I've been tagged!

Yay! I have been tagged by the lovely Cathryn from Magpie Moments. I found out that I had been tagged from The Crystal Lady through Twitter! I hadn't gotton around to my evening blog reading yet to nosey into everyone elses lives!

The rules are:
1. respond and rework; answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention, add one more question of your own (don't feel obliged as it's quite long already!)
2. Tag eight other people

so here goes…………

What is your current obsession?
My outside trade stand!
I'm totally over obsessed with making it really pretty and girly for my up and coming trade show at the beginning of July at Heddington & Stockley.
My parents surprised me with a gazebo a couple of months ago, so since then I've gone crazy mad with accessories, another tent to sit in, just in case it rains, or even it gets too hot!

What is your greatest achievement?
Starting my jewellery business. We can all say that we played shops when we were little, getting the tins out of the cupboard, sticky labelling them, getting the till out with the plastic money and handmade notes. (my till didn't come with notes!), but i never lost the love for playing shops even now! Just now I get to play with real money, and real stock and real customers!

Coffee or Tea?
Easy Peasy! TEA! Coffee makes me smell funny!

What’s for dinner?
I call dinner at 12pm. But I guess we mean evening meal, which is tea for me!
Fajitas!!
We have the remainder of the frozen Quorn Chicken, with salsa and seasoning, all wrapped snugly in a warm tortilla wraps. Mmmmmm

What have you just made?
I have just been finishing off a custom wedding order of beaded hair bobbles for a lovely lady for her bridesmaids.
I'm very happy with them, and she likes them too. I'm never sure whether people will like my bespoke designs. Something you like, someone else will dislike. It's always a tricky one.
I'm half way though making 16 wire wrapped hair pins too, little like these, but in a crystal ab instead.What are you listening to right now?
I'm watching the TV at the moment!
Re-runs of the IT Crowd! All 3 series to get through :D But on my iPod I'm listening to Green Days new album over and over and over and over again. I'm in love with it... and Billie Joe *phaw*

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Mmm, this one is tricky! Can I have 2 favourites? When I have a Teddy Bears Picnic I get to choose two flavours so I'm going to stick with that! Them being coffee and chocolate!

What do you think of the person who tagged you?
I haven't known Cathryn for very long, and was pleasantly surprised when I was tagged to do this blog! Her jewellery is stunning, and very different! The idea of making necklaces without a clasp is soo different! Check this one out!

The description reads:

This is a beautiful lariat style necklace, such a versatile necklace.

Can be worn in so many ways tied in a various knots, twisted into a choker, twisted into a bracelet, three necklaces can be plaited together to achieve various looks.

This necklace is made with beautiful yet simple with pretty silver lined purple seed beads and finished with two gorgeous round beads, offering weight and decoration to the strand.

Lariat measures 36 inches, long enough to suit your style in whichever way you chose to wear it.

You can find it here at MISI

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
I would go visit Dr. Who, get in his Police Box and go time travelling. But seriously, I have no idea. I like to be spontaneous, and just go wherever it takes me.

Which language do you want to learn?
My own! English!
I'm a lazy talker, adding too many 'R's into everything! That's Somerset for you!

What’s your favorite quote (for now)?
From the IT Crowd (of course!)
Roy: We don't need no education.
Moss: Yes you do. You've just used a double negative.

What is your favorite colour?
Black!
That was easy!

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
Probably my new baggy jeans I bought 3 weeks ago!

What is your dream job?
Having the money to open my own bead store. There are hundreds online, but not enough on the high street! I'd love to be able to supply bead lovers with their own local shop where they can come in, chat, browse, pick up, touch and design their own jewellery, and even make it when they are there while they have everything they need around them.

What is your worst habit?
Being such a stress head! If anything goes wrong that's it... wham. It causes me a lot of health issues, but I guess it will get better over time.

Describe your personal style?
Totally different than my jewellery's style! I'm very into the grunge 'style' baggy jeans, black tops, hoodies (not like the groupies we see hanging outside the local Spar, I'm too old and tired to stand outside at 10pm!)

What are you going to do after this?
Probably rest my fingers, and eat the rest of my spicy space invaders!

What is your favorite fruit?
I don't do fruit. The only one I like are Bananas, so I guess they are my favourite fruit!

What inspires you?
Women that take the plunge and go for it in business. It takes a lot of guts to do it, and I love all of them for it.

Your favorite book?
EEK! I don't read very much at all. Hated it due to the fact we were also forced to read at school. The most recent book I read, that I thoroughly enjoyed and found it very interesting was The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

Do you collect something?
Beads? But then that's my job. I love collecting Fairies though. I often find them at trade fairs at stalls at really good prices.

What is your favorite smell?
Mmm, lynx Africa, and now lynx Aloe Vera shower gel! It smells of parma violet sweeties! It just gets those memories flooding back!

What are you most proud of?
I'm proud of my business. It's taken time to get off the ground. I was holding myself back a lot last year, but since April this year I really have taken the plunge into getting my business out there and it's starting to pay off.

How many times do you press the snooze button before you get up?
Mwahaha!
Never! I don't need to. I get up when I wake up :D

What’s your biggest fashion mistake?
Before I found the world of hair dye!
My natural hair colour is manky brown.

Complete the following:

Love is… misunderstood

What would you like to make next?
I'm hoping the next thing I make is a custom order from Looby Crafts.
But I'm still waiting for the beads to arrive after almost a week! Sorry Lou :(

What the best piece of advice you have been given?
"Just don't listen to them, they are just jealous of what you have"

Phaw! And there we go!
I have chosen my eight people! Are you there?

Madam Salami
Talking Beads
Looby Crafts
Pearls and Whirls
Designs by Isis
Knitwits
Lej Jewellery
Little Scruffs

Have fun, fun, fun!

Ahoy! My name is Iron Thomas Brightblade!!

Well, the Nautical Bracelet has been listed on MISI for £12.00! 

As listed: 

A smashing summery nautical bracelet, mixing antique copper with antique silver!

Turquoise Opaque Rebel czech glass beads and Pink/Gold czech glass beads with gold inlay, with added nautical charms.

This bracelet uses:

♥ Turquoise Opaque Rebel czech glass beads
♥ Pink/Gold czech glass beads with gold inlay
♥ Antique Silver Butterfly charm - nickel free
♥ Silver 'Hand Made' charm- nickel free
♥ Antique Silver & Antique Copper Padlock Heart charm - nickel free
♥ Antique Copper Birdcage charm - nickel free
♥ Antique Silver & Antique Copper Small Key - nickel free
♥ Antique Copper Light Weight Ring - nickel free 
♥ Antique Silver & Antique Copper Nautical Wheel - nickel free 
♥ Antique Silver Clasp 

I'd like to say thank you to all of whom have already left your lovely comments!

New Creations!

Afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen!

What a miserable day :(

I have had a lovely quiet week, relaxing from my busy weekend last week. I get tired extremely quickly.

During the week I made 4 pairs of earrings out of the last beads I had lurking around in my stash! 

They are available on MISI, at £2.00 a pair!

Yesterday I plodded into town, and nipped into the bead shop. Came out with practically the entire store!

So... here is what I came up with!

This necklace is made up from acrylic diamond shape beads, czech glass beads, and freshwater pearls.

Next up! This chain and glass bead necklace. It's made up from czech glass beads and silver chain.

And last but not least!

This nautical bracelet. It's made up of antique silver and copper charms, and czech glass beads.

Both necklaces and the bracelet will be on MISI for sale on Monday, or might be sooner!!.... I'll let you know :D

Ciao for now!

Castle Combe Steam & Vintage Rally

Days of preparation, and the two day fair is over! 

I'm so tired.

This weekend I attended the Castle Combe Steam & Vintage Rally, and you would have found me in the craft marquee. 

Unfortunately it wasn't as busy as last year, but it was still certainly packed with red lobster burnt looking people! 

On Saturday, the sun was beaming, it was a stunning day, but the football, and the Royal Bath & West Show certainly took away the visitors for the day. But today, Sunday, even at 10:00am when the gates opened it was all hustle and bustle with potential customers walking about!

It's very interesting, stood there, watching people come into the craft marquee, and do the rounds, studying everyones stall, not buying, then starting from the beginning again with purses and wallets in hand! 

I found my best customers to be the husband and wife team! The lady likes, the husband retrieves wallet from back pocket, and outcomes the dosh! Voila!

I often find that there is usually a jewellery trend at fairs. 

You either sells lots of necklaces, bracelets, pendants, rings, and whatever else you sale... this weekend my earrings were flying off the stands...? 

Why? Maybe it's the sunshine.

Here are some piccies of my stall 

Larger pictures can be found here

For more piccies of the weekend click here!!

I hope you all had a lovely weekend!

New Goodies!!

Some of you may have seen a couple of beaded bookmark in my MISI store? 

Well, they both have had a little surgery, and had more beads added to them! 

The Pink Bead and Butterfly Squiggle Bookmark has Freshwater pearls added, hanging on dagger headpins, and the Green Bead Squiggle Bookmark has more funky green beads added. 

I have made another 4 Beaded Bookmarks. All with different hanging charms. They include a Sewing Machine, a Cat (with long legs!),  a cute turtle, and Tinkerbell! 

The other 4 bookmarks will be listed on MISI from next Monday, June 1st. They will be £5.00 each!

Also two new Mobile Phone Charms, or Zip Charms. However you like to use them! All the beads are glass, not plastic. Only £1.30 each!  Again, these will be available on MISI from Monday.

Just to let you all know, that my 

MISI store, ETSY store and Sprinkles Sparkles Online! 

will be closed on Saturday 30th May & Sunday 31st May 2009.

Be re-opened on Monday, 1st June.

So, if there is anything that you have your eye on in my stores, get it quick!!

It might sale on the weekend, never to be seen again for sale!!

Packaging Production Line!

Today was very hectic and extremely tiresome, but I really needed to get gluing and sticking my trade fair packaging together. So I began my production line! 

And close up

Although it did take almost all day, I'm pretty pleased with the results. With a bit of my new pink ribbon wrapped and curled around them, I think it's going to look fab!

When it was all put away, I started on the test tube seed bead collection! This is ready for the trade fair next weekend! 

Pretty colours! 

Just before I go, I just want to say 'Thank you' to The Crystal Lady for her lovely little post about the buttons she purchased from my MISI shop.

 Ta ta for now!

I'm sorry!

I'm sorry that I haven't updated my blog in a while, but I haven't had anything interesting to report! 

I have been very busy today though getting my craft fair tables ready. This year I have 2 tables so fill, so thats 12ft! Eek!

I like to get everything out, and do a demo display of what my stall is going to look like before I get there, so I'm not faffing around in the morning putting it all out, rearranging, and getting into a stressy fit! 

Ok, so the display boards are not complete yet, and yes, the old Christmas signs are still up! I'll change them soon, and do the boards on the night before the fair. But here is my table! 

sorry about the blurry pic!

Well, thats it for now. Time to watch the rest of the Eurovision Song Contest! Go United Kingdom!!

My ETSY Treasury

Last night I got my hands on an ETSY Treasury. 

My theme was 'Fairies in the Garden', taken from one of my favourite bracelets I made. 

So here it is!

 visit My Treasury here!!

There were over 60 pages of Garden Fairies crafts, and these are my favourite items from ETSY within the theme. 

I hope you like it, it was great fun to make. 

Feel free to leave a comment in my treasury on ETSY.

I have also done my very own little treasury of MISI finds, that I recently blogged. If you missed out on the update click here! 

You may find one of your very own creations!

Couple Of New Items

Just a quick update on a couple of new items that I have listed on MISI.

First of all a Pink Bead and Butterfly Squiggle Bookmark, and some Kids Plastic Destash Buttons.

Later on in the week I will be listing on MISI and my Sprinkles Sparkles Online this necklace. Glistening Butterfly Chain Necklace.

Madam Salami's Egg Advice

CrAzY pOsT tImE

The exp. date on my eggs was out, so Madam Salami gave me some advice to check to see if my eggs were really rotton!

Step 1

Dunk the egg in a tall tumbler of water. If the egg goes straight to the bottom, then its okay. If it bobbles around then sinks, its on its way out. If it just floats at the top then its a rotton old bad egg.

Step 2

If it floats, bin it!

If it sinks, crack it open. It shouldn't smell!

Mine bobbled about a bit, then sank, so I cracked it open for investigation!

Step 3

If it's okay, cook it!

If its like mine, look at it. Then bin it! I'm not risking my stomach!

Heres the process!!

Giveaway and MISI finds!

Giveaway!

The Crystal Lady has a fabulous competition at the moment to win a pair of beautiful semi - precious gemstone earrings.

You have a choice of carnelian chips and fire opal crystal, or turquoise chips and blue zircon crystal. 

Here is what you could win! Aren't they stunning!

images from http://crystalladyblogs.blogspot.com

The competition is open until Sunday 31st May. She would love you to pop on over!

My MISI finds

Well, i've finally got around to showing off my MISI finds. I have taken on the theme of fairies for my first finds. Can you see your fairy related item?

all images are from individual MISI stores 

Theses are only the few finds that I have found. The list is just endless. Ill be doing more themes more regularly. They were great fun to do, looking through everyones MISI shops. 

Colour Fun!

This week I have been concentrating on getting my summer craft stalls ready. This year I have ALOT of space to fill up.

So the idea of having a jewellery stall and an accessories stall was a great idea...... I thought!

There is plenty of handmade jewellery to fill up one trestle table, but not enough handmade accessories to fill the other table. So I came up with the idea of selling home and garden accessories. 

As i'll be outside, displaying garden features hopefully will work quite well. I've got my hands on some beautiful colourful lanterns and accessorised them with beads, and a little ribbon to finish them off! As you can see in the picture, I have added

 beaded handles and cuffs to them.

These are available at Sprinkles Sparkles Online for £2 each!

Included in the homeware section are these gorgeous little burgundy potpourri organza bags. They smell divine!

Again, these are available at Sprinkles Sparkles Online for £1.50 each!

I think these are fab little pick-ups.

Also added this week to Sprinkles Sparkles Online! MISI and FOLKSY are these cute little pin badges. All purple ones have sold now. 

A lot more goodies are still available at MISI and ETSY!!

Cheerio for now!

Brand New Sprinkles Sparkles Website!!

It's LIVE!

Sprinkles Sparkles new style website has just been launched!!

www.sprinklessparkles.co.uk

Please, have a good mooch about, and also let me know if you come across any errors on the site. One will always slip away from me!

The new bottle top magnets have been photographed and put up on the new site. 

You will also find:

Necklaces, Bracelets, Earrings, Rings, Pendants, GemBugs!, Kilt Pins, Handbag Charms, Bookmarks, Hair Accessories and Scarf Clips available, and for sale. 

Weekend Roundup!

On Saturday I popped along to the Royal Bath & West Royal Showground for The Stitch and Creative Crafts Show. Again this year it was manly dominated by card and paper crafts, so not much jewellery, or other craft relative hobbies.

I did buy a few bits and bobs though. Few buttons, brooch clips, craft papers, few beads (prices were a little high though) and some bottle tops!

The bottle top are going to be make into fab magnets!

Look out for them on my website in the very near future!

Here is a pic of the show. I must point out that it was taken with my new camera!!

What a totally exhausting day!

When I got back I thought I would make a start on making some badges with my new craft paper! Only to get onto the second badge, and my badge maker broke!

So if anyone has Super BadgeIt maker going cheap, or even the proper metal badge making kits at a very discounted price let me know ;) (thanks Caz ;))

I was bidding on Ebay last night for one, only to be piped at the post at the last 10 seconds by 20p! Argh!

Update! I now have a badge making kit.
It was at a bargain price of £2!!

Yesterday, Sunday, after my badge making disaster, I got to work on the bottle top magnets! I left them over night a magnetic board, just to make sure they dont slip. Thankfully they don't!!

Sniiiiif

Yesterday I was struck down with man flu! Can you believe it? A few days after Easter, when I should be eating my chocolate eggs, I get a cold! So now they are just sitting there, until the sniffles go away, and I can munch on them without getting even more bunged up!

Finally today, my beads arrived! YAY! So this afternoon I started making 20 bag charms. I've managed to photograph 10 of them so far, I'll do the other set later on. 

Here is one of them.

This is the red heart bag charm. There are another 9 of them, all in different colours. Go check them out on my site, or on misi.

(you can see all the individual charms on my own site, as on misi I can only post 5 pictures)

Also I want to say a BIG Thank You to all the Misi girls last night (you know who you all are!) for an hilarious evening last night on the forums!! 

Gazebo!

My parents came back from shopping Friday afternoon with a pressie for me! 

A GAZEBO! 

I was ecstatic! It means now that I can attend outdoor craft fairs. Being a fairy 'bog standard' garden gazebo, I was a little worried about it sturdiness. One gust of wind and off it flies along the field! 

So today, with the help of my dad, we put it up in the back garden to test it out! It's not bad at all! I'm going to nip into the camping shop and get some extra pegs, just for safety sake, but I'm so happy with it! 

I took some piccies of it being put together. (I took the pictures with my phone, so they are not all that special). As you can see, our garden is not quite big enough for it!

   

 

   

I'm very excited about my little shop! Of course, when it gets used, ill blog it. But that isn't until June/July time.

This Week

Thought I would do a round up of my week instead of an individual blog every day.

First off I have added 7 new items to Misi. Click the link to see my new creations ;)

Secondly, I came runner in the Misi Easter Egg Hunt! I'm so chuffed, haha. I managed to find 22 out of the 25 eggs. I won a wonderful easter anigurami bunny, handmade by reeneegurumi , and a beautiful easter necklace handmade by zoewoods. Also free listings to misi aswell.

Congratulations to enchanted too who also came runner up along with me. Jane and Zoe who both got a Chocolate Bunny from Cocoapod.

But I cannot forget to mention The Pink Fairy Cake who came 1st, and won a gorgeous Gifford the bear handmade by tollykit, and his and hers egg cups handmade by Patchwork Daisy .
How did she find them all?!

I dont have any pictures of my goodies yet, but when I receive them I'll post them up.

Here are the eggs I found!! ------>>

I've got myself all Twitterd up on Monday.
If your would like to follow my day of crafting, eating, and general rantings, look for sprinkles_ or click 'follow me' in my twitter feed on the right. (remember the underscore! sprinkles was taken and sprinklessparkles was too long!)

Tuesday evening I went and spilt my glass of lushes red wine all over the coffee table where my keyboard and mouse is, myself, the carpet and the curtains!

We tipped the keyboard up, and let all the wine drip out. Lukily it didn't effect the mouse. The keyboard dried out, but a couple of the keys were a little sticky :( So I went and got myself a lovely new keyboard and mouse set. And its PINK!!

Today I added myself to UK directory. Their aim is to build up a directory of handmade crafts within the UK. They would love your support too.

An Easter Review

What a lovely few summery days we seem to be having. I hope it lasts, it's really brightening up the year, of which, hasn't been particually great.

This morning I started going through some of my stock, mainly the items that are listed up on my website, and misi, and reviewed some prices of many pieces.

Anything from £1 to £20 has been knocked off many products!

Go on! Have a look :D

MISI

My Website

Adding to the list of dissapointments, but holding my chin up

One craft show weekend I was really looking forward to be taking part again in this year, has been 'slightly altered' . They are not having a craft marquee this year, although we have been offered a trade stand.
I am reluctant to take up this offer as I am not really looking to compete against fair trade and bulk bought items. Plus the fact I will have to buy a gazebo stand, and I can guarantee I will buy the one that will blow away and leak!

So now, due to very very poor amount of shows this year, I have decided to hold up on the DIY jewellery kits, even though they were coming along well, and launch them next year instead.

One thing I am really really looking forward to taking part in is the Little Book of Misi 2nd Edition, that artsbymimi is putting together. Anyone who has a shop on Misi can join in. The criteria is available to read on the Misi forum.
Thank you Amy!

Off to the fair

I popped along to an antiques fair this weekend at The Royal Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet.

I went with my parents, and a couple of their friends to trawl around, what seemed to me, to be just a load of old junk! Bits of wood claiming to be an 18th century table, what looked more like a fantastic meal for wood worm!

Taking advantage of the beautiful weather, we toured the outside marquee stalls first, grabbed a tea and bit of choccie cake, and started the walk-a-bout indoors. Again, more junk, and overpriced brightly coloured vulgar crockery!

So... time went on, still checking out all the over priced bits and bobs, until finally, an vintage jewellery stall that wasn't over priced, with many many baskets and old biscuit tins of tangled up jewellery, which was either broken, or pendants without a home.

I was rummaging for ages and ages until I came across a gorgeous heart shaped pendant. It was grubby, but nothing a bit of silver cleaning cloth couldn't fix! I knew exactly what I was going to do with it, so here is a pic!

and a close up

Available at my MISI , ETSY and my website

I also bought a couple of other pieces, but I have not got as far as cleaning them up yet. But I'll keep you posted!

My Birthday treat! 10% OFF

As it's my Birthday today,
I am offering 10% off everything in my MISI store,
and to blogger readers only,
10% off everything on my Website!

If you see anything you fancy on my website, email me!
Please include what you would like to purchase, and in the subject box write 'Blogger Discount'
I will send you your very own paypal invoice that includes the 10% discount.
If you use the 'add to cart' buttons you will not receive your discount.

MISI discount is available from the 15th March -16th March 2009, and my website discount is available from the 15th March -22nd March 2009.

Have a fabulous day!

★ Now Open & Updates★

My new MISI store is now open!

click the image to go to my site or click here

Updates

Craft Events - There are still no 100% confirmed events still for 2009. I'm just very very unfortunate this year that everyone I contact is fully booked. Seems the credit crunch has inspired people to open their crafts boxes, start making and selling!

Shops - There are still many places to shop for Sprinkles Sparkles goodies.

If you are in the UK, UK price listings are at:
http://www.sprinklessparkles.co.uk/ - my main store
http://sprinklessparkles.misi.me.uk/ - my misi store.
www.folksy.com/shops/Sprinkles - my folsky store
http://sprinklessparkles.artfire.com/ - my artfire store (this seems to be a new feature!)

For prices in $'s my listings are at:
http://www.sprinklessparkles.etsy.com/ - my etsy store
http://sprinklessparkles.artfire.com/ - my artfire store
please let me know if artfire in your country is displaying your currency.

DIY jewellery kits - are still 'under construction'! And are still due to be launced end of March, beginning of April. They will be available on my main site, and misi to start with.

Thats all for today. The past week has been packed with advertising, marketing, and concentrating on the jewellery kits, oh, and the trip to Ikea!

ps: free delivery is now only available at www.sprinklessparkles.co.uk

New DIY Jewellery Kits

Since Christmas ☃ I have been toying with the idea of making and selling DIY jewellery kits. They will be going on sale end of this month, beginning of April, prices starting from £3.50 (roughly $5) for a beginners earrings kit.

All kits will include instructions, beads and findings to complete the projects, although you will have to supply your own tools.

I will be starting with beginners kits, earrings, necklaces and bracelets, all in a matching set, so you will be able to make your own handmade jewellery.

Also available will be mobile phone charm, and handbag charm DIY kits, all for beginners.


Here is a sneaky peek of one of the kits...

Fairy Quintessence

Today wasn't the best day for pottering out and about in the garden, so I bought the fairies inside with me, and made this bracelet.

I'm always left with a handful of this, a bit of that, and one of them in my bead stash, so I put them together and came up with this enchanting bracelet.

It consists of dyed freshwater pearls and a large blue glass heart. Little added detail of hematite stars, silver flowers and a hanging silver fairy finish it off.

As usual its available on my ETSY store and my website