15% off!

Just to let everyone know that all myshops have been put on sale everything is 15% off!

Still a few more days to get orders in to receive in time for christmas!

chrismas sale

Hi all, i am having a christas sale!
In the next week all items in all my shops will be discounted by between 5% and 20% the prices you see will be the discounted prices, you can see the original price etc in the item description.
Order now for christmas! I dont see the point in having christmas sales after christmas, when it is before christmas that shoppers need them!!
All items discounted from tomorrow!
check out my shops at
www.folksy.com/shops/lillies
www.lillies2009.etsy.com
www.artfire.com/users/lillies
www.lilliesjewellery.misi.co.uk

Jewellery by Fyfe

Jewellery by fyfe, is a gorgeous shop on artfire that sells some beautiful jewellery made from a variety of medias, including crystals semi precious stones, polymer clay, copper enamel and lots more. Jewellery by fyfe also sells handmade pendants again made from a wide range of different medias!

On offer are some gorgeous classic style jewellery and some modern and i find endearingly quirky pieces!

Here are just a few of the items for sale, jewellery by fyfe is well worth looking at, you can find her at artfire http://www.artfire.com/users/jewelrybyFyfe.

This Gorgeous necklace is simply called semi precious stone necklace and is made from beautiful Jasper amd red aventurine, finished with a silver metal flower toggle - $24.00/£14.75

This very pretty pink and flower pendant, handmade Millefiore Copper Enameled Pendant would make a striking focal on any necklace.

$35.00/£21.51

on the left here we have some handmade small copper enameled squares, with millefoire on the black backround. These can be use in all sorts of jewellery projects from earrings to pretty and delicate focals on a necklace. $4.00/£2.46

This pendant on the right i think is my favourite, it has that endearingly quirky quality that i love! It is made with torquoise polymer clay handmade into a lovely moon face and then wire wrapped, i think its gorgeous! $10.00/£6.15

Neck Warmer

After anticipating the arrival of said neck warmer,it came today and it could not have arrived on a better day!
Picture this, rain, wind, grim and cold, this was the morning i awoke to. Suddenly the post comes through the letter box and my eldest son (who is nine) bought the post tome.
There it was a padded envolope with my name upon it!
How excited was I? stupidly excited!!(yes it always feels like christmas when i am waiting for something to arrive!)
I opened my package and there it was, the colours are absolutely gorgeous and it feels so comfortable!
As i said earlier about the weather today, horrid so i was so excited i could wear it straight away! My poor hubby (who has the flu, man flu? i hear you say, my answer, probably!) gets dragged out into the foul weather with me just so i could wear my neck warmer, and it did its job i stayed warm!
My neckwarmer,arrived well presented, wrappedxin tissue paper wrapped with thread,and i thought a very nice personal touch the thread was the same as the neck warmer.
At the moment i can not divulge who the talanted person is that made the neck warmer,as of yet i do not have their permission to do so.
What made me feel the most delighted is that i knew when wearing the neck warmer, that i had also donated to a very good cause!

Speaking of good causes, look out for features about crafters who have online shops and also donate to charities!

Please take a look at my shop when you are looking for christmas gifts, as 10% of all my sales are going to the british army benevelent fund.
You can find more about the benevelent fund here-

http://www.armybenfund.org/index2.html

Just a quick note, the pink neckwarmer featured below has now been sold, yes this blogger gave into temptation!

Crafteroo 'Children in need' shop

As i promised yesterday, this post is all about the Crafteroo'children in need'
(www.folksy.com/shops/crafterooshop) shop because of yesterdays technical difficulties in uploading pics of the gorgeous items for sale. I apologise to all involved in the crafteroo shop.

This gorgeous tea set candle was donated by 'snow queen trinkets' and is an absolute bargain at £14.95.

If you want to buy this item check out this link!http://www.folksy.com/items/74044-Tea-cup-candle-set-FOR-CHILDREN-IN-NEED

This gorgeous Pink neck warmer, was made and donated by jaydee67 and is a steal at the great price of £10.00, you may want to get to the shop and buy it quick as this blogger is very tempted to buy it herself!

http://www.folksy.com/items/77384-Pink-Neckwarmer-FOR-CHILDREN-IN-NEED?shop=yes


I absolutely love this necklace, brightly coloured fun and funky! Made and donated by Lauras jewellery this would make a great stocking filler!You can also buy this in blue, and only £5.00!

http://www.folksy.com/items/89742-Lilac-Rainbow-Heart-FOR-CHILDREN-IN-NEED?shop=yes





Another fun and funky item from the children in need crafteroo shop!Fun, brightly coloured and funky set of earrings, made and donated by pennydog, handemade with resin, again another great stocking filler and for only £10.00!
http://www.folksy.com/items/103234-Liquorice-Allsorts-resin-stud-earrings-FOR-CHILDREN-IN-NEED




All the items in the children in need shop have been donated, all the artists are donating their time and wont receive any payment from the sale of their items. 100% of all proceeds will be given to 'children in need'
Items are selling fast, so get shopping for some gorgeous christmas presents or just spoil yourself whilst supporting a worthy cause!

I have been very busy recently, with christmas in five weeks ( i am very sorry if offended anyone by saying the 'c' word!) As ive been looking around th eonline market place i ve seen some gorgeous items for christmas presents!

All are handmade, and over the next few weeks i am going to show you as many items as i can from a range of online market places.

I have just this night, bought a lovely, girly necklace for my daughter to put in her stocking. The necklace is made by a shop called dollipops, and you can find the shop hrer at www.folksy.com/shops/dollipops

Dollipops shop items range from hair clips and head bands to some very pretty jewelley at great prices! And you have a choose of colur for the acrylic hearts! You can choose

from pink, orange, white, red, or yellow, you also get a choice

of chain length. The choices for length are 16, 17, or and eigteen inch chain.

If you looking for somethi

ng for the little princess in your life , that she deems pretty enough to stay in her hair (my daughter is a nightmare for this!!) then dollipops' bow grips could be the answer! Pretty ribben bows with hand stiched bead centres are pretty for any little girl to want to keep in her hair!

The bow grippers come in a variety of colours. red, blue, lilac, pink.

The items in dollipops shop are great prices, for high quality items. If you are looking for something for your little (or big?!) princess take a look at Dollipops shop!

Crafteroo,(http://www.crafteroo.co.uks/) also another shop on folksy, but this shop needs everyones attention and your money! I say this because crafteroos shop is full of gorgeous and affordable items, made by the crafteroo foum members. Every single item in the shop is handmade and there is a wide variety to choose from, hairclips jewellery, cuddly toys and so on. All proceeds will go to children in need, all of the members have voluntered their own time, skills and materials, to go to
this worthy cause.

Just think when you watch someone unwrap the present you bought for them from the crafterooshop, not only will youhave made a loved one happy, but you have also helped all those men women and children, who have not been as fortunate as the majority of us.

Unfortunately the site wont let me upload the pictures at the moment, but please rest assured that as soon as i am able to upload, you shall have the pictures!

In the mean time, and what would better than waiting for me to post the pictures why dont you have a look at the shop its self!

www.folksy.com/shops/crafterooshop

Keep with me in the run up to christmas,for more amazing handmade christmas presents!

And remember 10% of all sales from all of my shops will be donated to The British Army Benevelent Fund.

Shameless promotion

As the title says i am going to indulge in some shameless promotion of my own jewellery!

Here are a couple of new items you can buy in my shop!

This gorgeous earring, bracelet and necklace set is made from sterling silver chain, clasps and circles. The focal point for the flowers and silver set is the gorgeous lampwork beads made by Caron fountain at halo beads (http://www.halobeads.co.uk/) My favourite set at the moment, iand it is vibrant and simply beautiful.

The below necklace and earring set named Pearly Hues. It is made with a four strand sterling silver clasp, beautifully coloured swarovski glass pearls. Each starnd is a different colour, pink yellow, and oranges, very subtle and classy

I've called the necklace below, winters bloom, silver and blue. Its a long necklace made with silver tone copper circle chain, and blur firepolished glass leaves strung together to make the three gorgeous flowers.

The earrings above are made from sterling silver chandeliers, black swarovski crystals and a beautiful green czech fire polished glass drop.

If you are interested in any of these items just check out any of my shops, but there is only one of each item so if you are wanting to buy you may just want to do it fast!
You can find me at
http://www.lilliesjewellery.misi.co.uk/
www.folksy.co.uk/shops/lillies
http://www.lillies2009.etsy.com/
http://www.lillies.artfire.com/

Hopefully the next time i post i will have another interview with another brilliant designer!

kimx

too long

Hi all im sorry ive havent been around in months, unfortunately ive been quite bad, so i will be continuing in the next couple of weeks when i am back on my feet a little more!
Hope your all doing well and you will see me around again soonxxxx

kxxx

The bug hunt

Strange title i know, but this is what i have to say to lily whenever it comes to the looking for nits (or lice)
Ive just spent about half an hour to forty five minutes combing through her hair, and low and behold, yes the household has nits.
dont get wrong i know there are worse things to worry about, like swine flu, but i am sick and tierd of de-nitting my kids. I say kids loosely as it invariably ends up with the boys having a few nits and one to two de-nitting seessions gets rid of the buggers.
My daughter and i on the hand endure daily de-nitting sessions for a week or so.
I have my suspicions on which of their friends they are getting them from, but what use do they serve? The nits not the friends. Ive been looking this up (yes, your all right between jewellery making, the kids and hubby i have no life!) this is what ive found out,

' The head louse is a tiny greyish-brown insect, about 2.5mm long.
Head lice cling to hair and are usually found on the scalp. They live on blood from the host, which they get by biting through the scalp.
Adult lice mate. The female then lays eggs that are firmly attached to hair close to the scalp and can be very difficult to remove.
After seven or eight days the baby louse hatches out of the egg, leaving a shiny white empty eggshell (nit), which may be found anywhere along a strand of hair.'
this is an extract from http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/

i have always wondered what use lice have and this quote from wikianswers, sum up how i feel anout the buggers perfectly

'None that I can think of. They are vermin. I am told that Buddhists shave their heads so as not to kill lice, because even the life of lice is sacred. Not judging, but I must disagree on some life forms, such as lice. Head lice are to your head what termites are to your house, but termites at least have a place in the food chain. If lice do any good for anything except themselves, I would like to hear about it'

so im afraid, no i haven't solved the mystery of lice but i have vented my frustration and can now move on and finsh the de-nitting process!!

im going to leave you with a little fact, everyone else may have known but i didnt,
nits are the eggs and lice are the bugs that walk around your head, and yes they do feed of your blood!

kimxxx

craft fair, swindon wiltshire, uk

Hello,

Myself and another crafter i know, lulas are arranging a Handmade Craft Fayre in Swindon Wiltshire to be held on 28th November 2009. We will be well publicising the event and ensuring (hopefully) its success. If anyone is interested in renting a table at the event, we are looking at approximately £15.00 per table (this will include all the promotion for the event). The event will commence at 10.00 and finish at 3.30 with 30 mins either side to set up/clear up etc. £15 will be the total cost per table. We have tried very hard to keep the costs to a minimum so that all Crafters can easily cover their outlay.Tables are limited to approximately 11. The Venue is a good venue and has often been used for Fayres etc. We will also lay on refreshments etc., for purchase.If you are interested perhaps you could contact me, just to register an interest at this point.
Thanks a lot guys!

I am working on a new feature, but please all be patient summer hols, 3 kids, very hectic! lol
kimxxx

Featured folksy artisan-DonnaMarie

Hi all!

Whether you know all not, i have several different shops on different sites. One that is very close to my heart if folksy (http://www.folksy.com/) as i joined folksy whilst still in thebeta stage, and i from day one been made to feel most welcome! Folksy is a uk run site, and in these hard times, we should all do our utmost to support our own!
So as well as featuring the talented people from the Ajdjss guild (artfire jewelry artist and supply shops) I am going to start a weekly spot featuring the talented people at folksy!

My first talented folksy member is DonnaMarie from 'D'z jewells (http://www.folksy.com/shops/d'zjewells)

DonnaMarie Patterson (also known by many as D or mum!) started her jewellery career after being diagnosed in 2007 with an illness called fibromyalgia ( and i will admit another issue close to my heart as i suffer from fibromyalgia also) three months after being diagnosed, donna was told she would have to give up work, for the foreseeable future. Donna explains 'being a trained hair astylist and beauty therapist for 25 years, i thought nails maybe for me', fortunately for all admirers of donna's jewellery, the nails idea wasn't to be!


Donna goes onto say 'I came across a website called about.com (http://www.about.com/) and browsed all the ideas on there, came across the jewellery making .... and went straight out and bought all the essentials needed!' Even at that early stage Donna sounded like a true jewellery maker!


Thankfully the jewellery making took off! 'i would never have thought then i would beable to what i can do now.....and love it!'


Looking at DonnaMarie's jewellery, you can see that even with the difficulties of fibromyalgia, she certainly has a flair for jewellery design! My firm favourite of DonnaMarie's i the 'bubbles the watch' (pictured left) it was only after i looked at the pictures i realised that this was no ordinary watch but a lariat necklace, simply gorgeous! Donna admits that '....although i am still very new to this..' which you can not see in her jewellery, her items have a sophistication and quality of finish that some artists strive for years to acheive. Donna's flat is 'littered' with new ideas that just 'pop into my head at all hours of the day and night' she also fully admits she has ideas stored on her draft part of her messages on her mobile! I can only wish ideas at times came as easily to me!!

On bringing the subject up of creative blocks, you wouldn't think that DonnaMarie has this problem,, but she does!! (sorry to sound so relieved everyone!) Donna finds that going online, chatting on folksy forums, and other jewellery sites helps take her mind of the problem and 'never fails to come away inspired, with some idea or another'.

'Being disabled is my biggest problem because because i can spend days at a time in bed, this can happen a few times a week, so nothing gets done, but i always check my shops!' DonnaMarie's obviously has dedication to her craft and her customers and you can't fail to be impressed! Donna has help though from her amazing son. 'I am single, but i have my son living here with me, so he is a great help with the house work so all i really have to do is some housework and the shops' donna then jokes 'in between being ill very ill!'
I admit that i am awed by the dedication and passion that DonnaMarie possesses. All of which shines through her work,for instance Donna's 'P'S i love you' necklace and bracelet set, (pictured right) especially when you realise that because of the fibromyalgia there are days when Donna '..can't hold my tools, or sit very long, which is not good but how it is now'. It is amazing that donna produces jewellery of the quality that she does. As most of us know making jewellery takes time and effort..and you have to havealot of love for the craft. Donna's determination to make high quality items inspires me, and as we continue to talk, she tells me of who inspires here and why.
'I don't really admire any artisans, other than some people on folksy that i think are very good at what they do. Kim, (very surprised..thats me!!) from Lilles whi also has fibromyalgia, a young family, and has more than one shop to run, i think you are inspiration..ClaireLouise from 'Blue stripes' (www.folksy.com/shops/bluestripes) she has a really greta shop, she adores her children andher little sister, she has been through alot and inspires me...Neil (woody) from 'wood jewellery' (www.folksy.com/shops/woodjewelley) hasa great shop, he is a stay at home dad looking after his son of four and his wife, he has been through a lot and has come out the other side, he inspires me. These are everyday people who have brilliant talents and are putting them to use. These are the type of people who inspire me to do more, not your huge names, with even bigger ego's, the little people with huge talents..these are the people i respect and admire.'

I have been honoured to beable to talk to DonnaMarie in such an open manner. Her integrity shines through, and is someone we should all admire.

From my own personal experiance, Fibromyalgia is a life changing condition, the person with the condition AND their failies and friends have to adapt their lives so much, and yet in the uk its a conditoin that is rarely heard of. If you would like more information and insight on fibromyalgia here are a few great sights to visit.

www.fibromyalgia-associationuk.org/
www.ukfibromyalgia.com/
www.fmaware.org/


If you would like to make a donation to help research for fibromyalgia in the uk go to


www.justgiving.com/fmauk/



Please support all of our wonderful artisits, visit their shops promote each other when you can!!


Kimxxx

P.S the photos are blurring because I implemented them into the blog incorrectly and cant seem to fix it!! The original pictures are weel taken, visit donna's shop to see for yourself.

advice!

Hi all, got a problem need some advice!!
Does anyone know any good online groups for parent with children that are autistic, adha AND conduct disorder!
Having a stressful time of it, with the eldest so any advice or links would be soo appreciated!

Thanks

kimxx

Ajdjs guild - lillies jewellery has been accepted

I am delighted to say that my artfire shop and myself have been accepted into The artfire jewelry designs and jewelry supplies guild (Ajdjs) i am so pleased!
The guild description is

'Our guild represents a wide variety of jewelry artists with unique talents and techniques, as well as the suppliers of beads and beading supplies.'

and the guilds mission statement-

'To gather together Jewelry Design and Jewelry Supply Studios for the purpose of sharing information, ideas, techniques, and strategies for promoting our Artfire Studios.'

I have found that the Ajdjs guild has so far been so friendly and supportive of all of their artisans and the artisans shops, trying to help with advice where they can, and to promote their members and their shops as well as promoting the guild itself.

The guild really does seem to work on the premise, that if its members are happy, then the guild can flourish and run smoothly.

You can follow the guild and all of its members (including me!!!)
at
http://artfireajdss.ning.com/
http://ajdss.blogspot.com/
and
http://flickr.com/groups/ajdjss


In honour of my acceptence, i am going to start my weekly feature spot witha few members from the 'artfire jewelry design and jewelry supply shops.'

This week i will be featuring a shop called 'nothing but string', an amazing talent making amazing items!

Emily's store announcement pretty much sums up all her items,

'Whether it's beading, crocheting, knitting or sewing, it all has one thing in common, the thread that holds it all together. Here you'll find unique pieces and designs for both you and your home decor.

Her passion is evident, and show in the jewellery she makes.

This beautiful bracelet, is made from 100% cotton, and is completely handmade, by Emily herself. The 'Handmade Irish Crocheted Jewelry Bracelet - Tiffany' is a stylish and classy slip on bracelet, and at £12.16pa complete steal! Emily attributes her love for her craft to her grandmother, who sew, crochet and knitted for a living in Italy. Emily goes on to say that her grandmother was well known where she lived as a wonderful dress maker, sewing and kniting dresses, jackets, suits and sweaters. It is obvious where Emily gets her talent from!!

As you can guess from looking at emily's jewellery, before she set up shop, she had many people asking her where she got her jewellery from, when admitting they were originals that Emily created herself, people then asked is she sold her work. Even though emily never thought they wear good enough to sell (crikey is she insane?) too many people kept asking the same questions, so Emily decided that 'maybe they knew something i didnt' and obviously she was right!

Hopefully, Emily now believes her jewellery is good, as looking at her 'Handmade Flower Crochet Ring - Tea Time'(left) she has no reason not to!! All of emilys pieces are unique int he style they are made and thedesigns themselves, when i asked how she comes up with ideas, after replying 'wow this is a hard question' she replies 'i get most of my ideas at night as i'm falling asleep. I guess it's at that time my mind is free associating and it just takes off.' Although she has asked many successful artists how they manage to juggle all their responsibilities with running a shop, Emily believes it is all down to time managment, sticking to working hours as you would an every day job, which must be hard work for emily as she also works. Her dream would be to beable to work at her craft and her shop full time 'I love crocheting and beading and if i could do it full time, i would be heaven' Personally i think that is spoken like a true artisan! To see more of emilys gorgoeus work, visit her shop at http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&seller_id=34490&op=new&body=1

An a amazing talent with amazing work! All kudos goes to emily!

To finsh off today, i wanted to give you all a peep at my newest listing its a necklace called 'strawberries and cream'

Artfire Jewelry Design and Jewelry Supply Guild

Artfire Jewelry Design and Jewelry Supply Guild

Shared via AddThis

A few of my items!

and relax!

Phewww! lily's birthday is over!

My baby girl is finally three, and the party went well, which is a mitacle for my family! Even the dreaded mother-in-law behaved herself (as in she didnt try to talk to me, or interact with me in any way) you all may find that odd, that i have someone in my home i dont get on with and that it might cause tension, but the fact is i do it for adam and lily-rose, and that fact that i have a 'dont give a damn attitude about her helps!!

So lily-rose was spolit rotten, as is usual for the birthdays of the kids in my family, and we can now relax for a week or two at a push. I say at a push, because jakes birthday is on the 4th august and luke's birthday is on the 24th august, so another big party in a few weeks! I as obviously cold around the same time of the year!!

Now that the first rush for the next few weeks is over, i can spend more time blogging, yippee and more time creating, even bigger yippee!!


So for the next few weeks i am going to be blogging about some brilliant artisans that have shops on artfire, i craft, etsy and folksy!

All of the artisans all handmake their items, and there will be a vast range from jewellery makers to household items!!

so for now, im going to say bye, bye and i will be back soon!!

phewww!

I am afraid ive been very lax with my blog, and i apologise!
The reason being is its my daughters birthday on sunday (she is officially a toddler, three!)
Ive been running around like a lunatic, with my hubby (adam) as my partner in crime!
Today we have been baking like demons, 'stock' taking (lol) of all the things we need to get, or have.

We have had our orders that she wants a dora the explorer cake, and i am soo glad that adam is the baker in our house!!

Not only that butthe house looks like a bomb has hit it, we have 25 + people (both families, friends and more kids) the elder two (boys i might add) refuse to do anything that doesn't involve lticking clean the mixing bowls! so in short trying to tidy the housewith three kids running around dragging things out as i leave a nice, and i might add clean room!!

To top all of this of, i have the dreaded mother-in-law attending, whom i haven't seen (refuse to) or spoken to (dont want to) in around a year.

Arggghhh!!

i know it will all be worth it when we see her face sunday morning, but all i can think off is '

'my baby is growing up!'

Hi all everyone who sells on etsy should really take a look at this link

http://etsybitch.blogspot.com/2009/07/here-is-article.html

post your comments let me know what your all thinking!

Just to say Hi

Hi everyone, i am just starting off on my blogging journey and wanted to say hello, to all those who may have stumbled across my blog!

Keep a look out for all things handmade, with links to some brilliant shops on the web that gorgeous items!

I will do my best to post every couple of days, but remember, i have three young children and one big one (the husband!)

So until i sort my first 'proper' blog entry out hopefully within the next few days i will say
BYYEE!

kimx