Closing Down Sale

As mentioned in my last blog post, I'm going on maternity leave soon, therefore I'm having a closing down sale. Everything has at least 30% off! Please visit and browse my shops and you might just get a bargain:

http://folksy.com/shops/SilverChestnut

http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SilverChestnut

Unfortunately I won't be taking orders that are 'made to order' items, as I am just selling what's in stock.

Soon to be closing...

I have some good news and some bad news.

The good news is that I am expecting twins. :) The bad news is this means I will be closing soon. :(

The twins are due in September, but could potentially arrive in August. I am looking forward to them arriving, but it does mean I have to cut down on my Silver Chestnut work and eventually close. I feel sad about closing Silver Chestnut, as it's been my baby over the last year and a half. I've built it up and did have ideas about how to expand. However, I know I'm not going to have the time to spend on it and will have two other very special babies to look after instead.

I hope to reopen again at some point. This means I will be able to learn from what I've done so far and use my ideas for expansion. I haven't decided when this will be yet because everything feels unknown. The twins are our first children, and with there being two of them, it will be hard to predict how much time I'll have.

In the meantime, over the next month I'll be winding things down. I may even be having a closing down sale, so if keep your eye out for deals in my shop. I am hoping to have a closing down jewellery party too, so I may be sending out invitations soon.

What would you like to read about?

I've been pondering what to write about in my blog, so I thought I'd ask you, the readers, about what you'd like to read about. There are a variety of topics I could talk about. Below I have outlined some of the different topics as possible suggestions. Some are quite general and some more specific. If you like some of them or want to know more about a topic, let me know and I'll try to include it on my blog.

• New Collections or Items: An opportunity for you to read about new collections or items I've made, including details like inspiration.
• How to Guides: Guides about how to do particular things, such as designing and/or making items, where to find inspiration, how to sell online, etc
• Upcoming events and sales: Updates on any events I have coming up, like craft fairs and jewellery parties, or sales such as my current Easter sale.
• Competitions: Information about competitions I'm running, such as how to get involved and who the winners are.
• Jewellery Parties: Details about Silver Chestnut jewellery parties, such as what happens at a jewellery party, what's involved in hosting one, etc.

If I've not suggested topics you want to read about, please feel free to make other suggestions. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas.

New Shop and Offer

After much pondering, I have finally decided to open an Etsy shop. It's a bit like an American version of Folksy, where I currently sell on-line. I decided to have another on-line shop so that I could hopefully reach a wider audience.

It sells the same items as my Folksy shop, at the same prices, so feel free to use either of them when you want to buy an item. Why not have a browse:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SilverChestnut

As a celebration of the new shop I am currently running an offer for the next two weeks. Receive 15% discount from your total spend (excluding shipping/P&P costs). This offer is only available in my Etsy shop until Saturday 23rd March. Use the following code when you get to the check out: NEWSHOP15

If you have any problems working out how to use it, here's a guide:
http://www.etsy.com/help/article/350

Spring is in the air

Spring finally feels like it's here. The snow's stopped and it feels like it's finally beginning to warm up a bit. Yesterday, whilst I was out walking, the air was cool and crisp, but with the sun shining on me, it was quite warming. It was nice and refreshing. There are plenty of birds visiting my garden and soon the flowers will be coming out and blossom growing on the trees. I get a lot of my inspiration at this time of year from the plants and flowers (see photos).

Inspiration for Dandelion Pendant

Inspiration for Daisy Collection

As well as my Daisy Collection and Dandelion Pendant, I have made items inspired by blossom, leaves and trees. Below are examples of some of these items. I'm hoping to make some more nature inspired designs this spring too. In the pipeline are some daffodil earrings. Keep your eye out for more items!

Tree Pendant

Wire Leaf Pendant

Blossom Pendant

Another sign of spring being on the way is the approaching celebration of Mother's Day. This year it's on Sunday 10th March. It's a good day to celebrate our mothers and/or the women in our lives that have helped us and looked after us. Do you have any plans for Mother's Day? If you're looking for present inspiration, feel free to visit my Folksy shop for ideas.

Valentine's Day and Love Spoons

Yes, it's that time of year again when people start preparing for Valentine's Day. I'm sure you've already noticed the shift in the shops from Christmas cards and gifts to Valentine's Day cards and gifts being on sale. Do you like Valentine's Day or do you find it irritating? Are you planning on doing anything for it? Well to get you in the mood (and hopefully not annoy you if you don't like it) I thought I'd share my Reloved Spoon Collection.

 

 

 

My Reloved Spoon Collection is a collection of pendants inspired by Welsh love spoons. Welsh love spoons are a symbol of love, traditionally carved from wood. "The lovespoon was given to a young woman by her suitor. It was important for the girl's father to see that the young man was capable of providing for the family and woodworking."* There are a variety of things that were carved into the spoon, which symbolised specific meanings. Here are a few examples:




Bell - Weddings, anniversary or together in harmony
Chain - A wish to be together forever or a number of children
Heart - Love
Horseshoe - Good Luck
Lock - Security
Twisted Stem - Two lives become one, or togetherness

 

I wanted to take to make my love spoons designs a bit different, so I decided to incorporate the idea of recycling and upcycling. All of my love spoons are made from unwanted spoons, most of which I have bought from charity shop. As well as combining the design ideas, I decided to combine them for the name too, hence the name of the collection; Reloved Spoon Collection. I thought the name fitted quite well because they are spoons that are now wanted instead of unwanted, recycled and reused for something new. They are re-loved.

For those of you who already know about my collection you will see there is a new addition (the second picture in the blog). I'm hoping to get another new one out before Valentines Day, so keep your eye out.

Why not visit the Reloved section in my shop for more details of those on sale:
http://folksy.com/shops/SilverChestnut?shop_section=reloved_spoons

Research Links:
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovespoon
http://www.welsh-lovespoons.co.uk/meanings.html

How to put on a three band ring

I have previously written about the russian inspired rings that I have been making (http://silverchestnut.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/russian-inspired-rings.html). It is not obvious as to the best way to put the rings on. When I made one for myself, sometimes the ring would go on smoothly, whereas other times it was tight and a bit uncomfortable. At first I couldn't understand why, but I have since worked out what I was doing wrong, so I decided to share this with you for all those you own or want to buy a 3 band ring.

Russian Inspired Ring

It's a lot simpler than it might appear. The main thing is to make sure that all three bands are aligned in the right direction. If you look at the photo below, you will see how all the bands go over and under each other in the same way. When this is done, push the three bands together. (It should look like the top photo.) The bands should then roll over each other as the ring is put onto the finger, making it easy to put on and and more comfortable.

All 3 bands aligned

If the bands are not in aligned, the bands will not roll over each other and therefore restrict movement of the bands. If you look at the photo below you will see how the far right band goes over and under in the opposite way to the others. This tends to make the ring feel a bit tighter when you are putting it on and it will not be quite as comfortable.

Bands not aligned

I hope that helps any of you who have been struggling with your three band rings and those of you who are thinking of buying one. I currently have some on sale in my Folksy shop if you fancy a look:
http://folksy.com/shops/SilverChestnut?shop_section=rings