...my hubby has sprung a surprise evening out on me so all things beadie cancelled for tonight! That includes the photo session I had planned to get stock up on the website so I know I said new stock would be up by the end of the week but I am going to have to extend that a little!!! Tomorrow hopefully.
Not much else to say really I do have a rant but it can wait till I have a bit more time to share it with you or maybe not we will have to see, I guess it depends if I calm down or not!
Ah ha...cup of tea waiting for me so I am off, just a short post today, I will return tomorrow!
TTFNx
Friday, 19 September 2008
Wednesday, 17 September 2008
Today is my day off...
....yipee!!! I have gone part time in my "Day Job". For those of you who don't know my other job is university lecturer. I have been doing this for 6 years full time and before that I was split 50:50 with the hospital I worked in. My other trade is nurse! So beading is quite a long way from being a nurse but you would be amazed at the amount of nurses I know who are arty! Intriguing!
So anyway today is my day off and what have I planned. Well...nothing actually. I am waiting for the postman (again!) cos he should have some goodies for me from Martin Tuffnell (one of the people I buy my glass and lots of other stuff from). If it arrives I will have a fab evening in the studio (shed!) tonight. I have managed to keep production up despite struggling for ideas a bit. I have made 5 Belita beads and all 5 survivied the core process which is brill cos just before the summer my success rate was dropping and I was getting a bit despondant about them!
I went to Greece back in May for a friends wedding and whilst I was out there is came across loads of tourist stuff with the "Evil Eye" design which is basically layered dots. Anyway I have had this image in my mind for ages but wasn't sure if I could use it for a design I liked and then I made a bead using the design very basically and I have a lovely set of beads! I have not taken pictures yet so I can't show you but they will be photographed soon and put up on the site.
Cos my shop has very little stock and I have the Big Bead Show in November I have to get my butt in gear and get making stock so this is a poor time for my mojo to go off! But at least I can do dots with my eyes closed (not literally!!! thats asking for trouble, flames an all that :-) ).
Gonna play with some etching as well I think I quite like that effect so maybe things are not quite as dire as I thought.
Anyway off now so will catch ya later, thanks for reading my blog!
TTFNx
So anyway today is my day off and what have I planned. Well...nothing actually. I am waiting for the postman (again!) cos he should have some goodies for me from Martin Tuffnell (one of the people I buy my glass and lots of other stuff from). If it arrives I will have a fab evening in the studio (shed!) tonight. I have managed to keep production up despite struggling for ideas a bit. I have made 5 Belita beads and all 5 survivied the core process which is brill cos just before the summer my success rate was dropping and I was getting a bit despondant about them!
I went to Greece back in May for a friends wedding and whilst I was out there is came across loads of tourist stuff with the "Evil Eye" design which is basically layered dots. Anyway I have had this image in my mind for ages but wasn't sure if I could use it for a design I liked and then I made a bead using the design very basically and I have a lovely set of beads! I have not taken pictures yet so I can't show you but they will be photographed soon and put up on the site.
Cos my shop has very little stock and I have the Big Bead Show in November I have to get my butt in gear and get making stock so this is a poor time for my mojo to go off! But at least I can do dots with my eyes closed (not literally!!! thats asking for trouble, flames an all that :-) ).
Gonna play with some etching as well I think I quite like that effect so maybe things are not quite as dire as I thought.
Anyway off now so will catch ya later, thanks for reading my blog!
TTFNx
Later...I have added a photo of a few of the beads I have made this week for your delectation. they are not on the website yet cos I need hubby to take decent pictures! But a few to get your interest piqued.
Sunday, 14 September 2008
I've discovered something else...
...it is not just about what music I listen to when I torch but it is also about planning! If I go to my studio (shed!) with no real ideas about what I am going to do I flounder. I stare at the glass with no real concept of what I want to do, which colours go together or even any idea of design. Yet when I spend a little time with a pen and bit of paper jotting down ideas beforehand I find myself able to put something together. Sometimes I do find that once this happens and I have made my "planned" beads then I can get into what if I do this or would that work! Mmmm...spontaneity is not my strong point methinks!!!
Something else occured to me earlier as well. I wonder if you (avid reader) wonder where I get Saffie from. Not wanting to disappoint you I will share this with you. Samantha is very often shortened to Sam and when I was a kid wasting time down the arcades on the seafront there were loads of Sam on the high score tables so I decided to use Saf instead of Sam. Saffie just came from there really and I use it quite a lot in forums etc! I did really want Saffie's beads for my business name but someone else had already bagged the domain name so I thought about it and decided on Aurorabeadz instead. Z instead of S cos it is a bit quirky (may not have been the best idea business wise on the internet: people search beads with an S and not generally with a Z but aurorabeads was already taken, ok it is in Australia but it was already taken!) The reason for Aurora is that I have this strong desire to see the Aurora Borealis sometime in my life and I was reading Northern Lights by Philip Pullman when I was thinking about a company name so Aurora it was!!!
So there you go some more useless information for you! But I do quite like sharing stuff like this with you guys cos it gives you bit more of an insight into me!!!
Right best be off, dinner is cooking and I got beads to make tonight. Got to fill my shelves!!
TTFNx
Something else occured to me earlier as well. I wonder if you (avid reader) wonder where I get Saffie from. Not wanting to disappoint you I will share this with you. Samantha is very often shortened to Sam and when I was a kid wasting time down the arcades on the seafront there were loads of Sam on the high score tables so I decided to use Saf instead of Sam. Saffie just came from there really and I use it quite a lot in forums etc! I did really want Saffie's beads for my business name but someone else had already bagged the domain name so I thought about it and decided on Aurorabeadz instead. Z instead of S cos it is a bit quirky (may not have been the best idea business wise on the internet: people search beads with an S and not generally with a Z but aurorabeads was already taken, ok it is in Australia but it was already taken!) The reason for Aurora is that I have this strong desire to see the Aurora Borealis sometime in my life and I was reading Northern Lights by Philip Pullman when I was thinking about a company name so Aurora it was!!!
So there you go some more useless information for you! But I do quite like sharing stuff like this with you guys cos it gives you bit more of an insight into me!!!
Right best be off, dinner is cooking and I got beads to make tonight. Got to fill my shelves!!
TTFNx
Saturday, 13 September 2008
Hoorah for the weekend...
It's Saturday once again. How sad that we measure our lives in weekends (or I do anyway!) Is that indicative of something???
Anyway not a bad week overall teaching restarted at work so I got a bit busier, 2 weeks time it really kicks off in earnest. I am teaching 3 days a week and have one day a week off so my other day is going to be a bit hectic I think but hey ho! I am finding it a little hard at the moment getting my head around working for 4 days a week but basically getting 5 days a week work crammed in. I still have lesson prep etc to do and I really do try not to work at home in the evenings not least because evenings is my time for the torch.
After successfully selling a large proportion of my stock (thank you Lesley I hope you like them!!Please send me pictures!) I have been getting my head down a bit to re supply the shop. The tricky thing is that I have "The Big Bead Show" on 1st November and I need stock for that so I have decided that half of what I make will go up on the website and the other half I will keep back for the show. Gotta decide what to put up for sale and what to keep back
now!
Mmmm...so what else to report? Imogen has settled into senior school quite nicely. I think we have all fallen back into the morning routine quite nicely, always seems quite a shock after 6 weeks off over the summer. It is getting damper in the mornings now and I don't imagine it will be long before the heating has to go on...actually perhaps I should stick it on for hour or so just to check it is running ok!
Not a lot else to report really. Keep your eyes peeled on the website new stock will be up by the end of the weekend.
TTFNx
Anyway not a bad week overall teaching restarted at work so I got a bit busier, 2 weeks time it really kicks off in earnest. I am teaching 3 days a week and have one day a week off so my other day is going to be a bit hectic I think but hey ho! I am finding it a little hard at the moment getting my head around working for 4 days a week but basically getting 5 days a week work crammed in. I still have lesson prep etc to do and I really do try not to work at home in the evenings not least because evenings is my time for the torch.
After successfully selling a large proportion of my stock (thank you Lesley I hope you like them!!Please send me pictures!) I have been getting my head down a bit to re supply the shop. The tricky thing is that I have "The Big Bead Show" on 1st November and I need stock for that so I have decided that half of what I make will go up on the website and the other half I will keep back for the show. Gotta decide what to put up for sale and what to keep back
now!
Mmmm...so what else to report? Imogen has settled into senior school quite nicely. I think we have all fallen back into the morning routine quite nicely, always seems quite a shock after 6 weeks off over the summer. It is getting damper in the mornings now and I don't imagine it will be long before the heating has to go on...actually perhaps I should stick it on for hour or so just to check it is running ok!
Not a lot else to report really. Keep your eyes peeled on the website new stock will be up by the end of the weekend.
TTFNx
Tuesday, 9 September 2008
wow what a day...
Hi there. Well my weekend away was lovely. The weather was not to grand but we had it mild compared to the west of the country! Spa was fab as usual and just generally chillin was really nice. I knwo I have just had summer holidays off but this was just me with some mates all just kicking back! Not children, no housework etc!! Nice!!!
When I got home I found that there was an email waiting for me on the website asking for a price on all...yes you heard right ALL of my beads. Not my silver core beads but all of the others!!! OMG!! and then today this same lady bought em all!!! I am now totally cleaned out of stock, well almost. Don't get me wrong I am stunned and dead chuffed that someone likes my work and bought it. But... I have a show in a around 6 weeks and no beads!!! AArgh!!!
right anyway had an evening on the torch tonight and made a few I think are quite promising! will do show and tell tomorrow hopefully!
Getting late off to bed now so see ya tomorrow
TTFNx
When I got home I found that there was an email waiting for me on the website asking for a price on all...yes you heard right ALL of my beads. Not my silver core beads but all of the others!!! OMG!! and then today this same lady bought em all!!! I am now totally cleaned out of stock, well almost. Don't get me wrong I am stunned and dead chuffed that someone likes my work and bought it. But... I have a show in a around 6 weeks and no beads!!! AArgh!!!
right anyway had an evening on the torch tonight and made a few I think are quite promising! will do show and tell tomorrow hopefully!
Getting late off to bed now so see ya tomorrow
TTFNx
Thursday, 4 September 2008
Whoo hoo girly weekend looming...
This weekend is the annual Center Parc 6 jaunt to...yes you guessed it...Center Parcs. This is the 3rd year we have done it and should be fab except for one thing. One of our number is currently in hospital and it is looking unlikely that she will make it with us. Gutted...!!!
This weekend consists of 6 friends generally chillin out in some fantastic scenery. We treat ourselves to a spa session, we take our bikes, we go riding. We eat drink, go swimming and just have a wicked time! 3 of the gang are childminders so they get an opportunity to get away from the kids for a few days so do us mum's! Leave the children with the men!!!
I can't wait I do enjoy this weekend, may be the last one for a couple of years cos things are a bit tight finacially and although I could save cos it isn't that expensive it is a bit unfair on the OH that I get a treat and he doesn't. So next year off then start again the year after! Anyway next year the youngest starts school!!!
What else is there to report? Imogen's first day at senior school went well, she only got lost twice!!! She came home full of it and seemed to thoroughly enjoy her day. I walked her to school again this morning but I think that may be it now, street cred and all that!!! As long as she does not walk alone I am cool with it!
Bead wise things have been very good today I have sold 3 things from my site overnight, I get a real buzz from that. Not making money but that someone likes the look of my stuff enough to want to buy it. What a cool feeling! The money I do make from my beads goes straight back into feeding my obsession with glass! Basically I am feeding my habit!!!!!!!
I am really interested to know who else reads this blog or if I am talking to myself... There is a follower gadget to the right of this page. Please take the time to sign up so I can see who follows me!!!
Right I best be off, got work to do!
TTFNx
Later...in fact about half nine!!! What a waste of time putting my kiln on I made a load of tut this evening. I knew I was due a bad evening but why today!!! I got some new glass from CIM and wanted to play and nothing went right! AAARRRGHHHH!!!! that's it for 4 days now what a shitty note to end on for a few days eh!!! oh well, can't win em all i guess!!!
See you on 9th
TTFNx
This weekend consists of 6 friends generally chillin out in some fantastic scenery. We treat ourselves to a spa session, we take our bikes, we go riding. We eat drink, go swimming and just have a wicked time! 3 of the gang are childminders so they get an opportunity to get away from the kids for a few days so do us mum's! Leave the children with the men!!!
I can't wait I do enjoy this weekend, may be the last one for a couple of years cos things are a bit tight finacially and although I could save cos it isn't that expensive it is a bit unfair on the OH that I get a treat and he doesn't. So next year off then start again the year after! Anyway next year the youngest starts school!!!
What else is there to report? Imogen's first day at senior school went well, she only got lost twice!!! She came home full of it and seemed to thoroughly enjoy her day. I walked her to school again this morning but I think that may be it now, street cred and all that!!! As long as she does not walk alone I am cool with it!
Bead wise things have been very good today I have sold 3 things from my site overnight, I get a real buzz from that. Not making money but that someone likes the look of my stuff enough to want to buy it. What a cool feeling! The money I do make from my beads goes straight back into feeding my obsession with glass! Basically I am feeding my habit!!!!!!!
I am really interested to know who else reads this blog or if I am talking to myself... There is a follower gadget to the right of this page. Please take the time to sign up so I can see who follows me!!!
Right I best be off, got work to do!
TTFNx
Later...in fact about half nine!!! What a waste of time putting my kiln on I made a load of tut this evening. I knew I was due a bad evening but why today!!! I got some new glass from CIM and wanted to play and nothing went right! AAARRRGHHHH!!!! that's it for 4 days now what a shitty note to end on for a few days eh!!! oh well, can't win em all i guess!!!
See you on 9th
TTFNx
Tuesday, 2 September 2008
Day 2
So today is my second day back at work...and I am marking again already!!! Think it is post holiday blues but everyone seemed at little down when I got to the office yesterday! So...Hopefully things wil brighten up. Not the blessed weather though. It is raining cats and dogs here today!
Where does that saying come from? So in true off the wall Sam fashion here is strange but true fact of today!!! The probable source of 'raining cats and dogs' is the prosaic fact that, in the filthy streets of 17th/18th century England, heavy rain would occasionally carry along dead animals and other debris. The animals didn't fall from the sky, but the sight of dead cats and dogs floating by in storms could well have caused the coining of this colourful phrase. http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/raining%20cats%20and%20dogs.html
so...now you know!!! I tell ya come along an read my blog and you just never know what little factoids you might come away with eh!!! maybe that could become a regular feature! What do you think avid reader? would this be a nice little feature..not daily but maybe weekly! Mmmm...something for me to mull over!
Bead wise I am making stuff still, but haven't listed yet this week. I have managed to get a stand at "The Big Bead Show" in November so I need to get making so I have enough stock to do this! Follow this link for more info https://www.ashdown.co.uk/library/Thebigbeadshow/2007/index.asp
OMG what have I done! scary....
Better be off work to do an all that but I will be back soon
TTFN x
Where does that saying come from? So in true off the wall Sam fashion here is strange but true fact of today!!! The probable source of 'raining cats and dogs' is the prosaic fact that, in the filthy streets of 17th/18th century England, heavy rain would occasionally carry along dead animals and other debris. The animals didn't fall from the sky, but the sight of dead cats and dogs floating by in storms could well have caused the coining of this colourful phrase. http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/raining%20cats%20and%20dogs.html
so...now you know!!! I tell ya come along an read my blog and you just never know what little factoids you might come away with eh!!! maybe that could become a regular feature! What do you think avid reader? would this be a nice little feature..not daily but maybe weekly! Mmmm...something for me to mull over!
Bead wise I am making stuff still, but haven't listed yet this week. I have managed to get a stand at "The Big Bead Show" in November so I need to get making so I have enough stock to do this! Follow this link for more info https://www.ashdown.co.uk/library/Thebigbeadshow/2007/index.asp
OMG what have I done! scary....
Better be off work to do an all that but I will be back soon
TTFN x
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