I'm Back!

Hello Everyone,

Firstly, sorry about being so quiet. There has been so much going on in the last couple of years, I just can't believe it has been so long!

I moved in with my partner back in March of 2014, the house is very much a work in progress so all of my jewellery and beads have been stuck in boxes for quite a while.

The house is making progress, although you wouldn't be convinced if you looked at it!
We now have double glazing, gas central heating, sorted the roof out, new electrics throughout and a brand new en-suite shower room.... The rest is being worked on as we speak!

In January we are hoping to get our two chimneys repaired, order our log burner which I am so excited about! We are also going to start getting some of the rooms plastered which will be great as we have bare bricks in pretty much every room at the moment, which leaves everywhere really dusty.

We have also been really busy working on the garden, and getting a veg patch up and running. During the summer and autumn we had quite a lot of produce which is so satisfying. Luckily we live next door to some allotments so we quite often shout over the wall to see if we are doing things right!

Then, just to fill in any remaining spare time we have I decided I wanted to have a workshop built at the top of the garden. 

We did decide that as there is so much other stuff happening at the moment we would not build it ourselves as we were going to, but we would demolish an old brick built shed that was already up there, dig the footings and lay the concrete slab.

Our Current Kitchen

Our Current Living Room

Thinking about my New Years Resolution already

I have been at another event today and it has got me thinking about next year and where I want to go with the business.

So here goes:
I will not be attending smaller events
I will not be making things that I don't enjoy just because I think it will sell
I want to gain more stockist for both the cards and jewellery
I would like to have more of an online presence so will be looking into SEO a bit more
I would love to make more of a mixture of price ranges so make some lovely top quality gemstone jewellery
I want to attend a wedding fayre
The gift range is going to grow and I would love to add new items regularly

Well thats my thinking done until next year!

Cards, Post Cards & Wrapping Papers

I have been doing a lot of talking recently about launching a new gift range.

Well (drum roll please) hear is the first of it - YAY!

All of the designs have been made using beads I use in my jewellery

We have launched 4 postcard designs which will be sold in packs of 4 with envelopes these retail at £2.50 per pack.

There are 4 greeting card designs, left blank on the inside to use as you wish. These retail at £1.80 each

This is my favourite on, images of the rest will follow.

Some of the designs have also been made into gift wraps, these retail at £1.10 each gift tags will follow soon

These are large sheets measuring 50cm x 70cm

I hope you all like them, would love to hear your comments

We will be looking for shops to stock these items, if you would be interested please do get in touch here.

August Birthstone - Peridot

The modern birthstone for August is Peridot and I have to say I love it to bits. 

This necklace has a Lapis Lazuli star with little hanging Peridots on an oxidised silver chain.

Available from my shop here

The traditional birthstone is Sardonyx, I have just launched a new range featuring Sardonyx and lava. It is still waiting to be loaded to the website though

The cabochon birthstone is Carnelian, a pretty orangy red colour as seen here

Badge Machine, Stickers & Progress

Well this week has gone so quickly and that's because there has been a lot going on.

So only 10 minutes ago did the badge machine arrive. It has been unpacked, set up and a quite try out done. Not a good image but you get an idea

So this is what I made, a 25mm badge using my Gaia Spirals design. I can also make 48mm and 58mm items. Not just badges, but magnets and mirrors too.

This cupboard was bare last week when I moved my room around but now is full of badge making components.

I have also been making stickers, daisies and butterflies. There are 12 of each in every pack. Designs vary for each pack

So what else has been happening? I have been busy designing cards which will be printed once the photography has been completed.

I have also had a couple of jewellery jobs to do. Making a single earring to replace a lost one that I sold to a lady only last month.

She also wants me to repair some earrings ready for her wedding next week and make a pair of silver cufflinks for the husband to be.

I still have another pair of her earrings to fix but there is no immediate rush for those.

Craft Room Re-Shuffle

When I first set up my craft room it was in my spare bedroom, to make room the spare bed got moved into the corner of my bedroom.

Now a little fed up of seeing the bed everyday, the fact that I end up sleeping on the sofa whenever we have guests and now that we finally have wireless internet we don't have the need for a proper study.

So I decided to move my craft room into the study, its still very much a work in progress but it gives me the time to go through all my bits and have a good clear out.

Im soon going to be getting my own giftware line which means I have to find a home for 4000 gift wraps, greeting cards and postcards!

So this is my progress so far:

The main desk is in, just waiting for a jewellers bench now

Still need to find somewhere to put the telescope and get the mahoosive printer on ebay

And still need to sort the cupboard out & the spare room, I haven't even looked in there yet!

Silver Explained

So how do we find out what our jewellery is made from?

Well if a piece weighs more 7.78 grams it needs to be hallmarked otherwise it cannot be classed as "sterling Silver" (or any other silver, we will come onto that in a min!)

If your jewellery is hallmarked you will usually see 3 or more little marks

AB Sponsor or maker Standard Mark Assay Office Mark 2006 The sponsors mark is your initials or company initials in one of many different shapes. Mine is ZJ for Zazu Jewellery in a shield. Each sponsors mark is unique and when you apply you have to put a range down incase its already taken. The standard mark states what purity of the metal is. In silver there are 3 main marks that you will see. 925 - Sterling Silver meaning there are 925 parts in 1000 of silver 958 - Britannia Silver 999 - Fine Silver, which is a lot softer than sterling and is the metal that is produced from Precious Metal Clay There are four Assay Offices in the country and each has their own mark. Birmingham   London   Edinburgh    Sheffield   You may also have a date stamp although this isn't mandatory.

Keeping the sparkle in your silver

So far all my blog posts have been real ramblings about things going on with my business. I am now going to try and add some jewellery information and hints and tips too.


One thing that I really hate doing is cleaning silver, so why not try and prevent having to spend valuable time carrying out this tedious task in the first place.


So what is tarnish?

Well it is a thin layer of corrosion that can appear on metals making it look dull in colour.

It occurs from various airborne chemicals, which will speed up the tarnishing process if jewellery is left  out in the open.

So what can we do to prevent it?

1. Grip Seal Bags
Always store your jewellery in an air tight bag to try and prevent any airborne chemicals getting to your pretties.


2. Silver Tarnish Cloth
You can wrap your pieces in one of these cloths to keep them out of direct contact with the air.


3. Anti Tarnish Strips
These are tiny little black strips which can be bought and placed in your jewellery box or displays to help keep them glistening.


4. Acid Free Tissue Paper
Store your jewellery in white acid free tissue paper in your jewellery box, this will not only prevent it from scratches against your other items but also keep it out of the air.


5. Quick Wipe Over
After wearing your jewellery always give it a quick wipe over before placing it back in its box, this will remove any oils that have come from your skin.


6. Apply perfume before jewellery
Always make sure that you put your perfume on long before your jewellery as this can speed up tarnishing.

Silver Studs based on the seaside

Moving Forward for Zazu Jewellery

Hi Everyone,

It feels like its been ages since I last wrote anything and there has been lots going on.
Firstly yesterday was my last craft fair of the year, I wont be booking any smaller ones next year and maybe just a couple of the bigger ones if I can get in.

Im hoping that towards the end of January I will get my Party Plan business together. I have met up with a lovely lady who lives down the road from me who is very interested. I am hoping to get about 5 agents initially. I just need to get photo's, catalogue, order forms, a chip and pin machine and some advertising material! (not too much)

I have launched my new site, there is still loads of work that needs doing on it and new items to go onto it and new ranges which will be launched in the new year. These include more sterling silver ranges, wedding ranges and my new card range.

Well I think that's all for now, speak soon.
xxx

Make of the day and a project (thanks to Mummy!)

Today I made this pendant which has a chunky faceted Rock Crystal drop surrounded by white freshwater pearls. 

This is going to become one of my collections which will have this pendant which is ideal for Bridesmaids, a fuller  necklace which will have a fan effect with the Rock Crystal drops, Earrings and a bracelet.

It will also come in a midnight version which will have oxidised silver and black agate beads instead of pearls - perfect for a glitzy night out!

My Mum also gave me a broken silver matchstick holder, it is really pretty and decorative and both decided it would make a fab belt buckle so that is what I plan to do!

Come see Me! - Handmade Birmingham

Hello everyone, just to let you know that I will be having a stall at the Handmade Birmingham Market this Saturday. Its on from 9-5 in Edgbaston Street between the Bull Ring and the Rag Market.

This is the perfect opportunity for you to grab yourself some really different Christmas presents as all the stalls are selling handmade goodies.

I am heading up on the train so need to carefully plan what i'm taking (not very good at this!).

Other News:

I have been featured in Warwickshire Life magazine this month, there is also a little picture on the front page!

I am now stocking The Gift Gallery in The Shambles, York and will be meeting with another shop next week so wish me luck!

oh before I forget I will be launching my new website at the end of the week - although these are some technical issues to sort out first!

Well thats all from me for now

xx

Absolutely Fuming!

I have spent the last week making up stock and half the morning getting ready for a night time fashion show event this evening.
I left the house in plenty of time and got myself £25 of petrol.
I drove to Birmingham and Sat Nav said I had arrived (I couldn't find the location!) I parked up which cost me £2 for half an hour and I took a wander, asked a passer by where the location was but no luck.
I got back to the car and phoned the number that I was given in an email to get instructions on finding their loading bay but got the answer phone.
So I set off in the car again but just couldn't find it. I parked in a bus stop to ask a taxi driver and bus driver but they didn't know. I was still soo close to the Sat Nav location as well!
I phoned Rob at home and he went on the website and got through to the same answer phone.
After 1 hour 15minutes I called the number for the third time and left a message (a bit arsy) I just couldn't believe that they would give a number but not answer.
An hour and a half of driving went passed and 15 minutes before the event started and I decided to come home.

So I spent £50 on the event, over 80 miles travelled and £2 parking. Why did I not just stay at home and buy the amazing shoes that I have been drooling over this week!

And relax........

Very Busy Week

I have set myself a quite large weekly 'to do' list in order to get everything done in time for my first trade fair in April.

I have been busy loading items to my Etsy page as it has been very neglected recently. There are some great bargains here and most are one off items.
I have also been putting some things on Ebay in an attempt to make some space for my stock.

A new website should be ready (fingers crossed) by the end of October, I have been busy loading items but there is still loads to do, this is a sneak peak so far.

This is a new collection based on some jewellery I have previously made. These would make ideal wedding jewellery. Made with freshwater pearls, rock crystal and cute sterling silver toggle clasps.

I just need to design some matching earrings now.

Its been a long time

Its been such a long time since I last blogged.

I took on a part time job recently but didn't enjoy it and when they messed up my wages that was the final straw!

Anyway, I feel like my preparations are a bit behind schedule for the British Craft Trade Fair (BCTF) next year.

I have been thinking about some new collections which i;m really excited about.

I have booked the B&B which is in a pretty looking pub a couple of miles away from the event. I am getting Ikea vouchers for Christmas so I can get my displays, my sister is getting me a table and chairs and I have just bought 4 lovely frames from Ebay to display some collection. What do you think of these? 

Im busy designing my new non jewellery range for the trade fair as well as a new website which I hope will be live by the end of October.

Only 5 months to go, so better get cracking!

Warwickshire Arts Week - Part 3

After visiting some artists/designers in various mediums last week I have been feeling really inspired. There is a an incredibly talented bunch around Warwickshire.

Below are three people myself and my friend went to visit.

Andrew Flint makes gorgeous human scale forms and vessels from ceramics. He had them displayed in his garden and they looked absolutely amazing.

www.andrew-flint.com

Jane and Neil Moore were both exhibiting their work in their beautiful home. Such friendly people, we had a chat with Neil about his large figurative paintings and Jane was so helpful with her advice for me and Sam and our jewellery careers as well as making us a teeny bit jealous of her fab studio space!

Jane's work is enamelled silver jewellery. She is incredibly talented and uses a really unique way to make her pieces.

www.janemoore.co.uk

Neil is a very talented painter, they were all really large and he framed them himself as well. He had a real way of making the eyes on the paintings look so alive and bright. They really captured your attention

www.neilmoore.co.uk

Warwickshire Arts Week - Part 2

Following my blog from yesterday I am including some more people that I went to visit on Saturdays trip out to see some artists.

These lovely people were all exhibiting in the same location and were just fantastic.

Bren Boardman works with screen printed fabrics and stitching which is then melted to create the most amazing pieces of art.

She is a very talented lady and gave me a lot of inspiration and help on getting my ideas down on paper.

www.brenboardman.com

Tom Hare uses willow to create stunning outdoor art pieces and sculptures.

www.tomhare.net

Nicola Richards is a ceramicist. She makes her items by using a variety of smoke firing techniques. She gave us a quick demo and made it look a lot easier than I know it would be!

www.nicolarichardscermics.co.uk

More very inspirational people to be featured tomorrow.

Warwickshire Arts Week

Yesterday me and my friend Sam went round a few local artists open studios. I was absolutely amazed at the talent there is around Warwickshire. 

Over the next week I shall be blogging about my favourite designers we saw yesterday.

Peter Lovelock is a very talented photographer and also does some amazing drawings using a stippling technique.

This is my favourite by him.

Check out Peters website www.peterlovelock.com

We also saw Andrea Thorpe who happens to be our tutor at college. She has some gorgeous chunky silver jewellery with various designs including Cherry Blossom, Bamboo and Protea.

These are from her Cherry Blossom range.

Take a peek at her items at www.akthorpejewellery.co.uk

I have loads more people I want to give a mention to so will do over the next week.

Folksy Friday - Roses

Today's Folksy Friday is all about roses. I have just found some pretty pink ones that have cropped up from no where in my garden so thought I would look for more from the clever people on Folksy.

Mini Rose Stained Glass Window

from Diomo Glass

White Rose Print

by Passionate About Photography

Handmade Soap Rose and Rose Petals

by Bubbles and Bliss

Gothic Rose

by Ahh...Fleurs de Perles

Shabby Rose Mannequin with Cast Iron Stand

by I Love Vintage

Rose Bracelet

by BeaDelicious

See Through Spirals

Some of you may remember seeing my Silver Spirals post about a new range I am developing, well this is another part of the collection. Made from clear plastic with hints of colour these are really cute little earrings.

The latest addition to this collection will be revealed soon.

Chloe

xx