Wednesday 4 September 2013

Hello All!

Hello all, sorry I haven't been posting lately. I don't have access to a computer and have been working on the iPad and this blog isn't very good on the mobile version.

Just a quick update, I have been working on a few new ranges, glass and metal. I have so much fun making these new pieces!

I have also been hitting the etsy front page lately! Awesome! This wooden mint green bangle, has been quite popular!


https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/155716931/wooden-bangle-geometric-mint-green?ref=shop_home_active




Do have a look!


Wednesday 17 July 2013

Sunny London Part 2

(For some reason my blog posts are only showing the pictures and not the words! This was the wording for the previous post!)

Here is the view from my window in the middle of London. I am grateful London is a very green city, with lots of parks, commons and heaths to explore when the sun is out.

Currently the UK is under a level three heat wave warning. One more level and it's a state of emergency! My thermostat says 32 degrees Celsius.

I have been designing a new range of earrings and necklaces to go with my glass wear jewellery. I am very excited to start making them.

I also have a few custom orders to make, but the workshop has been so hot that I have to work in fits and bursts. Luckily I have given myself plenty of time to work on these pieces. I should be finished by early next week.

So that's my quick update!

Katie
Xx

Sunny London

Sunday 30 June 2013

Named & Shamed

Etsy.com is a great place to buy, unique, handmade, high quality items. Fortunately there are amazing shops in all categories that are owned and run by hardworking, talented artists and crafters who wants to share their designs with you! 

Unfortunately Etsy.com is now saturated with fake shops selling their items pretending to be handmade. These shops sell poor quality, incredibly cheap, mass produced items.  Some of these items are made by children, in sweat shop environments. 

Would you want to support these kind of shops?  

Etsy.com have suddenly become slack in getting rid of these shops. No matter how many times you report them, they still fill genuine shops space. They are popular because they are cheap! 

Would you rather buy a knitted scarf which is made in poor working factory conditions, which isn't unique and poor quality for $5? Or would you rather buy a knitted scarf that has been lovingly handmade by one person, which is unique and high quality for $50? 

I know the cheaper option is more appealing - but please don't buy the lies that it is handmade by the shop owner. If you're still going to buy these items, beware they are not handmade and to be honest you would find the same thing much cheaper on EBay.com

I'd rather buy truly handmade once for $50 rather than $5 each time my knitted scarf falls apart.

Genuine handmade equals quality! 

I have gathered a list of these shops. To help buyers and sellers to know what shops are fake. There are so many! I haven't even scratched the surface. 

With your help, please send me a message with the shop names you have found that are not handmade, in any category so I can add them to the list! (Remember hand assembled is OK) email: uniquely_you@live.co.uk

A good way to spot a reseller of mass produced items is to look at one of their listings, do they have a portrait of themselves at the bottom of the listing? Do they have an 'about page' on the left hand side of the page? If the answer is NO to both of these questions, then it is highly likely the shop is a reseller of mass produced items. Please do not buy from them. You're better off looking at eBay.com or any other retail site to find the EXACT same thing for much cheaper. Please be aware some resellers do have a portrait and about page, which is fake. If you're unsure of a reseller, send me a message and I will check for you.

Thanks to all the sellers and buyers of etsy who have and are still helping to add to the list.

Jewellery/Accessories

AllAboutMyJewelry (Majority of items are mass produced but some items haven't been proven to be mass produced)
amandadeer
AmazingGarden
AnnaFrancesDesign
AnnyJewelry
applelatte
ArtInspiredGifts

ASHYL
B9studio
balance9
BeasJewels
BeccasBracelets
BellaJewelry4U

BestPersJewelry
BestyLoveBracelet
BeYourselfJewelry
Bijjou
bkandjio

BlingblingsJewelry
Bonabi
BraceletBangleCase
Brinkle
BubbleJewellery
ByFlyDesign

Camipearls
CandyCoutureShop
ChadThink
ChicJW
Chiky
ClassPearl
ConvertableDressShop
CreaMellow
DavidBracelets

DiDaDo
Donnabjewelry
Dreamslovelyhouse

durujewelart
Earringsnation
ECMTrade
EllenJewelry
EmilyJewelry4U
EnjoySweetLife
EnyaPearls
eternalDIY
EvanWorld
fabuloustime
FashionForwardByJen
FashionHand
FireGarden
GemPearls
GemSophia
GlamourC
HandmadeJewelry88
HandmadeTribe

hotjewelryhome
Infinite Jewelrys
InfinityImagine
InfinityWish
InfinityWishes
Iowehb

istanbuljewel
IStyleIShow
itouchsoul
Iwatchshop

JamesGiftStore
janesshopinetsy
JedaBijou
JewelryChain
Jewelrychain

JshineJewellery
KakaJewelry
KookiiBoutique
LaLaSilverJewelry
laonato
lefaire
LETTERSEARRINGS
lightenme
LoLoJewelryBox
Lovelybracelet

Luckyjewellery
MAPSYstore
MCLaughinCreations
* Seem to be identical shops run by the same people*
MCMetalwork*
MeBracelet
MinimalVS

MinimalistDesigns
Mooli
MyDarlingAva

mymonogramgifts
MyShiningGift
Mywatch

NameplateNecklace
Nfishshop
NianiaCollection

nurjeweldesign
NutCaseFashion
Only Pearl
OnlyFashionJewelry
OrangeStorm
paperfacestudio
PastelJewelry
PeppermintLollipops

PersonalizedNecklace
PetiteCo
petitformal
PureStunning
queenspark
RichardWu
SandMWatch
SchimmelsShop
SeoulLittle
sevenstarz
Shamelessly Sparkly
ShopDal
ShowroomJewelry
silverholic

SmileQueenJewelry
STH234
StyleLeader

SwirlStudioDesigns
TheArtCity
TheFabWedding2

thelovelyraindrop
TheMonogramNecklace
TheUrbanChicShop

TopPopJewelry
TrendJeweller
Veryell

VeryyellJewellery
VintageLovers2012
VivaLaJewel
VivianGift
WhimsAndFancy
WhyLove426
Wrist9Art
WuJewelry
Xiangnaier
XiaobaoPlace
ZHBracelet
zizibejewelry
 
Fashion/Bags

AWESOMEBAG
bagsincredible
BunnysGoods
CameraLeatherBelt
CharmAngell
EpicLinen
FashionDesignerBag
handmadeforyou10
Hastkala007
iBagsz
Ionnoi
justleather10
kakaStore
leeloongstudio
LemonWeddingDress
LiangJenyStudio
LUCKYSHOP1900
MilanStudio
MissProm
MUSE2013
NewBag
NiceLeatherGoods
niceleathergoods
OnlineDress
OrganicCloud
PinnacleLeather
popularbag
PromGirlDress
SatchelBagStore
ScarfClub
SoulfulCollection
TinnaDress
tribalcraft11
usaleather
VintageLeatherBazaar
weiweihe
zhanmall
 
Accessories  (iPhone cases etc)
 
1iphonecaseshop
AmazingGarden
CRAFIC
elvashop
lovelycasesforu
MagicValley
MyShiningGift
skycases
SunnyTalk
TheArtCity
XsisterJewelry
zzandzun
 























































Wednesday 26 June 2013

A designers worse nightmare...

I went through a dark patch. An empty abyss. Creativity ran dry. It happens to all of us at some point.

It is times like these that you need a break. Walk away from it. Do something else.

So I did. I left everything alone. I went to find inspiration, in galleries and museums. I just left feeling depressed.

I started experimenting with metallic papers. I got good feedback from my Facebook fans. So I continued. I also experimented wIth different wood stains. But it wasn't making me happy.

A few nights ago, I just could not sleep. I also had weird back pain , but I digress! I couldn't sleep, so I opened up the curtains and watched the night sky. Twinkling stars, flashing lights from (UFOs) airplanes, distant light pollution from the centre of London....

It then dawned on me.

Results to come....

Katie
Xx

Tuesday 11 June 2013

My famous Peacock Bangle


This is my peacock bangle, designed and handmade by me. It is my most popular item from my shop. I'm sending this one to Canada tomorrow! 

You can buy your very own one here: 


Please don't forget, you can vote for my lace bangle for the chance to be manufactured here:


It would be amazing to have your support! 

Thanks,

Katie
Xx

Monday 10 June 2013

Amazing opportunity

Hello all.

I have exciting news! I have an amazing opportunity for one if my designs to be manufactured! But I need your help. Please vote on my design to get more exposure!


Thank you all so much for your support.

Katie
Xx


Wednesday 29 May 2013

Update

Hello all!

It has been a while since my last post and I apologise.

Let me update you in what has been happening in my life and my shop! It's all words & no pictures! Sorry again!

I have been enjoying the heat and British summer (sarcasm is truly lost on the Internet) I had a great day out yesterday with my little brother. I travelled in the rain to meet him outside the O2 Arena for lunch at Wagamamas. It was lovely and I had a Katsu curry. We then went to watch The Great Gatsby.

I enjoyed it! It wasn't what I was expecting. It was well directed, by Baz Lurham?? Never remember his name. He is the same guy who did moulin rouge and Romeo & Juliet.

The Great Gatsby is a tragic love story. Where our main character is obsessively inlove with a women he cannot have and the consequences of that love. My only criticism is that it felt far too long. It is over 2 hours long.

My brother came back home with me to watch me play simcity 5. Lol! I'm having trouble with my main (and first city) I am now for the first time losing money. I desperately need to upgrade my town hall and get the transportation department. To do this I need 294k or so more population. I have run out of room, so built a second city to encourage commuters to go there, so I can make more residential zones. Either way my population has been dropping. I found out why last night. My recycling trucks are not collecting hardly any bins at all. The figures are ridiculous! This means garbage, recycling is piling up, my recycling unit isn't producing enough materials for my great works (solar farm) I have maxed all collection delivery trucks. So I built another recycling plant and have all the max trucks. Now this has helped a tiny weeny bit. I started looking at my traffic flow. The city is moving. I decided to follow a truck. What I watched amazed me. Despite the truck being full. It didn't go back to the recycling plant to unload and go back to collect more. It just drove around and around in circles. Are all my trucks doing this? Once the truck went to drop off the contents, it only dropped off half of it. Why?

How can I make this better? I have two recycling plants, all maxed out with the trucks. I have no traffic problems. But the trucks fail to collect 90% of my rubbish. This is making my population annoyed and angry. This is making my supplies to my great work stop. Is this bad AI? Surely I am not the only one suffering!

I will update again with some progress of my designs today. I am going to be making another alternative peacock bangle!


Katie
Xx

Monday 13 May 2013

New earrings

I love simple, gorgeous and organic jewellery. I made these from using ash wood, then painted using gold and hand mixed colour. Here are just a few examples.

I also made larger birch wood disks and dipped them into a bronze stain. The effect is like bronze leaf. I'm thinking about offering these with more options. Like gold, silver and copper! Gorgeous!


I have also been making a geometric cube sterling silver necklace and a special free pair of ash earrings to be sent to Australia. Plus, a peacock bangle to be sent to USA!

My peacock bangle is the most popular piece in my shop. Luckily I really enjoy making it!

Katie
Xx

Friday 3 May 2013

Well..

Well, Etsy are going to remove the treasury!

Don't worry I have taken a screen shot of it instead!

Oh shame on you Etsy! If you just took down these shops in the first place, people like me, wouldn't have to do this in the first place!

Here's a glass to the genuine artists and crafters on Etsy, who work hard and love to share their creations!

*raises glass*

Katie
Xx

The shame of Etsy.


Hello all,

Unfortunately it has come to this. I have made a treasury showing how Etsy's ethos and agenda is 
being ignored and allowed via these shops. This is just a drop in the ocean. Genuine artists and crafters who use
Etsy as an amazing selling platform have had enough of these so called handmade shops flooding our market.
Please leave the rubbish on EBay, not Etsy! However, Etsy seem to do nothing about it. These shops have all been
reported numerous of times, but they are still here! Why!? Because they make Etsy money. When money talks integrity 
walks, huh? 

Please don't support these mass produced shops, that use cheap labour, mostly children, to make these items.

Please DO support Etsy's genuine handmade shops, which are made with love, care and quality.

Lets bring back the Etsy that's supposed to be a unique, original and personal shopping experience!

Katie
Xx

Thursday 2 May 2013

New laser cut pieces

I have made a silly mistake. I etched the birds on the same side!

Katie
Xx

Friday 26 April 2013

Support Genuine Handmade Shops on Etsy!

Just to show an example, here is the dreaded bubble necklace, which is handmade by lots of different people from around the globe. It's amazing how each person have thought of the exact same design and colours! Wow! What a coincidence!

Of course this is not handmade, by a small business from home. This is of course mass produced and assembled using cheap labour.

Unfortunately, no matter how many times me and other people have reported these kind of shops to Etsy, Etsy seem reluctant to get rid of them. This is because these shops sell incredible cheap and by the thousands. They make Etsy a lot of money.

This is unfair, unjust and against Etsy's rules and ethos. These shops damage genuine handmade shops, just like mine. I cannot compete with the low prices, and I am not the only one. There are plenty of disgruntled handmade shop owners on Etsy who feel cheated by these shops. But nothing seems to be done about it.

Please support genuine handmade shops! Please help to keep Etsy full of artists and crafters who make high quality unique items that you treasure!

Enough is enough!

Katie
Xx

Wednesday 24 April 2013

New range of stud earrings

I'm so excited about these that I had to post a quick update. I have been busy making my new range of earrings. Using wooden circles cut with a laser, I hand decorated the circles using a variety of different shades of glitter, then topped off with a resin dome. Gorgeous. The earrings are highly sparkly and have various depths of texture and colour. I will be taking photos of the pairs I have finished tomorrow, then posting on my shop.

Katie
Xx

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Treasury Lists!

I have been featured in so many treasury lists on Etsy, I thought I show you some of my favourites. 

What is a treasury list? Well. A treasury list is a member made list of items found on Etsy, that people can comment, heart and buy from. Some treasury lists have themes, such as, colour, style, objects, seasons etc. Some treasury lists are so nice to look at that they even get featured on the front page of Etsy.

Treasury lists are a great way to browse on Etsy for unique and unusual products and to discover new amazing shops. They also help promote shops and their items, so it is encouraged to share them on various social media sites and blogs. 

Here are some treasuries that I am featured in, to give you a taste!





And here are treasuries that I made. (It is considered bad taste to include items from your own shops in your created treasuries)




So there we have it! If you're a member on Etsy try making a treasury! They are really fun!

Katie
Xx

Monday 22 April 2013

Galaxy Earrings

Hello all,

I'm currently working on these beauties. Galaxy earrings! I am using real photos of our stunning universe and turning them into jewellery. I am hoping to be finished sometime this week, unfortunately two of them went wrong on the last stage of making them. (How annoying!) So I have to start again.

I was asked how I make these, I can't tell you! Otherwise you won't buy from me and you'll make your own! Either way I don't hide the fact that I am using the decoupage technique.

These earrings, once they are finished, are approx 2x2 inches wood circles, so they are really light weight. They will be varnished in a gloss to make them weather proof too. I will attach sterling silver ear hooks too. They will cost £16. If these go well, I may even make galaxy stud earrings too!

Katie
Xx

Wednesday 17 April 2013

Here are my first four unique bangles


Hey all, just a quick update. Here are my unique wooden bangles. They are the only ones of it's kind in the world. I have only made 4 so far and you could own a one of a kind bangle that nobody else has for only £26. 

All four are now for sale in my shop. Be quick. They won't be around for long!

Katie 
Xx

Monday 15 April 2013

My unique bangles

People have asked me how I create my one of a kind bangles. They all know I search through endless amount of magazines with a pair of scissors...

Then I gather them into colour blocks. I go through all my clippings and organise them into textures and patterns that I think are interesting and appealing. Then I decoupage them onto my wooden bangles.

Sorry about the background, I was doing this on my bed as my work area was taken up with my other jewellery drying!

I'm planning on making two bangles this week, using two of my colour packs. Watch this space people!

What makes these bangles unique? Well, I can never replicate the exact same bangle. I cannot find the exact same colours, textures or objects either. So this makes my decoupage magazine bangles unique. You could have your own unique mini wearable pieces of art! How exciting!

Katie Joy
Xx

Monday 8 April 2013

Hello Monday

Hello Monday!

I am trying to be good by posting at least once a week on my blog. And here I am!

I got a few treasuries to make today, to help spread the word and to promote etsy UK. Now some people don't know what etsy is, especially in the UK and its a shame! Etsy is an online shopping experience, which sells handmade and vintage items for you and your home. Etsy supports small businesses, like me, and we get to spread our love of craft and art to people all over the world.

I would ask that more people use Etsy and to buy from UK shops. You can do this by changing your location on the etsy homepage (sometimes you're located automatically to the USA) or search UK in the search bar. Because etsy is a global market, depending in where your location is set, you will see everything in the local currency.

Please support etsy UK! Currently 80% of my customers are international, I would love it if I had more support from my fellow Brits!

Thursday 4 April 2013

Post from my phone?

Right boys and gals, lets see if this works!

Here is one of my latest unique bangles, which I just posted for sale on my shop!

Let's blow the dust off my blog...

Hello World.

I am trying to make a bigger effort to use my blog. I just simply don't know what to say! I don't think the world is that interested if Im honest.

So, from now on, I am promising to update my blog at least once a week. Even if it is just gibberish! What shall I blog about? I suppose I should blog about me, my life and my jewellery.

I have been experimenting (as always) with new techniques. I have bought 3D Crystal Lacquer and I have used it for the first time today. I won't be able to discover what the results are until tomorrow, when its all dry. It's all very exciting!

I have also asked for any old magazines, which I have been using to make gorgeous decoupage bangles, to sell on my shop. They are unique. It is amazing to know that someone in the world will own one of my designs and it will be the only one of its kind in the whole world!

Now... how do I send my pictures from my phone to my blog.... *google* aha!!!



Thursday 31 January 2013

New Treasury









Been featured in this gorgeous treasury! All items are from the UK. Please support your local businesses :)

Tuesday 8 January 2013

New Year, New Goals

Hello all,

I haven't blogged in a while. I have been so busy the past few months. So here is a sum up!

My sisters wedding was a success. Despite the awful weather. It rained very heavy non stop until late afternoon. 

My Christmas was fun and merry, my news years was merry and relaxed!

This weekend I am taking my gorgeous boyfriend out to dinner for his 30th.

I have been bought an engraver tool for my jewellery, very excited for that to arrive. I am planning on using it on my next range of jewellery designs. So watch this space!


www.uniquelyyoujewellery.co.uk

A few goals for my news years:

make more sales on my etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/UniquelyUJewellery

Save money to hopefully move out.

Loose weight - enough of fad diets, small portions and more excercise!