Beads and Beyond tutorial

I mentioned a little while back that I thought I had a tutorial in this month's Beads and Beyond....well I do. It is a bumper silver metal clay special and I have a fantastic flower necklace with purple pearls in it. I must hunt a picture out now and put it up here to show you. This is my 4th tutorial and I have also done 2 readers challenges so this year has been fab for getting myself known in that arena. I hope to continue in 2010.

Oops how time flies...

....I am so sorry it has been over a week since I last posted but I have been soooo busy!

A quick recap since I last blogged...

Last Saturday I went down to Margate Old Town and met some fantastic people who are busy developing Margate's Art Quarter. They had a 2 day market going on and offered me a stall for the Sunday. This was too good an opportunity to miss so on Sunday I did my first market! I had a fab time, met some gorgeous people and am most definitely doing it again. In fact I am doing it in December I will find the link for you later and post a bit more about it!

I met a lady called Janet who is one of the people who runs the Ingoldsby Gallery in Lombard Street in Margate and yesterday I went to meet her to discuss my showing some jewellery there. The outcome of that meeting was that I am going to design some jewellery that will be exclusively available through the Gallery. This will be on show from the end of November onwards.

Wednesday I met up with Keiara and we went over how we are going to put our display together for the Big Bead Show. Eeekkk.....it is only 2 weeks away and I have not got nearly enough stock!
Keiara's husband has come up trumps for us and made some gorgeous display stands and our display is going to look absolutely awesome. The picture above is just a little taster of what I am taking with me!

Next Monday I am doing some tuition which I am really looking forward to, I have a tutorial to finish for Beads and Beyond Magazine as well as the Readers Challenge which I have been asked to do again! So all in all things are verrrryyyyy busy. I am totally loving it thank you everyone for supporting me for buying my beads and just thank you.....

TTFN x

Beads and Beyond Magazine

I have got another tutorial in the September issue of Beads and Beyond. This will hit the magazine stands on 13th August unless you subscribe and then you will probably get it a few days before through your door!

Anyway there are 4 pictures across the top of the front page and my project is the furthest to the right, silver lentil beads with turquoise and ivory lampwork beads. I also love the necklace that is the main image so I can't wait to get my hands on this issue it looks fab as usual!

TTFNx

What have I been up to?

I am still off sick from work but I am gradually feeling more like Sam again. I am taking my time tho and my GP is being fantastically supportive I want to be ok to return to work and not risk going off sick again very soon after I return . So I find myself in an unusual position. I have guilt for not being at work and worry that people will think I am "swinging the lead" but my head was such a complete mess I owe it to myself, my family and my colleagues to get myself 100% sorted and not just 50 % or 60 %.

Anyway I am throwing myself into my beadmaking and jewellery making and I am finding it all very therapuetic. This afternoon will be a sewing afternoon I have some patterns drawn up for small handbags and I am dying to try them out! I spent yesterday finishing off the tutorial for Beads and Beyond magazine that I have been asked to do! The picture above is a little taster of what I have made but you will have to wait till the August issue to see it in it's full glory! Although I am biased I am totally in love with it I think it is fab and totally wearable!

Don't forget my prize draw see post below for details only 2 days to go.

Right best be off, I am looking after my sisters 5 cats whilst she is away camping so I need to go round her house and feed them!!!

TTFNxx

Actually made some beads today!!!

I actually left the sewing machine alone and made some beads ;o) I only made some beads for an order for a couple of customers I am still strugggling a bit for concentration which is a little bizarre as I can concentrate on making bags!!! I am not worried tho my mojo will come back and I will be back on form with the beads real soon!!!

I stuck to simple beads today, some pink lady from reicenbach hand shaped into nuggets. I have made these before and the lady who bought them has asked me to make some more. I also have a commission from a previous customer who has asked me to make her some jewellery for her aunt birthday. I have a very wide remit with little boundaries but she did give me an idea of what she liked so I am working on a couple of ideas in my head.

I have also been asked to do another tutorial for Beads and Beyond, that is my 3rd one and I am quite chuffed, it is another art clay project but some of my handmade beads will feature as well! I am looking forward to getting down to it next week.

This weekend is going to be somewhat stressful. Some how some time ago I apparently agreed that my 11 year old can have a sleepover for her 12th birthday! Soooo.....This weekend I am going to have 5 12 year olds roaming around! Tony has got some work this weekend so it is up to me to keep em amused!! OMG!!!! I must be mad. Should be ok actually, I have met most of Imogens friends and they are a nice bunch got a few things planned for them as well!!!

Right best be off better cook tea!
TTFN xx

What have I been up to?

I promised I was not going to get to boring or maudlin on you but you just have to understand where I am right now so that some of this post makes some kind of sense.

After years (at least 2 or 3 but in reality a lot more!) I have been dealing with what I describe as a "low grade" depression. Most of the time I am fine there are good days and bad days! I have never had to take time off work for it. I do take meds but no time off. UNTIL.....This week. I give in...I just can't cope right now so here I am at home taking some time out!

My GP has changed my meds and signed me off for 2 weeks, Tony is worried sick about me and I am just chillin trying to get my head back on a bit!!!

Everyone keeps on going on about "me" time so I have taken the opportunity to get into the studio and make beads!!!! Well Wednesday I did not know whether to laugh or cry!!! I turned out a load of rubbish, yesterday I became the spacer bead queen churning out 40 small spacer beads in different colours!!! So I took that as inspiration today and thought I would go back to basics. I make little spacer beads all the time so I thought right make single colour beads but larger, practice getting round beads instead of "donut" shaped ones!!! Then I decided to practice my encasing using my crappy effetre clear rods that are so scummy it is untrue BUT...I can etch them once they are cooked and they will look fab! This afternoon I have churned out somewhere in the region of 50 beads or so and feel ok actually!

Can I make this pay....Can beads and jewellery ever become my main income???

BTW I am featured in this months edition of Beads and Beyond with another art clay tutorial. All in all today is one of my better days for a few weeks!!! Just gotta wait for the kiln to ramp down and see what the kiln fairies leave me!!!

TTFNxx

It has happened...

......you remember ages ago I said something good may be about to happen well it has!!!! A new magazine is about to be launched called "Making Jewellery" and I am in it!!!!!!!!! AAArrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
Follow this link Making Jewellery and I am on page 4 & 5

I have a big smile on my face. I am also in this montsh edition of Beads and Beyond also out this week. Judging of New Designers this week also could I make it 3....... oh I hope......

TTFN x

Oh blimey I just found a web page as well!!! http://www.makingjewellery.com/inspiration.html

I am a happy bunny!!!

Today's goodies for your delectation!

The kiln is ramping down as I write this so there is more to come! But here are a few for you to have a jaspers at! The one on the left is exactly the same set of beads as the middle picture but look at the 3rd bead in from each side! I have no idea what colour this is cos it comes from a sample box of Bullseye glass and is unlabelled. It may well be neo-lavender but it is definitely a colourshifting glass. I have mentioned these before but this is the most spectacular response to different light I have seen! The first picture is under the lights for taking pictures. The middle picture is under my halogen room lights! Sadly it was dark when these were taken so I couldn't see what effect sunlight would have!!!

The 3rd picture is of a comission I have been asked to make! The beads are my own and I have used them to embellish a byzantine chain maille bracelet. I hope it is liked!!!

Other news: I have not seen it yet but I am reliably informed that my beads are indeed showcased in this months edition of Beads and Beyond! It comes out tomorrow so it will be Friday before my local WH Smiths has it on the shelves so I gotta wait a bit longer to see em but needless to say I am quite excited!!!

TTFNx

Oops......

....it would appear that there has been a minor (!) cock up in the Beads and Beyond Competition that I entered. A large number of us have apparently sent our entries to the wrong email address which was not checked in the printed mag!!! This means that we have all been given the chance to resubmit our entries and judging has been suspended until the end of Feb. OMG!!! More waiting!!! Honestly this has been quite stressful. Anyways I will duly resubmit my beads and wait to see the end result.........
Any suggestions for making the waiting less painful!!! At least I am not alone! Good luck once again to everyone who entered lets hope we all get showcased!!!

TTFNx

Beads and Beyond competition!

Well I did not make it into this months edition of Beads and Beyond where some of the entries for the lampwork competition were showcased. So here they are.

TTFNx

Wow what a day....

...Savannah is fine after her close shave with the toothpaste. She was quite annoyed this morning when she realised that she did not have any toothpaste left to brush her teeth with so she obviously has not been put off at all ;-).

It has been quite a day on the business front. I have spoken with Beads and Beyond magazine and they are interested in me submitting a tutorial. Bit of a rush job in that I got to get it done by Friday ideally perhaps Monday if I am busy. The lady I spoke to said she liked my Silver Clay work so I am going to submit a very simple pendant, quick simple and easy. It will be good experience for me and hopefully open the door for more complex stuff in future and more stuff using my handmade glass beads.

Then this evening a friend contacted me asking if I would talk to her niece about her doing a presentation on me and my work for an interview she has for an art gallery. OMG but of course. It is so nice that I am finally getting my name out there, I knew it would take some time to get known and I still have a long way to go but Things are definitely looking up at the moment. Maybe I can really think about doing this as a more serious job! (Woah!!! Rein that thought in before you get to carried away girl....) and by serious I mean my main job!!! Can I? is that possible? number crunching coming up I think to see if we could manage it. I seriously doubt it but I gotta have a dream and that is it.

To the girl I spoke to this evening about her interview; good luck I have my fingers crossed that you have as good a start to your new year as I have had to mine so far. I am feeling good and positive and very happy.

That may change a little the marking marathon that periodically interupts my life is about to begin again and my life is about to end for 3 weeks or so :-(