Cold!

Last night I went to bed with one of those throats where you feel like you have swallowed sandpaper - today I feel like my nose is on tap and as I tap this it has started drizzling - perfect - just in time for the walk to school!! Its funny how the weather likes to wait for that walk - morning or afternoon the rain always likes to start about 10 mins before I have to leave!! This cold is making me feel like I am chilled to the bone :(

A couple of pieces to show you before I trundle off to my party this evening - although I am full of cold (apologises to anyone who is going to night - I promise not to breath over you!) I'm looking forward to getting my latest pieces out there. It always so nice to see people trying pieces on at parties!! The first necklace is dainty with Tourmaline and a Karen Hill Tribe Silver flower - and the charm bracelet with Isabelle Andersons beautiful shell beads - this piece I nearly called Linen - for obvious reasons - the chain and headpins were handcrafted by me - of course!!

Will post again Sunday - the website will be updated tomorrow morning - lots of new pieces!!

Earthquakes

How scary! Not for me, I live in Cornwall (down the bottom) so we seem to be safe from these happenings - although I have experienced tremors before. Two summers ago on a holiday to the Greek island of Zante we woke in the night with the feeling our bed had been picked up and shook around. Then one morning by the pool we had another - funny thing is the children didn't even notice!! The third was the worst - it actually made me feel quite ill - we were shopping and everything in the shop started swinging and rocking. The owner didn't even bat an eyelid though - so we decided not to be worried! But how I would react in a earthquake is anyones guess - were any of you affected???


I wante dto show you the other pieces I made with Beverley Hicklins beads - (after my last post - see below) I love the colours in these and was influenced by Italy (One of my favourite countries) Now I have to finish the preparations for the party - my first in 2 months - so its getting everything back together - the worst part is the pricing each and every piece up - think of me.....

And another....

Lovely BetteJo passed this on to me - isn't it lovely:) I have a few people I want to pass it onto - the people who always listen to my waffle whether here or through emails or msn. Sometimes when life is getting us down its our friends that add that little bit of sunshine. SO my awards goes to all my friends you know who you are!!

I'm also going to have a little brag - yesterday I had email from Cindy, one of the editors of Art Bead Scene - I was featured yesterday :) Go take a look - How exciting!!


Right I'm off for my swim - hoping to swim 55 lengths today (small pool!! probably more like 27.5!!) Enjoy your day!

Thanks Crunchy is friday!

AS promised a look at on eof my new bracelets - I think the colours Isabelle Anderson captured are fantastic and it gave me the oppurtunity to use these beautiful flashy labradorite lentils with them. I named her after that lovely Sunday where we spent the afternoon wandering through Trelissick. Cornwall is full of inspiration for me - there's always something that triggers a design.

Friday sometimes don't come fast enough but this week has flown by - in fact can you believe next weekend is March!! Now I can't wait for spring to fully kick in - but the summer is my favourite time - I've already been buying gemstones in the colours that sing Summer - turquoise, Kyanite, ruby - lovely rich vibrant colours!

Now don't forget either its Mothering Sunday next weekend. My Mum for one is a very special lady (we're actually very similar ;0) ) But I'm not sure she'll want jewellery this year (I could be wrong?!) So I'd love some ideas - of course buying handmade would be great - so ideas would be lovely!!

Have a lovely weekend

Sorry

For my rant on Monday - its all sorted my lovely friend Clare lent us a book which Elli and us read last night. A lovely look at how babies are made and my sweet child said "I'm not confused anymore"!!
I have been working hard this week - lots of new pieces made - sadly most of them are commissions but I'll show you at some point. I also have a party booked for next Friday - as you all know all my stock goes to these - so my website may look a little thin on the ground on the first but I'm trying to make lots of new pieces in the meantime to cover all eventualites :)

I'll be back tomorrow with a fabulous bracelet (even if I do say so myself) its one of my latest favourites. So check back tomorrow :)

Back to Normal

School and normal routine I mean - I think I'm way past normal now! The sun was shining today but it was so cold - but I do prefer it to rain. The above necklace was definately influenced by the sun - I love that amazonite focal and of course the ivory pearls just show it off to perfection.

I also made some more of my planets - these are so light and easy to wear - I'm hoping to keep these as part of my basic silver range, inexpensive and fun. I love the pattern on these - now I'm not giving away any trade secrets but you'd find it hilarious if I did tell you how it came about - but I won't because then I would have to kill you!! :)

Now I'm going to have a little rant - please feel free to scroll to the bottom for my final pic ;)
Any one with children will understand the protection we feel for them - my daughter is six and although we joke about her going on sixteen, she is a child who is in love with the idea of princes and princesses, unicorns, fairies and magic. She does say she has a true love but that's not because she understands but because she adores Disney classics (Ie Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty) so imagine my shock (and horror) when she asked her Daddy if it were true - and in childs wording asks him about sex!!! Now I'm no prude, I tell her the truth (But on a need to know basis - its quite easy to change the subject without actually lying) but I do not want her learning about the birds and bees from another child at school (same child that told her there is no such thing as Santa Claus) So any Mum reading this who likes to tell your children everything can you spare a thought for those of us who would like our children to stay as innocent as the day they were born for as long as possible. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
OK after my sounding off :D I'll leave you there until next time ....

Special Award

OH a special early morning surprise from Jo of Daisychain designs and Mandie of Jewellery Craft - I had a Make MY Day Award - my first and I'm so chuffed - thanks Jo & Mandie :) SO I've popped it on the side but now I have a job to do :-
To pass the award on, here are the details :
1. Write a post with links to 5 blogs that make me think and/or make my day.
2. Acknowledge the post of the award giver.
3. Display the “You Make My Day Award” logo
4. Tell the award winners that they have won by commenting on their blogs with the news.


The blogs listed below are with some incrediably gifted people -

1 BetteJo of Beadcreations - she sometimes has me crying with laughter - such talent for writing.
2 Jo Rutter- of Joannarutter.com, her fabulous jewellery and lovely photographs are perfect!
3. Amari Designs - Maz makes the most wonderful, elegant jewellery
4 MsBelle - GInger is a fantastic writer and makes the most wonderful jewellery - I need to see her gemstone collection!!
5.Dawn Vertress - her silver jewellery is breathtakingly gorgeous - I'm going to be Dawn when I grow up!!

Enjoy everyone!!

Where's the week gone!

Hmmm not that Friday feeling - more a feeling of where has the week flown by too! Time goes by so quickly doesn't it - the good thing about school holidays is Elli and I become more in tune - of course normal school weeks I'm a Mummy who is always saying 'Homework' or 'Bed' or 'Swimming lessons' , but holidays we all become more chilled out and my sleepy 6 yr old really knows how to chill out!
Another wire wrapped bracelet to show you - again with Caroline's beads, the patterns in the glass sung tigers stripes at me, yet once I started playing the other colours just popped! out. I've used bronze fw pearls, prehnite, amethyst, garnet, green apaptite, and of course aa couple of charms, then of course she was Oxidised and hand-polished. Can you tell I love this technique!

Half way

I've been soldering - so I stopped halfway through 3 chains and made a couple of pairs of these earrings. I have kept one pair for myself - I need to test them out right?! They are so light , yet they catch the light enough for people to see them on - so I'm happy with this design - another I think which will be kept on.
I also made this necklace - these beads of Claire's, of Rowanberrys Glass Art, definately talk to me, they trully misbehaved and although were a bracelet in my head decided they wanted to be a necklace. Now most of you will probably read this and think I've completely lost the plot. BUt you see most jewellery designers will say the same thing, whether it our muses stepping in or whether these beads created by artisans carry some personality I have no idea. Claire thinks all beads have a fiery nature because they are born from the fire!!
I think I'm going to leave it there before I make you think anything else!! Hopefully will be back tomorrow I have lots more to show and all my delicious gemstones arrived - *sigh!

Half Term Hols

The half-term hols are here so I have Elli at home - which means keeping my blog updated may be a little tricky! She's very good though , I can't complain and she let me spend an hour or two in the garage (my workshop) while she played her DS Lite. I did have to come in to make choc crispies - I thought she was going to help but the actual licking the choc clean from the spoon and bowl was all she really wanted to do! So In the tumbler I have, 2 chains (one large , one small) 1 x pair of earrings (new style) pebbles (commissions) and some twisted jump rings!

Yesterday we spent the day with Mamma and Nannie (Gump has gone playing golf in Portugal!) we had alovely pub lunch and then on to Trelissick Gardens, on the River Fal it was chilly out of the sun and when we suddenly came out onto the tennis court (Or what was ) the sun and views not only of the house but over the River were stunning - silly me forgot the camera though!

HOpefully I'll be back tomorrow - I'm working on a few commission at the moment and waiting for a few parcels but I'll try!

She's gone!

Its disco night! I feel like my darling daughter is a sixteen year old not a six year old - we've had tears and tantrums over what she wanted to wear, I thought jeans and a pretty top but oh no my little madam had other ideas!! Then five minutes before she had to go she decided she didn't like her boots with the skirt she HAD to wear but needed new shoes!!!!!!!! It funny how at that age they think you can magic these things out of thin air! Now her bedroom has clothes all over the floor and it smalls of her perfume (Barbie body spray in Lollipop - bleurgh) OH my how am I going to cope when she is sixteen!!
The above bracelet is my latest work of art - now I can actually admit to this one being a "work of art" because it took forever (Just like First Kiss of Spring") I counted this time the amount of headpins - over 300 at last count! MY arm has been aching ever since but oh boy I love to make these!! I have a commission for one next and then I have many colour, gemstone combinations. So yes if you were wondering if I will take these on commissions I will - please remember that the choice of gemstone will greatly inflate the price! Oh and "kisses of Sunset" is Hessonite Garnet with my "kisses" of fine silver.

Now I'm just waiting for one tired little girl to come home for cuddles with her Mummy!

Foggy Start

Damp and foggy this morning when we walked to school , yesterday's sunshine was a distant memory. I do have these lovely Amethyst earrings to show you though (The birthstone for February!) which are lovely and cheery! The thing about fog is its chilly, I don't think I've felt warm all day. But the weather report is for warmer sunny weather so bring it on

This pendant to me looks like a spring bouquet with teeny weeny little fw pearls, rose quartz, amethyst and peridot. I have a feeling I am pining for the change of seasons, or maybe I'm just thinking ahead! I've included the picture of it hanging so you can see how sweet it is.

Of course today I have been oxidising so, todays blog may be sweet and cheery but in a few days expect to see some darker pieces, including another bangle and bracelet! But tomorrow, fingers crossed I have a beautiful bracelet to show you - I will be very torn to sell this one I can tell you!

Calluna

Oh aren't I good, a second post in two days!! I have quite a few pieces to show you so I have to keep posting! This wire wrapped bracelet has the most amzing beads by Isabelle Anderson - the colours in them are fabulous! YOU will notice it has been oxidiised but it really made the colours pop! when I did it (as well as loving the look!)

The saga of the disco continues, my lovely 6 yr old has her eye on two boys! One she has had a major fluttering of eyelashes at ever since they went to Nursery together - he lives only a few doors down and they are weekend (and warmer weather) playmates. Elli has always been sure they will marry at some point, even when she tells me he loves another. Yes, I know my daughter is only six but she also thinks she is a princess!! Now, a new boy has arrived on the scene - he in her class (and has been since September) and she is very giggley when talking about him - luckily being only six she tells Mummy everything, they even held hands in class on Monday! So who do you think she is going to dance with at the disco on Friday - my pick is on her first crush but hey being six that could change at anytime and I'm sure I'll get a "Duh Mummy that was ages ago" if I ask then - we'll have to wait and see!

Gearrannan

Sorry I know I promised to post yesterday but I was busy sourcning all evening for a customer and lost track of the evening - so huge apologises :) I am trying to keep up with everything honest!! The above bracelet with Isabelle Anderson's artisan glass is called Gearrannan because Isabelle called them Drystone Wall which if you look closely you can see the pattern. The colours remind me of heather so the name was found - Gearrannnan is a historical village on the Isle of Lewis built by this technique - you can read all about it here

Elli has her first disco in Friday, she is so excited - you know the jumping up and down excited, the "how many days until" excited. But I had to laugh she looked up over the weekend and asked "What is a disco Mummy??". Bless her, I didn't want to burst her bubble and say "well hun the boys stand at the side being extremley silly and the girls giggle and dance round their shoes" or was that just my generation!! I'm sure there will be more news of the pending dance as the week moves on - I mean we have the "Oh what shall I wear???" saga next ;0)

Where was it??

So did you get any?? SNOW I mean! We had nothing , well nothing is slightly wrong as although we didn't really get snow we did get every other weather condition the UK can throw at us! Rain, wind, hail, sleet, sun, cloud, more hail, more sleet, and so it went on. My poor dd was waiting all day for the snow she thought we had been told we were getting!! Luckily lunch out with Mamma and Gump saved me from a few hours of moaning! We had lunch in a pub by the sea - watching the waves and headland across the bay was amazing - sadly I had no camera so no pics to show.

If you have any snow pics on your blogs please let me know - I can at least show Elli, luckily she enjoys seeing pics as well as enjoying the real thing!
Today I made some chains ready for my gemstone order which I hope will arrive Tuesday of this week, I'm also hoping for a artisan glass charm bracelet - again if my supplies turn up. In fact I have quite a few pieces waiting for supplies so there will be lots to show in the next couple of days - and this time I promise *cough {without fingers crossed} to try and post every other day at least. I have an excuse though - you are all keeping me way to busy creating and my blogging is going to pot!
Speak tomorrow ;0)