No, I'm doing SOME work, honestly!

Still being subject to the "GREAT CREATIVE BLOCK" of the summer, I've turned to doing things like tidying my studio, cleaning my house up, spending some more time with my horse and designing some new kits for BeadAddict - here's one - the pieces are done as you can see, I've even made up the kits and I'm currently working on photos and instructions.  This one will launch on the 1st July (with a fair wind behind it...) and more to come...

And the winner is...

Congratulations to Carolyn L. of Yorkshire who won this necklace made from sterling silver, Aquamarine, freshwater pearls, Turquoise, Swarovski crystal, Murano glass, antique glass beads, Peridot and Mother of Pearl in my April Prize Draw - your necklace will be on its way on Monday, Carolyn!

Comiserations to everyone else who didn't win but later today I'll be doing a mail out with a freebie offer and a new prize draw, so watch this space and your in-boxes!

Upcycled Necklace - Beau Belle

I finished this a few days ago.   Sometimes, when I go to an antique fair I get so excited I almost faint - finding this gorgeous marcasite-set enamelled brooch was one such occasion.   It doesn't seem like vandalism to me to take off the back of a brooch and make it into something else, especially as everyone is wearing bows at the moment - I went down to our local shopping mall (the huge Trafford Centre) to see everyone, the world, his wife and their sister wearing great huge drippy trails of outsize faux pearls and bows, I know, its been in for ages.  I don't really do outsize jewellery all that much - with all the fashion in right now, the colours, the shapes, its so reminiscent of the 1980's when I was a kid - and I've only just got over that.  

Anyway, I digress.  I've had this piece on my desk for ages, and I knew exactly what I was going to do with it but just hadn't got round to it - mainly because I was having difficulties locating the right shade of green freshwater pearls for it - having said that, trawling through my bead boxes turned up these, and I thought I was going to use dark metallic Keishi pearls but ended up using this softer grey instead.   The piece is made to be worn asymmetrically - that is, with the bow to one side and with the clasp showing - why put on a great expensive sterling silver and marcasite clasp if you're going to hide it at the back.

Amazingly, the bow stays exactly where it was put - I know this because I couldn't resist test-driving the piece whilst down at the Trafford Centre and I near enough got mugged for it in Monsoon and Molton Brown, though its always nice to have pieces admired.    The lady in Monsoon was telling me she made clothes -- its a pity we don't all wear t-shirts saying what we like to do, because I'm sure we'd make some great friends....anyway, hope you like the pics.

Win A Necklace....

Hi All,
I've just updated the site and I've got a new competition on until the end of the month - one customer will win this handmade necklace - made with sterling silver, Murano glass, antique and contemporary crystal and glass beads, freshwater pearls, Mother of Pearl, Aquamarine and Czech glass.  
Simply purchase any item from my jewelllery site (http://www.slcdesigns.co.uk/) between now and the 30th April and you'll be entered into the draw - the more times you buy, the more times you get to enter.  I'll announce the winner on May the 1st.  Thanks so much for looking in!

Murano Glass....

I'm back off to Venice and Murano; I used to visit twice a year to see my suppliers but since the advent of them all joining the current century and getting e-mail its not been necessary to keep travelling there (unfortunately!) but now and again its good to call in to them and see how they are  doing, especially as I've had some new suppliers recently.  I'm a terrible hoarder of beads...often I'll buy something and then hang onto it until I think I've admired it enough...

Published Project

Just a quick heads-up!! I've had my Murano Sautoir project published in the first edition of Creative Beads & Jewellery Magazine!  Its sort of weird being suddenly world famous (hah!)
Copies are available from WH Smith and from Hobbycraft, and kits for the project are available from my bead website, http://www.beadaddict.co.uk/ by following this link - there are three colourways to choose from.  I've even done a step-by-step tutorial available as a PDF download from the same page which is easy to follow and should make the project achievable for just about anyone.

Sneak Peek....

Shown are a couple of pieces of work for the website - both lariats, I've been doing a lot of

So am I controlling my arthritis, or is it controlling me?

 Lately I've been been feeling my Rheumatoid Arthritis a bit - I started Pilates a few months ago, mostly as a result of the infamous sideways saddle incident which made me realise I was doing too much to protect my weak left side, I could see how disabled I was becoming because of it - when it gets to the stage when you can't get on or off your horse without using a crane, its time to look for help, which I have found via Emma my Pilates teacher who is doing a fab job with some frankly crappy materials, to be specific, my bones.    

 

Other than the pilates with Emma, I've had a busy few weeks - I attended several trade fairs - such fun! There is so much stuff you could spend your hard earned pounds on in an attempt to generate more pennies; so much stuff you never knew you needed before you saw it!!  It's fun buying, chatting to people, going back to the cafe for another cake and capuccino because you know you're going to be able to put it down on the business and the taxman will just have to lump it....I could spend and spend at these trade fairs, and it all seems like it could be the next best thing.
The last thing you want to do is wake up in the morning with your credit card receipt and think 'oh no, I didn't really, did I?'  

Necklace Commission

I just finished this necklace as a commission - with a Vermeil wirework heart, gold-filled wire, chain and fittings, Vermeil beads and beadcaps and lots of Swarovski crystal; I've used some chunkier beads in this piece which glitter beautifully. 

And the winner is....

The winner of my 'Be My Valentine Win A Necklace' competition is.....(drum rolll.....)....Teresa Wills.

Congratulations Teresa, your necklace will be winging its way to you shortly.  Comiserations to those who did not win, but there will be more competitions on the way....

Hope you all had a lovely lovely Valentines Day.

Love Stephanie xx

New Work - Venetian Glass Sautoir Necklaces

This is a sautoir that I have made recently in different colours - soon to go on the site - if you'd like details before it goes up on there, please contact me!!

www.slcdesigns.co.uk

Sautoir in various colours featuring handmade Murano glass hearts, Czech glass beads, Swarovski crystal, goldtone chain, findings and fittings...

New Work

Murano Lace Necklace

SLC Designs.co.uk

I've just finished making this necklace as part of a commission and was so pleased with the end result I wanted to show it to everyone (hellooooo....anyone out there??) - anyway, for the benefit of my one reader (Fran!) (oh, ok, maybe my Mum reads it...) (and OK, I know Bobbie reads it too....) - but here is my new Murano Lace necklace - unfortunately my photography here is just rubbish, in fact I think I spent more time doing photos than making the darn thing  (I'm still getting to grips with this new camera).

The piece actually took me about four and a half hours to make - why??? - well, I never do drawings of things I want to make, I know how its supposed to end up by the picture in my head and I work from that, but inevitably on a piece that's complicated like this one, I end up thinking no, no, that won't do and going back and forth making adjustments, taking out, putting in, banging head against wall, crying, sobbing and throwing rattle out of pram...no, seriously though, its almost the way I imagined it would be, only it makes sense out of my head rather than in it, if you see what I mean...

Murano Lace Necklace (Commission) made from handmade silver lined Murano/Venetian glass beads, tons of Swarovski Crystal, Swarovski Crystal Pearls, crystal aurora borealis seed beads, sterling silver, strung on Beadalon Pro, and reduced me to a gibbering wreck (very important part to note, that last bit).

More New Work

More new stuff for the site next week... (spot the theme)...