No, not another diet

For some of you who know me, you will know I'm a big girl. And when I say 'big girl', I mean I'm fat :0( Now, my boyfriend loves me, my friends love me & my family love me, but there's a little bit inside me that really dislikes this!

I've always been big, from about the age of 10. Probably not huge but bigger than the other kids in my class & I went from being a fat kid to a fat adult. Men still found me attractive, I got married, then divorced and subsequently 'involved' again so I can't be that unattractive can I?

I've done countless diets to the point that I don't have a set of scales in the house. But it's all come to a head, or it did last year when travelling on a plane. G & I were sat in 'emergency exit' seats and the seatbelt wouldn't do up and I had to sit on my own, feeling embarrassed and humiliated. I promised myself that I wouldn't fly again like that!

After Christmas we booked a holiday of a lifetime to California. We're flying into LAX and driving from Monterey down to San Diego. There's lots to see and do and I want to make the very most of it. And of course, there's the 10 1/2 hour flight to get through. I started swimming in January with hopes of a sensible eating plan & exercise that would shed not just a few pounds, but some inches around my hips, bum & tum. I also signed up to the Swimathon to ensure I kept to the exercise until at least April.

Then, out of the blue an email arrives saying 'Get Gastric Band Hypnosis for 1/3'. I work in a business centre and one of the clients is a Hypnotherapist specialising in weight loss & she wanted volunteers to take part in her 5 session programme to lose weight for 1/3 of the normal price. I'd never been hypnotised & don't want a gastric band but I was up to give it a go.

I've had 3 sessions so far, with only 1 hypnosis session for Emotinal Freedom. This is to help with issues that may be interfering with the weight loss process. I've been weighed and measured and have so far lost 10 1/2 inches, (pretty much 2 inches all over) and now showing some good results as my clothes are looser and the programme I'm on means I'm never hungry. That's not to say that I don't have to have control over what and how I eat.

I'm having my hypnotic gastric band fitted tomorrow morning. When I'm in a trance my therapist will talk to me about losing weight and she will play a soundtrack of a patient being fitted with a gastric band, therefore making me think I have one and help reduce the amounts I eat.

Diets are the most boring of subjects, so well done if you're still with me! I'll keep you posted with the ongoing results but I'm not going to bore you senseless with this! Wish me luck!

Folksy Friday

You'll be glad to hear that I'm feeling so much better now. I actually had a full nights sleep, in my own bed rather than the spare. I do try not to wake G up!

Anyway, as it's been Chinese New Year recently and I've heard the troubles certain beaders have had with their supplies I thought I'd give my blog over to all things Oriental...

Unfortunately as I'm not a blog master you will need to click the link below the picture to take you to the Folksy page where you can read all about them!

http://www.folksy.com/items/1307989-Chinese-Doll-Black-Gift-Tags?shop=yes


http://www.folksy.com/items/1318413-Gemstone-Cabochon-Sterling-Silver-Ring-25x18mm?shop=yes


http://www.folksy.com/items/1324861-Chinese-Dragon-Cushion?shop=yes


http://www.folksy.com/items/1002789-Rainbow-Geisha-A4-C4-print?shop=yes


http://www.folksy.com/items/1369821


http://www.folksy.com/items/1397205-Passport-Holder-Cover-Daisy?shop=yes


http://www.folksy.com/items/1136689-Japanese-Style-Painting-Japanese-Cherry-Blossom-with-Callligraphy?shop=yes

And of course, here are a couple from me..... :0)


http://www.folksy.com/items/1263737-Black-Red-Fused-Glass-Pendant-Oriental-?shop=yes
http://www.folksy.com/items/1135421-Turquoise-Blue-Cherry-Tree-Inspired-Glass-Art-Sakura-?shop=yes

I'm Poorly.......

yes, I've not been well over the last couple of days. To bore you with the details, I had a scratchy throat when G & I went out on saturday evening. This little tickle kept raising up and I kept swallowing to keep it at bay, especially as we were in the cinema at the time.

Sunday morning came and I just wasn't feeling myself and by the afternoon my head was burning up. But I kept going as I had the design idea in my head for the fused glass seascape.

The seascape is a slow process as I want it to be textured & slumped.....and just perfect! (It's tack fusing as we speak in the kiln)

In the meantime I made another little item called 'Bluebell Wood' & hope you like it.

Back to the story, yesterday I spent the day at home poorly. I'm not a good patient. I want to get out of bed and do enjoyable stuff rather than just laying there groaning & moaning. And there was no-one of groan & moan too as G had gone to work.

So I've got myself into work today inflicting my germs on Elisa.....sorry hon!

What's Your Mission Statement?

When I read mission statements from places like Tescos I wonder whether it's an aim rather than a real belief in what they say they will do, and I also wonder whether they've actually been in their own shops recently.

This is Tesco's statement....

"No one tries harder for customers:

Understand customers better than anyone

Be energetic, be innovative and be first for customers

Use our strengths to deliver unbeatable value to our customers

Look after our people so they can look after our customers

Treat people how we like to be treated"

I'm not here to knock Tescos, they're just an example. Most retailers have something like this.

I was just thinking about this because on the www.folksy.com forum on Sunday someone was asking the question 'do you like what you make?' And it got me thinking, what do I think about what I make and do?

Personally I love what I make on the whole. The power in the belief that what I make is amazing and cool drives me on even when sales are low. I have to believe that my items are the best out there otherwise why would I keep on making things? I also believe that the finish of my items is fantastic. I'm not here to judge others but I know that I won't put anything in my shop if it isn't finished to the highest possible standard. I also passionately believe in excellent customer service. My day job involves me exceeding expectations in this area and I don't see why it should stop at my online shop. Ok, so this isn't so easy to prove in an online shop but buy something and hate, well, just drop it back to me, I don't mind (well, maybe a little bit :0) )

So the Poppyfields Design Mission Statement is....

The customer is always right even when I'm not sure they are. Heck, I want them to come back and also tell everyone how I was happy for them to return the item

I will be as creative as I can, as often as I can. This isn't always easy, I sometimes lose my mojo

My glass & jewellery items will always be beautifully finished. Handcrafted doesn't mean half-arsed!

Treat everyone like a King or Queen, better than you wish to be treated. You'll get it back anyway on the whole & everyone is a potential customer.

Delight & excite at every opportunity....oh sorry, that ones for my boyfriend :0)

February Valentinos!

I'm pleased to announce I have FINALLY made a piece of jewellery this year! It's only February and I run an online JEWELLERY shop!!! My mojo had deserted me but it seems to have made it's way back to me.

It's good that it has come back because I've joined the Folksy February listing club. This is where you have to list something new everyday and the idea is that you support and help your fellow club members and get more sales. That's the general idea but this doesn't seem to happening with me yet, but hey, it's on the 4th Feb and I'm not sweating about it!

I've also drawn the lovely Natalie Ofkants of NofkantsCurios www.nofkantscurios/shops/folksy.com in the Valentines Swap. I thought it was a general swaperoo and was a bit thrown when I found out it had to be heart related! D'OH!!! Fortunately I've managed to get something together which I think she'll love but I can't show it yet as it'll spoil the surprise!

I've also finished the commissioned pieces for a gentleman who wanted a piece of fused glass with his and his wifes' initials in a Valentines gift. He asked me to make 2 pieces to chose from. My favourite is the picture at the top. Fingers crossed that she loves it.

It's Nearly February!! Hooray!

So here we are again. Getting to the end of January which I'm really pleased about. January (for me anyway) is the most depresssing month of the year and it seems soooooooooo long. Everyone is a bit miserable as they're giving up something in a new years resolution, or is a bit broke because they're repaying all their Christmas debt. All I want to do is feel some warm sun on my face and not have to wear a big heavy coat.

Now I've got that off my chest I can say nice and happy things, lol!

I've been making some lovely glass things and he's a confession......I haven't made a piece of jewellery all year!! ha! I think I just made so much jewellery in the run up to Christmas that I've lost my jewellery mojo. I'm sure it'll pop it's head back up as I've got some beautiful beads sitting here begging, begging I tell you, to be made into something beautiful.

In the mean time I've been commission to make two Valentine pieces by a very romantic gentleman for his wife. I've made one 'safe' option which is their initials in a heart but I'm allowed to go crazy in the second one so opted for a stylised heart, with copper hearts, cupids & flowers; initials in glass again & more hearts.
My lovely friend Lucy (who makes beautiful silver clay jewellery) asked me to make a coaster for her desk. The design brief was "I was scattered confetti in pink and white".I've also made my first wave mould Poppyfield. There's been quite alot of interest in this already and I love it so I can see me making more. I'm thinking of maybe a cottage garden scene or a bluebell wood.....or the sea. The options are endless and I can't wait to get my hands on some more glass this weekend.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to one and all!

Here I am again after a very busy pre-Christmas sales rush and a post-Christmas rush around the country visiting inlaws (well nearly) & family.

After the shop which after reflection actually went really well, Elisa and I then had a weekend slot at The Square Tower, Old Portsmouth. I woke up on the saturday to find it had been snowing (AGAIN!) but I set off only to get a couple of miles up the road before slipping and sliding deciding that nothing was worth risking my life! The next moring I got up again and set off. Got there ok but the pavement outside the Tower was a skating rink. Not sure if that was the reason or just the absolutely freezing cold weather but the Fayre was a complete disaster for everyone :0( But reviewing the sales I had meant that I did make a good profit which I have squandered on 2 courses with Warm Glass! Can't wait! Oh, and some moulds and some new glass!

The New Year brings resolutions to get fit and lose some weight in a sensible manner ready for an exciting trip to California in May. Also, sitting squeezed into a airplane seat for over 10 hours is an amazing incentment!

Looking to make lots of new glassy things in the kiln and I've got a wave mould coming so I can do 'standing up' pieces and I want to make plates, vases & useful items.

SHOP SHOP SHOP!

Today is a VERY exciting day! Elisa & I have the shop!! Ok, so it's not that exciting if you're not involved but it's been a long time coming.

The other ladies involved are Lucy & Vidiya who make jewellery and pottery. Unfortunately we lost our graphic artist, but not to worry.

We set up the shop last night and it is FULL to the seams. And there I was worried that I wouldn't have enough stock. But it's the unexpected.

We are due to have a full house on our preview evening (tonight!!!) but I'm guessing we'll be very quiet the rest of the week. I'll get some photos tonight and give you an update soon.

I've been busy playing with the kiln, finally I hear you say! I've fired it up twice and I've managed to get a few good items already which I really pleased about. G was away on Monday night, and laying in bed I could hear a gentle hum. I suddenly realised that our bedroom is over the garage and that should the kiln decide to explode during the night, then we will feel the full force of it.....not that that'll ever happen. But it kept me awake for hours!Pop over to my Folksy shop where you'll find lots of lovely Christmas gifts and if you don't find anything you like in my shop, then you're bound to find it elsewhere on there.

Take care! x

Snow

Have you done all your Christmas shopping yet?

I think I'm almost there! And thank goodness for that as I'm so busy with jewellery shops and events in the run up to the big day. Ah just remembered that I said I would make G's mum a cameo pendant from silver clay, ok, but I think that's almost it!

Elisa & I had planned a sale at the centre where I have my office but wouldn't you believe it that on the day we had 7 inches of snow and only 'heros' like Elisa & I managed to get into the office. I would have been stuck in the snow but her b/f has a 4 x 4 which can leap tall building, scale Everest etc etc so he came to the rescue.

The casualty of the snow has been G & my's Christmas 80's party this saturday. I didn't want to be responsible for slips, trips & near fatal car crashes on the motorway in this weather. No doubt we'll have revellers turn up in their party glad rags expecting to hear 'Relax' (only just got the words to the song about 2 years ago - yes, isn't it rude!) when the only relaxing will be me & G chillaxing with a bottle of red in front of the fire.

Next week the thaw is due which is good timing as Elisa and some other crafty pals have our shop in Portsmouth (Market Way - Pop Up Shops). Drop in and say 'hello' if you're passing. Oh, and buy all our stock too!!! ;0)

Exciting Times

Elisa and I held a Jewellery Party at the home of the Lovely Lucy last friday. We love going to Lucy's as she always invites a fun crowd, so it's always very lively with lots of drinkies flowing (soft drinks only for me as I was driving - boo!)

We arrived and set up whilst trying to chat to her young son who is 6. He was enthralling Elisa with tales of his 16 girlfriends and how he climbs out of his window at midnight to go and see them. Methinks too many vampire films or Count Duckula???

We had the most amazing night of sales! Basically, if it wasn't nailed down or reserved for others then the jewellery flew off the table. Some people bought 4 or 5 items. I didn't get home until 1 in the morning but I didn't care. I promptly went to Monsoon in Chichester and spent the whole takings on a sparkly top for my 80s Disco Party, a beautiful red scarf, earrings (yes, I know!) and lots of other silly things.

We've also been offered the chance to sell to up to 60 ladies in a college & also the possibility to have stock in a shop in Petersfield. That's early days yet but I can see it doing really well based on who will be running it!

I hope you all have great plans for the weekend. I have Lucy (a different one) & Elisa coming over to do beady things tomorrow and then we may have to have a Kir Royale or 3 before tucking into chinese takeaway. Fortunately for G, he is at football in Manchester and won't be home til well after we've passed out!

Shop!! - 8-12th December 2010

Twice in two days! I know, it's a record! But I thought it was time to really make an effort with the blog, so here I am again.

More news which I haven't told you about is that Elisa & I are having a shop, YES, a shop!!! Well, only for a week but given the amount of thought and planning required it's probably a good job it is only for a week.

We're holding a Christmas Gift Fayre to promote our crafty friends and will be selling jewellery, pottery, glass & graphic illustrations.

We've sat down today and talked through our plan, which mainly just involves turning up and hoping that our marketing campaign has worked. We've ordered flyers and will get some airtime from a local radio station on the day & get some local paper exposure.

Oh, and we've ordered some paper bags & black velour material for our tables. You've got to love it haven't you!!!

Main points are it's the Pop Up Shop, Market Way, Portsmouth, Hampshire and we'll be open properly for trade from 7pm on 8th December until 5pm on 12th December! We very much hope that you'll pop in and see us!

I'm Back

sorry, sorry, sorry for being away for soooooooooooooo long! I wish I had a perfect excuse like...G whisked me off to the Antartic for a surprise 6 month holiday, or I've had the lurgey and been in quarintine, but actually the reality is that I've just been busy with life and the blog was the thing to have gone.

"What's happended in your life?" I hear you ask. Don't worry, I'll fill you in on it all!

But the main news is I'VE BOUGHT A KILN!!!!! Yes, it's very exciting news isn't it! It comes on friday morning and fortunately I've got all day, yes, all day sunday to play with it AND I've been allowed to keep it in the house and not in the freezing cold garage. The only slight fly in the ointment is that the man delivering said it's 'coming on a pallett' which indicates that it may be slightly bigger than I anticipated but I think that has to be all packing.

Other news is that I've had a lesson with silver clay Mistress Lesley Messam in her studio and I'm rocking and rolling on the clay vibe....and loving it, although it's costing me a fortune! I can do 50g of clay in a few minutes and that costs on Ebay £56. I desperately need to sell some gear to fund my clay habit!

Anyway, that's it for today. I promise that I will be back and I won't let it go months again!

Craft Fail

Last night was the night! I had waited with anticipation for it to come, and when it did, I was bitterly disappointed. Now I know you think I'm talking about my glass dish, but actually, I'm talking about my sex life.....HA! Had you fooled, I was definately taking about my dish.

I spent 3 hours cutting and placing the glass squares, only to be pollaxed at the last hurdle and for it to not slump properly in the mold. Ladies & Gentlemen, the dish is lopsided :0( I guess the only saving grace is that in the sunlight you get these amazing coloured squared twinkling, yes, twinkling in the sunshine and reflected out. Glass, unpredictable, but gotta love it!

Anyway, onwards and upwards I guess they say. But here is another little item I picked up from the week before. I'm going to give it to G's mum as a birthday gift as she was born on Armistice Day, November 11, which we usually remember as Poppy Day.

Apart from that I've been beavering away and still trying to get my first sale on Folksy http://www.folksy.com/ Whilst I haven't made a sale I have found some new friends, and here is what they sell

The Chaffinch is from Lupin Handmade

The Passion Pink Earrings are from The Whimsical Wren

The Velvet Hairclips are from Ickle Imogen

I want them all!!!! Go visit them at http://www.folksy.com/

Who will buy?

Since I've posting on Folky http://www.folksy.com/ I've been having a crisis of confidence. It's daft but bear with me.

I've been selling via jewellery parties, Facebook, Etsy & the like for the part 18 months now and I will be the first to admit that I'm not perhaps the most creative of people, but the jewellery that I make is of good quality & is well made. I take utmost pride in my work and would be mortified is something broke.

But I can't seem to get up and running with Folksy. I'm having lots of views, and people are adding the shop and individual items to their favourites list, but no-one wants to committ. And it makes me a little bit sad. Here's my sad face :0( to prove it.

Anyhow, I did however sell my first glass pendant (top pic) on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/ to a lady living in Texas. Who'd of thought that someone all that way away would want something of mine!?

But today bought presents! A bag from Elissa from Folksy. Her web address is http://www.notjusthandbags.co.uk/ It's absolutely darling and very well made.

And also some beads from redside designs http://www.redsidedesigns.etsy.com/ Beautiful things, just for me and no-one else!

July Jesters............

................is the name I think that has been decided on. Wait up, you don't have a clue of what I'm talking about. Well, I've just signed with a group of other craft mad loons to promise to post an item every day of July in our Folksy shops. That means a whole lotta creativity has gotta happen!!! Let me tell you, sometimes, it just ain't happening.

The idea is that you promote yourself, your shop and a lots of other amazingly creative people who live in Folksy Land http://www.folksy.com/ (<-----click there to have a peek). We all make lots of sales and we make lots of new friends too. That's what I call win-win!

Obviously, I have to plug myself www.folksy.com/shops/poppyfieldsdesign where I've been busy beavering away making some more fab pendants, but hope not to get too engrossed in glass that I forget my love of beading.

So it's Friday, I'm at home for the weekend and I'm hoping to get my curtains made for the lounge. I'd never win prizes for my curtain making abilities but with the prices John Lewis et al charge for curtains I'm happy to go for the home spun look. Wish me luck & I'll post some of my craft fail pics on monday http://www.craftfail.com/ (check it out, soooooo funny)

Is it done yet?....

......was my first question at my glass class on Monday. I of course, was meaning my mosaic dish that I had spent the whole class on the previous week. The whole day I'd had visions of coming into the studio and it sitting there in all it's beauty and wonderment.

Unfortunately not!

It looked as flat as a pancake, but a lovely pancake. It has been fused once so that the coloured glass 'squares' (that should read 'odd shaped, sort of square, but maybe more like rectagles') have all melted in, and as we sat in the class Kate slumped the disc in the bowl mould. So next week, I should walk in and find my mosaic dish sitting there, in all it's beauty and wonderment, along with my pre-slumped mosaic soapdish and poppy tile.

Why is it so difficult to get a good photo?

Why oh why is it so difficult to photograph jewellery? I really struggle with it, and when you're selling your heart and soul online those photos are what makes or breaks the sale.

I looked at tutorials which have in the first instance been really informative & helpful and I've even found out where the macro setting is on my camera!! Then I worked out WHY it was such a useful little button!!

I take my photos, post them up in the hopes of not making a mint, just funding my hobby and having the pleasure that somewhere out there, someone is walking round in a pair of earrings/necklace/bracelet that was handcrafted by me.

My latest craze is to 'stage' my pictures. I've seen other online sellers with tastefully placed items such as books and feathers and what you can see in these photos are the fruits of my attempts. I asked E to pass me the book, only to find it was 'Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl' and every page I opened was littered with, hmmm, let's say words of a sexual nature! Maybe that would have created more interest in my jewellery!

My most favourite and most visited website is http://www.piknic.com/ which will allow you to give you more colour, more exposure, crop, rotate etc etc on your pics. It's not that I want be fake in anyway but I do want to show what my lovely jewellery really does look like! Apart from going out and buying a light box or investing is a super-duper, top of the range camera then this is going to be as good as it gets! For now anyway!

G & I moved in together almost 4 months ago and I have to say, it hasn't been as challenging as I thought it could have been. Anyone who knows G will say whilst he is the loveliest, kindest, sweetest, generous man, his levels of patience leave something to be desired. And that was my biggest worry. Would he shout at me? Would he suddenly notice at I wasn't the person he thought I was and would he ask me to leave our new home? As it's turned out, we've rubbed along together quite nicely. When he stresses over things, I calm him down. When I'm being stunningly stupid, he explains things in the way you'd explain to a 4 year old. I guess it's just good old fashioned ying and yang.

We went out for dinner last night in the village and walking back he turned to me and said, 'I love living here with you'. Now you can either want to throw up into a sick bucket, or you can join me in saying 'Ahhhhhhhhh'.
Charlie is all settled and is taking ownership of every available comfy space; silk cushion on the sofa; window ledge; garden table & chairs; my craft room chair..........and the list goes on!E & I potentially have some BIG news. We have been offered a pop up shop in Portsmouth for a song. We can have for a week in December, which of course, would be our most opportune selling time. We're buzzing with ideas already but our attentions really have to focus on advertising and having enough stock. AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH creation stations ready!!