Great New This Last Week- A Charming Jewellery Idea | New Jewellery | A Good Sense of Humour| Latest Outlet

Wonderful news this week with the birth of Prince George to William and Kate - I'm sure we wish them all the very best.  Perhaps the baby would love this bracelet with the children's charms?

Lots of New Jewellery in my Latest Additions Section on my website since I last wrote a blog too - here's just one to tempt you and whet your appetite.  She really could have had a boy or a girl and these silver stud earrings would have been suitable

This is an hilarious letter I discovered - whilst I obviously have a lot of love on my website with plenty of gifts for men and women - sometimes it does unfortunately go wrong....Enjoy!

Oh dear - she has got a good sense of humour!

A warm welcom to my latest outlet / stockist in Shewsbury who is selling my handmade jewellery (which is all made in Dorset UK).  I wish Jacs every success with her sales and it's very pleasing that having already made some great sales, she's bought some more.

New Year's Resolutions and New Jewellery Ideas

Where did January go?  Apart from disappearing in a flurry of snow!  I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and a great start to the New Year.

What have you been doing?

I've spent the beginning of 2013 redesigning the home page of my website and starting a new Collection of Jewellery.  The Bliss Collection is currently being uploaded to the website and includes a charm bracelet with two fixed charms (a flower and a freshwater pearl).  Available in three different sizes - children's, women's and plus sizes.  Three charms are already live, with more being added over the next few days and weeks.  The charms can be clipped anywhere on the bracelet, as I've designed them with a bolt clasp which makes it easy for you to just add and swap around to suit their mood.  These charms will fit my charm bracelet or indeed any bracelet which has rings attached to enable it to accept charm additions.  Alternatively if a bracelet has links which allow the 1mm opening of the bolt clasp they could also be attached.

Two new heart designs have also been added to my Je T'Adore Collection, together with designs to the Coastal and Green Collection.  Take a look at the Latest Additions to see all NEW designs as they are added.

I've been nominated in the Craft and Design Selected Awards again this year.  Last year voters were also entered into a competition to win a crate of wine - now that would be a good start to 2013 wouldn't it?
The voting section is further down the page and I'd really appreciate your vote for my jewellery.  I can assure you that you don't get any spam emails at all from Craft and Design.
Here's the Link: Craft and Design Awards - Lesley H Phillips

Competition to win a Gift Voucher

Here's an opportunity to win a gift voucher for Lesley H Phillips Jewellery
It's running on my facebook page - Handmade Contemporary Silver Jewellery

What am I?  You will need to search the website and follow the instructions on the status on facebook.  To join in there, click on the badge and it will take you to my 'links' page.
www.lesleyhphillips.co.uk

I am full of class,
I am also round.
Near your neck
Is where I'm found.
I could be old,
But this is a tease
I am very current
If you please!

Good Luck!

Olympic Ideas - Business Tip

From: Handmade Silver Jewellery UK

This week (and next), I won't be running my usual feature of handmade items from fellow creative artists as I'm going to be participating in the Dorset Arts and Crafts Association annual exhibition.  It runs from 3rd August - 7th August (click the picture for further information)
I therefore thought this week I'd provide a couple of business tips for fellow artists. Plus, with the Olympics and the gorgeous sunshine - who going to spend hours at their computer?  So, quick business tips will be 'just the ticket' to read and keep in mind for when you have more time to think about doing something with them.


Bovington, Dorset. 3rd August - 7th August

 Business Tips


Re-evaluate your products
When was the last time you thought long and hard about the designs of the products you offer? Do they still meet the needs of your customers or do they need an overhaul? As technology, competition and your customer’s fashion change over time; be sure your products keep up!


Test before you roll out your handmade craft

Wondering if a new product idea will sell? Consider testing it out before making several. If you attend craft fairs – take along just a couple of variations and ask customer’s opinions – ask for their thoughts and would they like to see something different within your item?

Online cost-effective testing vehicles include email marketing, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising like Google AdWords, and social media like Facebook and Twitter. PPC advertising is one of the fastest and easiest ways to test a new market niche or product, but you'll need to invest a bit of time writing your ads
For the creative people – this market research is a worthwhile task and you'll learn a lot about your customers thoughts and your markets in the process.  A good time to test is now, ready to have some lovely tried and tested ideas for the Christmas season.

Brightening up your Day....

It sure is pouring down with rain in the South West of England, so I decided to brighten things up a little this week with my choice of the ten artisans this week.  Again, going to be fairly obvious what my theme is - but I'm not sure if anything can brighten the floods down this way!

I do hope if you're a fellow artist you enjoy my choices and if you're a non crafty person can see the love and dedication which has gone into every piece that I have selected for my blog this week

Number 6 is particulaly apt at the moment and is absolutely gorgeous! So much so, that I've just bought it, ha, ha - I'm sure you'll find some other lovely things from Handmade by suqiz in the shop as I've amended this link so you can visit the main page for this artist.

1. Yellow Skies, Mixed Media  - Sue Coo Art
2. Yellow Finch, Paper - recycled found and purchased - Rae Welch
3. Yellow Rosette - Hand rolled Felt - Hooperhart
4. Yellow Flowers - Silver and Epoxy Resin - Handmade Jewellery
5. Yellow Rose - Sinamay and metal hair clip - The Millinery Studio
6. Yellow Duck - Card - Polymer Clay - Handmade by suziq
7. Yellow Peas - Linoprint  -LaLishDesign
8. Yellow Bear - Crocheted -  Monique Boutique
9. Yellow Light - limited edition print - Betty bay design
10. Yellow Shawl - Chrocheted - Pushek

Please be aware that all the rights to the designs belong with the artists.

AHOY there! Sail away with this wonderful handmade craft

Take a browse at the marvelous handmade items that I have discovered this week.  If you love what you see then do take a look further by choosing the number and seeing the artist who's made the item. There is a wealth of creativity in the UK and I'm finding it for you to enjoy.

1. folksy.com/-Photograph-art-print-Ships-Hull
2. folksy.com/-There-are-Big-Ships-and-Small-Ships
3. folksy.com/items/-Baby-Ship-Garland-personalised
4. folksy.com/-Boy-s-Transport-Digi-Stamp-Backing-sheet-Boat
5. folksy.com/items/-Stained-glass-boats
6. folksy.com/Collection-of-Mosaic-Cornish-boats
7. silver-Boat-Earrings
8. Three-Little-Boats-Cushion
9. folksy.com/-Adult-apron-sail-boats
10. /folksy.com/Fishing-Boats-Handmade-Canvas-Postcard

Next week the theme is all about recycling.  So if you like what you see and feel that your items would look great in the blog, then do join in and let me know about your products.  Obviously I can't promise to feature them but I can't if I don't know you're out there!

UK Handmade - Blooming Marvelous Craft!

I've been back to Folksy again this week as it proved such a popular feature and have picked some great products for you to see.  It would be great to hear what you think of my choices.

Blue Flowers Cushion

folksy.com/items/lilyandmo

3 Flowers

folksy.com/items/BigPinkButterflyhandmadecards

Wild Flowers

http://folksy.com/items/2936790-Wild-Flowers

Flower Mirror

http://folksy.com/items/2537413-Flower-Mirror



Flower Wreath



http://folksy.com/items/3008326-A-Flower-Wreath

Flower Bag

http://folksy.com/items/2873426-Flower-handbag

Please note that all the items are copywrited to the artists above

Of course I make flowers too!



Handmade Silver Jewellry UK
Forget me not flower stud earrings
http://www.lesleyhphillips.co.uk/

I do hope you love this week's selection and it's really not hard to guess this week's theme is it???

The A-Z of how to make and how to sell handmade silver jewellery

Letter D

• Process

Doming 
Doming a circle can be achieved by the aid of a doming block and dapping tools.  Place the disc in the doming block and use the dapping tool with a hammer to form the disc into a dome.The majority of steel doming blocks are sold with similarly metal dapping tools.  However, if you have a texture on the disc which is to be domed then the metal on metal could damage the texture.  Wooden dapping tools are available. As mentioned in a previous blog, wood on metal prevents stretching of the metal and will therefore protect the textured disc.
Take a look at the textured disc earrings to see how the texture can be protected with wooden dapping tools. http://www.lesleyhphillips.co.uk/onlineshop/prod_1670171-Round-Earrings-DDE13.html

• Tools

Depth Gauges

When making silver jewellery, the depth and diameter of a piece of metal (sheet or wire) is vital when the metals become mixed in the store. For instance when making a gem setting the calcualtion includes the depth of the sheet and if the depth is incorrect then the gem won't fit! I have purchased several depth gauges - electronic and manual slide depth gauges.  The electronic gauge is brilliant - but when the battery begins to fail then the readings cannot be reliable and who knows when the batteries are running out?  The best depth gauge I have in my toolkit is the dixiem gauge and it's also relatively inexpensive to purchase.

• Selling your products / How to sell your handmade silver jewellery /  how to sell your jewellery

Displays 

Do you sell at fairs?  The golden rule for selling your products at fairs and events is to make it easy for the customer.  What does this mean?  Make it easy for the customer to view - if they have to bend down to look at every item on your stand - they may well do this for a couple of  items but then get fed up. If you're displaying on a table, it's important to have height built into your display.  Usually layer the height from nearest the customer on the table level to build upwards, so their eyes are drawn from the table up to you. By the time they've looked from the table upwards they'll be meeting your eyes and will be ready for a chat!

The other important factor for customers is that they like to touch.  This has to be balanced with security.  If you can display pendants open to the customer, but with the chain itself attached in some way, you're achieving your security and also enabling the customer to get a good look at your wares.

Sometimes putting items in a cabinet can have the effect of customers knowing that it's 'top notch' in that cabinet and therefore they'll ask to see them - but if all your jewellery is in a cabinet, then it becomes too much 'hassle' for the customer and they'll walk away.

If you get the balance right then you get an attractive looking stand which invites customers to view and buy your jewellery.