*looks at the clock*

Gosh, is it 2011 already? I've done it again, haven't I...?

While it may have been a tiny while since I last posted anything of note - or indeed anything at all - I have not been idle. The last few months have been incredibly busy building and maintaining web sales platforms, attending shows locally, writing for magazine and website jewellery features and trying to find the occasional time in which to play.

I've had a few magazine features over the last few months, mainly in the UK's Creative Beads & Jewellery magazine which I design for mainly in my capacity as designer for madcowbeads.com. Some exciting issues are coming up, so if you're in the UK and don't already get it, make sure you do! It's available from Hobbycraft, WH Smith and through good online magazine suppliers. Or you can subscribe direct at http://www.practicalpublishing.co.uk/creativebeads/. Amusingly I got something of a shock when I went to that page to check the link as the picture of the current issue has my necklace plastered all over the front. I didn't know it was being used on the cover (or even that it was in that issue!)

This is the necklace in question, made for madcowbeads.com where you can buy most of the components used:
























I also turned up with a brief appearance in the USA's "Stringing" magazine in the Winter issue with this bracelet which at the time of writing is on sale at www.stardustandsparkles.co.uk. I like this, and have successfully managed to not steal it - thus far!


My other BIG news is that I was approved as an official supplier for Vintaj Natural Brass. There's not a huge number of Vintaj suppliers here in the UK so I'm absolutely thrilled to be able to offer their beautiful products. Vintaj make superbly high-quality findings and components, suitable for jewellery making, beading or pretty much any other craft you care to incorporate them into. My range is available on www.princess-jewellery.net (and I have a special section for those Vintaj components I think are particularly steampunk appropriate and have added some of my other steampunky bits; watch components, cogs, gears and hands etc component mixes).

I also had a play with my shiny new Vintaj components whilst making some last-minute Christmas gifts towards the end of last year. Photographs aren't great - they were for personal use rather than the professional-style photography lengths I go to on my selling-products but they'll give you an idea of how beautiful they are!

This one was made for my son's girlfriend



This one for my mum



And this one for a friend :o)



All three were made with a mix of Vintaj components, gemstones and pearls with a few extra bits thrown in - resin, alcohol ink, pearl ex powder, shiva paintsticks for starters and I thought they turned out quite well for my first attempt with resin!

Anyway I feel that's probably quite enough for now. I'd promise to write again soon but my track record ain't great... so I will write when I write :o)

Stephie