Monday 30 June 2014

FLASH sale at Curious for my blog fans!


Social media is one of those things that you really have to be on your toes with. I have had this blog for 5 years now (I think?!), use Facebook, Instagram and have a barely-used Twitter account that I *believe* posts things on my behalf. (I have set it up to do that. I've just since forgotten what and how. I don't really *get* twitter, it's safe to say...). I was a late convert to Facebook, but it is a fabulous tool for connecting with others in an immediate and direct fashion. It's great for marketing, and is so flipping easy to use! But it is easy to neglect everything else in favour of Facebook as you get drawn into it and the huge number of people/artists/businesses on there. You go on to post one thing, and then, two hours later......if you are also on Facebook, you will know exactly what I mean. It's so time-consuming, although not in a necessarily useful way - a time-suck, you might say. I am sure I waste at least an hour on there, every single day....AT LEAST! I'm not often *just* on Facebook, but it surely slows me down with other things that I could do more efficiently without flipping back to Facebook constantly.....(Literally - even whilst writing this post. Geez!)

And so, last week, I had a humpday (that's Wednesday - the mid-point of the week!) flash sale over at The Curious Bead Shop....and I committed a criminal offence - I didn't share it here! I *only* shared it on Facebook. Which is great for all my Facebook fans, but not so great if you are not on Facebook. Which I know many of my customers are not. So, I've decided to repeat the sale to make things fair; a sale just for my beady blog followers. If you are reading this post, that's you! (And if you are a FB fan also, you lucky thing - you get two bites at the apple.) Through til the end of today (Monday 30th) you can take 15% off all purchases at Curious (apart from Curiosity Club subscription, as they already contain a juicy discount) with coupon code BLOGLOVE15. Head over there now and stock up!






Sunday 29 June 2014

New Jewellery

New jewellery in the shop. And, if you spot anything you like - make sure you nab it today! 20% off all purchases, today only, with coupon code JUNEBUG. Hope over to Songbead!


















Sale runs through 29th June
Coupon code JUNBUG takes 20% off

Contact me at songbead {at} me {dot} com with any queries!

Saturday 28 June 2014

Junebug Sale over at Songbead!


In case you missed it, I am having a sale today and tomorrow over in my etsy shop! Just use coupon code JUNEBUG to take 20% off everything until the end of Sunday 29th. There are lots of new pieces in there so go and check it out!

Custom Order Process

Although I do a lot of my jewellery design off my own bat, I also do a lot of commission work and working to briefs - whether that is for submitting to magazines, working to a brief or for individual customers. It's something I enjoy but it can be challenging, and not a little nerve-wracking, especially with I am working with an individual client rather than a magazine or organisation. However, there is nothing more gratifying or rewarding than when a customer gets the perfect piece through this process, made just for them - a real one-of-a-kind. I thought I'd take you through the process by showing you how I went through the design process with a recent client of mine.

First of all, I was sent a brief by the client. She had bought from me previously at a craft fair, and so had seen my jewellery in person. It's always a huge honour when someone trusts you to create jewellery for them or a friend, and I think having seen a designer's work in the flesh helps clients take that leap of faith - whether that's through having been an online customer, or having come across a designer at a craft fair. Here's the message I received from my craft fair customer:

"I wonder if you could help me design/create a birthday present for my friend. I'm going to visit her for her 50th birthday. Her favourite colours tend to be sort of a cool palette (greens, blues, violets, shades in between). I think something incorporating birds, flowers, and/or an ocean theme might be ideas to begin with. Help!"

Even though the request is just a short paragraph, it actually contains a lot of important and useful information - colours, imagery and the age of the recipient. Definitely a lot of inspiration there to get the wheels in my mind turning...

My next step was to go away and come back with a couple of ideas for the client. Sometimes, with something like a bracelet or earrings, or if the client has something very specific in mind, I will just make up one idea for them and I will adjust as necessary, but for this 'brief', I decided to mock up two ideas - one more elaborate and one a little simpler. 

Here's the pictures that I sent my client:


 Ingredients...


Potential layout...


Ingredients...


Potential layout...


The client picked the first pair of images that I sent.....

...and here's what the finished necklace looks like! 


I love how this turned out, if I do say so myself! I just hope that my client's friend is too. I am pretty pleased with my alternate idea as well, so have plans to make that necklace up too. I love being given that initial idea - the spark for a design. I always feel that without that spark - whether it comes from a person, a magazine, or something I stumble across by myself - the spark is what it's all about.

If you would like to work with me to create a special design for you or a friend, then do contact me at songbead {at} me {dot} com. I'd love to create for you!

Friday 27 June 2014

Hello! And Some New Jewellery!

Oh my goodness, it really has been a while....I have plans to remedy that this coming weekend....but for now, I leave you with some NEW jewellery that I have just listed in the shop. Hop over and take a peek!





Hawaiian Heather 












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