Firsts

It has been a few days hasnt it !! I have been busy during that time though and that is one of the things I want to talk about as it has been a time of many firsts which have all been great.

First first, I have opened an etsy shop, and thanks to the lovely Jo of Gem Heaven for my second first as she included me in her Etsy treasury so I have been in my first treasury too !!

My other first is one that i have to confess I got a real warm and fuzzy feeling inside about, it is one of those daft things I guess, I was blowing glass in the hot shop at uni, making experiments for my current work, (and the occasional paperweight too, more about that later) and one of our artists in residence was working in there as well, Shelly is not a glass blower but works with print in glass and she was experimenting with some small forms when she turned and said "you know, you make that look very easy". It is one of those things about glass blowing that I love, I love to watch anyone who is very good at blowing as it is so amazing to watch and when it is someone who can blow well it looks so effortless and so amazingly easy, so I was totally thrilled to think, just for a minute, that someone thought I might make it look easy. Its great to think that my skills are improving !!



Paperweights, I said I would get to them didnt I ? Yes I have been making paperweights, we have to fundraise at uni so that we can go to New Designers in the summer next year so my contribution to our group is to make paperweights, you can find them available online here and I hope to have some more online tomorrow or thursday

Website Revamp

I have finally today put the revamped version of my website online. It has taken a little working to get there but I am happy with it now and I have put some new focal beads online too as I managed to grab some torch time yesterday (as per yesterday's post).
I am hoping the new look will put a bit more emphasis on what I make rather than all the bright design of the site so feel free to share your opinion and if you think I succeeded :o)

I also have a new Chameleon, this time one that I have made rather than a photo! Its funny I have always thought given the name of my site that I should have a picture of a chameleon on there and usually I buy a stock photo for that purpose but I decided this time that I would rather have one that I could, if I wanted, use as a logo (which I cant do under the terms of the stock photos) so this is what I came up with




I can change the colours so I can make him match whatever I like and I’m hoping he’s going to prove to be quite versatile.

Where did this week go ?

Time seems to be flying along at the moment, I think it is because it is all go at uni, busy busy busy and I am really enjoying it as I LOVE the pieces im making :o) when I have some finished I will take a picture and share with you I promise !

I have also been busy making work to sell for fundraising purposes as we have to raise money to pay for our stand at New Designers in the summer so I have been busy making blown paperweights, there are some pictures of them on Flickr HERE if you would like to see them.

Today I have finally made some beads !! Fresh from the kiln, my absolute favorite of which is this one, it is a two colour gorgeous antique crystal and palest honey yellow bubble flower, I also have a few more in this style too sat waiting for me to clean them up and take their pictures :o)

These are the latest designs of mine in this range of beads. I am finding these quite fasinating as a range in the way the keep evolving, in some ways these newest ones are also a link to some of my previous designs of beads as part of my ongoing love of silvered ivory.



These beads have been designed but only to an extent, there has been something organic in their development from the original design back in september through to where they are now and I am really enjoying this process. Its a process that comes out of the way that i work, I rarely make more than a handful of any particular design as I get bored very quickly and also because there is always that thought of ... what if i do this to it ..