SLC Designs Journal
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25th December 2007
Wishing you a very happy Christmas and New Year, I am taking a short break over the Christmas period from today and I will mail out orders which come in over this period on my return on the 3rd January 2008.
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9th December 2007
Today there has been an expansion to the site...new sections include Children's Jewellery, 'Applause' with comments I've received from customers, Gift Vouchers, and various sections which are works in progress including Watches. I have reprised the old 'Pet Jewels' section from a few years ago which I will restock as soon as I can, as well as a new 'Collections' area which will involve Cat-Theme Jewellery, Horse-Theme Jewellery, and a Luxury Jewellery area - so....some work to do with these new categories! These new sections will come into reality as and when I have made enough pieces....so please check back on these.
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7th December 2007
A List of Things I Love...
The Smell of Rain on Grass, First Spring Flowers, When a Plane Door Opens and the Heat Hits You, Opening a New Jar of Coffee, Singing in My Car (it doesn't mind), Singing to my Horse (he doesn't object), Gentleness, Merlin My Horse, Cleo My Cat, Roses, Dancing, Pretty Clothes, Working for Myself, Spring, Being Quiet, Picnics, My Friends, Cutting Open A Lemon, Telling Someone 'I Made It' When They Admire Jewellery I Am Wearing, Being Curled Up In Bed When There Is A Storm Outside, Bonfires, History Books, Homemade Marmalade, Forgiveness, Watching People, Taking Baths, Listening to My Cat Purr, Going Shopping with My Mum, Reading, Imagining, The Way Merlin Calls To Me When I Arrive At The Stables, Kittens, Travelling, Coming Home, Being In Love, Vanilla Ice Cream, Matching Underwear, Poetry, Having My Hair Washed, Fitting Into Smaller Jeans, Acting on Impulse, Walking In The Rain, Staying Up All Night, Bluebells, Black, The Peak District, Thinking, England, Trees, Belonging, Aquamarines, Daydreaming, Music, Freesias, Creating, Grooming my Horse, Driving, Breakfast At Tiffanys, Kindness, Warmth, Laughter, Thermal Underwear on a Winters Day, Homemade Soup, Being Taken For Lunch, Dry White Wine, Talking For Hours About Nothing In Particular, New Boots, Being Able To Make My Own Choices, Surprises, Giving Away A Smile When Someone Needs It, Black and White Horses and Black and White Cats, People Who Like To Share, Giving, Magic, Lavender, Homemade Fruit Salad, Laughing At A Good Joke, My Godchildren, Lattes, Red, Autumn, Long Sandy Beaches, Chandeliers, White, Good Company, Being Older And Wiser, Wandering, Sleeping, Toast, Starting A New Book.
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6th December 2007
Today I put new Vintage items, Necklace, Earrings and Bracelets onto the site - the complimentary necklace offer for purchases over £50 has been popular.
I've got some new sections lined up which should come online soon - even if for a while they are going to be empty spaces whilst I work on stock - I've started work on one the children's jewellery section - well, ok, when I say children I think the jewellery is going to appeal to girls rather than the other variety of children, and its been great fun making some cute pieces.
Something that I have become aware of recently is some interesting legislation which has come out of California - with the potential of sales all over the world via website, this relates to the sale of jewellery, specifically children's jewellery, and providing customers from California with a warning that some components may contain lead.
I use lots of Swarovski crystal which is of course a lead crystal. California has some stringent laws I am sure for good reasons, and yes, a component of Swarovski is lead (being a component of lead crystal); I understand though this legislation is aimed at jewellery that is made for children of six and under, because children of such ages tend to suck their jewellery. I need to make any potential customers in California aware that my jewellery, where it contains Swarovski crystal, will also contain lead (crystal); I understand that the legislation was aimed specifically at low-end jewellery - perhaps the type sold from vending machines etc which is more likely to contain significant elements of lead than higher end jewellery, though it must be pointed out that as mentioned above, Swarovski is included in this too. The jewellery on this site does aim somewhat higher than vending machine jewellery. I also mention this in the glossary section under 'Swarovski' so hopefully this will suffice and cover me with any California resident purchases!! (No, I have not moved, I am still in Cheshire in the UK, but this is the 'World Wide Web' after all!)
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"The artist is a receptacle for emtions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider's web": Pablo Picasso
28th November 2007
Lots been happening since my last entry --- its incredible how time flies and suddenly its that time of year again where we all go into warp drive panic; I keep thinking 'bah, humbug' that I am going to be able to ignore Christmas this year (you should understand I am usually the worlds most conscientious gift-purchaser-giver in the world) but I was completely sucked into the whole thing when I went shopping today, only to find that the world, his wife and their dog were out fighting over tinsel already - maybe I will just pull the bed covers over my head for the next month or so...
My last entry mentioned I was hoping to be allowed to have a new drug for my Rheumatoid Arthritis - I have been told I might be able to have it in the first few months of next year - I need to stabilise on another drug first and then if that is OK I go to the new drug - I know of people who have had wonderful results with this so I am thinking positively.
I have been working on commissions, new items for the site, and doing background work on and for the site once again - I am planning various new sections but I am keeping quiet about exactly what right now because I don't want to be pinned down on timescales as I am still working on stock - these are likely to be on the site after Christmas/New Year.
I've decided to offer a complimentary necklace to anyone who spends £50 and over (excluding post and packing) on any items on the site from orders placed from today's date (28th November 2007) until midnight on December the 31st 2007- this includes the vintage section; shown below are photos of the necklaces I am offering (I will choose one and mail it out with your purchase) - the necklaces are a combination of Venetian glass, Karen silver, Swarovski crystal, silk cord and sterling silver - and it may just save you having to purchase another gift - or - radical idea - wear it yourself! I will be sending out an e-mail to everyone on the mailing list in the next couple of days with this offer, though it applies to everyone who qualifies, not only people on the mailing list.
Below you will find photos of a recent commission - a customer asked me to design a necklace to match a pair of earrings she had purchased so I made her a choice of four, all shown piled up on each other here just for total overload effect. I am currently sourcing fresh stock for the vintage section and that will be restocked as soon as possible.
I've been battling a bug that left me feeling as if I had lost the will to live - it was so bad I did not even pick up a bead, a pair of pliers or a hammer, and worse still, I completely and utterly could have done without having to do stable chores - everyone is so nice down at the yard and and they would willingly have helped out, but I could not do without my daily dose of horse-ness even with a bug so I was down there more out of it than present - I'd have missed all the joys like wading through the mud up to my knees to catch him, or coming in from the field with just his eyes and hooves showing (because everything else is covered in mud); or swimming through the fog looking for a dark horse on a dark night in a dark rug (in the mud) - what more could one possibly ask for - its bliss!!! (Er - that is not really true, I am NOT totally barking you know....) (and anyway, the bug seems to have gone now).
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"One must accept that one has uncreative moments. The more honestly one can accept that, the quicker these moments will pass": Etty Hillesum
19th November 2007
Today loaded new items including Sets, Necklaces, Vintage, Earrings and Bracelets up onto the site.
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5th November 2007
Today added fresh jewellery including Sets, Necklaces, Earrings and Bracelets to the site.
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18th October 2007
Its been amazing seeing the change of season and weather - I was particularly in love with a huge tree that fascinates me at the stableyard around this time of year - the leaves change from green to gold and then to deepest red down to russet, then they drop off....and every year I promise myself I will take photographs to mark this miracle, and once again, I have not. All Merlin seems to be interested in is eating the leaves - you would be amazed at the stuff horses eat - mine enjoys fruit smoothies, pears, oranges, mangoes, raspberries, cranberries, strawberries and liquorice alongside the usual carrots and apples - I did find out once that he does not enjoy cheese after he spat out a sandwich he had stolen from me, and he really is not too keen on bananas. I would like to say before I get a deluge of people writing to me, I don't feed him the stuff above all the time - though right now he is quite partial to the blackberries at perfect ripeness from the hedgerows we pass every day as I take him to the field... My hands are stained red and black from helping him out with picking them...
Its been quiet on here for the same reason its been quiet for a while - I am still having a tough time with my Rheumatoid Arthritis - I started with a flare-up in May/June and its been tough since....at long last I do believe I MAY be on the home straight, and in the next week I am due to see my consultant with a view to being prescribed a new and wonderful drug.
I have been asked to work on a number of commissions, and I thank the people who have been so patient with my snail-like progress on these - I finished some today, and I will be in touch shortly - there is also some new work to go on the site soon, as I was taking photos today. In the meantime, stay warm.
"I think that the very moment you develop a sense of caring, others appear more positive. This is because of your own attitude. On the other hand, if you reject others, they will appear to you in a negative way. Another thing that is quite clear to me is that the moment you think only of yourself, the focus of your whole mind narrows, and because of this narrow focus uncomfortable things can appear huge and bring you fear and discomfort and a sense of feeling overwhelmed by misery. The moment you think of others with a sense of caring, however, your mind widens. Within that wider angle, your own problems appear to be of no significance, and this makes a big difference." - Dalai Lama
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15th September 2007
I have been busy in the background, doing things with and for the website and designing some new jewellery, both on comission and for the site which should be updated within the next few days.
I've been having a fight with my Rheumatoid Arthritis in the past weeks, and am hopeful that I will be prescribed new medication soon which may improve things. Of course my RA has an effect on my work output, though I do try and appreciate the good things in life rather than concentrating on the difficult ones.
Last year I visited the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, and what that brought home to me was that as much as I felt my illness, compared to some of the people who were up there for treatment, my own troubles are insignificant; of course, it doesn't always feel like that and there are days when I lie in bed in the morning and think 'I just can't today'; but then I remember Merlin who will be waiting for me in his stable to let him out in the field, I drive to the yard, let him out, watch him for a while with all his horse friends, and life feels better immediately....then I might start mucking out, and after an hour or so, this thing going on within my body seems so inconsequential that its possible to almost forget it
Of course, having RA does impose limitations, such as I have not ridden Merlin for over two and a half years, but riding is such a small part of being with a horse....the whole point is the relationship, the love between horse and human, and the moment when he chooses to put his head over my shoulder, relax a little and exhale deeply, feels like complete contentment to me.
Merlin is my first horse, and now my day is not complete until he whinnies as I arrive at the stable-yard gate (each horse only 'shouts' to their own human), treasure the moment when I release him in the field and he chooses to stay with me to give me time that could be spent galloping around like a mad thing with his friends; or when he goes over to the rolling hollow, rolls over on his back and throws his legs round which always makes me laugh because he looks so ridiculous, then snorts with excitement and gallops off to find his friends and his mares....this is when I know all is right with the world.
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6th August 2007
I've been working on some tiara commissions - a couple of which are shown below.
Clare Tiara with silvertone wirework, Swarovski crystal, seed beads.
Zara Tiara with goldtone wirework, Swarovski crystal, glass pearls, freshwater pearls, seed beads.
I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. - Albert Einstein
All Content, Design, Text and Photographs Copyright Stephanie Lewis-Cooper, SLC Designs™, 2002-2008
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