29 Days Of Giving - The First Week

For the past five days I have been taking part in the 29 Day Giving Challenge and to be honest I have found it quite difficult! The first day was easy - I was going to a book club and took along some blueberry muffins I had made. The following days presented no extra ordinary opportunities to give something a bit more than I normally do.
I feel that I am quite a friendly, kind and caring person anyway so when I signed up to the 29 Day Giving Challenge I did think it would be easy. Although I do give a lot to others in my job, i.e. help, attention, time and thought, I do this almost every day and it is something that I do because it is my job. I signed up to the challenge so I could make a more conscious effort to be a better person. I don't know if anyone else ever feels that they are just going through life doing the same things day in and day out and not really appreciating the people around them, but I do at times. The challenge has prompted me to think more about how I speak to people and what I do for others and actually I do more than I thought. It has been eye opening to actively think about my actions and how they will impact on others.
Most of the things I have given this week have been kind words, a smile to a stranger and an ear to a friend, but I have felt good about giving these things and I know they were appreciated. perhaps making myself feel good about giving is not part of the challenge but I know it will help me keep giving for the remaining days in the challenge.

29 days of giving - Day 1 (9th February 2009)

Yesterday I signed up to begin 29 days of giving. I stumbled upon this idea by chance as I was looking at other's blogs. It seems to be a very popular idea in the US and hopefully will develop worldwide. Here is the website to explain a bit better than I can what it is all about http://givingchallenge.ning.com/ the basic idea is that you give something every day for 29 days and I imagine by the end of 29 days you will be so used to giving it will become natural to do so.
So yesterday was my number 1 day and I made some blueberry muffins to share with my book group. Although I do love baking and sharing my baked goodness, this proved to be quite a mission! I worked all day, got home at 5.30pm, waited til after dinner to start the muffins, prepared all the ingredients and then realised I had no eggs! I then had to run out in the pouring rain to buy some, all the while keeping an eye on the time. The muffins were only just ready when I had to leave my house but by the smiles on those eating them, the muffins were a success.
I will be updating my blog to keep up with my progress on the 29 days of giving, so please check back.

Valentine's Gifts

Valentine's Day is less than a week away, so come and buy your gifts here!

To buy any of these gifts, please email me (at star_027@hotmail.com) with your choices and how you will pay. You can either pay in cash or via PayPal.
If you choose to pay via PayPal I can post the item first class to you the next day so it should reach you the day after that.
Postage is £1.50 per item and each item will be individually wrapped in tissue paper before being packaged in a protective envelope.
If you have any queries, please ask.













White Bone Heart Necklace £7.50












Pink Glass Heart Necklace £7.50












Black Millefiore Heart Earrings £3.00

Blue Heart Bangle £5.00

Turquoise & Black Heart Necklace £7.50

Strawberry Phone Charm £2.00

Red Heart Pendant £15.00

Purple Heart Bracelet £5.00

Purple Cube Bracelet £7.50










Black Millefiore Heart Phone Charm £2.50

Blue & White Heart Bracelet £5.00

Black Heart Pendant Necklace £15.00

Jewellery Classes

For the past three weeks I have been going to a Jewellery Class at Portsmouth High School. The tutor, Lucille Scott, is a Design Technology teacher at the school and is giving lessons in jewellery making each week.

In the first week, I explored different tools for working with soft metals and made a wire bracelet. It was good practice to see how to use the tools correctly and produce something entirely from bent wire - no soldering.

I started to make a copper ring in the second week of the sessions and although having done this before, I found I was re-learning many of the techniques. The whole sessions have been great to refresh my memory and skills. I also made a wire and bead bracelet which I will use the template for again to make further items of jewellery.

I have enjoyed the lessons so far and will continue to enjoy the next seven weeks as well as learning more skills to add to my repertoire.

5 Reasons You Should Buy Handmade Jewellery From The Designer

1. The Price:
As a designer, the price you pay for an item of jewellery does not have to include the overheads that retailers have to cover. The designer can afford to offer discounts, free earrings or a whole set for a better price than the retailer. In other words you are getting more for your money, on both quantity and quality.
2. The Quality:
Each piece that I make as a designer is made with the utmost care and attention. If something is not quite right, I will start over and believe me it may take more than one attempt to get something looking right.
I always take the time to get to know each piece of jewellery I make, and can spend the time telling you what you are receiving. I will always be honest with what materials I have used and you can be sure the price accurately reflects the quality of materials.
3. Customisation:
You want something that looks the same but slightly different? As a designer, I can do it! If a piece is not quite how you want it, just ask. If you prefer a different colour, it’s not long enough; it’s too long; I can change it to suit you. In addition, if you have an old bracelet, or item you have bought elsewhere, that needs re-vamping, again just ask and I will see what I can do with it.
4. Uniqueness:
Each piece is a unique item that has been crafted in a certain way to achieve a unique look. As I said before, pieces can be adapted to suit you making all items distinct. Pieces are often one-off, but if you want the same thing as someone else, just ask!
5. Service:
When you shop from a designer you will receive a one-to-one service that will out weigh any you receive from a retailer. By having this special relationship with the designer, it enables you to have exactly what you want. If you are unhappy with the design process, you can change the outcome. Although many pieces are ready made for purchase, the great thing about shopping from the designer is that you can ask them to make something else specifically for you. Building that relationship with the designer will help you create the perfect item of jewellery.

Designers work to please you, their customers. If you are not happy with your purchases and the service you receive, you will go elsewhere. That is not our aim.

I strive to provide an individualised service to each customer, to enable them to feel comfortable in the knowledge that their piece of jewellery has been made for them.

This blog post has been adapted from the article at http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com/buy-jewelry.html