Long time no see

Judging by the date of my last entry, it seems I've been a bit remiss at updating this blog.

On the other hand, I have been busy beading, and my newest discovery/passion is shaped beadwork, like the star pictured.

So far I've made a selection of cakes and sweets, a Christmas tree and a small box. Hopefully I'll remember to post some pictures of my recent makes, but with my memory who knows when...

Anyway, this star is designed by the brilliant Katie Dean of Beadflowers, and her instructions are beautifully clear.

My first beaded pen, and I rather like it.

My least favourite job

I enjoy designing and making pieces, but if there's one thing I don't enjoy it's photographing them.

Why? Well it's difficult to get the colours to look right, when they can vary depending on the light source, and how do show when a piece sparkles a you move, when a photograph is static?

And then, what do you have in the background? And just how far away do you have to move the clutter that normally sits on my dining table?

Well here's my latest piece - lapis lazuli cubes with Swarovski crystals - made in time for my coming craft fairs:

• Saturday 29th October at Cambourne church
• Friday 18th November at Netherhall School's shopping evening
  
• Saturday 19th November at Bar Hill PreSchool's Winter Fete
  

I'm enjoying this

I've realised why I haven't been making more stuff, and it's because I have to spend so much time hunting out the supplies I've carefully stored in random places around the house.

With a bit of time to myself, I'm actually able to find what I need and am making good headway, so here is my workspace, complete with a cuppa and my kindle (I'm reading The Passage).

(No idea why the picture is on it's side - I don't do techie!)

Do you change your mind?

Have you made something, liked it at first, but felt something was not quite right?

Well, I managed that over the weekend - I made a necklace with a beautiful lampwork bead by Lorna of Pixie Willow Designs - but now I'm just not sure about it.

I think the supporting beads complement it well, but I'm thinking of moving the poppies bead so that it is part of the necklace, rather than suspended from it.

I wasn't expecting that

I finally finished the beadshop stock take and had a design in mind with some stunning lampwork shells made by Trudi, but could I find the component I know I have on my very messy desk? No I couldn't, it's not to be seen, but I did have a sudden idea for a bracelet and it's one I like very much. Even better, I bought the amethyst circles ages ago thinking they were bigger - that's what happens when you don't read the listing properly - and hadn't been sure what to do with them. Well I think this works really well.

Something Blue

Have you ever had an idea for a piece just come to you out of the blue? Well I had that happen to me during the week, but only because I'm generally a rather messy worker - anyone who's seen my desk will know this!

Well, I had several different pieces that I was planning on using for different projects lying near each other when something clicked and I thought "they might look good together". A bit of trying things out and hey presto, this delightful little charm that solves the bride's question of what "blue" to have. The crystal heart is a delicate 10mm in size, which means the charm can be discreetly hidden in the bouquet or inside the dress, or easily attached to a bracelet.