Alibongo's Anecdotes

Poppies!

2009-11-08T18:28:00.005Z

It all started with this one!

I make no apology for blogging about poppies again!

I told you last year how I intended to make crochet poppies in time for this years Remembrance Day and in my last post I mentioned how busy we (my friend, Ashlie and I) were in honouring the orders we were receiving - that was an understatement. I could never have imagined how popular the poppies would be. We have been absolutely unindated with orders and if it had been physically possible we could have quite easily have doubled our sales. The proceeds from the sale of the poppies, less a small amount for the purchase of the special buttons, will all go to The Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal. I am pleased, no ecstatic, to report that I will be sending a cheque off later this week for £250.00!!!! Isn't that fantastic and it's thanks to all of you who bought a poppy for £2.00, that means 125+ poppies. People are already ordering for next year, I think we will have to start making them in June!!!

The lovely girls of Spellbound Beads in Lichfield, proudly wearing our poppies!

When I send the cheque to the Poppy Appeal I am going to write and tell them all about the reasoning behind the poppies and enclose a photograph. I really hope that they look upon our little endeavour favourably and don't see us as a threat and let us continue raising funds for such a worthwhile charity.

Today my family and I all attended the local Remembrance Service and my youngest son and I actually joined the parade through the town to the cenotaph on our local park. The turnout was very good, unfortunately a sign of the times I fear, coupled with the lovely sunny day, although there was a definite nip in the air! We found it a rather poignant service today, and upsetting at times, because today was the first Remembrance Day since my dear Grandma, Granny Franny, had sadly died.

I know a few of you that read my blog and know me either personally or elsewhere on forums etc. are already aware that my Grandma passed away a few months ago. But, for those of you who only know me through this blog, Granny Franny was in failing health for some time, but at the beginning of the summer her health deteriorated quite rapidly, but she fought to the end! She was 99 years old on 4th August, I'm not sure that she was aware that she'd reached this milestone, but I did make a point of telling her that she'd equalled the age of her Dad, my Great-Grandad, and she did have a chuckle, we're made to last in this family!!! She clung on for a few more weeks, but couldn't fight anymore and she passed away on 23rd August 2009! She was a popular lady which was reflected in the size of the congregation at her funeral and everyone sang with real gusto. People were invited to give a donation rather than flowers and the collection raised a staggering £900+, as my Mum said 'Her last fundraiser was a total success'. The monies were shared between Cancer Research UK and The Salvation Army.

Granny Franny, on her 85th Birthday!

I would like to think that Granny Franny, finally reunited with the love of her life, was looking down on us today, as we all congregated around the cenotaph, and I know that she would be chuffed to bits at the success of our poppies.

Grandma and Me.

Newly promoted to SSgt, Remembrance Day 1990!

Busy Days!

2009-10-26T20:16:00.013Z

Well, it's become quite apparent that I couldn't keep up with the one a day posts. I totally underestimated how busy I'd be over the last week. I'm not going to beat myself up about it though and I'm just going to accept what will be will be and I'll post as and when I have the time. I hope you'll stick around and see what happens.

So, what have I been up to over the past week. I was busy getting ready for a jewellery party, which was a great success and a great boost to my morale after things being a bit quiet over the last couple of months. I've included a few pics of some new necklaces I made in preparation.

I also did a demo at my WI group last week as part of a Three Corners Evening. This is when there are several demos happening at the same time and groups of people move from one to the other in turn, so they get a little taster of what is being demonstrated. The other demo's on the evening were Card Making and Calligraphy. I decided to concentrate on giving a demo about chainmaille and I think it went down well, I even sold a few items. At every meeting we also have a small competition (see the Easter Bonnet from last year), last weeks competition was to make a necklace from food stuffs found in the kitchen. I submitted an entry of course, but unfortunately didn't win, that honour went to Ashlie this time. You can still see a picture of my entry below. The necklace is made from Honey Cheerios with 3 Tetley Tea Bag Pendants!!!

Still on the jewellery front, last week saw me installing a display cabinet in a local cafe. The cafe is called Humbles and is situated in the John Godber Centre (Church Hall) in Hucknall. The owner approached me a couple of weeks ago to see if I could do some workshops and promote some of my jewellery. Of course I said yes and after much preparation the cabinet was ready last Friday, I even sold an item and got an order before I'd finished setting it up!!

As if all that wasn't enough.....I've been busy making poppies!!! If you remember this time last year I made a couple of crochet poppies, one for my dear Grandma, who sadly died on 23rd August, one for my Mum and one for myself. Lots of people asked if they could have one, so I decided that I would make them this year in time for Remembrance Day and sell them to raise funds for the Poppy Appeal. I have been overwhelmed with the response and have been busy making as many as possible, with some help from my good friend, Ashlie. I will report back later how much money we have raised, but would just like to say a big thank you to everyone who has kindly bought one, or several, already.

To end the week, I went to the Bead Fair at Harrogate on Sunday. I was lucky to be offered a lift from my dear friend Kerrie and her husband, Simon. We spent a lovely day ooooohing and aaahhhing at all the beautiful beads and gemstones, and met up with our lovely friend, Mary. I was quite well behaved and went with a list, but I did splash out on some beautiful tiny Black Spinel, commonly known as Black Diamonds, which you will undoubtedly see more of at a later date. Kerrie and I wore our poppies and I was thrilled to receive some lovely comments and to get an order from Pat at Spellbound Beads, for 9 poppies, she wanted to buy one for all the lovely ladies that work in the shop!! Thank you Pat, and I hope to get a photo of you all wearing them to put on my blog at a later date.

Happy Anniversary!

2009-10-17T17:15:00.003+01:00

Today is our 22nd Wedding Anniversary, how is that possible!!! Not doing much because we were out last night with some friends. We went for a lovely meal at the Red Hot Buffet Shack in Nottingham and then went to the Royal Concert Hall to see The Proclaimers. It was a great night and we all thoroughly enjoyed the concert - and yes we all sang along to '500 Miles!'

Luxury!!!

2009-10-16T15:05:00.006+01:00

Manicure that is!! Tracey, another dear friend, gave me a voucher to have a luxury manicure, so I cashed it in this morning and spent a very pleasurable hour having my hands and nails pampered. I really don't look after my nails properly, jewellery making and especially wire wrapping are not conducive with lovely looking nails, but just recently I've been trying to grow them again and was going to treat myself to a manicure once they were a decent length, well I think some little birdies had been chatting, hence the present. Clair at The Lounge in Hucknall has made a lovely job. I was going to go for a colour, but then changed my mind and went for a french polish, cos I'd never had one before, I don't think it will be the last!

Beautiful Presents!

2009-10-15T19:28:00.005+01:00

As I mentioned previously, it was my birthday on Tuesday and I also mentioned I had some wonderful presents, amongst which were some beautifully handcrafted gifts. I truly do have some very talented friends.

The first one I opened had been sitting on my dining room table since the beginning of last week, it was very tempting to take a peek, but I was a good girl. I knew who it was from, and therefore knew it would be amazing, and I wasn't wrong!!

This beautiful brooch was a gift from my dear friend Kerrie, you can see a more professional photograph on her blog here. Thank you Kerrie, I love it!!

The next package to open was equally stunning. It was from another beady friend, this time from Nia We are 'sisters' because when we finally met in real life it was uncannily obvious that we resembled each other in appearance, although one lives in Wales and the other in the English Midlands (my Dad said he could never have cycled all the way to Wales on his bike lol). Apparently, when she saw the beads in the next piece she thought of me straight away - I have a bit of a reputation of liking all things purple, whatever the shade, as if you didn't know by now!!

The beads are by the talented Julie Fountain of Lush Lampwork and they are strung on a handpainted silk ribbon from Diane of Sowzere Designs - beautiful.

The last gift I'm going to share with you came from my dear friend and partner in crime, Ashlie! We share a love of all things crafty and Ashlie is the one to thank for my return to the joys of knitting. She is much more proficient than me, I tend to take the scenic route. We'd already decided we would visit the Knitting & Stitching Show in Harrogate this year and it was left to Ashlie to order the tickets. Imagine my surprise, and joy, when I opened the gift below and nestled inside the most exquisite crocheted needle case was my ticket to the show plus a ticket for a workshop too!! She also gave me the mug and a small vase of flowers - love her to bits.

So, aren't I a lucky girl. Apologies for the quality of the photographs, but the weather has been horrible today, such a change from the previous few days, and I had to take them on my desk with my daylight bulb - but I think you get the idea.

Today I have been......

2009-10-14T17:46:00.010+01:00

......... making bookmarks. I have a few dates in my diary for parties and fairs leading up to Christmas, so today I have been stocking up. Bookmarks are a great seller, they make a lovely gift/stocking filler. I use orphan lampwork beads and they never cease to get comments, often closely followed by a sale!!!

Whilst we're in jewellery mode I would like to tell you about my appearing in an international magazine!!! Many months ago I submitted a photograph to Step by Step Wire in the US. The photograph was of a piece I showed you this time last year. I asked them if they would like it for a project or for their gallery pages. It was a while before I heard anything back, but when I did they said they would be interested in featuring it in the gallery sometime in the future. I am pleased to say that my piece is in the gallery pages of the latest issue of Step by Step Wire, which is in the shops right now. It's a lovely feeling seeing one's work on the pages of such a prestigious magazine, hopefully next time they will be interested in featuring a project.

A Gap Year!!!

2009-10-13T15:30:00.005+01:00

It won't have escaped your notice, but I've not been around in the blogging world for a while - took a little holiday, or rather more like a Gap Year!!! A few weeks not blogging soon turned into a few months and wham here we are almost a year since my last update. There have been times that I've wanted to blog, and times when I've just wanted to walk away and close it down for good. Suffice to say I've been doing alot of thinking over the last couple of months.

As you will see, because you're actually able to read this, I have decided to continue to blog, although I've decided to take a different route - I hope it's a journey that you will continue to accompany me on. The main difference is the blog isn't just going to be about jewellery!!!! Well it wasn't just about the jewellery before, I hear you say, and that my dear reader has been one of the problems I have been trying to come to terms with. I would some times feel slightly guilty, ok a lot guilty, that I wasn't posting images and information about my jewellery, after all that's what the blog is called 'BeaDangles Jewellery' So, I've decided to rename and rebrand!!! Jewellery will still play a part, it's an important part of my life and who I am, but I do so much more (too much sometimes!). So my new refurbished blog will feature jewellery, baking, knitting, friends, family, the mundane and not so mundane daily goings on in my life, flowers, fauna, wildlife etc etc. I'm also going to attempt a big project, I'm going to try and take a photograph every day for the next year!!! It could be of anything, some days there may be more than one, but hopefully every day will be documented in pictoral form. I'm not promising works of art, some days the photograph may be what we're having for tea that day, but I'm hoping that when I look back over the year, it will provide me, and you if you wish to tag along, with a unique snapshot of my life during this time.

So, lets start with today, as good a day as any. You see for those who don't know, today is my birthday!!! This day 48 years ago Alison Mary Green was born, it was a Friday!!! I have had a lovely day today. I have received lots of birthday wishes from friends and family far and wide, some wonderful, beautiful, practical and well thought out gifts, a fine collection of chocolates and flowers. I have been out for a lovely lunch with a very special friend, what more could I ask for.

I Wear My Poppy With Pride!

2008-11-11T11:31:00.004Z

Today is Remembrance Day and we remember all who have given their lives in the two great wars and all the conflicts since then and we think of all those service personnel who are serving in places of conflict today!

Even before I joined the Army I was involved with Remembrance Day. My Grandad (my Mum's Dad) was killed in WWII at Anzio in Italy. He was only 30 and my Grandma was left without a husband and my Mum and Auntie were left without a Dad, my Mum was only 3!! My Grandma became a founder of the Women's Section of the local Royal British Legion and every year leading up to November 11th she took delivery of boxes of poppies, leaves in one box, petals in another and stalks and the black centre in two more. We sat for hours assembling the poppies so they would be ready to sell. I remeber a couple of years I accompanied my Grandma as she stood in our local town selling them. I always seemed to be off school the following week with a terrible cold!!

My Grandad's Grave in Anzio Beachead Cemetery, Italy

We attended the Remembrance Service on Sunday at the cenotaph in our local park. It was a truly miserable day and the heavens opened and we got drenched, but it was just a small sacrifice on our behalf, compared to the sacrifices of those we were remembering.

I felt particularly proud this year because on Saturday I received my Veterans Badge. I'd only ordered it a few days previously, along with one for Alan, my husband. I'd been meaning to do it for so long, but kept forgetting. At one time the only recipients of the badge were the veterans of the two wars, but a few years ago it was decided that anyone who had served in HM Forces was entitled to wear the badge, but would have to apply. Anyone who leaves the services now is handed a badge on discharge. We both wore our badges alongside our poppies, and in Alan's case, next to his Falkland's Medal too - it was a nice feeling!

My poppy was a little different this year. I had purchased a pattern from a shop called Button and Skein, who were selling them to raise funds for the Royal British Legion. The RBL had helped them to set up their new shop and they wanted to show their appreciation and give a little bit back. The pattern was in actual fact 3 patterns for a knitted, crocheted or material poppy. I had intended to do a knitted poppy, but unfortunately mine didn't look anything like a flower, never mind a poppy. So, I taught myself how to crochet and after a few attempts I had a result. I made three poppies this year, one for my Grandma, one for my Mum and a last minute (Sunday morning!) one for myself. I have already been asked if I can do some more for next year and I've decided I will make some and sell them with the proceeds going to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

So that's why I wear my Poppy with Pride!

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Christmas Extravaganza & a bit more!

2008-11-06T18:56:00.012Z

Apologies for the absence, but it's coming up to the silly season again! I've had a few sales recently and last week I was lucky enough to get a last minute table at an event happening this Saturday, so it's busy, busy. If any of you are in the Nottingham area on Saturday (you never know!) please come and say hello!

I've not even had a chance to take any pictures of my new pieces, what with the dismal weather we've been having the last couple of days. I think we need some colour to cheer ourselves up, so here's a couple of autumnal pictures of our garden, which I took a few weeks ago . I love autumn it's my favourite season, must have something to do with being an October baby!

Our gorgeous Acer Tree

Passion Flower Vine (it's still got flowers on it now!)

Passion Fruit (unfortunately not edible)

but they are to the birds!

Chinese Lanterns - so delicate!

I couldn't let you go without seeing some jewellery pieces, now could I? Below are a few pieces I made the other week. The first was an order and is waiting to go to it's new home. The others are pieces that are now residing at the gallery in Derbyshire.

Nephrite & Pearl Necklace

Chain Maille featuring a gorgeous bracelet bead by Caroline of Crafted Gems

Copper Chain Maille with Cherry Quartz Rondelles

I've managed to fit in a few evenings of knitting too, but can't show you the complete items, because they're going in the Christmas pressie stash and some people may be looking!!!!

When I first logged in tonight I was just going to post a quick notice as to why I've been absent, but it's turned out to be quite an update!

I've been Tagged - Twice!!!

2008-10-19T14:52:00.004+01:00

I was just about to log in to do an update and finally get round to replying to the tag I received from Tilly and I get another one from Caroline, so without further ado here goes, the rules if you wish to abide by them are as follows:

1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.

2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by including links to their blogs.

4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs.

Mmmmmmm 7 facts about myself - you see I'm taking the easy way out and just doing one set, it's taken me forever to think up 7 facts as it is, without doing it twice.

1. I was in the Army for 13 years from 1979 till 1992 and reached the rank of SSgt. I am proud of my time in the WRAC (Women's Royal Army Corps - now disbanded!) and would do it all over again. The only regret I have is not seeing enough of the world. I only had one overseas posting, but that was to Cyprus for 2 years! Here's a pic of me when I'd just been promoted to LCpl in 1980!!

2. I love Marmite!! It has to be on white buttered bread though, I don't like it any other way. I used to take marmite sandwiches with me on school/sunday school trips when I was little, yummy!

3. I'm a Leo Sayer fan - not necessarily now, but from when he was popular. I have almost every album he released and a few other compilations. The hairs on the back of my neck still stand up when I hear the opening chords to When I Need You!

4. I love watching birds and photographing them (see earlier blogs) but I hate them being anywhere indoors. My Mum and Dad used to have a budgie called Monty and they used to let him out for a fly around and I used to cringe and run out of the room. I'm sure he knew that I didn't like it cos he used to land right next to me on the sofa - sharp exit!!!

5. I can't stand my feet being touched, by anyone! I did an alternative therapy course last year and one of the lessons was reflexology. I told the instructor that I wasn't happy about anyone touching my feet, what I wasn't prepared for was how I felt watching someone else have their feet massaged etc I almost fainted, I feel weird now just thinking about it - feet ugh perhaps that's why I'm enjoying making socks, something to cover them all up.

6. When I was little my hair was so long I could sit on it! My mum used to have a real battle on every day cos my hair was so thick it got into some right tangles. One day I came home from school at lunch time and announced I wanted my hair short. My Mum took me straight to the hairdressers during the lunch hour and I had my pony tail cut off there and then - she wasn't going to give me a second chance. I've had short hair ever since, apart from about a year when it got down to my shoulders, before I gave in and had it all chopped off again.

7. I want to learn to scuba dive before I turn 50 - so I've got 3 years left then. As they say watch this space.

So there you go, a mixed bag of informative, useless and utterly random and weird facts about yours truly.

Now the difficult task of picking 7 people to tag who haven't already been picked, I could end up doing a bit of editing here lol. In no particular order here goes:

1. Anne of Chloe's Designs

2. Jo of Daisychain Designs

3. Ali P of All About the Beads

4. Chris of Kiamyka

5. Amanda of Joli's House

6. Lorraine of Lorraine's Place

7. Kelly of Kebo Jewellery

Preparation - An Event!

2008-09-29T19:06:00.010+01:00

My mojo seemed to go on holiday about the time the boys broke up for their school hols, not sure where it's been, hopefully it had better weather than we did! Thankfully, it's now back and just in time too.

This weekend I'm one of the featured designers who will be attending a Jewellery Festival at Studio 61 in Lea, nr Matlock, Derbyshire. The event will be on Saturday and Sunday, and I will be there on Sunday, along with my good friend Kerrie We will be demonstrating how we make our jewellery pieces and there will be lots of examples to see and buy if you so wish. If you're venturing into the Derbyshire Dales over the weekend please stop by and say hello.

In preparation, I've been beavering away and making some new chainmaille pieces and amazingly I have finally got some pictures of jewellery to show you - wonders will never cease!

2 in 1 Chain - Bead by Caroline of Crafted Gems

Copper & Sterling Silver Daisy Pendant

Wisteria Set (I've also made one in black)

Weave - Rhino Snorting Drano (seriously!) and Beautiful Bead by Caroline

Jasper Byzantine

My jewellery mojo may have disappeared for a while, but my hands haven't been entirely idle!! I've rediscovered the art of knitting. It all started when I made a few baby items for friends who were expecting this year. I then took a trip to a local wool shop and was bitten by the bug. I was amazed at the different types of yarns that are now available, my new stash is growing rapidly and I've taken quite a liking to socks!! I already have a few requests for Christmas presents. I try to do my knitting in the evenings now rather than letting it encroach on my jewellery making time.

My very first pair of socks! They are sooooooo comfortable.

My Shrug - this won me a years free subscription to a knitting magazine!

Washcloth

The baby cardigan that started it all!!

High Days and Holidays

2008-09-23T12:07:00.001+01:00

I know it was a while ago but, blinked and you missed it - summer that is!

We did manage a few nice days though, inbetween the torrential downpours. We went ahead with our camping trip to Devon over the Bank Holiday. The weather wasn't too bad during the days, but a couple of the nights were horrendous. Also, the wet weather meant that some parts of the campsite resembled a clay pit!! The boys enjoyed themselves and as you can see from the pic below - they managed to get in the sea, Alan even joined in one day. I was the sensible one and opted for a chair, good book and my fleece!!

The boys bodyboarding at Slapton Sands

Plymouth Hoe from a little boat.

We had a trip up the river to Davenport to see all the Naval vessels.

We had a lovely morning in Dartmouth and sampled a gorgeous cream tea (can't believe we'd been in Devon since Thurs and had to wait till Monday to have our one and only cream tea!) in a fabulous bakers on the main street. We even bought pasties and cakes for later in the day. From Dartmouth we went over to Brixham where we all spent a pleasant couple of hours either fishing or crabbing, but no luck! There were a few near misses with the crabs, but they decided they preferred the sea to our bucket, can't blame them really. It was fun trying though!

Dartmouth Harbour

Looking out to sea from Dartmouth

One of the highlights of our few days away was an impromptu fly past by the Red Arrows. They flew very low and even had the smoke trails. They flew the length of Slapton Sands where about 5 mins earlier Alan and Ben had been flying their power kite, good job they'd packed up cos I reckon they'd have hitched a ride to Dartmouth in record time!!

The weekend before we went to Devon, Alan and I had a long weekend in Brussels. They boys went up to Beverley and had some quality time with Grandma, going to the beach and to the train musuem in York.

We travelled to Brussels via the Eurostar, which was very efficient, but a little shabby. It was great to see the new St Pancras station, very smart and swish. The times I used to travel through that station when I was in the Army, it was always so dark and dismal, but not anymore and the statue of the kissing couple is amazing, unfortunately I didn't take a photograph so you'll just have to go and see it for yourself.

We arrived in Brussels Friday evening and after a bit of a trek to the hotel (don't ask!) we settled ourselves in our room. The hotel 'The Sheraton' was fantastic, couldn't ask for more. We'd upgraded to Club so we got to use the facilities of the Club Lounge which was on the 30th floor with great views of the city. We could help ourselves to complimentary wines and beers in the evening and tea/coffee and soft drinks during the day. The hotel also had a rooftop (covered) pool which was very well received after a day pounding the streets seeing the sights.

So, Brussels! We enjoyed it, but not sure we would go again. There is an awful lot of graffiti about and it seems there is no respect for monuments or buildings. We also found that the transport system took a lot of getting used to. There are not many signs/information in English, which we found quite surprising seeing as Brussels is the centre of the European Parliament etc. It didn't stop us from seeing the sights though.

The weekend we were there the Grand Place was carpeted with flowers. The event takes place every two years for one weekend and it was a sight to behold. The flowers were begonia heads all laid out in a very intricate pattern - it was well worth battling the crowds to see it. The buildings surrounding the Grand Place were stunning.

We took a metro ride out of the city to visit the Atomium. Now what can I say about the Atomium - rip off springs to mind! After paying something like 8 or 9 Euro each we got in line for about an hour to take a lift to the observation deck - that was it!! Although I got some quite arty shots looking down on the spheres it certainly wasn't worth the wait or the money. The views were good, but you could see the same views from the Basillica a few miles away for less money and you get to see the inside of a beautiful Art Deco church too.

Of course a trip to Brussels wouldn't be complete without sampling some of the 200 approx types of beer they have on offer.

And of course, the chocolates!!!!! Every other shop seems to be a chocolate shop, but we were very restrained and didn't buy any till the last evening. We bought a few boxes for gifts and one for us to share with the boys when we got home. They were delicious!

Inside the Leonadis Chocolate Shop

Mannekin Pis (not quite sure what the uniform signified)

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder!

2008-09-17T11:00:00.005+01:00

Well, I hope it does in my case - lol.

I apologise for my absence recently, but I've been having problems with my photo imaging package and I can't post a blog if I haven't got any photo's for you to look at. I think I've now solved the problem, so should be back real soon with lots of news and photo's of course!

Here's a taster of what's to come.

Return of the Blog!!

2008-08-06T18:14:00.006+01:00

I'm baaaaaaaaaack!

It's been a while and I apologise for being AWOL over the last month and a bit. Life has a habit of getting in the way! I won't bore you with the details, but just get on with the task in hand and get back to blogging.

The school holidays are in full swing, did you notice I didn't say 'summer' holidays as there's not been much good weather to write about. The boys aren't tooooo bored yet and we still have our little holiday to look forward to in the next few weeks, we're off to Devon for a few days for a spot of camping! Hope the weather improves a bit.

One of the reasons I've been spurred back into blogging is to tell you about a very worthwhile project my good friend Kerrie has been working on. Kerrie is an exceptional bead artist and she has designed the following ribbon pins which are going to be used to raise funds for various charities.

The pattern for the pins is to be published on the Beading Daily website next week and I, for one, can't wait to receive my copy and start making the pins and raising monies for various cancer charities. You can read all about Kerrie's story and the reason behind the design on her blog here. I wish Kerrie the luck she deserves with this very special project and I hope it raises lots and lots of money. Please spread the word and support it as much as you can.

Whilst we are on the subject of fund raising, I took part in the Race for Life last week! I wasn't going to take part this year (have done it twice before) because I've had a few problems with my back, but my good friend Ashlie said she really wanted to do it and would I join her. I agreed as long as we wouldn't be running. We decided to join the event at Holme Pierrepont here in Nottingham. Holme Pierrepont is the home of the National Water Sports Centre and the course for the Race for Life is once around the lake. The day was very emotional and very very hot, the hottest day of the year so far!!! We decided to power walk and managed to finish in 45 mins, not bad considering the conditions. Below is a photograph of Ashlie and I before the race, already looking rather hot and flustered.

There's not much to report on the jewellery front I'm afraid, this time of year is always quiet with people on holiday etc. but I do have a couple of pictures to show you of work that I hope is going to evolve into something a little more - watch this space!! The first is a fibula brooch that I made using a gorgeous focal bead from Claire of Clasicat Designs. Claire has just started making her own lampwork beads and offered her first attempts to members of the uk-beaders forum free of charge as long as we posted what we'd made with them. I think Claire is going to go far with her bead making! The second fibula is a copper one using another gorgeous bead, this time from my mate Caroline of Crafted Gems

Lastly, I would like to mention someone special. My Grandma, affectionately known to me as Granny Franny, was 98 on Monday! Hubby and I went to see her and I made her a scrummy chocolate cake (we didn't get a piece, though). I know she is getting tired and who would blame her, but she still has all her wits about her, she may be a little slower in talking and can't see too well, and she reckons she's deaf, but I think it's more a case of 'selective' hearing. I think I get alot of my creative side from my Grandma. When she worked she was a tailoress in a very prestigious shop in our town and she was never without some knitting or a needle and thread. At one time she was very well known for making peg bags, aprons etc which were all made and sold for charity. I know she misses being able to knit and sew, but I think she was quite pleased to hear that I've recently picked up my knitting needles again and have made a few items for friends who've just had babies. Here's to you Granny Franny, thank you for all the inspiration you've given me and for passing on your creative gene and I hope you enjoyed the cake xxx

Lots to Share!

2008-06-16T19:35:00.012+01:00

Due to my lack of posting over the last couple of weeks. I have quite a bit to share with you.

First, I must give you an update on the nesting blue tits. The chicks finally fledged just over a week ago now. I had been checking every day that they were still in the nest box and I couldn't do anything until I had seen the parents going back and forth to the box every morning. Unfortunately, in the last week it looked as if there was only one parent doing all the feeding etc. Two chicks fledged and for most of that first day they just fluttered around our garden, it was quite a tense time because we have several cats living around us. I managed to snap some pictures of the chicks which were taken within about 30 mins of them fledging. I just hope they've managed to survive.

I am pleased to report that the trip to Wembley wasn't in vain!!! The Tigers won. The boys were ecstatic and are STILL talking about it. Hull City are now in the Priemiership and will be playing the likes of Man Utd and Chelsea this coming season - oh joy!!

Our trip into Derbyshire was lovely. We met up with hubby's Mum and spent the day visiting various studios and galleries that were taking part in the Derbyshire Open Arts Festival. We started off at Studio 61 in Lea where some of my chainmaille jewellery is on display and for sale. After that we went off to Pollyanna Pickering's gallery, which was full of stunning wildlife paintings and prints. Hubby ordered a signed print of a tiger (Hull City!!) which we went to pick up yesterday, but it wasn't quite ready. It wasn't a wasted trip though because Pollyanna has another exhibition on until the end of this month (see her website for details) and it was all tigers!!

I've been busy with my jewellery too. I was asked to go along to a local wives group to do a small talk and hopefully sell some of my work. It was a little nerve wracking to say the least, but I think it all went ok. I don't think the talk was quite long enough, but I could see that some of the ladies were itching to see my wares. As soon as I invited them up for a closer look I was swamped for about 15 mins which resulted in a very successful sale. Whenever I visit this kind of venue I always make a donation to the cause/charity of their choice. If you are interested in me coming along to your organisation/event please don't hesitate to get in touch. Below is a small selection of my latest pieces, some of which were sold at the above event.

Finally, I was a little busy towards the end of last week - not with jewellery, but with a birthday cake!! I volunteered to make a cake for a friends 50th birthday. It was a real challenge because I decided to do it in the shape of a guitar - a red Fender Stratocaster to be precise, which is the type of guitar Graeme owns. I was really pleased with the result and I think he was rather pleased too. Here's a picture of the finished cake, apparently there's not alot left now!!

My First Award!

2008-06-16T18:51:00.006+01:00

I've been given an award!! Yeah, my very first blog award which I received from my very dear friend Kerrie, thank you matey, you made my day. I would therefore like to make the day of 5 fellow bloggers:

1. The first goes to my mate, Caroline of Crafted Gems. Caroline is the reason for my lampwork bead obsession - I have a fair few of her beautiful and exquisite lampwork beads. Where would I be without, Caroline. I have to thank her for supporting me, pushing me and for egging me along when I need it and for making me bankrupt lol.

2. The second goes to Nia of Gemwaithnia, my long lost twin (we kind of resemble each other!). I absolutely adore Nia's jewellery. She is so talented and it is a joy to feast your eyes on her creations - she's a lovely lady to boot!!

3. Next comes, Lesley of Coburg Crafts. Another very talented jewellery designer. I was lucky enough to meet up with Lesley, in real life, a few months ago and she was just as I imagined her and we got on like a house on fire.

4. Coming up next is Anne of Chloe's Designs. An extremely talented young lady. Anne makes amazing jewellery from fused glass and I'm lucky enough to own one of her dichroic bangles (see earlier blog). We met up a few months ago at a craft fair and we chatted and chatted for ages.

5. Finally, the last but by no means least is Maz of Amari Jewellery. Maz designs and makes the most gorgeous wirework jewellery. Her work is so neat and precise and her use of semi-precious stones is inspiring.

I hope you take a moment to visit the blogs mentioned above and the others that are listed in my list of friends - there is a wealth of talent and expertise.

Sweet Offerings!

2008-05-23T14:18:00.008+01:00

After my last post I've been asked by a few people to divulge my Banana Muffin recipe, so here it is, hope you enjoy! The original recipe is for banana loaf from the Dinner Lady book, she gives an ingredient list for servings for 4 people and servings for 96 people!! You just have to make sure you get the right list!!

2 ripe bananas

175g (6oz) butter or margarine

175g (6oz) caster sugar

3 eggs

225g (8oz) SR flour

Half tsp baking powder

Half tsp vanilla essence

Half tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4

Peel the bananas then crush with a fork. Beat together the butter or margarine and sugar, then add the eggs alternately with the flour and baking powder. Fold in the crushed banana, vanilla essence and cinnamon. Spoon the mixture into muffin cases (makes 12) or pour the mixture into a greased 450g (1lb) loaf tin. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30-40 mins. Cool on a wire cooling tray.

As an added treat I sometimes add a handful of chocolate drops to make banana/choc muffins - yummy.

I've actually managed to make a few pieces of seasonal jewellery over the last couple of weeks. I picked up some of these shell beads from a card making shop and the others from a garden centre - just shows you, you can pick up components from lots of different places, not just bead shops.

I'm afraid I've been a little distracted this week and the little fellows below are to blame! Aren't they gorgeous?

My youngest son made the bird box about 18mths ago at cubs. I noticed a few weeks ago that a bird was visiting every now and then. Earlier this week I noticed the pair were back and forth nearly all day. We can't see inside the box (lid firmly nailed down!) but I was able to get close enough yesterday to hear little chirping noises - we're just keeping our fingers crossed that the chicks survive and don't get pounced on by the local cats!! I noticed a big tabby this morning on the other side of the trellis trying to paw at the box, I don't think they've got a chance of getting inside. I think the problems will begin when they start to fledge. I can't go outside into the garden (or into the conservatory for that matter) without standing for about 10mins (minimum) to watch the parents flying to and fro with their tasty morsels.

We took a trip into Derbyshire last Sunday to visit a Well Dressing at the village of Etwall. For those unfamiliar with the art of well dressing, you can find out about the history and this years timetable here. We've not visited this particular village before and we had a lovely time walking up and down searching out the wells.

At the above event was an owl rescue group called Majestic Owls. They had some of their owls in an enclosure and you could get really close to them. When the owls have been rescued they can't unfortunately be released back to the wild so the rescue people care for them and take them round to groups/schools etc to talk about them and their protection etc. I think you will agree with me that they are stunning specimens. They had lovely names too, one was called TeaBag, which amused my youngest!

I think that's about it for this time. I hope everyone has a lovely bank holiday weekend. Hubby, eldest son and nephew are off to Wembley tomorrow to see Hull City in the Championship Playoffs against Bristol City - I just so hope they win otherwise it will be unbearable, mind you it will be equally unbearable with all the celebrations - come on Tigers!!! We're off into Derbyshire again on Monday to visit a few galleries who are taking part in the Derbyshire Open Arts. I will report back later.

Banana's, Biking & Bluebells!!

2008-05-08T18:02:00.014+01:00

Yes, I am still here!! I have already been ticked off for my lack of posting recently, but I have been sooooo busy, honest!

As you will know from my previous posts I was busy, along with my two partners in crime, Ash and Tracey, preparing for our 30 year school reunion. I am pleased to say it was a resounding success. Almost everyone that said they would attend, did and a few extras turned up on the night too. We think there was approx 50 people in the end. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and voted for another get together, but perhaps we shouldn't wait another 30 years next time. I have set up another blog where I've uploaded lots of photo's from the evening and if you would like to see how we've all faired over the years go take a peek here.

The other event I was preparing for was my two day stint at my local gym. I was there as part of their Open Week and there was all manner of things happening, make up demonstrations, The Body Shop, Virgin Vie, lots of competitions, raffles, guess the weight of the cake etc. I don't know yet how much they raised overall, but I should imagine it was quite a good amount, which will all go to MacMillan Care. My little stall did really well, so well that I have lots of stock to make up before my next event. Unfortunately, because I was so busy with one thing and another I didn't get the chance to take any photographs of my new pieces and now it's too late, cos most of them sold!!! But I have included a photo of my latest foxglove pendant taken from my good friend Kerrie Slade's project in Bead and Button. I love the colours in the beads and I always receive some great comments when wearing it.

I hope everyone had a nice May Bank Holiday weekend. The weather here in Nottingham was a bit up and down. Hubby and the boys went to Donnington on Sunday to watch the touring cars, whilst I drove into Derbyshire to visit a few craft fairs and galleries. Although, it was rainy and a bit miserable I really enjoyed myself (the lads got a bit wet though!). I stopped by one craft fair and had a lovely long chat with Anne from Chloe's Designs and treated myself to one of her gorgeous dichroic glass bangles.

That brings us to the present and today I have done two things that I haven't done for quite a while! The first was baking. I used to do lots of baking, but the problem with that is - you eat the products, usually far too quickly!! What prompted me to do some today was I bought some yummy Jumbo Rolled Oats from Rowsley Mill on Sunday, whilst on my travels and I knew they would be ideal for some flapjack!!! I added a few handfuls of dried cranberries and they're delicious. My youngest son even likes them and he doesn't normally like any type of dried fruit in his food!! I knew that the flapjack would last long enough so I also baked a dozen Banana Muffins! Hopefully this batch will last at least till the weekend!!

The other thing I haven't done for a while is to get out on my bicycle!! This afternoon I decided to go for a short bike ride to see if I could capture some pictures of the beautiful bluebells that are adorning our woodlands at the moment. I spent a lovely, if not a bit hot, hour and a half cycling and walking through two nearby villages. I hope you like my woodland pictures featured below.

Till next time.....I'm off for a piece of flapjack!!!

Where Have All The Years Gone!

2008-04-15T18:41:00.007+01:00

First of all, apologies for not posting for a while and for not having any up to date pics this time! I've been a bit busy this last week or so with various things and haven't had much time for any beadwork. Although, I have managed to make a few necklaces over the last few days in preparation for my next sale in 2 weeks time.

The sale will be a two day event at the gym I attend. It's a fabulous place and I always do really well at my sales. They are having an Open Week in a couple of weeks time, which means they invite lots of different people in to promote and sell their wares - it's always a very busy week. The gym is ladies only and is called Gymophobics I love going and because the circuit is only 30mins long it doesn't take too much time out of the day. I've made lots of new friends and have met up with some old school friends too.

Talking of old school friends, one of the reasons I've been so busy lately is, I, along with two of my friends, are arranging a school reunion which is taking place at the end of this month. It's 30 years since we all left secondary school!!!! Where have all the years gone. It's been hard work, but also very rewarding. We've managed to get in touch with quite a few people and have spoken to people we haven't seen or heard from since we all went our separate ways 30 years ago. I've even been to see one of our old teachers!! He is now the Deputy Head at our old school, which incidentally is the same school that my eldest son attends. We had a great chat and did a fair bit of reminiscing about teachers and pupils. Hopefully, he and some of the other teachers will be able to come along to the reunion too. I'm really looking forward to the night and finding out how people have fared, but I will also breathe a great sigh of relief too. I will let you know how it goes.

Last Friday I went out for a drive and a spot of lunch with my dear friend Sally and her new baby, Carter. I kept the destination a surprise and I am pleased to say it was a great hit. I took her out into Derbyshire to have a look at Studio 61. I have some of my jewellery on sale in the Craft Shop and Gallery (see pics below), and I used the opportunity to check on my stock and have a chat with the owner. Karina, the owner, has just undertaken a big refurb, due to a burst water pipe. I really like the new set up and Karina is very enthusiastic about it. The studio is now linked with the tea rooms and restaurant and is really well set out. Sally and I had a lovely lunch in the restaurant and were made to feel very welcome. If you're out and about in Derbyshire, please stop buy and take a look. You can also buy delicious home made Jersey ice-cream from the parlour!

Hopefully, I will have some new work to show you next week!

Flower Day!

2008-04-03T20:54:00.006+01:00

Today has been a bit of a flower day! I decided late this morning that I would like to attempt to make a foxglove pendant, courtesy of my dear and very talented friend Kerrie and her fabulous project which is featured on the front cover of the latest Bead & Button magazine. It was a pleasure to make, but I was a little apprehensive about the colours I wanted to use, I was afraid Kerrie wouldn't like how I had interpretted it. I needn't have worried! I still haven't decided what to suspend it from yet, so apologies for the rather naff photo, I just couldn't wait.

The following pictures are all from our garden. Spring finally seems to be getting here, mind you they have forecast snow for the weekend - again. The first picture is of a flower that is tucked away at the top of our garden and is easily missed. It only flowers for a short period of time and only has a few flowers each time. Thankfully, I spotted it today and was finally able to get a picture. It's called a pulsatilla or Pasque flower and is an alpine.

The next two pics are our Pieris bush, it's absolutely laden with lily of the valley like flowers and looks lovely. Whilst taking the first picture I noticed the ladybird, the first one I've seen this year.

The next is a plant that starts out small and over the weeks gets really big and covers quite a big area and I can't for the life of me remember what it's called - any ideas?

And last, by no means least, the first and only tulip we have in the garden at the moment. Isn't it a lovely vibrant yellow!

Easter Holidays!

2008-03-30T17:28:00.009+01:00

Well, the Easter holidays are almost over, it's back to school for my two tomorrow and back to some serious jewellery making for me too. I've hardly done a thing, jewellery wise, for two weeks!!

So, what did we get up to over the break - we took the boys to Prague! We flew out on Easter Sunday and came back the following Wednesday evening. We had a nice time, but we noticed that the prices had increased since our last visit a few years ago. It was also very cold, so cold I had to buy myself a hat! We didn't get the snow that was predicted, but we did have a few snow flurries, one quite prolonged one that we got caught in, for a time we all looked like walking snowmen.

We did all the usual sights and even ventured out to the suburbs to see where the tram would take us to - the terminus at the end of the line!! We also took a trip to the TV tower which is situated on a hill outside the centre of Prague. It's not common knowledge that you can actually pay a small admission fee and travel up the tower to the observation deck. Once up there you can get some spectacular views of the city and surrounding area. It was well worth the tram ride and the short walk up the hill.

This picture is looking out towards the TV tower in the distance.

This is a picture from the base of the tower, the observation deck is the second one down, the one below is a restaurant. Can you see the babies crawling up and down the tower - a bit weird!

One of the many spectacular views from the top of the tower.

There were lots of Easter celebrations taking place and there were Easter markets in Wenceslas Sq and the Old Town Square selling lots of painted eggs and lovely food!! They also have a tradition that on Easter Monday the menfolk go round with a long twig (made from willow, I think) adorned on the end with ribbons. They take these twigs and 'whip' the legs of the women whilst reciting a 'blessing' for the women to have beauty, goodwill etc for the coming year. They only stop 'whipping' when they are presented with a painted egg, sweets, money etc! I was 'whipped' (lightly tapped) by two young boys who got on the tram with their father, unfortunately I couldn't present them with anything as it was our first morning there and I had no change to give them. Think they did quite well though, excellent ploy getting on a tram - no escape.

And, yes I did buy some beads!! Not many though, only 7 strands from the stall in the market, their prices have risen a bit too!

Before I go I must tell you of a place hubby and I went to last night. We were invited to a party for our friends 40th birthday and the venue was a bar! This wasn't any ordinary bar though - it was a garden bar and was at the bottom of someone's garden!! It was amazing. There was a proper bar (no money changing hands of course, all bought in before hand!) a snug area, complete with fire effect heater and comfy chairs. There wasn't a spare space on the walls, ceiling etc they were completely covered by bric a brac and souveniers etc. There was an Egyptian themed area too, complete with sand on the floor, which doubled up as a small dance area. My friend hadn't given us any indication about it, other than we'd be just looking round for the first half hour - well I was seeing something different everytime I looked around. It was a great party in spectacular surroundings.

Btw - I won the Easter Bonnet competition at our WI Meeting! I received a lovely hyacinth in a pot which is sat on my kitchen window sill and smells beautiful.

What Have I Been Up To!

2008-03-18T15:03:00.010Z

Whilst Alan was away on the C2C, what was I up to? Well, the usual day to day comings and goings, washing, shopping, keeping the kids fed and watered etc. But, on Sunday I went to the Harrogate Bead Fair!! I took along my friend, Ashlie, who'd never been to such an event before, I think she enjoyed it, well I know she did, cos she told me so!

It was very busy, as usual, and we had to park along way from the building therefore it was a quick sprint up the hill in the wind and cold. Once we'd thawed out with a cup of coffee it was time to hit the fair! We had a leisurely walk around to start with, sussing out who/what were there and making mental notes of where to go back to later. We had a break for lunch and met up with a few other beady people, Claire, Emma and Lynne. Emma decided to tempt me with some of her gorgeous lampwork beadies (see front of pic below), how could I resist, especially Hootie McTootie the 2nd!! After lunch we headed back across to the fair and I did a bit of spending. Here's a couple of pictures of my stash.

The gorgeous beadies right at the front are some boro disc beads I bought from Purple Beech Designs and behind them are Emma Green's lovely lampwork beads. You can see more of Emma's work here. Just check out the critters page!

I've also been busy this morning finishing off the commission I told you about last week. It was for a black choker. The customer wanted a choker and it had to be all black, even the findings! I did a few sample pieces and below is the finished piece. A special thanks to Kerrie for coming to the rescue with a supply of black seed beads! I am so pleased with how this has turned out, I just hope she likes it. The pattern is called Cecile's Wheel by Sandra D Halpenny and I found it at this great site.

Finally, tonight is our monthly WI Meeting and the competition this time round is 'Easter Bonnet' I don't always take part in the competition, but thought I'd have a go at this one. I wasn't sure whether to stick to a traditional style or go for a giant creme egg!! I decided on the former purely because I had the flowers to hand. I was about to throw out the flowers I had left from Mother's Day and noticed that all the chrysanths were still ok, well almost. So, I used them on my bonnet, along with some periwinkle and a daffodil from the garden - what do you think? Not sure what I will do if we have to model them though, cos the hat won't fit on my head!!! I'll let you know how I get on.

What an Achievement!

2008-03-18T13:15:00.007Z

Some of you will already be aware that my husband, Alan and brother-in-law, Phil did a bike ride last weekend. This was no ordinary bike ride! They cycled on mountain bikes from Whitehaven, Cumbria on the west coast of England, to Roker Pier in Sunderland on the east coast of England! They began on Friday at 1pm and finished on Sunday at 5.45pm. The distance was a total of 142 miles and total cycle time was approx 17 hrs. The weather was against them all the way and on Sunday, which should have been a relatively easier ride, they were battling against the wind, rain, sleet and snow!! At one stage they were pedalling at 8mph - downhill!!!!

The reason they undertook this mammoth task was to prove to themselves they could do it and to raise some money for their chosen charities. Alan has been a diabetic since I met him in 1986 and a few years ago he attended a course run by the local hospital here in Nottingham. That course called the E.D.W.A.R.D Course (Education for Diabetes Without a Restrictive Diet and it completely changed Alan's outlook to managing his diabetes and his diet. Alan wanted to put something back so chose Dundee House at Nottingham City Hospital, the unit which runs the E.D.W.A.R.D course, as his charity to raise money for. My brother-in-law chose a charity that is close to everyone's heart MacMillan Cancer Support, but he chose it for a more personal reason. His cousin sadly died of cancer last year, he was 42! They are both overwhelmed and touched by the response they have had and are close to raising £2,000 between them. I for one am very proud of them both. Here's a few photo's of the two of them. By the way, a special big thank you must go to Mick, Phil's Dad, who provided much needed support and encouragement along the way and was the 'official' photographer!

The beginning in Whitehaven, by tradition the cyclists must start with their back wheel in the water of the Irish Sea!

Alan is on the left, Phil on the right.

This next picture was taken as they were leaving Cumbria and entering Northumberland.

This next picture is 'the end' of course they had to dip their front wheel into the North Sea - think they got their feet a bit wet, oh and Alan was on the phone to me when this pic was taken!

This last picture is the proof that they did it. Here they are pictured with the plaque at Roker Pier and their stamped certificate! Well Done, lads! Think Phil looks as if he can't quite believe it's all over - the look on Alan's face says it all.

Busy Blustery Day!

2008-03-10T21:00:00.008Z

So where did Spring go to? Up here in Nottingham we seem to have escaped the worst of the dreadful weather that has been battering some parts of the UK today. Although, it has been a pretty awful day with blustery showers and the wind did wake me several times during the night. I hope everyone is safe and sound and that the weather hasn't caused you too many problems.

Due to the yucky weather I decided to keep warm and dry and do some making today!!

The first is a bracelet made with some gorgeous beads I snatched from my mate Caroline's (Crafted Gems) blog before they had a chance to make it to her website!!

The second bracelet is very similar to one I made a few weeks ago, for myself. I have had so many comments about it I thought I would do another one to try and sell. It's using some of Caroline's lovely beads again and quite a bit of Indian silver.

The next one is a bracelet using some beads made by Mike Poole of Tillerman Beads http://www.tillerman.co.uk/ I've mixed them with some light amethyst and aquamarine Swarovski bicones and a bit of silver.

The last bracelet is made from some beads the lovely Caroline sent to me as a challenge!! These are so outside of my comfort zone!! She sent me the round beads with my birthday gift, but think she'd forgotten that I already possessed the pillows - or did she? I hope I've done a good job with them. I've teamed them with some fire opal Swarovski bicones.

The last pictures are of two necklaces that I've put together using some lovely fimo focals I bought from the lovely Tammy. I've had them for a while, but as soon as I purchased a big bag of turquoise mix beads from The Bead Shop http://www.mailorder-beads.co.uk/ I knew how to use them.

and finally......

Did you notice my newest addition, my SRAJD logo and membership number, I finally received it today and am so chuffed.

Spring Has Sprung!

2008-03-07T17:33:00.005Z

Well, it's getting there. It's been a lovely spring like day today, still a bit cold when out of the sun, but Spring is definately beginning to peek her head around the door as can be seen from the pics I'm posting today. I took these earlier on today, they are about the only things with any colour in the garden at the moment. It was a lovely surprise the other day when I spotted the first of the daffodils dancing in the breeze on the drive next to the house. The crocuses have been out a couple of weeks now and are still going strong. The grape hyacinths are popping up all over the place too. I planted lots of bulbs a few years ago and just forgot about them and where I'd planted them, so every year it's a nice surprise to see them.

I've not had much time for jewellery making this last week for one reason or another, but I have been in the preparation stages, which included a visit to the Bead Shop in Nottingham yesterday. Unfortunately, they didn't have one of the essential items I needed to enable me to complete the commission I got earlier in the week, but I still managed to spend quite a bit on other 'essentials'. Regarding the other items, fellow blogger and beady pal, Kerrie, came to the rescue (thanks matey!) and I popped up to see her this afternoon and enjoyed a coffee and a chat whilst collecting my beady essentials. On the way back I stopped off to take the following pics of the view from the highest point in Nottinghamshire (well so it states on a nearby house!). I love this view, but you only normally get a glimpse of it as you're driving down the road. You can see straight down the valley all the way to the city of Nottingham in the distance!

I will try and get some jewellery made and posted over the weekend, but can't promise anything because hubby is away on cub camp all weekend which leaves me with the boys and all the washing, drying, ironing etc - say no more!!!

Jumping on the Bandwagon

2008-03-05T12:32:00.000Z

Well, thought it was about time! Hopefully this won't just be a flash in the pan and I do actually manage to keep my blog up to date. I should imagine it will be a little easier to control than a website - one day I will get there!!

So what's been happening today! I've been up to the gym this morning and managed to get myself a commission for a piece of jewellery along the way!! These days I can't go out of the house without someone approaching me about my jewellery - great feeling, but sometimes I get home and don't quite know which way to turn first, definately not towards the hoover!!!

I think I will try and work on my herringbone necklace this afternoon. I started it at a workshop I attended on Saturday at Jencel in Sheffield www.jencel.co.uk The workshop was run by the lovely Peter www.beadsage.co.uk and he showed us how to 'capture' a Swarovski Rivoli. I will post pictures of the finished piece as soon as I've finished it.