GIVEAWAY 5 copies of Jewelry Designs for Artisan Lampwork Beads

Well it has been a long time between posts, you probably had all thought that I had fallen of the face of the earth. A change of jobs has led to a change of pace in the bead studio.  I am not even sure if I would call it a pace, I think it would be more likened to a dead stop.  I can't even tell you the last time I turned the torch on,  I even bought two new diamond tipped reamers from the USA and they are still sitting in the packaging that they came in.

This lack of creativity has had me thinking about what it is that I really want out of life.  I would love to -  stay at home, create a few beads, learn more glass skills, potter around my large garden, learn more about photography, spend more time with my family, cook (and enjoy the process), teach jewelry making again and even video the odd tutorial.  That 9-5 day job is stifling my real passions.

Well it is time to take a stand, pull up my big girl undies (Australian Slang for underwear)  and make a change.  Whilst I love being able to go to work and be appreciated for what I do, I just don't love it that much to keep me ultimately happy.

I have come to the realization that I have to start my "real life design" on the side whilst still doing the 9-5 thing.   This poses a problem for me, as I am so easily distracted during the day with all my amazing ideas for my "real life design".   It is going to take Focus, Focus, Focus, Organization and Patience - these are skills I need to hone in on.

Step One - JUST START!!!

One of the life coaches I listen to regularly says to FAIL FAST.  So if what you are doing is not working, find out sooner than later and change the plan.

So over the last couple of days I STARTED!!.  and now I wanted to share that first step with you.

I compiled my first ever Kindle Book.  The book features my jewelry designs using my own lampwork bead creations.  It is a book that offers inspiration to beaders struggling with what to do with that awesome beads that they bought.

To celebrate Step One - I am offering the PDF version of the book for FREE to 5 of my fellow bloggers.

All I am asking is if you can share this book on your blog or your facebook page and leave me a comment to let me know that you have done so.

 

 

I will let the lucky 5 Bloggers or Facebook fans know on Wednesday 7th August  - I will contact you again then so I can send it to you via email.

Winner of the Giveaway

Congratulations to Christine from Columbus Ohio

Christine shared the link on her blog Sweet Girl Designs

I have already contacted Christine and hope to hear from her soon to organise her gifts from my Etsy Store

Thank you to everyone who shared, linked, liked and commented on the blog and facebook page.  I have really enjoyed checking out the blogs from the new followers.  It is wonderful to find like minded artisans all over the globe.

I have had so much fun doing this giveaway that I think I might make it a regular occurrence and might just do another one before Christmas so make sure you check back from time to time.

Hopefully I will have some time this week to hit the torch again - I found an old photo taken a couple of years ago of one of my raked stars - I think I might have to revisit this type of bead in time for Xmas.  - Might hang a few off the tree.

 

Cheers

GIVEAWAY!!! - $90 to Spend in my Etsy Store

I am living a life full of gratitude and abundance and would like to show some of that gratitude to the wonderful people that have followed my growing business over the last few years as I have transitioned from my retail store to my now online business.

The act of giving is wonderful and exciting, so I would like to offer a lucky person a chance to choose $90 worth of jewellery or beads from my Etsy store.  Offer is open to both Australian and International entries.

How to enter - three entries available per person.

One entry for sharing the GIVEAWAY POST on my facebook page with your facebook friends.

One entry for following this blog

and another entry for linking this giveaway on your blog.

Please leave a comment below to let me know which ones you have done!!!

Winner announced next Monday 5th November - Good Luck

New Pendant & Bracelet Designs

Have a lot of images to share with you.

New pendants featuring - leather, sterling and bali silver

New Bracelets featuring - leather, copper and magnetic clasps

Also being playing with my bead press and frit!

What is in a name? - tanglebeads

It is time for the change.  It has been well over two years since I closed my retail bead and craft store.  It has been over a year since I have moved house and locality.  Now, it is time to bring my branding skills back into my business and give it a bit of a makeover.  Choosing a name I thought was going to be hard.  My old name wasn't sitting with my style or personality anymore.  Time to think of something new.

I have a love for tangling (doodling, zentangle) and of course my bead making - so how could I incorporate the two, - I came up with Tanglebeads - ok it has both things in it.  Easy to say, conveys the product.  I liked it.  Also checked that I could register it and it was all good.  Hooray.

But now the story gets better - while I was looking for a cool font to use and saw that name about 100 times in 100 different fonts, it dawned on me that Tangle incorporated both my name and my partners name.  Tan - for Tania and Gle for Glen - and while I was looking at the font I liked, I put the E backwards.  When I showed Glen last night I told him that that was because he is not the type of person to run with the sheep he always does things his own way.  

I am so happy with the name and style I hope you like it as well.  It is more me, and I am really looking forward to the tangle part of the name and what will come out of that.

Today I will be tagging my exchange beads for the "You Pick 9" - Lampwork Etc exchange - here are a few of the ones that I am sending off.  Not the best picture but I took it at work (shhhhh....)  I attempted a Jellyfish bead and a tree decoration, neither of which I had done before, so in my eyes exchanges are a great way to expand your skills and also your colour pallet as I never use orange but heaps of the inspiration pictures had orange in them.

Loving Recycled Copper

Over the next week I have heaps of projects to finish off.  But today while I had a student over using my lampwork torch I decided to use some of my recycled copper stash.  Here are a couple of pendants that I created.

The goddess has already sold in record time - about 1 minute after listing it on my facebook page - once I photograph the other pendants I will be listing them on etsy and taking some down to L'abundance in Fernvale.

Silver Murrini - I am challenged!

Ok - so I am leaving a certain exchange that I am doing on the Lampwork Etc Forum right until the last moment.  My beads need to be sent and postmarked by the 17 September to be sent to California USA.  So I only have a couple more days left to make some successful silver reactive murrini recipes.  

Here are a few beads that I did Monday night a couple might just scrape through as good enough to send.

Also this week the Artisan Beaders of Australia Blog went live - I have been working on the concept for a while now.  Would love you all to visit and follow along.