salting instead of sanding

I worked like crazy today making beads with some new ideas in my mind. I tried out the salt-texturing method to get a funky texture. I love these, because they need no sanding and buffing *smile

I also tried some new beads with adding glass beads to them. I really like the white textured and pink bead beads. I'll be adding them to my selling list tomorrow and see how they go. Now I'm exhausted and my wrist hurt again. But: no pain:no gain! :-)

no ugly beads

Yeah I still make beads! :-) Actually I make more then I show at the moment, trying out colours and mixes, using up scraps of clay with scraps of canes...sometimes they turn out pretty cool, would have never thought, others don't and will land in my bead box. Perhaps someone else will like them though and find something to do with it. I'm not saying that they are ugly, no beads are ugly! Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder...

Letting go...or not...

Sometimes it's easy to just put my things up for sale. I imagine, create, form and finish and then put the item up for sale, but sometimes I can't let go of a certain piece, like the one on the bottom right. It's a very pretty piece (for me) and I loved wearing it (for a test) even though I hardly ever wear black anymore. So the other three are up for sale (if you are interested let me know and we can figure something out as it's coming from switzerland). I hope they find a good home soon.

Something to hang around your neck...

Healing

Not much has been happening since I wrote last. I've been working a lot or have been trying to rest my aching wrists. I did create some beads on Thursday evening but nothing special, I only wanted to use my canes that I've been creating as to sell more beads and not be forgotten. I'm still longing to create newer and bigger things but just haven't had the energy nor the inspiration.

I will probably do the fleamarket thing but it will take a lot of work and organisation, I think. Not sure when I'll do this, perhaps when the kids are on holiday at the beginning of august and then I can dedicate all my free time to clay.

So no, I'm not giving up claying but just resting a bit. Need to get my wrists healed and my energy back and then........... :-)

Should I?

I'm toying with the idea of getting a small space at the fleamarket we have here in my City. It's on every Saturday and pretty big. Not sure if it would be the right setting though for my things but I would really like to sell "outside" of my living room (smile). As I'm living in a small city and a small country at that, we don't really have fairs like bead+buttons and what-not like in america. That would be awesome! Maybe one day I'll have to organize one, hahaha.....the dreams! :-)

New Energy

I've been working so much latley that I didn't really have the energy to create anything new. I only worked on my order and on some beads waiting to be sanded and varnished to be put up for sale. Nothing new though. I didn't mind because I just didn't have the energy to start a new project anyway let alone ideas! This morning I woke up with a great desire to start something new, something totally new, something I haven't done before. I'd also like to get bigger, not in the sense of selling more or being famous (smile) but rather making bigger beads. Up till now they're usually 1-1.5cm. I'd also like to create more Necklaces as well. I haven't done this in a while really. So do look forward to new things! I do hope my tips and tricks for claying in hot weather works (the clay is almost melting in my hands) and that I have more time and energy to sit at my clay table to create!

Getting something done

Apart from working way too much (it's so exhausting at the moment) I've been working on my newest custom order. I finished it yesterday and must say, I'm pretty pleased! It's a ring with matching Pendant. Of coarse the photo doesn't really do the colours much justice, in real life they look so vibrant! It's a happy piece, I like it, my customer as well! Hope to be getting more projects like this in!

Burning fire....

It's usually when I think I am too tired or not up to producing something that I'm surprised at what comes out in the end when I sit at my work table. I've been hiding from starting a custom order because I thought I'd mess it up. It worked out well though and am now waiting for the response of my customer of whether to go ahead with the project or not. It's exiting!

a sneak peak

One...two....

I just got my second Custom Order in...hurrayy!! It is for a Necklace I have up on my blog. Someone is interested in buying it but it's not for sale. I took the chance to let her know though that I could produce one especially for her though...she said yes and asked for a matching ring to go with it too. *smile* It would be my first ring but I'm willing to give it a try!

...and here, my newest beads....

Two New Flowers

I was busy today creating two new flowers and the tutorials to them. I guess if you've seen one of this kind you can make another, with different colours again. But I decided to document both anyway. Next time I'll make a tutorial for beads. Haven't done one for beads before.

I sold a lot of things last week and it was very nice sending the packages out to people all over Switzerland. Getting feedback from them was also very nice and very motivating! Selling also allows me to continue my hobby. If I wouldn't sell I'm not sure how long I could do this for, at least not at this rate because the materials are pretty expensive over here. So, selling has many sides to it not just making money but also being able to do something I love.