It's been so long! and Creative Block hasn't helped.

Good Morning!

A lot has happened since I posted last. While I have still been making my jewellery and gifts, over the time I needed to reflect on which direction to take. Also having a creative block for several months hasn't helped but don't worry I am starting to get back on track. :)

Have any of you Creative Lovelies had Creative Block and how did you deal with it?
I have found it quiet hard.

Having decided to cut back on some Craft Fairs this year, mainly because of the recession, I have decided to concentrate selling my products more online and maybe try and find some stockists.

While I have been away from my blogging ......
What have I started to get up too?

Well, the answer to that question is.......

• I now have a brand new website http://www.handmadebyzenia.com/
  Please have a look, I am always updating and tweaking my site with new stock. My website was only several weeks old when I decided to enter it into the MumpreneurUK competition. Too my surprise they came back to me awarding my website a Bronze Award. Which I happily display on my Homepage. This was a Great boost to me as I normally don't win anything.
   
• Starting to get back into updating my Facebook page showing new products and other interesting finds, also need to do more with Twitter. So if you are on Facebook or Twitter
  please let me know and I'll follow back. See my links below.
  
  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HandmadebyZenia?ref=hl
  Twitter https://twitter.com/todayscrisisis
  Pinterest http://pinterest.com/handmadebyzenia/boards/ 

• My sketch book has been quiet, but now I have some focus, lots of ideas are starting to flow again. 
• Last but not least updating my blog. ;)

So while I try and keep focused, I am still trying to take my hobby that one step further to making it into a business one day at a time.

A Huge THANK YOU for your patience and support.

Love Zenia xxx

What a Summer So Far......!

"Well apart from the wet weather, the summer holidays seem to be going swimmingly so far....... however ask me the same question in another 3 weeks." :)

The run up to the holidays have been busy with unexpected things happening, definitely in a good way.

Summer Weddings

In June I had a pair of my glass cufflinks published by "A Kentish Ceremony Magazine" from my WowThankYou shop. Showing them for the Groom Fashion page. I was so excited, never had any of my work published before, it was lovely to see them in print.

Teacher's Gifts

As the end of School term approached, I made and added some Teacher Gifts to my Glass Collection of products. We rented shelf space for a day at on of the local shops, and they went down well with the customers. I love the feedback you get when talking to people.

and finally........... The Opening of my Etsy Shop

Yes! I now have a Etsy Shop just opened the other week. You can go straight there by scrolling up to the top of this page and you will see it listed with my WebShop and WowThankYou Shop. All you have to do, is just click on the shop you want to go too and it will direct you straight to my products, easy as that. I am looking forward to joining a few teams and see how I get on. 

For now I have lots of ideas and getting ready for Christmas Craft Fairs.

I have cut back on quite a few Craft fairs this year.......but I will tell you all about that in another Blog!

Congratulations to the WINNER of my first ever GiveAway!

which was StitchMinx, hope you liked the pendant?

Will do another GiveAway in September so keep your eyes peeled.

Give Away!

FIRST EVER GIVE AWAY! 

YES! 

You have heard me right, this is HANDMADE BY ZENIA first (of many I hope) Give Away.
I have thought about  having a Give Away for a while and at first I was going to run it on Facebook, but they have rules for that which totally left me confused, instead I decided to run it on my Blog.

I'm So Excited!

This is what I am going to Give Away!

A Fused Glass Pendant on a Black Satin Cord.

Here's how to enter..........

All you have to do to enter is to subscribe to my mailing list..........(see top right of page)

Don't worry, I will only be sending out newsletters once a month (if that) only to let you know the latest News, be the first to know of New Stock, Offers, more Give Aways, Events and Sales.

The Give Away ends on the 25th May 2012

 I will do a draw and email the winner.

Good Luck!

Feel free to spread the word............Thank You!


P.S. Don't forget to confirm your email subscription 
other wise I won't have your email address to enter.


THANK YOU and GOOD LUCK!

CRAFTfest Count Down!

CRAFTfest starts on the 10th till 18th March 2012.

YES! A Whole Week!

What is CRAFTfest?........ I hear you say.
Well, it's a Online Craft Fair....... a virtual Craft Fair, where you can browse at your leisure.
You will find many talented Crafter's all in one place and from all around the world.
As Mother's Day is approaching it is definitely worth a look.

You can find me on there too!

http://creative-connections.ning.com/photo/albums/handmade-by-zenia-craftfest-stall

http://creative-connections.ning.com

Hello Again!

I can not believe it's a month into the New Year already.

I know............it's been  a looong time since I last updated my blog. Shame on me.
No excuses but wish only sometimes I had my own pause button, which I could press when needed, so I could catch up with myself and the world.

What have I been up too................................

I was lucky enough after waiting (patiently I might add and I didn't nag to much) several years to convert the garage into a Studio. Which has been Fantastic, it has made a huge difference on the way I work.
Before I had taken over the whole dinning room. When we had family and friends round, meal times was interesting, all done in relays on the kitchen table. That was entertaining!
Having my own space is like having freedom, I can just close the door anytime and leave my creative chaos without it disturbing other people.

I thought I would post some photo's showing you the progress, and the finished Studio.

WHAT"S NEXT..........!

This year I intend to keep on top of my blog, showing you what I have been up too, having Give Away Competitions so don't miss out, but also I would like to show you other crafters.
Their is a fantastic range of talented people out there, that sell their wares, you won't stumble upon in the High Street. However this will take time as I will need to get in touch with these lovely people or if you know anyone that would like to be featured, please let me know!

WHAT'S NEW!
As well as launching my Website last June www.handmadebyzenia.com  I have also joined a online shop a few months ago which also sells a handful of my pendants, http://www.wowthankyou.co.uk/handmade-by-zenia/products

If you go up to the top of my blog page I have added tabs that will direct you straight to my website and WOW Thank You shop. Please give it a try.

My job this month will be adding NEW STOCK to both my website and wow shop. So please keep popping by.
ALSO..............!  I am going give Etsy a try. So I will give you a link when I am all set up.

Thank you for your support and........  I better get cracking!
Z x

It's September Already!!!

Sorry to have neglected you, for a while.

Now that we have the Summer Holiday's over, kid's back at school and we are slowly returning to a routine.
At the moment I am playing catch up with work and trying to relaunch my website with a online shop and making new stock ready for Christmas. Busy times ahead! :)

I was ask to restring two vintage necklace's over the holiday's. So I tried knotting for the first time using a knotting tool gadget, which worked brilliantly. So I think I will incorporate knotting into some necklace designs.

Just a few photo's below on what I have been up to.

Watch this space very soon because I am going to do a giveaway of one of my pendant's to celebrate the relaunching of my website, so keep tuned in the next few weeks......!

Summer's Here!

Gosh! The sun was out in full force this weekend, so it's barbie weather again, we dusted off the cobwebs and powered up the hubby to get the barbie going. Homemade Burgers. yum yum!
As usual when the weather is like this people go mad at the supermarket and sure enough you just pop in to get some bread rolls, and what do you see,  the shelves empty....!


Then their is the wardrobe issue, you look at last years summer clothes, and see if any will keep you cool, that you can still fit in, of course, also their is the kid's summer clothes, knowing that they can't squeeze into any of their summer things (why do I keep them till the following year, I ask myself, is it that I secretly don't want them to grow until I am ready for buying them the clothes).


So it begins hopefully a Good Summer!


It's fast approaching Father's Day (June 20th) so I have been making more cufflinks for the up and coming Fairs and maybe the odd Glass Hanging.


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