A milestone to share

Just a quick post to share this little milestone - 500 sales in my Folksy shop https://folksy.com/shops/BlueForestJewellery

It's been a while coming, and it was reached at 1.15 am with the sale of a pair of earrings. I love it that sales can come at any time of the day and night, and go anywhere. Yesterday, three bracelets set off for Stockholm, and we all wished we could go with them!

Thanks to all my blog followers and commentators who have kept me at it over the years. Overall sales reached about 1,000 a couple of months ago.  It's great that people like things enough to purchase them, and it's always a lovely surprise to get a sales notification. 

Please pop along to have a look at the shop if you're interested. There are some new key rings, in vintage bronze and antique silver, and until the end of the month, you can use the discount code Celebrate 500 to get a 20% reduction. 

Here are some recent makes.  Which do you like best?  And what are you making at the moment?

Alison x

Handmade Monday Long Necklaces

Apologies for the gap in blogging. I've been busy, both with crafting and with other less fun stuff including poorly relatives. I always find crafting relaxing, though, so even if I'm a bit stressed, the Blue Forest Jewellery production line is never quiet - in fact, it often gets more efficient!  There is so much jewellery in our house now, I have to look through my photos before I make something just to check I haven't done the same thing before!

One thing I really love is a long, tassel necklace.  So I've made a lot, but it always seems wasteful to be using so much chain. I've tried to solve that now by using a large textured ring on a long chain and adding the bar of a toggle clasp to the dangle so as to make that bit interchangeable.  I made a long version of the chain, and then an even longer one so I've got a choice to suit whatever neckline I'm wearing.

It took a while to convert all the ones I'd already made...

And some of them are not quite tassels either...

And a slightly different toggle clasp used on some of them...

Anything that saves room in my clutter is a good thing, IMHO. This one is my favourite...

And it's nearly Christmas.  How are your preparations going?  I haven't done as much as I should, probably because I've been messing around with necklaces!!

Here's a link to see what other crafty folk have been making this week. http://handmadeharbour.blogspot.co.uk

Happy Christmas in case I don't get chance to blog again before.

Alison 

Handmade Monday: Wedding jewellery

This week I've mainly been making some jewellery for me to wear to a family wedding.  I can't reveal the pictures as it's a family secret until next weekend, but I'll just say that my dress is bottle green and the statement necklace involves deep green and purple glass bead chain maille flowers, there's a lapel brooch, a bracelet and some tiny bead earrings. 

I started, and then stopped, making a fascinator, as my OH said it looked like a helicopter propeller, and I have to say, he is always an honest and very good critic and I could see the resemblance myself as soon as he said it.  So no fascinator, or hat, or tiara - just bare hair! The other pieces do meet his approval, but I'm not sure whether I should wear all of them together.  Hopefully, I won't be looking back on the photos in a few years time and wondering what on earth I was thinking!

I thought I'd show you my other wedding pieces in the meantime.  These always sell well in my shops, and it's lovely to have something, in some cases personalised, to celebrate your special day. 

This one has all the elements I think you need for the special day and the marriage afterwards - luck, love, a posh dress, the right shoes, and the key to your beloved's heart.  Have I missed anything?

There are some couples who, dare I say it, need a bit more luck (!), so this one has a four-leafed clover and a guardian angel too. 

This one is personalised with a rustic style stamped charm, and has a traditional pearl for the wedding - and a bird, as the person receiving this one has a particular love of them. I hope they had a lovely day on Friday.

This one was intended for wedding favours, or bridesmaid's gifts with their initials.

I was once the bride, but a long time ago now, and before I made jewellery myself.  I would probably choose pearls if I was a bride now, and this necklace is my favourite piece of wedding jewellery.

It's a metre long, with luscious vintage faux cream pearls and rock crystal cubes.  It would be great for a twenties, flapper style wedding.  The camera doesn't really do it justice.

This one was bought by a lady for her daughter's wedding.  It was lovely and delicate with the coin and potato pearls, and I think a surprise gift.

Which do you like best?  What is your favourite wedding jewellery?  When have you successfully pulled off the fascinator/big hat/no hat/tiara/discreet hair comb look?!  Share with us.

Have a great crafting week.  Here's a link to see what others have been making.

See you soon,
Alison x

New year, new jewellery

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you all had lovely holidays and are starting the new year with lots of creativity. For myself, I've mostly been making flowers recently - and why not?  They are always cheerful and popular, aren't they. Let me know which you like best. Alison x

Fanatical Friday: Bronze bag charms

Somehow I can't stop making these bronze steampunk-style bag or purse charms!  Is it a recognised illness?  Can I get treatment?!

BESTeam weekly feature - Our Home to Yours

It's my pleasure to introduce Our Home to Yours a lovely shop on Etsy where you can browse so many different types of items.  It's like being in a little department store where there are new handmade items and lovely vintage finds side by side.  I guess part of the variety comes from the shop being run by a mother and daughter combo, Debbi and Amanda, with each of the items made or found by one or the other. They clearly both have very good taste!

Here are a few of my favourites






1.  This quilt cover is beautifully stitched and finished and would look fantastic in any setting
2.  Bunny needs a loving home where his lop ears will be regularly stroked!
3.  A unique momento of your special day - this shadow box will hold your bouquet and other wedding keepsakes
4. Beautifully crocheted ring bearer pillow to carry the symbols of your love
5. Lovely vintage crochet collar
6. These cross stitched swans are a handmade work of art!

You can find out more about Our Home to Yours on their blog, follow them on Twitter and on Facebook

Happy shopping!

BESTeam weekly feature - Miss Pretty Perfect bags and purses

If ever a shop was appropriately named, it's this one - Miss Pretty Perfect!  Each of the handcrafted bags and purses featured are unique, one of a kind and beautifully crafted from upholstery fabrics and leathers.

La Toya, based in Charlotte, NC, did her apprenticeship working for a handbag designer who sold to major stores like Bloomingdales, and you can really see the skills in the crafting and finishing of these purses.  There's a really distinctive brand feel to them, I think, a touch of vintage boho chic but very practical and in luscious colour combinations.  And it's an exciting time as the store, established in 2007, is now branching out into womens and childrens clothing.

Here are a few of my favourites.  Click on any of the pictures to visit the store.

This messenger bag is a lovely combination of fabrics and easy on your back too - something we should all consider!  It's also available in other fabrics and combination as a custom order.  It will fit your laptop and your papers comfortably, so perfect for work.

Love this mustard and olive wrist bag - the pattern is delightful and the quilted fabric looks soft and beautiful.  It would be great for daytime with jeans and a T-shirt and equally suited to a smart evening event as well.

And here's the Indian Princess blouse, made to order from saree fabric in the colour combination of your choice, it features sequinned, beaded and embroided fabrics patchworked together.

You can find out more about MPP and keep up with new creations by following these links:
Facebook MPP: http://www.facebook.com/missprettyperfect
Blog MPP: http://www.missprettyperfect.blogspot.com
Tweet MPP: http://twitter.com/toiyah

BESTeam weekly feature: Empress Jade

Ooooh - my first chance to review a vintage clothing store on Etsy - Empress Jade - based in BC Canada specialises in glamourous vintage lingerie but also covers vintage clothing and accessories from the rockability 50s, mod 60s, groovy 70s and glam 80s!

Being a bit of a ageing hippy-chick myself and a big fan of Mad Men style, I've picked out some 60s styles for my favourites.  Click on any of the pictures to be taken to the shop:

Love this psychadelic floral sleevless top

Love the print and colours on this caftan - you could party all night long in this and wear it the next day too!

This mini-skirted romper is so Jackie O!

The shops are full of maxi dresses at the moment, aren't they? But why have one from the high street when this is vintage and unique?

You can also find Empress Jade on these links:
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Website
and now Bonanzle

It's all about the book - BESTeam weekly feature on ConduitPress

This week I'm featuring a real classy shop - ConduitPress, aka Talia, sells beautifully handcrafted notebooks, journals, baby books, albums, photographs and cards, all with a unique edge to them. There's a real vintage feel from the items, perfect if you want something that's pre-loved and kind to the planet!

Here are a few of my favourite items - click on the picture for more details:







1. This journal upcycled from a vintage novel has pages from the book interspersed with plain sheets!
2. This journal is in beautiful upcycled upholstery leather with a lotus motif

3. The vintage map is of Europe in 1939 and the Far East on the reverse. Perfect for history buffs!
4. Maroon leather journal with a beautiful green decoration.

5. A lovely fresh feel to this pocket sized journal
6. Mini albums with a die cut cover for your own picture - a perfect gift at $5!

If you're an arty or crafty person, you probably keep an ideas journal or a creative diary, collect photos for albums or scrapbooking and enjoy the feel of a beautifully made item. ConduitPress is bound to have something to interest you.

You can follow ConduitPress on her blog, on Facebook and on Twitter