A rendez-vous with ViviBijoux

New week, new introduction...My name is Virginie, I live in co.westmeath and I created ViviBijoux a couple of years ago. Let me tell you how it started.

Emerald Island (matching earrings on ViviBijoux.etsy.com)

As long as I can recall I have always been attracted to anything crafty, arty or handmade. As a teenager I remember making lots of friendship bracelets, scoobidoos, tiny animals made of seed beads (it was sooo in at school), acrylic painting, cross stitching...and so on (Maybe that reminds you of someone you know??) Anyway, yeaaaaaaaars later, (even though I'm not THAT old) at some stage in 2008, I was invited to a jewellery party for a friend of a friend. However, being a prefer-to-save-up-for-gold kind of girl (having said that I hardly own any) I was a bit pessimistic as to the 'quality' of handmade jewellery as all I had come across before was plastic,thread and...plastic kind of pieces. Nevertheless, when I bought my first handcrafted pair of earrings made from semi precious stones and silver, a whole new world opened to me... I knew I could do that too!

So there I was, searching like a loonie on the web for some supplies and above all inspiration...And there it was: L A M P W O R K beads. Actual people make THESE? I HAD to get a artisan lampwork bracelet to see for myself. And there and then I fell in love with this medium. Love to work with sterling silver and bali silver too.

LadyBug earrings (ViviBijoux.etsy.com)

So I started to make a couple of bracelets and beads from various lampwork artists and offered them as gifts here and there ( my mum has quite a collection by now!). As time went by, I managed to get to know the work of wonderfully talended artisans around the globe and got started on my etsy boutique. However only this winter have I begun to be more serious about it. Having had my baby boy in August, I definitely needed an outlet for my creativity and my love of colours. So here it is folks!

Victorian Roses (matching earrings on vivibijoux.etsy.com)

These bracelets and earrings are at the moment on my etsy boutique where there is more jewellery to see. As a matter of fact, up until the 26th February (because I have a jewellery party booked at the week end), I offer FREE available matching earrings for the purchase of a matching necklace or bracelet -that is not going to happen for a while after that, so jump on it! PLUS I would like to offer exclusive Free Shipping to my fellow craftyIrelandteam members only...

Today must be treat day! :D

Please, do not hesitate to convo me, to leave comments (love to read what you think) or to heart me (*sigh* I love hearts) and you can see what I've been up to on ViviBijoux facebook page...oh! and blog coming soon...to be continued...