The Importance of Time

Have you thought about the importance of time.  I've felt for a while that I've  not had the time do be creative or do the things I want.  Somehow by the end of the day I don't seem to have achieved anything I want to do and only just managed the things I have to.

DH and I had a long conversation about how to find me more time within our day but didn't really come up with any solution.  Just the observation that for me there was something really missing.

Following a recommendation from a friend I decided to go TV and computer free.  The computer free thing worked to the extent that I managed to only write on my blog and chat to friends who were on line at the time... one a creative activity and friends are really important. 

I didn't have a TV for 3 years so thought that it wouldn't really make too much difference.

My goodness how much more time... I've been so tempted to turn the TV on just to give me something to do...  Yes I am also avoiding the housework.... Suddenly there in the middle of my life is the time that I so wanted.  Rather than have to consider working fewer paid hours... I have hours that are simply empty.

Suddenly I can see where a bike ride could fit, where heading out the the studio can happen... and still have time for friends, husband and housework... although I might continue to avoid that as much as possible.  I can suddenly see how to create the life style that I want.  Just how cool is that and with no pain.... I just now need to use it hey.

Noticing

Do you ever really notice things... not just see them but really see them? 

I have been spending time becoming more aware of my environment and you know its amazing.

Driving down the A3 towards Guildford through the countryside with the sun rising was beautiful.  Occasionally there was the harsh white straight lines as a bridge cut into the countryside but generally it was green and well not quite verdant... after all this is still January. 

I suddenly saw aliens on the horizon, tall imposing structures stretching across the horizon.  Ok so they were power cables, but in them I saw war of the world aliens or tripods (another one of my favorite scifi stories).

Further down my journey I saw the hospital I was heading to on the top of a hill.  Now bearing in mind I've driven down this road on and off for 11 years, I've never really seen the hospital on the hill and how imposing it is.  Of course I knew it was there.. but I had never really seen it.

The other one that made me laugh at myself was driving around the hospital site I saw this really tall tower... now I knew there was one on site a the morgue but had never seen it.  Only there it was, right by where I've parked my car for the last 2 years.  Man I must have been living in a complete daze.

I suddenly feel as if my eyes are opened... certainly I'm looking up out from my ordinary little world... and you know something my anxiety and stress seems to reduce and I notice more around me.  The pain of a miscarriage just 3 weeks ago has no hold on me as I notice the world outside of myself.

So what about you... will you look up and notice... really see the world around you?  It's a far more interesting place than I thought it was.

Viking Beads

Apparently a tenth century Arab once said that the Vikings would go to any length to get hold of colored beads.  They valued beads so highly that they were considered to be a valuable property and were past down through the generations.  Beads are the most commonly found artifact in pre-Christian Viking graves, kinda shows just how important they were.

That really got me thinking about what sort of beads they liked when I came across these modern reproduction of Viking beads

They all look a bit like newbie beads to me...  they also had Millefirori beads

 

that was quite a surprise to me.  It appears that they made them in more or less the same way we make them today.

So how did they use them... by the looks of it in treasure bracelet  and necklaces which would be incredibly contemporary today.

Got me thinking about how to use the beads I create and I wondered if Viking Knit could be a way to show them off.  Turns out to be a fairly easy thing to do and can create different effects

So here we have a test bracelet I've made for myself.  Before I make or sell anything for anyone else I generally do a test piece first or use techniques I'm sure of.  Turns out to be a good practice as a necklace I bought from a friend and have worn 3 times broke this morning as I was putting it on as the beads were just too heaving for the stringing material.

Thank you for your interest in my work

Julie

Funky Cabs

These are a first for me... matching lampwork cabochons which I'm planning on using for Christmas presents for my family.  They will ultimately become part of my range of giggle gifts range.  People will be able to choose the base colour, the colour of the line and the colour of the dots. 

I will also be introducing other funky designs which can be part of pendants, cufflinks, earrings whatever is wanted which people can personalise for themselves

Thank you for your interest in my work

Julie

Stones of Fire and Giggle Gifts

For those of you who have read my blog over a period of time you will have seen that I have been suffering a major identity crisis in my glass work.  As I sit and look back at it there are definitely a number of conflicting ideas

• wanting to create a range of up market jewellery
• beads that seem to have developed a nature theme and are more arty
• beads which are more simple but funky
• a desire to create more costume jewellery

Putting these together it becomes clear that I have been struggling to find out who I am which affects how I promote myself and all those other fun things that come with trying to run a little business. 

I know you might think that I am thinking about things too much and making life harder than it needs to be.  Well if you don’t I certainly do.  I had thought about just letting the style continue and grow until I realized that there are probably two distinct styles that I want to create and ultimately it boils down to the difference between art and craft.

So simple I create an art range and a craft range

So let me introduce STONES OF FIRE the art range

This will be a place to showcase my intricate art beads using murrini, implosions and fine stringer control.  Often these will be set by myself in silver.  The silver will be hallmarked by the assay office in London so you can be assured you are receiving awesome one off wearable glass art.

And let me introduce GIGGLE GIFTS the craft range

This will be a range of more costume jewellery, simple jewellery beads which is affordable and has a funky edge to it.  My hope is that over time that this range may end up being specifically focused at young families and include fingerprint jewellery, jewellery with personalised pictures and electroplated shoes and the like.  I'm not going to develop the young families range too much at the moment simply because whilst I am having fertility problems it's not really so wise to be around babies too much.

Thank you for your interest in my work.

Julie

Big Bead Show

Well... its happened... and it went great... well I think it did anyway.

Like this it doesn't really look all that much but the good news is that bead show tables are nice and narrow so it looks like so much more.

If my aim was to break even, I did that and more and I'm so pleased.  I know others weren't so happy with the day but as a first show I think it went great.

The things to learn are about how to price my beads... man do I underprice... lol.  Having a wide range of beads is a really good idea but the things that sold were the things which were different from the other lampworkers and not production beads.  If a bead is only worth £3-4 put it in a rummage pot rather than trying to sell it as a focal.

The most fun thing for me and my ego was one of the sales I made.  The show was organized by Bead magazine.  The editor came round towards the end and was checking out how people had done.  She then proceeded to purchase a bead from me saying that she'd broken her own rule and I was the only one she had bought from today... just how cool is that and sooooo good for the ego.

There are loads of beads now up on the website.... happy hunting.  Julie

Not As Old As I Thought

Isn't it always nice to realize your still new at your career and youthful.  For the last 7 years I've been the senior member of my team in my paid job.  I guess in the world of lampworkers I'm still a baby... which is a lovely thought

On one of the lampwork forum they set up an Ages Poll.  At the time of me posting this of the folks who make lampwork beads.

8-25 years old   = 3.4%

26-35 years old = 14.97%

36-45 years old = 32.49%

46-55 years old = 33.16%

56-65 years old = 13.27%

66-75 years old = 2.55%

76-85 years old = 0.17%

Now this is so cool because I fall into the 26-35 year old category.  Makes me feel so much better and somehow makes me think, wow, that gives me time to learn and develop.  I have years of this career ahead of me rather than thinking I've hit the glass ceiling and can't go any further.  Means I have time to develop my own style and find my niche in the market rather than having to be the best at everything right now.

I just thought I'd also show you some beads which I'm calling tiny treasures.  These beads are 5 mm from hole to hole which means that they are fantastic for making into jewellery as they are small enough to be part of a set yet distinct enough to be fab beads.

Thank you for your interest in my musings

Julie