Blogtoberfest - last day

I cant believe it!
It's the last day of blogtoberfest already!

and I managed to blog every day!
Quite an acheivement.

Mind you I did cheat a bit - on the weekend we were away I blogged in advance and scheduled it for the right day. But that in itself is something, because I learned something new - how to date your posts.

I also had an incredibly successful giveaway.
I met some lovely people, found some wonderful blogs and gained a few new followers.

I expanded my horizons - with my own posts, with reaching other bloggers and crafters, and going places I had never been before.

I feel like I could go on for ever - but I probably wont.
It'll be back to the once or twice a week, but hopefully with some new ideas and extra energy.

Am I coming back again next year for blogtoberfest?- you bet!
See you then!

What I've been up to this week

... more of the same!

I made some tshirts for some orders -

finished some more mitts,


made some more memory wire bracelets.

The turquoise and red coral necklace I finished last week sold at the weekend so I made another one in those colours but with different beads.



Then I got stuck in that colour scheme.



Tried to get out of it -



Finally broke away with something very classic (but not very exciting!) -



I have also remade some bracelets for a customer's bridesmaids.

And made some things for a craft swap - shh! it's a secret - I'll show you next week!

and the winner is.....

....Beautiful Schlopp Glass Art and Jewellery!!!!!!!

she wins these czech glass and silver earrings.


Well done, and thanks so much to everyone who entered and left lovely comments and who are now followers of my blog.
I look forward to getting to know you.

Look out for my next giveaway next month.

Hmm, I wonder what I'll give away next??

Wishlist Wednesday - 27 - blogtoberfest day 28

Today is my big sister's birthday, so I thought I would chose some things for her.

We are very different, she is elegant and sophisticated.
Loves classical elegant wares.
I'm sure she would appreciate this tea service -

six piece tea service by calloohcalley

She is a famous breeder of Old English Sheepdogs.
Her kennel name is Hartwyn.
People often give her OES-related gifts.
I bet she hasnt got a beaded one!

Rachel Old English Sheepdog beaded pin by thelonebeader

And of course we need birthday cake and a special plate to serve it on -

eyelet cakestand by vesselsandwares

Happy Birthday to my sister!

In my garden - blogtoberfest day 27

In my garden
Originally uploaded by planettreasures

Mondays treasuries - blogtoberfest day 26

Many thanks to the lovely Nicky of morphologica for this treasury of my favorite colours.

I wsa thrilled that she featured my dancing days earrings with all the other beauties.

Nicky's fairly new shop features wearable neurscience - unique science-inspired jewellery.
Like this lovely necklace -

cellular necklace in black

Two contrasting contributions from me.
Firstly muted tone inspired by tractorgirl's teacosy.



and something a little more vibrant.

7 books I like - blogtoberfest day 25

1. John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat by Jenny Warner and Ron Brooks ( my favorite picture book)

2. Alice in Wonderland (and through the Looking Glass) by Lewis Carroll ( because I read it so much as a child and then read it to my kids)

3. The Time Traveller's Wife - by Audrey Niffenegger ( I just loved it)

4. Cloud Atlas - by David Mitchell ( Extraordinary - structure and story)

5. The Red Tent - by Anita Diamant ( I enjoyed her retelling of an old Testament story from the woman's point of view)

6. This Thing of Darkness - by Harry Thompson (the story of Charles Darwin and Captain Fitzroy of The Beagle in a novel form)

7. Anything by Bill Bryson.

Where I was today - and will be tomorow

There is aMuseum of Fire nearby that has a Doll, Bear and Craft fair once a year as a major fundraiser.

They move some of the fire engines out and put the stalls in.


This is my space.


I am able to use the display cases in my area.

The cups and trophies are not mine - they belong to a long gone fire brigade.



I apologise for the quality of these photos.
I'll try and get some better ones tomorrow.

What I made this week - blogtoberfest day 23

Not a lot of jewellery designing going on this last week.
But I've finally restrung this turquoise-coloured howlite pendant from this necklace which I loved but hadnt sold -


to this -


I have also made some tshirts as summer is coming!



more black ones -



and this time grey marle instead of the sand -



Look out for the tshirts in BoosTees shop - I will be listing them soon, when I have enough good photos.

I also had to make a pair of mitts for a northern hemisphere order -


Also available at BoosTees.

Giveaways

Everybody loves getting something for nothing, or winning a prize, or getting a gift - dont they?

There must be hundreds of thousands of giveaways on the interwebs every day!

Here are a few that I have found -

EmpressWu is having a fundraising giveaway for pink ribbon day to support breast cancer research.
http://empresswu.blogspot.com

Miahenry is also incorporating a bit of fundraising, for a school in Sudan
http://miahenry.typepad.com/


rubyvictoria is having her first one.
http://rubyvictoria.blogspot.com/2009/10/my-first-giveaway.html

The wonderful chrisy of artdecadence has a giveaway every month if you leave a comment and is hosting other giveaways. At the moment some lovelies from michvanetta and koot are up for grabs.
http://sophismpress.blogspot.com/

Bellasiacreations is offering a US$30 certificate to spend in her etsy shop.
http://bellasiacreations.com/page/4/

original mischief is giving away a cute baby suit.
http://originalmischief.blogspot.com/2009/10/october-giveaway.html

epherielldesigns hosts regular giveaways.
http://www.epherielldesigns.com

secretjewellz is having a giveaway to be drawn on October 30th
http://secretjewellz.blogspot.com/

There are also sites dedicated to giveaways - here are some.
you probably know more.

Handmade giveaways

The Aussie handmade giveaway

Salad for breakfast


And in case you didnt know there are a swag of giveaways happening as part of blogtoberfest.
You can see a list of these on curlypops blog
http://curlypops.blogspot.com/


Dont forget my giveaway - you still have time to enter as it will be drawn.
Enter here - http://planettreasures.blogspot.com/2009/10/october-give-away-blogtoberfest-day-8.html

Wishlist Wednesday - 26 - blogtoberfest day 21

Some extravagant wishes this week, and appreciation of people's time and talent.

A ring -

mars planet ring by smashing

a bracelet -

ironman's DNA peyote cuff by time2cre8

and a scarf -

earthy flamboyant recycled sari scarf by plumfish

penguin tshirt for a little boy

penguin tshirt for a little boy
Originally uploaded by planettreasures

This was a special order for a 4yr old boy that someone requested after seeing some of our other tshirts.
It was abit more fidddly, but turned out so cute!

Mondays treasuries - blogtoberfest day 19

Another fairly quiet treasury week, but at least there are two to blog about.
One by me and one by super-treasury-maker Baboom.


Olga of Baboom is also a knitter-extrodinairre!
She makes beautiful scarves, gloves, hats and this gorgeous shoulder warmer -



Go and visit Baboom's shop on etsy!

And the one by me -



See you next week!

7 places I'd like to go - blogtoberfest day 18

1. Himalayas (watch this space)
2. Machu Pichu
3. Paris
4. Venice
5. The silk road
6. Antarctica
7. Timbuktu

Strawberry Almond Cake

image by bill.lepere via flickr

Somebody gave me this recipe many years ago, but I've forgotten who.
anyway it is delicious!

you need -
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sugar
10 oz (280 gr) frozen strawberries, thawed and drained or 2 punnets of fresh strawberries
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup ground almonds or 1 tsp almond flavouring

Beat eggs until fluffy.
Add oil and sugar.
Sift flour, cinnamon and baking soda into the mixture.
Stir in the strawberries and the ground almonds or flavouring.

Grease and flour one large or two smaller loaf tins.
Put mixture in the tin/s.
Bake at 180 degrees C (350 F) for 45 mins for smaller cakes or 70 mins for the large one.
Test with a toothpick.
cool slightly in the pan then remove and cool on a cake rack.

Enjoy!

What I made this week - blogtoberfest day 16

Made two tshirts for orders -



sewed up some mitts I had knitted -




made some bracelets on memory wire -


and took apart a long necklace that hadn't sold and made a short necklace -


and a bracelet -

one-word answers

I think I found this on a blogtoberfest participants blog, but now i cant find out where and they found it at Petalplum, or I found it at petalplum.

Dear me! My memory is bad!

Anyway you can copy and change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It’s quite tricky to use only one-word answers.

1. Where is your cell / mobile phone? in my bag

2. Your hair? short

3. Your mother? dead

4. Your father? dead too

5. Your favorite food? cheese

6. Your dream last night? knitting

7. Your favorite drink? tea

8. Your dream/goal? retire

9. What room are you in? study

10. Your hobby? beading

11. Your fear? spiders

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? travelling

13. Where were you last night? home

14. Something that you aren’t? skinny

15. Muffins? blueberry

16. Wish list item? youth

17. Where did you grow up? Kidderminster

18. Last thing you did? sewing

19. What are you wearing? pyjamas

20. Your TV? off

21. Your pet? Ginger

22. Friends? true

23. Your life? full

24. Your mood? contented

25. Missing someone? hubby

26. Vehicle? car

27. Something you’re not wearing? ring

28. Your favorite store? vinnies

29. Your favorite color? blue

30. When was the last time you laughed? always

31. Last time you cried? weekend

32. Your best friend? hubby

33. One place that I go to over and over? toilet

34. One person who emails me regularly? vista

35. Favorite place to eat? bed

Wishlist Wednesday - 25 - blogtoberfest day 14

sakura rain tunic by ahpeele

thai fisherman pamts by the7thrabbit

textile art necklace by shagpile

success at markets

image by jett loe via flickr

Ok, so you've identified a suitable market to try and you have your goods and props ready to go.

Off you go and set everything up.
It looks great!

What next?

Here are some tips for a successful market, garnered from various sources.

- Have prices on everything.
- make your display as close to eye level as possible.
Put extensions on your table legs or use boxes, shelves and props to raise the height of your goods.
- Have table clothes that come right down to the ground and cover the table legs and everything that you are storing underneath.
- But be careful of storing spare stock where is might be easily disappered from!
- Stand up behind your display. Do not sit down!
- Do something. Have a small project to work on.

image by antydiluvian via flickr

- SMILE and say 'hello'
- Engage the customer by asking them questions. eg "how is your day?" "are you Christmas shopping?"
- Let them browse, but be ready to show them something if they show interest.
- Do not thrust things in their face! (as if you would anyway)
- Give them a choice, offer an alternative.
- Let them try things on (except earrings - they can just hold those up)
- Be honest, they will appreciate it.
- Ask questions. Are they buying a gift? Who is it for? Are you trying to match something?
What colours do they like?
- Be proud of what you do and tell people that everything is designed and made by you.
- Say something like " Hello *smile*... I made everything here, so if I can help you with anything please let me know *smile*" (Tip by uniquedichroic.)
- Always be polite.
- Use business cards liberally, have them on your table, hand them out and include one in every purchase.
- Stay right to the end. You have paid your money so you may as well make the most of it.
Be prepared for late sales, I always sell as I am packing up.
- Take a friend with you or get someone to help for a while so you can eat, go to the toilet, whatever.
- to keep costs down, take your own food, and you will know what you're getting. Not greasy junky stuff.
- If you havent got a friend, a neighbouring stallholder will usually keep an eye on your stall while you pop off to the loo. But if not, cover your display with a sheet.
- Keep your display tidy. customers are very messy. Straighten things up when you can and put out any spare stock.

image by hoimoi via flickr

There is another great thread here about what to take to markets.
Thanks to craftsbycarina and uniquedichroic .

Images of Leura Fair - blogtoberfest day 12

me -

my stall

my neighbours -

j and m pottery

serpentmandalas

artists

and the street -