Build A Line Challenge from B'sue Boutiques, Linzi Alford of MagPie In The Sky, Part One

This is my favourite place in the woods, 5 minutes from my home.
 The primeval greenery and reflections in the water are inspirational!

This is ME! Totally NOT asleep- just engrossed taking photos.
Pic Credit Danny Fowler

I'm Linzi Alford of MagPie In The Sky, and am "proper chuffed " to be here with you for the first of three blog hops that will be the Build a Line Challenge from B'sue Boutiques.
 
Firstly a bit about the challenge, (click to read  Brenda's Blog post about the challenge- opens in a new window)
 The challenge is really an education from Brenda Sue of B'sue Boutiques where she will give us all (and we number nearly 60 from all over the world! ) the benefit of her considerable experience in the business  . There will be 3 Hops that span three months .
   All of us will be working hard to create a line of jewellery and have a coherent thought process . Coherent ? Me ?
   At the end, we will reveal a complete line of jewellery with a minimum of five pieces all individually designed and constructed from start to finish by US .

So let me begin by talking about ME - a bit about myself and my background, and why I decided to be part of this challenge.

I am from the NW of England,  Miss Potter country for those who have seen the film- I live on the edge of the English Lake District ,beautiful lakes and mountains.

I am lucky enough to have been making jewellery for 6 years now and  write regularly for UK  jewellery magazines.

Am EVEN more lucky to have had my first jewellery making project book published.  <insert shameless plug HERE  >

I am also very appreciative to be part of the B'sue Design Team  and have written a few tutorials there if you look next time you are on the site.

I love nature inspired pieces but also like the weird quirky and Steampunk too. I am a notoriously messy worker- like to be surrounded by LOTS of stuff - sometimes my 3 cattens "help" by rearranging things for me. Without me even asking. Occasionally onto the floor- see previous post the Importance of Putting lids on - a cautionary tale!

hard at work! photo credit Danny Fowler

Here I am sat at my GINOURMOUS desk

As a designer I think we are NEVER done learning- and Brenda has a LOT to teach us. So I decided to participate in the Challenge to give myself a boot up the backside and get on with making some jewellery lines to sell. 

So without further ado- this is what I am working on for the Challenge.

 I am developing an idea that I have used before- but always intended to expand a LOT on as there is so much scope for it.

Here is a bracelet I have made in the past- this one is called Dappled Light - using segments of my own photographs under resin and components from B'sue Boutiques.

Dappled Light Bracelet .Photo credit Danny Fowler

So.. here are some photos I have been cutting up ..................

 Looks like something is occuring here ........................

To see what I make remember to come back in a month for Hop 2!

And now please go and see what everyone else has been up to, remember to try and leave a comment  so we can all see who has been visiting ! 

Here is the list- Get Hopping! 

Brenda Sue Lansdowne, B'sue Boutiques

Jewelry Making Outside the Box

Marcia Tuzzolino

Aurora Designs

Jann Tague

Clever Designs by Jann

Judy King

Apt to Wander Studio

Linzi Alford

Magpie in the Sky, Spoil Heap Tales

Cynthia Wainscott

Exotic Peru

Carole Carlson

Beadsophisticate

Lynn Stinten

Dragonzwench

Marica Zammit

Bead Lovelies

Catherine Shattuck

VRBrose

Michaele Collie

The Vintage Gem

Mary Craig

Jewelry Alchemy

Lee Koopman

Strega Jewelry

Erin Whitacre

Shattered Time Jewelry

Monica Casady

MJCasady Copper Works

Leila West

Leila Nicole Designs

Cindy Peterson

Howling Dog Jewelry

Leila Belcher

Leila Bee Designs

Gloria Allen

Wings and Beads

Pamela Anger

Novegatti Designs

Tammy Adams

Paisley Lizard

Lynda O'Mara

LOmara Creative

Elizabeth Hildreth

MadScientistsDesigns

Dana Hickey

Wind Dancer Studios

Janet Calardo

Jan Lea Designs

Maria Clark

Sweet Willow Designs

Lori Beekman

B. Accessorized

Jennifer Kroeger

Relic Charm

Amy Jorgensen

Hoarder's Corner

Robin Reed

Artistry: Handcrafted Bead Designs

Ingrid Anderson

Lilis Gems

Louise O'Shields

Desire Divine Jewels

Susan Killam

Killam Creative

Mary Katherine Deis

The Rose Sword: Artisan and Vintage Collectible Jewelry

Nike Bottalico

Nike Bottalico

Susan Bowerman

Woodside Wireworks

Kristy Le

Kristy Le Trendy Jewelry Designs

Jan Peters

Stylized Vintage

Mitzie Crider

Needful Luxuries Occasional Blog

Gina Hockett

Freestyle Elements

Linda Anderson

From the Bead Board

Alexandra Sefton

Imaginary Jewelry and Altered Art

Melida Boman

The Journey of Pens and Things

Teresa Shurter

TreeZ's Treasurs

Melissa Latimer

Smithed Up

Renee Hong

Fine and Dandy Jewelry and Art

Nadine Edris

Moondance Jewelry

Lori Meyer

Parisienne Girl

Jennifer Merrill Williams

Artists of All Stripes

Denise Lussier Poirier

Jewelry by Denise

Renee Allen

Small Stuff Design

Autumn Adams

Autumn Dawns

Elizabeth Owens

1996 Shabby Lane

Kat BarronMiller

Midnight Kat Productions Art Jewelry

Sandra Ballard

Mama San's Mojo

Coral Law

ab:coraldesign

Icy Words (are so lightly thrown)- terrible misquote there 

Happy New Year to you all !

 My New Year's resolution , amongst others (ie lose weight for impending wedding) is to blog much more often! Really !

 Thought I would begin in my first post of 2015 by sharing some wintry inspiration photos that I took on a walk  in my local churchyard- there is definitely a jewellery idea bubbling around the "Icy Words " photo!

The Priory Church 

Fab patina on the outside of the stained glass

I do love the church yard here and have taken many photos, even my 9 year old daughter likes to wander around there although her interest is mostly conker motivated!

My main piece of news for this month- am delighted to say that as a member of the B'sue Boutiques Design team I am participating in a blog hop-   Build a Line Challenge. This is a 3 month challenge with fab prizes for the winner but more that that will be an amazing education freely give by Brenda Sue - who is using her many years of experience and jewellery-making to host this event. The first blog hop is THIS FRIDAY 23rd January, so please check for my post then and you can see what the nearly -60 participants have come up with  for their ideas!
For more info click the badge below ! 

Happy Holidays! or The Importance of Putting Lids on- A Cautionary Tale

Hello , Linzi of MagPie In The Sky here!
I hope you have all had a lovely festive break and some time to relax and enjoyed some gifts and probably (way too much) yummy nosh.
One of my challenges this Christmas was to clear the kitchen table so we could sit and eat there -I like to sit and work there usually as the light is good.  
This year I have 3 furry helpers- now I think they must have known I wanted to clear the table as when I went in kitchen the other morning I was ,Like, UH Oh I can SEE the table- in fact there are clear patches- something untoward has occurred! An avalanche!!

The floor :(

 

OH . NO .

They had knocked SO much stuff onto the floor- all the boxes with no lids on that my OH has been saying for weeks to "put the lids on , then if the cats knock them off they won't spill"
Yeah well- THAT.
 SO many things on the floor all  mixed up - loose beads, jump rings.
 Let this act as a warning to others of a messy/lazy/procrastinating  "I -will-put-lids-on-tomorrow" disposition!   My wrecking crew have well and truly sorted me out.
 Now a huge tidy is in order before I can resume work. Tomorrow!

Sookie- this WAS meant to be my table centrepiece but she would not vacate it!

Mia and Merida up to mischief

Holly -the-Collie 

But- LOOK! My table is clear and all ready to resume work. once the small matter of sorting all my supplies out is done that is !

Happy Holidays to you all !
Love Linzi

It's been a while...........

Well, my resolutions to write more often  kind of went by the wayside..... but I am back now, and I really REALLY will write more often.
There has been a LOT of water under the bridge, it has been TWO years since I last wrote.
In that time I have written many magazine projects for UK magazine Making Jewellery, and written some tutorials for B'sue Boutiques  -you can see those here.

  Also I have written my first ever book! It was published on 24th February 2014.  Title is "Jewelry for all Seasons" published by GMC Publications, and it is available from Amazon and many other online sellers and bookshops.
Please do have a look at my website  www.magpieinthesky.co.uk and also come and find me on Facebook or on Twitter
Other exciting news- I have my own studio/workshop space- now this IS a recent event - I moved in the week before Easter this year so am still settling in and getting everything "just and so".
My next post will be all about my studio space , I can share the fantastic place it is within. it is all really rather exciting!

Messy Workshop Blog Hop Party- In celebration of disarray

Welcome to my "Messy Workshop" blog posting. I hope no one will be too traumatised by the following evidence of mess, sloth , untidiness, procrastination , laziness  and general chaos. I blame my artistic  temperament.. That and the fact I dislike tidying - I can't find ANYTHING if I  clean up. And that's my excuse and I am sticking to it.
 So along with approx 50 others we are celebrating our messy working spaces - we are CELEBRATING and embracing that   mess from which creativity blossoms.
 Neat freaks -look away now......
My name is Linzi and I am a hoarder. There -I said it out loud. My spoil heap is the ever increasing pile of my latest favourite things that grows on what was formerly my kitchen table. The table does make guest appearances -at Christmas and birthday parties- luckily my daughters birthday is near Christmas so for the rest of the year it's free reign. Some things are just too pretty to  consign to boxes and cupboards, and I like to be surrounded by my "stuff" , it inspires me.

As a creative I think I suffer from "butterfly brain " , am easily distracted- look a bird

OOH A Goldfinch..

 or OOH CHOCOLATE    

                                                    

 But mostly I am  messy because I spend my time doing other stuff. Cleaning up is such a waste of time - you do it and then it needs doing AGAIN?! How pointless is that.

The wonderful spoil heap extends to most areas of my home, I have a kitchen spoil heap , a bedroom heap , a landing heap and  things that are actually put away - an entire ex -airing cupboard full.

No surface is safe....

When I attempt to tidy -with brand new storage-it sits sadly next to the items- waiting for me to  organise. I fear if I put them away I might not remember where they are!

This is where I do the majority of my work

 Though it can quickly degenerate  to 

 when work is in progress.

 I have been known to stack bead mats on top of each other  when there are several projects on the go at once .

I DO think that being surrounded by pretty things does help my creativity and imagination. No really , that's not an excuse... :D

 I hope you enjoyed this little peek into my world! 

Please come visit  me at MagPie In The Sky on Facebook - I have some fantastic makes in the pipeline!

Coming soon... Dragonfly II:Water

And also The Garden

Now  please go and check out the other blog hop participants - Happy Hopping  :)

 Be sure to leave  a comment to say you "hopped"

Messy Workshop Blog Hop Links

Brenda Sue Lansdowne, B'sue Boutiques

http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com/

Robin Delargy, LooLoo's Box

http://looloosbox.blogspot.com/

Kim at CianciBlue

http://cianciblue.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Jazwick-Smith, Hudathots

http://hudathoughts-jennifer.blogspot.com/

Mary Shannon Hicks

http://www.uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/

Tracy Swartz

http://tracyswartz.com/category/blog

Jacqueline Marchant

http://jaacquelinesjewels.blogspot.com/

Lynnea Perry Bennett

http://designsbylynnea.blogspot.com/

Terry Matusyk

http://pinkchapeau.wordpress.com/

Laurel Steven

http://laurelsteven.blogspot.com/

Dr. Brassy Steamington

http://drbrassysteampunk.blogspot.com/

Pamela Takeshige

http://www.crittersandthings.blogspot.com/

Kris Lanae Binsfeld

http://www.cherishdesigns.wordpress.com/

Outre Art

http://theartistspaintbox.wordpress.com/

Linzi Alford- You ARE  HERE !

http://www.magpieintheskyspoilheaptales.blogspot.com/

Deb Davis

http://naturaltreasuresbydeb.blogspot.com/

Tamara Jones

http://irrysistablejewels.wordpress.com/

Harry Wood

http://www.oscarcrow.blogspot.com/

Gerry Nickerson

http://gersgems1.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth Owens-Dwy

http://www.thepolymergeek.blogspot.com/

Georgene Lockwood

http://sylvanavintagedesigns.wordpress.com/

Charisa Sloper

http://www.blog.obsidiansoda.com/

Jennifer Justman

http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/

Beanzie

http://the-vintage-heart.blogspot.com/

Mary Deis

http://mdeis.blogspot.com/

Cheri Reed

http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/

Sondra Kolner

http://scrappybydesign.weebly.com/index.html

Sonya Ingersoll-Stille

http://www.dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com/

Lori Anderson

http://www.prettythingsblog.com/

Sandra McGriff

http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca/

Shelly Joyce

http://www.aujourlejour-shelly.blogspot.com/

Joan Williams

http://www.lilrubyjewelry.wordpress.com/

Kashmira Patel

http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/

Deb Beechy

http://beetique56.blogspot.com/

Ginger Bishop

http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com/

Kelli Jacobson

http://creativemoonjewelryandthings.com/

Natalie McKenna

http://www.grubbi.co.uk/

Andrew Thornton

http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/

Mary Govaars

http://mlhjewelrydesigns.com/

Kate Mulligan

http://mulliganstewjewelry.blogspot.com/

Lisa Lodge

http://pineridgetreasures.blogspot.com/

Tami Luchini

http://ssprocketsmetal.blogspot.com/

Monique Lula

http://www.moniquelula.com/blog/

Lee Koopman

http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com/

Jayne Capps 

http://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com/ 

Susan Lloyd

http://designsbysusan-dbs.blogspot.com/

Cynthia Wainscott

http://www.exoticperujewelry.blogspot.com/

Stephanie Amanti

http://www.stephaniesjewelrybox.blogspot.com/

Alicia Marinache

http://www.allprettythings.ca/

Sam Hamp

http://hampgirl59.blogspot.com/

Lennis Carrier

http://www.windbent.net/

Spring

Spring in the woods

Forsythia

So Spring has finally sprung here  . With a whole week of "faux summer" too -with temps way up above what we usually get. Shame that was last week though and now we are back to standard Bank Holiday weather. That's cold and rainy to anyone outside the UK !

 Thought I would post some lovely spring photos as an excuse to write a blog post -as  anyone who follows will know-I am not the most regular of  bloggers.  Slight understatement there. But this is about to change as it is my intention to write  bore you all  MUCH more often. I will blog about  my jewellery , the weather ( I AM British after all!) and anything else that takes my fancy . I did think I may chart the flora and fauna throughout the year too - I hope you will  join me on the journey? 

Willow catkin