It’s been too long since my last post.

I can’t believe how time flies. It’s almost the middle of October and this year is flying by. It’s been far too long since my last post, you must all be thinking I’ve dissapeared into the black hole? Well luckily I haven’t, I’m still here and busy beavering away ready for the Christmas season.

This year we’ve been busy and now have a brand new website designed by It’seeze and a fantastic new logo from Whiteacres Design. We’ve met so many new customers at shows and events and are looking forward to meeting more during the run up to Christmas. We also attended our very first bead fair in Northumberland last month and I’m sure we’ll be attending others in the future.

Between now and Christmas we’re running a number of different offers on our website. Each weekend will be different and it’ll be a great way to top up your bead supplies. To keep updated on the offers, please add your contact details to our mailing list on our website.

We’ll also be launching a new discount scheme for our website customers in the next few weeks. Again, to keep updated on it’s launch, please keep checking our website or add your details to our mailing list.

Well, I know it’s short and sweet but I’ve got to finish getting ready for tomorrows craft fair. We’re just taking the jewellery and Graham’s woodwork, so not quite as much as usual to sort.

All for now.

Jennifer

10th Birthday Celebrations

10 strings of Hematite beads at the reduced price of £15. Just one of the fantastic bargins to be had during our birthday celebrations.

I’ve been a busy little bee.

Well it;s a long time since I wrote on my blog.  We’ve been busy with craft fairs, some of which have been extremely busy. 

Lately, I’ve been a busy little bee as July is a special month for us.  To find out more, keep reading our blogs and Facebook page for more details.

Happy beading.

Jennifer

http://www.jensgems-northumberland.co.uk

New Events

As I sit and write, it looks like were due more rain, timed perfectly for the school run in just over an hour.  With more heavy rain and high winds forcast, I dare say it won’t be just a shower we’ll be getting.

Today I’ve updated the website with some additional events for 2014.  We’ll be at all these events with a selection of handmade jewellery, loose beads and findings plus Graham’s artwork and woodwork, with the exception of Meet the Maker on 25th February.  As this is predominantly a networking event, I will have some jewellery and woodwork with me.  If there’s anything specific you’d like to take to any of these events let us know.  We’d hate for you to travel to see us and for us to not have what you want or need.

We’ve recently had some new gemstone beads delivered and they will be entered onto the website as soon as possible.  We’re also looking at other products as requested in our recent survey, so please keep checking our website for new arrivals.

The Wood Spirit’s workshop is almost up and running.  At some point today, the last piece of the workshop is being delivered which will make it a more comfortable place for Graham to work in.  And no it’s not a comfy seat but a dust extractor.  Graham is itching to get started and has lots of ideas for the furture.

Well, all for now.  Have a lovely weekend.

Jennifer

Coastal Competition

As it’s such a wet and miserable weekend, I thought we’d have a little competition.

In my webshop, there are 8 photo’s of coastal scenes in South East Northumberland taken when we had some fantastic weather last summer.  The first 3 people to email me with their location will win a voucher for £5 to spend in the webshop.  So, pull up a chair and get yourself a drink, have a flick through the pages, make a note of the photo’s location, for example graphite bugles and email your answers to jenniferwealleans@yahoo.co.uk.

Good luck everyone and have fun searching.

Jennifer

New Look Website

Well we’re not too far into the new year and so much is happening this year at Jens Gems Northumberland.  This year we celebrate our 10th birthday!  Time seems to have just flown by.  We’ve loved getting out and about at craft fairs and events throughout Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and Durham and have loved meeting new customers, some of which we’ve gotten to know well.  We’ve also made many a good friend within the “fellow crafters” curcuit, many of whom we’ve travelled on a rollercoaster ride of sucessful and dreadfull fairs.  However, onwards and upwards, with some very exciting news to tell!

Today we launched our new look website, http://www.jensgems-northumberland.co.uk.  It has additional products such as gift vouchers plus easier access to all your favourite products via the contents listed down the left hand side of the page.  We also value our customers feedback and have asked people to complete a little questionaire to let us know what they think about the new site.  If you’d like to take part you can do so by clicking on the following link https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9M5ZKZT.  All completed surveys will automatically be entered into a draw to win one of three £10 vouchers to spend on our website.  The draw will take place on 1st February 2014.

For those that aren’t following us on Facebooke or Twitter, we’ve set up a seperate Facebook page for Graham’s Wood Spirit’s for those who just want to hear about his woodwork.  Graham has also had a special workshop built to create his work and it’s not far off completion.  As the craft fair season draws near, I think Graham is secretly eager to get started in making some fantastic ornaments and jewellery for you all to enjoy.  The Wood Spirit’s Facebook page can be found at the following link – https://www.facebook.com/woodspiritsbygrahambird?ref=hl .

Well, all for now.  Will keep you updated on further news as the bookings for the craft fairs are slowing starting to confirm.

Best wishes

Jennifer

 

Goodbye June, Hello July

Another week and month has gone by and we are now half way through 2013.  Before we know it Christmas will be here!

We were really dissapointed not to be taking part in Alnmouth Arts Festival this weekend.  Due to the large number of requests for artists to exhibit this year, the organisers had to make a hard decission on who to choose.  However, there is always next year, fingers crossed we get picked next year.

Our next trip out will be for Glendale Festival on 21st July.  Again, we’ll be in The Cheviot Centre in Padgepool Place, top end of the main street.  As of yet we don’t know our stall location but we’ve requested downstairs on the right handside where we’ve been in the past.

As I type, Graham is busy beavering away in the garage and on the drive creating his wood spirits creations.  We saw some excellent sales at the fairs we attended in May and whilst the weather is nice, Graham is shaping and sanding wood ready for the pyrography.  Graham is also working on some new designs, so watch this space for some well know scenes of Northumberland in his Wood Spirits collection.

I’ve been beavering away with my jump rings, studs and spikes to make some interesting chainmaille pieces.  Inspiration hasn’t been as forthcoming with the studs, but I’ve have made a few pieces using the spikes.  Photo’s will be posted on Facebook once I’ve finished.

During July we’ll have a couple of website offers.  All seed beads (excluding Delica’s) will be reduced to 75p per 25g bag and for all purchases of £10 or more on loose beads and findings, we’ll include a FREE pack of findings worth £5!  These are fantastic offers for the run up to the summer holidays where you may need a few extra supplies to help keep the young crafters in your family occupied.

Well all for now.  Time to finish watching this very eventful British Grand Prix!

Jennifer

Is that the sun I see?

Well, after a few days of misserable weather and being poorly, I’m eventually sitting down to write this weeks blog.  Appologies for the delay.

As I write, it’s 4.35pm on Sunday afternoon and I think I see the sun shining!  Let’s hope it’s here to stay for a while.

I completed my St Petersburg larriat this week.  Really enjoyed making it.  Will post a photo next week.

We were at Ellington First School summer fair yesterday and although it was raining most the day, we were indoors and it was great to be part of a lovely day.  There was a pirate theme with the children dressing in their pirate costumes and having to walk the plank on the orders of Captain Hook.  We sold a mixture of items during the course of the event with Graham selling 2 pieces of woodwork.  I’ll be busy this week making more stock to help fill the gaps from yesterday, but I love being busy and I love making jewellery.

It was the first bead fair (that I am aware of) in Newcastle today at The Holiday Inn at Seaton Burn.  Went along with my sister and we bought loads of lovely beads.   Didn’t get what I went for, but came back with lots of sparkly goodies!

Busy weekend next weekend.  I think during the bank holiday weekend will be craft fair, tea and then sleep all weekend.  Saturdays fair in aid of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation is still to be confirmed but I will post details next week.  In the meantime, more details of where we’ll be over the summer can be found on our website.  http://www.jensgems-northumberland.co.uk/future%20events.html

Good bye for now.  Have a lovely week and see you soon.

Jennifer

The summer is here.

Well it’s been another busy week.  We had a lovely day at the May Day Festival at The Ballarat Studios in North Shields.  We met some new customers and fellow crafters and to top it off, the weather was fantastic.  Summer is here!  They are also having a ladies pamper night on 1st June from 4pm.  I’ll be there with my jewellery and I’m looking forward to it.

This week I’ve been continuing work on a St Petersburg lariat which will be in green and gold.  Each section is 120cm in length and with using size 11 seed beads, it can be a little fiddly.  I’m really enjoying making it and I’m finding it a fairly easy weave to do.  I’ll post a picture once it’s finished.

We’ve no craft fairs this weekend but have been making enquiries into booking a few more for the summer and the run up to Christmas.  For more details log into my blog next week or visit our website http://www.jensgems-northumberland.co.uk .

Well that’s all for this week.

Speak soon.

Jennifer

 

May Day Weekend

What a busy week this past week has been.  And to top it all off, the sun is shining!

Jens Gems will be exhibiting at The Ballarat Studios on bank holiday Monday as part of the May Day Festival.  We’re really looking forward to seeing this new studio which was formerly a hotel and pub before being converted.  Graham has been busy beavering away in the garage making more of his “Wood Spirits” jewellery which we’ll be taking with us too.  It will be great to see you on Monday, pop along if you can.  For more information the link to the events details is as follows http://www.facebook.com/events/109256842596819/

This month also see’s the return of our seed bead and bugle offer.  Buy any 4 packs of seed beads or bugles and receive a 5th pack FREE.  It’s a good way to top up on your bead stash!  Please visit our website to see the choice of colours and styles.  http://www.jensgems-northumberland.co.uk/seed%20beads.html

We’ve a few more craft fairs later this month but will let you know details in the coming weeks.  In the meantime, it’s back to packing Ebay and website orders and enjoying the bank holiday weekend.

See you soon

Jennifer