Greentree Crafts

Its Christmas!

2009-12-24T09:59:00.000-08:00

Wow iv really not posted much on here have I? Well 2010 may be my year of blogging! I have had a very busy 2009, with starting a new job a few months ago and the start (and now end) of the Christmas craft fairs.

2010 will see new stock on my website. Its looking bare just now due to sales and sending items off to shops. My jewellery has been stocked in Lucy Fenton Gallery in Stockbridge for a while now and its been selling really well. The copped book marks are a hit too and i will be re stocking them soon.

New items to experiment with in the new year are copper cuffs and maybe even a venture into some silver clay.

So, Merry Christmas (Yule!) to all and see you all in the new year!

Weekly Market

2009-09-20T11:08:00.001-07:00

Iv done my second week of the Stockbridge Market today and its been great so far. Its got a great vibe to it and my jewellery seems to be selling well. Its great to know people are receiving it well. The button studs are going down a treat and my handmade copper pendants.

It gives me happy shivers to know my jewellery is being worn in all corners of the world. A lovely American couple bought my copper flower and silver wire pendant. Before i could even get a good picture of it. Here is the best i could get from before the market -

Also today i sold a tree pendant that i only made yesterday! It was a challenge to cut such tiny bits from the copper, but it had a great effect. Again i got one photo when it was fresh from the making table. It is photographed along with a brass pendant that i didnt finish in time for the market, but with birds being popular i hope it will go down a treat!

My article was out!

2009-09-20T10:59:00.000-07:00

On Friday i got the shock of my life when i opened the PSYBT news letter and saw my face staring out at me!! The article had arrived. I think the rest can be said by pictures.

I could never be a model!

2009-08-08T03:51:00.000-07:00

Today i was a model for half an hour! And let me tell you, if you watch Britains Next Top Model and think, 'I could do that!', well, its very difficult. I was told about 5 times that i looked miserable....i think it was my concentrating face, or maybe i was trying too hard to get that sexy pouty look! I think we ended up with a lot of cheesy smiley photos but thats what they wanted!

The pictures were for an article that the Princes Trust are doing...all on little old me! I got a grant from them at the beginning of the year to help me set up my business and they chose to do an article on my jewellery. It will be in the Princes Trust News Letter and possibly the Evening News. All good publicity. Iv asked for some of the photos so will put them on here when i get them.

New Jewellery!!!

2009-07-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

I have updated my website with lots of new jewellery. My favourite items this month are the long necklaces, especially the pearl one -

Very classic!!

Jewellery Parties

2009-07-26T05:20:00.000-07:00

This is something that i have never done! Jewellery parties are where you are hired to come into a persons house and set your jewellery up especially for that person and her friends. They then look at your stuff and throughout the night buy things! Then as they party on, you then pack up and leave.

Would you want a jewellery party at your house? The host gets a free gift from your stock and you could also do things like a raffle or games to get people going. Its all about being organised and bubbly and getting people to have fun!

Am i that sort of a jewellery maker! Or do i really want to just make and let someone else do the partying?

Time will tell.

Stockbridge Market

2009-07-24T04:36:00.000-07:00

Every week there is a market on Portgower Place in Stockbridge, Edinburgh.

Link - www.stockbridgemarket.com

There are all sorts of stalls chosen to market local businesses and myself and a few others are looking to share a stall there very soon!

I have been working on more beaded long necklaces lately (pics to come) so hope to begin selling them there.

Healing power of copper and a couple of links

2009-06-07T04:39:00.000-07:00

With my next craft fair looming i have been rushing to make as much jewellery as i can. Iv been using a lot of copper and brass in my items and wondered if people would be a little put off as there is that age old myth of copper turning you green!! I treat my copper with a special wax that protects the metal from air and light, so slowing down the oxidising process. However im not sure some people are convinced. So here is a link to show how helpful copper can be!

Health Effects of Copper

Also, i thought you might like a link to my photobucket account, where there are many more photos to look at of my jewellery. I need to put them on my flickr account!

Photobucket

New Jewellery

2009-05-24T11:36:00.000-07:00

I had some time to myself today and made a few items. I am also half way through what I think will end up as a bracelet...though it may turn into earrings lol!! So we'l see about that one.

So here are my most recent makes.

Copper and lapis earrings

Copper and pearl earrings

Silver wavey earrings

Copper Moon Pendant

Im still working on my photography!

Link

2009-05-24T04:18:00.000-07:00

I found this great link! It has lots of free stuff for your blog and website.

Link

Twitter!

2009-05-24T03:48:00.000-07:00

Yes! I now twitter. I will be twittering to my hearts content. Just another excuse to spend more time online! But, seriously, its a fun way to catch up and keep up to date with makes. Add me.

Twitter

New Job

2009-05-22T04:06:00.000-07:00

I started a new job on Monday. I am working full time at the Scottish Government as a Policy Officer in the Animal Health and Welfare department. Its only temporary just now. I think my plan is to find a part time job and to work more on my business but its not possible just now. Needs must!!

So I need to manage my time more effectivly now so I can find creative time! Sitting in an office all day kind of sucks the creative soul from you a little bitty!!!

Milton

2009-05-14T03:03:00.000-07:00

I am going to have some stock in a shop in Auchterarder, Perth! A bridal shop called Milton is expanding into crafts so has taken some of my jewellery. The shop should be open within the end of the month. There is going to be a change to the jewellery on my website now. The items for sale in the shop will be in my gallery for people to look at and can easily be taken back from the shop if someone likes something.

It is a good incentive to make more silversmithed items for my website. My main goal is to have all silversmithed items as well as the odd wire and beaded items.

Setting a stone

2009-05-13T06:37:00.000-07:00

Iv been setting stones recently which has resulted in a new item for my shop. It is a pendant with copper, silver and a set sodalite stone. I keep wanting to call it soladite! Lol. I have got the hang of it now so look out for more set stones in future pieces.

Etsy

2009-05-13T03:03:00.001-07:00

I have reopened my Etsy shop! I had one before but closed it when i started up my own website, but any advertising is good. Etsy works in american dollars, but it is very easy to understand, so dont worry. It holds a lot of handmade crafts of all sorts.

Here is the link

Etsy shop

Give away winner!

2009-05-12T08:20:00.001-07:00

Weldone to Katianne. She has won the earrings from my give away. There will be plenty more give aways in the future so keep a look out!!

Oh and make sure to look out Katiannes mosiac mirrors and other items. They are lovely!

Employment

2009-05-10T05:19:00.000-07:00

I have found myself a job! Not that making jewellery and my website isnt a job, but some extra income is required. I am starting work at the Scottish Government in the Animal Health and Welfare department as a Policy Officer. Its mainly to do with the exotic disease department, such as foot and mouth and blue tongue and such. I start on 18th May! Its all very exciting as its good experience in an area that I am interested in.

New Tools

2009-05-05T03:35:00.000-07:00

My recent tinkering has been put to an end due to my not having the correct tools! So I decided to buy a few more tools to add to my ever growing collection. To set a cabochon I need a pusher and a burnisher.

A pusher does exactly what it says! It pushes the bezel wire around the stone once it is placed in and ready. It looks like this -

A burnisher is used to polish hard to reach places, such as the lip created when setting a stone. It gives it a better finish.

I have also ordered some different flux. When I bought my tools I got a soldering kit, which had Aeroflux included in it. It is very watery and I find that compared to the borax I was using in my silversmithing class, it isnt very good. So they should all arrive in a few days and I can get going again! I have to admit to no patience when ordering from online. I want it now!!

Pagan

2009-05-05T03:29:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning to find a happy kitty, minus her coller! She had a plasitc lampshade to stop her licking her sitiches. Seems like she wasnt too impressed. But no damage was done and she is quite happy now sleeping beside Milo.

Competition

2009-05-04T07:57:00.001-07:00

To celebrate the beginning of my new blog I am starting a competition! To enter just put a comment on this post about your favourite item from my website www.greentreecrafts.com and if you can join my blog too! The prize are a pair of earrings, these ones to be exact -

Sterling silver posts with sterling silver wire, amethyst and black jasper beads with hematite stars.

Il close the competition on 11th May.

Greentree Crafts

2009-05-04T05:25:00.000-07:00

I think it is only right to first introduce myself. My name is Amy, I am 25 and live in Edinburgh city. My favourite city! Very beautiful with places that even after years of living here I am yet to discover. I live with 2 flat mates and my 2 lovely cats Milo and Pagan. The picture to the left is a little old. Pagan is the white one and has grown a lot! She is at the vets today getting spayed. So fingers crossed it all goes well.

I studied at Napier University, where I started out in Vet Nursing, then changed to Animal Biology. So as you can see animals are very important to me. As is nature.

This brings me on to my jewellery. I began 2 years ago to use pliers and wire. I found that I could create a whole range of shapes with just these simple tools and I was hooked! I soon began to research and found more tools and material to experiment with. As I began to create I found that I loved to bring shapes from nature into my work. This is obviously seen in my pyrography work, where there is a large Pagan influence.

These days I am expanding my skills to silversmithing. I took an evening course for 3 months where I learned the basics and with help from a grant from the Business Gateway, I have purchased my tools and have set up my workshop at home.

So this is where I now begin. I have recently added new items to my website www.greentreecrafts.com These are the pyrography items and the silversmithed items.

I hope you can join my blog and follow my journey!