New Beadscrumptious Blog Post: The Continuing Voyages of the Starship Beadscrumptious!

Galactic Beads can be found on Etsy!

Hello, I thought I would take a quick moment to update you on where you can find my handmade lampwork beads and jewellery on the internet! The idea came about when I realised half of my links on Pinterest no longer worked. These links are important because they take future customers to the sites where I sell my beads. Then it struck me that I haven't actually published a definitive list of where I can be found on the internet and I can be found in a lot of places ....

This Lampwork Heart represents my Avatar for all of my internet site!

So here we are! I have already mentioned Pinterest but what is it? Well, Pinterest is a 'virtual pinboard' where you can pin items that you like from the internet onto boards that you have created. The great thing about Pinterest is that when you pin an item it also keeps the link. For instance I love baking and I am always pinning recipies onto my Recipie Board. When I decide to make something I click on the picture and it take me stright to the site where I found the recipie. Easy!

Every time I make a new set of lampwork beads or jewellery I always post the item onto my board Beadscrumptious Lampwork Beads and Jewellery with a link to the site where the item can be bought.

Winning Implosion Beads - Beads and Beyond Jewellery Maker of the Year

I have a website Beadscrumptious where you can find out more about me and I have links to nearly all the places where I can be found on the internet. However, there are always exciting new developments on the web so it doesn't contain all of the places I can be found. I haven't set up a shop on my website yet because I already sell on Etsy but this will change in the future. Occasionally, I publish free tutorials on my website.

Enchanted Tree Focal Bead

I have already mentioned that I sell my beads on Etsy! Etsy is an online handmade marketplace that promotes artisan crafts. The site is focused on selling handmade or vintage items. I have had a shop here since December 2011. It is also a very friendly and supportive place where artisans promote each others work through the power of social media.

Carnival - Lampwork Glass Button

Following in a similar vein to Etsy is the British equivalent called Folksy! I do also sell here but have a fairly limited selection of my work. I am not sure if I am going to carry on selling here when I set up my shop on my website but we'll see.

Calypso - Lampwork Bead Bracelet

Years ago there was always this mis-conception that you could set up a website to sell your work and you would become an instant millionaire overnight. In reality, this is certainly not the case! When you set up a website to sell artisan crafts there is a great amount of promotional work to do for your site/work to be noticed. It takes a lot of dedication! Selling on Etsy and Folksy help to increase exposure but there also sites out there that can help by promoting your work for you. Of course, there is a fee to be paid but if it helps to generate sales and exposure it is sometimes worth the cost.

I have recently started selling on one of these sites called WOW Thank You! As part of joining WOW Thank you! I found out about CRAFTFest which is a virtual online craft fair. I will be participating in the next fair in November and will write a blog about my experience.

Cool Waves

I also sell my beads and jewellery to shops. One of these is Kiki's Craft Corner in the Highlands of Scotland!

As seen in Bead Magazine!

Flickr can be viewed as an online photograph album! This is another site where I share all the photographs of my beads. There is also a Flickr community and you can join groups relevant to your craft, follow fellow artists and essentially network. It is great!

Protea Implosion Bead

Never underestimate the power of social media! As an artist I use various social media sites to promote my work. To maintain consistency (and almost branding, I suppose) I always use the same Avatar (Purple Heart above) and my company name Beadscrumptious!

Below is a list of sites where I can be found! Please click on the buttons/pictures, come over and say Hello!