'Strawberry Fusion' and a chocolate observation

More new 'Fusion' beads. Can you tell that I'm loving making beads in this new design?!

This next thing is random but I thought I'd say it anyway. Us chocolate lovers quite often moan that Creme Eggs are smaller, Wagon Wheels are definitely half the size they used to be and that you get less Chocolate Buttons in a packet than you used to. (Well, I moan about those things, anyway!) But, last night as I was watching 'Heroes' and munching my way through a big bag of Minstrels I noticed that they've made them bigger! They have definitely grown. Hurrah! Big thank you to the Minstrel makers!

See? A totally random observation but it made this chocoholic happy!

'Magma Fusion' Beads

More beads in my new 'Fusion' design, this time in red and yellow.

Lizardy Beads

Last week I was a tiny bit obsessed with the colour pink. This week I'm a tad partial to shades of blue. This reptile-like effect is achieved by mixing two types of reactive glass. Pretty cool!

'Cocoa' Beads

I'm a bit happy with these glass gems. The idea for them came from out of the blue. I was making encased frit beads one minute and the next - Kapow! - I had the idea for these ones. They're a mix of my enamel beads and my Kandinsky-esque beads but with the added ingredient of murrini. This is the first murrini I've made and used in my beads. Yes, I know it's only simple murrini but it gives the beads a little extra interest. They're currently on the 'Bay.

As I sit here I've got the television on and I'm watching Hell's Kitchen USA. The poor contestants are backchatting Gordon Ramsay. Mistake. Obviously they don't know what he's like! There was an ad break a minute ago and that flippin' Yakult commercial was on. Do you know the one I mean? It's the one with the bacteria inside the intestine or whatever bit of the body it is. It really offends me - makes me go all funny.

It reminds me of an art installation that I once saw at the Tate Gallery. I went there on a college trip to see the 1994 Turner Prize entries as part of my art A-Level. There were some fabulous pieces from that year's winner, Anthony Gormley, as well as Damien Hirst's famous 'Away From The Flock' sheep-in-a-tank thing and the most grotesque exhibit by some woman whose name I can't and don't want to remember. You walked into a cylindrical structure (like a tube stood on end) and on the floor was a big round screen which was showing footage of an endoscopy which had been carried out on the 'artist'. It even had squelchy, manky sound effects. Totally horrid, totally pointless and totally not art. And now every time I see that Yakult advert I think of that installation at the Tate!

'Kamino' Beads

I love making these glimmery beads! Every single one is different and the way the fine silver reacts with the glass is just magical.

Hollow Bead

Not much to report today. I've been bashing up beads! Well, trying to create silver core beads and in the process I've broken two so far.
Ah well - I shall try again tomorrow. I'm getting there slowly . . . . . .

The photo above is of a hollow bead that I've decorated with little pink 'roses'. I like hollow beads - they're like little glass bubbles. Very light and surprisingly strong.

Long time, no blog!

I've been quiet again but I have good reason. I've been on holiday, then it was my birthday but now I'm back making beads again like those ones up there that are currently on eBay.

Talking of beads, the world seems to have gone silver core beads mad. When I got back from holiday I waded through my fat and bulging email inbox and found three emails asking me if I could start making silver core beads.

I've been asked this several times before. Now I am a the proud owner of a Pandora bracelet which my friend Elaine gave me for my birthday I can see the appeal of the silver cores. My beadmaking buddy Helen at Beady Bugs has been giving me all sorts of silver core advice which I am extremely grateful for. You can see Helen's amazing silver core beads by clicking here.

And yes, after some go-on-mate-have-a-go emails from Helen I've decided to give this silver coring malarkey a try so I will keep you posted with regard to progress . . . . . . .

'Amber Glow' on eBay

I've got an eBay auction running - haven't done one for a while but I've had a couple of customer requests for one so who am I to argue?!

The auction can be found by clicking here.

Red!

I love red. It's such a good colour. But it's got to be the right kind of red to be good. I'm not a fan of reds that are too orange, too pink or too brown. I like crimson - pure red. Red shoes, red t-shirts, red jewellery, Darth Maul's lightsaber - I even oohed-and-aahed over a red Dalek I saw in Forbidden Planet the other week. (You wouldn't normally catch me oohing-and-aahing over any other kind of Dalek.)

These red beads will be for sale this evening.

I'm off to the dentist now. I've got an appointment with the hygienist. I'm not nervy about this dentist visit as I know what to expect. No pain except the pain of handing over forty pounds at the end of it!

Chocolate Caramel Spangle

Yesterday I did something I haven't done for years - I made beads in the evening. I only made a few and this is a pair that I made. These have a complex dot design and some metallic dots for a bit of glitz.

It was nice to be out in the shed at night, though. I whacked on a DVD and set about melting glass and it was really relaxing - especially after the day at Robyn's party surrounded by children boinging about on a bouncy castle, zapping about playing hide and seek and smacking ten shades of . . . . . tissue paper out of a donkey pinata!

I've been a lazy blogger!

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted on my blog. Shocking!

Truth is, I haven't had a lot to say. I've been making beads like a mad thing, went up to Cambridge last weekend and apart from that it's been quite quiet here.

I spent most of yesterday making tiny fairy cakes for my niece Robyn's third birthday party which is today. I can't believe she's three already. Where does time go? God, I sound old . . . . .

I will try to be a better blogger next week!