Clarity Beads

Tuesday, 15 February 2011

Productivity

As I have mentioned before I have recently become re-unemployed (re- because until recently I was a student...). This is very frustrating and depressing, especially as there are very few jobs about for SLTs of my experience (nil) at the moment. The NHS is making cuts left right and centre and jobs to apply for are few and far between.

Anyway - what has this got to do with making and selling jewellery? It means that I have a lot more time to play with beads, learn new techniques, use different materials! All positives - silver lining and all that. On a weekend away in Loughborough last week I visited the local bead shop (http://www.bojanglebeads.co.uk/) and had a lovely time browsing all of their gorgeous stock. In consequence I have acquired a lot more beads! So today I thought I should really concentrate on making some new lovelies so I can make back some of the money I spent!

Pinky&Perky - £8

Pearls, rose quartz and Czech glass beads combine to make this delightfully girly bracelet!

Woodland Wonder - £20

This bracelet uses the fashionable "sweetie" charm bracelet style and combines gorgeous glass leaves, silver plated leaf charms, freshwater pearls and Swarovski crystals for a beautiful dangly effect.

From Copper with Love - £15

This bracelet has a chunky antique copper chain and clasp and is decorated wtih pearlescent discs, stars and coral coloured freshwater pearls - gorgeous.

Pearly Queen Pendant - £15

Gorgeous Czech glass pearls are combined with freshwater pearls on silver rings to create a beautiful cluster pendant.

Pearly Queen Earrings - £6.50

Daisy Daisy Earrings - £7

Trinty brass Daisy charms and lilac glass leaves on silver ear wires make these earrings really cute.

Tulip Earrings - £6.50

Purple glass "trumpet" flowers, silver decorative headpins and fluorite beads - beautiful and classy.

Blue Hearted - £6

Blue foil lined glass hearts with iridescent red/turquoise glass beads on silver plated ear wires.

Monday, 7 February 2011

Delightful Danglies

(Am beginning to wonder how many alliterative titles I can think of...)

Before Christmas and this week I've been making lots of pairs of gorgeous earrings. I've got a lovely collection of different types of beads (acrylic, pearl, glass) of all shapes and sizes that I've been putting together to create some really pretty earrings. The only problem is I keep making things I want to keep....

Ruby Red Earrings - £5.50

Oceana Earrings - £6

Purple Pearl Earrings - £5.50

Ice Queen Earrings - £6

Chip off the Old Block Earrings - £5

Navajo Earrings - £7.50

Oriental Earrings - £6

Midas Earrings - £6

Oyster Pearl Earrings - £6

Saturday, 5 February 2011

Cupid Calling

What is that I see? Yes, the shops are full of red, pink, fluff, glitter and all sorts of other schmaltz... it must be Valentines Day. What ever your thoughts are on the day of St Valentine, it is pretty much inescapable!

So whether you are a woman who wants to drop some hints for their other half, or a man looking for inspiration, have a look below at some of the beauties that I've made, especially for Valentines Day! I have been mainly using Rose Quartz stones as they are a gorgeous pink colour and also lovely to work with...

Beautiful Buttons - £15

Buttons may not be to everyone's taste, but I think they're really cute. These pink and purple buttons have been teamed up with creamy pearly buttons on a silver plated charm bracelet. The heart shaped clasp and "Made with Love" tag charm make this perfect for a gift on Valentines Day...Supplied in an organza pouch.

Rose Quartz & Freshwater Pearl Charm Bracelet - £18

Rose Quartz is known for it's healing and calming properties. It is a semi precious stone and as such each rondelle is unique. Combined with freshwater pearls this bracelet is really something special. It is on a silver charm bracelet and comes supplied in a gift box.

Rose Quartz Heart Pendant - £10

This rose quartz stone has been shaped into a heart and has a small freshwater pearl above it. This would look lovely on a silver chain which can be supplied for a small extra charge. Supplied in an organza pouch.

Rose Quartz Bracelet - £15

Lastly in the rose quartz section we have this simple bracelet made with gorgeous rondelles of rose quartz combined with a "Made with Love" tag charm. Supplied in an organza pouch.

Thursday, 3 February 2011

Fabulous February

Hello and welcome to Fabulous February! I'm not sure what happened to January but it's flown by! My short term contract at a school working as a Speech & Language Therapist has sadly come to an end so while I am looking for something else I am throwing myself wholeheartedly into selling more of my jewellery. My new years resolution (well, my February resolution) is to blog at least once a week showing new things I've made and put into the Folksy shop.

So, today we have some gorgeous aqua and turquoise peices to remind you of the summer and plans for paddling in the sea!

Sea Green Bracelet - £7.50

Turquoise and Pearl Bracelet - £8

Turquoise Pearl Earrings - £6

Mint Green Jade Pendant - £10

Tuesday, 21 December 2010

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Beaders...

After an extremely beady week last week, I had a huge amount of lovely lovely jewellery to sell at a local Scout run Christmas Fair. I was all prepared: I had ordered jewellery stands; I'd made signs; I'd even designed a PowerPoint presentation to show my jewellery in lovely pictures. As well as this I had made more earrings than your local Accessorize (but obviously much nicer!) and spent a lot of time creating beautiful beaded bookmarks to sell.

The one thing I wasn't prepared for was the snow....and did it snow! It chucked it down, conveniently just at the same time as everyone was due to arrive at the fair... Thankfully some of the local villagers battled through the elements to come and visit and I managed to convince them to buy some of my wares. Other than that though, not the busy afternoon I was expecting!

Not one to be downhearted, I decided to battle on and try to sell some of these lovely things I'd made online (after a 2 hour nap - it was hard work trying to stay warm!). So now on Facebook and on Folksy there are updated photos of the new things I've made. Within 2 hours of putting some of it up on Folksy I'd sold a bracelet, a pair of earrings and a bookmark, so that was reassuring! Since then there has been a flurry of sales, and last minute Christmas present buying. Excitingly, in the last 2 weeks I've sold twice to strangers which is always gratifying!

Anyway I am now off to make the things I said I'd make for my Mum and also my Dad's other half for Christmas...and then, why, I think I'll have another nap!

Merry Christmas!

Sunday, 5 December 2010

Long time...no posts!

It has been a very very very long time since I last updated my blog. This is the main reason I stopped blogging before - I simply didn't seem to have time to updated it regularly. But fear not, I intend to keep this one more up to date from now on!

There has been a lot of bead actvity recently. I have had a number of orders for Christmas presents, bracelets and earrings in particular. I have also been making things for a Christmas fair on 18th December where *hopefully* I'll sell loads of jewellery and get "Clarity Beads" to be known as a household name (well in my local area anyway!)

Anyway, check out the Folksy shop page www.folksy.com/shops/claregroome and get buying for your Christmas presents! If you'd like anything commissioned, just let me know. Only 21 days to go!

Merry Christmas!