My first full Rose -- Week 12 & 13

Roses that's why I went to have a lesson with Laney I really wanted to learn how to make roses. Up until now I hadn't made a full rose only buds and a half rose. 


Week 12

Orange petals with the yellow around the edge was still the way to go, as I did have few remaining from the previous time, I made lots more and this is how it turned out.

 

 

Very proud that it survived.


Week 13


My new Ombre style headpins which are two-tone and named from the hair trend at the moment with dark hair on the top part of the head graduating down the hair to a light  or blonde at the ends

Love these colours Ultramarine down to aqua tips

Yumm!


More weeks still to come.

E x

My first online show

I have had my first online show on the new facebook group page called
UK Lampwork Showcase, you do have to become a member to view and buy but its easy to join, just put in a request and someone will let you join.

As it was my very first online show, with no stock, I had lots of late nights for over 2 -3 weeks before, getting my stock together. As I was so busy I have neglected my blog posting, terribly Sorry!!

The show is over now, it was on Saturday 25th April, it went well I think, I sold some of my new things including my first daffodil. Happy, happy dance!!

I have also made a few tulips with a stem on a headpin

 

 

 

along with my other beads, cabochons and headpins.

I am really enjoying my sculptural flower journey, all I seem to be doing is finding pictures of flowers that I can reproduce in glass. Its fab, I LOVE IT!!

I will be back soon with some 52 things posts, as I am now weeks behind with that too ......

Better get cracking then!

See you again soon

E x

My Clever Mum

Well I think she is!!  But then I am biased!!! 80))

My Mum has many talents, she knits, she can make clothes and also she makes fabulously beautiful cross stitched pictures, cards and other bits and bobs over the years.

Last weekend a friend was getting married to her long term partner (finally) and I asked Mum if she would stitch a sampler for her.  She loves pink and so that was the main colours in the sampler.

 

 

Well I think she is clever, and Josie really liked it.

I helped her reverse the heart design at the bottom so it could go in both corners, I choose what I want on it, the words and the colours and then she does the rest. 

I got a silver frame for it and popped it in ....  jobs a good un!!


Thanks Mum xx

E x

Bit behind with my 52 Things Challenge -- Week 10 & 11

Yes I have gotten a bit behind with my challenge write up, I have been making things but just not had chance to do the writing up of it.  I can only write my blog on my laptop as I can't get pictures to load from my Samsung Tablet onto Blogger for some unknown reason. And as I am always on my tablet my blog gets a bit left behind because my laptop battery is completely fried and I need a new one, so my laptop is a bit of a chore at the moment.


So here we are then Week 10 first

I was actually off ill with a bit of a bug this particular week from work, but I did manage to put a pair of earrings together just before I was ill. I used some of my spiky pod like headpins in a deep dark blue CIM glass called Trade Winds, well originally I thought it was CIM Marine but when I checked the other day, I had it wrong, they are called Marine Spiky Pod Earrings, it doesn't matter as they are for me.

 

My own large earring hooks

I used black patinated brass metal bead caps and beads along with black patinated wire which I used for the hooks but I think it could be copper wire, these came from Fallen Angel on Etsy. I have others which I intend to use very soon as well.

I couldn't sell these headpins as I had dropped them after a photo shoot, so I just had to keep them for myself, not that you can see the tiny scratch on them.  Plus I need a pair of earrings in these colours for a top I don't have any jewellery for anyway!!  I do enjoy making jewellery for myself but I just never seem to get round to it much anymore!!



Right onto Week 11 then


I am getting to my torch at least once or twice a week now, as I really am determined to get more beads made along with new designs in headpins, cabs, well anything I can come up with.

I am still practising with my flowers and thought I would have a little go at putting one onto a cab, not sure if its quite good enough just yet, its a work in progress....

I will give it another go but maybe different petals next time, maybe a pansy!!!

I am enjoying my time playing!!


Oh and here is the rose bud you can see in the background

Its sort of between a full rose and bud really, maybe we'll call it semi-opened!!  Ha ha!!

Ta Ta

E x

Spot the mistake!!

Can you????

Well now the answer is:  there is only markings on one side of each half of the leaf shape.

I didnt use enough pressure so it only shows on one half of each side, I flipped the leaf to do the other side not swung it so I marked it on the same side but the other half of the leaf. 

I hope that makes sense!!!

^^^^^^ ----------- ^^^^^^


I've been making headpins, I love making headpins  ---   so thought I would try some more leaves and just try out some shapes and markings to see how they come out.

Well can you see the mistake I have made on these?

Marbled Leaves Headpins

These are the other side.  Yes, I promise they are!!

So I thought I would have a little game with you, if you can see the mistake write it in the comments below.

Anyone can comment but if you have not got a google account you will need to tell me in your comment who you are and how I can contact you (email preferably).


If there are more than one person with the right answer, I will pop you in the hat and pull out a winner.


What will you win, well how about some headpins (not these - unless you really want them!!)

I will make some new ones for you or you can choose from a few others I have, if you prefer!


You have until Friday 6th March by 5pm GMT to comment.


Happy guessing!

 

E x

Week 9 -- 52 things -- Red Flyer Rosebud

Yes more practising and I think I'm improving ---- slowly!!

Wanted to use a nice Red glass because I had a few new ones and hadn't had a play with them yet, mostly CIM glasses, my favourite type of glass, this one is called Radio Flyer its opaque on the rod but when I pulled the petals -- Wow it was gor-ge-ous!!!

It turned transparent and started to 'strike' fairly quickly! Most red transparent glass has to be 'struck' which means you have to cool the glass then reheat it to bring out the true colour!! I've always had trouble with 'striking' reds especially, they never seem to stay a good red, they can go a semi clear which can be quite annoying, just my own inexperience and lack of patience mainly!!


This one was a dream, I LOVE IT!!!

So I will be using it more often, me thinks!!!

I also had a go at a sort of tulip which didn't really work, but the more I practice the more I learn!!

Also made some spiky pod headpins with my 'confritti' decoration on (this is frit - tiny chips of different colours of glass), which I leave slightly raised, basically its not melted all the way into the base. I made these a while ago as a set of three and one cracked so I thought right I'll make more to complete the set ........

Spot the mistake!

Yep!! I used the wrong green for the base colour, so now got to try and find the right green for the darker one and make more of the lighter one too. Ha ha!! Thats the trouble with artificial light, can't always tell!!! Think I need a daylight lamp up in my workshop!


Til next time

E x

Week 8 -- Practising Flowers

I fired up the torch last Sunday and was eager to do some more practising of flowers and leaves.  I wanted to make some headpins with leaves and then I had a go at pulling some petals for a flower, they came out quite small and so thought I would try making a headpin flower, not sure if its any specific type of flower but it was fun trying.

I also had a go at making some rosebuds too.  Each one improved a little each time I tried but I find I keep over working the petals when I put them on so they lose the 3D texture of each individual petal (like the one on the left).

The one in front is the best one so far!!

More practising required!!

Will keep you posted!!

E x

Making Flowers with Laney Mead - Week7

Ah half term which means no kids for a week, nice rest and relaxation, well not including my daughter who isn't really a kid as she is 17 nearly 18 so still no kids for a week!!!!!



Right then, I was booked for a lesson with Laney of Izzybeads to learn how to make glass flowers and leaves on Tuesday of half term, this was my birthday present.

She lives quite a long way from me, she is in Hereford which is practically in Wales, about 4 hours drive away! I live in Bedfordshire!

Off I went Monday as I was staying the night in a hotel on the Monday so no driving on the Tuesday morning except for about 15mins down the road, but I was driving back that night after my lesson.  So a long day ahead.

I had a great time, we chatted on Monday into the night, catching up and sharing anecdotes and also showing me what we were going to tackle the next day!!!

I was really excited!! Her work is amazing!! I had been waiting to do this for a long while now so I really was going to enjoy myself but I was quite nervous too.

Here is what we both made, Laney's demo beads and mine mixed in together.

The yellow rose was my first ever rose with a white rosebud and different leaf shapes to start with, for practice of pulling different shaped petals/leaves. The other roses and the pansy are Laney's of course!

I had great fun, quite pleased with what I had achieved, so now I'm home I have lots of practising to do.

I recommend having lessons in lampworking especially if you want to improve your abilities, I learnt lots of tips as well as how to put the flowers together and Laney sent me some tutorials to practice with too.

Thank you Laney for such a fab time     xxx♥xxx     see you at FO in April.

Til next time

 

E x

Week 6 - Sunset Trails Heart

Well my torch has finally been fired up at last and so for this weeks 52 things challenge make is a bead.  I bought my puffy heart press at Flame-off last year (FO), with all my family ailments I never got to have a play with the press.  So now it is christened!!

I thought I would give it some of my 'trails' treatment in the decoration, with some nice orange and blue glass combination, I have to admit that adding murrini depends on how you feel. I didn't do a particularly good job of it but its there just not very noticeable.  I added some black stringer (trails) with the dot on dot decoration and this is how my first attempt came out.

Sunset Trails

I thought it wasn't too bad for my first go, it took quite a bit of glass to fill the press as it is deep.  I will be happy using it again.

E  x

2 weeks ago

Well I have decided to let you in on my latest news. 

It is quite hard to do this but I am hoping it will help get things off my chest.

So, 2 weeks ago, I went to the hospital with my hubbie, Mick, he had an appointment with a neurologist as he had been suffering with a tremor in his right hand. He has had it for over 2 years and was told by the GP that is was a relaxed tremor as it only occurred when he wasn't actually using it. Over the last 6 months or so it has gotten worse as he was having difficulty with writing and fine dexterity!


He has been diagnosed with the early stages of Parkinson's Disease. He is 54 years old and so is currently still working, he is a Gas Service Engineer and works for British Gas. He has found working quite difficult over the last few years or so as has suffered with back problems.  We now think it has been accentuated because of his Parkinsons.

He has been on his new medication for 2 weeks now and his dosage has just been increased, he doesn't seem to have any side effects so far, which is great, but it could take up to 6-8 months before his meds will be fully functioning and helping him.  They should reduce the tremor and the other effects of the disease he is showing!

I have been trying to get my head around it and now and then I have down days but I try not to show him how it is affecting me right now!  It has been quite a blow, as you can imagine, but with all the other things that have happened recently, it has been quite difficult to come to terms with.

I haven't quite worked out how he has taken it, I think in some ways he is relieved to find out why he has been so tired and suffering like he has over the last few years. It now has a name to it!!!

For me its the long term effects it will have on his and my life in the future!  That's the difficult part that I just can't get my head around.

But for now we have to get him through to his intended retirement plan of 5.5 years time when he becomes 60! The consultant says he can't see a problem with that, actually he thought he has a 10 year potential if he needed it.  So that is very hopeful!


So there we have it, that has been my last 2 weeks!!!

E x

Winged Boho Bracelet -- week 5 - 52 things

Yes I am ahead of the game this week, I spent all day Saturday making this for my daughters friend, she was going to her 18th birthday party that night, I hope she liked it! 80//

 

Winged Boho Bracelet

Antique brass charms and beads, chain, and clasp etc. with crystals, glass pearls, freshwater pearls and some glass beads with some suede ribbon in pink to complete the look.

I hadn't done a boho style before but I was quite pleased with the outcome, still a bit worried its to big for her, DD won't see her until college on Wednesday, so got to keep fingers crossed all ok!! ( I can always alter it!) The other thing is the metals, some people seem to be very sensitive to non pure metals, not me I might add, so hence the concerns!!

So I am pleased to be ahead this week, will try and keep it that way, so now, hopefully, I will be able to make other things ---  BEADS, BEADS,  BEADS!!! 

YES I WILL!!

E x

Week 4 -- 52 Things -- Entwined Hearts Earrings

I made these a while ago but never got round to finishing them, I needed to finish off the earwires so finally got my hammer out and gave them a little pounding!!

 

Entwined Hearts Earrings

My little spotty dotty beads, with 2 colour dots on white and my own design wire earrings with handmade earwires too.

I really love anything heart shaped, I love to make heart beads and I have a new heart press which I got last year at Flame Off and I still haven't used it yet, really desperate now to try it out!

I NEED TO GET INTO MY WORKSHOP!!

So many ideas to get cracking on, the list is getting longer!!!

If I don't get there I'll just have to get on with something else!!! Mmmmmm what could that be????

You'll have to wait and see!!!

E x

52 Things -- Week 3 - Its a Boy!

Well we have had a new arrival in the family, my husbands cousin and his wife have just had a new baby.  His name is Arran and he weighed in at 13lbs 13ozs. We haven't been to see him just yet, WOW he was a big boy!!! He actually arrived on Boxing Day as he was a few weeks early because he wasn't due until 10 January but we only found out last week as I didn't receive the original text message.

So as I am doing this '52 things challenge' on the Craft Pimp forum, my goal is to make all sorts of arty crafty things each week for this year.

This is my week 3 offering its a card I made for them

Xxx Congratulations xxX

 Steve and Caroline

on the new arrival of your little bundle of joy!  xxx


Hope to get some photos of little Arran when we go to visit.

E x

52 Things -- week 2

Well I did make this in week 2 (just) but I've been holding off posting as my friend Diane (whose card it is) hasn't actually received it yet.  She wasn't in today for the postman so she will have to go collect it tomorrow. Should be safe this time of night to show it, I hope!

So she has reached this age herself now, making her 2 years younger than me as our birthdays are exactly one week apart. (Yes mine is next week!) 80//

I think it has come out ok, I did run out of room for the Happy Birthday so had to squeeze in, just, TODAY under the 50 which does bug me a little! Nothing I can do about it now!

I never know quite what I am going to end up with when I make cards but the recipients seem to like them!  I only make cards for special occasions I don't tend to make them for general birthdays, anniversaries, etc. usually but depends on how the mood takes me!


Right now need to work on this weeks make, already got something planned just need to get going. I will have caught up with the right week then -- how long it will last only time will tell!!!  Ha Ha!

Till next time

E x

52 things challenge

I've decided I need to get actively making again now my family seems to be well on the mend.

So I have decided to join in with the '52 Things' Challenge on the Craft Pimp forum.  

I will need to make something new each week and then show it on the forum -- whether its new beads, new jewellery or something completely new for me to try out. 

I have a number of new ideas of things I want to have a go at, I have just got some new materials to play with!  Also maybe doing some art painting which I haven't even attempted for years or just sketching in my sketchbook. There's quite a few to be getting on with ..

But firstly....

Torch needs to be fired up ....... working on that one --  sorted chair out so I can actually sit down!! (It had a pile of new glass sitting on it, now in a newly emptied drawer!!)

Then there is my new tools and some new equipment to experiment with, those I will show you along the way!

I also have some new books I received for christmas, so hoping to experiment with new techniques too.

I have to admit I really need to tidy up and move things around in my workshop as it needs a complete overhaul for it to work better for me. As, right now, it is very -- OVERCROWDED!!

Its driving me POTTY!!!!!!!  :-/


Now here is my first weeks' challenge make

 

Cracked Ice Copper Earrings

My cracked ice beads with copper findings and beads (my favourite I LOVE copper)
I know its late but we do have a little leeway for the first week.

So this weeks make (#2) will follow when I finish it ....  so will be back again soon with that.

E x

What have I made???

I have been trying to get back to making either beads or jewellery, with not much success so far!!!

I went to my bead group a few weeks ago now, it was great to see the girls as I hadn't seen them for a few months. There were a few new faces which is nice but not many of us turned up but it was lovely to be there even only for a short while!

BUT..........   wait for it .....................

I did actually make something while I was there  ----  Hoooooooray!!  Well I say make really it was alter ........    

one of my own necklaces -- steampunk in style --- I love it, but it had to be done, it was quite difficult to get on over my head because of some chain drapes which didn't leave me much room to get my head through the remaining space/gap!!!! 

I had previously removed a few charms and the locket watch which was the focal, as I had decided to use it on something else instead. So I thought I would dismantle parts of it to begin with, then I added a couple of steampunk charms here and there,  then I adapted the chain drapes so I could get it over my head easier.  Not sure if its quite complete yet, may need a tad more tweaking!!!

So I did make a little progress in the jewellery making department but not so in the beadmaking department, however! 

Getting out into my cold workshop doesn't seem very inviting, now the weather is chillier, may try now all the festivities are over and no more rushing about to do!!

I didn't get any of the gifts done, I wanted to do, at all, must get myself organised better this year!!  Ha ha!! Same old story!!

E x