Snowman Pendant Prize Draw

snowman
Originally uploaded by aurorabeadz

I am not one for whimsical beads but each year around this time I do like to make themed beads. Last year some of you may remember my absolutely hysterically cute but sad angels!! and I have always made snowmen. This year I decided to make the heads only and really concentrate on getting them right! and here is my first one out of the kiln. I am totally lovin him and there are angels too!! More pictures of them later!

Anyway I am quite chuffed with this little guy so I thought you might like a chance to win him! All you have to do is leave me a comment at the end of this post and I will put your name into the draw. I will pick a winner on Sunday evening. (Necklace not included only the pendant is up for grabs!!!)

TTFN xx

Feeling bleurgh...

I think a dreaded cold may be on it's way!!! I am feeling a bit under the weather and I have the hugest blister on my lip. A leetle run down I fink.....

Anyway I am having a quiet indoors day today, bit of housework to do and I am waiting for a package to arrive. So time to get you all up to speed on my life.

I have some lovely photos of the Big Bead show to show you

This first one is me and Keiara behine our stand before the show opened. I look completely gormless he he. Aren't those stands fab? Keiara's husband made them and they were absolutely perfect I can tell you

This second one is a shot of one of the times our stand looked quite busy.

Keaira and I had a fab day and I have booked again for next year I will give you more details once dates are set etc! I am going to hopefully do more shows tho again watch this space and I will let you know!

Other news: I took one of my jewellery ideas down to the Ingoldsby Gallery in Margate on Sunday to show them as they have asked me to put together a range of jewellery that will be exclusive to them. It went down well so I am now busy making these pieces to have on show for the beginning of November. I am also doing a 3 day Christmas Market in Margate Old Town in December which I am quite excited about.

Savannah's primary school is having a Christmas fair on 28th November and I am having a fingerprint stand there so I busy getting the pre order letters ready to send out to all the mum's and dad's and I am hopeful that this will be well received. I am also donating a prize to the school prize draw but I am not quite sure what that will be yet!

All in all things are looking very good, I just hope this darned cold does not develop.

Anyway must dash, ooh one quick reminder I loaded up loads of new beads onto my website and my Etsy shop last night so please take a look!

TTFN xx

Busy busy busy

I am loving this bead. Dark Ivory with dots of silvered ivory placed round it and partially melted in. I have then etched it for a matt effect and it also makes the bead smooth to touch! If I wore this I would constantly be fiddling with it like a worry bead sort of thing! This will be up for sale on my website next week!

The spacer bead fest continues I am trying to build up a decent stock for "The Big Bead Show" in October. There are only 8 weeks to go and I am beginning to find myself juggling a bit. No way am I going to complain tho this is exactly what I hoped for. Between now and the show on 17th October I have 1 definite jewellery party with one provisional. I have some fingerprint commissions to do next week 1 bracelet and 1 pendant, hoping to put my new found soldering skills to use ;o) I have another fingerprint commission awaiting in the background, trying to find some butterfly cookie cutters that are big enough for 2 finger prints but not to big to make a hideous necklace!!!

I have also just applied for a local art and craft exhibition to be help at my local parish church. This is from 5th - 9th Sept and there is a preview night on 4th sept for invited dignitaries and exhibitors! I so hope I can get a place in this! I should know by the beginning of next week.

In all of this I have an interview for NHS Professionals so I can do agency work to ensure an income and maintain my nursing registration so sometime in all this I am gonna need to do some shifts!!! Nights are beginning to look attractive LOL.

I also plan to do more bead shows next year so I need to start getting these sorted as well. On top of that Christmas is not to far away 126 days apparently according to here so I should really be planning a party end of October, maybe I should move one of the September ones!!!

Whew!!! Busy busy busy.

What about you guys so many of you who follow my blog make and sell your own jewellery and beads and much more, are things picking up for you as well?

Oh and another bit of good news for you crafty peeps in Thanet, Hobby craft is opening a store at Westwood cross in October yay!!!

TTFN xx

Sleeping beauties (not)...

It occured to me that seeing a box of bits and pieces may not be enough information so I have added a couple of photos to give an idea of what can be made from the little boxes of goodies I will supply at my childrens parties! I am so excited by this idea and a couple of others I am having that I cannot bloody well sleep properly!

Sleeping has become quite a problem in my house at the mo. Imogen is full of cold so she is not sleeping well and colds bring her the usual problem of nosebleeds! Savannah still gets up at 6am despite us buying one of those clocks that you can set what time the child gets up with. Hers is Sleeping beauty, she wears a blue dress when Savannah has to be asleep and a pink dress when she can get up. All Savannah does is moan that the "blue lady" is still showing! Tony just does not sleep well, he was up at 4 this morning watching TV and same yesterday! He blames the bed, says the mattress is uncomfortable but as we have a superking size bed I don't think buying a new mattress is an option at the mo, would cost too much!!! And as for me, my little head has gone into overdrive with ideas for my business. I am actually having to rein them in a bit cos I only have so much time for the business and as much as I would like to take the leap of faith and jack in the day job I have too many responsibilities. So I am back to my usual dilemma. How to promote Aurorabeadz but meet the committments Tony and I have! Right now I guess it has to be maintain the status quo don't change nothing...but I can dream can't I?

This is likely to be my last post before Christmas so I just want to say to all my readers old and new:
My Family and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and propserous 2009.

TTFNx

Christmas presents

This is an order for a friend for Christmas! The blue beads are handmade by me. I am quite chuffed at how it turned out so simple yet completely effective.

Better day today!!!

Morning, trying to be positive today so only good stuff allowed on here!

So what news: I have drawn the winner for my prize draw and I have emailed the winner. I am waiting for him / her to email me back with a name as I don't want to put the email address on the Internet!

The website has loads of new stuff on it all in the jewellery section. I have reached a point where the site is looking a bit messy cos I just keep adding pages so I am now trying to organise things logically. I have now got submenu's for the jewellery section so if you are looking for necklaces then there is a necklace page. Ditto earrings, bracelets and jewellery sets. I will do this for my beads as well but not sure when I will get to it. It does mean that the website is looking a little messy at the mo but please bear with me cos hopefully it will better once I have done it all!

Have you got your Christmas decorations up yet? I am putting mine up gradually, I normally do them all in one evening and surprise the girls but savannah has been asking for them up so I put a few up to keep her happy. I think I will put the tree up tonight and let Tony finish putting the lights up! Only 14 days to go till Christmas and I don't feel in the slightest bit Chritmassy which is typical cos back in October I was really Christmassy. Started to early and burnt out LOL!

Right I have to get ready for work and get Savannah to my childminder so I best be off. have a good day guys and see you soon.
TTFNx

Thank crunchie it's Friday

I think that there are a few bugs wandering around at the moment. I have had a headache for 4 days now and am generally feeling below par, not a nice feeling really, but so many people I know are complaining of sub clinical stuff like not ill but not quite right either.
So...what's new then. I have made my beads for the Beads and Beyond Competition, many thanks to my bead comp buddy for helping me decide. Tony is going to take picture tonight and I can send it off. Closing date is 1st Dec so I got some time. I am thinking of something for the PMC competition now!!!
My spacer bead shop is doing quite well. I had some feedback from the Big Bead Show which led to me starting this up and it has been recieved very well, so fingers crossed it will continue.
I have got a shop on Folksy as well as my own website now. My folksy shop can be found at: Folksy Lets see how it goes!
Finally I am having a jewellery party on 5th December so I am busy making jewellery at the moment for that, fingers crossed it goes well. Money is not good for most people at the moment, many of the big stores are doing a pre Christmas sale, I wonder if that is worthwhile doing for me to boost Christmas sales! Mmmm....
TTFNx

Later....I have had over 3000 hits on my website so to celebrate I am having a prize draw to win a beady goodie! All you have to do is visit my website and join my mailing list and your name will go forward to the draw. I promise not to bug you with loads of emails. I will be posting a picture of the prize on my website over the weekend!

Matching earrings and pendant

When these are dried and finished these will be a christmas present for my mum from my dad! I have spent ages looking at flowers and cutters etc to make flowers with the Art Clay. My mum's fav flower is dahlia so I have kinda based the jewellery on dahlia but it is more of a generic flower rather than any specific flower. I think I chickened out of doing anything to complex as I am still relatively new to Art Clay and PMC. I hope she likes them. It was quite fiddly but not to hard to make. I think I will fire it before I finish it as I don't want to break it.

Other news...I have approached my local newspaper to run an article on me and they seem interested. The photographer was supposed to come round today but he did not get here! Not sure why will email them on monday!

I am having a jewellery party on the 5th December so I am busy busy making jewellery. I was going up my shed tonight but the call of PMC was to much, so the beads can be tomorrows treat, mind you I have got a fireworks party tomorrow night so we shall have to see.

Final piece of news I am so proud of my eldest daughter, she has just started senior school and due to a variety of factors they were not streamed when the term started. The school has taken its time to get to know the kids and today they were streamed. Imogen has made it into the top stream. I really pushed her to do her 11+ and in hindsight I was wrong, she is doing so well at Technology College and grammar school may have been to much for her. You know what though I don't think I tell her enough how proud I am of her so Mimi when you read this you rock baby...and I love you very much!

Right enough slush and mush!!! best be off

TTFNx

Art clay fingerprint necklace

This picture and the one below are 2 commissions that I have made this week. The pictures are not the best cos they were taken on my phone but you get the idea! Both of them are fingerprints embellished with some of my handmade glass beads. I am really enjoying making these! The look on peoples faces when they get something that personal. Despite it being an obvious design each one is completely unique. One off bead unique fingerprint etc. totally personal and individual. If you are interested in this as a gift or a present to yourself then please go to my website and contact me! Obviously I need to be able to visit you so you will need to be in Kent!!!

59 days till Christmas guys.....

TTFNx