Trinkets by Moonlight

Proud of Myself!

2012-02-03T09:43:00.001Z

Hello All,

I am feeling very proud of myself, (this is not a common occurrence!) however I have had a piece of my jewellery featured in this months 'Beads and Beyond' magazine! It's so exciting and I have even won a £50 goody bag full of beads and tools and a gift voucher, which just adds to the excitement (can't wait to spend it!)

This is the piece featured in the magazine: -

Its part of a new range of stamped jewellery I am creating at the moment. Tomorrow I am finally getting the house to myself so I can get my tools out and start creating some more pieces so keep an eye on my website for some new designs!

Hope you are all well and this cold isn't getting you down too much!

Take Care

Heidi : )

A Productive Day at Trinkets By Moonlight Headquarters!

2012-01-20T17:25:00.000Z

Here are some trainee Little Trinketeers!

Think they are gonna be stiff competition for me!! hee!! haa! Nice to see both my daughter and niece are so creative!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2012-01-04T10:01:00.000Z

Happy New Year to you all! I hope you had a really wonderful Christmas and a great New Year! Things here were a bit hectic with orders leading up to Christmas and then quite full on over the Christmas holiday! Now it seems I have blinked and it's all over and here we are back to the dreadful school run! All of a sudden both my girls seem to be sleeping really well and I am having to wake them in the morning! Why oh why oh why didn't this happen in the school holidays?!?! aarrgghh!!

Anyway my New Years resolutions are quite simple! To try and concentrate on myself just a tiny bit more than I usually do! At the moment my needs are right at the bottom of the pile, as our most parents, however I really need to try and focus this year on getting my business more successful and giving myself a good challenge! I am not sure what this challenge will be but I am on the look out for it! Although saying that at the moment getting out the door at 8.30am each morning is quite a good challenge! Other resolutions are the same as everyone elses, not to eat and drink so much, save money and stop spending!! All easier said then done! So what are your new years resolutions?!?! Most people say that they are a waste of time but at least it gives you something to aim for, January can seem so dull and depressing I think it's important to have something to aim towards.

Anyway I have some orders to sort out but will post some new designs on here soon. I am in the process of ordering some new equipment too (what did I say about stop spending money!! ummm.... it's business surely that's allowed!)

Happy New Year
Heidi : )

Time for a few more pocket watches!!

2011-09-12T21:19:00.000+01:00

I have been finding myself with a bit more time, don't ask me how, but I have managed to create another couple of pocketwatches which I am really pleased with. The owl one actually sold straightaway but the 'Time for Tea' pocketwatch has just been put on my website. I have a few more designs in the making and I am busy trying to fulfil all my ideas and designs ready for the Handmade craft fair in Winchester in November! This event was amazing last year so please check out their website for further details: - http://www.handmadecraftfairs.co.uk/

Anyway to whet your appetite here are a few pictures of my pocketwatch necklaces: -

I have got some more gorgeous beads and watches on their way so I will post my new additions once they have been created. My not so little girl has just started big school now so once I get Bonnie into a routine at home hopefully some more time will open up to allow me to get some more jewellery desigining underway! Yay! x

Time is of the Essence!

2011-09-04T18:03:00.000+01:00

Well I have finally managed to get some time to myself!! Yay!! I don't know about you other mum's out there but whenever I get time to myself (very very rare!) I just feel in complete blind panic about what to make and how to use my time most productively. My time was pretty limited and as I have recently brought some new Tim Holtz products, polymer clay and had some pocket watch designs to carry out I was just in a huge flap! Anyway I managed to complete one of my pocket watches and it turned out really well, it was nice to do a bit of beading again and to put the solder torch down for a bit.

I have photographed the pocket watch on some pages of an old copy of Alice In Wonderland as it just seemed so well suited! I think the photos have come out quite well as I must admit I am not the greatest photographer but I am pleased with the results.

I just love trying out new crafts and at the moment my head is in a spin with all the things I want to try. My main problem is having the time to let out all my creativeness and to try all these new crafts!! It's just a shame my pocket watches don't create a bit more time in the day!!!! x

Back at last! - Huge Sale at Trinkets By Moonlight

2011-08-23T19:36:00.000+01:00

Well all I can do is apologise for the absence of any blogs since January!! I have several things to blame it on, actually I don't I have just one small but hugely demanding thing to blame it on, my new scrummy daughter, Bonnie. After spending the first few months of the year feeling knackered due to being huge and pregnant I am now just knackered due to night feeds and running around like a headless chicken after my four year old and now 10 week old! Bonnie finally arrived 12 days late on the 15th June and things have been very blurry since! After being induced and having a fast 3 hour labour our beautiful little girl finally arrived weighing 8lb, she has gorgeous dark hair just like her daddy and is a real milk monster so growing very well, very quickly!!

Well in between feeding, wiping bottoms and trying to keep my little monkeys entertained I have been, strangely enough, inspired! I have had so many ideas over the past couple of weeks with new jewellery designs springing around in my head I just can't wait to get a bit of time to put them all into action. Firstly though I am trying to make some room for new stock so I am having a sale on my website! You can now get a huge 20% off all my stock just by entering AUG11 at checkout. I want to make a whole new range and style so need a bit of a clear out of my other stock. So please have a look and keep an eye out for my new range too which should hopefully, (if I get some time off for good behaviour from my girls!), be there in the next few weeks. Keeping up with current trends my new range is going to incorporate pocket watches and also distressed photos and words, all along the lines of Alice in Wonderland. I am so looking forward to getting it all underway!

Well I will keep you posted and will put a notice on here when my new range is on my website.

Heidi :)

Happy New Year!

2011-01-17T09:57:00.000Z

So finally I get round to posting a New Year's post. Firstly Happy New Year to you all! I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas and have got into the swing of things this January. It's always hard after Christmas but I think it's good to set yourself some goals to drive you through the early months of the year. So my goals for the beginning of this year is to get some craft fairs booked in, update my website and start regularly sending a newsletter to my customers and spend some time on my new designs. My daughter has started spending a bit more time at preschool so this will give me the opportunity to get some of these jobs underway. Also for those of you who don't know I have another new project for June in the form of a new baby! Yes its all very exciting and I can't wait to meet this little person who is already bumping around in my belly. Little D is very excited although is adamant she doesn't want a little baby brother, she doesn't like boys apparently! I think she is under the impression the baby is going to come out like one of the boys at her preschool and be all boisterous and stealing her toys! Oh well, I have tried to explain that there isn't much that mummy and daddy can do about it and what ever will be will be! We shall wait and see, we honestly don't mind what we have and we are sure Little D will love it when it arrives.
Well I am going to get a couple of orders out and then concentrate on my to do list!
Heidi x

Father Christmas is on his way!! Yippee!!

2010-11-26T13:35:00.000Z

Well the last few weeks has been so busy I am really starting to feel a bit like one of Father Christmas' helpers! I have been really busy with craft fairs, Christmas orders and trying to keep my website and various other on line shops up to date. I am starting to feel a bit worn out with it all now! I had a fantastic day at Winchester Guildhall with the H@ndmade Craft fairs, it was a really great day with lots of sales and great comments. Having such a successful day is really lovely but meant I was then under great pressure to restock as I was at Whiteley Shopping Centre for three days last weekend. Wow it was so cold there! Being sat there for three days solid in the cold has resulted in me having a really lovely cold this week, just what I needed! Anyway Whiteley was a good experience but one that I probably wouldn't repeat. It's been a year for me trying out craft fairs to try and figure out which ones are best and to see if there is any pattern as to which ones are more profitable. I would like to say I had figured out a pattern to it all but it seems that there is no exact science as to knowing when you are going to do well and when you won't. It's all just trial and error, although I have made a promise to myself to not do a three day event again, it's just so tiring. This weekend I am at the Southampton Arts and Craft Christmas Fair. I have done this for the last couple of years and is always a really great event with lots of lovely arts and crafts. Here are a few of my latest designs which have just been added to my website.

This pendant was created with the idea of the sea and a moonlit sky. The small blue moonstone fits in perfectly with my overal idea and the oxidised hammered marks look like the sparkling night sea.

This piece was handcut from silver sheet and once again inspired by nature. As I was walking around the park looking at all the wintry bare trees I thought it would be nice to capture this on a pendant. I was really pleased with the way it turned out.

I have also been making lots of earrings with different gorgeous gemstones: -

I have used a really nice selection of gemstones, prehnite, citrine, amazonite and of course everyones favourite rose quartz!

Well this week I have been trying to slow down a bit and thought I would just post a little piccie of my daughter helping me make a Christmas cake yesterday, all ready for Father Christmas.

The tasting was done before the Brandy was added! I promise, although she did sleep well last night?!?! umm....

Well off to snuggle up with a Christmas DVD now with Darcy to help get us in the mood, like we need any help!

Take Care
Heidi x

Photography Light Box!

2010-11-01T14:10:00.000Z

Hi All
Sorry it has once again been a long time since i have posted. I have been busy updating websites, etsy/coriandr and misi shops and making jewellery ready for parties, craft fairs etc. Anyway I have finally made 10 minutes free so I can quickly post a little blog to keep you all up to date with what I have been up to. Firstly I promised to post the link for the lightbox I made: - http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com/light-box-for-photographing-jewelry.html. This website has lots of good information about photographing jewellery and how to get the best images etc. This is a picture of my lightbox which I made, loosely adapting the materials I had and the information on the above website!

It's a bit basic but it does the trick, and my daughter loves using it as a tent!! I keep finding her sneaking inside it! I have just put white crepe paper over the top and the structure is made from some craft board I brought at Hobbycraft.

I have a very busy winter season coming up with craft fairs nearly every weekend, firstly I will be at the H@ndmade Craft Fair in Winchester on Sunday 13th November. This is a great even with lots of likeminded craftsmen showing off all their handmade goods. I am really looking forward to this event and I will be exhibing there with my sister and her gorgeous cupcakes http://www.littlekissescupcakes.co.uk/. As for all my other events please check out my website for details of them.

And finally just to let you know that if you wanted to see some of my jewellery pieces I am exhibiting some pieces in The Art House Cafe in Southampton. The Art House Cafe is a great volunteer run arts venue and cafe in Southampton. They serve delicious organic food and drink (and gorgeous cake) in inspiring surroundings. There is a selection of arts and crafts from local artists. For directions etc please see their website http://www.thearthousesouthampton.co.uk/.

Well I will post some more images of my current designs shortly.

Take Care, Heidi x

aaahhhh!! I hate taking photos!

2010-10-05T13:12:00.000+01:00

So today I have sat down with my camera to attempt to update my photos. People have commented that the wooden background doesn't show my jewellery off to its best potential so I have been scouring every source of surface to find the ideal background. Today I have been using leaves and some textured white paper. I really liked the original photos but so many people have said they don't show up my jewellery that I felt I should do as I was told!! Anyway this is the new look of the photos, I still haven't decided whether to use the white paper or the leaf or a combination of both, any comments would be greatly appreciated.

I really don't enjoy this part of selling my jewellery. Especially as I have just received a package from my suppliers, Cooksongold. I am experimenting with some copper clay at the moment and can't wait to get my paws on it and start making some pendants with a leaf mould I took whilst out in the New Forest the other weekend. But I think this may have to wait until tomorrow when little D is at preschool and I can relax into it a bit more!

Today I have been writing another 'Insight blog' for http://www.ukhandmade.ning.com/. They wanted me to write a piece on Trinkets By Moonlight and the person behind it (that's me!). I didnt realise how much I enjoyed just writing about jewellery and my inspirations etc. I had to provide some photos too, these are some of the pictures I took for the piece: -

My Inspiration at the moment.

My latest jewellery pieces

My mid-project not so tidy desk!!

My Tidy Desk

Well I had better go and try to sort out these photos whilst little D is having a sleep! Once I have some of my copper pendants ready to show off I will post a few of them on here! Also today my new diamond drill bit arrived so I can finally get to drill some holes in my beautiful French sea glass treasure!
Bye Bye x

Little D's first day at pre-school!

2010-09-15T09:45:00.000+01:00

Well what a strange feeling this is!!! My baby has gone off to preschool for her first morning! Its such a weird feeling, excitement at having a quiet house and being able to get bits done whilst knowing she is having great fun, whilst feeling extremely weird not having my baby running round my feet!! She was so excited about going and was saying Goodbye to us before they had even opened the doors! I am sure she is having the time of her life and hasn't even noticed that I'm not there!

Of course Dude the Turtle had to go too!!!

Well I am going to go and try and get my workshop sorted out and prepare some future projects I haven't been able to put onto paper yet!

Holiday Blues!

2010-09-14T13:48:00.004+01:00

After a fantastic holiday in France I have finally got round to writing my blog. Yes we did actually get back a week ago but it seems to have taken me a while to get my work head back on! We had a really enjoyable time down in Royan near the South of France in our little caravan. All very relaxing, eating lots of nice French food and playing in the sun on the beach. We had great fun playing pirates and finding lots of unusual coloured and shaped sea glass on the beach which will soon be incorporated into some jewellery pieces. Some of the aqua coloured pieces are just gorgeous and may end up being kept by me! I am considering offering a service to people so they can search out their own sea glass whilst on their holidays, then as a lovely memory of their time they can send it to me to be made into a necklace, bracelet or whatever they wish. It's great having something from your holiday which you can look at and it can take you back to your memories of where you were. Little D really loved running around on the beach and swimming in the pool, she has come back as a little water baby!

Here is Little D trying to find some sea glass for her mummy's jewellery. She was a bit of a cool dude on holiday as you can see!

Well since we have been back it seems Autumn is most certainly on it's way, nights getting darker and it's definitely getting a bit cooler! To be honest though I love this time of year, there is nothing quite like being snuggled up in doors when it's raining outside. It's giving me lots of inspiration for my jewellery and it the next few weeks I am going to be making some autumnal inspired jewellery for my website. Hopefully I will be finding I have a bit more time to concentrate on my jewellery as little D starts pre-school tomorrow!! It's quite a scary thought as it has gone so fast but also I am so excited for her, she can't wait and is so ready. Also, rather selfishly, I am looking forward to having a couple of mornings to myself so I can get some more jewellery made! I may have to change my name to Trinkets by Morning!! hee!! haa!! Anyway keep an eye on my website for some new additions.

A little trinket for my birthday girl!!

2010-08-13T12:31:00.005+01:00

I just thought I would put a little piccie on here of my latest creation, which is a bangle for my little girl who is going to be 3 on Sunday. Can't believe what a big girl she is getting so thought I would mark the occasion by making her a little bangle with a cute flower on it. Hopefully she will like it! She has also got a new balance bike coming and some cool duplo lego, which i can't wait to play with!! hee!! hee!!

Well I am off to enjoy the peace and quiet whilst she is having her afternoon nap! Visitors, visitors all weekend to see the birthday girl!
Heidi

New Sea Glass Range & Trinkets Summer Sale

2010-08-06T15:08:00.012+01:00

Well I was planning to mention something in my blog about being inspired by the summer sun, but as I sit here typing outside is both dark and rainy and it feels more like autumn! Anyway I have been working with some really beautiful sea glass beads which really are made from the tumbled glass you find on the beach. I love working with such natural materials and to imagine the journey they have had to get to where they are. If you thought about wearing a bit of old glass bottle around your neck or on your ears it wouldn't sound very appealing but the colours and unusual shapes are really quite beautiful. Here are a few of the pieces I have been making: -

I hope you like my designs so far, it is so nice to find another material you really enjoy working with, that's the pleasure of jewellery making!

Now for the next two weeks I am offering all Trinkets By Moonlight followers 15% off all jewellery on my website www.trinketsbymoonlight.com. All you need to do is put the code aug10 where requested at checkout and you will get a huge 15% off your order! Might be time to stock up for Christmas presents?!?!

Trinkets By Moonlight will be taking a well deserved break on 23rd August but any orders during this time will be carried out at the beginning of September.

Take Care,

Heidi

New hammered heart pendant!

2010-07-07T15:50:00.005+01:00

It has been a while, once again, since I have posted on here! What with the new family addition and quite a few craft fairs things have been busy busy! We have just managed to dash away for a long weekend in our caravan in Wiltshire. We stayed on a most amazing little farm near Trowbridge and my little one loved going around with the farmer everyday feeding all the animals. He was very much the Pied Piper and had a gang of children following him twice daily for feeding the animals! We went off to Longleat for the day too which we all really enjoyed and seeing the lions up close was just incredible! Unfortunately we couldn't visit the monkey enclosure as they are all poorly at the moment, at least it saved our windscreen wipers from being wrenched from our car though! So we have had a bit of a break and now it's back to work, preparing for my upcoming fayres. This weekend I am at the Botley School Music Festival, this is to help raise money for their swimming pool. It should be a great event as there is lots going on there. Then in a couple of weeks I am at the Netley Steam Fair for the weekend. This is the first time I have done this fayre so I am quite excited about it but also a bit nervous about making sure I have enough stock for it. At the moment I am in the process of making some silver jewellery incorporating sea glass. I love the organic look of the sea glass so natural and beautiful and each piece completely unique. Keep an eye out on my website for my new additions. Anyway one of the latest pieces i have made is this heart pendant:

Its quite a simple design but with the hammered texture and oxidisation it gives it a bit more depth and the heart really shows up.

Anyway I must go and finish off some kiddies jewellery for the weekend before my daughter throws anymore of my beads around the place!

New Baby Niece!!

2010-05-28T15:28:00.006+01:00

Well what a surprise I had this week my new gorgeous niece arrived, a week early!!! On Tuesday night we had a phone call which resulted in a quick drop off of niece No 1 as my sister was dashed into hospital a week early to have Niece No 2! So exciting, this time round it was a pretty quick delivery, one night of contractions, in hospital at 4am, new baby arrives at 6am, back home by 2pm!! Needless to say they are completely ecstatic but shellshocked aswell to have this gorgeous bundle so suddenly appear, well i say suddenly, it did feel like my sister was pregnant for about 3 years but the end was pretty rapid! Anyway my new Niece is just perfect like the last one, cute, adorable and just like their Auntie!! hee!!hee!!

As for the jewellery, well I have been trying out some byzantine chainmaille designs, the first time I have tried chainmaille but boy am I addicted!! It is so therapeutic with really beautiful end results. I have made one, pictured below, which was my first attempt and I was so pleased with it I then went on to make another one with heavier jump rings and oxidised it and it now sits firmly on my husbands wrist, never to be given back!!! He absolutely loves it and it looks really great.

Thanks Mia for getting me hooked on yet another aspect of jewellery making which is completely addictive!!!

I have got a few craft fairs coming up next month and will post all the dates soon.

Off to buy lots of pink things for my new niece now!

Heidi

Finally a new blog!

2010-05-04T21:07:00.004+01:00

Yes finally I have got round to blogging, it has been on my to do list but just hasn't happened! Well I would like to say I have been really busy making jewellery and creating some new designs but unfortunately I have spent the last month or so dealing with the boring (but important) admin side of Trinkets. As you may have noticed my website has been updated with new images and a bit of a makeover. This has taken quite some time to get sorted and there is still some tweaking to be done but it is nearly there. Also I have been sourcing new boxes, booking up craft fairs for the year and sorting out lots of paperwork etc.

I attended a Craft Fair at Winchester Guildhall a couple of weeks ago and this was a great success. I had a really successful day and met many new friendly fellow crafters. It was a great opportunity to see what other people in the area have been creating and to have a good chat with them. I met a friend, Mia, who has a lovely website and creates lots of chainmaille bracelets which are just amazing. I am going to give this a try soon as they looked so lovely and I think would be quite therapeutic to make (I will let you know). You can see Mias website at http://www.jewellerybymia.com/, her work is really lovely. I have another craft fair back at Winchester Guildhall on Saturday 12th June 2010 so please come along and see me.

In between getting the behind the scenes sorted we have managed to enjoy the small amount of sun and had a great barbeque yesterday, in between the cloudy moments. Here is a snippet of my little one enjoying her 'cocktail' in the garden!

Well please keep an eye on my website for some new arrivals for the summer, I have a lovely stock of new pink agate beads on their way to my house! Ooohh they are scrummy!
Take Care, Heidi

Please Hurry Up Spring!

2010-02-23T09:49:00.004Z

Well this weather is completely driving me insane! Stuck at home with a two year old every day is enough to drive anyone mad! I can not wait until Spring arrives and we see the little heads of daffodils starting to appear everywhere. With these thoughts in mind I have started trying to create some more cheerful jewellery. This is one of my latest creations using hand hammered links and a beautiful bright yellow flower ceramic bead, surely this would be enough to cheer anyone up?

Sorry this is a short post but my daughter is drastically losing interest in playing shopkeepers on her own!!! I will post again with some of my other new colourful creations once I get chance!

New Necklace!

2010-01-26T14:15:00.007Z

Finally I have finished my beautiful pink sea bead necklace. I am really pleased with how it has turned out, and just in time for Valentines Day! The sea beads are really simple but still stunning, just like the glass you see washed up on the seashore. In between each sea bead is a pink opal swarovski crystal which really sparkles. I made some hammered links to go between the beads and silver chain which gives another sparkly element to the piece. I am thrilled with how it has turned out, just need to put it on my website now.

Also you can see in the piccies below I have made a little millefiori valentines themed bracelet. Really cute millefiori hearts with sterling silver balls in between and silver toggle clasp, simple but really cute and colourful. I have also made one with just round beads. Lets just hope some men see my website and get their wallets out for their Valentines!

2010-01-16T17:46:00.005Z

Hooray! I have finally got round to creating a blog, my first one ever! It is only going to be a quick one as I have had a busy day today trying to organise my jewellery, website and getting myself started for the new year ahead. I have added some new bits to

my website today which are great for Valentines Day! Lots of hearts and pink bits! I shall put the pictures on my blog for you all to see!!