Sunday 21 February 2010

"1 Love" button cluster bracelet.

I am in the process of deciding whether to part with my first bracelet that I made for myself, I made it to co-ordinate with the necklace I currently have for sale in my Folksy shop, and I love it to bits!

Several people have enquired about it, and I figured perhaps I should sell it.. I have done a draft listing already for Folksy, so will possibly be listing this at some point today...

"1 Love" button cluster charm bracelet.
A silver-plated chain with a gorgeous assortment of vintage & recycled buttons in various sizes, shapes & designs.




This unique bracelet has a feature red and white vintage button attached to the chain using low-nickel silver-plated wire. All other findings are silver-plated, low-nickel. The bracelet measures approximately 19cm in length and has a toggle fastening.



This bracelet was initially made as a custom design for myself and as such has been worn once, but I have had so much interest in it, I decided to part with it! Hopefully the buyer will love it as much as I do :)



Your bracelet will be lovingly wrapped and sent in a sturdy gift box.

Thursday 18 February 2010

The story of a bracelet - Jardin d'Eliza

I recently made a bracelet I was proud of. Dare I say, I love pretty much most of the things I photograph and try and sell, if I don't love it, I don't sell it. It's that simple. But, this particular bracelet I was quite captivated by, even when I was making it, I knew it was special. It took quite a while to collate all the right buttons that I felt worked with each other. I have quite a substantial button stash now, but I have particular favourites, some are pretty unusual and have sentimental value due to where they came from...quite a few of my fav buttons featured in this bracelet.

I started giving my items "names" or an "identity" of some sorts, as it helped me keep track of what I was making, and I feel it gives each piece a personality or theme. With this bracelet, I couldn't quite get a name I was happy with, until I sent out a message on Twitter and someone responded. Not just any old someone, a friend who had been through some real personal turmoil in her life, and in the last year. Her username inspired me immediately, and looking at the bracelet, it all fitted into place. The colours, the flower, the contrasts between dark, and light... and so "Jardin d'Eliza" - Eliza's Garden, was "born". I listed the bracelet for sale on Folksy, and it sold within 40 minutes, and whilst I was happy to have a sale, there is a little part of me that could easily have kept it for myself! I am just happy it's gone to a very lovely lady who I am sure will love it as much as I do. :)

"...Eliza looked to the stars on a dark winter night; with the gentle touch of her childrens' hands intertwined with her fingers, she took gentle steps into springtime and the promise of a warm loving future..."

New blog... and my baby swallowed a button....

Decided after thinking long and hard that I needed to create a blog, to write about day to day pitfalls of creating with small baby underfoot, and two older sons who can't keep their fingers out of my button stash!

I could write a whole page about the perils of creating jewellery with a 10 month old agile little monkey staggering about, like how we discovered a gem encrusted special button in his nappy, (which is nice!) Needless to say, I won't be using it! As much as I love to recycle and repurpose buttons and beads, this is an instance where I couldn't do it! (to me, or my lovely potential buyers!)

"He has a stash of buttons in those cheeks I reckon!"

Anyway, there is so much I could write about, and so little time, will just unpeel this baby from my shins, make a cuppa, and contemplate what to do next! Am thinking, I need to build myself a shed (aka studio!) in the bottom of the garden, with nice high shelves, perhaps I may take up smoking a pipe?!