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.

BTW

Bead Table Wednesday - I will try to keep this up now that I've started!!

Happy crafting!

Missing in action

Hey everyone, just popping my head around the door to see what's going on. I've been so exhausted this week, work has been very busy, and I'm really just trying to chill out this weekend.

Here's a peep at my new project - quite excited about this one so stay tuned! The netted lariat is also coming on a few inches at a time.

Right guys, sorry for keeping it short and sweet but even though it's not even 5pm, I'm struggling to keep my eyes open and really need to get started on dinner!

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

Baby pinks

I had a really good day yesterday...I thought I was never going to make it back in to Ipswich in time to catch up with the girls at my beading class but guess what, I did, and not only that but I made my mum a baby pink bracelet that she'd asked for only the night before - now there's service! Pictures to follow shortly :o)

So anyway, I went on a happy little jaunt up the A14 to drop Jim off and came across a lorry that had tipped onto it's side, adding 20 minutes onto my return journey - not so cool, but it was one of those things that everyone stops and looks at whilst driving along at 2mph... Also not cool. So then I had to take a different route back into town because they're doing work on the A14 and my regular slip road was closed. Thankfully I arrived only 10 minutes late and the girls had only just got their beads and bits together so I didn't miss anything :o)

Isn't it lovely when you have the first bbq of the summer? We had one yesterday at our friends' new house, and boy did it make me want to get out of here - I want to get saving on a serious note and get me a beautiful house like that one. Just as well I have a new, better, permanent job then hehe. On that note, you'll be pleased to know that so far it's going well at my new place, and fingers crossed by the end of this week I'll be ready to take it on solo - I have to take it all on either way, so that might be nice! Everyone's really nice though and I think I'll get any help that I need so yippee. 

In jewellery land, I currently have three outstanding projects which I really want to get done, so hopefully I can show you those very soon. First on my list is my spring necklace which I really hope I have enough bead-age for, and then a net necklace which I started several weeks ago (slap my wrist!) and one other necklace for which I may have to wing it because I'm not sure I still have the pattern... Ermm... Teehee.

I hope you all are well, and crafting merrily away

10 weeks to go

Oh dear, I've been very bad in keeping up to date with the blogosphere just recently - I've just spent nearly an hour reading through all of your updates! I can't even begin to tell you how stressed I've been some days this last week, it's been horrendous. All I can say is that now it's getting sorted and aside from job issues, all is fine with the wedding (10.5 weeks away and counting) and the dieting (perhaps not SO fine with the dieting... KFC and wine anyone?)

You may be excited to hear that I have finally gotten around to finishing off my Garden Necklace and am going to be wearing it into work with great sparkly pleasure and pride. I'm getting more comfortable with knotting new thread on to existing which is a milestone for me, but it's for that reason I'll definitely have to keep this necklace all for myself - I'm not so confident with the first two attachments of thread and I can't have it breaking whilst a friend is wearing it! Oh well, one more pretty piece of jewellery that has fallen into my mitts :o)

This week feels so long already and I can't believe it's only Tuesday night! I really want to get back onto the netting necklace we started on Saturday but I'm enjoying procrastinating over what to do until Jim comes back from football. Seems it's the first time in many days that I've been able to just sit, and I'm making the most of it! Well I will post pictures of the netting necklace when it comes a bit further along, it is of course in purple and so far looks lovely.

Ann Summers parties are great fun - I went to my friend's party last night and it was such a fantastic girls night in that I've booked myself one to have the day before my official hen night. Bring on the buzz!

I will be back tomorrow (hopefully!) for LittleTreats loves... probably early as we are having a night in watching movies and drinking wine, which sounds so pleasant and I just can't wait.

In the meantime, happy crafting!