Hi folks! I fight with computers... but LOVE silver!!

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Do you know it took me about 10 minutes to work out how to get started here!! I'm still not sure I've done it right...I'm hopeless with technology, but to do anything nowadays you've just got to step in the race and start running! - don't you agree?? I really love the look of this forum. I've been looking at the US ones and am thrilled to find a great UK based one...and you all sound really friendly! I started teaching myself to work with fine (999) silver - using fusing techniques - after finishing my HND in 3D Design in 2007...and I fell in love!! I wanted something that would compliment my pmc work and couldn't find any fine silver chains anywhere so I decided to make my own!! It was so therapeutic that I have done very little else since!! At the beginning of this month I became self employed and have been struggling with the business side ever since! I hope the jewellery making/business admin balance will resolve itself soon as I am missing out on hours of fun in my studio!!
I look forward to chatting to you all!
Barbara

[MuranoSilver]

Hi Barbara
http://www.muranosilver.com/images/welcome.gif
I'm sure you'll find a new home here & you're doing fine with the technology stuff! :)
If you go into your profile area at the top (blue menu line, the one next to home)
you can add things like your website and online shops or a signature.

There's also a section called Album where providing the pictures are small
you can upload images of your work. I'd love to see some examples of your
fused chains (I'm a ACS & PMC girl myself so love fine silver anything!)

Nicola x

[AlexandraBuckle]

Hello Barbara :)
I'm sure there are lots of people here that can help you on the business side of things if you need it.
A few of us are self employed - so we have been there and done that as it were - me included - so just give us a shout :)

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Thank you so much Alexandra!! - I knew joining this forum would be a good idea! I may well take you up on your offer of help! I've just looked at your website - lovely - all that wire work makes me go all gooey inside! It's so nice to join something where everyone else has a similar interest...I think I will enjoy this!
Barbara

[AlexandraBuckle]

Thanks Barbara - glad you like my work.
I've really enjoyed being part of this new forum. As you say, its great to be in touch with like minded people.
What I love most is that everyone's work is so different - i've actually found it quite inspiring - it has made me want to try some new techniques :)

And yes - I'd be glad to help where I can.

[Ominicci]

Hello Barbara, welcome to this growing forum. I too have just become self employed and have the same admin problem. Also being 'at home' has its own distractions. As I took redundancy I had access to resettlement courses through my employer which have clarified a few things. I have a tax one with HMRC next month - when you register as self employed they should have asked you if you wanted to attend it?

[Solunar Silver Studio]

That sounds interesting - I seem to have missed out on that somehow. I have gone from being a stay at home mum with a hobby to being self employed - so I didn't have a previous employer. I went to the local council to find out about self employment and was given a Business Advisor to help me with the Business Plan and so on. I had 5 meetings with him. He seemed to think I had the makings of a good business and helped me get a small start up grant from the council.:) It's the 'books' and the banking:p I'm hopeless with - and the time management - trying to fit it all around family obligations - they don't tell you how hard all that is!! And of course there is the constant hunt for ways to find new customers - hence my forray into computers and web 2.0 (or whatever my sons called it!!) None of that was in my idyllic vision of being self employed doing something I love!

[Solunar Silver Studio]

And thanks Nicola and Alexandra for your words of encouragement and support. Much as I love my hubby and my boys, I live in a 'testosterone zone':eek: and supportive as they are in their own way they just don't get it if you know what I mean. I have felt very isolated recently and it has taken a bit of the shine of my little bit of jewellery heaven. I think this forum might give me some of the 'virtual' arty minded friends I have been missing since graduating in 2007.

[AlexandraBuckle]

Feeling isolated is never good. I know what you mean about missing arty friends. I have found a few locally who I have been exhibiting with, but they are mainly painters and potters - which has encouraged me to pick up a paintbrush again - but I would love to have some local jewellery minded people.
Seeing as my computer is on the same table that I make my jewellery - you are all very local :D

[EmmaRose]

Hi Barbara, great to have a fellow PMC'er on here :-)
Emma

[MuranoSilver]

** Waves hands*
I'm a PMC'er (well more ACS really) too :D
Nic x

[Solunar Silver Studio]

I have looked at both your websites and I quake in the presence of both of you!! I could learn a great deal from you both...prepare to have your brains picked!!...
Having said that - I have excelled myself this morning...inbetween checking the new posts of course!
I have done a stonker of a ring...but it is in the tumbler at the moment...you will have to wait to see it! I'll go have a peek in a minute and see if it will photograph well!!;)
Barbara

[Solunar Silver Studio]

http://i558.photobucket.com/albums/ss23/solunarsilverstudio/enamelledcraterring.jpg

Here it is - what do you think?

I really need someone to tell me how to photograph rings - I have only ever done one that worked out well and that has pride of place on my website!! It is really hard to photgraph 'flat' ones!! I improvised a bit by sticking it on top of a decanter stopper!!;)

It looks lovely on - even with my fat fingers!!

It is the first bit of proper enamelling I have done since a unit in my HND in 2006 so I am really pleased with it. And it is so beautiful to do it on fine silver...it comes out of the kiln looking so beautiful! Shiny silver...not a blackened thing that needs slaving over to reveal the silver again!! How could anyone not want to work with fine silver????? I am in love!!
Barbara

[julie]

WOW ... the ring is beautiful :)

[MuranoSilver]

Gorgeous! I was just about to make a comment on the other thread that resins would make the "craters" pop. Enamel is even better!! :D
Nic x

[AlexandraBuckle]

It's brilliant - i love it!
Why don't i have a kiln! *looks around room to find some space to put one* how big are they anyway?

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Thanks Julie, Nic and Alexandra...I am rather pleased (Beam!!:D)
My kiln is my baby!! It is teeny tiny at only 22cmx22cmx27cm and it has a teeny tiny firing chamber - something like 7cmx7cmx11cm - so I don't think I could ever do bronzclay in it..but it fits in with my activities beautifully - mainly because you can programme in different firing temperatures and schedules. It is a Prometheus kiln and it came from the Art Clay Silver shop as it was super cheap there:rolleyes:...not that I like ACS - I far prefer PMC...horses for courses and all that!! If you wanted to do bronzclay and glass and such like I think people go for the Paragon kilns - but you might need a second mortgage for that!!!
Barbara

[MuranoSilver]

I'm greedy as technically I have two kilns
One is a paragon SC2 which will comfortably fit on top of a small filing cabinet and is great for almost everything
(glass slumping, dichroic, enamels and of course silver clay, bronze clay & copper clay!)
The other is an Ultralight Kiln, it's the size of a saucepan and very useful for small scale work and individual pieces
(also perfect for Keum Boo)

Nic x

[AlexandraBuckle]

Ok so I found a Prometheus kiln for £325 - does that sound about the price you paid?
*sits and ponders*

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Hmmmm - I think it was around the £300 mark but that was a couple of years ago....I got it on a wave of euphoria at having passed my HND with Distinction!!:D

[MuranoSilver]

WHOOOP
http://www.muranosilver.com/images/maiboxhappy.gif
Congratulations!!!
Nic xx

[AlexandraBuckle]

Yeah! Well done you :D

[Ominicci]

Brilliant! That ring is gorgeous! I love blue and silver... and amethyst and silver... and red and silver... and green and silver... and silver!

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Ahhhh!...a kindred spirit!! Beoooooootiful silver......(goes glassy eyed!) I so love the look of silver too...but as I have discovered in the last week or so while trying to build my website...it is damned hard to photograph! I am very unhappy with most of my photos:( but I wanted to get something on line as I launched my business....people ALWAYS ask for a web address...so I just went for it. I am waiting for some decent weather so that I can photograph everything outside and get some perfect lighting (HA!):rolleyes:...then I might be able to improve the look of the whole thing and get some more stuff listed on it!
Thanks for your comment on my ring Ominicci - it was just fortunate that the old blue enamel I had was such a good colour. I have been trying to write a shopping list for enamels to go with silver...obviously blues and purples...but what do you think about transparent amber/copper colours?...I think red colours are out as they tend to burn out very easily and I am definitely a novice enameller!! All suggestions welcome.....:)