New stuff and the big plunge.

Recently, I've become convinced that the day has shrunk. I mean, it's still 24 hours, but it seems like those hours are way shorter than before. I constantly lack time for... just about everything. There's just so much stuff to do!

I still did manage to make some new pieces, and I have another three designs in different stages of completion (two of those are rings! It seems I'll finally, actually, finish some!).

Here's the jumping fox pendant:

Etched copper jumping fox pendant with carnelian chip beads.

Originally, I wanted add just one, round carnelian bead, but after I cut the pendant, etched it, and soldered the jump ring it turned out that I didn't leave enough space between the tail and front legs for the bead to fit. So I swapped it for two chip beads (I was really happy I still had some left). I'm very happy with how the finished piece looks :)

Next, raven pendant:

Flying raven pendant with peacock pearl.

This one is one of those things I just can't take a decent picture of. It's so much nicer in person. And so is the pearl. I did mention in the last post, that I got a whole bunch of those. They're awfully pretty. I planned on making several pairs of earrings with those, and even started, but encountered some problems and left them for the time being. I still to finish them, though.

Fox earrings number one:

Sitting fox earrings

Fox earrings number two:

Fox and tree earrings

Wolf earrings:

Howling wolf and moon earrings

I'm really happy with the etching on those :) Lately, I keep polishing everything to a high shine, and as if poor light conditions weren't making taking pictures hard enough, as it turns out: I'm hopeless at photographing shiny things. This photo was taken with polarising filter, and there's still just bazillion of reflections! Have to come up with a way of photographing stuff like this, or stop polishing everything so much...

Raven earrings:

Calling raven and sun earrings

I had to get creative with the means of attaching both parts of earrings together here. All because I drilled a hole for (originally intended) jump ring to close to the edge in one of those, and was worried it may snap at some point. So instead of jump rings, I made head pins, flattened their heads, and soldered them to the backs of the earrings.And then made them into loops. So now there's no movement, nor rubbing between the loops and the earrings, and nothing should break.

Wolf earrings:
 I just love these :D I almost hope they won't sell, so I'll get to keep them.

And finally, swan couple pendant:

Swan couple pendant with carnelian cabochon.

Surprise, surprise, I actually remembered there's Valentine's Day coming up, and even made something with that in mind.
I spent ridiculous amount of time on the stone. for some reason I just couldn't set it- it kept rattling in the setting, I could feel it move, and it was so irritating! And then, I made one more, half-hearted pass with a burnisher... and it was suddenly set, no movement, no rattling, nothing.
This pendant is also something I just can't photograph. This picture I just about the only one I'm somewhat satisfied with.
I had real problems photographing all of that lot, I was even taking pictures earlier today, when there was a short moment when there was some light available. I haven't look through those pictures yet, so I don't even know if any of them are usable. I sure hope they are.

And about that big plunge... I recently had surprisingly good streak of luck (I was especially happy when one customer, after she received one cuff, immediately ordered another :D And now I have no bracelets left in store;P), and decided to invest the money I made in business course, aimed specifically at jewellery designers. It's starting 1st of February, and now I'm fervently hopping I'll see some results from it, because I keep thinking about all the supplies and tools I could have bought for that amount, and about that health-insurance thingy I'll have to pay later this year, and just the size of the investment is pretty damn scary for me. Here's hoping I'll learn something useful.

I also decided that I would like to see how having my own website would work out for me, so I'm brushing up my coding knowledge, as well as learning totally new things, and later on I'll be designing that website by myself. I know enough html and css to make one, it's the programming stuff that I'm entirely new to (and, obviously, I want it to be responsive. It should be... interesting experience). On top of that, I decided to wholly redesign my banner. I would have this done already, if I just could find a bit of time to do this. I'm also itching to start making layout pieces for that future maybe-website, but, again, can't find the time to do this! I may be slightly insane to take on all that by myself, but that's just me ;)

And one more thing: I've set up instagram profile. I have  a picture of one of the rings I'm working on there, so you can check that out (and I'm too lazy to look for my phone and download that picture to my pc right now ;)

Have a great day!
Kasia