STOLEN!

I'm so sorry to show this again but its been NICKED!  Went to work with me on Thursday so customer could collect, put it on counter ready to pack up pretty in box etc, spoke to someone on phone, couple of customers came in and I spoke with them, all in all about 15 mins away from counter and it was gone....................................So now I've to make another.  Bless their cotton picking bloody socks hey!

Treading Old Ground

I still have ear ache! AND I've reacted to the antibiotics so covered in spots too, heaven!

Some commission pieces and although I'm pleased with them I feel as if I'm treading over old ground, below must be the 3rd or 4th bracelet using these beads.......... they are lovely beads but fancy using something else now, for a change..........got a shop full of lovely beads..............

I love making these pendants, I love the yellow lampwork heart, only had the one and I've been hogging it for ages and ages, hate to see it go.

You may remember seeing a necklace on green silk using these beads, it was going to be my first listing on Etsy (which is still neglected), well, this is the bracelet that the client commissioned to go with it.

Despite the forecast we have had a lovely sunny afternoon, warm enough to sit outside for a bit of basking in the sun with a nice long drink and a really good book, lovely!

The Big Big Ouch!

I've had earache!  Or rather, I've GOT earache!  Finally had to succumb and see the doctor yesterday for some antibiotics which I'm really really really really hoping will start to work quickly coz the last few days have been miserable.  I've tried every painkiller you can buy over the counter, one of which makes me feel very sick, why do these things always feel worse about 3 am?  No sleep for 3 nights so its fair to say I'm feeling bit snappy and out of salts!

The above was an experiment really, at the time I was quite pleased with it so made another in green but since then decided that I wasn't all that happy so they have been dismantled.

The reason I love living on the doorstep of The New Forest.  Hubby suggested a drive to "cheer the ol' girl up" and The Forest is gorgeous at the moment (next week will be murderous with school hols), lots of babies............... horses, deer and foxes.  Isn't this wee chap lovely, I was lucky to get a photo as the little ones are so shy and mums are really protective.

Anyway, wishing all my friends a very happy bank holiday, even if it is forecast to rain!

Over Heated Torch!

I've been covering in our Salisbury shop, blimey, my feet are killing me!

Above is a little bracelet made as a gift for my friend, I'm a little bit pleased with it!  I found a book hidden in my bookcase that I had long forgotten about, anyway, after a quick flick through I found instructions for this clasp which I love and will quite possibly be making more of!  On closer inspection the book is more interesting than I first thought, I can't believe I'd relegated it to the back of the shelf to collect dust............"Bead On A Wire" by Sharilyn Miller.  I've just had very quick look at her website, I like her designs very much.

This one is a commission, it gave me and my wee torch a bit of a headache.  Seemed to be there forever before any action, torch overheating!  After a bit of huffing and hissing realised that torch was low on gas, after a refill I was away!

I'm off to soak my poor tired toes in a long, hot, bubbly bath, lovely..........and afterwards just may tuck myself up in duvet with some chocolate and a DVD.

The Care Heart

NO JEWELLERY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why?  Well, as promised I gardened and gardened and gardened and the garden looks half way to being decent, which is nice coz can sit out in sun without being drowned in weeds and knee high grass while nursing my poor blistered hands and fingers!  I've had that many plasters on that trying to handle a pair of pliers has been impossible and today I have wire withdrawal!

My little shop has been quite quiet also, think everybody is either skint while trying to keep the car on the road, petrol prices are scandalous (we have one garage in Poole which is charging an amazing £1.19, unbelievable), or they are all in garden enjoying this fantastic weather, lets be honest, we've waited a long time for it!

Bijoux Beads yesterday launched its new catalogue (which is the best yet, I'm in it!) and its new "Care Heart" which is unique to us and ALL profits from the sale of this heart are being donated to Water Aid.

Its all the funny little things I take for granted, basking under the shower twice a day, my washing machine is constantly going (2 boys and a mucky hubby), watering the garden, washing the car, being able to flush the toilet and as I only drink water............... I own up to forgetting that some of the world has little or no water.

I struggle to understand the politics etc, I either get really upset at some of the images seen or my head just switches of to the blah blah blah of the politicians, I'm useless..................but I really don't understand why in this century children (no matter which part of the world they live in) are still dying from starvation and a lack of clean water.

That me done!  Off to enjoy a bit of sun now...........

Quite Possibly................

No jewellery is going to be made this weekend, I've got to mow the lawn and de weed our garden which has been seriously neglected due to having far too much fun with beads.  Its going to take me all day and its a VERY small garden!

The beautiful beautiful red treasures are from Caroline at Crafted Gems, aren't they just the loveliest!  I'm not convinced I've done them justice so this is quite possibly going to be reworked....

I love this pendant even tho it gives me sore fingers and thumbs, I've done two or three of them now so you would think I'd be quite quick at them but this one very nearly made it into the scrap pot!  It was bigger..............I knew that I was over working the silver but just one more bend........should have annealed those coils..................................Yep!!!!!!!!!!!! One broke off!  

Its going to be a glorious day so enjoy! 

Hi Peeps!

Well, summers arrived, its been roasting in my back garden and I've loved every minute of it even the sun burnt bits!

You may remember me telling you that I was to do a craft fair................... what absolute rubbish!  The Georgian Fayre @ Blandford..... for starters, it rained, while the rest of the south west basked in glorious sunshine, it rained in Blandford and it was none too warm!  I've never been to Blandford before (despite only living down the road) and on first impressions I thought it to be quite a quaint sort of place, oldy, worldy buildings, high street looked kind of pretty until......................................

I have never seen so many pikey types, soap and dental hygiene not high up on priorities, youngsters that were foul mouthed and worse still, drunk.................AND can someone tell me why much older women now feel the need to go braless in a vest top with lashings of false tan, they're kidding no one!! (hope I've not offended anyone!!).

Cause for celebration, a half way decent picture of a pair of earrings, all handmade by lil ol' me.

The above was to be one of two pieces that were going to be my first ever listings in my Etsy which has been active for some months now but neglected and ignored, well it never made it as far as Etsy, sold it yesterday, which was very nice.

Well, much to do so I'll wish you all good night.

Heavenly Friend.

I've got the new camera and been playing, pictures of jewellery much better but was still unhappy with result.  I need to find a good base or background, something a little more interesting or arty.....................Thinking cap on...................

Then Jo of Gem Heaven said "email me those pics and I'll have a fiddle", actually what she said sounded much ruder and had me giggling for ages.  Here are the results, she's done something amazing with them............................could not believe my eyes when she returned them, in fact couldn't believe it was my jewellery looking back at me.

I don't have Photoshop but spurred on by these pics I've been exploring my camera programme and lo and behold guess what I've found................. I know, I know, should have realised yonks ago that there would have been some sort of fix your badly taken picture thingy included but.............I've FOUND it now!  It may not have all the applications of Photoshop but I can crop picture to take out the rubbish edges, brighten, lighten and manipulate it in all sorts of ways, so bit of a happy bunny this morning!

I've always been lucky with my friends, I have good friends............... This week my confidence took a bit of a nose dive and I'm struggling to find inspiration, my mojo is on holiday!  Thank you to everybody who left wonderfully encouraging comments on my Flickr, I'm amazed to have such good friends and I've not met you in person.

A big BIG BIG cheers to my friend Jo, she really is a GEM from heaven lol..........  :-)