Lightwear Jewelry

New work

2012-01-03T04:33:00.000-08:00

Things are getting quieter now Christmas is just a distant memory and we are well into the New Year. I have started making some filigree jewellery which is very challenging! This is a picture of a beautiful Larimar stone which I made into a necklace and I am loving it! Watch this space for more!!

My Mojo has returned!

2011-04-08T04:59:00.000-07:00

During the long, dark winters that we have here I noticed that my mojo was leaving! I seemed to get myself stuck with my jewellery making and had a time where I felt my motivation wasn´t coming back !! Maybe it was after the November/December rush and then the quiet afterwards that followed that caused it, I don´t know. Anyway, I have noticed that since our days are starting to get longer, with some sunshine, my mojo is returning again ! I am finding along with it, that I am wanting to try out some new techniques again and hopefully this year take my jewellery to a higher level. I have been quite busy with my online shop and markets etc., but am hoping to get back to Goldsmithing school again this year ....

Here is a picture of a romantic Aventurin, Pearl and Rhodochrosite necklace I made. The cabochon is fab, pink with white swirls.... I made the frame with swirls and formed them into heart shapes to give it a romantic feeling and oxidized it for depth.

Its been a while .....

2011-03-30T09:46:00.000-07:00

Yep, I have written for a while there has been so much going on. Our eldest son has now moved across to the other side of the world ...... That took quite a bit of adapting! The house is so much quieter than it used to be. The good thing is, now we have got an extra room - and my hubby made a studio for me for my jewellery making. It is great as now I can close the door and get some quiet to work! Here are a few of my latest creations from my new studio !

It is so cold

2010-12-27T08:44:00.000-08:00

Brrr, we have got temperatures of -17 and now the Sea is starting to freeze up !!!! Christmas was so much fun in the snow and my youngest child enjoyed playing on his new sledge. His older brothers didn´t have that enjoyment as they didn´t have snow to play in when they were young! Is this really global warming ???????? I think its a new ice age !

Snow fun !

2010-12-16T21:55:00.000-08:00

Looks like it is going to be another long, snowy winter here in Germany! Normally, December is really mild but we have already -9 !!! Ohh well, better wrap up and enjoy it !

ohh no, it doesn´t fit !

2010-12-11T23:13:00.000-08:00

It will soon be my birthday, and as a pressie to myself (which I never do), decided to give myself a ring !! I have got problems with swelling in my fingers just now because it is the Christmas season and the fingers are working overtime, but I decided anyway to go and create this ring. ohh man, it is too large for me (even with swollen fingers!!). I just dont know what I was thinking of when calculating the size !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a bummer that has turned out to be. It is gorgeous too, a clear dazzling faceted topaz, 8mm, in a handmade setting. Looks like it will have to be made smaller !

Beautiful Labradorite

2010-12-11T23:09:00.000-08:00

I bought this brilliant, flash labradorite freeform cab at the Bead and Gem show in Hamburg recently. It is quite weighty, so I gave it a big, bold bail and set it in 1mm sterling silver. It really pops !

fake beards & beard art by imadeyouabeard on Etsy

2010-12-05T07:12:00.000-08:00

fake beards & beard art by imadeyouabeard on Etsy

Came across this recently on etsy, I just hope it really isn´t the latest fashion !!!! lol !!

Bead and gem show in Hamburg

2010-12-04T05:02:00.000-08:00

On Friday, my hubby and I went to the Bead and Gem show in Hamburg. It is the 4th largest bead show in the whole world !! (We live about 3 hrs from Hamburg). When we got there, my poor hubby nearly collapsed in horror as he saw the miles and miles of bead stalls !! He was in Hell, I was in Paradise ! hee hee!!! Loads of people were walking around with their wheely cases (great idea if you are going to buy loads as stones are heavy). There were diamonds there like you could only ever dream of seeing. It was awesome. I saw a cabochon which had beautiful greens and blues and thought my hubby could treat me to it - but, it cost 390€ and had to do without !!! I did find some great bargains though, cabs for 1€ and bought some beads for around 3€ per string. It was an amazing experience (for me!!) and my hubby managed to finish his book in the cafe while waiting!!.

Christmas Market!

2010-11-29T00:09:00.000-08:00

In Germany, we have got loads of little Christmas markets on now it is the run up to Christmas. This weekend, I was in an old building, with a thatched roof for a quaint market. There were fresh hot waffles, hot soup and hot drinks for sale in the cozy atmosphere. In the stalls (where the cows were kept years ago) were little stalls with people selling their crafts. I was in the ceremony room, where people get married, so it was quite an elegant room. Even although I had a small table I sold really, really well ! It was such a fun weekend and people really enjoyed doing their Christmas shopping in such a relaxing christmasy atmosphere!!

2010-11-24T00:48:00.000-08:00

I thought I would share with you a custom order for a gold ring with an amber stone..... Its an unusual combination, and not one that I would have chosen, but actually when it was finished I was pleasantly surprised !!

A little moonstone pendant

2010-11-23T07:56:00.000-08:00

We have got our first snow today !! It hasn´t stopped snowing all day, and winter is coming. People have been panic buying snow shovels are the stores are totally sold out - in case of another hard winter like last year !!
My jewelr´s bench is right at the window, so I decided I would make some earrings and a lovely moonstone pendant and just watch the snow fall gently! It is a simple pendant, plain simplicity really, which just matches the snowy, cold weather.
Let it snow !!

Back again!

2010-11-14T08:24:00.000-08:00

Its time to blog again after well, quite a long, holiday from blogging! I have been really busy concentrating on new designs especially in metal. I decided to return to wire wrapping for a nice break from sawing through silver, and I put this bracelet together. I love the calming colours of the blues and greens, aquamarines and aventurine, and the sterling silver really makes it pop! On the centre bead, it has a frame made from citrine rondelle and I attached a lizard charm to it for some fun. I think it really is a shame that it is a bracelet, maybe I should have added some chain to make it a necklace so it can be seen more !!!

Druzy Pendant!

2010-10-21T04:59:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy recently and just didn´t have time for my blog! Yesterday it was back to the Goldsmith school again, and I made this gorgeous Druzy Pendant. I love the pink colours, they really pop ! With the winter coming soon, I am looking forward to blogging again and creating more jewelry!!!

Cooking Lesson

2010-10-10T00:08:00.000-07:00

My eldest son getting a cooking lesson on how to fry an egg !!!!

Apatite and Peridot Dangles

2010-09-12T03:49:00.000-07:00

I made these up this morning, beautiful teal colours of apatite briolette and green peridot! Just love them!

http://de.dawanda.com/product/11576386-Sterling-Labradorith-Anhaenger-Kette

2010-08-01T07:15:00.000-07:00

SOLD
http://de.dawanda.com/product/11576386-Sterling-Labradorith-Anhaenger-Kette

My Seahorse Pendants!

2010-06-26T00:25:00.000-07:00

As many of you know that I live by the sea and my jewellery is inspired by it, I have started to make some seahorses! I just love them as they are so playful ! It took me ages to play around and get it to look like a seahorse :::Lol !!! Anyway, I wanted to share these with you .... ! the top one is made from tourmaline and the second one from copper swarovski crystals.

http://de.dawanda.com/product/11071262-925-Swarovski-Kristall-Seepferdchen-Kette SOLD

Summer is here!

2010-06-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

At last, we have got some summer - the swimmingpool and barbeque is now officially open! Its nice to have a pool in the garden, but there is never a minute as all the neighbourhood kids come round!! Great fun !

A door for the Garden Fairies!

2010-06-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

SADLY I ORDERED ANOTHER DOOR AND HE KEPT MY MONEY BUT NEVER SHIPPED THE DOOR. ON READING THROUGH DAWANDA AND ETSY, HE HAS DONE THIS TO LOADS OF OTHER PEOPLE - SO BEWARE DO NOT PURCHASE ANYTHING. What a bummer, I was so disappointed.

It was my mum´s birthday recently and just didn´t know what to get her! She has everything she really wants and needs, and, being a keen gardener, she has almost everything too !! Then, I was looking on Dawanda and came across "weefolkfitters" Sean makes doors for the fairies in your garden! They look so fantastic, in different shapes and sizes that I got one for my mum - and she loved it !! Relief ! It was such a fun present to give, as it is totally unique and handmade, the neighbours don´t have one and their fairies are happy!!!!

The Island of Sylt, Germany

2010-06-08T11:13:00.001-07:00

If you have been following my blog, then you might know that we work on the Island of Sylt, in the North Sea in Germany. It is a gorgeous island, it is sometimes called the St Tropez of Germany, as it enjoy the most sunshine hours of sunshine each day in Germany. The Rich and Famous have got holidays homes there, there are expensive designer shops and top restaurants to chose from if you desire to spend your cash quick !! It is a small island, only 20 miles long and at one part only about 500 meters wide, so it isn´t surprising that land on the island is the most expensive in Germany! If you would like more info on Sylt, then take a look at www.Sylt.de It is a really amazing tourist resort for a holiday (and, yes, they do have a Lidl and Aldi !!)!!

Sylt from the air!

Handmade sterling silver Sylt pendant necklace

On Saturday my friend and I were on Sylt to see a jewellery exhibition. When we got there, I couldn´t believe my eyes!!! On display, were the little wire wrapped swarovski crystal rings for sale at 129€ which I make and sell in my Dawanda shop for 10€ !!! Maybe I will put my prices up, but then would they sell ??????.

Click here to see swarovski wire wrapped rings

Africa Bracelet

2010-06-04T22:03:00.000-07:00

Dawanda are having an African coloured theme this June, with warm orange and sandy brown colours! I used some local Baltic Amber, carnelian and citrine to make this bracelet. It is especially beautiful when the sun shines on to it!

My Pendant made it on Folksy Friday !

2010-06-04T01:15:00.000-07:00

Sue from Lynwoodcrafts at Folksy included me in her Folksy Friday with the theme "waves". She is a very talented artist and has a beautiful display at Folksy - its worth taking a look at her shop, she is doing well !! Her blog is http://lynwoodcrafts.blogspot.com Thanks Sue for including me :-)

Waves…

http://www.folksy.com/items/449266
http://www.folksy.com/items/465261
http://www.folksy.com/items/218169
http://www.folksy.com/items/282049
http://www.folksy.com/items/451370
http://www.folksy.com/items/305041

Following a trip to the coast last weekend, I have been blogging about our experiences. My Folksy Friday selection is all about ‘Waves’ – relaxing, intimidating, destructive, providers of power and bringers of treasures.

If you want to check the Waves out, then go to http://blog.folksy.com/2010/06/04/folksy-friday-waves

Fine silber leaf necklace

2010-06-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

This is the first attempt at making a fine silver leaf pendant. I used a leaf from our garden which had a nice texture, and I just love the results of it. As I have limited internet access next week (we are changing servers), I am using the extra time to try to create different styles of jewelry. I am not an ardent art clay fan, but I do like the effect of the leaf and it is so personal ! It was fairly easy to do, I will probably make some more for sale in my shop, but first need to test drive this one!!
I am really unsure with art clay. I have used it for rings which I find just too soft. It is better to make a ring shank from sterling silver, and then solder the fine clay to it. I think it is quite good for pendants and it does open up a whole new world to those who are willing to try out their creativeness and patience !!

Latest creation!

2010-05-21T00:15:00.001-07:00

I made this pendant yesterday, and just toally love it, love it, and love it !! It is a flash labradorite cabochon. I drilled some holes in the back to allow the light to really get through to make the most of this cab.

Its been so quiet!

2010-05-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

It has been so unusually quiet on Dawanda, I have only had a few sales the last couple of weeks. I have decided to use my time and try out some new techniques and spend more time creating ..... It has been so much fun. I have also listed some new items on Dawanda, etsy, folksy, vondir.de and Deamaid ! Our weather is getting really nice now, which means it is off to the beach everyday with my dog !! At least someone wants to come with me, the boys don´t ! Lol !!

It has been pretty hectic though in my house with the kids and their friends coming and going. Actually, my eldest son has moved out, but since he has moved he has never been at home so much ! The last he said is that he is thinking of bringing his TV back ! That doesn´t sound so good! I think he´ll be around even more now !!

Dreamaid on BBC .....

2010-05-17T06:17:00.000-07:00

I have been busy putting jewellery onto Dreamaid to sell. Its quite a new website but it is free to list and you give your choice of donation if you have a sale ! The proceeds go to the 3rd world countries to help development. Tomorrow night (Tuesday May 18) Dreamaid will be shown on television on BBC. Loads of people are signing up now and they are expecting over one million visitors to the site ! Hopefully there will be loads of sales and lots of proceeds going to the charity. You can take a look at it on http://www.dreamaid.com/jsp/index.jsp

Sterling silver Butterfly Ring

2010-05-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

http://de.dawanda.com/product/10196574-Sterlingsilber-Schmetterling-Ring

Recently on vacation in Scotland, the first butterfly of the season flew down in front of me! After such a hard winter and spring, it was really something special. I created this ring with little flowers and hearts, and I used a manmade Gibson Opel which really is quite funky!

Froggie Necklace

2010-05-11T07:29:00.000-07:00

It is almost summer here in Germany and we have got a swimming pool :-) When I saw this lovely turquoise cabochon, it reminded me of the cool water on a hot summer day! We also have little frogs in the garden which live in a nearby pond. This inspired me to make this necklace, with the little frog jumping from the blue water! I made a water lilly, and soldered it along with a heart and some silver beads. It hangs from a swarovski crystal and turquoise sterling silver chain ! It is a fun necklace for the summer, but very substantial and it sure will attract attention !
Its for sale in my Dawanda shop !

Beach Ring

2010-05-08T06:10:00.000-07:00

http://de.dawanda.com/product/10097822-Sylter-Muschel-Silber-ring-auch-mit-Perle

Now the summer has arrived, and it is time to pack the swim costume and go to the beach, I made this lovely ring. I made it as a cup shape, with sand and shells on it. To finish the ring off, I put a pearl just at the edge ..... The ring shank is sterling, and the actual "beach" is made from silver metal clay.

Sterling Celtic Brangle

2010-05-08T00:14:00.000-07:00

http://de.dawanda.com/product/10093326-Sterling-Keltischem-Armreif

I created this "Brangle" bracelet brangle with sterling silver and a deep green swirly murano glass pearl. The little dangles have been wire wrapped with spirals to continue this celtic theme. I also made a little spiral charm from metal clay, and a ring charm from the same sterling design as the focal ! It is adjustable!

How to make a bangle in under 3 minutes!

2010-05-07T22:51:00.000-07:00

The Beading Gem shared this video in her blog, and it is so fascinating that I wanted to share it with you too !! I am going to give this a go, but I need more than 3 minutes - although it would be a real challenge to do it in that amount of time! Enjoy it!

A Child's View of Thunderstorms

2010-05-07T22:23:00.001-07:00

A little girl walked to and from school daily. Though the weather that morning was questionable and clouds were forming, she made her daily trek to school. As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with lightning.

The mother of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school. She also feared the electrical storm might harm her child. Full of concern, the mother got into her car and quickly drove along the route to her child's school. As she did, she saw her little girl walking along.

At each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up, and smile. More lighting followed quickly and with each, the little girl would look at the streak of light and smile.

When the mother drew up beside the child, she lowered the window and called, "What are you doing?"
The child answered, "I am trying to look pretty because God keeps taking my picture."

May God bless you today and every day as you face the storms that come your way!

Lightwear Jewelry: So romantic necklace

2010-05-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

http://de.dawanda.com/product/9908822-Romantische-Sodalith-Kette

So romantic necklace

2010-05-01T07:35:00.000-07:00

May is one of my favourite months in the garden. I love the lilac colours which bloom and how the flowers seem to appear in the warm earth. This pendant necklace is like May, the lovely lilac colour with the sterling flowers surrounding it! It has two sterling chains which make it so light and playfully romantic!

Working at Home!

2010-04-27T11:21:00.001-07:00

Living abroad in a country which English is not the mother tongue, it is quite challenging living with a second language. There is the normal barrier which you would expect like fitting in with the culture etc., but I have found it quite difficult to get a job in the marketplace due to my German. I speak German fluently, but my writing really needs improved. After trying out different avenues, i decided to try working at home – after all, it is the trend today, especially with the internet available.

I signed up for some secretarial work online, where you offer to do a certain job for so many dollars. The competition is stiff though, and there are many workers out there who are willing to do jobs for so much less than what I could, so that didn´t work out. My second venture, was an online travel agency! It is a hobby of mine to go onlne and to find great deals regarding flights etc., so this seemed quite natural. I did get a few bookings, but again, the industry is just so full of travel website, that who needed mine !! I had it up and running about a year but didn´t even get the costs of the website returned.

So, not for the lack of trying, I decided it was time to sell my handmade jewelry online. I was making jewelry for friends and for the local markets etc., and even sell some in a shop in my home town. The first year was really hard for me, as it was trying to get some balance – computer and designing jewelry, as well as making it and then getting it posted !! It was slow at the start, but then it just seemed to really take off. The obvious advantages are that you can do it to suit yourself – I can work loads or can have time off if something with the kids crop up. It is lonely though. I have a studio and am there most mornings making up my orders. At lunch time, they get packed up and ready for the post office later on the day.

I have realized that it is getting more difficult to do the markets as my internet shop is taking up so much time. I seem to sell a lot of the same kind of things which means once they are paid for I have to remake them. That takes a lot of time and I now have less time for being creative.

In one sense, you should have a product which the market asks for, and that is great if you have found your niche. On the other side though, it is about balance. I have at least one day a week now set aside to be creative and just for me, and the other days it is back to the studio for the orders. Yes, it is good fun, it is hard work and I don´t seem to get out as much now during the week, but it is rewarding.

I probably wouldn´t work at home if I lived in my home country, but living abroad this is an excellent way of bringing an income in! If I have a bad day at work, I can´t shout or blame my boss because I am my own boss and chose to do this !!

I will keep you posted on how things go …….

Walk in the Woods Pendant

2010-04-20T03:48:00.000-07:00

A gorgeous malachite pendant, with almost a heart in the centre is surrounded with leaves and branches ........ Don´t you just love a romantic walk in the woods!!

Waves of the Sea Pendant

2010-04-19T06:14:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was out walking my dog at the beach. Suddenly, a seal popped up his head about 3 feet from the promenade!! I was totally fascinated watching him, and as we walked on, the seal followed us. He seemed very inquisitive ! As I couldn´t form a seal, I decided to create this pendant with waves and 3 fish !

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

2010-04-18T04:58:00.000-07:00

Now that spring is here, and the sun is shining and the first flowers are beginning to appear after such a long, hard winter, I created this little pendant ...... So sweet !

Haggis

2010-04-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

Recently I wrote an article about the Haggis! Now, I have a photo of the Haggis which was taken in the Glasgow Art Galleries!

Beautiful Scotland

2010-04-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

Now, our holiday in Scotland is just a memory !! Here we are, with Ben Lomond in the background, enjoying the sunshine while there is snow on the mountain. Had a fab time!

SRAJD – Self Representng Artist Jewelry Designer

2010-04-02T11:23:00.001-07:00

I have decided, in my war against mass produced jewelry, to become a member of SRAJD and today I am pleased to have received confirmation number of my membership to SRAJD.

SRAJD stands for Self-Representing Artist Jewelry Designer, It is an organization to help customers find artists who design, create and sell their own jewelry, and avoid the awful mass produced jewelry and cheap labor. You can buy directly from the artist, and in this way you are supporting them without the middle man, but also can ask for your preferences regarding length etc. The artist is always able to talk to you about the quality of what you are buying, especially important if you are considering gemstones.

SRAJD is growing fast, and you can trust the artist who you are buy from, as their work has to be approved and of a certain standard before being approved. The next time you want to buy some jewelry, why not check out these artists who spend their lives creating something special and unique…… just because you are!!

Turquoise Flower

2010-04-02T05:37:00.000-07:00

This little pendant has been made from scratch. I used a Kingsman Turquoise cab and surrounded it with a little handmade flower and leaf.

Sterling shield earrings

2010-04-02T04:12:00.000-07:00

I made these sterling shield earrings to match the amber shield necklace. They are so lightweight, and slightly hammered that they catch the light! So much nicer than mass produced goods!

Think Pink

2010-03-27T00:51:00.000-07:00

Another Jasper stone, this time I set it with spirals and sterling balls ! I can see me making rings like these ..... ! It gets very addictive! Lol !

Spring Thought Pendant

2010-03-27T00:45:00.000-07:00

This was soooo much fun to make ! I used a moss green coloured jasper cabochon, and surrounded it with a few handmade flowers .... It took me about 7 hours to actually make as it was really awkward with the small parts ! Lol !, But, I like the finished result ! I might make some more and hopefully get better and quicker! I am selling jewellery today at a market, so thought I would wear it and see if there are any comments on it !

Handemade Jewellery verses Mass Produced

2010-03-23T03:56:00.001-07:00

Recently, I was at a market selling my handmade jewellery. It was quite a large market, and to my shock there were tables selling mass produced jewellery. It was supposed to be a market for handcrafted goods, and when I asked the organizer about this, she said she had to fill the empty spaces so allowed the mass produced goods. It was all cheap, fashion jewellery which was shiny in the lights. I was the only person with handmade jewellery, and of course, cannot compete with the prices of the mass produced jewellery.

But, why should you buy handmade jewellery instead of mass produced jewellery? One reason is if you are looking for something unique, something unusual and special. You might buy a piece of handmade jewellery for yourself or for a present for a good friend – and this shows how much you care!

Mass produced jewellery does not give the same satisfaction or enjoyment as you can bump into someone with the same earrings on !! They are cheap and the market is just overwhelmed with it. It is produced just for money as quickly as possible, often the manufacturers are very low paid.

Handcrafted jewellery has different stages – the artisan has an idea or design, puts it on pater and then plans how to make it within the level of her skills and talents. The jewellery then becomes part of the artisan, like a reflection! No two pieces are ever alike, they are totally unique.

When I create my jewellery, I put a lot of thought into the colours and designs I want to use. I have different techniques from wirework to metalwork, to plain beading! I have a workbench for sawing and soldering my silverworks, I use different patinas to enhance the colours of the metal, sometimes even to match a certain stone.

When you buy handmade, you are purchasing something of a high quality and totally unique. Why not treat yourself, or treat someone special to a One of A Kind piece of artisan jewellery, just because you are One of a Kind.
.

Pearl Domes

2010-03-17T02:32:00.000-07:00

A variation of the lentil styled earrings I made yesterday, these were created with little pearls in the centre. Dainty but wearable every day earrings!

Lentil Earrings

2010-03-16T06:18:00.000-07:00

As if a ring a day isn´t a quest, then making these great earrings was a real challenge! I began with sheet sterling silver and sawed a circle before doming them. I oxidized them after texturing the surface, and the results are amazing little earrings!!

Carnelian Sun Dial Ring

2010-03-16T04:28:00.000-07:00

This is the ring which I made today, and am wondering now if I can really continue with a ring a day quest !! I made a bezel of 2mm sterling silver and engraved it with rays of sunshine. I then soldered it to a sterling ring. I love the warm colour of carnelian, and it works well with the rays !!

Tooth Ring!

2010-03-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

My child has lost another tooth, and as I am still on my ring a day mission, decided to put it into a ring !! I must admit, at first I thought it was a bit weird, but it actually looks better than the photo ! I am wearing it as a pendant which has been engraced with his name and the date the tooth fell out !! It is sooooooooo personal ! If you would like one with your child´s tooth, they are available for sale in my Dawanda shop!

New today!

2010-03-05T02:40:00.000-08:00

Still on my one ring a day quest, I made this Ring using a Manmade Gibson Opal stone. The colours which are revealed when the light shines are just amazing! Now I wish I had made it in my size !

Basket Hoops

2010-03-04T10:24:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share what I made yesterday at the Goldsmith school in Hamburg - a pair of hammered basket style hoop earrings. I love the effect they have, and gently dangle!

ADVANTAGES OF LIVING ABROAD

2010-03-03T10:36:00.001-08:00

Recetnly, I shared about the challenges which I have encountered living abroad, some obvious challenges being separated from family members, language and culture which have shaped me into who I am today. But, have these challenges had a negative or positive effect on my life today?

As I am writing this, it is 7 am and I am on my way to Hamburg, almost a 3 hour train journey. I do this trip every Wednesday as I am going to Goldsmithing school and this is the closest one to where we live. As a child, I always wanted to be a goldsmith and would spend hours looking at diamonds and gold, and how each piece of jewellery would tell its own story – like a piece of art or a masterpiece painting. In Scotland, however, I was resigned to working 9-5 in an office. But now, I am fulfilling this dream thanks to being unable to work in an office in Germany due to the language.

You see, when you live abroad there are so many things which come against you and become a major obstacle that would never be an obstacle living at home. As I said in my last article, I was unable to do my trained job in Germany due to language/no German qualifications at that time. Living in Glasgow, there were many jobs as secretaries etc, and I know that I would have been quite happy and content just to do that all day, every day of my life. That is taken away from you living abroad. The pressure of that squeezed me into giving what I could do as I had nothing else to give. You have to take time out and honestly look at yourself and decide what you can really do well and then, go for it as you have nothing else to go for! It is good to get out of your comfort zone. Life is like a marathon, and you only get to the end of the race after a lot of pain and tiredness, but the feeling of arriving there must be amazing!

Now, as I sit on this long train journey to school, I am so happy with life. My jewellery business pays for these trips and schools to Hamburg so I don´t need to feel guilty about the family going without food !! It is like a little piece of independence doing what I want to do and what I love doing pays for it. That is, in my eyes, success.

The school in Hamburg is all in German. That isn´t even a problem for me now. The Germans are very friendly but do take a while to get to know. They are not superficial, so you know what they say they mean! I learned a lot from that even although it was hard.

In Germany, you can eat out really quite cheap. It isn´t so expensive as Britain and the food is great just like their beer and wine. We enjoy going out for meals here and do it quite often. It is always so much more relaxed – especially in the beer gartens in the summer. I don´t miss going to Asda and buying these already made dinners at all. You can´t really buy ready made dinners in Germany, if you want a pie then you have to start from scratch – make the pastry yourself! Yep, another disadvantage turned into an advantage – now I have learned to cook !! (That was definitely not by choice but by a craving for pies!!)

So, in short, the pressure which arises from the heat of living abroad really does ooze out your inner potential! Home cooking, creativity and language are definitely things which were hidden when living in the comforts of Scotland! One definite advantage is that it has brought my husband and I really close together. I wasn´t able to run to my mum´s or friends when things got though, but had to stay and battle out the wars and it was worth it ! We are close to our children and they (hopefully) can talk to us about anything. We stick together and we are friends, go through our hard times together and rejoice together.

My husband also has inner potentials revealed, which is another subject for another day. Until then, I need to get my creative juices started and decide what I will create today at goldsmithing school !! Maybe a fancy ring, tribal style earrings with gold etchings ……

Amethyst Pendant

2010-03-01T04:46:00.000-08:00

This pendant was created with a freeform amethyst stone. I set it in sterling silver, and put a little flower at the side to make it very feminine. Amethyst is so trendy this season.

Amber Ring

2010-03-01T02:55:00.000-08:00

I love these warm colours from this amber which comes from the Baltic Sea (about 45 minute drive from our home). They are like dripping honey.

Free Giveaway for St Patrick´s Day

2010-02-28T10:16:00.001-08:00

I came across this recently from http://blog.alexandani.com/ and wanted to share it with you – Good luck!

Alex and Ani is hosting a giveaway for St. Patrick’s Day! All of our loyal fans will get a chance to win an exclusive St. Patrick’s Day Alex and Ani Bangle Set…

How to Enter To Win:

**Follow the Alex and Ani Blog regularly, and leave a comment on this post letting us know what your favorite blog post is

**Follow Alex and Ani on Facebook

**Follow Alex and Ani on Twitter

**Tweet about this Giveaway – you can copy and paste this tweet “ENTER TO WIN ALEX AND ANI BANGLE SET @ALEXANDANIUSA WWW.ALEXANDANI.COM/BLOG”

**Email Irisj@alexandani.com with your interest in this giveaway, confirming you’ve completed all of the necessary steps to enter!

The winner will be chosen on March 10th!!

Challenges of living Abroad

2010-02-28T07:06:00.001-08:00

My husband and I moved to Germany over 20 years ago, really just for some fun. We had always loved travelling around the world, and when my husband was offered a job in Germany on the golf course, it was an opportunity for us to go for it. I remember our first few days here, the sun was shining and it was hot. We loved the street cafes and the food! In Glasgow, we are so used to rain and wind and don´t get much of summer, so we really enjoyed this newly discovered life! We had planned to stay 5 years, but that was over 20 years ago. We soon settled into the German lifestyle of coffee and cakes, had our children and enjoyed our lives here. We lived on an island in the North Sea called Sylt. Sylt is an island where the movie stars and rich people live, it is only 20 miles long and at one point 500 meters wide! It is a vibrant holiday island in the summer, for young and old, with fantastic beaches (including some nudist beaches!).

It had its challenges though. Coming from Scotland and being in a total different culture is not easy. Our sense of humor is different, ours is very black which is often not appreciated! My husband has a very good job here, but it was different for me! I had left a great job in Scotland and suddenly I was in a country where I couldn´t speak the language. I went to the local job centre and was told that I had a choice of 2 jobs . grave digging or a bin man ! That was not the glamorous lifestyle I had anticipated! Ok, the only way forward for me was to become self employed because I didn´t have any German qualifications. The only thing which I could do and where the market was for, was to teach English to the Germans. This was a really great time and very fulfilling. I taught a range of people from the kids in the kindergarten to businessmen. I did this for 20 years or so ! If you ever meet a German who speaks English with a Glasgow accent he has probably been to one of my classes!. There is no way I would ever have done this if I had lived in Scotland, but living abroad does ooze out your creative juices!

As the kids got older, I started to design and create my own jewelry, which eventually meant that I had to stop teaching as I had no more time. My jewellery business has really taken off and is very fulfilling. It is amazing that this has came out of the challenges from living abroad, as if we had stayed in Glasgow I would still be working from 9-5 in an office somewhere. Yes, it is challenging, especially with a different language and culture, and even after 20 years it remains difficult, but it is very rewarding as you try out things that you normally wouldn´t do. I also learned the fiddle as I love celtic music and it makes me feel close to home!

For us, living abroad has been great. It isn´t just about financial or material success but also about lifestyle and enjoying who you are where you are. Sometimes, it is a bigger risk not to take a risk, and I am glad that we did. Glasgow is great, and a great place to live, but I really am glad that we left that we could get to know ourselves, outside our own strengths! Maybe one day we will return to our roots in Scotland, but for now, it is time for a cup of fantastic German coffee and some cake !

Sattelite Rng

2010-02-27T03:53:00.000-08:00

I am still on my quest to make one ring a day, and I just love it !! This is one which I created from scratch. I cut some sheet sterling silver in a circle and filed it to even it off and then hammered it into a cup form. I then melted down some 9 carat gold into a ball and soldered it to the cup before soldering it onto the ring shank. It is a simple ring, which isn´t oxidized, but I love the effects from this very simple ring !

I have also noticed, that my sales on rings have increased dramatically since beginning my "one ring a day" plan ! So, in theory, I am really making at least 3 rings a day now !

Emerald Ring

2010-02-18T04:28:00.000-08:00

Wow, since I got my jeweller´s bench a few weeks ago, I have been making at least one ring a day !! This one has been handcarved and a little emerald sits in the centre of the flower. My favourite auntie passed away on Wednesday evening and she had her own flower shop! Whenever we visited her, there was always a beautiful smell of freshly cut flowers to welcome us. So, I made this little emerald ring as a little memory of her, with the green emerald symbolising eternal life.

Another Ring

2010-02-17T05:25:00.000-08:00

I am totally addicted to making rings right now !! This is one which was made tdoay and I love the old effect which reflects the character of the faceted quartz stone.

My English Garden

2010-02-14T01:06:00.000-08:00

This pendant started out with an amazing malachite cabochon which I have had for a while. It was crying out to be formed into something unusual, and not plain and boring !! I had been thinking about it and decided to use the deep greens as the centre of a little garden! I made a bezel for it and soldered some little flowers onto it and then handsawed the sterling silver to make this. I must admit, I just love the effects from the liver of sulpher which was used to oxidize it. It took me all day to make it but it was worth it !! It all came together so beautifully as if it was just meant to be.

Celtic Ring and stacking ring

2010-02-07T04:54:00.000-08:00

This is the celtic emerald ring together with a small stacking ring.... So elegant and unique !

Emerald Celtic Ring

2010-02-07T04:41:00.000-08:00

As I come from Scotland, the Celtic style has a strong influence in my life, especially in making jewellery. I love the designs and the intricate work involved. This ring has been made with a celtic design and I used a small emerald gemstone to embrace the celtic style. It sits well with stacking rings, although this celtic ring does have a 4mm wide band.

Crafthope for Haiti

2010-02-06T23:24:00.001-08:00

http:www.etsy.com/shop/crafthope

Some friends of ours were in Haiti at the time of the earthquake, and they were deeply shaken. They managed to get flights back home again about one week after the earthquake so I thought I would share this wonderful Etsy shop today which has been set up to raise funds for the Doctors Without Borders relief effort in Haiti. There is something for everyone there and at the same time all proceeds go to Haiti. It is definitely worth a visit!

My Dog is still fed up with the sow!

2010-02-05T23:39:00.000-08:00

I just don´t know when the snow is going to go away !! It has been on the ground for about 7 weeks now!! My poor dog is totally fed up with it too as you can see !!!!!

Baltic Amber sterling Ring

2010-02-05T01:27:00.000-08:00

I just love making rings, especially now my Goldsmith´s bench has arrived !! (Photos are coming!!). I used a heavy sterling silver D form sterling wire and amber cabochon to make this ring. It looks like dripping honey! Pity it is too small for me or I would have kept it ! haha!! Looks like it is on its way for sale at my Dawanda shop!

More snow!

2010-02-01T00:20:00.000-08:00

Even my poor dog is wondering how we are going to get out today !!!!

Cluster cha cha Ring

2010-01-31T01:31:00.000-08:00

I made some sterling silver balled headpins and put these little faceted glass beads onto them, and attached them to a sterling silver ring which I had made earlier. The result is just a darling, simple ring which is sure to get some comments !! I love making rings and working with sterling ....

A Big day out in Hamburg!

2010-01-29T11:55:00.001-08:00

My husband and I went to Hamburg yesterday, a really big day out for us! After a 3 hour train journey, we arrived from our small town in Northern Germany to the Big City. The atmosphere was buzzing, and after a lunch overlooking the lake which people were ice skating on, we went to a store to buy some new tools for my jewellery making . It was the first time we had been to this “shop”, which actually turned out to be on the 3rd floor of an old building. After ringing the bell, they opened the door and we entered into this room which was really busy with people examining gemstones before they bought them (I usually just do it online!)! The atmosphere was friendly and lively, and they helped us out with our tools and we left feeling like part of a new family! It was kind of strange as I felt it was more like being in a chemist than a tool shop! I was desparate to look around to see what they have on offer, but everything was behind the counter! Where do you buy your jewellery tools and what are your experiences like? I found this place in Hamburg like going back 100 years in time, although it was an experience! I like to purchase my stones online (because I live far from the city), but after seeing these people examine their gemstones I am starting to wonder if perhaps it is better to buy on site. What do you do, do you have any advice or tips to share? I look forward to hearing any of your comments …………. !!

Haggis today ???

2010-01-27T22:58:00.001-08:00

Today is Burn`s day, so I thought I would share a little bit about the Haggis and how it is celebrated!! Apart from it being famous in Scotland, many people don`t really know what it is !! As a true Scottish lady, I will share the truth with you! A haggis is a small animal native to Scotland similiar to the ostrich . Because the habitat of the haggis in exclusively mountainous, and because it is always found on the sides of Scottish mountains, it has evolved a rather strange gait. The poor thing has only three legs, and each leg is a different length - the result of this is that when hunting haggis, you must get them on to a flat plain - then they are very easy to catch - they can only run round in circles. During the mating season, it cries resemble that of the bagpipes! The Haggis normally gives birth to two “wee yins” who are able to run around in circles just minutes after coming into the world!

Other people would tell you that the Famous Scottish Haggis contains sheep´s heart, liver and lungs mixed with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices salt and pepper and then cooked in a sheep´s stomach for 3 hours !

The Haggis was not an every day meal in Burn`s day, in fact, it was a luxury meal!!!! Burn`s poem to the haggis is actually ironic in its praise for the dish and pointed the finger at those who would even enjoy it !! Each year, on January 28th, the Burns Supper is celebrated in Scotland and begins with the traditional Burn`s Grace …
Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it,
But we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.

The Haggis is piped in and guests usually stand and applause the Haggis ! A whisky bearer is also present to make sure that the Haggis is well soaked !!.
The Haggis is then addressed with the famous Rabbie Burn`s poem, with the knife poised at the ready !!

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the pudding-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm :
Weel are ye wordy o'a grace
As lang's my arm.

Moonstone Shield Necklace

2010-01-24T04:02:00.000-08:00

I handforged this pendant into a type of shield, and hammered it to make it look really old and well used. The moonstone cabochon is slightly off centre to enhance the character. I made up a chain with sterling silver and moonstone pearls. It is fantastic !!!

Amythst Angel Wing Necklace

2010-01-23T05:42:00.000-08:00

This pendant has taken me all day to make ! I started out with sheet sterling silver and cut 2 angel wings, made a bezel to fit the beautiful Amythst cabochon and soldered it all together, before texturing it! I am really please with the results - well worth getting sore fingers while sawing through the silver !!!

True Scotsman

2010-01-22T08:31:00.000-08:00

I love being Scottish, with all the tradition - and men in kilts !!

Erdbebenopfer aus Haiti

2010-01-22T06:43:00.000-08:00

Zu der Gunsten der Erdbebenopfer auf Haiti Schottisch Pipeband aus Rantrum. Freitag 22.1 2000 Uhr Freienwill Krug Holm1 24991 Freienwill

True Love

2010-01-22T06:12:00.000-08:00

"True Love" earrings, sterling silver with fresh water pearls are just the perfect match for each other! I was feeling kind of romantic so I put these together for some fun.

2010 PROFIT ZONE OR EXCUSE ZONE ??

2010-01-18T23:44:00.001-08:00

Last year, 2009, I decided that I was going to deal with my biggest obstacle for failure – my excuses for being a success! I sell my handmade jewelry and decided that I was going to make a success of it. I decided to step up over the line and stop letting my weaknesses be my obstacles!

Up until then, I had so many excuses not to earn money like “ I live in a foreign country and I am a mother at home, I can´t do anything good enough, what if the time I put in is wasted!” The excuse list goes on and on, doesn´t it? For example, the excuse of wasting time investing in your home based business could be answered with `”My time is profit!”. You only get out what you put in, so I have to put time into my home based business to make it work! Every time an excuse would speak to me, I would answer it and deal with it because I want a high return of investing my time and myself.

I want change now, and decided to stop my excuses and go to war with them. I can´t afford procrastination, I want something but I don´t have the time to do it. I don´t want to reap the fruit of failure because my excuses are stronger than my passions. Why should I fail because I have so many excuses??? I want results, so I have to step up out of my excuses and pursue my passion! Why should living in a foreign country stop me from making jewelry and selling it from my home? Just because my friends are broke, doesn´t mean I have to live like that, does it? I dont want to listen to my excuses which stop me from living a profitable life! I want 2010 to be a year in the profit zone, and not in the excuse zone. I am not agreeing with my excuses any more, but I will believe in myself and what I do ! Excuses are lies to keep you in your comfort zone. It is time to face them head on, it is time to go to war with them and have results!

So this year will be more profitable than last year. I am going to look at my business in the mirror and be honest and take responsibility for where it is today and also take responsibility of my conduct and words. I will try to be open minded and get over the weaknesses and allow them to be exposed. I don´t want 2010 to be the same as 2009, I want change! The financial crisis will NOT be an excuse for 2010 !

Success isn´t based on the perfect circumstances, waiting for the right time and the right person, nor is it based on lack of effort!! So, with no more excuses and a lot of hard work, I can look forward to an even more prosperous 2010 as I step over that line and go to war with Procrastination and my excuses. I think.

Friends return home after Earthquake on Hiati

2010-01-18T11:19:00.001-08:00

Great news !! 6 days after the earthquake hit Hiati, our friends have been able to return home ! They were there on Hiati as the earthquake struck – as they were writing to us they told us that the ground was still shaking the the mountains were still coming. They managed to get on board a plane leaving for Miaimi before flying from there to New York and returning to Germany!

They lost a lot of their possessions during the earthquake, but are all safe although in shock. Other friends who are still out there have said that they have not seen any “helpers in yellow vests” at all, everyone is starting to get desperate as help isn´t getting through yet.

Spinning Ring

2010-01-17T06:29:00.000-08:00

Sterling silver spinning rings are so modern just now, as you can wear two, three or four of them together, change them around and play with them !! I made this little spinning ring from sterling silver.

2010-01-16T06:11:00.000-08:00

Handcrafted Angel Wings Pendant

2010-01-16T05:35:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot about angels recently for some reason!! I handcrafted these angel wings pendant by drawing on some sheet sterling silver then sawing the outline. After some filing and buffing down, I then soldered the pieces together with the bezel and mount. I chose a fiery red Opal from Mexico as the centre piece !!

Moonstone Post earrings

2010-01-10T12:19:00.000-08:00

These Moonstone earrings are so dainty, set in sterling silver. They go with anything, and the Moonstone really captures the light to make them interesting!

Where do you get your Inspiration?

2010-01-06T11:13:00.001-08:00

I am always amazed at how people find inspiration for their jewellery creations! I get a lot of inspiration from travelling, I love the colours of the seasons and just looking around me. I was born in Scotland, so am inspired a lot with wire wrapping and celtic jewelry making. A trip to the beach could inspire you to create a beautiful bracelet with turquoise and shells, perhaps with some charms on it to remind you of the special day you had there. The possibilities are endless.

I found this photo and wanted to share it just for some fun! These huge lava style earrings were found in a car park in Belgium to stop people from parking in a private zone!!

http://www.fubiz.net/2009/10/08/urban-jewelry/

Have fun looking around you and being inspired into creating some wonderful things!

That Hobby Looks Like a Lot of Work !

2010-01-06T08:16:00.000-08:00

I love this article in the New York Times "That Hobby Looks Like a Lot of Work" - check it out at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/fashion/17etsy.html
I sell and do quite well selling on Dawanda, it it really shocked me that some people are earning more than Lawyers by working their hobby at home !! They have some interesting ideas, combining creativity with business skills etc. Looks like I have a lot more work to do !!!

Fluorite Sterling wire wrapped Ring

2010-01-06T04:16:00.000-08:00

Making wire wrapped rings are so much fun because you can use up your "orphan" beads and they become alive again! I wrapped this pale blue Fluorite Stone in sterling silver, it looks as cool as ice ! These rings are so quick to make if you need something last minute before going out!

Best Sellers in 2009

2010-01-05T01:07:00.001-08:00

Looking back, I started selling my jewelry online in December 2008 and had quite a few sales then. But, I wasn´t really prepared for over 600 sales in my first year with my online shop! That was really awesome, and it is great to have some kind of positive feedback that people like your creations enough to buy them and wear them, or even give them as a gift !

I noticed that selling online is totally different from selling jewelry at markets. At the markets, I sell more necklaces and expensive items as I feel the people like to “feel” the product first, try it on and I can alter it if necessary at the market. Online, people don´t have that chance, they really only have a photograph to go by as well as an accurate description. I noticed also that people don´t want to spend so much money buying jewelry online as they would if they saw something at the market (they would normally buy earrings to match a necklace or bracelet).

Lava embellished with precious metal clay necklace

Wire wrapped best selling Lava Earrings!

So, I sell now mainly earrings as that is what sells in my shop. They are small, inexpensive items which look great! The wire wrapped studs cost only 5 Euros in my shop, but sell like hot cakes! The black lava against the shiny silver are my best sellers, maybe because that is something that you can´t buy in shops. I don`t know, I prefer long chandelier earrings, but, hey, you have to sell what the market wants and not what you want to !

I am hoping that for 2010 I will discover another best selling item for my online shop…….. I will continue to do the markets as that helps me balance my work at home job with the outside world, and also have great conversations with my customers who have fantastic ideas !! Having a job which is your favorite past time is awesome, bring on 2010 !!!!!

Winter Fun

2010-01-04T07:02:00.001-08:00

We had –9 degrees without the wind chill, even the sea had frozen up! The sledging was great fun!

Christmas time in the snow!

2009-12-28T05:57:00.000-08:00

Handmade Earrings

2009-12-28T03:59:00.000-08:00

After lots of forging, hammering, firing and polishing, these earrings turned out really pretty!

We have snow!

2009-12-19T12:07:00.000-08:00

At last, we have snow here in Northern Germany !! My 11 year old son was out sledging for the FIRST TIME of his life !! We don`t get much snow here so this is amazing! It was my birthday and when we woke up, it looked like Wonderland. I hope it keeps up until Christmas. The kids are on holiday now and it would be great if they could enjoy the snow!

Malachite Band Ring

2009-11-27T04:21:00.000-08:00

This is a beautiful silver band ring with a malachite cabochon centred in it!
I also have matching earrings available in my dawanda shop. It was really fun to make!

2009-08-04T12:22:00.000-07:00

What an Event, a wedding at Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, England ! The whole day was perfect and we wish the bride and groom every success in their new lives together !

The Happy Couple

2009-08-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

Rolls Royce

2009-08-04T12:20:00.000-07:00

Table for a King!

2009-08-04T12:19:00.000-07:00

Blenheim Palace

2009-08-04T12:17:00.000-07:00

A beautiful Bride

2009-08-04T12:16:00.001-07:00

2009-08-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

Going to the Wedding at Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, England !