Sunday 10 June 2012

Increasing Your Awesomeness!


That's my goal! To increase your awesomeness. You're already fab but I like to think that my unique, handmade jewellery will add a little something extra.


Making unique jewellery is my biggest passion and I am always aiming to ensure that my shop continues to provide individuals like yourself with a range of handmade and unique jewellery to reflect who you are.

For years I'd tried to fit into societies little pre made boxes and follow the path that was laid out for me.. but it just didn't gel. I am unique, I am my own person, and I don't want to follow the crowd. I don't think you do either, do you?? That's why I started my quest to make a difference and to provide unique souls with unique jewellery that really reflects who they are, not who they should be.

I'd like to think I put a little of my own personality into my designs and creations but it's only when you wear the items that they really shine.

Without you, my amazing customers and fans, DysfunctionDesigns would not exist, and I love you all for your help and support.
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Monday 21 May 2012

Mens Brown and Red Carved Bone and Clay Tribal Skater Necklace

Thanks for checking out my listing, you rock!!



I created this skater style necklace using handmade clay beads, which I shaped and textured myself. I used a selection of hand carved brown bone beads to achieve an earthy, tribal look.



The necklace is elasticated so should fit most. It sits roughly on the upper chest when worn.



I also created a matching bracelet which you can...

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Beaded Clay Bracelet Autumn Tones

Hey there! Thanks for looking at my listing!



I created this autumn themed bracelet using polymer clay. I created the range of coloured beads myself using Fimo clay. I added texture to give the bracelet a natural look and feel. The multi coloured clay beads are combined with smooth red-brown wooden beads to create an earthy style piece that would look in any season!



The colours are very s...

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Saturday 12 May 2012

DysfunctionDesigns is branching out!

That's right! I've been selling online for over a year and I've now managed to find a shop that would like to stock my jewellery! A real live shop! How awesome is that! :)

I've been in touch with the owner of Feel The Ride, in Paisley. It's an awesome skate shop (With a ramp!) and they have said they'd be happy to get involved.Within the next week or so, everything will be finalised and the first pieces of Dysfunctiondesigns jewellery will be on show and on sale in this fab shop!

I'm so psyched! I'm hoping it'll be the first of many and over the coming months I'll be in touch with various tattoo studios, skate/surf shops and various other places to see if they'd like to join in! If you know of anywhere that might be interested (around the Renfrewshire/Glasgow area preferably, but further a field will be considered) then just give me a shout!

I will of course be continuing to sell on Etsy and Folksy. Items added frequently, so keep checking back.
I've also decided to cut down on the number of craft fairs I attend as the people who were attending weren't really the people who my jewellery is aimed at, so it's a waste of my time and theirs! However! There has been a cancellation at the fab Ayrshire Arts & Craft fair in Troon on 9th June so I will be once again trading there. I love that fair! Head over if you're in the area..hell,even if you're not - make the trip! It's free and there's tonnes of fab stalls! Plus, it'll be June, so fingers crossed it'll be an awesome sunny day :D
See you there!

P.S Anyone who buys from my Etsy shop today will receive a PERSONALISED voucher code for a whopping 30% off ALL FUTURE ORDERS! - For Life!! I'm just to good to you!! Buy now!
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Tuesday 8 May 2012

Skate shops and Roller Derby!

I'm so psyched at the moment! I've got a meeting lined up on Saturday with the owner of an awesome skate shop to discuss the possibility of the shop stocking my jewellery! It's so exciting. I've got a lot to do before then, make new jewellery, draw up a contract etc.. but i'm super hyped!!
I will be trying my best to make an awesome impression and let him know that i'm not messing about. I don't half-ass when it comes to my business!

My Etsy shop has been seeing some record views lately! I'm so happy about that although I still don't feel I'm really targeting the right people so I have enquired about placing an ad in the next Glasgow Roller Girls booklet. It's given out free at every game and I'm really hoping that the people who'll be reading it are the people I'm looking for. If you're in the area you should check out a bout or two as the teams are fantastic! I was keen on joining so I started the training a while back but sadly had to give it up due to other commitments and money issues. However, I love what they do and I feel privileged to be featured in their mag!

I don't think i've yet mentioned my new obsession! I've fallen in love with Danielle La Porte and her new book, The Fire Starter Sessions!! It's so amazing. Extremely inspiring and its made such a difference to the way I think and act. I've only read about a third of it so far!! Although, I have downloaded the ebook as well and I'm nearly finished it. There's so many amazing reviews of it, so if you don't believe me go check it out on Amazon! Her site is http://www.daniellelaporte.com/ and you can find tonnes of inspirational articles and videos! Including this daily helping of inspiration :

Its so awesome! I watch it most mornings and it really sets me up for the day ahead. She is so inspiring and thought provoking. It's not some lame, airy fairy self help nonsense. It's extremely down to earth and all about realising what you want and getting off your backside to go make it happen! I could talk about her and the book for hours but i'll stop there :p 
Till next time.

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Saturday 28 April 2012

Get Exposure. Raise Money For Charity. Develop Warm Fuzzy Feeling Inside!

Hey there,

Me again. Just wanted to write a quick post regarding a fab craft fair you should know about.
The Etsy Sellers Fair!! 
It's being held in roughly two weeks at Dawdon Community Center in Co. Durham! I won't be attending as it's a little far away, but what I did get to do was to send the some business cards which they are going to display proudly on a table DEDICATED to us crafty folks business cards! How fab is that.
They are offering everyone the oppourtunity to have their cards on the table (between 10 and 100) and all for just £2!! You don't have to be an Etsy seller and you can be involved in any craft! Your £2 will go towards raising money for a great cause   "All proceeds go to the Dawdon community centre at Seaham and it's Adventure Club for kids after school and holiday activities.".
It's a great way to show off your businesses and crafts to people who may not have heard about you before!!
You will also receive a link for 50 FREE biz cards from moo!! How amazing is that! Read enough? Head over to http://keepcalmevents.blogspot.co.uk for all the details!! But hurry, you'll need to send your cards this week!!
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Tuesday 17 April 2012

Burgundy and Black Tribal Bracelet - �6.00

This striking tribal bracelet was made using unique wine red wooden beads. The beads have an awesome swirled pattern. I also used a selection of smooth, natural black wooden beads to add contrast.

It is a one of a kind piece and will definitely get you noticed!



An ideal item for lovers of both hippy and tribal wear



There is a matching necklace and bracelet set available in my shop...

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Friday 6 April 2012

Brown Tribal Bracelet and Necklace Set - �14.00

This matching necklace & bracelet set is great for anyone who likes natural looking accessories.



These can be worn by either males or females as they are fairly neutral and are both elasticated.

The bracelet measures approx. 17cm and the necklace is approx. 42cm.



The lighter beads were handmade by myself using polymer clay. The have a great texture to them which goes really well w...

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Monday 2 April 2012

The Only Way Is Up!

No, Don't worry! I'm not referring to that awfully cheesy song from the early 90s... :p

I'm talking about the recent web analytics for my Etsy shop! I'm extremely pleased to report that this year has seen a substantial growth in visitors to my shop (as well as orders :D)

I'm over the moon about this and I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone who follows, fav's, tweet's and shares my shop page,facebook, twitter or my listings. I couldn't have done it without you!!
It's an awesome thing.. but it's not over yet. There's still a long way to go and I can't do it on my own...

That's why I've decided that I would like to give all of you the chance to get involved in my next marketing project. I'll be running a competition in which will one lucky winner will receive a selected unique necklace and bracelet set, as well as giving two lucky runners up a "10% off" voucher code that can be redeemed on any item in my shop!
I'll give out more details regarding the competition soon so keep your eyes peeled (and spread the word!!)

In other news... We had such nice weather here last week. I loved it. Sadly, that's probably our summer over. But if you're lucky enough to not live in a climate challenged (ok I made that up) country then check out my newest Tribal designs! They're perfect for teaming up with summer outfits or as holiday accessories. They're also ideal as festival jewellery as they're very hard wearing.(Not to mention natural :D )

Don't forget...I don't just create jewellery for the girls! Most of my items are unisex and suitable for the guys too!
All of my necklaces and bracelets are elasticated so should fit most, but if you need something in a different size just drop me a message :D

I'll update soon with details of the comp. Bye for now!
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Wednesday 14 March 2012

Bright Handmade Polymer Clay Necklace and Bracelet

I created this bright and bold polymer clay set using brown, green, orange and yellow polymer clay. The beads are textured to enhance the earthy, natural feel of the jewellry. The clay beads somewhat resemble lava stone beads.



Both items are elasticated for easy wear-ability. The bracelet measures approx. 18cm and the necklace measures approx. 34cm.

The necklace sits like a choker on most.
...

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Wednesday 29 February 2012

Ethnic Tribal Necklace - Surfer Style - �12.00

Thank you for checking out my handmade tribal necklace.



I created this unique necklace using carved horn beads and handmade clay beads. I gave the clay beads a natural textured surface which is similar to the surface of lava stone beads.

The necklace is approx. 56cm in length and is elasticated.

It's a great addition to any alternative's wardrobe.



This, and all of m...

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Layered Tribal Wrap Bracelet - Ethnic Style - �11.00

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This tribal style bracelet consists of a variety of beads. I used a selection of my own handmade polymer clay beads and teamed them up with some brown carved bone beads and small brown wooden beads for a truly natural look.



The beads are threaded onto memory wire which means that this item will adjust to fit most wrists. The wire is looped at each end ...

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Tuesday 28 February 2012

Revamp!!

I'm so excited, it's almost upon us!!!! Most of the revamp has been done but there are just a couple of things I need to do over the next day or two before the DysfunctionDesigns shop revamp is complete!!
It's been lots of fun. Not without hiccups, of course, but I very much love the fact that I have been spending so much time on my business lately and I'm still in love with it!! :)

I'll start with some not so great news and then we can fling it away and move on. Sound good? Ok..so.. I mentioned a while back that I had visited Business Gateway for advice and help with my business and had applied for funding to help give it a wee boost. Sadly, I found out today that I have not been successful in obtaining funding. It is a bit disappointing, but due to changing circumstances in my personal life it's not as devastating as it could have been. I will strive to keep creating and adding new products as frequently as I can as well as keeping you all up to date via this blog, facebook and twitter.

Moving on.. (that wasn't so hard was it?) I've been uploading loads of new tribal bracelets and necklaces recently and they're proving quite popular. This makes me so so happy you can't imagine! I've decided to focus on using only my own clay beads, bone beads, wood beads and horn beads. All the materials I use are natural and ethically sourced so no need to fret about that :)

This Sunday I will be attending my first craft fair of 2012! It's specifically for jewellery so I'm really looking forward to it. I'm really excited to see what kind of reaction my new items will get.

Oh, in other news, I received an order yesterday from a customer in Greece! How awesome is that! That's the 4th country I've had orders from. It's amazing to think that people all over the world are wearing my jewellery. I can't wait to see which country will be number 5.

I'll leave it at that for now. Don't forget to check out all the new designs popping up at DysfunctionDesigns! New products are added frequently so keep checking back.

Oh, and I almost forgot... what do you think of the new logo?? Let me know!!
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Wednesday 8 February 2012

Up, Up and Away!

Hey everyone,

It's been hectic at this end recently. I've been to Business Gateway to meet with an advisor and to attend some workshops. It's been so great. The advisor's there are fantastic and they've really steered me in the right direction. They provide such in depth advice, and it's all for free! It's a great resource and I would definitely recommend it to everyone with their own business.

I've been spending a lot of time writing up a business plan for DysfunctionDesigns. I should have done it last year but I guess it's better late than never. It should allow me to stay on track as well as hopefully allow me to receive some much needed funding from PSYBT. There's a few more forms to be filled in but then it's all out of my hands and I just have to wait to hear back. I'll keep you all posted as, if it happens, it'll mean that I'll have more resources to use within the business, making it an even better and more efficient service for all you fans and customers out there. It'll allow me to make the revamp EVEN bigger! With so many more new items available for you to purchase from my Etsy shop.

Speaking of which, I made a new batch of beads last night! I'm loving my new textured design (I may have said that already,hehe). This time, I made a selection of black and brown beads. A lot of my new necklaces and bracelets will consists of various shades of brown but there will also be the occasional item in a different colour. I think browns, blacks, reds, oranges and creams will be the base colours for the majority of my stock.

I'm getting really excited about the revamp. It's still on schedule for the end of Feb! The designs for the new logo and business cards are almost finalised,(I'm just getting a bit of feedback before going ahead), and the stock is being replenished on a weekly basis.

For anyone in the Glasgow or Renfrewshire area, I'll be trading at the Big Fat Jewellery fair that's being held in the Erskine Bridge Hotel on Sun 4th March. It'll be my first fair of the year so i'm looking forward to it. I have a few things to get ready for that too, but i'm hopeful it'll all be done in time. I'm hoping to book a weekend at Sloans in Glasgow sometime in March or April so i'll let you know when, but I'm already booked in for the annual fundraising event for the Glasgow Veterinary School which takes place on Sat 14th April. Would be great if you could pop along if you're in the area. It should be a fab day and hopefully the weather will be better by then.

Right, I think I've said enough for now. I'm off to tackle today's to-do list!
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Saturday 28 January 2012

Touchy Feely Texture!


That title just popped into my head there..hehe. I liked it. As you may or may not guess from that, this post is all about my new textured beads!
I've recently started making a new style of clay beads and I thought now would be a great time to show them off. I spent quite a while trying to find a good way of texturing my beads and i'm fairly happy with my current method at the moment. Who knows when i'll get an urge to mix it up again and try something new though :p


Currently, I'm working with earthy/muted colours. So, no neon or pastels from me for a while!! Throughout my shop, all you'll see soon will be tribal inspired jewellery in a variety of natural colours. Of course, my handmade clay beads will feature heavily in a lot of items, but I'm also integrating some other types of natural beads. These include wood, bone and horn. Don't worry though...all materials are reliably sourced and all the beads I use will be made ethically :D

The bracelet shown at the top of this post(and below) is the first of my new style of adjustable bracelets. There's some great tutorials available online for braided jewellery. I'm always looking for new ones but i'm hoping to post my own one day as a way of giving back for all the helpful hints and tips I've picked up online over the years. There's some very talented crafters out there and i'm proud to be a part of the community.

This, and many other bracelets and necklaces, will be available from my Etsy shop from the end of Feb! Keep checking back on the blog, or on Facebook or Twitter, to keep up to date with what's happening so you don't miss out. Don't forget, although it's possible for me to make multiple items that are similar, it's almost impossible to recreate any piece exactly so they are all one of a kind items!!

Lastly, the UBER CLEARANCE SALE is still on over at Etsy in order for me to clear out my shop to make way for all the new fab tribal jewellery that'll be popping up in Feb!! The sale items will never be listed again so grab them before they go!

That's all for now, thanks for reading :)

~ Follow Your Bliss ~
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Sunday 15 January 2012

Off to a flying start

I received my first delivery of beads for 2012 yesterday. I was a little (ok,a lot) excited! So much so that I was beading away until I ran out of elastic,hehe. Thankfully I'd already ordered more so i'll be back to making more items as soon as it arrives.
Today I started making some new clay beads. I have discovered a new technique for creating textured beads. I think it will become a staple design in my new creations. It will be unveiled along with many, many more designs at the end of February, so watch out for that.
Things are going well for the revamp at the end of Feb. I'm quite excited about it but there's still a few things to get sorted.
I'm currently working on the logo, as well as designs for the facebook page and business cards. Toying with the idea of setting up a wordpress blog, so i'll update you all as soon as it happens. Pretty much everything is changing slightly, except the name!, so i'll be fairly busy over the next month getting it all done. It'll definitely be worth it though.
I do know that the new colours for the logo will be purple and orange. All product images will hopefully share these too and i'll be incorporating them into the blog as well.
I think that's everything for now, but i'll keep you updated on the latest from DysfunctionDesigns.

One more thing... There's a sale on in my Etsy shop at the moment due to the fact that some items just won't fit into the new shop look so head on over there now and grab a bargain before they're all gone!!
Don't forget to spread the word!!!

Thanks,
Kirsty
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Saturday 7 January 2012

New Year..New shop!

Hi everyone,

Happy New Year!!

I hope everyone had a good one. Mine was fantastic. I had some time off work that was spent with friends and family and it did me the world of good. There was a major lull in production and all jewellery related issues at the end of 2011 for me and I apologise for that. I'm hoping to start (almost) a fresh this year and shake things up a bit, so it should all be back on track very soon.

I'm planning a shop revamp for the end of February. I'll be changing the look of the shop, and some of my items, and generally making a few tweaks to enable me and the shop to get back on track. It should allow me to offer my customers the high quality, focused and unique service they deserve. I'll keep everyone updated with that as it happens. I'm terrible for updating the blog so please like us on Facebook so you don't miss out on new products and exciting offers!!

I'll still be making my own clay beads and jewellery along with buying in some fab wooden and bone beads for creating some one-of-a-kind tribal pieces. I will as always offer items for both male and female.

Until the revamp is complete, there's a sale on that includes all items that won't fit into the new look shop so head over to the Etsy shop and grab a bargain before they all disappear!! Some pieces are up to 50% off!!

I think that's all the news for now. Thanks for reading and please keep sharing the word.
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