Happy Halloween

Cabochons a go ....

Im very very pleased to say I have got a new section on my website, may I introduce you to my cabochons -

I have been making cabochons for quite a while and mainly using them myself in my own jewellery with a couple of exception that escaped out into the big wide world to other jewellery artists. I decided a few weeks back to put together a range of cabs for sale and have been experimenting and investigating what I like and what works ever since.

The cabs are a complete mixture in style and there are some boro ones as well as soft glass. Im still going to be experimenting with these for a while yet so expect to see more variety yet, some which may turn into proper ranges at some point and some that will definitely be one offs !! 

Autumn Colours

Well, I still havent managed to have a day out and about with my camera (a treat I was promising myself last week)  as I have now had to send it back to the repair folks again as its not happy. However due to the wonderousness that is my iphone all is not lost !

Himself has been most patient in putting up with frequent requests to "stop the car, now" while i get a picture of an amazingly coloured tree.... and waiting for me when I lag behind as I found a pile of leaves just needing to be recorded ... and .. and..

I love autumn, I love the colours, the bright sunshine, the blue skies, the briskness to the air. I love the way it makes me want to play with colour.

I have been making autumn inspired Rocks, I love these because having settled on a shape (and what a lovely organic and tactile shape it is too..) I feel free to just play with colour, mixing and matching to my hearts content. 

All of the Rocks sets have some silver glass in them producing its characteristic mother-of-pearl type shine, perfect to remind you of autumn sunshine on frosty mornings !

Do you like autumn or hate it ? Does it inspire you ? If you have made something inspired by Autumn feel free to share a link in the comments section so we can come and see it.

First Frost

Brrrrrr... Its been freezing here today ! Quite literally ! This morning saw us waking up to the first frost of the year and the end of a number of my plants in the garden which is now looking very sorry for itself ! I spy a weekend filled with gardening, digging plants up to put them safely away for the winter. Did I mention I love gardening ?? (yep, even in the cold !).

I had a visit today from the lovely Kay of West Beach Beads who kindly braved the arctic (ok, slight exaggeration, but the heater really didnt seem to be making much impact on the cold out there) temperatures in my studio and bought some of her gorgeous beads to show me. All the kitties introduced themselves to her (sorry Kay !) and, apart from one mouse, behaved themselves !

I have high hopes of what went into the kiln today and hope to be back tomorrow with pictures and an exciting announcement ...watch this space !

Autumn

Gosh, nearly a month since I last blogged !!! What a bad blogger I am !

It has been a very busy few weeks, we have been to Barcelona (wonderful, I love Barcelona, the weather was amazing and we indulged in lots of spanish hot chocolate. Heaven.) I have started teaching a glass after school club locally and last weekend I gave my very first lampworking class !

I wont bore you with hundreds of photos of Barcelona, (and as usual there are 100's !!) but will sum up by saying I took lots of photos of patterns -

Sampled lots of cake shops -

And got quite addicted to a new iPhone photo app that takes interesting panoramas -

My class last weekend was hosted at Fire Works studio in Bristol by the lovely Georgina Black and her husband. They were great and made everything run smoothly and trouble free and John even cooked us a wonderful lunch on Sunday !!

I had a great group of students, and we covered working with transfers, various ways of making cabachons and things you can convert cabachons into like buttons and pendants.

As all the beads and cabs were still in the kiln on Sunday when we finished I havent seen finished beads first hand (Pictures would be great ladies, hint hint lol) but Georgina did put a few pictures up on Frit Happens. It was a great weekend which I thoroughly enjoyed and Im looking forward to seeing what everyone makes with what they learnt.

Im now busily getting back to "normal", filling some gallery orders, making beads and preparing for my next class in Cheshire next month.

I will be back much sooner this time with pictures of new beads !