A New Member just saying 'Hi'!

[Manutea]

Hi everyone!
I live in Perth, Western Australia and I have just come in to introduce myself!

I have a very fledgeling business with Tahitian pearls and I make very simple jewellery. I went on holiday to Tahiti a couple of years ago and made friends with a Tahitian family, who have an export license and they approved me to bring my first small 'lot' of pearls to Australia.
I sell on a small Australian auction site (which is growing!), but as yet, do not have my own website.

I love the Tahitian pearls and am very happy to have the opportunity to work with them! I am learning new jewellery skills all the time, though not very quickly, as I need to work as well, to pay the bills.

I am originally from London, but as I mentioned before, I now live in Australia.
The Tahitian family called me 'Manutea' (pronounced 'Man-ooh-tay-ah). It is a Tahitian name, that means 'White Bird, who flies a long way from home'.
I thought this was appropriate and very amusing, because in London, girls are called 'Birds'. I am a white female and now I have moved to Australia, I couldn't have gone further from Home, unless I had gone to the Moon! LOL!

My little business is called 'Manutea Pearls'.
I have just returned from Sri Lanka, where I was sourcing sapphires and rubies to use with the Tahitian pearls, in my jewellery.

Nice to meet you all!
Manu

 

[jerin]

Welcome to the Forum, Manutea!

 

[Manutea]

Hi Jerin! *shakes hand*
Nice to meet you!

Manu

 

[Sueki]

Hello Manutea,
From a fellow London bird - Welcome !
Oh, Perth - I've visited W.A. twice and adore Perth. Oh, yes, and I also adore Tahitian baroques....
Good luck with your business.

 

[GemGeek]

Enjoy your new business and welcome to the club!

 

[Manutea]

Hi Sueki!
Another London Bird - Wicked! LOL! I have Tahitian baroques.... *Pats side of nose* I gif you very good price, mah girl! LOL!

Gemgeek - Gidday to you! Thanks for the Welcome! I hope to have a HUGE business, one day....

Manu

 

[pattye]

Hi There, Manutea, and welcome!

If you like, you can post photos of your creations under the thread "show us your pearls." It is always fun to see what others are doing with their pearls.

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[Manutea]

Hello Pattye!
Nice to make your acquaintence!

Ooh! 'Show us your Pearls'? I haven't found that one yet! LOL! I have been too busy reading!
I may very well take advantage of that... Maybe you guys can give me your expert opinions of my pieces and prices. (I'm all shy now, in the face of such expertise.... ) Thanks for the go-ahead!

Thanks too, for the welcome!

Better go to bed now, it's Midnight here.... Gotta work tomorrow - and not on pearls, either!

Manu

 

[PearlFinderCharles]

WELCOME !
Hello Manutea !
from Warren, Rhode Island !
The folks here are very kind and helping

God Bless,
Pearl Finder Charles

 

[Manutea]

Hi Charles!
Good to meet you!
The stuff that I have been reading is really interesting - I hope to be an active member of this forum!

Manu

 

[knotty panda]

Maybe you guys can give me your expert opinions of my pieces and prices. (I'm all shy now, in the face of such expertise.... )

Welcome. What takes you so far from home and are you pleased you made the change? Re: "experts". That's sort of a misnomer. As far as my title is concerned, "expert" just means I post far too much. It's important that you are "knot intimidated!"

 

[salem]

Don't let Knotty fool you, she is a well of information. Myself on the other hand,I am a well of odd non-pearl related trivia, but I love pearls. And I love the people on this forum! Been too busy to post much recently, but I try to catch up on my reading when I can. Everyone is so friendly and open that I hope you do feel free to post some photos. I am sure everyone will love them.

 

[Manutea]

Hiya Panda!

I went on 'The Big Travel', with a backpack, flying one-way from London to Beijing.
After Several months travelling in China and South East Asia, plus 9 months in New Zealand, I came to Australia (because it was the nearest place and I had already paid for my Visa, when I was in China).
Then I kinda got stuck! I got a job here, that kept me here for a year (after 6 months of making it Legal), and during that time, I met my now-husband, who wanted to keep me and married me, rather than let me go back to the UK.
We got married at Ayers Rock and our Witnesses were people tromping over the desert at the time... LOL! There was just us in Formal Gear, the Celebrant and her husband (we had to fly her out from Alice Springs, so he came too) and our Dusty Backpacker Witnesses! We took them all for dinner, in the Restaurant of the Flash Hotel that is there, as our Reception.
I've been here 11 years now.... I still miss the UK - all my Family and friends are still there, but I like Oz too. I live right by the Indian Ocean, now - it's like being permanently on holiday! LOL!

I am a little intimidated, I must admit, by the standard of some of the jewellery people here.... The Tahitians I imported are DEFINITELY Tahitians, but I still have limited funds, so I haven't been able to get the BEST ones..... YET! Maybe one day! My techniques are still limited too - but I'm learning.

Here is a link to my little shop, if anyone wants to have a look....

http://www.oztion.com.au/vshops/vshops.aspx?shopid=1123

Prices are in Australian Dollars.

Be gentle!
Manu

 

[Manutea]

Hiya Salem!
I am sure you guys all know a whole lot more than I do! *Humble*

Manu

 

[pattye]

Hi Manutea,

Honest, most of us are in learning mode,too!

Fun to hear your background, and took a look at your website. Very nice, love the legends, I had not heard those before. The baroque pearls are my favorites. They are so lovely of themselves, they don't need anything fancy to show them off. Great that you already know how to knot--I am just learning!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[Sueki]

Hello Manu,
Lovely items you have - the mother of pearl and Tahitian pearl pieces are beautiful.

 

[Manutea]

Thanks for taking a peek, Pattye!

Knotting was the first thing I learned, after drilling. The ones up there at the moment, I did in Tahiti and had serious HELP with, but I have some freshwater and coral strands that I did recently, with a view to putting Tahitian pearl pendants on them.

There was much swearing and re-doing and re-doing again, that time! LOL! But I think now, I have conquered it and mastered the art and have managed to knot 5 strands now, including the ones in my shoppe. The most difficult bit is putting the final clasps on! But I think I've got it now....

Then I learned how to carve the Mother-of-Pearl shells.... I can make flowers and simple basic shapes and getting more skilled at it all the time. I have in mind a leaf-brooch (pendant?) on which to place a Tahitian Keshi, that is in the shape of a snail!

It's a great pearl - the snail 'body' is white, while the 'shell' is black! Can't wait to do that one! I need to find me the right leaf-shape to carve, though.

I have moved on to basic silver-working now.... Soldering and fusing. I made some terrific 'blobs' at first! LOL!
I have in progress at the moment a three-pronged pendant with a different colour Tahitian on the end of each 'prong' and topped by a larger one. I have broken it 3 times so far, but this 4th time, I think I've got it, finally!

I have just moved house, so I haven't had time to do anything in the last few weeks - especially with going away to Sri Lanka... I accompanied hubby on a business-trip there, but made good use of it too!

The gold, I either buy the findings in, right now, or get a local jeweller I know, to make the finding up for me - gold is too expensive to 'play' with! So I design the stuff and get him to make it.

I can't wait to start using the stones I bought... I have an Australian blue/green black Lightening Ridge Opal to use too... Also, topaz, star sapphire, Iolite and Aquamarine... So many designs, but not enough skill/cash right now!

Manu

 

[Manutea]

Ooh Sueki! Didn't see you there!

Thankyou very much for the compliments! Not really me... the Oyster did MOST of the work!

Manu

 

[Manutea]

Ahhh - Rats! Past 1AM again.... Better go to bed I suppose. Work tomorrow...

Manu

 

[mansourh]

Short mesage

Short mesage

I hope you are fine. I am working in Sri Lanka in this time .I am new in this site and i want see and be friend with people from all around the worls. I hope see you in Sri Lanka in future. best regards.
Mansour Houshmand

Hi everyone!
I live in Perth, Western Australia and I have just come in to introduce myself!

I have a very fledgeling business with Tahitian pearls and I make very simple jewellery. I went on holiday to Tahiti a couple of years ago and made friends with a Tahitian family, who have an export license and they approved me to bring my first small 'lot' of pearls to Australia.
I sell on a small Australian auction site (which is growing!), but as yet, do not have my own website.

I love the Tahitian pearls and am very happy to have the opportunity to work with them! I am learning new jewellery skills all the time, though not very quickly, as I need to work as well, to pay the bills.

I am originally from London, but as I mentioned before, I now live in Australia.
The Tahitian family called me 'Manutea' (pronounced 'Man-ooh-tay-ah). It is a Tahitian name, that means 'White Bird, who flies a long way from home'.
I thought this was appropriate and very amusing, because in London, girls are called 'Birds'. I am a white female and now I have moved to Australia, I couldn't have gone further from Home, unless I had gone to the Moon! LOL!

My little business is called 'Manutea Pearls'.
I have just returned from Sri Lanka, where I was sourcing sapphires and rubies to use with the Tahitian pearls, in my jewellery.

Nice to meet you all!
Manu