Slowly, slowly catchee monkey

Heavens above it is slow.
I seem to be creeping, just creeping, but I must not lose heart. It WILL happen.
So much time is spent repairing broken stuff (computers and all that goes with it), getting fixed oneself (odd physical stuff, age related, that can't be ignored) or attending to those around who need fixing (even more age related aged p's who need to be fed and stuff...).
I find I definitely have to develop an attitude to this. It does not come by itself.
So, the plus list must be attended to and celebrated.
And here it is:
London Pet Show was good,

Oscar at our shared stand

as I have already mentioned, I think.   Then I had the signet ring collected by a delighted client . The one with the portrait of Diva, her Jack Russell.

I have a comm. for another ring, from another client, so goody.
And here are 2 awful pics of a ring completed today, using quartz! I will have to do better ones of course, but this is to show the quality of the quartz. So different from flat glass.

 This is a very scrappy edition. I am tired and need my dinner.
Just one thing;
We are off to Poland next week, for 9 days!  And son and g'son will visit from the day we are returning, so maybe no blog for a while.
Desperately need the break.
Cheers, f

building a website and other adventures

Ratty, work in progress

What a week., or two.
Trusty computer died, got another (not new) that had problems, so was without for 5 days.
On return, more problems, so will have to go back again!
But, I have been able to work around the problems until it disappears, and the magic thing is this:
the new website is being constructed but needs pics of all the work thus far, and an up to date inventory... and I have been taking the pics AND photoshopping!  Get that!
The workshop (who sold me the computer) thought the probs were to do with my antique version of PS, so I couldn't use it... then it locked up anyway, so I thought, ok, maybe I can.
But before I did that I was rather frantically trying to learn some Gimp techniques (which actually were better than what I was doing with PS)  so in the end I am using all the tricks I can think of in order to improve the pics. Needs must.  Ratty, above, is one of them. You can see it needs work, but it will happen.
I have so much stock I do not need to make any more....  I am dying to get commissions and get into the studio again. A lot of the stuff is too big to wear, like 5 bees, but there is a new idea from Justin who suggested making the larger one into belt buckles.  Very interesting. He was referring to one with a skull, which could work well.  I need clients who will run with this!!!!  Patience, my girl, patience.
It seems I am doing everything except making work.
London Pet Show is looming. I am sharing a tiny stand with my friend Oscar, www.tradingtons.com,
so we will be very cosy.
17-18 May, at Earls Ct One.
Stefan was in Poland for the last week, seeing his dentist and attending to the HOUSE. It is coming on far faster than we expected.... all walls, roof, water installed already! I dare not think about it too much. How to be in two places at once?

5 bees

Logo, website an' all

As I write the logo and new website is being respectively designed and revamped.
New site for the jewellery, as the old one was doing exactly, nada. Maybe it was too hard for customers to navigate through all the interminable portfolios. Who knows, but we do know it wasn't working and something had to be done.
And we need a logo. I am using a service from Mr Site, and they provide a kick start service: it does what it says on the packet, gets you started.
A little teensy trouble with getting my ideas across to the designer, but maybe he will get it. Early next week we really should get the site up and be starting to fill it in.
An eventful week with my trusty 7 year old mac suddenly hitting the dust and quick quick, as you do, get it replaced. What with a new camera, lens, website and now this..... you can imagine.
But I have a new customer Heather, of Heather's Collectables. She has bought several pendants for her shop, so who knows. http://www.heatherscollectables.com

Hadrian, 330mm diameter 

Katalina,  330 diameter

Matthias, 330mm diameter

I like it that customers are willing to put their money where their mouth is. It is not use putting stuff in a shop on sale or return.... such lack of commitment will produce , nothing.
And the other thing is I shall soon be able to flaunt the Fair Trade logo!  I will be working with the WWF.  The paperwork is done.
This says I (will be) producing jewellery that uses Fairmined gold. A good thing. We shall see where this leads. There is clearly  a growing demand for goods, as we know in the food industry, that give a fair return to the producers. So with gold. But is very early days, and the public needs to be made aware, to be offered goods produced ethically, that will create a demand that will gradually reduce the very high price of gold leaf that it presently is.
http://www.fairtrade.org.uk.

Another rather long gap

Tons of stuff is happening, too much to put in here but I will be SUCCINCT.
We, Laura and I, are setting up a new website, for the Jewellery.
This means, developing the BRAND. So a logo has to be designed. The the website designer, who formatting and doing first page for the site only, has to be supplied with pics. Of course.
I have pics, which are professional and done by Ester Segarra. They are great, but out of date.
Decision time. I cannot afford to hire a photographer for a self administered site where we will be constantly changing the material. So, learn to do it myself, after all these years.
Er, need a new camera.
Off to Tottenham Court Rd, get a lucky tip off and end up at Spectrum. Highly recommended professionals.  Lost of ££s and many good tips later, I head home and start practicing. I need to learn fast, so telephone backup is crucial while I learn where the knobs and buttons are, and what they are meant to do.
I already had some good equipment, like a white tent, good tripod and one good light... so I could make a start.
But then, how to get the lovely white background? I have photoshop, but have never learned how to use it. ...   LONG, long story and I am beginning to get a hang. I had a great, 1-1 session with the owner of Computer Angels, in Fulham. But there is such a lot to learn, talk about a steep learning curve.

Very first attempt at photography

After photoshop, is now usable. 330mm diam

This is one of 8 abstract pendants, made at the suggestion of a potential client in the hope that she would take them. 

And she did! And what is more she has every intention of representing me amongst her small stable of makers, and with luck buying considerably more. 

In the meantime I am nearly at the end of the process to get registered with Fairtrade, so I can boast about it and use their promo material. It is of course a good thing. 100% recycled silver, and Fairmined gold. It is very early days and FM gold leaf is not easy to obtain, and what there is is way way more expensive than the normal. Happily I use very little, but it has to change for gilders who use more than I do. They would never be able to afford to use Fairmined, and that is pointless.  A bit more expensive, yes, but not 5 times the price!     

i was teaching at West Dean last weekend... a great time. Luckily the class had a good waiting list, so they asked me back for October.  A great pleasure teaching there, and lots of very happy students.

 

Manius, small brooch, 330 mm diam.

Funny title

Should not have been abby website. What's that???  Should have been baby.

New abby website coming

The Georgiana  Has no price yet!!

Laura and I are working hard to create a new website. We are being helped by Mr Site who is setting it up for us, and then we will be able to add as we go.  We are under some pressure to get them all the 'assets', fast (everything is fast, now, isnt it?). So, I have been up to my eyes in sorting pics of jewellery pieces that don't exist, pics of pieces that do exist, jewellery without pics,  etc, Then naming, sizing, pricing, describing... all the stuff that you see on functioning websites.
Not like mine at the mo.
Things will change and with luck it will be like other peoples' sites and actually work.

Good news is I am going through the process to get accredited as Fair trade, or Fair mined. It means buying fairtrade gold and 100% recycled silver. Then I will be selling work hopefully through the World Wildlife Fund, and be able to use the Fair Trade logo, and so on.

The  first collection will be a variety of endangered species, tigers etc.  Fun.

So, in haste, as usual...  more maye next week, except that no, I will be teaching at West Dean. Happily the class is overflowing so they asked me to do another in October.  All this stuff should be on the new website, but as yet it is not!

Next event is the London Pet Show, early May.... lots of pics of pooches and moggies, but hopefully I would get commissions for other pets, maybe a terrapin, or giraffe.

In progress

Glasses for necklaces in progress

 Not very exciting pics this week as without paint the engraving is hard to see. I am making a new bunch for some necklaces, using patterns and colour. 
I completed the engraving on some small cufflinks, the diam. is only 1.5cm. I hated to do them at first, terrible for the eyes, but am getting a bit better at it. Mercifully they are quick.
Made inroads this week with the tiny client base I am building. Got to start somewhere! 
We, trusty Laura and I, are working on several fronts simultaneously, as you have to do when you are starting up.  
A brand new website (from scratch); building a client base, literally one by one; writing a bio for front page of said site; handling all the admin for shows; getting in materials, etc etc.
We are looking at sites for inspiration  (Laura's research):

http://shop.elvafields.com/ for shop design

http://www.ikuria.com/  and http://www.atelier-rousseau.com/ for simplicity of design

http://www.rachellucie.co.uk/ for creating a story about brand

http://www.lauratabor.co.uk/ and http://gilding.net for classic design elements and font selection

Engraving the leaf

I have to now prepare a 'cribsheet', that is a leaflet to leave with clients about how it is all done!  It will be mostly pictures.
A rainy Friday night in London.  Take a break and bake some bread.
Have a good weekend!