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!

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!

New Things :)

Here are my latest offerings, I'll be adding them to Folksy later today. And now I'm off on holiday to Portugal until Thursday night - yay!

Blue Star Charm Earrings - £5

Rainbow Charm Bracelet - £12

Now SOLD but I am happy to make other similar items!

Green Saucer Chain Earrings - £4

Blue Spiral Earrings - £4

Blue Wooden & Glass Earrings - £4

Green Glass Earrings - £4

(I'm secretly really proud of the wire wrapping on these!)

Yellow and Pearl Charm Earrings - £5

Interesting week!

I've had an interesting week this week. I began it by making a very colourful charm bracelet (photos tomorrow when the light is better) from my sick bed as I had a good old ME attack and it was all I could find the energy to do...Then I had an exciting phone call offering me an interview for my *dream* job... So, to celebrate,  I made 3 pairs of earrings in a variety of colours and styles (see above for photography comment!) and THEN I sold my first peice of jewellery to an actual stranger!

I had of course previously sold items to the lovely Jen, who despite never having met, I don't consider a stranger (weird internet world we live in etc)... But now I've branched out and made my first Folksy sale! Very exciting stuff, long may it continue. I've had more interest in my Facebook page and a number of people have said they are going to be ordering things in time for Christmas! (91 days away - gaaa!) So all is well and productive in the Clarity World!

I am off on holiday on Sunday til Thursday so there will be a short lull in proceedings (and processing orders, should anyone order anything whilst I'm away) but I'm hoping to find some more inspiration in the Algarve and come back buzzing with ideas! As for the job, we'll have to see what happens, but it all seemed fairly positive, so fingers crossed!

Musings...

Having sent off my first parcel recently, I mused on the environmental impact of my mini business (look, I'm unemployed, I have a lot of musing time). I tend to store my jewellery in small re-sealable plastic bags to stop them tarnishing. However, I don't think this is very environmentally friendly...I was (perhaps) particularly aware of this when posting things to Jen who I know is very keen on being green...

So, I am looking for ideas on how to package my pieces without damaging them and without using loads of plastic/bubble wrap...

Green Dreams - Seed Beads

These little beads have always been avoided by this Beader, due to her complete lack of co-ordination. I've used them to stop other beads falling off head pins but they've never been used as the main part of a design before.

I decided that enough was enough, I was going to face my fears of spending the rest of my life finding tiny beads in unusual places...

Green Dreams Set - £16

Green Dreams - Spiral Earrings £4

Green Dreams Bracelet - £4.50

Taking over the Universe

Clarity Beads hasn't even been around that long and yet I appear to be taking over the earth...

You can now find me here, on Facebook and on Folksy, where you can buy my wares. 

To keep up to date with the goings on of Clarity Beads, "like" me on Facebook and then have a browse in my Folksy shop...just give me a few hours to upload more pretty things!

I am interested however in your opinions of Twitter....I have a personal twitter account but am debating starting up a "bead" one as well. Don't know if it's a useful medium for advertising?...Opinions welcome!