ClarissaSays

Getting more official with the business

2011-06-21T09:32:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to make inroads into making this jewellery sideline more official over the past week or so.

It's a tricky thing when I am mixing it with my daily work - tv researcher and film maker - and also when added to my other sidelines - like running a theatre company and reviewing films for Radio Wales. But I have to start somewhere.

I might have just stumbled into jewellery because a sewing course was full, but I do have a bit of a knack for it and am putting more and more time into making it into a business, if not yet one that brings in a profit.
That latter point was brought home to me when a friend quizzed me for a news article - http://www.confused.com/featured-articles/money/savings/how-to-make-money-online-224760284 - it is spurring me into sorting things out properly.

And that means registering as sole trader and trying to get to grips with tax and spreadsheets. I'm sure that's not the most appealing thing to be doing when I could be sitting playing around with beads but nevertheless it is a necessary evil.

I'm also going to take more of a leap online and take up WowThankYou - http://www.wowthankyou.co.uk/ - and put my jewellery up there. And also lovely @blodwener who co runs a lovely shop called Rewind based in Jacobs Market, Cardiff has said I can sell some of my jewellery there - I think yes

You never know where these things will go and taking a leap is always better than standing still

A little bit extra

2011-05-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

Well two times in one day is certainly a record for me, thought I would blog the results of a challenge and a new type of jewellery for me - breastfeeding necklaces

Recently a friend got in touch to ask me if I would make her a fashionable looking necklace that would be suitable to wear when she is breastfeeding her new baby. She needed it to be tug resistant, not too easy to break and also good at distracting the baby during feeding.

A lot of my recent necklaces are very delicate so they would be no good for the task and I didn't feel that babies should spend their time putting chains in their mouth so I knew the beads needed to be on something more baby friendly.

I had lots of ribbon left over and some great new turquoise blue beads. But I like an asymmetrical necklace so I knew the other side should be a chunky and durable chain to offset the beads. I'm pretty pleased with the result, it took a while and a few times to weave the ribbon into the chain and I like the fact that you can swap sides each time you breastfeed as a little reminder.

Mind this would be perfect for any person, not just new mums

New house, new resolution

2011-05-02T07:23:00.000-07:00

I have been neglecting this blog a heck of a lot. Not that it matters to cyberspace, but I did promise myself this year, and last, that I would get back into the habit of regular writing. After abandoning print journalism three years ago for radio and now television, writing has somewhat fallen to the wayside.

But, I have discovered if you fall off the horse just get back on and pretend no-one saw it and carry on....so with that in mind I am reinstating the blog and will try and keep it up-to-date with my life and my creative work.

Since I last blogged we bought that house, and it turned out to be a complete wreck, over time I will write about what it was like revamping the rooms we have done so far and the huge renovations that are to come.
I am still making jewellery

And selling it online at Folksy and other fairs, plus I am enjoying getting away from the day to day world of work by making things for the house and working on improving my cooking and dessert making.

Meringues seem to be my new go to pudding and I must say they taste great thanks to this method from Lorraine Pascale http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/spiced_blackberry_pear_14830

Well my actual work is calling me back now, so the procrastination must stop and I need to do some other writing, but I'll be back

A day of firsts and a weekend of markets

2010-06-24T14:06:00.000-07:00

So tomorrow is a bit of a big day, I have a day off work so the morning will be spent looking at a house we really like - could we be heading into the world of mortgages and offers?

But after the giddiness of the morning - fingers crossed - I'll be heading over to Pontcanna to the lovely Kings Road studios to sell my wares.

The very talented designers who have studios there are putting on an afternoon market with Pimms and they have invited me along.

Fingers crossed we get some lovely sunshine and some lovely shoppers

Come down from 3pm if you're free

On Saturday I'll be at Buffalo for Vintage Pretty

Then it's Milgi on Sunday for the Love Handles day out

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=134164703265786&ref=mf#!/event.php?eid=132210860138124&ref=ts

Come one, come all and buy from the talent of Cardiff

A change from jewellery

2010-06-13T12:18:00.000-07:00

So when I first started making jewellery it was a bit of a mis-step. My friend Siriol and I really wanted to learn how to sew. The last time I sewed properly was at school and that was hardly the most imaginative stuff - an animal pencil case. I don't think you can really go out in one of those!

But as the course was full we decided we'd try jewellery. A new craft that I was good at plus my love of beads was a heady mix and I never looked back. However, I always still wanted to learn how to sew and have so far kept missing out on those darn course, but I am not going to let that stop me.

Inspired by A Very Purple Person and her pattern for a simple skirt I decided that this weekend I would give it a go. Armed with some new fabric from City Road, Cardiff and some nice new fushia ribbon I sat down this evening after tea to try it out

It is a pretty simple pattern and looks really effective, some of my seams are a little bit wonky but next time round I feel I will really crack it.

my skirt

Well it is much better than my attempt at a birdcage veil that I tried on Saturday

Market Day - the aftermath

2010-06-06T14:40:00.000-07:00

So it was inside tonight, this is what my stall looked like in my vague attempts to keep it all ordered

And I managed to sell some stuff for my range and also one of Steve's monsters which was good going and means I made some money, and more importantly got to spend money.

My key buys were there ceramic shots glasses/mini pots. All individually made and just 4 for £10

You can have a nose at the work of the ceramics girls I was sitting next to at http://www.mollyfirthceramics.com/ an http://www.mccarthyceramics.com/

And just got invited to have a stall at writer Matthew Scott's night in Clwb Ifor Bach on June 17.

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages&tid=1423938609301#!/event.php?eid=111003052261628&ref=nf

looks like a good night and I get to sell my wares while listening to the talented work of Samuel Bees and Rachel Trezise

Market Day

2010-06-06T05:09:00.000-07:00

Well it is yet another market day, hopefully the sun will return to Cardiff, the wind will drop and Northcote Lane will be a roaring success

I've got some new jewllery pieces and feather headbands, so looking forward to seeing what people think, plus if I sell then I can buy a chili hot chocolate

Also looking forward to catching up with some of the other sellers

Helen from http://recycled-with-love.com/

Kirsty from http://www.bykirsty.co.uk/

Hannah from http://www.captainkate.co.uk/

Maria from http://www.santamacabre.co.uk/

Great market buys.....

2010-05-31T11:50:00.000-07:00

We went to Splott Market the other day, Cardiff which is always a treat. Saturday is car boot sale day and Sunday is the chance to get some cheap eats.

On Saturday we chanced upon the best book collection and got the most impressive haul for just £1.20. I have already made my way through Harold and Maude.....

there is everything from cinema, to woolf, camus and edna o'brien and a book on animals

We went back on the Sunday to get fruit and veg, and came away with some amazing fresh beetroot, rhubarb and apples.

They got turned into roast beetroot with honey and lemon thyme and a delicious rhubarb and apple crumble.

Blue and gold leaf earrings

2010-02-17T13:09:00.000-08:00

Matte gold plated leaf earrings with turquoise blue bead. Gold plated earring wires

£12.99

Monocrome feather headband

2010-02-17T12:57:00.000-08:00

Beautiful peasant feather fascinator on wide black headband

Feathers piece is approximately 4-5 inches diameter

£15