first blog

Hello dear friends!

Well, I call you friends assuming that you are at least not enemies....you’ll get used to the Star Trek quotes, I’m sure...

Anyway...here’s my first post on my new blog, dedicated to my world of jewellery, beads, and craft fairs! I thought it was about time I started updating on the web, just so anyone who is interested finds out new info fast, and also so I can share my knowledge and hopefully teach someone something new every now and again!

So a little about me first before I get stuck in to the technicalities of jewellery making and selling....Hi, I’m Elizabeth! I am 25 and I love to make jewellery and beads! I started around about 6 years ago reading beading magazines and generally dabbling in jewellery making. I have always been a crafter, doing things like cross-stitch, card making, drawing and painting etc. It kind of led me on to study Fine Art – I needed a creative outlet and wanted to learn more.

I studied at Craven College in Skipton for 3 years, first on AVCE Art and Design, then a Foundation Art and Design year. My main focus was painting and drawing. After I finished there I started a degree course at the University of Chichester, but I found that it wasn’t ‘hands-on’ enough and so I decided to leave after a year. I come to like that decision more and more over the passing years!

I have been making jewellery and beads “seriously” (hehe!) for about a year and a half. It all started when I came home from the first year of uni and rediscovered a love for Polymer Clay. I started working on sculptures using it (which I still do from time to time), and then found myself drawn to a technique called Millefiori. I'll do a post all about this later ;) I started making beads with polymer clay and thought it would be a good idea to use my own beads to make jewellery with!

Luckily enough, a tutor at my old college gave me the opportunity to exhibit some of my work at the end of year fashion show for textile students. The theme I had to work to was ‘Jewels the ballet’. I decided to use crystals in the colours of the three movements of the ballet, representing Diamonds, Rubies and Emeralds.

It was good to have a goal, and it really focussed my efforts. After the show I was propelled forward by the idea of making things and haven’t stopping making jewellery since.

As many amateur jewellery makers have found, there are limited outlets to sell jewellery in. Craft fairs are few and far between, and some of them are quite elitist, even to the point of being snooty towards people who haven’t done fairs before.

So I have decided to set up a series of jewellery and bead fairs around the local area on a regular basis, to give amateur and/or semi professional jewellery and bead makers the much needed opportunity to display and sell their work.

I ‘bead’ every single day – I’m addicted to polymer clay! I love to make things, and love to see myself improving and my ideas coming to life in the form of beads or jewellery items.

Well thanks to everyone that stuck through all that! I’ll blog more specifically as and when I get ideas, or dates for craft fairs! Don’t worry, not every entry will be so long!