Edinburgh jeweller

Licorice allsorts necklace I've had a very busy weekend of jewellery making with beads. I had a great commission from a colleague at work to make a licorice allsort necklace, earrings and a love hearts necklace and earrings.  I love the chain of the love hearts necklace, it's the heart link silver chain I bought at Hatton Garden this week. Love Hearts silver necklace I am also in a BNR for the first time! BNR stands for Buy 'N Replace (or buy now replace). Basically, there is a page of sixteen shops on Etsy. If you buy something from one of those sixteen shops you replace the shop you buy from. It is a good idea as many people who make handmade items like to buy them. I bought a brooch I had my eye on anyway from 7071 designs . So, I bought in on Saturday and then started making more items. We managed to photograph them this morning with the help of some rare sunlight! And then I was able to list nine new pieces (it was a very busy Saturday!). I sold this silver l...

I've been back to beading this weekend. I got a commission to make a licorice allsort necklace and some earrings which I needed to have done by Monday as they are for a birthday. I dug out all of my beads and got started and then found loads of beads that really needed to be used up! So, I now have this gorgeous pink sweetie bracelet, love hearts earrings and a jelly babies charm bracelet listed in my folksy shop!    http://www.folksy.com/shops/lightboat There wasn't a lot of sunlight when we did the photos so I may have to take them again, particularly the love hearts ones as the photos don't really do them justice. I found this great blog post on making your own light box so I will be having a go at this as soon as I get a good-sized box (I have been a bit over zealous with the recycling clearly!) http://www.afterninetofive.net/diy-light-box/ I'd better get some beading practice in again anyway as I am doing a trial to teach a beginners class in March! Shoul...

I really had to show you this chain I bought today. I am lucky enough to work really near Hatton Garden, the jewellery district of London. It's a great place to wander around and get inspiration (and see the rather large price tags of some rather large jewels!). I made some heart pendants last night and thought this chain would be perfect. I'll post the complete pendant soon!

I have been making silver beads. Hollow forms take a while to make because of the drying time. I used cork clay for the centres and left these to dry for over two days. Then it needed layers of silver paste, each layer has to dry before you can add another one. I have now embellished them with silver and cubic zircona. I hope to be able to fire them tomorrow if I'm happy with them and they have dried completely. I'll keep you posted!

Here is a fabulous canvas of me and my cat for sale on Folksy! http://www.folksy.com/items/1376341-Snooze?shop=yes

© Anna Campbell 2011 Shining star silver earrings I was ill this week with an ear infection that was quite disorientating. I couldn't walk straight and started veering to the right! Luckily I am better now and have been busy listing some silver jewellery that I hadn't got round to adding to Etsy. I love the making but the writing descriptions, deciding what to charge, getting goo enough photographs etc. seems to take a while! Oh well, I'm sure I'll get quicker! Here's the link to the shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/Lightboat

As the sun was actually shining today Gary wanted to take some pictures. I was reluctant but they came out OK! This is me in my thinking hat. I bought Gary a deer stalker for christmas because he loves Sherlock Holmes but I actually really love this hat! I put it on when I want to do creative things, it makes me feel like an artist. And, miracle of miracles, it actually suits me! I think I should wear it more often!

I feel I must let you know about Lorena Angulo who is a metal clay artist I admire. She is currently having a giveaway on her blog of the most beautiful necklace. Although I'd rather you didn't enter the giveaway as I want to win it! Do check out her work Lorena Angulo Queen of Hearts giveaway Website  http://www.lorenaangulo.com/ Twitter LorenaAngulo Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/LorenaAnguloJewelry

This week I have really discovered the joys of twitter! These are my reasons for tweeting! 1. For the excellent company I have chatted with some lovely people on twitter and can see how a community of crafters can develop. Often crafters are isolated, working alone at home. Twitter is a great way of connecting with like-minded people 2. For promoting your business and making sales In fact, I made a sale of two items this week directly because of twitter. I had tweeted on a product that I admired and, in turn, the maker must have looked at my site (I won't say who right now as I think they are a gift!) 3. A great way of seeing the types of products others are selling This can be really helpful to inspire new thinking and identify a new direction 4. For finding inspirational people There are a number of people on twitter that I follow that are working on their craft full time. I'm always interested to find out more about those that are living the life they want So,...

Vintage owl brooch - I'm not feeling so wise today! I had planned to go down to four days a week in my 'main job' in the next academic year. However, as the only earner in my household it's difficult to lose the steady income, even if it's only a fifth of it. Also, as I work in the UK university sector where funding is under threat, it's a gamble to give up well paid work. But right now I have two jobs, a full time one and four hours of evening class teaching. It doesn't leave a lot of time and head space for jewellery designing. So, I am in this quandary. And I'm not a good decision maker! I don't believe in star signs but I'm such a Libra! Anyway. After much thought I have put forward to teach half the Psychology that I'm currently teaching but I have added some jewellery making classes and a class called 'Social Media for artists and crafters'. The Mary Ward centre currently doesn't offer Silver Clay classes even though the...