Productive day :)

Quite a productive day, got photos taken and some new items listed http://www.etsy.com/shop/sjegan and got paid for my commission piece which is pretty nice, talked to a lovely woman in paypal who sorted out an issue I was having so I can now actually get the money out of my paypal account and into the real world which is kinda handy J

Finally got to cut some glass, played with the circle cutter, there is a knack to it, but I’ll get it! Practice makes perfect. Did spend a good chunk of the day devouring a book I got on enamelling so I know all about it before I invest! And I went to my first ever Tai Chi class, which was great fun, very interesting stuff, ended the day with fish and chips and my boy and crazy bunnies running around...only the bunnies were running not the boy!

Have a mental busy day tomorrow but will hopefully get in some more glass cutting so the kiln can go on on Friday.....hmmmm I think I bunny just farted!

Game on!

Started back at pottery today! Very excited! Started work on a series of pendants I'm gonna make, but will be weeks until they come to life! Also got to talk to lots of people I haven't seen all summer, which was great!

Expecting post from the assay office tomorrow so I can get my commission piece sent off asap! and make sure it arrives in time, going to ring them in the morning to make sure! It's cutting it too close now!

Tomorrow will be a productive day, and that's just that! I'm going to photo stuff, and get some new listings up. Get the resin set, and play with that glass I got last week that has been left neglected on the kitchen floor! I will not let the fact that I got two new Kim Harrison books and a book on enamelling in the post today, slow me down! I will be productive! It's game on!

Ooopsy! ...well tis monday night!

Hmmmm I know I meant to get resin made and set in a bunch of earrings and rings but the evening seems to have run away on me! Oooops! Did at least get a listing up on etsy and a few on folksy, but folksy is just very very slow and awkward to list on so it’s lagging well behind etsy.

My search adds start tomorrow and I’ve gotten quite a few favourites over the last few days which is quite fab! So happy days! Let the fun begin! .....Best get that resin done tomorrow, bedtime now though.

Bold me!

Not been a very creative weekend, bold Sarah. Been a lot of pain and contemplation. I have more items to list on etsy but no time! Have made a probable sale though to someone in my herbal medicine class and did get to give out postcards to lots of people at the Cardiff Natural Health show today and my class yesterday. Talk of a few craft shows coming up soon! So fingers crossed! Do get the feeling I’ve taken on a little too much at the moment though!  

I have set up search adds on etsy though and that should start on Tuesday, so hopefully more successful then the showcase was! We’ll see! Fingers crossed!

Also got to get the resin set into my rings and earrings, think they’ll be good sellers! Just not enough time!

Here's some more upcoming listings!

Upcoming on etsy!

My hallmarking finally came back! So I’ve been attempting to take pics to list on etsy! Lots of stuff, I’d forgotten just how much I sent! Also got a giant box of glass waiting for me to play with!

Here’s some pictures of upcoming listings, watch out on etsy for them

And don’t forget 10% discount at the till if you enter FRIENDSOFRAGMENTS1 offer ends Sunday!

 

Glass! Everywhere!

Ooooooh so so so so much glass! Soooooo exciting! Gotta figure out my circle cutter! Plans are afoot!

Yay postman!

Very excited! Got a glass delivery and my postcards with pics of the girls and my designs and all the web addresses for here and etsy, already stuck one up in a local shop!

Also just sent off another batch of hallmarking, exciting stuff! And doing some shameless self advertising via emails. Exciting times!

Don’t forget 10% discount on everything in the shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/sjegan when you use the code FRIENDSOFFRAGMENTS1.

Waiting for the postman

Well got the ok on my commission today, so got to get it ready to send for hallmarking tomorrow, got a few other little bits ready to go with it, but not as many as I’d hoped to, my back has been badly behaved.

Still waiting for my hallmarking that I sent what feels like forever ago to get back to me! Hurry up! I have plans for that stuff!

In the process of ordering glass, going to treat myself to a circle cutter! Very excited! And Going to be doing some Christmas decorations, yep I know it’s ages away and I shouldn’t speak of it, but I’ve gotta get organised!

Also put together a Treasury of all things wolfish yesterday for you to check out. http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTAyNjg3MzR8NzM1NDAyMjUz/wolves

Finally just a quick reminder that the 10% discount is still valid on my etsy shop, just type FRIENDSORFRAGMENTS1 in at the checkout!

The moss has been growing :(

We’ll I’m lying on the sofa with crazy bunnies doing silly jumps on the mat beside me and a hot water bottle at my back. I’ve not been a good blogger the last few days and I’ve let my etsy presence stall too, my bad. But I’ll get back into it from now! I’ve spent all today on either etsy or my workbench and I’ve got a few really nice pieces just about ready to go, need a little more work on them but I’m pooped out and the bunnies needed supervising while they run around.

We went fossil hunting yesterday which was great fun so I’m plotting designs based on that and I’m really really wanting to do some etching and or some casting! But tools will be required for both.

I have to get myself registered self employed this week, I’ve been putting it on the long finger but it has to happen. And I’ve finished the commission piece, it’s just in the polisher and hopefully get some pics tonight or tomorrow to send to customer for approval before I send off the hallmarking. Really want my last set of hallmarking back already! It’s been delayed by the fact that I got a ring stamp struck, but I sent off lots of stuff before I got pics of it and I really want to list it! Especially some of the rings and earrings! Oh I need more time! There just isn’t the time to get everything done!

Now going to order some glass, that kilns been ignored for too long!

Ain't gathering no moss!

Well today has been productive, got my sale shipped, very happy, learnt a lot  about the plough while I was putting together the fact sheet, for example I did not know that it was on a flag used by the Irish Citizens Army in 1916! Hence the play the plough and the stars. Think that’s pretty fab! Or that it was on the flag of Alaska, which some school kid designed after winning a competition, now that is a competition I’d enter! How fab would it be to design your country/states flag! Every time you look at it just go, “yep I made that”.

Also got the work on a piece I’ve been commissioned to do done, just uploading the photos to send to the customer; a very nice girl altogether, and see if she’s happy with it. Made a few earrings at the same time, while I was waiting for things to clean up in the pickle/polisher. So a good productive day. Very very tired now though, and back to school tomorrow L Did a big order for silver last night though which has been dispatched and I should have tomorrow, with square wire and tube which I’ve never played with before as well as sheet and wire that I have big plans for! There just isn’t enough hours in the day!

Also set up a Treasury of all things Welsh if you wanna check it out: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTAyNjg3MzR8NzE4MjEzNjgz/theres-more-then-just-leeks-and

I’m now quite wanting marshmallows and some of the uber nerdy wood sculptures! Oh and Jelly baby soap! Some really nice stuff out there!

Keep on rolling!

Oooooh exciting day! A sale on etsy and emailing back and forth about a commission piece! Tired now but my day off tomorrow and I have big plans! Going to go order some more silver now, hopefully it will be here for the weekend, I have just about enough to keep me going tomorrow J

Have to do a glass order too soon, the bunnies require it, the glass comes in a huge amount of cardboard packaging which is bunny heaven! It’s priceless to see them go at it when I’ve just gotten a delivery!

Trip to the post office tomorrow to post my sale, it’s all ready to go, going to include a factsheet about the plough, since that was the piece I sold.

I’m a very happy camper going to bed tonight J

The ball is starting to roll!

Got a possible commission today on Etsy, that’s my big WooHoo! Very happy!

In other news got a Treasury set up, all with Irish makers. http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTAyNjg3MzR8NzA4OTY2MTA4/from-the-emerald-isle

On an aside I’ve been meaning to mention the Artists Way http://www.amazon.co.uk/Artists-Way-Discovering-Recovering-Creative/dp/0330343580/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315863405&sr=8-1

My Dad got it for me a few years ago, and not generally being into self help I ignored it, found it again at Christmas though and started it in around Marchish. It’s a 12 week course on rediscovering your creativity and basically how to have some confidence in what you’re doing. I’m only on week 10, each week seems to stretch into almost a month, but I have found it very useful. Admittedly I have skipped certain bits, especially the collage exercises cutting up magazines, the only magazine we have many of are National Geographic and Art Jewellery, and I’m not willing to destroy them! But I have found it very interesting reading and wholeheartedly recommend it. The morning pages are particularly good, and I do them most mornings, just sit down and write 3 pages of whatever is in my head, sometimes it’s painful but usually it starts to flow and you get all your issues, worries, confusion sorted out before you start your day, which I’m all for! Also most importantly drums up ideas for designs.

My 30^th listing went up on Etsy today, and I have more ready to go! Considering approaching shops when I get my current stash of hallmarking back! Gulp! Exciting stuff!

New pictures and plans

Spent a good chunk of yesterday sorting treasuries and networking a little on etsy. Quite enjoyed it and lots of stuff I now want to buy myself, which of course was not the intention when I signed up for etsy! But it sucks you in! So much pretty stuff! Check out my treasuries:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTAyNjg3MzR8NzAwMDczMDM1/astronomy 

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTAyNjg3MzR8Njk4MjUwMDkz/bunnies?index=1

Also spent a chunk of yesterday setting up my other blog, and my medical stuff is going to go there not here from now on, I found that it was intruding a little so I’ve put it in it’s place.

http://dealingwithosteoarthritis.blogspot.com/

Congrats to Conan who sold a pendant yesterday J jammy so and so!

I’ve been considering what I need to do to really get the ball rolling and I think networking is up there but also I need to get some earrings up there, people buy lots of earrings and they are small so I can afford to have quite a low price. I’ve sent a few to get hallmarked and will be listing them asap! Rings as well, the shop has been a little pendant heavy so far so things are about to change!

Saying that I did spend time this morning with the bunnies; or at least Gráinne taking photos of glass pendants and a few other bits I’ve got ready to go, and they will be going up soon. Here’s a sneak peak.

Don’t forget you can get 10% off everything on my etsy shop with the code “FRIENDSOFFRAGMENTS1”

Now lesson planning time! If Gráinne allows it!

Hallmarking is sent, lots of it! And a sale :)

Thankfully feeling a bit better today, still not 100% but my neck is a lot less stiff then it has been in months/years! So I’m cautiously hopeful that the treatment worked!

Did take the time yesterday to organise lots of stuff, I got some more listings up and ready to go on etsy to hopefully release one a day, that should last about a week before I need a sunny day and more photos! Also sent off a HUGE package of hallmarking! About 13 rings, 4 pairs of earrings, 15ish pendants and my bunny bracelet, some of the stuff is on the site already but lots more to come J.

Sent off the enrolment forms for yoga, herbal medicine and pottery courses I’ve been wanting to do. I did Pottery last year and loved it, started doing some ceramic jewellery work just towards the end of term and eager to get back into it. My kiln unfortunately fires about 50-100 degrees too low for ceramics, so that is definitely something I can only do in class, but I’m excited to get back into it, lots of ideas!

I’ve also set myself up on twitter @FragmentDesigns which I’m trying to get to grips with, a very strange platform, not so sure I like it, I’m seeing tweets and it’s taking me ages to figure out what the text speak actually means and when I do it’s always just too little information, finding it very frustrating, but sure we’ll give it a go and see if I can get into it.

Best of all though I sold something yesterday! A little wire nest pendant so I’m very happy J!

A present for my friends

Well hello folks, I didn’t post yesterday because I was having facet joint injections in my neck, not a pleasant experience let me tell you! I have yet to see if they work, and I’m pretty much out of action for today. Doctors told me that for the next 48 hours I was liable to get dizzy faint and or just black out. Of course they told me this after the procedure so I had to ring my boss in my just started this week job and say I can’t make it today! GULP! I’m not even allowed shower cause the holes in my back (Seriously holes! I’m glad I didn’t actually see the needles that made those babies) have been sprayed with stuff to heal and stay clean. I got Conan to take a photo of my neck yesterday and ewwwwwww! At the mo I just feel a little like someone has been punching the back of my neck!

However there is only so much TV you can watch before you go cuckoo, so I have been online rearranging some stuff on etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/sjegan and ordering a sealant for my copper, also reading up on the supposed benefits of copper on arthritis. I’m thinking of making myself something therapeutic, give it a go what’s the harm!

I’ve listed my silver bunny bracelet  thank you to my model Gráinne J http://www.etsy.com/listing/81426084/sterling-silver-bunny-bracelet 

I’ve gotten my delivery of pretty 100% recycled boxes to package all my pieces and photos of these will follow soon when I’m back up and functioning! Also the pictures of the little earrings I’m very proud of!

And I’m setting up coupon codes for my blog readers J So you guys can have 10% off if you go to my shop and enter the coupon code “FRIENDSOFFRAGMENTS1” it will be active for 2 weeks on everything in the shop! Happy shopping people!

Earrings day

Got some earrings in the barrel cleaning that I’m very excited about! And finally got my nice boxes to package my stuff in! Had a really nice day, quite productive but also quite relaxing J all good really. Nothing much to report otherwise.

Have another pair of earrings in my head really wanna make but think it’s a little late to hammer, the neighbours will not be impressed!

Appointment in the hospital for big injections in my neck tomorrow and I’m scared and nervous so I’m gonna go to bed and read and try to distract myself now!

Creative day tomorrow! :)

Second day in school down, I've survived and I have tomorrow off :) Big creative plans! Several pairs of earrings planned and possibly a few more rings. Got to mix up some resin to finish off a few really nice pieces too. Really really hoping for a bright day to take photos and get some listings set up!

Had no luck from my showcase spot on etsy, to be honest got more hits whenever I just listed something new, so I am looking at other ways to publicise, and seem to get the most traffic when I list early afternoon so going to do that tomorrow. Going to order the postcards I have been much debating and thinking and plotting about, also have set up a facebook page and I'm looking for other ways to publicise opinions welcome! Have been planning a big mail out to everyone on my email list and I think that will probably happen tomorrow too! I have a day and I'm going to use it! HUH!

First day....soooo tired!

First day in school, all tuckered out ! Been lesson planning pretty much since I got home, with the exception of eating dinner, gonna go pass out now :(

Nothing creative, no success on etsy with my showcase slot, blah! Think I have Wed off, I'm gonna hammer and melt to my hearts content! Time for kiln! ...but now time for bed. Conan can get the bunnies in, I'm too tired!

Productive day

Well today has been surprisingly productive!

Got a load of lesson planning done and then moved onto my jewellery and got a bunch of earrings and rings ready. Have filled out the assay note and majority of stuff is ready to go but I want to sand down some stuff first and phone and ask the assay office for a ring stamp and possibly a bigger stamp as the one I currently have is very small. However they are about £80 each, so may just get the ring one. But I think I’ll call it a night for now!

The bunnies are running around like crazy, they’re in a particularly good mood today! And keep jumping over the barrier we built into the spare room to keep them out, I think it’s just a game now! Trying them on pineapple today so far they’re not really bothered, they do seem to love gem lettuce though!

Conan is at the workbench now, part of the reason I’m leaving my sanding till tomorrow, so I’m gonna go relax in a nice bath and sleep well before I start my new job tomorrow! Hopefully the timetable will be ready!

Oh and here’s a nice pic I took on Wed, amazing what you can get with a compact on a sunny day J

My busy few days

Well I’ve been very bad with my blog the last few days but I have valid reasons! Not excuses I swear!

I got a teaching job on wed, I started on Thurs for inset day Yay! Fun! 3.45 day week so I will still have my creative time!

Also had a friend arrive from Ireland on Wed, till this morning so I think it’s only fair! Twas great to see her I went to get the fish pedicure and manicure thingy in a really nice little independent salon in Cardiff http://www.tigerhealthspa.com/default.aspx  to be honest pretty much chose it because they seem to look after the fish. It was really fascinating! Sooooo going to do it again! The hand part was particularly good since I could see their very cute little faces J

 

Also went to St Fagan’s which is a must for anyone that comes to visit Cardiff http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans/  they let us throw pots and I think from Conan’s face you will agree he had a great time! I really need to get my pottery course for this term booked asap! I do like to get messy!

Right now back to creative stuff! I did get some pictures taken on Wed morn before Siobhan arrived so some stuff has been updated on my shop, as well as here is a few sneak peaks of up and coming stuff. The bunnies were in great spirits so I was too busy laughing to get a HUGE amount of photos taken.

I’m still waiting for my new boxes to arrive L I have however gotten my resins J and gotten Conan to buy something on Etsy just to check everything works and I think we’re good! I have a showcase slot for Monday! So hopefully things are going to take off! Hallmarking to be sent on Monday too, of course I also start teaching on Monday so unfortunately a lot of this weekend will be spent lesson planning instead of sawing L the summer is over L must try not to cry!