Happy New Year

Hello lovely readers. Happy New Year! Hope all your 2012 dreams come true. xxx

In Damselfly Gemmaland things have been a little quiet as real life Gemmaland has been a little on the busy side. Don't worry though, I haven't forgotten about the giveaway. I'll try and get that sorted this month so keep an eye out. Haven't decided on the format yet but will prob be a choice of bits.

Here on my blog I have a few plans. I would like to use it to keep a better record of what I create. I'm really bad at photographing creations so I'm thinking that at each month end/beginning of next I'll put together a photo mosaic or something, mainly for my own records and so I can see my crafty achievements.

This month I have some creating booked in that I better get cracking with (for friends' wedding) and I'm also considering doing a few challenges running around over on "Operation Tackle That Bead Stash". The January challenge (that the link goes straight to) is very cool and I had a fab new book for Christmas that could be very useful- Shaped Beadwork by Diane Fitzgerald. Over on the facebook group I'm taking part in a group challenge where we gave each one person picked a theme then you sign up and set the theme for the next person. I've got Earth, Wind and Fire. No time limit though so don't expect anything too soon on that front ;o) Also over on the fb group, Clair has suggested a earring beadalong where we make a pair of earrings every week for a year. Very, very tempted with this one!

On the folksy front. I've been a bit quiet. Haven't listed anything for a while. Not really been in the mood to and had a lot on. Hoping to get re-enthused on that front soon. I prob have a load to relist as I was listing daily 6 months ago. I'll prob start listing daily again soon. Missing the lovely people over on the folksy forums.

Well, there's some of my plans...what are yours? Exciting things planned?

Gemxxx 

Bit busy...

Its a little busy in GemmaLand so sorry for my lack of blogging. My blog is not the only online presence that's suffering at the mo! I haven't forgotten about my celebratory giveaway (actually, did I mention that here?....don't think so...giveaway soon to celebrate 100 sales on Folksy!) Hoping to sort out a giveaway in the next couple of weeks and it will be hosted here.

See you when I'm more organised!

xxx

September Embers Finale

Its the last day of the September daily listing club over on Folksy, and here's what my fellow Embers and I have listed today!

New stud earrings

Recently I have been obsessed with making little sterling silver and resin studs. Last year I made a few pairs of forget me not studs and I have been using the same basic design with other fillings. It all started when a friend of my Mum asked me if I could make a pair of earrings for her little niece for Christmas.

I've made 8 different pairs of studs in the last couple of weeks. Here's what I made. Some can be found in my Folksy shop but some have already sold :o) I can make more though so do get in touch if you'd like me to make you a pair.

Folksy Changes

Many readers will be aware of the recent changes over on folksy. A couple of weeks ago, they announced 'clarification' to their T&Cs. Unfortunately, this clarification was not particularly clear and it lead to many many people (myself included) emailing support to ask if our items were allowed to be sold. Sadly, many people were told their items were not appropriate as they were not handmade enough.

Understandably, this caused a lot of anger. People who spent hours designing and making their creations, and who have been selling on folksy for months/years, are no longer deemed appropriate. Whilst 'inappropriate' items are allowed to remain until 1st November, many sellers have already left the site. It's not just the shops directly affected either. Many sellers have left in support.

Folksy say that these terms were in place from its launch but admit that they have not policed them very well. I accept that they are allowed to stipulate whatever rules they want regarding the items for sale on their site but in my opinion they have not helped the situation at all by making some extremely insensitive comments about affected sellers on twitter and by being inconsistent with their rulings (at least it seems that way to me). Sadly, speculation and even nastiness from some sellers on the forums has made matters worse.

I am saddened by what has happened to my once beloved selling platform. I'm further saddened by the mass exodus of so many talented people. Fortunately, there is now a place for people affected by these events. The fab diddybears has set up webpages on her site called 'Supporting Handmade However its Made.' Here you can find links to fantastically talented crafters, many of whom have left Folksy for good. If you have been affected, then you can apply to advertise on the site for free until the end of this year.

For the moment I am staying where I am as its the only selling platform working for me. I am nervous though that the T&Cs will be 'clarified' again and suddenly I'll become inappropriate too. I'm giving serious thought to other places. This is only a hobby for me and I don't really want to spread out all over the place as it'd be hard to manage. Much deliberation is required before I decide what's right for me. I wish every success to those who have left/are leaving. I hope you are all massively successful in whatever you are now choosing to do.

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Folksy Friday: September Embers

Well, September is here so works picking up again. Good for the bank balance but bad for the hobby! And if I spend all my free time on the 'puter, blogging and what not, then no creating gets done! Must admit, I've lost a bit of blogging enthusiasm recently. Hopefully it will pick up again soon.

Today I've decided to do my Folksy Friday on the September Embers, the name for this month's mad group of folksiers who are listing every day. Here are some of the many things that have caught my eye. Hope you like my choices!

NOfkantsCurios, UniquelyYours.
Falling Dew, Lizzyanthus,
Bonny Lass, The Glass Boutique.

Beaded musings

Hello lovely readers. Hope you are all well today :o) Its been a while since I posted about anything other than the folksy listing clubs. I've just checked- it was May with this post about my beadbusting goals. (If you're interested, they didn't go spectacularly well! I did enter the moodboard but my Anemone Cuff did not get completed. I still haven't finished it- really should get on and do that).

Well anyway, the point of this post....
Last month Operation Tackle that Bead Stash had a fab moodboard with gorgeous colours of purple, blue and turquoise green. You can check out all the lovely entries here. My entry was a little late (oops) but this is what I produced. It's a choker mostly in herringbone stitch. The different sized beads make it curve.

Now I like this a lot. Love the colours etc but the prob is, the size 12, delicas and 15s make it curve too much. I have a skinny neck but really it wants to be bracelet sized so it just doesn't lie flat against the neck. I thought I could get a way with it but the more I try it on the more I think not. I've made a couple of these before but must have misremembered the bead sizes. Have to dig out the others to see what I used.

The upshot is, I think I'll be taking it apart and remaking it once I have the same beads in the right size. So, what should I do with these ones? I have more of the purple and blue but mot many of the turquoise left so whatever I do with them it can't be much bigger. I love the colour combination though so would like to reuse them as they are.

I've had some thoughts. I could cut it into pieces and make a bracelet (or possibly choker if I have enough) along the lines of this.

Or, maybe.. this.
I was twisting it and liked what happened. I think I could produce something like this with tubular peyote...or maybe beaded crochet although I do find that quite tricky.

What do you think?


Oh and do stop by OTTBS and check out this month's moodboard. Liz picked gorgeous colours!