Just playing with Pretty - Steampunk

I know it's now called steampunk, but when I started loving this stuff was back in 1991 on a trip to Bologna, where I saw in a gypsy market a brooch made up of old watch parts.  Since that day I have saved and collected all my old watches.  Here is what I have been playing with.  I made a few so have listed some in the resin shop.

Timeless Love

Link to steampunk timeless love heart

Win a Solid Silver Pea Pod!

I belong to the lovely metalclayhead team and there is an article about ME this month.  If you comment on the post (not this one but the metalclayhead one) - you'll be in with a chance to win!  That's all you have to do.  
Click here to go to the post

Good luck and thank you 

xxx

Sometimes you just want to do something different!

So, I was standing outside the kitchen looking in, when I found myself thinking 'now Alan's picture is exactly the colour I want to wear with my jumper'.  Alan is the BF and he is an artist.  He tends to leave his pictures on a shelf in the kitchen to dry.  It suddenly hit me that I could make it into jewellery.  I did, and then found myself talking to another artist friend and so now I have two very different styles and a new shop.  Quite a little diversion from the silver, but I just fancied something for a change - certainly not giving up on the silver just wanted to make some big bold things. So here they are - in my new shop on etsy: SxtraS

Giving this pendant away!!

Just Leave a comment on my facebook page to be in with a chance to win this pendant!

 

If any one would like to join in the competition, all you have to do is go to my facebook page and leave a comment as to why you want it and the best comment will be the new owner of a solid silver leaf pendant. Seriously that is all - doesn't cost anything and no hoops to jump through.

The winner will be chosen midweek.

https://www.facebook.com/somethingextraspecial

Don't forget - comment on the facebook page - not here! ;-)

In Vogue

Octobers UK edition of Vogue hit the shops yesterday.  And I'm in it!  Yes SomethingXtraSpecial is in Vogue - can you tell how excited I am - calm down Sue!!
That's me down the bottom - the Pea Pod, number 31.
In case you can't read the copy here it is:


SomethingXtraSpecial’s signature Pea Pod jewellery is loved for its tactile organic feel with the peas representing those close to you. The Pea Pod jewellery is part of a range of distinctive, quirky  jewellery for women (and men).  All SXS's pieces are designed to become treasured silver objects of quality and meaning. To see the ranges: www.somethingxtraspecial.co.uk

Ringing the changes

While I've been off work I've had a chance to try out and play with things, and practise things I learned how to do 15 years ago and not had the chance for a very long time, so here are a few of them. All sterling silver.  (Wish I could remember the name of that stone in the top - I got it a couple of years back and can't for the life of me remember what it is - anyone know?
Edited to add - just remember Blue Goldstone.

Skin Cancer - Wear sunscreen !!!

Not my normal post, but with all this lovely weather I am quite stunned by how so many people just still don't seem to have gotten the message.  The sun can do real damage if you aren't careful.  20 years ago I started hearing of people with skin cancer and started being careful, wearing factor 40 or 50, staying in the shade, infact staying indoors between 11 and 4 but the damage was done and 20 years on I had a little place on my nose!  Now the thing is English Doctors aren't all always on the ball with skin cancer, and although I did finally go to a doctor, she fobbed me off and made me feel like a vain idiot.  As it turned out it was something, and more than that another tiny tiny little pimple on the end of my nose which I showed the surgeon on the day of my surgery even got little attention until a by chance glance under a magnifier, turned out to be the bad one out of the two.  The result was 30 odd stitches and a new experience - not wearing make up!  I haven't gone without makeup for more than a few days since I was 15, but it's now 3 weeks since I wore any.
If you fancy reading more, here is a blog on what happened.  If not, then if nothing else please keep protected in the sun.

http://recyclednose.blogspot.co.uk/

Going for Gold

I have been designing a new range of items with 24ct gold inlay, and I'm really pleased with them.  I have got some of them on my website but not all up yet. Here are the rings:

heart of gold - 24ct gold and fine silver

Leaf of Gold - 24ct gold and fine silver

Simple heart of gold - 24ct gold and fine silver

Love Ring - 24ct gold and fine silver

There is some controversy with fine silver and rings.  I follow Kate McKinnons method - full fire at warp speed and then work hardening with a hammer (in the old time honoured tradition) and - works a treat, rock solid!

And for the Mother in Laws!

You may recall my very dear friends got engaged earlier in the year and I was asked to make the engagement rings (as a surprise).(Here is the story).
  Well they didn't hang around and were married a couple of weeks back.  I was very touched to be asked to make brooches for the mums. And here they are.  What I really like about these is the way the two different patterns are joined together as one (symbolic ;-).  Took ages to get it right and to not get the patina onto the leaf section, but eventually got there.

What is Social about Social Networking

Am I in the wrong place?

I have recently noticed that facebook ads are being targeted at me from loads of other jewellery sellers. I pointed out on a random post that this was a bit like sending flyers to McDonalds trying to sell them burgers. Got me to thinking.

I know why they are on my newsfeed / page, but in a way it shows me that facebook maybe isn't targeting very well, so that's knocked my faith a little in facebook ads but it showed a wider activity that I constantly see, and of course at the start I was part of.

Please like my page and I will like yours!

Follow me and I'll follow you!

What? what on earth is the use in that? If you have a page that is trying to promote that you sell cars, is there really much point in asking to see everyone else's car promotions? You know sure as eggs is eggs that they aren't interested in your car just want everyone to see their car.

Obviously there are exceptions, and for teams and things I get that there is a cross pollination, and help, and of course we all like a pat on the back.

But on Etsy, on Folksy, on Linkedin I constantly see the 'please like/follow me' posts and other than getting numbers I really am at a loss as to what people feel the point is, other than having a ton of not your style stuff delivered to your news feed and twitter feed. In fact I went through and unfollowed about 500 people on twitter a few months ago, because all I could ever see in my twitter feed was 'new listing on etsy' x 100 a day. Seriously, there is rarely anything like that that I click on. I will click on a friends', I will click on something totally different, or something very similar to see the competition, but not to buy.

So, am slowly getting very disillusioned with the whole 'social networking' thing, and honestly - who ever called it that, since when was shoving promos in my face social networking?



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