Making cards, or trying to make more from what I've already got!

Alongside my jewellery business, I started making wire 'drawings' last summer. These have developed into a full blown passion, and I've made far more than I've sold (oops!). Here are some recent ones...

This last one is a commission which was really nice to do.

I've also turned them into 'bouquets' in vintage glass bottles.

All this is great fun, and if it could be a hobby then that would be fine, but I want to make too many of them. To actually cost them with any kind of accuracy means that I'm essentially paying myself the minimum wage! So recently I made a set of cards, and realised that they are selling well in my etsy shop and my real bricks and mortar shop in Bristol. 

So over the last few days I've made another set. I start with rough pencil sketches of ideas, which I then make in wire. 

Once I've decided on the objects, I make the colour, which is freehand machine embroidery on to soluble fabric. This is how they look when I've washed away the fabric. 

Then I stick the 'colour' to the wire, and cut away the excess. Having tried all manner of glues, I've come down to good old fashioned Uhu! It sticks fairly quickly, but not too fast, doesn't stick your fingers to everything in sight, and dries completely clear.

Once they are ready I position them and photograph them. This takes ages - so tricky to get the light right! Now that they are photographed I'm going to mount them and I'm hoping they will become two or even three framed pictures, so at least I'm making a few more pence out of them, once they've sold!

So there you go - all sent off, and now waiting for Monday when they arrive and I'll photograph them again and get them in the shop. Watch this space!