My First Craft Fair

I did my first craft fair before Christmas. It was at the Church of a friend of mine, and we shared a table between 3 people - my jewellery, my friend Ali's Christmas decorations, and my friend Sophie's ceramics.


This was my little third of the table. I wasn't sure how to best display the jewellery, but I was quite pleased with the final outcome. I would definately have struggled to fill a whole table, though!

The fair itself went ok - I think there were about 200-250 people who visited (and all table/entrance fees went to our local hospital, which is always a good cause), and I made three sales. It was quite a long day for three sales - the fair was open from 10-6, but could probably have closed at 4 quite happily really. However, I got some really lovely feedback from someone who bought a necklace for his mum and was the flavour of the month on Christmas day apparently! That kind of thing always makes me happy!

I did also get to finish my own Christmas shopping from some of the other lovely stalls that were there, and it was lovely to sit for the day with my friend Ali and chat, without one of us always having to jump up to rescue a toddler from imminent doom.

I think I would have to think carefully before signing up for another one though, especially from a space and display point of view. If anyone has any tips on this, I'd be grateful!

An Experiment in Oxidisation

Recently I found a forum on etsy about how to oxidise sterling silver with a hard boiled egg. 'Really?' I thought, 'Hmm, maybe I should give that a go.' I am always keen on experiments you can do with household objects!

The sensible thing would, of course, have been to try something small and see what it turned out like - however, I don't usually roll like that (impatience).

So, on Monday I finished a necklace (for me, for once) that I liked but thought was just missing a little something.

'Perfect!' I thought. 'Something that has taken me a while and involves a fair amount of silver. Just the thing to experiment on.'

So when Alice decided to save her afternoon nap yesterday for when we got back home from out trip to the British Library (lunch with a friend and a look at the Magna Carta), it seemed like a good time to try it out.

I got all my ingredients, boiled my egg for about 10 minutes (the problem of impatience again), chopped it up with a big knife very quickly, put it in the box with the necklace and closed the box, also quickly (speed is important, I believe).

I waited for the whole 40 minutes the forum recommended, and opened it up.

Oh.
I don't know what you think, but to me it just looked like I'd left it in a box for a couple of years. Less nicely oxidised and more nastily tarnished. At this point, I began to berate myself for my impatience. Why didn't I try a small pair of earrings first?

However, all was not lost. I dug out my salt and baking powder, put a lining of foil in the plastic container and boiled the kettle (another 'household' method of cleaning jewellery). You put the jewellery on the foil at the bottom, put a bit of both of the above in (2tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt - or in my case, a shake of both containers) and pour the boiling water on. It goes 'FIZZ', and like magic it cleans your silver.

As you can see, it didn't get my necklace back to it's original condition, but it cleaned the chain up a treat and left the flower with more of the effect I was hoping for.

Overall, then, a qualified success. I will have to wear it a bit and see what I think of it. And maybe try something smaller next time!

Handle with Care Treasury

This Summer we seem to have been here, there and everywhere. I feel very out of touch with all the changes that have gone on in Etsy - new shop layout? Prices in £s?

So I have just spent a bit of time looking around Etsy, and made my first treasury for a while - looking at UK based ceramic/pottery items. It's called Handle with Care - please check it out!

New lovelies from etsy

These are my two latest etsy purchases. That's the trouble with spending time on etsy - too many lovely things to look at! I am not supposed to be spending money....

This is a cute fabric brooch from Sabeena who makes brooches, bags and cushions, as well as unique paintings.


This is a really gorgeous silver lily pendant from somethingxtraspecial who makes really beautiful silver jewellery.

Do check them both out - you won't regret it!

Bees Go Buzz.... My first etsy treasury

I seem to be a bit insect obsessed at the moment!

I have finally got round to curating a treasury on etsy, and it is all bees, butterflies, dragonflies and ladybirds! I know insects are funny things that inspire a great deal of fear sometimes - personally, I have a spider-thing (shiver down my spine just thinking about it), but I know plenty of people with bee, wasp, and ladybird things too - still, some of these items are really lovely, so if you can bear it, check it out!