Spring Has Sprung!

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Fred - a store

Despite the cold temperatures outside today, the calendar HAS rolled over to the season of Spring!

While we wait for the temperatures to catch up to the new season – and bring some flowers along with them – we can look forward to a few significant days coming up soon, and make our plans now!

Easter: Sunday, April 5
Mother’s Day: Sunday, May 10
Victoria Day: Monday, May 18

If you’d like to place a custom jewellery order, please think about doing so early to avoid disappointment! Send me a message at sandra@fredastore.com to let me know what you might like, and once your order is prepared I can email you an invoice that is payable by debit or credit card and I can ship your item!

Alternately, have a look at my new Fredastore shop on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Fredastore/app_410312912374011 to see if any of the items listed under the “SHOP NOW” tab near the top of the page are to your liking!

In the meantime, here are a few “Spring” pieces to get the ideas flowing!

Bring it on Back!

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Fred - a store

Last week I was feeling a little depressed with my never-ending hunt for a ‘day job’ as an admin assistant. I was finding it difficult to concentrate on making some new jewellery to complete an actual order I had from my pharmacist. But after stepping outside of my usual day-to-day activities and changing things up a bit, I was finally able to sit down at my desk and apply myself…

I had a mobile jewellery sale scheduled for last Friday back at my former workplace, and I had been asked for something bright red with gold accents – either a necklace or a bracelet – that my pharmacist could wear with her new red pants.

After procrastinating for a few days, making other jewellery, and staring into my red bead stash, I finally came up with a few pieces for her to choose from:

glass, crystal and acrylic necklace and earrings with brass and 18K gold plated earwires

crystal, brass and red coral necklace with 18K gold plate

red lampworked glass heart pendant with brass accent bead and 18K gold plated chain

I recently embraced new technology and finally got a new cell phone, then ordered ‘The Square’, since I am doing a few mobile sales this fall. It arrived in the mail the day before my sale, so I was able to set it up and figure out how to process credit card sales using my cell phone now, in addition to accepting cash sales. It was a little fiddly to figure out at first, but eventually I was able to get it to work as advertised. A great little gizmo to expand horizons for small businesses like me!

Things went well on Friday (after slow sales on the last few outings), and it was great to catch up with some of my former co-workers again!

As for the red jewellery creations for my pharmacist, can you guess which piece she picked?

Fred – a store – handmade gifts & costume jewellery design

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Go Ahead – Make My Stuff!

Posted on September 27, 2014 by Fred - a store

“Imitation is the sincerest [form] of flattery”. – Charles Caleb Colton

Imitation may be flattering, but stealing is not!

I am often inspired by the beautiful work of other people, but one should NEVER steal someone else’s ideas and recreate them exactly – one must always take inspiring ideas and use them as a jumping off point. Change them enough to make them your own.

If you have ever sold things at a craft sale, you would probably be very wealthy if you had a dime for every person who visited your booth and admired your work before walking away and telling their friends, “What a great idea – I think I’ll go home and make one!”

I have always found that the more things you make, the more new and ORIGINAL ideas come your way…for instance:

This necklace features hand-crafted floral cluster made with white beans, pumpkin seeds and crystals and is strung on multi-strands of crystal, glass and candy jade with 18K gold plated embellishments. I have admired various necklaces I have seen with floral focal points, but never have I seen another made with seeds and beans!

I created a line of jewellery 20 years ago which I named Seeduction, and I am pleased to say I have never seen anyone else work with these natural materials in quite the same way. Will that change now that my work has gone online? Only time will tell…

Fred – a store – handmade gifts & costume jewellery design

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fredastore
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fredastore
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/fredastore/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Fredastore

Fred – a store..

Handmade Gifts & Costume Jewellery Design

Tag Archives: creativity

Spring Has Sprung!

Bring it on Back!

Go Ahead – Make My Stuff!