SPECIAL LAUNCH OFFER

All of my little ladies!
Originally uploaded by aurorabeadz

To celebrate the relaunch of my Belita beads I have put together a little offer for you all.

Buy any 2 Belita beads and get 15% off OR buy any 3 Belita beads and the bracelet and get 20% off.

They are available through my Etsy shop here. You will need to go through Paypal and pay the full price as usual but I will then refund you the difference.

I am quite excited to be able to offer these gorgeous little charms. They make a beautiful gift and can easily become a little heirloom to be handed down. They can be changed to reflect the outfit you are wearing and are simply fab to wear! I wear mine loads!!!

I would love to hear what you think of these so please feel free to pop a comment in you never know one of you may just get a little surprise!!!

TTFN xx

FHFteam spotlight - Josephine

Please take a look at the wonderful work of Josephine which can be found here she is our current spotlight artist and does some absolutely gorgeous work.

TTFN xx

FHFteam spotlight - Trudi of Glittering Prize

Striking Eye
Originally uploaded by Glittering Prize - Trudi

This is the totally stunning "Striking Eye" bead from Trudi of Glittering Prize which can be found here and she is the focus of the current FHFteam spotlight!

TTFN x

FHFTeam member spotlight - Ruth and Andy

As a member of the FHFteam on Etsy we all work together to promote each others work and this is a new venture. Each week we are going to feature a member of the Etsy team and help to promote them on our FHFteam on Facebook page!

From today until the 18th January it is the turn of Ruth and Andy, husband and wife team. The picture you see above is taken from their Etsy shop and I think it is simply divine and there are loads more like that. They also have a blog here so please go take a look, add them to your favourites read their blog and enjoy the glassiness!

TTFN xx

Feeling bleurgh...

I think a dreaded cold may be on it's way!!! I am feeling a bit under the weather and I have the hugest blister on my lip. A leetle run down I fink.....

Anyway I am having a quiet indoors day today, bit of housework to do and I am waiting for a package to arrive. So time to get you all up to speed on my life.

I have some lovely photos of the Big Bead show to show you

This first one is me and Keiara behine our stand before the show opened. I look completely gormless he he. Aren't those stands fab? Keiara's husband made them and they were absolutely perfect I can tell you

This second one is a shot of one of the times our stand looked quite busy.

Keaira and I had a fab day and I have booked again for next year I will give you more details once dates are set etc! I am going to hopefully do more shows tho again watch this space and I will let you know!

Other news: I took one of my jewellery ideas down to the Ingoldsby Gallery in Margate on Sunday to show them as they have asked me to put together a range of jewellery that will be exclusive to them. It went down well so I am now busy making these pieces to have on show for the beginning of November. I am also doing a 3 day Christmas Market in Margate Old Town in December which I am quite excited about.

Savannah's primary school is having a Christmas fair on 28th November and I am having a fingerprint stand there so I busy getting the pre order letters ready to send out to all the mum's and dad's and I am hopeful that this will be well received. I am also donating a prize to the school prize draw but I am not quite sure what that will be yet!

All in all things are looking very good, I just hope this darned cold does not develop.

Anyway must dash, ooh one quick reminder I loaded up loads of new beads onto my website and my Etsy shop last night so please take a look!

TTFN xx

New stock listed

Finally on my website here and my Etsy shop here

It all took me a bit longer than I expected cos my Internet went down this morning not sure why but anyhoo here I am and I have updated both shops!

I hope you are all well, I got so much stuff to catch up on so this is only a brief post but I will be back later with more chat
TTFN xx

Just a quickie

to let you know I have updated my website and my Etsy shop. I will be back later with a longer post
TTFN xx

This weeks sneak peek!

A little preview of what I will be listing in my shop and in Etsy this week as I have rather neglected my Etsy shop these last couple of weeks! The set of beads on the left are my new Crackle range so called as they look like the crackle paint effect on old furniture. This effect is easy to get simply exploit the "webbing effect" that dark ivory has when you get it really hot! I think there may be more of these in different colours! I will be updating my shop somethime Wednesday sadly I cannot give a time as I am not sure what I am doing cos Tony is off this week so we are getting some serious family time in! Imogen is even on a seeing her friends reduction so she can spend some time with us! Not sure how well that has gone down but we have a few ideas of how to make this week interesting on a serious budget!

Anyway must be off
TTFNxx

Another FHFteam treasury

Jolene came up with the idea of showing off our faces and workspaces in a treasury so go take a look at it here

Click on all 12 featured artists to see the beads / jewellery that we have on offer and to see what we all look like and if you are a member of Etsy feel free to leave a comment.

The more clicks we get the higher up the rating we get as well!!!

TTFN xx

FHFteam on Etsy

I have mentioned before that I belong to the FHFteam on Etsy. For those of you who are still unsure of what Etsy has to offer there is a fab way of taking a look. Click on the 2 links below (they only work for 48 hours from date of this post!!) and be transported to a world of gorgeousness and bead porn. Click here and here to have a look at what Etsy has to offer

TTFN xx

Finally a picture of the prize for this months draw!

Hoorah Finally I have got my act together! The picture above is this months prize for my monthly prize draw! I know you have all been waiting with baited breathe for so long and I honestly hope it does not disappoint. Classic black and white complimented with sterling silver findings makes these a lovely set to wear for special occasions as well as everyday!

All you have to do is go to my Etsy page here register (it is free see my post from a couple of days ago!) and favourite my shop. All those people listed in my favourites on the 31st July 2009 will be entered into the draw.

Next month there will be a diferent task for you to do to be in with a chance of a prize and every 6 months or so I will do a big draw to include everyone on all my mailing lists etc! In the words of a famous weekly prize draw "you gotta be in it to win it" not millions I am afraid but a little something to show my appreciation for you all.

Other news: I have uploaded new stock today in both my Etsy shop (see link above) and my website here

The moody blues set that you can see and the Rolling stones ones are definitely sets that you will see more of in other colours! I am still struggling to find a signature bead and think that maybe that will come in its own good time meanwhile I enjoy swinging between the precision of dots and lines and the freedom granted by organic beads and the Moody blues set are a particular favourite at the moment

TTFN xx

FHFteam on Etsy

The fabulous Jolene from Kitzbitz has organised for us peeps on Frit Happens to have our own Frit Happens Etsy team. I profess to not fully understanding what this means yet but I do know that it will be awesome for networking. There is a forum for us the chat on and we are all getting into doing treasuries (that is another post!!!) Anyway I am using my Etsy shop as much as I am using my website which I am sure you have noticed.

So what is Etsy? Etsy is an online market place where you can browse loads of shops selling handmade and artisan goods. Some people have described it as an artisan Ebay. There is no auction facility on Etsy and for those of us in the UK the prices are in $ but there are plenty of online currency converters available to do quick conversion. I use this one here but there are loads of others. It is free to join see here and you only need a Paypal account. BUT.....Please do not be disheartened if you do not want to join or do not have a Paypal account then all you have to do is go to my website here and use my contact form and I can sort out what it is you are after!

Go take a look at Etsy and make sure you have a couple of hours free to do it cos there is tons there to look at!

TTFN and happy browsing.
xx
PS click here to visit my Etsy shop

Firing up the torch

Finally. It has been nearly a week since I last did any beading because of this darstardly ear infection. I am still quite tired and in a fair amount of pain although I am no longer taking codeine just good ole reliable paracetamol. Anyway...enough of that I feel well enough to fire up the torch. I have several ideas pottering around as well.
The bead you can see at the top of this entry is one that I sold last week and is my next thign I have been learning to do with my dots. I was introduced to the work of Lydia Muell by my friend Keiara and she uses dots in her work which I have totally fallen in love with. I have bought her Black petal motif tutorial which I am going to have a go at later but I love what she does with her dots! Click on Lydia Muell's name and have a look at her gallery of beads and drool over her gorgeous work.

Right bead time is wasting and my lovely hubby has made me a cup of tea so time to go. I hope you all had a lovely weekend and have a lovely week.
TTFN xx

So my first week as a full time glass artist

...Mmmmm slightly problematic in that I have been unwell. Still I think I am getting better now. Still not up to sitting in my hot little studio and making beads but I have a necklace idea pottering around my head. I have ordered some bits and pieces and hopefully I can work it through today and show you all later.

I did manage to update my website here and my Etsy shop here last night so please pop over there and have a look and see what I have made. I think last week was a simple week, I have really focused on getting good shapes out of my spree press and I am pretty please with how it has gone. I have worked out my own little method for getting the right amount of glass on the mandrel for each size although I have to say the smallest size is the trickiest which seems a little odd in my head but hey I know my head is strange LOL!!!

I will definitely get up my studio over the weekend and production will be full on next week so get ready for Wednesday when I update all the shops again.

Tuesday will be a strange day for me. It is mine and Tony's wedding anniversary (3 years) Apparently these are the gifts associated with 3rd anniversaries:

Traditional 3rd wedding anniversary gifts have a theme of Leather

Contemporary or modern 3rd anniversary gifts have a theme of Crystal or Glass.

The flowers associated with the 3rd anniversary are Fuchsia

The Gemstone list shows Crystal associated with this Wedding Anniversary

Mmm.....glass seems fairly appropriate don't you think! and Fuchsia are one of my fav flowers. But the reason why it will be odd is because that is my leaving do for work. It will seem quite strange having a leaving do. I still don't have any regret and to be honest I am not massively concerned about money yet but Tony is! But having a leaving do will make it all real. But hey it is karaoke and I don't sing but it will be a laff watching some of my colleagues sing!

Sunday we are hoping to go to Brogdale farm to the cherry festival. I love cherries so hopefully I will be able to eat my body weight in cherries, hope the weather stays fine!

Right best be off, got to get Savannah to my childminder and then to tesco for lots of chicken soup.
Have a lovely Friday and a brilliant weekend
TTFN x

One door closes and another opens

I have decided to listen to the "signs" I have been given and am going to focus on making my beads my main job! Big decision but one I am very happy with.

So you will be very happy to hear that this will no longer be a general blog with a heavy emphasis on glass beads but mainly about glass beads. No more maudlin depressing stuff this is a new beginning for me and the chance to really develop my love for the glass beads I make and to develop my skills continually.

I will chat about my inspiration for my work and preview my beads and jewellery here for you to drool over and then every Wednesday I will update my website and my Etsy shop with my glassy delights I have made during the previous week.

I am also going to run a monthly prize draw and will announce the prize for this month on Monday (and show you a picture). All you have to do is favourite my Etsy shop to be in with a chance to win. The link to favourite an Etsy shop is found on the right hand side of the page I think you may have to join but it is free and no obligation. Etsy is an awesome collection of loads of different handmade things and I can guarantee you will spend absolutely ages on there browsing around the amazing stuff on there.

Hope to see you over at Etsy. Come back regularly for more gossip about glass and eye candy for you to drool over.
TTFNx

Mmmm.....options

Well unfortunately I did not get the job I applied for. I say unfortunately but I am not sure that is accurate. All the platitudes in the world did not help me yesterday it was not fate, there is nothing just around the bloody corner I was incredibly angry.

Today I have perspective. I am a fatalist, what will be will be, whether there is a "higher being" that influences what happens to us or whether our future is pre ordained etc who knows but bottom line I did not get the job, get over it and move on!!!

My totally awesome husband (who is materialistically driven and incredibly stressed by the potential money problems I am about to cause) is being so completely supportive and unselfish I completely adore him! we spent ages last night talking about options some of which I had already discussed with my extremely sensible and pragmatic sister and I have some options open to me, some less savoury than others but all have to be considered. I refuse to make a knee jerk reaction to my blinkered perception of what may be a crap situation and see it for what it is still an opportunity to grasp my life with both hands and enjoy it! Yes money is an issue but so is quality of life and I will make the right decision at the right time.

I have put things in place over the last 24 hours...contingency plans if you like. I have emailed the CAB and am awaiting their advice on potential benefits I may be able to claim, not holding out much hope as this is a self inflicted situation! But you never know! I am going to a meeting next Tuesday with my local Business Link to develop and plan to boost my sales and identify potential sources of money to help me move my business forward. Making beads and jewellery full time or a lot more hours than I currently do is definitely an option and my gorgeous husband keeps talking about giving me his huuugeee shed to convert it to my workspace and set up a second station so I can offer tuition on a more permenant basis!

I have been to the bank manager and I MAY (MAY) be able to claim on my payment protection plan for my loan to help us out a bit. I say may but it is unlikely as I have had depression before and I should have 2 clear years before making a claim and you know what banks are like if there is a loophole they will exploit it!!! But again there is something I can explore to make our life a little easier for the moment!

I MAY be able to take a mortgage break or swap to interest only for a while again to help out. All things that are good to have in my armoury.

Options, options, options!!! All need careful consideration!

Right best go photograph my beads and bags whilst there is some sun and update my Etsy and website very soon and Imogen is off school today as it is student review day and I have an appointment for noon to see how her first year at senior school has gone!!!

TTFN xxx

Well I tried my best.....

I had my interview today for the job I hope to be successful in getting. I find it really hard to assess how well things like this go. I think (hope) it went well. Just gotta wait now and see and fingers crossed it will go my way!

I have managed to get a few beadies made this week and I have been quite secretive in showing them off to you. They will be uploaded to my website tomorrow and I am hoping to get a couple of bags and / or business card holders up for sale as well in my Etsy shop.

Right best be off things to do and children to sort out!!!
TTFN xx

New Stock for sale tonight

New stock will be listed on my website tonight and some stuff on my Etsy. I am thinking of moving all my selling to Etsy but have not decided yet! I may give Folksy another go as it is already in £ and not $ cos there is a small difference in price when converting.

Anyway a little sneak preview for you all.
TTFN xx

New listings on Etsy and my website

Getting my act together a bit with my beads! I got loads sitting around and feel like getting them up for sale! 2 pendants on Etsy here and I am about to go to my website here and upload some bargain basement goodies and a very colourful set of beads!!!

thank you
TTFNxx

Oh no ran out of gas...

I was on a complete roll on Monday I made a ton of beads some for orders very simple spacer beads but I also got the time and mojo to play with different designs. And then me gas ran out.......
Should not moan really I knew it was on its way out cos I had it for over a year. It is a 19kg cannister so quite big and I only get a max of 10 hours a week on the torch if that sometimes. I am glad it ran out monday cos I have a lesson booked for tomorrow and it would have been pretty dire to have the gas run out in the middle of teaching :-/

Anyway I am sitting here now waiting for the postman my glass order should be arriving and then I gotta go out and get new gas and post Victoria's prize from my prize draw.

I will be back up studio tonight for another session on the torch to complete an order for spacer beads and then to carry on playing with a couple of designs! I have updated my website with new beads and also my Etsy shop. Links are over on the right hand side of this page.

Happy Wednesday to you all

TTFN xx