Another thank you

This is one of the bracelets that Toby has made for Charlotte and Sarah, they have both been very kind and given him lots of buttons, beads and material - a big thanks!

Thanks Joanna and Yvonne

2 more presents in the post! Top, one of Joanna's own cards with some of the buttons she sent. Below, Yvonne painted me this beautiful card and also gave me a lovely selection of buttons. Thank you both!

Penny's bracelet

We had a change of plan, and I asked Toby to add little beads instead of the stone on my bracelet. This is still a work in progress, even though I wore it yesterday! I would like some more thin dangley chains hanging down. I like the contrast of the pretty fake pearls and the more industrial looking chains.

Toby's own

After finishing the 'Attrills' sterling silver pieces Toby started collecting chains, scouring the flea markets and car boot sales and also spending lots of time and money in antique and charity shops! He has used them on his earings as you have already seen, and this is a bracelet he has made for himself. In the top picture I have opened out the bracelet so you can see all the different shaped links and colours he has found. I really like it, and this morning he is making one for me, with warmer colours, brass and some dark browny black coloured chains, with a stone as a centre piece.

Henrietta has gone!

We are really chuffed, we have had our first proper sale !! someone we dont know, a 'real' customer! went into the shop which displays our Attrills range, and bought 'Henrietta', one of Toby's creations, a handmade felt brooch, see above right.
www.attrills.blogspot.com

Earings for sale

Toby has made some more earings which he is hoping to sell. If anyone is interested, they are £6.50 a pair, plus 50p p+p, or £1 p+p if you would like them presented in a white gift box, for a present perhaps. Email us at: pennyjohnson@omniadesigns.com
From top to bottom:
1. Reclaimed shell beads.
2. Swinging chains with small glass beads.
3. Long single strand made with 2 kinds of chain and beads.
4. Swarovski crystal beads with gemstones on chain.
5, 6, +7 are all Swarovski crystal beads with chain.

Kamal's bracelet

Karen very kindly sent Toby a lovely selection of buttons, beads and chain, as you saw in the previous post. To say thank you, Toby has made one of his 'Solo' bracelets for her son, Kamal, who is another very creative young person, have a look here: http://turtleart.blogspot.com/

Half a derelict house

This is my latest fabric sketch. The pale blue is a terraced house and the darker fabric it's next door nieighbour, the pink is the door and the patch next to it and the leather patch are the windows. The 'patchworky bits are where the pebble dash is cracking and the red wool is where it has been fenced off.
Hope you like it,
Toby.

Present in the post

Look what I got in the post yesterday - thank you Karen! Toby. http://karenjinks.blogspot.com/

Daphne necklace

Daphne necklace from our 'Attrills' range has been bought by Nicola. Toby and I saw her wearing it yesterday and it looks beautiful, it was so exciting to see it being worn !! It is really important when designing jewellery that it works on a moving body, not just as a static piece.
Hopefully Makepiece will sell lots of our jewellery, they are having a Christmas 'do' for their customers and will also send out pieces by post to anyone who buys through us/our blog.
www.attrills.blogspot.com

New Range - have a look!

This label is for the new range that Toby worked so hard on this summer, which is now finished and in the shop! Have a look here: www.attrills.blogspot.com

Fabric sketch

I have no idea how to use a sewing machine, but since Toby was shown by his Aunt last week he has been doing what he calls 'sketches', trying things out, experimenting with stitches. I like his use of different materials, paper, netting, silk, felt, etc and the playing around with textures.

Toby's earings, stand, and general news.

Toby has been busy making earings, all £6.50 a pair. He has designed and linked them up himself using reclaimed chains, new glass and handmade polymer clay beads, buttons (not vintage), freshwater pearls, and various bits and bobs he finds. We used an old ribbon spool to make a display stand, Laurence drilled holes in the top to hang the earings from.
Yesterday, the last free day before school again, we went to Spirals, a Fairtrade shop in Hebden Bridge, to deliver 22 bracelets, and 8 pairs of earings displayed on this stand.

I phoned the gallery in Bradford which we posted about before, at South Square, http://www.uniquearts.co.uk/ The lady there said they had sold one piece already for £10, and were planning to take our jewellery to craft fairs and events before Christmas as well as displaying them in the shop.

Today I am writing out labels for the 'Attrills' range, Toby's sterling silver pieces, also the handmade felt, hemp, and vintage elements. You have not seen these yet, the "grand opening" at Makepiece is on Thursday, showing their new range of garments along with 3 designer jewellers (one being Attrills). I will upload them to the new blog soon.

This is my first 'real' piece of work on a sewing machine. I inherited the machine itself from my Nanna who sadly passed away several years ago. My Aunty Sue showed me how to thread it up and showed me some of the basic stitches yesterday and this is the end result.
Toby.

Thanks Sue !

Here are just a few of our lovely buttons from Sue http://scribblycottage.blogspot.com/ They were part exchange for earings and bracelet that Toby made. Thanks Sue!!