Yesterday I did a craft fair, it was my first one since August and I really wanted it to be successful so I tried to think of ideas to draw people to my stall.
Firstly I wanted to display my earrings in a better way so I bought an earring carousel and a small jewellery tree. I saw a carousel that I really wanted at my last fair, it was a stunning white carousel and I bought it (the link below has the carousel in black, it's also available in copper but I think white has sold out)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REVOLVING-EARRING-JEWELLERY-STAND-ROUND-NEW-3B-BLACK-/310360164824?pt=UK_Jewellery_Watches_JewelleryBoxes_Supplies_CA&hash=item4842e849d8

I also wanted a jewellery tree and I found this one that I loved;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WHITE-JEWELLERY-TREE-DISPLAY-STORAGE-STAND-NEW-MAYTREE-/180750756562?pt=UK_Jewellery_Watches_JewelleryBoxes_Supplies_CA&hash=item2a1595aad2
But when it arrived it was quite small and not very sturdy, so I used it for earrings too.

The next thing I wanted to do was card my earring so they look more presentable. All I did was cut out white cardstock into rectangles, then used a pin to make 2 holes and pushed the earring hooks through the holes. I also wrote 'LoppyLoves' and the price on the cards.
I used these pegs to attach the carded earrings onto the carousel and jewellery tree.
http://www.paperchase.co.uk/invt/00483684/

I wanted to make a patchwork table cover using Cath Kidston style fabric but I didn't have time, I will do this in the next few weeks and post a tutorial on it.

I also wanted to get a cup and saucer with pink roses on to put my paper flower hair grips in but I didn't find one in time (and it wouldn't match the table cover I currently have, which is black). So instead I used my mom's cup of destiny, it looked great with the black fabric.
http://www.holisticshop.co.uk/products/cup-of-destiny

I spent the most time carding my hair grips because they were the cheapest item on my stall (£1 a pair) and most likely to sell (they were my bestseller yesterday!).
I carded them, wrote 'LoppyLoves' and the price on them, and stuck a pink heart-shaped rhinestone between the grips. I would post a picture but my nan has stolen all of my stock for a jewellery party she's having.



And because of all of the extra effort I put in, yesterday was the most successful craft fair I've ever done!

Loppy x
I thought it was about time to get a logo professionally designed, so here it is; the new LoppyLoves logo! :)

Loppy x
I have just found out that LoppyLoves has made it on to the top 50 blogs list on The Jewellery Boutique!
The list can be found at: http://www.thejewelleryboutique.com/blog/latest_news/50_of_the_best_jewellery,_fashion_and_craft_blogs.php



I've been looking through some of the jewellery for sale on the site and here are a few of my favourite items;
  • Silver Garland Ring
  • Wren & Blossom Pendant
  • Mismatch Earrings
  • Silver Sprig Studs
  • Ivory Pearl Bracelet
All the items are handmade by some of the best UK designers and I highly doubt you'll find designs like these anywhere else.

Christmas is coming up, anyone fancy buying me one of the items above? ;)

Loppy x
Today I went to Hobbycrafts & Art Materials Live at the Birmingham NEC. In all honesty I was expecting it to be ridiculously expensive and I was only expecting to come home with a few ideas. I was very wrong.
I bought quite a lot of stuff, and I have a few more online bead shops I can buy from. And everything was SO cheap! See the two massive bead strings below? £1 each.


Everything I bought
 These focals caught my eye. They're so bright and colourful and I love the rhinestone detail. I only noticed on the bus home that the rhinestone colours are different on each focal; on the first one they're all white, on the second one 2 are red and the other is white. I don't know how I'll use these yet, I did buy some matching blue rose beads that I'll try to use with them.
I found it quite hard to pay £1 each for these as I'm used to buying beads and pendants in wholesale, but I do think they are worth it :)

Unusual focals
  The only thing I really wanted to buy today was craft wire to make a tree of life pendant. I've yet to find a shop in Birmingham that sells craft wire. You wouldn't believe how hard it was to find at the NEC. Even the wire craft stall didn't sell any -_-
Eventually I found some and as soon as I got home I made my very first tree of life pendant! I'm very proud of it.

Tree of life pendant I made using some bead chips and craft wire

 Here is a list of my favourite stalls and their websites;
Spellbound Bead Co was my favourite bead stall, below is the selection of beads that I bought from them (the cheapest ones were 2p each!)

Some beads I bought from the Spellbound Bead Co
 My other favourite stall was TuffnellGlass and my mom has bought my Christmas present from there.
I've always been interested in lampwork but I never thought I'd be able to do it at home. I also thought I'd need to spend hundreds of pounds to buy all the equipment. My preconceptions were absolutely wrong, I can do it in the comfort of my kitchen for less than £100! The man running the stall (can't remember his name!) was lovely. He gave a demonstration when I asked him to and he answered my many questions. He didn't even try to sell me his products, he told me B&Q sell the refill gas canisters and I can use a cheese grater instead of the fancy tools they were selling. The basic kit cost £56.00 and the gas canister cost about £12.50.

Included in the kit;
  • Hot head torch
  • 1 Kilo mixed glass rods
  • Mixed pack of 24 mandrels
  • 2 pots of bead release.
I think it was definately a bargain, although I can't use it until Christmas :(

Altogether, today was a pretty awesome day for only £10 admission ^^

Loppy x
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