FHFTeam Design Process

Another great new feature, giving an insight into the design processes of our team members, written by Helen Chalmers of Helen Jewellery. Take it away, Helen...

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You may have wondered before how some of the FHFTeam members come up with ideas for the lovely pieces they produce. This little feature will highlight the work of some of the team over the next few months, explaining the inspiration and thoughts behind the work they produce.

My work is mainly inspired by the urban environment around me, especially quiet places within the city that not many people know about. I find glass an ideal medium to express this in, due to its fragility, and possibilities for organic appearance.

I usually start with taking photographs, spending an hour with my camera in a special place can lead to a whole line of inspiration.

Sometimes I can just pick out colours and patterns and hop straight on the torch and see what happens, but usually I like to take some time to draw so I can consider shape, colours, texture, and have a reference in front of me at the torch. These drawings were done from photographs and sketches I took on a trip to Greyfriars in Edinburgh.

The final part process is heading to the torch, and using glass as a tool to express the visuals and atmosphere. Sometimes I go on and make jewellery with it, sometimes I am thrilled to see other people create wearable products with my work.


Here are some pieces that have resulted from this design process.

Thanks for reading this, I hope you enjoyed it! Another (probably very different!) way of designing for a FHFteam member will be published next month! :)

Pick of the Month in November

Winter Fairytale Handmade Lampwork Pendant from Princess Peggy

Tide Pools Lampwork Glass Bracelet from puffafish

River Cuff - Original Blue from nemeton

Teal Time - Handmade Lampwork Bead Set from GaysieMay

Seafoam from Gallowaybeads

Beautiful teal and aqua from FHFteam

Treasury round up 12/11

You can find beautiful beads, glass and more made by the talented members of FHFteam HERE

Etsy Tips - List Often, by Jane Hamill

An occasional feature from Jane Hamill, who shares her experiences with selling on Etsy, and how she uses it to its best advantage.






Keeping your visibility on Etsy is important. You want your items to appear regularly on the recent items lists and in your favourites' and circles' activity pages. Obviously you can't make enough of your craft to be able to be constantly listing new things but you should have an aim.

That aim is to list one item per day.

I know what you're going to say; there's no way you can make enough of your high-quality handmade items to be able to list one a day without burning yourself out! Yes, I agree - the only way I was able to do this right from the beginning was because I had a huge backlog of stock that I was moving from my own webshop across to Etsy. I moved one per day whilst I still continued to make beads and jewellery, creating a further queue of items.

I'm also lucky that my chosen art, lampworked glass beads, enables me to create at least one high-quality saleable focal or set per torch session. In fact there are usually more than that and when my health allows, I have one torching session, three days per week.

If you're creating bigger items that take a great deal more time to make, the one-per-day rule is tricky to stick to, if not impossible.

The best advice I can give is to at least *aim* for one-per-day. Sometimes you might find yourself with a few items to list, so don't be tempted to do so all at once, eke them out over the next few days, one a day.

Etsy recently introduced the "Draft listings" option, where you can type up your description, upload pictures, set your tags (try to use all the slots for pictures and all of your 14 allocated tags where you can!) and then save it as a draft to activate at a later date. This means you can set aside some time at the computer to get all the listing done and once and all you have to do for the next few days is to activate each one.

And of course, whilst you're working through this queue you will also be making new things to add to the end of it... and so on...

Remember also, renewed items count as a newly-listed item. Obviously we're hoping that you will sell your work before its listing expires but if it doesn't you can at least use it to your advantage :) Don't renew your items all at once; again, eke them out.

Once you have built up some momentum with this you'll find it easier over time to approach, if not reach, listing one item per day - good luck! :)

Treasury round up 06/11

You can find beautiful beads, glass and more made by the talented members of FHFteam HERE

Earrings Giveaway Winner!

All the names of our readers who commented throughout the month have been collected, and a random name has been drawn....

So...

the winner of Lynn's lovely lampwork earrings is Shaiha! Congratulations Shaiha: Lynn will be contacting you to get your details


Here's a picture of the prize:

As a side note, I want to thank everyone who commented, and continues to comment on the blog; every comment is truly appreciated.

Member Interrogations - Helen Wyatt

This time, lampworker Helen Wyatt shares her thoughts on glass, life, and The Flumps. Read on...


1 - Your name: Helen Wyatt

2 - Your shop name and address: Alchemy Lampwork - www.etsy.com/shop/alchemylampworkUK

3 - Describe your artistic style in three words: A right mismash!

4 - When did you first start glass work, and how did you get started?

I took a one day introductory course with Beverley Hicklin in September 2008 and was immediately entranced and knew I just had to start learning to make beads myself. Since then, there's been no looking back!

5 - What do you love most about your craft?

The fact that it's difficult. I get bored easily, and tend to lose interest in anything once I feel I've "mastered" it. As it's unlikely I'll "master" lampwork anytime soon, it's the perfect craft for me!

6 - If you could take a class with any artist (in your field or otherwise) who would you choose and why?

I would love to take a class with Melanie Moertel as I love her incredible combination of bright colours and stringer work.

7 - Do you have a favourite piece of your work that you can share with us?

My work is ever changing and so is my favourite, but at the present time I'm quite fond of these beads

http://www.flickr.com/photos/helbels/6049847309/

8 - Where do you find your inspiration?

I often don't! I am one of those people who can quite regularly just sit looking at my glass stash thinking "what the hell am I going to make with that then?"! But if I sit there long enough, something normally comes to mind. If I'm really stuck, I'll just pick a few colours at random and set myself the challenge of making something with them!

9 - What’s your favourite technique within your medium?

Stringer work - I find it really therapeutic to work with super fine pieces of glass and attempt to make them behave in the flame. Of course, that's until it all goes horribly wrong, when I'm usually to be found swearing loudly and if asked, I'd deny it was therapeutic at all!

10 - Where do you create your work?

On a 3ft x 2ft converted computer table at the end of my bed, in my bedroom! I live in a small flat, so there's no other choice. I'd like to think I can show beginners that it really is possible to create anywhere, if you have the will to do it!

11 - Do you have a favourite colour scheme or range when you’re creating pieces?

I love purple and pinks, so tend to be drawn to them. However, I try to push myself out of my comfort zone by working with greens occasionally, as they really aren't my thing!

12 - Can you give us a quotation/lyric/piece of advice that sums up your approach to life and your craft?

Probably the lyric "This is the closest thing to crazy I have ever been" by Katie Melua! My relationship with glass normally teeters somewhere in the region of a love/hate affair, depending on how its going on the day in question - and it frequently makes me want to go "ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHGHHHHH!"


13 - The most serious question of all: if you could meet any fictional character, from TV film or literature, who would it be and why?

Pootle Flump from The Flumps. Any person that could make an arran knitted beanie hat look that cool has got to be worth meeting.

14 - Finally, what are your plans or hopes for your work in the future?

I just want to keep improving! Recently I've been feeling a bit stuck in a rut, and I'm hoping I'll break through it soon!


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Thank to Helen for such a fun read - and don't forget to watch out for the next member interrogation!

Hazel