Pretty Woman

Pretty Woman
Originally uploaded by aurorabeadz

I made a set of beads like this one last night and am very chuffed with them. They are called Pretty Woman as they remind me of the dress worn by Julia Robert's at the polo match in the film of the same name!
I made another set as well which will shortly be up on my website for sale

TTFN x

New stock listed

Finally on my website here and my Etsy shop here

It all took me a bit longer than I expected cos my Internet went down this morning not sure why but anyhoo here I am and I have updated both shops!

I hope you are all well, I got so much stuff to catch up on so this is only a brief post but I will be back later with more chat
TTFN xx

Just a quickie

to let you know I have updated my website and my Etsy shop. I will be back later with a longer post
TTFN xx

Sneak peek!

A little glimpse of some of the goodies I will be listing on my website tomorrow!!!

TTFN xx

So my first week as a full time glass artist

...Mmmmm slightly problematic in that I have been unwell. Still I think I am getting better now. Still not up to sitting in my hot little studio and making beads but I have a necklace idea pottering around my head. I have ordered some bits and pieces and hopefully I can work it through today and show you all later.

I did manage to update my website here and my Etsy shop here last night so please pop over there and have a look and see what I have made. I think last week was a simple week, I have really focused on getting good shapes out of my spree press and I am pretty please with how it has gone. I have worked out my own little method for getting the right amount of glass on the mandrel for each size although I have to say the smallest size is the trickiest which seems a little odd in my head but hey I know my head is strange LOL!!!

I will definitely get up my studio over the weekend and production will be full on next week so get ready for Wednesday when I update all the shops again.

Tuesday will be a strange day for me. It is mine and Tony's wedding anniversary (3 years) Apparently these are the gifts associated with 3rd anniversaries:

Traditional 3rd wedding anniversary gifts have a theme of Leather

Contemporary or modern 3rd anniversary gifts have a theme of Crystal or Glass.

The flowers associated with the 3rd anniversary are Fuchsia

The Gemstone list shows Crystal associated with this Wedding Anniversary

Mmm.....glass seems fairly appropriate don't you think! and Fuchsia are one of my fav flowers. But the reason why it will be odd is because that is my leaving do for work. It will seem quite strange having a leaving do. I still don't have any regret and to be honest I am not massively concerned about money yet but Tony is! But having a leaving do will make it all real. But hey it is karaoke and I don't sing but it will be a laff watching some of my colleagues sing!

Sunday we are hoping to go to Brogdale farm to the cherry festival. I love cherries so hopefully I will be able to eat my body weight in cherries, hope the weather stays fine!

Right best be off, got to get Savannah to my childminder and then to tesco for lots of chicken soup.
Have a lovely Friday and a brilliant weekend
TTFN x

Mmmm.....options

Well unfortunately I did not get the job I applied for. I say unfortunately but I am not sure that is accurate. All the platitudes in the world did not help me yesterday it was not fate, there is nothing just around the bloody corner I was incredibly angry.

Today I have perspective. I am a fatalist, what will be will be, whether there is a "higher being" that influences what happens to us or whether our future is pre ordained etc who knows but bottom line I did not get the job, get over it and move on!!!

My totally awesome husband (who is materialistically driven and incredibly stressed by the potential money problems I am about to cause) is being so completely supportive and unselfish I completely adore him! we spent ages last night talking about options some of which I had already discussed with my extremely sensible and pragmatic sister and I have some options open to me, some less savoury than others but all have to be considered. I refuse to make a knee jerk reaction to my blinkered perception of what may be a crap situation and see it for what it is still an opportunity to grasp my life with both hands and enjoy it! Yes money is an issue but so is quality of life and I will make the right decision at the right time.

I have put things in place over the last 24 hours...contingency plans if you like. I have emailed the CAB and am awaiting their advice on potential benefits I may be able to claim, not holding out much hope as this is a self inflicted situation! But you never know! I am going to a meeting next Tuesday with my local Business Link to develop and plan to boost my sales and identify potential sources of money to help me move my business forward. Making beads and jewellery full time or a lot more hours than I currently do is definitely an option and my gorgeous husband keeps talking about giving me his huuugeee shed to convert it to my workspace and set up a second station so I can offer tuition on a more permenant basis!

I have been to the bank manager and I MAY (MAY) be able to claim on my payment protection plan for my loan to help us out a bit. I say may but it is unlikely as I have had depression before and I should have 2 clear years before making a claim and you know what banks are like if there is a loophole they will exploit it!!! But again there is something I can explore to make our life a little easier for the moment!

I MAY be able to take a mortgage break or swap to interest only for a while again to help out. All things that are good to have in my armoury.

Options, options, options!!! All need careful consideration!

Right best go photograph my beads and bags whilst there is some sun and update my Etsy and website very soon and Imogen is off school today as it is student review day and I have an appointment for noon to see how her first year at senior school has gone!!!

TTFN xxx

New Stock for sale tonight

New stock will be listed on my website tonight and some stuff on my Etsy. I am thinking of moving all my selling to Etsy but have not decided yet! I may give Folksy another go as it is already in £ and not $ cos there is a small difference in price when converting.

Anyway a little sneak preview for you all.
TTFN xx

A new idea is brewing

...Not gonna say much but I am having an idea! Some what of a diversion from what I make at the mo and if I can sort it out will be another string to my bow but I think I can make the new thing and the beads and jewellery work together..
Ha has that got your interest or what....

Watch this space.

Other news I have been making more spacer beads (about all I am good for at the mo!!) and I have found this completely delish yellow

It is Bullseye sunflower yellow and I love it. I am not normally a yellow person but this is very very nice. It is a striking colour and when I am winding it onto the mandrel it is the most beautiful undescribable colour, one of those beads that I wish stayed the same colour when hot as cold! That said the yellow that comes out of the kiln is just......sunny!!!

I have also made these 2 sets which will be up on my website tomorrow for sale!

TTFNxx

New listings on Etsy and my website

Getting my act together a bit with my beads! I got loads sitting around and feel like getting them up for sale! 2 pendants on Etsy here and I am about to go to my website here and upload some bargain basement goodies and a very colourful set of beads!!!

thank you
TTFNxx

Proud mama!!!

Not the children! My beads! I made these and am really very chuffed with them! Obviously very heavily influenced by the Flame Off still and Sarah Hornik in particular. The pink one is mine and the other bead is already sold can you believe? It did not even make it to my website!!!

I am a happy bunny!!!

TTFNx

Oh no ran out of gas...

I was on a complete roll on Monday I made a ton of beads some for orders very simple spacer beads but I also got the time and mojo to play with different designs. And then me gas ran out.......
Should not moan really I knew it was on its way out cos I had it for over a year. It is a 19kg cannister so quite big and I only get a max of 10 hours a week on the torch if that sometimes. I am glad it ran out monday cos I have a lesson booked for tomorrow and it would have been pretty dire to have the gas run out in the middle of teaching :-/

Anyway I am sitting here now waiting for the postman my glass order should be arriving and then I gotta go out and get new gas and post Victoria's prize from my prize draw.

I will be back up studio tonight for another session on the torch to complete an order for spacer beads and then to carry on playing with a couple of designs! I have updated my website with new beads and also my Etsy shop. Links are over on the right hand side of this page.

Happy Wednesday to you all

TTFN xx

Earth Hour and Etsy

Have you signed up for Earth Hour One simple little thing turn your lights off at 8.30pm local time for one hour! It's about making a statement for global warming. Go take a look.

Other news I have temporarily abandoned my Folksy shop in favour of Etsy.There are only a couple of things listed at the moment but I will add stuff if it looks promising! I still have my website it is just about getting my name out there and expanding my customer base and Etsy seems a good vehicle for that!

Hope you are all ok. Speak soon
TTFN xx

Folksy shut but Etsy open!!!

I am dabbling a little in other online shopping sites. My foray into Folksy has not been in the least bit successful. Now whether I have given it enough time or what really I am not sure. I am not sure I need 2 shops either but I thought I would give Etsy a go. Nothing is listed yet (typical!!!) but here is my etsy shop

I will hopefully list some stuff later this week most likely at the weekend but bookmark it now!!!

Right gotta go "The Apprentice" has started I love this show!!!

TTFN xx

New Designers One Year On

I didn't get through :-(

I knew it was highly unlikely that I would be chosen but I am sad not to have been one of the lucky chosen few! Hey ho! keep going girl remember you only been doing this for a year!

It's Aurorabeadz website birthday in 6 days and I said I would do something to celebrate and I will just don't quite know what yet? Any suggestions?

TTFN xx

Business identity

I have been trying to sort out my "image" for a while now. No not my image but my beads image, I am beyond help now LOL ;-) anyway back to my bead image so like I said I have been trying to sort it out for a while but I am a bit of a photo numpty and just could not get it sorted. One of the lovely ladies on Frit Happens kindly offered to help me out and so she did. The picture above is my signature banner for FH and is a smaller version of my banner for my website
The lady in question is the fantastic Becky Fairclough of Chameleon Designs an extremely talented jewellery designer and a dab hand with thte computer to boot. Thank you Becky you are a star.

TTFN x

New stock

I have finally managed to get some new stock onto my website there are 3 new bead sets well actually 2 new beads set and one focal bead! I am quite pleased with these. Been a bit slack lately with getting stuff into the shop but hopefully things will settle a bit now! Work is very busy in my other job at the moment. I have 5 weeks of 18 hours a week teaching and 1 day for admin, lesson prep and keeping up with my students in practice. Working part time is quite challenging for my poor time management skills but I am getting there.

I have had an email from the "One year on" people and judging is on 13th March with announcements from 1st April. To say I am now nervous is an understatement. I still think I have just given them something to have a laff at but that is just my lack of confidence. I have had some lovely comments and people have been really encouraging. I will have to wait and see I guess.

I am hoping that Spring may finally have sprung. The weather yesterday was positively gorgeous 16 degrees in Medway where I was teaching it was lovely.

Right I have a 3 year old to feed it is getting close to lunch so I best be off. I hope you all have a lovely weekend and I will see you very soon
TTFN x

Snow

Whoo hoo it is snowing. We don't get much significant snowfall in Margate any more, even my Windows Vista weather gadget is confused it says it is sunny but most assuredly it is not!! The picture above was taken about an hour after the snow started and it is still falling. I am quite excited although I am fed up with being cold I adore the snow!!! This looks promising although I don't want it to hang around to long I am off to Keiara's again on Wednesday. Right I have some Art Clay to sand down and fire one of the pieces is the Valentines gift I started a few days ago but had to chuck (not literally) cos it was to thin!! So part 2 of the pendant will be up tonight. I am also having a photography session with my hubby so the flower headpins I made the other day will be up for sale on my website! Very limited quantity at the mo but if they sell well who knows!!!

Later....New stock has been added to my shop!!! Happy shopping xx

TTFNx

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

My daft youngest daughter.

This is my youngest daughter who thought it extremely funny to get into the Tesco bag for life!!! I actually picked her up and carried her around she thought it was hysterical!!! Then my 11 year old wanted a go.....!

Good evening this evening. I managed to chill and play with glass without any pressure of got to make something! Don't get me wrong I have really enjoyed prepping for the big bead show but there is something to be said about just being able to let the creative juices flow! Saying that little creation occured mostly practice. I am trying to perfect my encasing technique. I made about 6 or 7 encased beads and 1 maybe 2 is what I would call vaguely acceptable! It's all about practise and I am just plodding along and practising!

I have managed to get some stock up on my website this evening as well so go on over and take a lookie!

TTFNx

Finally got some new stock listed!

Bless him my OH has done my photos again tonight and I have fianlly got some beads listed on the website for sale!

It has been a rough day for me really and this has been quite therapeutic for me to finally spend some time sorting stock out! My youngest daughter is being quite testing at the moment and I seem to be the focus for her tantrums. It is quite stressful when you try not to lose your rag with them but they really do push you to the limits! hey ho though thats what you get when you have kids! My mum calls it finding their niche in life!

I have got an appointment with the bank manager tomorrow so hopefully that will help with the money stresses, not that I imagine we are any different to most other people in this country what with the cost of living an all that! But I am going part time in my day job in september so any little things we can do now to help will be fab!!! This also means I can spend a bit more time making my beads which quite frankly I totally love doing. They are so relaxing to make and it is a bit of "me" time. It would be even nicer if I can successfully make a small business out of it! Share my pleasure so to speak!!!

Anyway the hour groweth late and my bed is calling me

TTFNx