Sunday 16 December 2012

Handmade Monday: end of the year

Well, Christmas has really crept up this year.  It seemed to be November for ages, then December has flown by in a flurry of sales and busy-ness. I can't complain, and the thought of literally hundreds of people opening Blue Forest Jewellery handmade presents on Christmas Day all over the world really makes me proud and happy.  Sometimes selling online seems like such a slog, but at times like this it all seems worth it.

For me, creating something beautiful (hopefully!) that lasts and has meaning for the person giving it as a gift and for the person receiving it, is very satisfying.  I always remember listening to a radio programme where people were phoning in to talk about the objects which meant the most to them, and for the women ringing in, it was almost unanimously pieces of jewellery that people had given them or they had bought for themselves to mark significant events which were talked about.  Jewellery is more than something pretty - it's a little shared luxury that says something about the taste and personality of the person wearing it.  And it has the permanence that a bunch of flowers or a box of chocolates can't compete with.

When I was a child, jewellery was much more of a luxury.  Women saved for items like 9ct gold gate bracelets, or waiting until significant events or anniversaries for them, and cherished the relatively few pieces they had bought or been given.  Nowadays you can easily buy a pretty pair of earrings with your weekly supermarket shop, and the relatively low cost of pieces means that far more people can treat themselves more often.  I love that.  Little luxury treats make difficult times more bearable, whether it's the effects of a world recession, or a personal or family crisis, there is meaning in people, especially women, stopping amidst their busy and difficult lives to say 'I want to get myself a little something to wear that looks good and makes me feel good.'

Enough of the philosophising, I hear you cry.  What have you made this week?

Well, there is a bag charm from beautifully carved tigers eye Lily beads and freshwater pearls.  Very delicate!

More earrings with drawbench glass beads.

A lucky lady will be receiving this statement leaf charm necklace for Christmas.


And these birds nest bracelets were listed and started to sell.

Very please to appear in the January edition of Bead Trends too with my field of flowers pendant



Happy holidays to all my blog readers and especially folks who take the time to leave comments, to customers, fellow sellers and even the spammers!

Hope to see you all again in the New Year - although if the spammers want to target someone else, I don't mind that at all!

Here's the link to what other crafty people have been making this week.

Alison x





8 comments:

  1. I love your jewellery and I am really pleased to hear that you have sold so many items. Your leaf is truly stunning and the lady receiving it is very lucky. Congratulations on the magazine appearance. Hope that you have a very happy Christmas.

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  2. For me some of my jewellery I think of as lucky. None of it is expensive, but I do have certain items that if I wear I think that I'll probably have a good day.

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  3. Ha! I love that you wished the spammers a Merry Chrismas :) Merry Christmas spammers if you're reading this!!!

    All your makes are gorgeous as always, that statement leaf charm necklace is amazing! So beautiful. I really love the delicate bag charm too, the tigers eye looks gorgeous, like a rich mahogany.

    I love jewellery too, i worked in a jewellery shop for years and it was such a pleasure helping people chose something special for themselves or for others as gifts :) x

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  4. I have a couple of old pieces of jewellery that was my nan's, none of which is expensive or worth much to anyone else, but I remember my nan wearing it when I was nought but a child, it must be lovely to think that something made now will be passed down through the generations.

    Have a wonderful Christmas.

    Jan x

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  5. Wow, what gorgeous things you've been making for your customers - I love the leaf necklace! And well done for the magazine publication in Jan :-)

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  6. Very beautiful makes, especially the statement leaf charm necklace. I hope you have a very happy Christmas and look forward to 'seeing' you in the New Year.

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  7. I love the birds' nest bracelet. Congratulations on being featured in the magazine.
    happy Xmas
    Wendy x

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  8. A very late visitor from Handmade Monday, there are going tto be some very ,lucky people out there with your lovely things as gifts. Have agreat Christmas, Jo x

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