Friday 22 December 2017

3 days to Christmas!


Are you excited yet? Exhausted? Loving the party season?

I would like to wish all of my lovely readers, loyal customers, and everyone who follows my shop or social media, a very Happy Christmas! Or Seasons' Greetings, whichever fits you better.

Rose Bay Jewellery is closed until after Christmas, Boxing Day, probably. I'm taking the opportunity to try and catch up on all the behind-the-scenes stuff that needs doing, and of course, I still have a family Christmas to prepare for.

Have a great time, everyone. See you after Christmas?

Monday 4 December 2017

December news

I come bearing news! And a scary reminder that:

Christmas is only 20 days away!

My last order dates for Christmas are now up at my Etsy shop, but I will reprint it here for your convenience.

Sunday 3 Dec - Cyprus, Malta, Asia, Far East, Eastern Europe
Monday 4 Dec - Caribbean, Central and South America
Wednesday 6 Dec - Greece, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand
Sunday 10 Dec - Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland
Monday 11 Dec - Canada, Finland, Sweden, USA
Tuesday 12 Dec - Austria, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland
Wednesday 13 Dec - Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg

UK Mail:

Monday 18 December (1st class)

As always, I will be closing the shop for a few days after the final date has passed so that I can focus properly on making our own Christmas wonderful!

Etsy has given us five new categories to play with, and with this in mind I have rearranged my own categories, which are currently:

Animal Jewellery
Dinosaurs and fossils
Spring Jewellery
Boho Jewellery
Summer Jewellery
Sea Themed
Autumn Jewellery
Halloween, Gothic
Christmas Jewellery
Steampunk Jewellery
Bag Charms
Clip-on earrings
Pretty Things
Fun Things
Myths and legends
Jobs, sports, hobbies
Food

I'd love to know what you think!

Oh, and here is the last batch of products for this year; we won't be taking any more pictures until after Christmas. Hopefully the light for taking pictures will be kinder to us! A super selection of earrings for you:




Thursday 23 November 2017

Just popping in

Just dropping by to wish all who celebrate a lovely Thanksgiving! I hope you get to spend it with your loved ones, and have a fabulous day!

Tuesday 14 November 2017

40 days to Christmas!

I've got a cute new batch of bag charms to share with you:





I've done 500 posts on both Twitter and Instagram! If you want to follow me, I'd love to have you, and its not all things for sale! I like to share interesting and funny posts as well, and there are a few personal posts on Instagram, too. It would be nice to know I'm not talking to myself!

I had a lovely surprise recently, as one of my suppliers, on hearing I liked Steampunk, decided to make me a little picture. Wasn't that lovely? I was so surprised, and I would like to share the picture with you. 




Monday 30 October 2017

Monday 16 October 2017

New line of earrings for non-pierced ears!

69 days to Christmas.

Introducing my brand new line – earrings for people who don't wear them! Well, it sounded good in my head...

I have a super new, and diverse range, of clip-on earrings. I've been playing with designs for a while, and I believe I now have a funky and comfortable new range. Clip-ons, by their very nature, can be difficult to fit. If they're too tight they pinch, and if they're too loose, they fall off, and since everyone is a different shape its pretty difficult. However, I am pleased with the fit on my new styles and, as an added bonus the earrings come with plastic comfort sleeves that fit over the backs, and can be removed if you prefer them without. Designs include Boho, Steampunk, animal, Christmas, cute... So, without further ado, say hello to Rose Bay Jewellery's clip-on earring collection!




These will be added to my Etsy shop over the next week or so. Enjoy!

Sunday 8 October 2017

77 days

I've got a new selection of necklaces to show you, some of which are Christmas ones. Did you know that it is...

Only 77 days to Christmas!





Oh, and I am launching a brand new line very shortly. Watch this space!

Wednesday 27 September 2017

From old to new

I came across this article from back in February, where they have discovered what they think is the oldest examples of Iron Age gold jewellery, believed to be around 2,500 years ago. It looks to be in amazing condition! Now, where is my metal detector?

Pictures are done for another batch of seven bracelets and I am now in the process of adding them my Etsy store.




Just 88 days left to Christmas!

Sunday 17 September 2017

Jewellery for all

Not sure what's up with Etsy today, but its not letting me upload any pictures, so am not able to add any new listings. This is disappointing but hopefully it will be fixed soon.

I've just realised I haven't added Twitter to my web-links over there on the right-hand side. Oops! Better get on that!

I'm pleased to see that London Fashion Week kicked off with The Curve Catwalk For those who haven't seen this, its fashion for the larger ladies. And why not? Everyone has the right to nice clothes and jewellery without feeling embarrassed about it.

A lot of my jewellery is suitable for plus-sized girls. I have stretch bracelets, long necklaces, and I'm always on the lookout for ways to adjust sizes so that more people can wear the designs and a few pieces are specifically designed for larger (or smaller!) people to wear.

This brings me to something I've been meaning to say here. While I prefer not to make jewellery to order, I am open to suggestions and requests. If there is something you would like to see, feel free to drop comments on this post. If you require something that isn't mainstream – you're looking for petite, plus-sized, trans, or have some kind of physical difficulty or preference, it could be worth getting in touch as its quite possible that I might be able to help.

Rose Bay Jewellery is made for fun, and I think everyone should have the chance to have fun wearing it.

Oh, and by the way - this will cheer you all up - did you know that its only 97 days to Christmas?

Wednesday 13 September 2017

Picture perfect

Have you ever wondered what life is like here at Rose Bay Jewellery? No? Oh, well that's disappointing...

But I shan't let that daunt my intrepid spirit! I'm going to share one of our recent photo shoots for a new batch of earrings.

As a rule, I do the making, and my husband does the pictures. This works really well as it enables me to spend more time making, and my photographic skills are a little limited, to be honest! It has become something of a family joke that, on a short break away with my daughter a few years ago, my eager attempts to take pictures of the stage resulted in some very nice pictures of the backs of the chairs in front, the floor, and other peoples' heads. Luckily, my daughter was not as inept as I was, and got some good pictures of the event for both of us!

On this particular photo-shoot day, I happened to be free and we took the new products into the garden. This is not as odd as it sounds – the light here in England can be abysmal for photographs, and if we do them indoors they can look washed out, and using artificial light just gives them a peculiar colour. And the light fluctuates, one minute its too bright, then the sun (if there is any to start with!) goes behind a cloud and we have to wait for it to peek out again. So, there we were, diving in and out of the shadows like... um... well, I have no idea what dives into shadows but think of something and apply it to us. In addition, it was pretty breezy so of course, some of my earrings were fairly lightweight – and included a pair of feathery earrings! That was interesting, to be sure. Most of the earrings just would not keep still! So I'm darting around behind my husband with bits of board and fabric and anything else I could think of, trying to act as a human wind-break. He's telling where to stand and hold my arms to protect the produce (and he's making the most of it, because he doesn't get to boss me around that often!) and then he's telling me I'm too close and standing in the light!

Oh, and then we've got our cat trying to get us to notice her, and doing her best to climb on the tray where the earrings are, and I'm moving her away again because cats are not allowed in the area when I've got jewellery out. Well, we don't want cat hair and pawprints on the jewellery, do we? Wouldn't be hygenic!

Anyway, I'm really pleased with the result but next time you see some product pictures – any handmade product, not just mine – spare a thought for the person behind the lens trying to get the best shot for you! Here you go – not a movement in sight!




Almost none, anyway...




Tuesday 22 August 2017

Where has summer gone?

How's your summer coming along? On the weather front, ours has been cold and drizzly. Not much sun going on, I'm afraid.

The house is coming along, the decorating is going well, and we've got paint and mess all over the place, but it is getting better, and we're pleased with what we've done so far.

 My popular ceramic manatee and snake pendants are back in store! These little ceramic cuties are hand-crafted in Peru, and are absolutely adorable. Other animals and ceramics are also available.








Social media – Twitter is now over 400 posts, and Instagram over 500! Feel free to join me – the more the merrier, and its not all products for sale!

Etsy has been making changes again. We can now have more product pictures, meaning we can now show you extra views. Hopefully this will make it easier for you to make informed decisions on what you want to buy. I also mentioned before that you no longer need to be a member to buy something, as they now allow guest purchasers. 

That's got to be good, right?

Saturday 8 July 2017

Summer!

Is it warm enough for you?

Fimo dogs and book earrings are now back in the shop!


I've got lots of pretty necklaces for you! How about these:







And since I haven't done a poem for a bit, so here are the first couple of versus of :

Summer Sun
by Robert Louis Stephenson

Great is the sun, and wide he goes
Through empty heaven with repose;
And in the blue and glowing days
More thick than rain he showers his rays.

Though closer still the blinds we pull
To keep the shady parlour cool,
Yet he will find a chink or two
To slip his golden fingers through.


Sunday 25 June 2017

June and Giraffes

Wow, its been a busy month! Which explains where I've been lately. Sort of...

My new studio is currently more like a lumber room, as its full of things deported from our main bedroom, which is currently being decorated. I am, however, still making, and if anyone wants anything, rest assured that orders are still being dealt with within 1-3 working days.

It's been really hot recently, the weather has been glorious, and we had a really nice family day at Port Lympne wildlife park.





And, since you're not here for the wildlife, have some of my earrings!



Sunday 28 May 2017

Open for business again!

I'm back! Or rather, my Etsy shop is...

After a somewhat chaotic couple of weeks, we are now settled into our new home and I am raring to get the show up and running again. Of course, we still have lots of things to do on the house, and I'm sure it will be some time before it will start to feel right, but we'll get there.

Have a good summer, everyone.

Sunday 21 May 2017

Back soon!

The move went well, but we're up to our eyes in packing boxes and general mess. The shop will be back up again in a few days, just as soon as I've had chance to unpack my supplies.

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible!

Sunday 14 May 2017

Where is Rose Bay?

The glitch over on Etsy that I reported in my last post seems to have been fixed.

Etsy has now introduced 'Guest Checkout' which is good news for you if you want to buy something on Etsy but aren't a member.

My shop is currently closed, but don't be alarmed! We are moving soon, and I need to spend time packing up all those beads, cords, findings, chain, wire, charms, silks, ribbon, more beads and yet more beads! And, you know, the rest of the house...

Its likely we won't have the internet for a few days, and we will need to get straight but I should be back up again within a couple of weeks. Watch this space for news!

Tuesday 25 April 2017

Recent updates

I gather that some of you have been experiencing difficulty with my Etsy page. Most of you know that I try to add something new every day, but for some reason these new listings are not showing up and I'm getting people asking me if everything is all right because I haven't updated for ages! Sigh. If you are having this issue, and not everyone is, you can manually alter your page by going to the drop-down menu on the right-hand side of the page, just over the pictures. Just select 'most recent' and all my latest goodies will be yours to see. Sorry, I know this is a bit of a pain, but hopefully Etsy will fix the glitch soon and everything will be back to normal again.

Social media – 450 posts on Instagram!

It seems ages since I posted pictures of my earrings, so I think I will remedy that with this lot:





And a closer look at some of my new, and absolutely adorable, ceramics, retailing at £18:




I have a pair of the ceramic birds myself, and they always raise a smile when I wear them!

Sunday 16 April 2017

Easter!

Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate, and a good weekend to those who don't. But perhaps you all will enjoy this little Easter-related poem.

Diary of a Church Mouse
~ by John Betjeman

Here among long-discarded cassocks,
Damp stools, and half-split open hassocks,
Here where the vicar never looks
I nibble through old service books.

Lean and alone I spend my days
Behind this Church of England baize.

I share my dark forgotten room
With two oil-lamps and half a broom.

The cleaner never bothers me,
So here I eat my frugal tea.

My bread is sawdust mixed with straw;
My jam is polish for the floor.

Christmas and Easter may be feasts
For congregations and for priests,
And so may Whitsun.
 All the same,
They do not fill my meagre frame.

For me the only feast at all
Is Autumn's Harvest Festival,
When I can satisfy my want
With ears of corn around the font.

I climb the eagle's brazen head
To burrow through a loaf of bread.

I scramble up the pulpit stair
And gnaw the marrows hanging there.

It is enjoyable to taste
These items ere they go to waste,
But how annoying when one finds
That other mice with pagan minds
Come into church my food to share
Who have no proper business there.

Two field mice who have no desire
To be baptized, invade the choir.

A large and most unfriendly rat
Comes in to see what we are at.

He says he thinks there is no God
And yet he comes .
.
.
 it's rather odd.

This year he stole a sheaf of wheat
(It screened our special preacher's seat),
And prosperous mice from fields away
Come in to hear our organ play,
And under cover of its notes
Ate through the altar's sheaf of oats.

A Low Church mouse, who thinks that I
Am too papistical, and High,
Yet somehow doesn't think it wrong
To munch through Harvest Evensong,
While I, who starve the whole year through,
Must share my food with rodents who
Except at this time of the year
Not once inside the church appear.

Within the human world I know
Such goings-on could not be so,
For human beings only do
What their religion tells them to.

They read the Bible every day
And always, night and morning, pray,
And just like me, the good church mouse,
Worship each week in God's own house,
But all the same it's strange to me
How very full the church can be
With people I don't see at all
Except at Harvest Festival.

Friday 24 March 2017

Red background?

So. I have a whole flock of new necklaces for the shop, some of which have already been added. We tried something different with the picture – we keep trying new things. We'll get it right eventually – and displayed them on a red background. 




Social media? I'm over 300 posts on Twitter!

I've been making loads of stuff, where possible, as we are hoping to move soon, so a lot of our time has been taken up with viewings and packing and sorting out cupboards and organising and jumping up and down in frustration... you know, all the normal thing you do at such a time.

One of the funniest things I've seen recently is this.



Have a good weekend!

Thursday 2 March 2017

New pendants!

March already! Soon be Spring!

Following the introduction of my new resin pendants, I would like to share with you a batch of current and upcoming resin pendants. I am very excited about my new range!




My house is full of beads. Big ones, little ones, some as big as.... well, you get the picture. Some of my smallest, I keep in little stacks of screw-top tubs. The other day I dropped one, and the bottom two tubs came off. Do you have any idea how many hundreds of tiny little beads are in those tubs? No, neither did I until they spread all over the floor and kept on spreading. And most of them are round, so they just rolled out of the way as I scrabbled all over the floor trying to catch them all!

I'll be finding them for months yet, lurking behind the furniture...


And a short March quote for you:

March brings breezes loud and shrill,
Stirs the dancing daffodil.
~Sara Coleridge (1802–1852), "The Months,"

And in case you were wondering, yes, Sara Coleridge is related to Samuel Taylor Coleridge. She was his daughter.

Monday 27 February 2017

Birth of a new range!

Exciting news! Today I'm launching the first of my new range of resin jewellery with this cute hand-painted stork (or crane!) pendant, available at my Etsy shop.





Other new ranges coming soon!

Sunday 5 February 2017

Going Gaga for the new jewellery!

If you are a lady Gaga fan, you're very happy tonight!

It's February already! Where is the year going to?

First pictures for the new products are done, and I have already started to post them. Here is a preview of some of my new necklaces!






And how about a quick seasonal extract?


On the wind in February
Snowflakes float still,
Half inclined to turn to rain,
Nipping, dripping, chill.

'A Year's Windfalls' by Christina Georgina Rossetti


Sunday 22 January 2017

Frosty mornings

How is your new year going? I hope you have lots of lovely plans for 2017!

I've been hard at work making some super new designs and I will be posting them shortly. They're mostly earrings and necklaces so far, super creations in glass, semi-precious beads, and pretty colours for spring and summer.

My Twitter posts are now up to 250! 

Its been cold and foggy here, and with thick frost in the mornings. Talking of Frost (see what I did there?) how about a little poem?

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of the easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.



Thursday 5 January 2017

Happy New Year! I predict this will be wonderful year for everyone reading this post...

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas/holiday?


The shop is back up again. I've had a little break from making – well, what with the whole Christmas thing, and other RL paraphernalia, its been difficult finding the opportunity! However, I shall start making again this weekend, and I can't wait. I've got so many ideas to try, lots of new lines coming up, and I need to get on with my upcoming Spring and Summer jewellery, too.

Before we finally say goodbye to 2016 though, I would like to share a couple of Chrimble pictures.

The first is my Christmas cat, looking somewhat miffed by it all...





And you might be in interested in a local tradition. Residents of the town knit Christmas or winter scenes to decorate post boxes. Its fun and quirky! As an example, how about this one:



Happy 2017 everyone!