Front page on Etsy

I've been pretty busy making stock for "Behind The Monkey" - the local store that carries my jewellery. Pleased to say my jewellery has been selling very well.
Unfortunately, I haven't had time to make any jewellery for my Etsy or Mint'd online shops so they are looking a tad empty.
One of the Etsy Dust (Down Under Street Team) featured Aussies in her recent treasury on Etsy including my mixed metal pendant. It made the front page today and wow! what great exposure that was - it sold while I was at work today.
I must get cracking this weekend and restock my shops! Pin It

YOJ - Weeks 25 & 26

Playing catch up on the Year Of Jewellery this week. Top pair of earrings is Sterling Corrugated Squares. I really love making this stuff - it's so much fun and has been getting a good reaction and happily a few sales down at my sister's shop.

Bottom pair are a simple die cut brass pair teamed with black rubber and black rivets. Pin It

Week 24 - Copper & Brass Earrings

I've been making lots of jewellery lately. The four pairs of earrings above are part of the stock that's gone down to my sister's shop mentioned in my previous post.
I've used my disc cutter to cut the discs but the earrings took ages to finish as I handpolished them all. I must start using my dremel for the polishing, but that would mean heading out into the shed and at least if I'm handpolishing it's not as messy and I can stay inside near the heater and watch TV as I go. Pin It

Behind The Monkey

I can't believe it's a whole month since I last posted. The older you get the quicker the time seems to pass ;(
I have been busy with jewellery. I've been getting stock together for a new Retail store - Behind the Monkey. I'm excited for two reasons - one because I've got 30 pieces of my chainmaille and corrugated metal jewellery in the shop but also because it's my sister's shop and of course I'm thrilled for her.
Here's a sneak preview of the front of the shop - the windows are covered over because it's not opening until tomorrow. She's stocking jewellery - she's an accomplished jewellery maker herself as well as gift lines, original art work and a few homewares.
Perth people - Come check out the shop - she's at 479 Beaufort Street in Highgate. Opening 07/07/07 - that has to be good numerology!! Pin It

YOJ Week 23 - Rubber & Copper

This week I've been doing more chainmaille - and I've experimented with some larger rubber rings. I've teamed them with copper in the cuff and copper and sterling in the earrings. The cuff is about 3cm wide (just over 1 ") The cuff has no clasp - I just gently stretch it to go over my hand. I like the industrial look that the rubber rings give the jewellery. Pin It

Year of Jewellery Week 22 - Chainmaille Cuff

Playing catch up now. But it's been productive. I've finished a UFO that's been sitting around for ages. I started this 4cm (1. 1/2") chainmaille cuff in copper & sterling about a year ago. I'd purchased the rings, then ran out - as you do! As they were in SWG gauge and we're metric here in Oz, so I couldn't make more rings to match. I finally got round to re ordering more rings and finished this last night. The old rings have aged to a nice patina and the new rings are bright and shiny. I can't decide whether to oxidise the lot, or clean it all up - so it's all nice and shiny.
As I ponder on this I'm leaving it for the time being as I quite like the tri-colour look for now!

Oh I have yet to add a safety chain - this weighs 86grams (about 3oz). I don't want to lose this one as it's a replacement for my sterling cuff that my daughter lost at a nightclub........but that's a whole other story!! Pin It

Year of Jewellery Week 21

Well I'm behind on the YOJ, but well, never mind!

Used one of my newer tools again for Week 21's offerings. I'm really addicted to tools ;)
I got an Industrial tube wringer and it corrugates thin metal sheet. It wasn't designed for that but some bright spark started using it for metal instead of toothpaste tubes. Who'd 'av thought it?! I already posted the silver earrings at the front on the YOJ blog but I've made the copper one's since then. I had lots of fun with this and hope to do some more.

These pieces are going into a new shop opening locally in a couple of weeks called "Behind the Monkey". For local Perthites keep an eye out for it in Beaufort Street - it will feature some of the work of local artisans. Very cool...... Pin It

In memory of Thelma 1916-2007

It's been a sad week - my mum in law passed away on 26th May.
A lovely lady and I feel privileged to have been part of her life and been with her on the start of her new journey....
Thelma was a fantastic mum, nanna and mum- in- law, she would do anything for us or any or her loved ones - Thelma was caring, loving and generous and would always put her loved ones before herself. She was one of those rare people that was loved by everyone that knew her. Much loved and sadly missed.
I didn't mention that she made a fantastic apple pie. Whenever we had a family get together it was always taken for granted that "Thelma will bring the apple pie" She generously shared her recipe with me but even though I followed the recipe to the letter it wasn't a patch on Thelma's. I guess that the love she put into it was the magic ingredient that made it so special :) Pin It

YOJ - Week 20 Bow Necklace

Not on theme again this week and I'm late as well. I had a play with the jewellery saw again this week. I really enjoy cutting out shapes from sheet metal and this week I went with a ribbon bow.
This is Mark 2. With the first one, I soldered a tube on the back and was going hang it on neoprene as I like the effect of the unseen bails. Unfortunately the soldering annealed the brass and made it too soft. Then when I was polishing it up I bent it. I managed to bend it back with out it being noticable but decided to work harden it with my rawhide mallet on the bench block to prevent it happening again.
What a pain! The tube on the back was getting in the way so I had it half off and half on the bench block. Then the edge of the bench block left a nice mark in the metal. That's when I gave up on that one and decided to start again!
This time round I took the easy way out suspended it from chain through a hole either side of the bow.
I'm pretty over ribbons and bows at the moment though ;) Pin It

I've been tagged

I've been tagged by Esta Sketch.

Rules Of Tagging!
1.List seven random facts/habits about yourself
2.Choose another seven bloggers to tag and list their names in your blog
3.Leave your seven tagged bloggers comments to notify them of their tagging and to direct them to your blog for tag instructions.

If I've tagged you and you don't want to do it - no worries. No obligation - you're allowed to break the "tag chain"

Ok Here goes..........

1. I'm left handed but do everything except writing and holding a fork the same as a righthanded person. Eating spaghetti with a spoon and fork is tricky because I want to hold them both in the same hand.
   
2. I can't cut cheese right through to the chopping block........I get most of the way through then twist my hand that's holding the knife, so the last bit of cheese breaks off. This is a family thing apparently - didn't realise I did it until a family member pointed it out - they do it too.
3. I regret the name we called our dog. We called him "nipper" because he's a little nipper ie: small/cute but people think he bites and got his name that way. I 've promised myself to give any pets we have in the future a more positive name with no negative connotations.
4. I don't eat seafood. I'm not allergic - just don't like it. People really can't understand that :)
5. I love tools - especially jewellery making tools. As soon as I get a new one - I'm deciding which one I must have next!!
   
6. I won't put my head under the water when I swim. Actually it has to be about 100 degrees in the shade for me to swim so it generally isn't an issue!
7. I wish I was as interesting as everyone else that has been tagged. I'm may have to come back and find some other people to tag as most of the people I was going to tag have already been tagged. But if you are reading this and want to join in - leave a comment and I'll tag you!!

I've tagged Feli, OrangeStarfish,
Pin It