Playing catch up

Looks like I logged back onto Blogger at the right time - Lori's blog hop reveal!! If you've never seen the annual blog hop, just click here and prepare to lose a few hours trawling through. Good news though, it has been limited to 200 participants this year, so you should only lose half a day. Here's a peek of one of the pieces Lori made:

It's amazing to look through and see what people make from components they are sent, and looks like a lot of fun. I know what I'll be doing once I have made my imprint on the blogosphere this evening.

It's been a long and complicated couple of months, not an awful lot of beadery has gone on, but I have dabbled a little and finally tackled working with some polymer clay. I've really enjoyed the little bits that I have done so I can safely say that it's something I look forward to working with more. I spent a week off work, signed off by the doctor for stress, and did lots of baking - I have found that my signature dish is triple chocolate brownie, and there's nothing that chills me out more than baking them. Sadly I didn't do as much beading as I had hoped but I have started a 100% from scratch necklace, here's a sneaky preview:

It will be complemented by two handmade round polymer clay beads, the chain is going to be netted in light green frosted beads and I plan to make a polymer clay toggle clasp with leaves on to match it. This will be my very first piece where all components are completely my own, and it's quite exciting for me.

In other news, we've settled into our home and are well and truly mortgaged up, next on the list of expenses is a new car as ours is still consistently dying - if any of you know what might be draining a car battery please feel free to chip in! We're thinking we need to check if any earth cables aren't connecting properly as it's had a new battery, new glow plugs and temperature sensor on the water coolant (or something like that??) but still the battery will die after sitting for a length of time... Oh well, looking at getting a 2-3 year old car on finance so we'll see what happens in Summer.

I'm off to look at the beautiful beaded items that Lori's soup-ers have created! See you there.

Double post Thursday - part 1!

It's double post Thursday!

Sorry for missing last night's post, I didn't get back from Tracy's until gone 10pm! Was nice to actually have a night off from work  Anyway, in amongst my clearing up the other day, I came across my photo book of my travels in August 2008 - tune in later, and once we get back from my mother in law's for fish and chips, I'll tell you all about my adventure down under! I will warn you now, it's likely to be even more picture-heavy than normal 

My little roses have started to open now, such a lovely surprise from my lovely hubby 


Ooh and the star is now complete, I just need to decide what I am going to do with it:

I'm quite pleased with how it turned out, it's quite cool how different they look if you squeeze them 

I even came home to another little parcel last night which is my new bead backing from America to try out. Can't wait - I have 14 different colours to play with now!
Tune in later bead buddies for a little of Singapore and Dubai, and a lot of cattle ranching in Oz!

Slowly slowly catch a monkey

I'm really sorry about the lack of communication, and that it has gotten even worse. It's been a bit of a long week, and it could be a long few weeks with some changes and whatnot, so I'm going to apologise for the distance between me and my blog now. I thought I'd just update you all with a snap of my Spring necklace which I'm slowly but surely getting around to finishing - fingers crossed in the next few weeks I can show the finished item.

I hope that you are all well, and fear not, I'm still loitering and trying to keep up with you all and your lovely blogs.

FOLLOWERS!

Ohh you've gone and snuck up on me faster than I expected - I've just hit the 50 followers so watch this space for details of my giveaway... I've got to come up with something lovely for you now!

Back on the network

It's Saturday afternoon and I've got some 'me' time whilst DH is playing football. I've been wanting to see Step Up 2 for so long, and it's on ITV2 so yay for me! I've just fixed my wireless network so that the PC, laptop and printer are all friends again, so now I am going to chill out.

I'm a little annoyed at myself at the moment though, I have lost my box of MOO cards, and it's really frustrating me as to where I've put them. If anyone sees them - let me know :)

I've been wanting for a while to experiment more with some of the geometric shapes, and finally got around to having a little go at making a triangle cushion which as you can see has become a ring. It works up pretty quickly which is good, I may have to get some delicas to make one properly.

Speak to you all later

Hey everyone, I know I've not been around much on here but I've been keeping up with all of your blogs. In the meantime whilst I've been away I've been knuckling down and making this necklace from Beadwork! Goodness knows how long it took me, but it's been one of my favourite projects so far.

I've been absolutely shattered recently, but in March I'll be working four 4-day weeks thanks to the 4 days holiday I have to take before the end of March - that'll be a treat.

Soo... In other news, I've got a bunch more beads in my collection now so I *really* need to get on using them up.

What plans have you all got for Valentine's?

Progress is slow

Oh man have the last two weeks been rotten. Amongst being spoken to like crap at work (not by my colleagues I would like to point out!) and being shouted at by people who think it's their 'right' to an engineer being on their doorstep within 30 seconds of them phoning a fault through, I'm just feeling a bit stressed out, a bit overwhelmed, and wishing I could have a couple of days off.

Just as well it's the weekend after tomorrow hey!

I've just made the decision also to cancel my contract with BT, having had a few problems and a few charges recently on my bill for stupid things, when the contract renewal letter came through my letterbox this week I decided that enough was enough. Just got to wait for confirmation from Virgin now as to when we can get it installed... And having said that, and looking around my lounge - when we are going to have to have a huge clean up so that the engineer doesn't think we live in a total dump! Just keep telling me that this time next year I will hopefully be looking to get a house of my very own, please.

Enough with the negatives, lovely people, sorry to bring you all down with that rubbish - it's nice to have a place to vent a bit though. Good news on the lariat, I am about a third of the way through now, so at some point over the weekend when it's a little longer I'll post an update - may even start embellishing the end then do some more of the chain afterwards, we shall see.

Is it sad that I got a little excited that I now have 34 followers on Twitter? Lol - not even sure why people follow me at the moment, I don't really have much interesting stuff to say (but then why do you guys follow me on here either??) :) It's just nice to be a part of something really.

Ooh I am a bit gutted though, I've just had my MOO cards printed and now I'm cancelling my BT contract the e-mail address will be wrong after the next couple of months :( sad times. Eek, I've blabbed on a wee bit much this evening, will let you all get on with important things whilst I procrastinate over doing some housework... Have you had a look at my 'library' page yet? I'm trying to get a bit more on here to make it a bit more interesting - do you think a gallery page would be good, or too much?

Closing 2010

I am closing 2010 on a good and positive note, and starting as I mean to go on, and by that I mean this bracelet which was a UFBO until 2 days ago! I originally started this piece out intending to make it into a necklace, but as they are leftover beads from another bracelet I just wasn't going to have enough so have made it into another bracelet instead. Boy does Cellini Spiral take time to build up! All in all though, I'm really quite pleased, and can't wait to get my other UFBO's out.

In other news, I hope you have been following the fabulous Margie and Me competition hosted by Marcie and La Bella Joya - if not, CLICK HERE NOW and view the beautiful pieces that have been submitted, there are still a couple more days of voting. I've put my vote in, but it was very hard!

I have also treated myself to a couple of books having had a flick through them after my friend got them for Christmas - I've been watching them, umming and ahh-ing for a few months now! Can't wait :)

Christmas Wishes

View from the flat earlier this evening...

Well, it's nearly that time! I will be trying to get around all of my blogs that I follow but that seems to be far more than anticipated so if I don't make it to you, please accept my apologies and I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas.

I'm just about set now, with the arrival of my sister's present I'm just waiting for one thing in the post and keeping my fingers crossed... Especially since the snow has made such a comeback today. It was alright this morning, I went to my bead class and though the temperature was -6 it wasn't so bad - I sit at my parents for a few hours, and when I go out, the snow has covered my car and caused me to have to drive at 5mph for over half the journey because there's no traffic on the roads and my car just slips and slides... Add to that, several of the rear wheel drive cars coming past almost at right angles, and it wasn't my favourite journey ever!

Aanyway, here's what I made today - pretty little tree decorations to go on my small tree at home!

And finally, I made a little Christmas bauble for my niece, who we call Little Pig. Photos aren't brilliant, but it's quite cute :)

Well, I'm off to try and warm up! Fingers crossed the snow will be disappearing again soon...

Christmas Decoration Swap

The fabulous Tania Grey has made some Christmas decoration goodies in the kiln, so put them up for swap for beady baubles - now who am I to turn down such a lovely swap :) Here's my swap I'll be posting out this weekend (if the postie's ever get it to it's destination that is!)

I had to abandon my car at work last night and have my office manager give me a lift home, my supervisor picking me up this morning - wish me luck getting the little car home tonight for the weekend!

Happy crafting
x

Festival festivities

Aha, so it was announced this week the headline act for Download 2011 at Donington Park and WE ARE GOING! System of a Down are reforming and headlining, and I will not miss it for the world. For those who don't know, Download is a rock festival held here in the UK over 5 days with 3 days of music. Can't wait, just can't believe how much the ticket prices have been inflated this year - Download festival planners know we just can't resist a hook and line as tempting as System of a Down... The sinker just got sunk (and this is before any other bands are confirmed!)

Aaanyway, as I can't show you my Secret Santa piece/s, which be coming on rather well now after my little glitch, I thought I would share my first Christmas bauble! I did go out last night and purchase some gold and silver baubles so I can make some more of these pretties so watch this space, they're so lovely to do. Christmas tree presents I think - that personal touch for a not-so-wealthy Christmas that we will be having this year.

Are you planning on making your own decorations? What have you got planned?

Happy crafting!
x

Branding!

I feel like I've been a busy bee this week! I've made more progress with my Secret Santa, finished a Christmas Bauble, and now want to make more, and got plenty of housework and paperwork done. Also, you will notice everything gradually being re-branded - I finally got off my butt and made myself a simple but quite pretty (I think) logo. What do you think?

I'm having real problems at the moment with ribbon ends, and have had to resort to using a different technique for my SS - I guess some things we are just not meant for, and ribbons are not my thing.

I've also indulged the last two weeks in two of my favourite magazines, Bead & Button and Beadwork. There are some absolutely beautiful patterns in there this month, and there just aren't enough hours in the day. What's your favourite magazine?

Two items listed in my Folksy shop now, hopefully more before long - any comments would be appreciated.

Happy crafting
x

Folksy Festivities

I had the pleasure of meeting plainprimitives at a craft fair my mother in law was selling at on Saturday. I've been teetering on the edge of starting a Folksy shop for a matter of months now, and wasn't sure whether to take the plunge or not. On the promise that the tax side is not so hard, I finally took that plunge yesterday, and have listed my first item today. I'm all excited, I know it's not that much so far but I'm hoping to have a few more items to list very soon.

Also, I have taken new photographs of a chunk of my jewellery as you can see - courtesy of my mother's lovely hunk of quartz. My knees were so unbelievably stiff after an hour of shooting these pictures, but it was so worth it.

Secret Santa is coming on - Jim's out at darts tomorrow night so I hope to get a bit further with that too.

Thought I'd just share Saturday's project with you too :)

Happy crafting
x

Secret Santa

Woo, work's starting to pick up a bit now the weather's getting cold - good old heating maintenance... It's nice to get home and chill out of an evening and get down to some beading.

I got so excited this week - the arrival of my Secret Santa package for our Bead Buddies challenge turned up, and I was sooo nervous at the thought of what might be in the selection but I needn't have feared! Lovely colours and the beads are right up my street, so I have made a start. Just got to decide where I'm taking the started item... Wish I could give you guys the details but as it's Secret Santa, I can't do that until my Buddy has received and opened it! Something to look forward to ;) hopefully you'll love it - and hopefully my Buddy will too.

On another note, I took the plunge this evening and have opened a shop of Folksy - don't get too impressed just yet, I haven't listed anything, but now I have a reason to get my butt into gear and get over to my parents in daylight tomorrow to get some acceptable standard of photographs so I can get down to listing. Fingers crossed Little Treats will be up and running tomorrow evening - watch this space.

If you wouldn't mind spreading the word a bit - please 'like' my facebook fan page HERE - I'd greatly appreciate it.

Happy crafting
x

Update

Bloggers! Does anyone else have ideas to post on the blog during the day/night, but by the time you come to the screen, ready to type away, you just don't know where to begin? I've suffered this alot recently, not only with blogging but my beading, which is not good at all!

I am underway with my cuff, just chasing inspiration now - I've just got Microsoft Office this week though, and discovered MS OneNote - for the win! I'll have a designated inspiration gathering space for any project I start now. For my first cuff, I'm going for a gunmetal/black/turquoise colour scheme with the snowflake obsidian cabochons. Watch this space.

I sat and photographed my jewellery before I went out to see some old friends last night. They seemed to come out OK, but having reviewed them on screen I'm a bit gutted. It looks like daylight is my only option - only problem is, we don't have a great supply here in our flat. This is going to have to be a mission to complete at dad's when the weather's not too grim - if only my sister had just got her butt in gear, I wouldn't have to be doing it in the first place! I've also decided that I'm still not happy with my website, but I just can't afford hosting with MrSite or anything like that, as little as it may be. I think in all seriousness, I'm in no position to have an online business yet, I've nowhere near enough stock (or time). Perhaps one day.

Over at Bead Buddies we are having a Secret Santa! Everyone taking part gets a mystery goody bag and we have to use only what is in the bag to make a gift for our partner. Of course we can add a clasp where necessary. I've never done anything like this before, so I'm nervous but excited. Partners are to be drawn later this week when the bags are sent out. I hope there are seedies in mine!

I've made a decision that between now and Christmas I am going to try and finish (or pick apart) all of my UFBO's (unfinished beady objects), so that I can make a fresh start in 2011. I came across one such piece whilst taking my photographs. Having put it on the bust, I actually like it asymmetrical and think I may take off the green beads and replace them with a couple of lengths of chain - what do you think? Obviously the bottom needs finishing too.

Blimey - from no inspiration to a long blog entry - thanks for the venting space blogosphere, and if you're still reading, thank you! I would love feedback from you guys on my website and that necklace.

Happy crafting
x

Midnight Monday

Midnight - Disassembly-Boy on deviantART

Because - can you believe it - it was dark when I left work today. DARK! Pitch black. And I wasn't very happy about it. Apparently today is one of the most depressing days of the year, and I would be quite prepared to believe it. How rubbish is it when you get up in the dark to go to work and then when you leave to go home... It's dark!?

I have had a peek and tried to find some brighter takes on 'Midnight' - just to cheer myself up a bit!

Midnight Garden Pendant - Lottie of London

Midnight Garden cards - made by lolly

Pink Owl Necklace - Ich Bin

How cute is the little pink owl? I love it :P Suddenly, I feel much happier. I had a slight glitch in the starting of my embroidered cuff this evening - I thought I would make sure the cabochon had stuck properly, and possibly pulled it a bit too much... Right off in fact (oops!) Lessons learned, I definitely need some sort of sanding paper to rough it up for future pieces, and also, just let it be and bead a tight bezel to keep it there?? Numpty that I am. The learning curve has begun.

Happy crafting x

Puff the beaded dragon

...Say hello to Puff the beaded dragon (as named by DH... and then sing the song!)

I've had alot of fun making this bracelet, isn't it so sweet? Big thanks to Donna for a fantastic tutorial, all that's left is for me to source some 11mm bugles to make some wings - or maybe I will leave her without for a while? I'm not sure... I think I'll order the beads, make up the wings and see how it looks with them! 

Have you entered the giveaway yet? If not, get a move on!

Happy crafting

x

Fab giveaway

Visit Love My Art Jewelry for a fab prize opportunity! Just click on the image to the left. Don't try too hard though, I want these little babies :)


The dragon is coming along, the body is now complete and he will have a head very soon. I'm so excited :D

Happy crafting
x

Mythical project alert!

Finally, the mojo appears to be making a return, and I think it must in part be down to Donna of Delicate Sparkles and her fantastic dragon bracelet. I came across a thread on Bead Buddies wanting the pattern testing and thought I would be too late, but hurrah for bead buddies and hurrah for this fab project :) It's the first set of instructions that I've worked from that is entirely words, but I'm 3/4 of the way through the body and think I have everything I need except for some 11mm bugles which I couldn't find anywhere at the bead shop! Wings will have to wait then...

You can take a look at the thread here and see all of the other little dragon critters the buddies have created so far. I just loved them all, especially Bernie (who you can see in traditional dragon colours on page 5!)

In other news, my friend has called today to tell me my car has been sold, and it will be collected tomorrow - sad times! But she sure does look smart with her new paint job - no more white bonnet for Milly it's all red all the time from here on out!

Must get back to the dragon - pics to follow soon :) Ooh and don't get too excited just yet, but once I reach 50 followers... I feel a giveaway would be a lovely idea - yay for beady friends!

Happy crafting
x

A little treat for Littletreats

Well I've had a bit of a spendathon today, I desperately needed a new wardrobe and have spent probably far too much on not enough but it sure has been nice :)

Included in the spending spree is this adorable bag by Jentwinkle which I will be eagerly awaiting the arrival of.

Not so good on the beading front, sorry all - it's all the worse as I'm supposed to be making pieces to take to the craft fair in a matter of weeks, and I just can't find my creative mojo! I'm in need of getting some bookmarks and phone charm dangles to pretty up and bulk out the stock I think... Pinks and purples? I think so... I'm in a pinky purpley mood.

Saw the photos my sister has been working on today, they're looking good - I just hope the weather clears up for a day so she can finish them as I really would like my jewellery back sometime SOON!!

Happy crafting
x