S_I0/s400/jewellery-display-idea.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnVa79gUN2pnqth2EAr5HPVr3BYqokC9VVUeYvSZu7HZfAs4O-5zZqprR7POEwVjkWWbiVIMKnd-GHKzaRWj6WrllMjW693NivxnazKqQWXei4Xff6PnDFLA3ApN5hgyf4u2M45ZfZubw/s1600/print-tray-jewellery-displa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="handmade earrings" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnVa79gUN2pnqth2EAr5HPVr3BYqokC9VVUeYvSZu7HZfAs4O-5zZqprR7POEwVjkWWbiVIMKnd-GHKzaRWj6WrllMjW693NivxnazKqQWXei4Xff6PnDFLA3ApN5hgyf4u2M45ZfZubw/s400/print-tray-jewellery-displa.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a></div>
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Positioning is important and I need to play around with where things are but overall I'm happy with this - and the tray fits on my easel so I can have it standing on the table or lie it down flat and the cards make sure that the jewellery gets seen. I've also added a little price sticker onto the top right corner of every card so the earrings are not marred by having a price label directly on them.</div>
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Here's the tray propped up against my dolly/body:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhtCX1_Wo9oFrRUpkMrwJ5Amo4X9NIleUe24kRzTS4d5Sae7LJ5nrEgNnvCLwYLxWOqmW5e934CWls3oXqPY955aFSWUBRdHzGdyu44c9tyJP5gRQi7tvKpcvbggF-NifYjsgL97bfsQ/s1600/jewellery-display-ideas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhtCX1_Wo9oFrRUpkMrwJ5Amo4X9NIleUe24kRzTS4d5Sae7LJ5nrEgNnvCLwYLxWOqmW5e934CWls3oXqPY955aFSWUBRdHzGdyu44c9tyJP5gRQi7tvKpcvbggF-NifYjsgL97bfsQ/s640/jewellery-display-ideas.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Next up was a way to display and house all of my handmade bracelets. I have a cute little case and again was going to screw in some hooks but that idea was thwarted by my inability to actually screw the things in once I had drilled a little hole. How pathetic. Never mind, necessity being the mother of invention I remembered I had a couple of metal coat-hangers left so I cut one up and using my pliers and the strength I do have, I fashioned a wire hanger that sits on the top edge of the opened case and onto which I have hung some bracelets. The rest of my handmade bangles can sit in the bottom of the case.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKjHEIGO8x65c-koidN2f5bkIf9a_CokGavwHiVTDq9J3ykTyS_PpL82Z54mEssu2Kdek17XXhFmawM42XUz56zicqfKsTu42imiFv-dRhOUVQT_u7Vxhl5a8QFOiSAuYAKsoKtIxp3A/s1600/display-case-outside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKjHEIGO8x65c-koidN2f5bkIf9a_CokGavwHiVTDq9J3ykTyS_PpL82Z54mEssu2Kdek17XXhFmawM42XUz56zicqfKsTu42imiFv-dRhOUVQT_u7Vxhl5a8QFOiSAuYAKsoKtIxp3A/s320/display-case-outside.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMuq2UOpf3aHzzky2V9XYEXVStc7WHuxt7DdcNAIL0ptYPy3LwVV9kPmfq-_B_YlZOFIDhOKzmA95UKxBv-FGu8HcH1gNc2dE9Y4Gp-d_qlQLVa7h_dKpXEVTUG6xZxcgxaPfLSBi7Tw/s1600/jewellery-display-idea-insi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="handmade bracelets and bangles" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMuq2UOpf3aHzzky2V9XYEXVStc7WHuxt7DdcNAIL0ptYPy3LwVV9kPmfq-_B_YlZOFIDhOKzmA95UKxBv-FGu8HcH1gNc2dE9Y4Gp-d_qlQLVa7h_dKpXEVTUG6xZxcgxaPfLSBi7Tw/s400/jewellery-display-idea-insi.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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I used another length of hanger wire to make a similar hanger for a similar sized box that can stand on one end and have a few necklaces draped across it.</div>
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Also in my possession is an ornate tray that has a slight verdigris on it and although I didn't have enough length of wire to make another hanger, I did have enough to fashion some hooks that slide on and then they can have jewellery hung on them inside the tray. The pic doesn't do this set up justice and the beauty of the separate hooks is that I can use them on either the long or the short side of the box making it more versatile.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhIRe16wryagXNtmMeMGThJI22bDr3eqfFpDvWxM7GTiJSZniq0cDiyg5SrM-pPlXhrc0Gg0Y0ppCF9IRZ6zqVtyjskooZIqYDYzbzzpfPZQoMk5vriRIZ6mIYE0Qsf_GsFdkOBCHys4/s1600/jewellery-display-idea2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhIRe16wryagXNtmMeMGThJI22bDr3eqfFpDvWxM7GTiJSZniq0cDiyg5SrM-pPlXhrc0Gg0Y0ppCF9IRZ6zqVtyjskooZIqYDYzbzzpfPZQoMk5vriRIZ6mIYE0Qsf_GsFdkOBCHys4/s400/jewellery-display-idea2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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So now all I have to do when I get to a fair is position these various devices on my table and then artfully arrange my necklaces on the dolly body and some of my vintage and vintage looking frames so that they can be easily seen. Although I will confess that I do love how they look when they are all piled around dolly body's neck:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYGR5xxoGeTK5u1VZYqRInF1u-kqfGGeiTCFoiZn3Mz1iEiPx_t3q6_-a1c3Ajd7hMlJBoUhJT9ejrYeZtgPNMC5ThQ4VRZMUogHsYG0Z40y4tDsIfbJMtAN2NnZ_4AMd7yiLM3r80Qig/s1600/assemblage-jewellery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="assemblage jewellery" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYGR5xxoGeTK5u1VZYqRInF1u-kqfGGeiTCFoiZn3Mz1iEiPx_t3q6_-a1c3Ajd7hMlJBoUhJT9ejrYeZtgPNMC5ThQ4VRZMUogHsYG0Z40y4tDsIfbJMtAN2NnZ_4AMd7yiLM3r80Qig/s400/assemblage-jewellery.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a></div>
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Now that the kitchen is clear I shall make another cup of tea and see what everyone has been up to over at the 100th <a href="http://handmadeharbour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/handmade-monday-100.html" target="_blank">Handmade Monday</a> blog hop.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-42925776538003177662013-01-08T05:11:00.000-08:002013-01-08T05:18:15.272-08:00Happy New YearWow, I'm shocked. Almost a month since I last blogged, how very remiss of me. No matter, as the children are both back at school today I've been able to get myself together and get a couple of things done. Headers mostly....blog header, website headers, Facebook headers and Etsy header have all been re-done. <br />
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I wrestled with Pixlr for a while last night before giving up but this morning sense and creativity returned long enough for me to get them all done and loaded.<br />
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And despite the children being off school I managed to have little play around with an idea that's been floating around in my mind. Tiny books, decorated with hand-dyed silk, lace, vintage beads and this and that and place on a chain to be worn as a necklace.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygbz3Es1Yn6_oGt1zpF7v4KtDZGVtYV-MwWLfNBNwGj9nvcJidvg2zqI0n5udMyxohcUb7Ojb9O9oDTg97gQKW6XMBwHlu7vCteDoEP7OUFGlfUwMG4zRGeEJmmK5qXs4Pz0kccz44wE/s1600/536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygbz3Es1Yn6_oGt1zpF7v4KtDZGVtYV-MwWLfNBNwGj9nvcJidvg2zqI0n5udMyxohcUb7Ojb9O9oDTg97gQKW6XMBwHlu7vCteDoEP7OUFGlfUwMG4zRGeEJmmK5qXs4Pz0kccz44wE/s400/536.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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They have vellum paper inside that I sealed in case the item got worn in the rain, but I'm going to play around with resin coated paper next time I think.....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJp5S7Di-WhoHUeVEnmxfxheQzazczU8mBN7DFa5tz7kpSrg9K85eQEvuFUAEcDwRONcoT9M9jab1gyxi9Yf5T4CE6VTo3WUh_m68ZiBZFVrO4RdKakasuFCcyx6h9aULCoR6_BhS1oq8/s1600/537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJp5S7Di-WhoHUeVEnmxfxheQzazczU8mBN7DFa5tz7kpSrg9K85eQEvuFUAEcDwRONcoT9M9jab1gyxi9Yf5T4CE6VTo3WUh_m68ZiBZFVrO4RdKakasuFCcyx6h9aULCoR6_BhS1oq8/s400/537.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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These books don't open but I'm going to make some that do......<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipj7wFTVNJm1Gh68Gz3xk1bRpJvRqnW3YXZIftmshwS1M_AwVJ5h6iMUol2oTTRoYkjt7OTr935uiHAav3C8dvuSCXYaxDgnCZg088OyRrFsM6VOdipIdi5JwCHDtqIg0rYy5vmWI3A9c/s1600/535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipj7wFTVNJm1Gh68Gz3xk1bRpJvRqnW3YXZIftmshwS1M_AwVJ5h6iMUol2oTTRoYkjt7OTr935uiHAav3C8dvuSCXYaxDgnCZg088OyRrFsM6VOdipIdi5JwCHDtqIg0rYy5vmWI3A9c/s640/535.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdAXcJDZgfVRpp3Oe078IZ1hw_HGRjCiuPRSSr9HjmbtgULSrbUWpcMiRJRx0APjxzMwE-7wUHZl9CCKg_HEu1d_0XBbQUjG5Sxkn2mtlpNzs55oVU0Z9iooHzW7OUX2pPN_dpruJdjE/s1600/538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdAXcJDZgfVRpp3Oe078IZ1hw_HGRjCiuPRSSr9HjmbtgULSrbUWpcMiRJRx0APjxzMwE-7wUHZl9CCKg_HEu1d_0XBbQUjG5Sxkn2mtlpNzs55oVU0Z9iooHzW7OUX2pPN_dpruJdjE/s400/538.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have a couple more to make into necklaces or to use as charms on other assemblage jewelry pieces.....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1yu_heHgUeNEsQ4FvABkSeHHyCy5LM5pVseszRQI5iRKDQ4ce5y5SX4URP1yGPpCUE4sgx_GLRFK2aQMDzierJaSoB3o2lFCSSg7-P7tQGRC9aDT1GIt5RvRyr4TQOtLSD1TT6gNilE/s1600/539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1yu_heHgUeNEsQ4FvABkSeHHyCy5LM5pVseszRQI5iRKDQ4ce5y5SX4URP1yGPpCUE4sgx_GLRFK2aQMDzierJaSoB3o2lFCSSg7-P7tQGRC9aDT1GIt5RvRyr4TQOtLSD1TT6gNilE/s400/539.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVN2yZjzxRGnBWDHHVWqoGx01dmmbutLiwvjVDOikpyv0krWGuNYnVhGfYtjF5cSJAPSg3-liktwy-VPf5xSE795f6_twxlZXqDcJ-qBMNGEkzyn8Zr632OSF_9pUv-OCGvSl8QivYhk/s1600/540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVN2yZjzxRGnBWDHHVWqoGx01dmmbutLiwvjVDOikpyv0krWGuNYnVhGfYtjF5cSJAPSg3-liktwy-VPf5xSE795f6_twxlZXqDcJ-qBMNGEkzyn8Zr632OSF_9pUv-OCGvSl8QivYhk/s640/540.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I'll definitely be making more of these as they're very cute.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-36434643609787158232012-12-14T01:26:00.003-08:002012-12-14T01:26:56.286-08:00Santa's Coming!Not long now is it? It's slightly frightening as I'm not sure I've done everything yet - I certainly haven't put the cards into the post that I need to so that's a job for today and I've a couple of gifts to finish.<br />
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Other than that I'm still messing around with loading up pictures of things I want to sell through my website rather than through Etsy and I managed to get some more photos done this week. I'm glad I grabbed the moment on a sunny afternoon as the remainder of this week has been very dark and dull thanks to the usual British winter skies.<br />
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I've got lots and lots of these Tibetan repousse pendants to add (amongst other things):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofvtQ9j10W_RspedfJf8ZO6TH6SRf4TMPnCK30oEl-10HFoghXw_n57CfmuIAe2vWD4ImZrsA2fueA82K98KBahHu4R8Xgh0NrqAQPiOJj-4rJNkZPzg4Os3zhKQ1U6NIO2-vKoZ4Qbg/s1600/repousse-beads7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofvtQ9j10W_RspedfJf8ZO6TH6SRf4TMPnCK30oEl-10HFoghXw_n57CfmuIAe2vWD4ImZrsA2fueA82K98KBahHu4R8Xgh0NrqAQPiOJj-4rJNkZPzg4Os3zhKQ1U6NIO2-vKoZ4Qbg/s320/repousse-beads7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I've either been brave or foolish but I've got provisional bookings at some local craft fairs in 2013, with the first one in just over a months time - hopefully this will spur me into actually making something with my huge stock of stuff that I've been amassing/have collected and as it's be January I'm going to start making some slightly Spring like things....</div>
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And I'll let you know if this goes ahead but I recently applied to be a tester/writer for a craft blog - they've accepted me and I'm now just double checking that they realise that I'm in the UK as they'll need to send me things to use and review...</div>
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Just to finish up, on the dance front I have a little break now so need to set my thinking cap on about what I shall be offering my belly dance students in 2013.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-46740729858697281822012-12-02T13:49:00.000-08:002012-12-03T03:17:40.684-08:00Supplies and StuffSo here and there I have bags and boxes and tins and bowls that have stuff in them. Lots of stuff. Getting around to digging it all out becomes over-whelming sometimes but I am determined to do it. I might as well sell some of it instead of having it all hanging around taking up my head-space (and bits of house-space) because I find I feel swamped. Not having a dedicated work-room is a definite difficulty at times but as the weather has taken a very cold turn I'm glad I'm not ferreted away up in the attic, freezing my bits off.<br />
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I have some cool frames that I've been wanting to use to...well, frame my makes and my supplies in the increasingly (I hope) interesting shots I've been playing with. On Friday I was motivated enough to have a little play with the camera, even though the light wasn't brilliant. In the end I got the best overall colour by taking pics by the window but with the curtain almost closed. It filtered the harsh winter light brilliantly and I got some almost warm looking shots that won't need a huge amount of tweaking.<br />
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Teeny antique keys</div>
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The Art Deco buckle necklace - I want to retake pics of all of the assemblage items I currently have in the shop because their current coldness when I look at them makes me wince....</div>
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Buddha amulet - I have a few of these and I shall play with a couple and will sell the others. These are a kind of two-in-one item to my mind - liberate the Buddha and use him in one piece and then use the box frame for a second item.....</div>
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Elytra beetle wings - I love these things, they have such an awesome blue green sheen and to start with I struggled to capture the intensity of them. The light is so harsh in this house sometimes that it's hard to capture colours so I played around with closing the curtain and shazaam!</div>
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This one's a little cool so I shall I have to tweak this one before I post the listing. But I have heaps of these sew-on stones and they're glass so they're really substantial. I need to try and take some better shots of these because the light that bounces off of them is awesome and this pics is a little meh.....</div>
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Another shot of the keys but this time it's to showcase the beautiful Zeigfried Follies girl in the photo. She's fabulous - I think I want to be her.</div>
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And a pouch necklace shot - as I say, I want to re-shoot all my assemblage jewellery pieces and luckily, with the shop being not as full as it could be this is a good time to do it. I love the pieces I have and really want them to look their sumptuous best.</div>
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I've got lots more shots to sort out, a little warming up here and there, file sizes to decrease etc and then lots and lots more product to take pictures of and I'm going to aim to get it ll done before Christmas. Hah, wish me luck!</div>
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But before I get started with that I'm going to sit down with a brew and have me a mooch around the <a href="http://handmadeharbour.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/handmade-monday-95.html" target="_blank">Handmade Monday</a> blog.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-5979488178595678372012-11-14T05:09:00.000-08:002012-11-14T08:20:01.682-08:00The Age Old DifficultyFirst up, I can't believe it's been almost a month since I last blogged - very remiss of me. In fairness though I've been busy with life and the children and have been teaching an extra class a week for the last three weeks now and that does have a surprising impact. Or maybe I'm just a wuss.<br />
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Having been at a couple of craft fairs in the last few weeks and with one more to go before I'm done in the run-up to Christmas my thoughts have turned to the age old difficulty of pricing, or at least getting pricing right.<br />
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It can be hard work to make sure that something is fairly priced and that it stays within the parameters of what the market will bear so let's have a think about this for a moment.<br />
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On many a hand-made or craft forum I see posts on a weekly basis from people who have a hobby or craft they love and they have been encouraged by their own talents or by those around them to sell their items. The most frequent question they ask is, "How should I price my items?"<br />
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There are many formulas to help with this but they invariably turn out to be wrong for those who are using them and the reason for this is that formulas don't take into account the amount of time you spend on marketing what you do, and engaging with prospective buyers via social media or other online avenues if online sales are your main source of income. All of this time should be taken into account and formulas can't do that - well they can, but you'll find that the item you are making that you were happy to sell for £5.00 has suddenly gone up to £500. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTEmiBpUgAfe-JIBPCpSm7n0jACv1jWXiNf0FBM2FA5i6j38ysnaHbAylJSBtilEzK0VbwBzNW4273tZY-5rckjj549QAtawDZhTphl780Vnu13LDlvLmmeWe3IRbX2Q_CPudWZiiLjY/s1600/tribal+gypsy+jewelry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTEmiBpUgAfe-JIBPCpSm7n0jACv1jWXiNf0FBM2FA5i6j38ysnaHbAylJSBtilEzK0VbwBzNW4273tZY-5rckjj549QAtawDZhTphl780Vnu13LDlvLmmeWe3IRbX2Q_CPudWZiiLjY/s320/tribal+gypsy+jewelry.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In all honesty, formulas can help you get a better idea of what you <b>should</b> be charging and then the thing to do is to use the search engine of your choice to find out what <b>other</b> people charge for items just like the one you make ("what the market will bear"). It's likely that you'll need to make an adjustment and it's even more likely that initially your adjustment would be to decrease your asking price. Don't be tempted to do so, always err on the upside particularly if there are others selling similar items for more than your increased price. You might not sell so many but you'll get more profit via fewer sales. And people who appreciate hand-made are willing to pay a little more for a well-made item so don't be shy.<br />
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At the very least you should count up what it cost you in materials including the things you might forget about like threads, paints, waxes and varnishes etc, add in a percentage for gas and electricty (unless you didn't have a light on or use any power tools or any heating whilst you were making your lovely item) add on a bit for more luck, double it (that's your wholesale price but unless what you are making is super fast and super cheap and you love love love unrelenting monotonous work then never make to sell wholesale but by all means sell a handful of items wholesale if you get an order you're happy with) and then double it again and <b>that's</b> your retail price. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhta7olUhgfRSr8MXD7NQ5PnXZDl-gpbeebzLpyo3YpwqiJMLesl_MEriP8ejqqa2t_iiOV_CmzJzTxV_iEzjnDm-KgnpwaVvl_cbJYlKxrQAl5kRAWtFf-xPIGxRLkP_bbWP75Y4vCDmY/s1600/gypsy+tribal+bangle+stack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhta7olUhgfRSr8MXD7NQ5PnXZDl-gpbeebzLpyo3YpwqiJMLesl_MEriP8ejqqa2t_iiOV_CmzJzTxV_iEzjnDm-KgnpwaVvl_cbJYlKxrQAl5kRAWtFf-xPIGxRLkP_bbWP75Y4vCDmY/s320/gypsy+tribal+bangle+stack.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Then as said before check what other people sell them for and don't be tempted to lower your price just because 50% of people are selling for a lot less than you. Pretend some confidence if you don't actually have a lot and bump your price around a little but stay at the top end of the range. If you've put time and love into this then it's worth it and it will be appreciated.<br />
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See, isn't that a bit easier now? Now, get out there and start selling.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-41172247791574225272012-10-21T10:02:00.001-07:002012-10-21T10:02:40.536-07:00Not quite busy enough for my liking........but I do try and make the most of my weekends when the children are at their dads. So. With two Christmas fairs to attend over the next couple of weeks I figured I ought to actually make some Christmassy items, and then the rest of the stall will be what's left of my stocking-filler priced jewellery and gift items. I feel a bit out of my depth with Christmas items as I'm....well, I'm just me.....I make things that are somewhat left of centre. In fact one of the fairs I'm only going to because I was asked to go out and belly dance there as part of the entertainment for the day. I figured if I was going I might as well go and have a stall. The second event is one that is connected to my daughter's school so for both events I shall take along my Christmas goodies, all of my more commercial makes and one or two statement pieces just to see what reaction they get from the general UK public.<br />
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Anyhow, here's what I came up with and so far I haven't had to buy anything to get any of this made but I am going to have to get some ribbon and I might add some little silver bells....<br />
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Domino and chandelier bead Christmas tree decorations, coated in sparkly sealant. I need to add some ribbon loops to these babies and then think of a way to package them. The vintage images are ones I found a little while ago and you may see some of the images repeated through my small range. I've got about 15 of these altogether (all of the pictures are different) and may sell them in sets of 5, or decide on a per piece price and let folk choose the ones they want.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAY8UYmY2t1hNDvlNVMPWx1IwxfY06UQN3xXx-x8jyjpwT7l86jLaY95nJYUei3oAvuPXGqsVkZM2d6rhT-TN-B0cLhop3qxeYyZgfooQtURGMccSABKYqY1o2Uiv1NHp4KwOGjLlaIgM/s1600/vintage+christmas+microscope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAY8UYmY2t1hNDvlNVMPWx1IwxfY06UQN3xXx-x8jyjpwT7l86jLaY95nJYUei3oAvuPXGqsVkZM2d6rhT-TN-B0cLhop3qxeYyZgfooQtURGMccSABKYqY1o2Uiv1NHp4KwOGjLlaIgM/s400/vintage+christmas+microscope.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Next up these microscope slide tree decorations. There are ten of them in all (again all different) and on the back of each I've place a sheet of vellum printed with Silent Night sheet music. Ribbons are required here too and I might add a little bell or two to each of these as well.<br />
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Vintage images cut out as tags. Again, need some ribbon or string to finish these off.</div>
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The good thing about all of these things is that if no-one likes 'em I shall use them on my own tree this year.</div>
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I've got some decorations made from just chandelier beads and a loop but I forgot I'd made them as I did them a while ago and didn't take a picture. Silly me...<br />
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Twelve Days of Christmas - decorated tags on a canvas box board. There are three gifts on here - a keyring, a pendant and a vintage brooch. All of the other items are purely decorative. I've got another two of these to make - I would have made them yesterday as I got the tags all ready but when I unwrapped the canvases I noticed small marks and flaws in the canvas surface so I'll keep those for painting on and get two new ones and get them made up this week.</div>
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The cinnamon sticks make them smell nice and Christmassy.<br />
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So, feeling like a happy bunny that I had achieved quite a lot yesterday (as well as popping out to send a card to my parents for their 45th wedding anniversary) I sat down and made three necklaces. They took longer than I would have liked but I'm happy with them all - although I only manged to get good shots of two of them. I really need to get myself some day-light lamps. Anyway, here's the necklaces:<br />
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I am loving playing around with things, taking bits off and adding things on and generally just playing. This is a Turkoman pendant. The red stone in the centre called out to the huge briolette that I've for aaages and didn't know what to do with. I seem to have a massive amount of antique keys at the moment so that was a no brainer; the long dangles were on the piece anyway (and the ones I've taken off will be used elsewhere); then I added beads and bits and some Tibetan pendants on the outer edges. It sits just on the collarbone with a double chain. I can't decide whether to darken the metals or not.....<br />
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This next one, that I've called Dark Night, is a vintage brooch at the top (you can see it better in the next picture) and because the pin was broken it needed to become a necklace. There were some stones missing so I replaced them and then added some dangles (aha, see one of those Turkoman dangles?) and a set of rosary beads with a clasp so that it sits on the collar-bone. And then I dunked it all in patina fluid. I love patina fluid, especially when it works immediately like it did on this piece. Everything has been treated with paste wax to stabilize the patina and imparts a wonderful scent.<br />
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The brooch was so sparkly my camera couldn't handle it, it was like it was blinking, so when I do some proper shots I shall have to set up a background that is not so white.<br />
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And that's me done, til tomorrow at least. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-78932810103572427452012-10-17T12:49:00.000-07:002012-10-17T12:49:12.826-07:00On a Happier Note...I love PicMonkey - it's helped me warm up my recent shots a treat:<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-28352451120458164612012-10-17T08:37:00.002-07:002012-10-17T08:37:47.078-07:00Name ChangeWow. I think I need to change my name from Blackwillow Boho to something else. This is not just a rebranding whim - I've suddenly realised that I've done something very inappropriate....<br />
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To explain a little; Blackwillow is a name I took on when some seven or so years ago I started making costume items for the tribal belly dance community, headdresses and belts and decorated bras and the like. I'll tell the full story one day but for the moment all you need to know is that it came from events at the time plus a little nod to my gothic image loving past. I became, for the purposes of my website and business cards, Blackwillow Tribal because I was aiming my wares at the tribal belly dance market.<br />
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In the last couple of years that side of things has dropped off - I've sold hundreds of headdresses and a few decorated bras and belts in my time but after my son was born the recession took hold and I discovered that fewer and fewer people were buying, more and more were making their own. So I decided to close down my (at the time) expensive website and open up an Etsy shop were I could be a little more eclectic - still some headdress, feathery things and such but more jewellery, embroidered cuffs and the like.<br />
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I decided to retain the Blackwillow bit and then add a new descriptor to the end, something that would help sum up what prospective buyers might find in my shop...so I settled on Boho (as in Bohemian).<br />
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Here's where I begin to find myself feeling really stupid. As a belly dancer I would never presume to call anything I've done, dance or costume wise, by the word gypsy. Why? Because it's an inappropriate racist slur of a word. This <a href="http://gypsyappropriations.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">blogger</a> says it so much more clearly than I could. As a belly dancer I know this, have had discussions about and have read many a forum post about this word and how it is used and I understand I should not use it. So I don't and I totally respect why it should not be misappropriated.<br />
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But, when you look up the definition of Bohemian, what do you find? <br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1. </b><span style="background-color: white;">A native or inhabitant of Bohemia.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2. </b><span style="background-color: white;">The Czech dialects of Bohemia.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>3.</b><b>a. </b><span style="background-color: white;">A Gypsy.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>b. </b><span style="background-color: white;">An itinerant person; a vagabond.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I'm such a fool....</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Expect a rebrand (or at least a name change) very soon....</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-36023678642579326222012-10-11T13:33:00.000-07:002012-10-12T03:20:55.802-07:00Sneak PeekSo it's night time and the lights are on and the kids are in bed but moaning about wanting to stay up and so I'm taking (bad) photos....<br />
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Take a look if you will......none of it is pretty - it's all for the adventurous soul.......<br />
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Afganistan stampings, eletra (bug wings) and tribal fringe bits on Noibium ear-wires (I LOVE Noibium ear-wires - after my second child was born I couldn't wear any of my earrings but Noibium has changed all of that) - and I'll warn you now, I shall be using lot of my tribal belly dance bits and bobs in the upcoming jewellery selection......</div>
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Afghanistan stampings, light metal circles, kyanite shards and steel wire - all very light-weight and all on noibium wires - from now on all earrings are on noibium wires and if they're on sterling silver wires I'll tell ya....</div>
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Brass stampings, hammered out, brass wires (sorry - forgot about these ones) and tribal bits and bobs, turquoise stones and quartz crystals held in brass bell bead caps.....</div>
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I love these ones most - twisty vintage pearls, inside light-weight brass rings, decorated with brass religious medals and belly dance bits, super small antique keys and faceted vintage beads.....noibium wires like I said before....</div>
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I adore this necklace - it has a massive inverted rhinestone crescent, held with antique patinated tin, accented with a vintage thingy (ok, I have no other word for it!) and a large amethyst point wound in annealed steel wire. It is held as a necklace by vintage lace, wound with more steel and an extender chain finished with a carnelian bead. </div>
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I have a whole heap of these coming up - amulet necklaces - little pouches of vintage fabric where you can secrete something precious to you and only you.....this one is made of vintage sari fabric and is embellished with a blue oyster shard, a tribal belly dance doo dad, kyanite teeth and golden and pink sari decos. All held with plaited blue silk, antique brass chain and a French religious medal.....</div>
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All metal has been oxidised - Indian metal work, altered agates, kyanite shards, metal bits, religious medals and niobium ear-wires......</div>
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I love this one - vintage tin outer, silver and amber earring as a rivet, vintage book pages, agate beads, brass chain and silk length wrapped with glistening thread. Turquoise and tribal bits for deco on the bottom...... absolutely one of a kind......</div>
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Gypsy Tribal bangle stacks (<a href="http://fancifuldevices.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">tutorial courtesy of Fanciful Devices</a>) and the above ones are in white....</div>
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These ones are in pink.......</div>
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These are in green......</div>
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Apparently I made water-melon tourmaline bangles and so I am happy.</div>
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Give me 48 hours and all of this and more will be up in my Etsy shop.....if you want anything before then be quick and we can negotiate a price.....xxAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-52328788628642920302012-10-06T14:54:00.002-07:002012-10-06T14:54:59.853-07:00WIP (Works In Progress)So here's some little glimpses of what's going on here - as much as I would love to take pics of my WIP in a proper workshop setting what you've got is items placed on my knee with the lights on cos it's 10.30pm at night....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeI661OFT8QlLvIy9cykUMg1qTLjy4a6oVVCk1YeObN5LPGWTzKkt_BqCcYbJSQFMGpYDntcnIYTizs1mA_IolfrBd0YXJ-1WOv34oA9MBG_ZsmpKGKphw3PIq9QVj3t1CyJk6N81-MHo/s1600/WIP+assemblage+necklace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeI661OFT8QlLvIy9cykUMg1qTLjy4a6oVVCk1YeObN5LPGWTzKkt_BqCcYbJSQFMGpYDntcnIYTizs1mA_IolfrBd0YXJ-1WOv34oA9MBG_ZsmpKGKphw3PIq9QVj3t1CyJk6N81-MHo/s320/WIP+assemblage+necklace.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
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An assemblage piece that needs some patina action to pull the metal together (that might be a theme throughout if I'm honest...)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtxsw5GVBd1S5jfpfE9l_R8fUF3NNCI0Rlg2Pckj-_FyZi3OiKbQu3kPbxxapwQZKkpb6Z1DMXc_-OC800GjdYRgI7H0cHKoQbRp7csCI-T6ddBm5j170Iq83njDaEmSZLHPher-ZKps/s1600/WIP+blue+velvet+tribal+gypsy+pouch+necklace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtxsw5GVBd1S5jfpfE9l_R8fUF3NNCI0Rlg2Pckj-_FyZi3OiKbQu3kPbxxapwQZKkpb6Z1DMXc_-OC800GjdYRgI7H0cHKoQbRp7csCI-T6ddBm5j170Iq83njDaEmSZLHPher-ZKps/s320/WIP+blue+velvet+tribal+gypsy+pouch+necklace.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
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I'm kind of liking the idea of little pouches made of fabric that you could put something small and precious into - or that I could put something small and precious into for you to find.... I'll think about this some more.... Do you see that mini tote pole? It's gone all verdigris......I wasn't expecting that, two weeks ago it was just black but it's obviously been rotting away whilst I wasn't looking....</div>
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I love this one, I think the upside-down crescent is doing something to my brain cos it makes me think of Herne the Hunter....even though it's kind of nothing to do with the woods and the hunt and any of that kind of stuff....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxYqsGQaRZbxqAPFYCmgSMHvHje6jJD950OJP4Qw7HHjD67Go5X95WT6oGeG7AhBcpCTogWGDbpzteKW7jniaFYVOxsXjELLxR1OkMDlwpUb9ASDE7q531CDwn8ZpkS79HNtjTX3UigUk/s1600/IMG_5904%5B1%5D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxYqsGQaRZbxqAPFYCmgSMHvHje6jJD950OJP4Qw7HHjD67Go5X95WT6oGeG7AhBcpCTogWGDbpzteKW7jniaFYVOxsXjELLxR1OkMDlwpUb9ASDE7q531CDwn8ZpkS79HNtjTX3UigUk/s320/IMG_5904%5B1%5D" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's another one of those pouches - this one is almost done but still needs patina action and some lovin' to finish it off...<br />
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A close up of some of the battered bits......</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4bYyQyLhbXgNE6x3-vntXP0XGWRBpPzELsvQYEkbEFmluSMguDz74iS3_zc5miqMXIMZkEqZ-gOHwrtRt7mJAagXyT_pGUpMlj3QYMGuxCsaQCy6uizu7Bbp3Pu5omW5J4Tl5qLboL8/s1600/WIP+sari+tribal+gypsy+pouch+necklace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4bYyQyLhbXgNE6x3-vntXP0XGWRBpPzELsvQYEkbEFmluSMguDz74iS3_zc5miqMXIMZkEqZ-gOHwrtRt7mJAagXyT_pGUpMlj3QYMGuxCsaQCy6uizu7Bbp3Pu5omW5J4Tl5qLboL8/s320/WIP+sari+tribal+gypsy+pouch+necklace.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's another likkle pouch - there's a fair old mixture of dangles here including raw kyanite teeth, a bit of kuchi, an oyster shard and some Indian bling......</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1o5hCcjkMTSTzyMsAsKO83N_2_M-QLLYqoxUk2C3N9YKyI698LvpMmMQ9wdNruPEH_4mDpOUPinAlunv4PMCgQ3cx2pnHivyuzFwbOmTPvJZQLd0ioADVPoNDwwdEuBT5ptl-lMgA_M/s1600/WIP+tribal+gypsy+assemblage+earrings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1o5hCcjkMTSTzyMsAsKO83N_2_M-QLLYqoxUk2C3N9YKyI698LvpMmMQ9wdNruPEH_4mDpOUPinAlunv4PMCgQ3cx2pnHivyuzFwbOmTPvJZQLd0ioADVPoNDwwdEuBT5ptl-lMgA_M/s320/WIP+tribal+gypsy+assemblage+earrings.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Some earrings that looked a bit different before I removed some stuff, bashed them with a hammer and then added new things.....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPf77igYpJhVhSuSXfph6CLwezMhY5asmA5-EZHjd2jYA-GLAV5wS2IqvNAEZJb31cl-zizAwBvwsetSBkZffiy7Q1FPjelZ0bsVXxM2WKbrBSYyzMLjSkiD5RlFEZQ6RTIk6iu4PtbQ/s1600/work+in+progress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPf77igYpJhVhSuSXfph6CLwezMhY5asmA5-EZHjd2jYA-GLAV5wS2IqvNAEZJb31cl-zizAwBvwsetSBkZffiy7Q1FPjelZ0bsVXxM2WKbrBSYyzMLjSkiD5RlFEZQ6RTIk6iu4PtbQ/s320/work+in+progress.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's a mish-mash - you see that piece with the blue lapis in the centre? I bashed it too hard and have had to take it apart cos it had a scratchy bit - it's in a tin at the moment, asking for me to sort it out but it'll have to be patient, I can't do everything all at once.<br />
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And i you're not impressed enough with what I've been doing then spare a thought cos tonight I taught belly dance for an hour at a pub - and this afternoon i watched an old film and cried like a baby when Frank Sinatra and Spencer Tracey got blown up by a big old volcano. I love those old films....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-75123488417367412722012-10-03T15:50:00.000-07:002012-10-03T15:50:10.491-07:00I am still here, honest....Dear followers....please forgive my silence these last couple of weeks but I've been a busy bunny.<br />
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I'm honestly not going to bang on about how hard being a single parent is because trust me, being one parent/adult alone with your dearly loved children (despite the challenges) is so much better than being part of a couple when one adult abdicates their responsibilities.......let's just say that it's been a challenging week but we're more than half-way through it.<br />
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Dance-wise, classes are well attended which is nice and I am working on a choreography for the troupe I dance with and now just have the small task of sorting out a piece of hair-raising music for myself. Once that's done I need to make a costume and actually work on a dance structure for it. I may have a new class to take over and in the next week I have two hour long classes to give to absolute complete beginners in two very different settings; one in a pub, raising money for a good cause, one at an event for people with disabilities. I'm looking forward to both and hopefully won't disappoint.<br />
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Jewellery...I'm emptying out my Etsy shop as I want to move in a new direction. I am spending far too many hours looking at/lusting after/reading up/trying out/playing with.......ooooh, that's not messing around is it? That's Research & Development. Excellent. I also have to make some Christmas themed things for a couple of fairs I'm doing and I really need to get ma groove on with some jewellery ideas I have. In my head the name of my new range is, "StuffonlyIreallylove" but I'm not sure how commercial that is... It does describe what I'm going to be doing though. Art will out! I need to express me in a much more confrontational way that I have done before. I think I am torn between making the things I want to and being more commercial and then I remind myself that I'm not particularly commercial anyway and it all becomes a bit easier in my mind. <br />
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Volunteering....I've taken on another task and now my Tuesdays are going to be super-busy but I think that's ok. <br />
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In other news I have a night out planned for Friday (OMG, I don't really do nights out any more so I'm kind of dreading it, I'd rather stay home and be a hermit) and have one more Akasha Queen of the Damned headdress to make.<br />
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And if you're lucky I'll remember to take pictures of what I'm up to......Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-36444686945597407042012-09-25T15:38:00.000-07:002012-09-25T15:39:28.032-07:00Vampires..........I loves me a vampire and at this time of year they are stalking for costumes. I am NOT panicking about getting two Akasha Queen of the Vampires headdresses done by Saturday. No I am not....... ok, I am!!!!!<br />
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This time last year I made a very nice version of the above-mentioned headdress and now Google has me firmly in it's sights so that when a costume lover wants one of these I come up third in the images list. Now, understandably most people baulk at the cost I quote for making this headdress. It's not excessive by any means, I know there are others out there who charge more than I do. But it fully represents the time I put into it and the fact that I make some of the adornments myself so that the whole things does not come it at £300+.<br />
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So this year, out of the eight queries I have had two people actually want one, one of them wants it by next Thursday. They live in the US (well they both do) and DHL can deliver within 1-4 days so I have to be done and on the case by Saturday. I will be able to do this....I will...I also have to make a Dr Who birthday cake and remember to buy food and party bag nonsense for a party for my 4 year old on Saturday......<br />
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And every day the postman teases me by bringing me one more thing I have ordered recently that helps to scratch my creative itch - I'm still awaiting religious medals, twisty pearls, raw crystal beads and.....I'm sure there's something else but I can't remember......I'll be keeping you posted though.<br />
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And in case you don't see me punting this on Facebook, if you would like to help me clear out my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlackwillowBoho" target="_blank">Etsy shop</a> you can get yourself a huge 33% discount by ordering the things you want and entering the code IWANTSIT44 when you checkout.... trust me, what you see there now is nothing compared to what is coming.....the difference is huge so I would like everything gone so I can make a clean sweep. (!)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-9727223187349627732012-09-21T12:29:00.000-07:002012-09-21T12:29:12.819-07:00OMG.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09lDe_eTvAq-_tR7LrF8QxPtouqpS23bqotDag-2zMmqQk-mY9hE0T6Ds_JnyX65nWt4idfnjiwHjm3o729RBuNzecZJ97_eEzm8e5xdCFl-IFahNSmqg3qrIjQR9WUfdDyyHCUeKzC0/s1600/IMG_5792%5B1%5D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09lDe_eTvAq-_tR7LrF8QxPtouqpS23bqotDag-2zMmqQk-mY9hE0T6Ds_JnyX65nWt4idfnjiwHjm3o729RBuNzecZJ97_eEzm8e5xdCFl-IFahNSmqg3qrIjQR9WUfdDyyHCUeKzC0/s640/IMG_5792%5B1%5D" width="640" /></a></div>
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Crystals....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhflbjjcEhyphenhyphenHETHtIV6xXeFEtacvQq_abRhovBGM1M2CJP6FHp1Q0MSZiOGShpM0tc3dm_hHBrH24QL6x4jbqiyo7GTxE9UfGq4Bnfx9vt2mNdOWdliuzfdpWMFU8F5R35gLStvuxiALXU/s1600/IMG_5796%5B1%5D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhflbjjcEhyphenhyphenHETHtIV6xXeFEtacvQq_abRhovBGM1M2CJP6FHp1Q0MSZiOGShpM0tc3dm_hHBrH24QL6x4jbqiyo7GTxE9UfGq4Bnfx9vt2mNdOWdliuzfdpWMFU8F5R35gLStvuxiALXU/s640/IMG_5796%5B1%5D" width="640" /></a></div>
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MOP and wooden buttons and glass pearls....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqZwNHhHrhaDohWV7bj6DQ510tw073S38iCo5L8__Ofh6EIupHK3RdPpYg2gLk74ebzFSIx9iNl4fZqQol3xso4Q-SsUmRFr5HJDwIuAKkNhvEP38k907c0S2U5QghqmpylUrrEZiWe0/s1600/IMG_5805%5B1%5D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqZwNHhHrhaDohWV7bj6DQ510tw073S38iCo5L8__Ofh6EIupHK3RdPpYg2gLk74ebzFSIx9iNl4fZqQol3xso4Q-SsUmRFr5HJDwIuAKkNhvEP38k907c0S2U5QghqmpylUrrEZiWe0/s320/IMG_5805%5B1%5D" width="320" /></a></div>
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Awesome buckles and other stuff....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkJyqdHym4ygXegxz2RW041t9DUDHaVqCuDvrCAA3sub20pA2Y8WvFzbZrnoRdmlFxe4wKCUjFFipiOo1ecgpOGWJbK4t3bhCcv4KhPJrCvcNrD3aqJVHo7VfonKQBJCPJfyHAC_01NI/s1600/IMG_5816%5B1%5D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkJyqdHym4ygXegxz2RW041t9DUDHaVqCuDvrCAA3sub20pA2Y8WvFzbZrnoRdmlFxe4wKCUjFFipiOo1ecgpOGWJbK4t3bhCcv4KhPJrCvcNrD3aqJVHo7VfonKQBJCPJfyHAC_01NI/s320/IMG_5816%5B1%5D" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tribally stuff.....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLF4OkUsOLbKGsSUI7UFHsMVV76Nle6B1VioyTMXQpUm9t6hU09cCKhZ7cVMgwWWWR_Gyem3LkO_eb5aAyvb3et3NzwnwKLJYkCyp2JiUfKQOHm85AHZ3uz-be0FLkc7tTSLgcPl8-L0/s1600/IMG_5820%5B1%5D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLF4OkUsOLbKGsSUI7UFHsMVV76Nle6B1VioyTMXQpUm9t6hU09cCKhZ7cVMgwWWWR_Gyem3LkO_eb5aAyvb3et3NzwnwKLJYkCyp2JiUfKQOHm85AHZ3uz-be0FLkc7tTSLgcPl8-L0/s640/IMG_5820%5B1%5D" width="640" /></a></div>
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The overall stash...<br />
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Wow. I haven't even shown you the vintage lace, the dyed silks, the embroidered fabrics, bits of saris, cholis, mirrored belts and the feathers (OMG the feathers.....)<br />
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You can fully expect my Etsy shop to be fairly full of some de-stash packs very very soon....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-83522074722164436512012-09-20T13:13:00.000-07:002012-09-20T13:30:49.707-07:00I've been thinking.........and buying....<br />
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Even though I have a ton of stuff I have been buying more stuff....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZBRLFxJWEGcd19ipophqQ_Gv7Fa2ZQSgv8oUai5lFdmhYvJX5-Z0KW93TvwkSA7ZjNg_pSvt8wB0j-1Ssf7LfcN98SXVpFQ0RZPI15kjQbHdM-MQyCVNhRCbiqRd2HYZAQlMz0lOfFk/s1600/IMG_5765%5B1%5D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZBRLFxJWEGcd19ipophqQ_Gv7Fa2ZQSgv8oUai5lFdmhYvJX5-Z0KW93TvwkSA7ZjNg_pSvt8wB0j-1Ssf7LfcN98SXVpFQ0RZPI15kjQbHdM-MQyCVNhRCbiqRd2HYZAQlMz0lOfFk/s320/IMG_5765%5B1%5D" width="320" /></a></div>
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I am a very lucky girl (by the way don't argue with me about teh girl bit even though I'm far too old to warrant it). One of my belly dance students is a lovely lovely lady who happens to work in a place that means she can bring me a bag of unloved jewellery and bits and bobs. I love to get a bag from her on a Sunday afternoon - I get it home, leave it tantalising me till the children are in bed and then I pour a glass of wine and very slowly get each item out. It's like Christmas when she does this for me.... </div>
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About 50% of what you can see above is from her and the picture above is about 0.0005% of what I have stashed.....</div>
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So what have I done recently? Bought more! OMG. I've sold stuff recently and so I decided to splash out on new tools and new things to add to my stash so that I can play with more creative avenues. I shall add these new creative avenues to some of the other things that have appealed to me recently because as we all know, when you have no free time why not pursue myriad avenues.... (hoho).</div>
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One of the things I bought recently was a tutorial (ok, three tutorials) from the hugely talented <a href="http://fancifuldevices.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Fanciful Devices</a> (OMG I am her blog stalker extraordinaire at the moment) and in accordance with her generous instructions I am posting photos of my version of her gypsy tribal bangle stacks. If she reads this I have to assure her that I still need to age the bangles properly (I will, I will I promise!) but the main point is I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Finding the right wire was a pain in the arse but that's another story.</div>
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Here you go:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPnNOokg4JHYIbV8wtEPB1OFrIu2sQ7AVpdKZXmOoNG31vwAceQLXX_PBxVRY0MIBklon-i8SG96xlhNGa_8sViqxgiSdHw8ePsOzdRjPxvbUR6S7PYrsaEY456OP9Sqwzw1sldlewG4/s1600/tribal+gypsy+bangle+stack3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPnNOokg4JHYIbV8wtEPB1OFrIu2sQ7AVpdKZXmOoNG31vwAceQLXX_PBxVRY0MIBklon-i8SG96xlhNGa_8sViqxgiSdHw8ePsOzdRjPxvbUR6S7PYrsaEY456OP9Sqwzw1sldlewG4/s320/tribal+gypsy+bangle+stack3.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7P8jVUMI8GlonvCS4vmlt0WhCj-IaSSCuKQxYDWuWtOUyi8AzEgC4EQi7HqvPJ8uBXTO_-Bz5b63w5y7RQ1WmcbJwAZ8SWIAQPYh64UHIhEJ3K-dWddz9LVZiKZvtjhGNM-36JdQZYzI/s1600/gypsy+tribal+bangle+stack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7P8jVUMI8GlonvCS4vmlt0WhCj-IaSSCuKQxYDWuWtOUyi8AzEgC4EQi7HqvPJ8uBXTO_-Bz5b63w5y7RQ1WmcbJwAZ8SWIAQPYh64UHIhEJ3K-dWddz9LVZiKZvtjhGNM-36JdQZYzI/s320/gypsy+tribal+bangle+stack.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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Yes, I know the photos are bright and shiny and as soon as I can I will be putting into practice the lessons given by <a href="http://sparrowsalvage.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Sparrow Salvage</a> (someone else I'm blog stalking, not just for her photography tips but her equally awesome and inspiring jewellery). I plan to be better at everything I do and at the moment I am consumed with reading/drinking in the blogs by these two artisans in particular in order to ensure this happens. (I won't blame them at all if I turn out to be crap.....).</div>
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Although I should not forget to mention <a href="http://tribalis.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Tribalis</a> and <a href="http://putalittlemagicinyourlife.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Stregata</a> - ohhh how I covet their style and artistry....</div>
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So, here's a little peek at what I've been up to in my creative corner of the kitchen...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FrLKg5arbA3dJR8kN_m3-OGFptkJzVzv87rW30Dm7qCwg9nxsdrWsZSBNtzM1KOkQl8TSjGe_C0H6J9MgjRhkt-RscMXZr4rjoviYSkGezy3n34qVzdtbeXwsraLaCtkKun_3_FvpA0/s1600/my+creative+corner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FrLKg5arbA3dJR8kN_m3-OGFptkJzVzv87rW30Dm7qCwg9nxsdrWsZSBNtzM1KOkQl8TSjGe_C0H6J9MgjRhkt-RscMXZr4rjoviYSkGezy3n34qVzdtbeXwsraLaCtkKun_3_FvpA0/s320/my+creative+corner.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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(yup, that's it just there..)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZx-SU7LdlQHmhUhdWzpzMfEINScRoIS6N63W0tfRewLah_IwDSOTUMD5XXrjK57ZrKzsgTtMAmH0GPmJYBB1mWmW8NQMmPe27vRrhr6-onYJsC9GQspAGBt65LamJMkllgsX69kHWgl4/s1600/work+in+progress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZx-SU7LdlQHmhUhdWzpzMfEINScRoIS6N63W0tfRewLah_IwDSOTUMD5XXrjK57ZrKzsgTtMAmH0GPmJYBB1mWmW8NQMmPe27vRrhr6-onYJsC9GQspAGBt65LamJMkllgsX69kHWgl4/s320/work+in+progress.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Some of what you see here has already been taken apart and re-worked a little and you can be sure I'll keep you posted once I'm happier with what's going on.</div>
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I should also add that I now have creative constipation because I'm worried about copying other people (see above) too much. However, I have a weekend without the children coming up so I shall try and make the most of it. Don't hold your breath though.....</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823417414644920286.post-12002051614100247412012-09-11T15:02:00.002-07:002012-09-11T15:02:59.802-07:00Dark and DirtyI feel as though I am at an interesting cross-roads in my life.<br />
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In two days time my youngest child will be 4 years old. Let's take that sentence apart a little bit. "My youngest child." That means I have another older child. Quick head count....ok, I have two children.... Once upon a time I would have assured you that I would bear no children and in all fairness to myself I was thirty seven years old when I had my first. Forty one years old when I had second (the one who will be 4 in two days time). In two days my youngest child will be four - that means that he doesn't go to school for another year. I love my children dearly and would not be without them but there was a time when I thought that having children would satisfy a creative urge inside of me that would supersede all other creative urges. Thankfully I was wrong.<br />
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I'll spare you some of the details for now but will share that I am happier now than I have been for a long time, even though there are parts of me that are unfulfilled and unexplored. With a favourable moon I am about to explore a part of me that I have not yet delved into....<br />
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Recently I sold some stuff (you know, the kind of stuff that you surround yourself with cos you need it) and with the proceeds I've been able to invest in some basic tools and materials and once I'm done with making cakes and wrapping presents and teaching belly dance and trying to sell a few more things to make ends meet I shall begin to explore a side of myself that even I am a little wary of. I could well fail at what I want to achieve, but unless I try I'll never know will I?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07597848141374788831noreply@blogger.com4