Monday 29 December 2014

Ending off 2014


Hello strangers it's been a while since we visited. 2014 has been a long year with lots of challenges both personal and professional. With the starting of my blog and trying to keep up with making of stock for my shop Adiesdesigns on Etsy.com to the very long and often destructive postal strike (I had to put my shop on vacation for over a month, as I couldn't mail any orders except via exorbitant courier prices), the light earthquake which damaged my house and then the ADSL line going out for a month and my laptop dying.

I have learnt a lot about myself and keeping an online business going, and I want share this with everyone, I would be grateful if you would share your learning with me.
I will be keeping up with my colour blog as this seems to be the most popular posts of all. The colours I have covered in the last few months are listed below along with the title of the blog.
Going back over my past colour blogs I seem not to have covered red or orange, both of which I remember doing, since I have no record of them anywhere on my blog history, I get to do two of my favorite colours again (YAY).
24/7/14 I can almost see the weekend - Yellow
31/7/14 Colour me
7/8/14 No Blues today - Blue
14/8/14 Is it an Indigo sky - Indigo
21/8/14 Purple Haze - Purple/violet
28/8/14 CUA16(PO4)4(OH)842HO what is this? - Turquoise
11/9/14 In colour - Pink
18/9/14 A brown Study - Brown
24/9/14 Shades of Grey - grey
3/10/14 Silver linings - Silver














There are still a few more colours coming, Also I want to explore how to mix colours to appeal to different people, how to speak with colour and what the different colours mean in cultures other than the Western world.
I will of course continue to share with you as I learn new techniques for jewelry making, successes and failures included. I especially would like to learn to make my own beads with clay, even using recycled goods like paper and buttons, wool, felt and old fabric.




There will be special discounts and gift vouchers during the year only for Blog readers (voucher codes will only appear in the blog once) look out for these, shop coupons will be published in the blog as well. Also  hopefully giveaways and competitions for you wonderful people who read my blog.

Just before the postal strike (in August 2014) I ordered a beading loom, which I unfortunately never received (maybe it will still get delivered), so I have decided to try make one. This will be the subject of my first "learning to" Blog for 2015.



Hope you all have a safe and happy ringing in of 2015. Thanks for reading.

Adiesdesigns on Etsy will re open on Jan 6 2015 for shopping.







Wednesday 22 October 2014

Strike out


It has been a while since I posted on my blog, I didn't realise how dependant we have become on technology. For my last blog I used my son's Kindle Fire. The problem with this was that it was very hard to edit on such a small screen, also it took me about an extra hour to type and set.

In the last few weeks we are in the midst of a second postal service strike here in South Africa for 2014, this I think is possibly a continuation of the one in January this year, we had a short respite and up until August were able to mostly rely on postal delivery, but now there is no post coming in or going out.

I have had to resort to using courier services for my orders and in most cases that means that it is more expensive to send out an order than the order itself, which means no sales as who wants to spend more on postage than on your purchase.  Sadly the cheapest courier service charges over $35(R330) for an envelope weighing less than 1kg (2.2lbs)!

Although a recent article (3 days ago) stated that about 40% of postal workers have returned to work it will still be a while before the post starts to appear in our boxes again.

In the mean time my order for a beading loom and some other jewellery making tools has not arrived and I am hoping that it hasn't been destroyed or lost, as the photo shows some of the strikers felt it necessary to destroy property.

I wonder what it has done for other online businesses who rely on the postal service to send or receive stock.
I have had 3 lost sales which doesn't seem like a lot but it does prevent me from starting to earn enough for me to start looking at moving out of the workplace and into making this my full time job.

In the meantime I have beautiful festive season stock that I can't sell! Macramé bracelets that make perfect stocking fillers. I have not loaded this onto Etsy as I can't ship them! Price $5 each.
Take a look.








Friday 3 October 2014

Silver linings



This weeks colour is silver. once again thanks to www.empower-yourself- with -color.com

Silver is considered a feminine intuitive colour, it is usually associated with the moon and the tides, it is calming and purifying. It is a metaphysical healing colour.
It is viewed as a time to reflect and change direction due to it's ability to light the way. It is meant to help cleanse our mind, body and soul of emotional issues by opening new doors and lighting the way.
Silver inspires intuition, clairvoyance  and mental telepathy. It's reflective qualities mean that it reflects back whatever energy is given out.
It also symbolises wealth, prestige and modernity. It is seen as a glamorous and sophisticated colour.
Sliver is a versatile colour, shiny, modern, high-tech as well as alluring, sparkling and elegant.
In business it is respectable and courteous, dignified, self-controlled, responsible, patient, determined and organised.
Silver is unbiased and compassionate. It is associated with maturity.
Silver is the 25th anniversary representative as it relates to graceful ageing and the silvering of the temples.
It is lighter than grey but can still be indecisive and non-committal. When not mixed with another colour it can be dull and boring.
Thankfully silver goes well with all colours.
People who love silver are often intuitive, and insightful with a connection to the spiritual.
Silver people are often introspective and preoccupied with their own world.
These people are mostly imaginative and creative usually expressing themselves in the written word. They are good speakers, can write poetry and write novels.
Silver people are quite open to new adventures, they are not scared of change and often welcome it. Although some will find making a decision a little difficult.
Silver's have an air of understated sophistication, and possibly luck on their side.
They also are more ruled by their head and not their heart, although they can be romantic when needed.
As silver is represented by the moon and tides, these people may occasionally be moody.
if silver is your colour you may also present as conceited and snobby.

Negatively due to the metaphysical nature of silver you may also live a life of delusion and fantasy.




Some silver from my shop.
















To all my Jewish readers wishing you a safe and healthy and meaningful fastfast.
To all my Muslim readers Eid Mubarak for Sunday

Wednesday 24 September 2014

Shades of Grey

Once again thank you for the invaluable information from http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com.
This is definitely not a happy color for me and one I almost skipped over, but there are some positives to this color.
This is an unemotional color, detached, neutral and impartial.
It is the color of compromise, not being either black or white.  The darker the grey the more intriguing it is, the lighter it is the more alive it is.
Grey represents stability, it creates a sense of calm in a world full of chaos.
Grey can either be seen as boring and depressing or elegant and smart.
Grey is mature, responsible and dependable, it is the practical color of someone who plays it safe.
It can either suppress energy or it can form the basis of new ideas.  It is controlled and tones down brighter colors.  It is usually a mix of more than just black and white, often incorporating other colors which can lift it from the dull and dreary.
Too much grey can make you sad and depressed.
People associate grey with the corporate drone, reliable and possibly boring. Very formal and conservative.
On the positive side grey represents: reliability,  dignity, neutrality, impartiality. It gives the feeling of someone who is conservative, mature, intelligent.
On the negative it represents: indecision, unemotional, indifference, sadness and loneliness, depression, isolation and lifelessness.
Grey is control, compromise and neutrality.

If grey is your color then you may be going through life indifferently, unemotionally.
You may be trying to insulate yourself from the chaos of the world around you. You may feel that you don't fit into this world.
Grey people tend to want to remain safe, and secure they avoid excitement and compromise easily to avoid confrontation. They will often be fence sitters in an opinionated world.
Grey people are often calm and practical not seeking attention.  You may be attracted to this color as it helps to control and contain your energy.
In general you are a hard worker flying under the radar - getting your job done, but loyal and committed.
Some grey's add a splash of color to show that they are not boring.
A grey person may often be pessimistic towards life, looking at the negative and not the positive.
Because of grey's non-emotional view of life they often make fair decisions and could be good critics.
Grey people tend to be independent due to their attitude of not getting involve in the chaos that is our lives today.  They show strong leanings towards self-sufficiency, but it might also cause them to be closed to new ideas.

Normally I insert pictures from my shop here, I could only find one, so I looked on Etsy for items in other peoples shops.

from Adiesdesigns

From FiveLittleGems

from insoujewelry

from AbacusBeadCreations



To all my Jewish readers, Chag Sameach, Happy New Year, may it be a sweet year for us all.


This will be my only post for this week due to the Jewish New Year. Back again next week.


Friday 19 September 2014

A Brown Study




To say some one is in a ''brown study'' usually means they are brooding or contemplative.
This my be because the color brown is a serious, down-to-earth color signifying stability, structure and support.
Once again my research is thanks to www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com
Brown takes it's obligations seriously. Brown represents material security.
The color brown relates to quality in everything - a comfortable home, the best food and drink and loyal companionship. It is a color of physical comfort, simplicity and quality. 
Brown is friendly and approachable. It is loyal, trustworthy and dependable in a practical and realistic way.
Brown is generally honest, genuine and sincere. They are probably  the hardworking, the industrious and reliable, with both feet planted firmly on the ground that you know.
It is sensual, sensitive and warm, engulfing one in a feeling of calmness and comfort.
It is a practical and sensible color which implies common sense. It hides the dirt!
The color brown is associated with wholesome, natural and organic produce and anything related to the great outdoors, agriculture and farming.
Brown is a frugal color - it is not associated with frivolity, excess or waste in any form. and though it is materialistic, it values quality above all else, and everything in moderation.
Some browns can show a degree of sophistication or elegance, depending on other colors associated with the brown. For example, brown with a soft white or ivory can appear stylish and classy, although more casual than black with soft white or ivory.
Brown suppresses the emotions, creating a safe haven from the stresses of the outside world within which problems can be contemplated and solved.
It is a color of structure, but not perfectionism perfectionism - rather it is orderly and organized.
The color brown gives reassurance. It is quietly confident but never the life of the party! Brown people do not seek attention -but prefer to stay in the background, allowing other colors around it to shine.
Brown is solid with strength and maturity. It prefers to function in its own safe little world - it is not carefree and spontaneous and doesn't like surprises. It can be considered dull, boring and unexciting by many. In fact it is one of the least preferred colors in the western world, along with orange and yellow.
Brown is a predominant color on the planet, along with green. Brown is comforting and stabilizing, while green is balancing and rejuvenating, just what we all need to help us deal with the stresses of modern life.
The psychological meaning of the color brown can vary slightly depending on the colors which are mixed together to create the brown. Brown can be a combination of black, yellow, orange, red, gray, green, blue, pink and purple, and each of the colors in it will add a variation to the meaning.

If Your Favorite Color is Brown

  • You tend to be honest, down-to-earth and wholesome, salt of the earth with both feet planted firmly on the ground.
  • You are usually steady and reliable and quietly confident.
  • You are friendly and approachable, genuine and sincere.
  • Brown people have a keen sense of duty and responsibility - you take your obligations very seriously.
  • Browns are usually home bodies to whom family and family life is very important
  • You enjoy physical comfort, the simple things in life but quality things
  • Friends find you loyal and trustworthy, supportive and dependable
  • You are a sensitive person and feel others criticism's of you
  • As a brown person you are warm, supportive and sensual
  • People find themselves comfortable enough to open up and confide in you.
  • Brown people are mostly hard working industrious and take life seoursly, but they do have a dry sense of humor.
  • Spontaneity and surprises are not for you. As you are not in control 
  • You generally believe that life is not meant to be easy.
  • You do everything in moderation and with restraint - no over-indulging for you.
  • You tend to be quite frugal - you don't like to waste money or time on unnecessary frivolities or extravagances, but when you do spend, it is on quality.
  • You prefer to stay in your own safe little world - you don't like your little world to be upset by anything.
Your deepest need is for a safe, secure, simple and comfortable existence with supportive family and friends.
Negative keywords include: dull, boring, frugal, materialistic, lack of humor, lack of sophistication, predictable, cheap and stingy
Positive keywords include: down-to-earth, wholesome, practical, approachable, friendly, stable, structured, supportive, comforting, reliable, protective, strength, quietly confident, sensual, sensitive, warm, reassured, honest, sincere, quality.

Here are some brown things available in Adiesdesigns on Etsy.