Last Etsy Listings Before...

...I sod off to Spain for two weeks!

As my pearls finally arrived I managed to finish a necklace I've been working on for some time.














Listed on Etsy at $50 - http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=28571123

I'm off to Spain for two weeks on Saturday and I can't wait! It's the last family holiday before my baby sister (well, she's 18) goes off to Cambodia for a year. She's going to be working in an orphanage for children with HIV and AIDs. It's a bit scary, our smallest one going off to a foreign country for a whole year! I'm very jealous, actually. I'd -love- to do something like that. Sadly I think I'm going to have to content myself with the odd week here abroad until I retire...which is yeeeears away!

So yes, Spain. Party going consists of Mutti, Al (step-dad), my brother Barney, my sister Flora, other sister Erin and her boyfriend James, myself and my partner Tom. We're going to see Al's parent's who moved out there due to health problems and I'm SO EXCITED! Two weeks to enjoy the sunshine and the company of the people I love the best.

I'm not sure how I'll cope without my jewellery making bits and pieces...I've been making roughly two pieces a week for...well, months. Suddenly having no access to supplies is going to be a bit of shock. Although I'll be able to collect sea-glass and shells, so it's not like I'll be having withdrawal symptoms!

Excited Megan :D

Night all, see you in a couple of weeks!

A quick look at my WIP

Evening all! Just before I pop off to bed I wanted to show you some of my work in progress.

Silver wrapped sea glass, to be made into a pendant and necklace.
















Silk orchid for another Elegant Orchid necklace ( http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=28381686 )















And now, I'm off to bed :) Going up to Birmingham early tomorrow to pick up some things for Spain (holiday on saturday, hooray!) and some pearls that have -finally- arrived :D

Night all

The Most Beautiful Necklace in the World

Ok, so the title is a bit...well, conceited.

But tell me that isn't a gorgeous necklace!


Will be on Etsy as soon as I work out how much to charge for it.

A Plethora of New Etsy Listings

As the title says, today I was busy listing a load of new necklaces on Etsy. One of them sold withing 15 minutes, so I'm happy!

Malachite Tear Necklace: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=28230391

Mechanic's Mix Necklace: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=28247016

Amethyst Echoes Necklace: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=28235270

Flowers of the Sea Necklace: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=28233016

Take a look, tell me what you think if you have time :)

In other news, I'm applying for a stall at the York Christmas Craft Market. Hopefully I'll get it...and if I do I'm going to have to build up my stock! Yesterday my mum and sister helped me to pick out a couple of amazing wire work bowls to help display my work. I need to do a few practise stall lay-outs as well, it's been a while!

Right, I'm going to get my man-rats out for a play. They look a bit bored, poor things!

Night all :)

Chandelier Necklaces on Etsy :)

Just a quick one before I take myself off to bed :)

I've finally got round to listing two of the necklaces I showed you last week, the amethyst and the lapis lazuli one. I'm really pleased with them, take a look and let me know what you think!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=28146717

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=28141088

Night all :)

Swine Flu and Rat Men

So, I'm currently the only person in the house without swine flu. I feel like a nurse!

My mum's been in bed for about three days, my sister went down yesterday and my step-dad was sent home from work this morning. The fact that I am, as yet, not infected is amazing. I have one of the worst immune systems I've ever come across (I blame having mild ME as a child), but the odds are that I'll get it before the week is out.

The timing is really, really terrible. Erin (sister) is missing her boyfriend's gradutation ceremony tomorrow and she was so excited about going. It's also my parent's tenth wedding anniversary party on saturday and we have friends and family coming over to celebrate. I even bought my fire-poi down from birmingham to fire spin with, so if I'm laid-up in bed I will be highly unimpressed!

I went to Birmingham yesterday evening to pick up some jewellery stuff and came back with lots more than I'd intended. Jewellers' saw, a variety of beads and findings, gelflex, sculpting tools...so I've had another day of making pretty necklaces :) No pictures for you now, but there should be some tomorrow! Although I do need to remember to do some dissertation research this week and not just make jewellery...

Currently sitting in bed whilst my darling man-rats play around my feet. It's so good to have them back! My boyfriend took them for the fortnight when I was doing work experience as I didn't really have time to play with them and I missed them more than expected.

My ratty men as babies:


















Ratty men now:



















I really don't understand why people don't like domestic rats. They're squishy, cuddly and so very affectionate. Yes, they smell a bit...but they're so adorable!


Ok, bedtime for me.
Night!

The Premio Meme Award

In a fairly suprising turn of events, a lovely seller (and blogger) from Etsy messaged me to say she'd awarded me the 'Premio Meme Award' for my blog. She can be found here: http://www.thegoldenthimble.blogspot.com/ and I strongly suggest you take a look :)

Apparently I now have to share seven things about myself...so here goes.

1. I read faster than anyone I know.
2. I love baking, but rarely find the time :(
3. The ideal length for my hair is roughly 3/4 of an inch.
4. I am a proud member of the Circus society at university and was last year's president.
5. I play viola!
6. I have 3 beautiful male rats
7. I am a complete ancient history geek.

I now need to bestow this award on seven other blogs. All of these people are interesting writers and have truly amazing Etsy shops!

http://trainersinnightclubs.blogspot.com/
http://allthosethrees.blogspot.com
http://laurabailliedesigns.blogspot.com
http://teaandjewels.blogspot.com/2009/07/afternoon-tea.html
http://boojewels.blogspot.com/2009/07/one-thing-tends-to-lead-to-another.html
http://quercussilver.blogspot.com/
http://cowislandblogspot.blogspot.com/

Seriously, go look!

Highly Recommended!

Parsy sells some stunning handmade cards and gift tags and she has free postage to the UK for a week on everything in her Etsy shop! (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=25021)

Some of my favourites of hers are listing below, I really do encourage you to take a look :D

Gift tags showing a little guy holding a flower:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22908670

Greeting card for those who like cake!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23897306

A truly stunning piece of hand embroidered art, framed and ready to grace any wall:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22002696

Here's what she has to say about her beautiful products:

"I create cute and quirky card for all occasions, i am able to create custom cards, and add a personal message on any, eg -add a name just let me know if your interested in any of my cards but would like to change somthing about them.

Opened my shop in 2006 then had a 2 year break, re-opened my shop in nov 2008 and am back with new ideas and curious stuff.

i love custom orders!"


Seriously, take a look!

Well, that was a productive weekend!

I can't remember if I told you this, but I ordered a load of jump rings last week. I got home after a week in London yesterday and got to work!
In the space of 48 hours, I've made 2 man's bracelets, 5 necklaces and 1 chain. As well as the usual bits of sleeping, eating, spending time with my sister/family etc. I feel proud of myself! I've almost run out of aluminium, I've done so much.

Without further ado, have some photos!

Necklace 1.
Fairly simple, this one :) Aluminium sections in a spiral weave, ten links long, joined by two bronze links. The clasp is a swirly tibetan silver hook, one of my favourites :)

Necklaces 2-4

These next 3 are actually the same design, just using different stones :) 2 is with amythyst, 3 is with lapis lazuli and 4 is with dyed flourite. All three necklaces have a base of plain aluminium chain, with silver clasps. The focal points are plastic chandelier drops around 1'' in length and 4 circular drops placed at intervals along the chain. No. 2 is slightly different to the others as it has 2 small, blue plastic leaf beads as well, the others are just stone chips. In fact, the central 3/4 of the chain has either a stone chip or a chandelier drop hanging from it. If you're familiar with chainmaille, it's effectively a half shaggy-loop weave.
I found the chandelier drops at the local market (I LOVE markets) during my lunch break at work. They were still wired in their original format (one drop and I think 3 circular ones) for £1 each. Plus a beautiful glass drop in a similar shape to a fleur-de-lis, which will be used at a later date. Given how well I think these worked, I've just ordered some plain glass drops (same shape as the central ones) from a shop on Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5133361), along with some coral beads. No idea what I'll do with the coral, but they were so chunky and beautiful I couldn't resist.
There is another necklace with lapis lazuli, but I'm not posting that as it's not finished!

So yes, these are my new necklaces! I don't know whether to put them all on Etsy or keep some back...I need something to show potential shop people :/

There's another necklace/choker that's been hanging round in my storage boxes for a while as I totally forgot to photograph it last time. It's...different. Completely out of my head because I had some 'o' rings left over from making my Stepping Stone cuff (http://eiriel.deviantart.com/art/Stepping-Stone-cuff-128502062) and my Rubber Spirals necklace (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27140360), they're pretty much too big for anything else! Made of large rubber 'o' rings looped through each other, joined in the middle with a steel washer. The stretch on it is amazing, it looks really quite small but I can get it over my head with ease! Because of how the rubber is chained together, it also spirals a little bit...I do like it :)
(Etsy listing, only $16! http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27724295)

Only two more photos for you, don't panick! A better photo of the silver and gold chain, but not -that- much better, sadly. Can't remember how much detail I gave you last time, but this is the base for a pearl necklace. Still awaiting the pearls and the pretty headpins I found! Need to buy more headpins, actually.




The other photo is of a simple rubber and aluminium man-bracelet. I made one in a weave called full persian for my brother this morning and wanted to make some more, so I did. Once I've bought some more rubber rings (all my others are the wrong size) I'm going to make some more, including a set of 3. I made this set for my boyfriend for Valentine's day and he really likes them...they're nice and masculine :D
(Etsy listing: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27725340)

And I believe that's all for now!

Working with precious metals

This is something that makes me feel really excited. I love silver and gold, I love working with them and I adore how they look in a well-designed piece of jewellery. So, for the first time in ages I bought myself some silver and gold jump rings to work with and made a pretty, delicate chain as the foundation for a pearl necklace.

The photos are awful, but I don't like getting the light box out just for one piece. I'm planning a weekend of jewellery making, so hopefully there will be some decent quality photos tomorrow!

Trying to get published?

So...
you've written the perfect book, you've sent it to your friends and they say it's the next 'Lord of the Rings'.

You want to send it to an agent so they can find you a publisher.

Excellent plan!

One, cardinal rule before you even CONSIDER sending it to any agent.

CHECK YOUR SPELLING. Repeated spelling mistakes are really not the way to win over any agent. If I have to trawl through misspellings of commonly used words, I will give up after the 5th page and go on to someone else's manuscript, in the hope that they know how to use an english dictionary.

Same goes for grammer, actually. If you use an average of 3 commas in every sentence, no-one in the publishing industry will be impressed.

Seriously. Agents do expect basic levels of literacy.

End rant!

Contemplating business

Evening all!

Another fantastic day at the office, tomorrow I actually get to offer advice to a writer. Good first 50 pages, needs a bit of adjusting and a more suitable agent but he may actually get published.

I spent the evening talking with my dear friend Nicky (who was my babysitter, then my mum's best friend, then our legal guardian and is now just...close, close friend to the whole family) about my Etsy shop and my jewellery in general. Paid work is somewhat unforthcoming at the moment - it's hard for students everywhere and she suggested building up a line of jewellery and approaching local boutiques and gift shops. I think this is a good idea and it just so happens that I ordered a small quantity of silver and gold jump rings yesterday as I need more stock anyway. I'm also awaiting a large pearl order (will post photos when they arrive!), partly why I bought the silver and gold.

It's exciting and scary. I'm going to have to spend a fair bit of money building up stock etc...but I think it will pay off in the end. Etsy is great, but I can't see it being regular, reliable business for a while yet.

Quick look at potential stock for you, I made this set a month or so ago and sold the necklace and bracelet. I want to make something similar, probably in precious metals and without the silver charms. What do you think?

Literary Agency, more interesting than it sounds!

Sooo...
I decided on a career path a few months ago and managed to get some work experience at a literary agency in London.

It is the most fun I've ever had at work. They actually want me to just sit and read unpublished books then give them my opinion. It could only be better if they delt with scifi/fantasy. As it is, they have some very interesting things for me to read.

Some are awful, some are moderate and a few are good...if needing a few adjustments.

Being around the office is fascinating as well. I get to hear about things like publicity deals for individual authors and get an insight into how the publishing industry works.

I won't get rich doing this, but it will keep my brain occupied!

First three sales, hooray!

Apparently, this advertising lark pays off :) I made my first three sales yesterday, to a lovely woman called Dee who commissioned me to make a mechanic's mix necklace and cuff a few months ago (http://eiriel.deviantart.com/art/Mechanic-s-Mix-Necklace-104400588).

So yes, I am a happy person. It does mean that I now need to order more jump rings and make more stock...something that I don't really have time for as I'm spending the next two weeks in London on work experience.
There's always the weekend :)

I'm planning another one similar to my vintage dangles neckalce, but in glass and plastic chandelier whatsits. No idea what they're called.

Oh and I've got some pewter token things, they have little cut out pictures and writing saying things like' good for one breakfast in bed', or 'good for one hug'. I think I'll get some steel and make them into a charm bracelet. I love planning new pieces :D

Right, must go and cook dinner. Later!

With any luck I'll keep this blog alive...

So, I've bitten the bullet and got myself a blog.

I'm -awful- with things like this. Seriously. I try and keep diaries and write in them once a every 6 months, if I remember. I'm going to try and write in this at least twice a week, though next week may be a problem as I'm in London for work experience and may not have my laptop with me :(

Right. The purpose of this was to help in advertising my new Etsy shop, www.eiriel.etsy.com and tell whoever cares to listen about what jewellery I'm making, but, knowing me, I'll end up writing random thigns in it as well. So keep with me, there will be some kind of comedy value!

Speaking of comedy value...I was looking at a list of website URLs last night and the phone rang. I answer the phone and cheerily say 'Megan Lewis dot com!'. There is stunned silence on the other end, I realise what I've said and apologies several times in between fits of the giggles. The phone is passed over to my mother, who informs the person on the other end that I'm insane. It was our plasterer...good job he has a sense of humour!

Right, I'm going to go and sort out some new business cards.
Later!