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

 

O Christmas Tree

My new Christmas Tree, very tall but narrow just right for the only place in the house for it.

Its growing on me, we gave it a silver and blue theme (needs more blue I reckon!)

I love to have a real one but hubbie said no this year because I normally get one with a root ball so if it survives Christmas we plant it in the garden, he wasnt up to potting it up because his back just wasn't up to it. So went shopping day before Christmas Eve and got it half price!  Good result!!!

Oh and see the glass bauble right near the top underneath the angel I made that this year at the Flame-off. 

It is glass blowing my very first attempt. 

I was quite pleased with myself.

Hope you had a great Christmas!  

I did!

Merry Christmas to Everyone

and

A Very Happy & Prosperous 

New Year

2015

xx Elaine xx

29 Years Ago Today

Yes 29 years ago I got married to my long suffering hubbie, through thick and thin we have endured many trials and tribulations in our life together. 

For a number of years we went through fertility treatment and finally tried IVF, 3 attempts later we succeeded and my daughter was born, a great bundle of joy she was too.

Sadly no more babies came along but I love being a Mum and only wish I could of had more.  Billie is 17 now, my beautiful daughter is growing up, last year she passed all her GCSE's amazingly passing all 11 of them. This year she has just completed her first year of her A levels but she's been having a few problems and is also suffering with some teenager problems too which haven't helped either, I've had to help her through this difficult time. Its very hard on teenagers now lots of stress from exams and peer pressures but she is getting there but it will take time and she is getting very frustrated with the situation, we will get her through it though, hopefully very soon.  She has had to drop her A Levels and is now at College doing an Art & Design diploma which will be an equivalent of 3 A levels when she is finished, then she hopes to go on to do her Foundation in Art and Design before trying for her Degree at University.  So still got a long way to go yet, fingers crossed she'll make it through.

So I've been having a hectic time helping my close family through difficult times, what with my Mum and now Billie. 

We carry on!!! 


We decided a few years ago that we didn't really use our Zoo membership fully so we had to make some cut backs on our spending so we had to let it lapse, sadly.  A couple of weeks ago I felt we needed some family time, so we could relax and enjoy being together, where we are all comfortable with going, so I decided we would go back to the Zoo and get our memberships renewed.  It is on our doorstep and a very lovely location on top of the Chiltern Hills which we call The Downs!  Whipsnade Zoo is famous for its conservation of wild animals under threat of extinction and membership fees help with this cause.

Since we have been gone they have had some new additions to the animal families.  New tiger cubs, Asian Elephants and very recently a baby giraffe.

 

Isn't he cute

 

 

 

And we think this is the proud Dad but I couldn't swear to that!!!  He did give the little lad a few nips when he tried to eat some of his supper!!  Ha Ha!!


Giraffes are my most favourite of animals so graceful and elegant, with great big beautiful eyes.  I keep having attempts at drawing/painting them but to no avail, with these pics I might be able to give it another go!!  We'll see, I'm not the most confident with drawing!! 80)) I do love to paint but just don't seem to get round to doing any, for quite a few years now actually, maybe I will again!!


Til next time

E x

Finally snapped!

If you read my post of 12th May you will have seen I made some beads to match the dress my friend Rosemary was going to wear for a Wedding she was attending in June. The dress had lots of blues in it on a cream background, the beads were absolutely fine but they never really jumped out when put up against the dress!!

Now, on a closer inspection of the design on the dress I found some other colours that weren't so obvious but would stand out more so, when worn!

Back to the drawing board I went!!

I love the matching game!! I found some colours that seemed to work and here is the end result

 

Smoky Blue Trails  

 

 

I teamed it with sterling silver and I created all the clasp hooks and ear wires. I did enjoy creating this set as it is all my own work other than the chain and silver spacer beads, it was fun putting it all together, this was the main reason behind taking up lampworking in the first place.

Rosemary seemed pleased with them all, as this was her birthday present (all being a bit late) and I was pretty pleased too as all the large smoky purple beads are encased with smoky grey transparent glass, I seem to be mastering encasing!!!   Yay!!!

Happy Bunny!!!

E x

What a Summer! Where did it go?

As the last rays of summer are giving us a bit of an 'Indian Summer' as autumn is setting in and the leaves are falling and the nights are getting chiller, where did my summer go! 

My last post was back in June and since that post my life got turned completely upside down!!  On the 13th July I rushed my Mum to hospital with a chronic pain on her left side of her abdomen.  The evening was spent in A&E while they worked out what was wrong with her!  They linked her up to a morphine drip, x-rayed her and then admitted her onto a ward for the night.  She was booked in for a CT scan in the morning, they then found a massive cyst on her ovary, this was the cause of her pain.  

They moved her up to the gynae ward, the consultant spoke with her and told her he would need to give her a full hysterectomy to remove the cyst, it was possible it was cancerous. 

She had to wait a couple of weeks for her op on 7th August, it seemed like forever caring for her at home while she waited.  He rang me immediately after he had finished the operation to tell me it was most likely benign, we still had to wait 10 days for confirmation from the lab though.  It was confirmed as being benign, great news!!

Oh Boy what a summer!!



She is recovering really well, her op was nearly 7 weeks ago, her scar has healed over and she is practically self sufficient now. I have been able to leave her to feed herself and she does her  own washing up too. Last week the Occupational Therapy team brought her some gadgets for her to use to make life easier! And my brother bought her a new adjustable electric bed, how fab is that!!  She loves it!!




She is a fabulous Mum and has always been there for me through all of my difficulties, this was my turn to repay her for her love and to look after her through this difficult time. We are totally ecstatic that she has come through this and we haven't lost her to the nasty disease that is  -- Cancer!!!

So as you can imagine I have made nothing for this time spent looking after Mum!
No jewellery.   No beadmaking.  My housework and washing has piled up over this period as well as all the jobs I was going to do through the summer holidays, all not done!!!

Lots of catching up to do but now I'm back at school its taking time!!
I'll get there, I am especially desperate to get back to my torch, hoping it will be this week, fingers crossed xxxx


Maybe next time I will have something new to show you, hearts are in my mind, here's hoping 80))

E x