I did it ! - First course under my belt! Jewellery Making

 

This is my very best friend in all the world.   Last time when I visited her to say our 'Goodbyes' there were some things she asked me to do - and I promised I would.

One of Kath's hobbies was jewellery making - she was brilliant at it - so here is one of the things I am doing for Kath

As if by some miracle a couple of weeks after she passed, a note came with the village magazine announcing a new venture just a couple of miles outside our village - and I went along on their opening day last week signed up for my first lesson at Raggle Taggle Beads, which I had on Tuesday morning.

And this is where I went

 It's on a farm site with some other units

In the peaceful countryside but easy to get to by car

 Deborah - my lovely and very talented tutor

 I literally felt like a kiddie in a sweet shop

But these were all beads!

I took these photos yesterday when I popped back to pick up a few more supplies.

I had the most amazing time - I was so nervous - I left with a blinding headache from all the concentration etc - but with such a joy in my heart.   I wanted to dash indoors and get straight onto the computer to email Kath - as we always did - then it hit me!   But I am sure that she had a hand in all this!  These are my first efforts.

 

Wire winding - with shaky hands!

I really did have a struggle with these but persevered.   I am not really an earring person, but having made some I think I am hooked.   I chose lovely emerald green glass beads - Kath's favourite colour.  They look so bright in natural light and really glisten and reflect the light.  I can certainly see things wrong with these - but they are my first efforts and the 'not quite right' wiring doesn't show when they are on my ears - and I'll be wearing them with pride thinking of Kath.

 

Phew - with the first task out of the way, I started to relax a bit and Deborah and I were chatting away easily.  She moved to our village so we had lots of things to talk about.    Here is my next piece of work - rather ambitious I thought - but it's a pendant.  I just love the little magnetic 'clasps' it takes away all that fiddling with awkward fasteners.  Mind you I did get into a bit of a pickle wiring those - I kept dropping them and they attracted the chain so ended up each time with a little pile to prise off.

 

Would you believe that I photographed this on the same suede cloth as before - but the colour's gone peculiar.   Still learning wirework, I chose this lovely hand painted bead for a pendant.  The painting both sides was painted in pearlised paint - with gold outlines.  I just love it!  Kath and I both bought a set of paints in these very colours!  I used beads top and bottom with the same colours - it's hard to see, but when the light catches them they look luminescent - like looking in a puddle and seeing all those rainbow colours.

Next

 

I liked the look of these square black beads, as they will go with a lot of my outfits.  I used the pearlised beads again - in blue and green - on the right there are a couple that caught the light but they all look gorgeous and really change colours in the sunshine.  It was quite a challenge making the bracelet - again I am not a wearer of bracelets - just have one very thin platinum one that my son bought me after he got married - and it's on permanently.   This one complements it as it's silver too, and it is so comfortable to wear - quite a challenge measuring up doing the wire work both ends - but I am getting better.  This afternoon I made the little earrings to match - and after downloading a 'how to' set of pictures, I actually found it so much easier.   It does take a bit of practice!

 

This is a lovely chunky but soft and tactile polymer clay heart which I fell in love with and bought to make my final piece of the lesson

 

I love it!  I am always rummaging around in my handbag looking for my car keys.  

This heart is so easy to find and feels lovely to the touch.  In the enlarged picture above I can see that I need to bend the loop at the bottom straight!

 

I bought myself the blue set of tools from Diane - and am going back for another lesson on Tuesday.  The other bits and bobs I have had for years - with the intention for including them in altered art - but never accomplishing it.  It's amazing how much I found when I had a rummage and I can use lots on this hobby.   I have put them all in a tool  box now as you can see - so I can look in here first before buying more stuff!  And I'll be on the look out for junk jewellery that I can turn into a new creation.

Chatting away about different things, I mentioned about the silver clay course I had booked - and by pure coincidence, Diane had met artist at the weekend and had some of her leaflets.  They had stands side by side at an Exhibition in Norwich!  

My lesson was supposed to be an hour - but we were chatting away for so long whilst working - about lots of aspects of jewellery making, and I got to hear/learn about some of the techniques in silver clay jewellery (which Diane can do, so I hope to persuade her to fit some lessons in after the Christmas rush - she's incredibly busy at the moment filling orders etc) Another talent of hers - she has so many in all fields of art and craft - is working with polymer clay - so I hope to twist her arm for lessons in that too next year.

Oops nearly forgot this

 Perfect Scents

 Deirdre's hand made soaps and toiletries.

 

I used to make soaps and skin creams using, amongst other things, beeswax from the village beekeeper.   Things have moved on quite a bit from when I made them, and I won't have to bulk buy any more now that we have a supplier so near our village - no mail order costs to pay.

So - yes you have guessed - I am booking a lesson to try something new with Deirdre on 16th.

Off to flower arranging tomorrow!

Odd sized art - received back.

Today there was a nice surprise in the post - I received three odd sized pieces of art in exchange for the ones I made in the previous post.  All different materials and textures used - thank you so much ladies.

This one has a friendly plastic embellishment on it which really catches the light - no name on the reverse.

This one is from Adrienne - one of the ladies who hosts the forum

And this one is from Kathryn

 

Odd sized art

Well I have made a start by  joining in an 'odd sized art' swap.   The size I found awkward to do -
13.5cm x 6.5cm.

 

It's a three for three swap.

For 'Auriculas' above I glued a vintage book page onto thick card and built up the layers.

 

This one has a vintage print, which I framed in a faux wood frame (it's made of cardboard and I have layered on different coloured inks until I got the effect I wanted.)  It's meant to convey a picture on display in an art gallery in France - hence the vintage type faded 'wallpaper' it's displayed on.

 

I stamped the backing paper, used a torn image from an old newspaper stamped across the bottom, added a small stamp in the bottom left hand corner - and just had to use the sentiment stamp I found in a bag of old mixed rubber stamps - it really appealed to me.

They went in the post this afternoon - and I made another one for me later.

( I don't think I have much if any of my artwork - I seem to join in swaps and send it all off!)

I have just finished the above for myself.

Inked and stamped paper (a Crafty Individuals letter stamp).  A torn vintage image, a row of lace top and bottom which I coloured to tone in with the paper - and the paper flower which I coloured dark brown but looks rather red in the photo just to finish it off.

Thank you Sam for the nudge and the lovely RAKS tags you sent me, I really appreciate your kindness

One large kick up the rear applied!

Well how do you get your mojo going again huh?   I have been searching for ways to force me to do things - apart from staying indoors - and working myself to a standstill in the garden.


So yesterday  I took the plunge and found a new venue yesterday, which has just opened in a 'lock up' on a farm near me, and have signed up for a one to one beading session the first day in November. 

My best friend loved beading and made such beautiful things, that I thought I just had to have a go.  If I learn the basics, then I can go arty crafty and put my own stamp/take on things - which will be good.

Years ago, I used to make lots of soaps and body creams using beeswax from the village beekeeper - but bars of soap seem to have gone out of 'fashion' - and there are only so many bars you can use if you do like it!  Sharing the unit I visited yesterday was another lady who makes organic hand washes, and hand lotions, and one of them uses goats milk - perfect - and no, it doesn't smell of goats, she uses oils too.   So I have signed up for a one to one lesson with her too.

And the third thing I have done is to sign up for Mary Greens Christmas Glue Book Class  which went online early this morning.   There is a link to her site in my right hand column.    I have paid for the course, downloaded the information, printed out the images and backing paper sheets, and am raring to go!   The first lesson starts on November 6th.   If you like Vintage Victorian - you'll love this.

I don't want to give too many secrets away - but after the course, you'll have time to use the images for Christmas cards and other projects too.  And they are not too 'twee' and are from Mary's own collections.  Pop over and have a look

Bring on the girls!

You haven't been seeing much of my girls lately - so much going on!  You can see Daisy, Maudie and can you see Dolly in amongst the flowers

I cleaned out their run and Peckingham Palace on Saturday

Here they are giving it an inspection and spreading the bedding around

It's hungry work

This was lunch time - after which they spent the rest of the day scratching about in the garden

It must be  4pm - they are gathering outside the kitchen door letting me know it's tea time.

Dolly the Silkie in the foreground has started moulting and has been preening herself.

When the others flew over to join the queue the feathers flew everywhere making a real mess of the lawn.  It rained a few minutes after they went into their run for the evening so I didn't get a chance to feather pick the garden.  Tsk.

Oh dear - I posted this on the wrong blog - it should be on my allotment blog.  I am too tired to retype it - sorry if  you thought it was a work of art!

Thankyou so very much Pat

 

I received an airmail package with a lovely gift inside wrapped up in this pretty paper from Pat Winter

Her blog, with her beautiful work fills me with awe, and she always has a story to tell I try to visit most days - it's a joy.

A few weeks ago when I visited, Pat was having a giveaway to celebrate her birthday

I was staggered when I saw this .  There ended up with 111 comments - but for the first time ever the random number generator picked No.14 and that was me!

 I am very proud to have in my possession all these amazing goodies,

 

Pictures printed on material, packets of little embellishments, 

 

Colour co-ordinated pieces of lovely fabric and some gorgeous hand dyed silk ribbon for sewing.

 

I am so grateful and it really lifted my spirits - thank you Pat.

I have a copy of your book, and really want to try Crazy Quilting, and I really think that this winter will be the time I start.  With your thoughful collection it really has convinced me that perhaps I really can make something.  You have no idea how much I appreciate your kindness.

(A little thank you is flying across the pond as I type)

I think I am getting a bit philosophical in my old age - and here's why

I have been 'overshadowed' with a great sadness for a while as a very dear friend of mine has been really poorly.   But this weekend I really feel that somehow she has been trying to  motivate me or cheer me up  from 'afar.'

Firstly I received this wonderful gift.

Then last night for the first time ever I went to a quiz evening in a little village near us to help raise funds for it's bowls club.   I bought some raffle tickets - (I've not won any raffles before)  But the most amazing thing happened.  Out of the several hundred tickets sold my number was called out first!  I couldn't believe it!   I chose a box of mushrooms - as it was being held at a mushroom farm.  I could have had wine, spirits, chocolates and all manner of goodies - but just picked mushrooms are just the best - I could eat them like chocolates.

We were still celebrating - and the laughter of my picking the mushrooms hadn't died down - when the third number called was another of my tickets!  This time we picked a bottle of nice Champagne - either for a donation to another fund raising event or for Christmas.   Then a while later yet another of my tickets was chosen - at this point I was so embarrassed that I told them to draw another ticket.

Was all this a co-oincidence - or was my dear friend, wherever she is - working her magic to lift my spirits?
I like to think it's the latter.

I can't pretend to be happy, but I will be giving myself a kick up the rear, and start crafting again - it's just what she'd have wanted.

But it might take me a little time.

Till then I will be visiting your blogs and seeing what you are doing.


Oh I have just noticed the quote of the day today - its.....

Quote of the Day
How delightful to find a friend in everyone.
Joseph Brodsky

I doubt I will ever have a friend as special as you my dearest - but I think I am receiving your messages loud and clear

 

The Vintage Specs Case Saga

Well the vintage specs case turned into a saga - I was too tired last night to write about it!   Not being the most experienced person on a sewing maching (understatement - mine is hidden in a cupboard and only comes out when I need to get something else out) - I should have thought seriously before I put my name down for the swap!

The  case my swap partner chose, was in fact my fifth attempt.  I thought you might like to see my other attempt - well the only other one that got finished.

It started off O.K. - I used the colours preferred - brown and gold.  Two layers of material thick cream inside and silkie thick material outside.  I dyed the lace, used vintage gold silk to attached the lady to, and was hand sewing on the gold bead trim at this stage - it looked much better in real life the gold beads really were lovely gold.

 This was Mk 1 finished and with a pair of specs in it - so it looks a bit lopside.

This is the back which is wonky - I just couldn't get it to go straight - I think the material I used was far too thick.

I took it apart and tried again .

 I did manage to get the back seam a bit straighter - but not central as it should be!  I sorted out the chunky bottom hem, dyed and added silk ribbon around the top to hide the seam.

 

The top is a bit wonky now - but the silk ribbon and bow is a bit of a distraction.

The bottom is nice and flat now and no longer chunky as I unpicked that and then once ironed, I sewed it flat adding more dyed lace and ribbon to disguise the seam.

It's far from perfect but OK for  me to put my reading glasses in.

The other (aborted) attempts I tried......

An envelope style one, where you just fold up a third to create the pocket, and the remaining is the flap.  But - why does there always have to be a big BUT!   If you sew the seams of the pocket, the flap is too wide, so you need an overlocker machine so that you can sew it all flat in one go - the stitches like blanket stitch or similar - guess who's machine is basic!   The other attempt was still using the two flat oblong pieces of material, cut a corner off - then do a curved stitch all the way around as a pattern and the cut around the curved bits to create a fancy border.  Not as easy as it sounds with a basic machine and at that point, if I were strong enough, the machine would have gone through the window!

My final attempt was the one in the previous post.

These do actually look a lot nicer in real life!

Think I'll skip the sewing swaps in future!