Friday 29 October 2010

New Beads

Lampwork Glass Beads
This is just a quick post to let you know that I've just added these beads to my Etsy shop.

Have a great Friday night!

Thursday 28 October 2010

Warm Hands

Hand Knitted Fingerless Mitts
I've been doing lots of knitting.  I'm working on a pair of socks that have been languishing on the needles since we moved in and I'm also teaching myself stranded (Fair Isle) knitting. 

I made the fingerless mitts above for my sister Sally for her birthday.  The pattern is Ysolda Teague's 'Veyla' and it's great.  A quick but very pretty knit and Sally is absolutely delighted with them.

And then Chris asked me to make him another pair of fingerless gloves, this time in dark red.  These are a mish-mash of a couple of standard glove patterns.  They're knitted in DK weight yarn so they should keep his hands nice and warm.

Hand Knitted Fingerless Gloves

Many people wonder if fingerless gloves are effective.  They really really are - they keep your wrists warm which helps and even though your fingers and their tips are exposed your hands are kept surprisingly toasty.  Also, and in Chris's case this is of major importance, the free fingertips factor allows you to use the touch screen of your iPhone with ease.  Result!

'Mushroom'

Lampwork Glass Beads
More scrolly beads, this time in pale grey and brown.  Very neutral colours - perfect for everyday wear.

As I type, these beads are available on the Freshly Baked Beads page of my website.

Have a great Thursday!

Wednesday 27 October 2010

Stash Busting

Turquoise Lampwork Glass Beads
Yesterday I was sorting through my glass stash and I kept finding rods of glass that have been sat there for years.  I looked at them and thought 'Why don't I ever use these?' and do you know, I didn't have a decent answer for myself.

Actually, that's not one hundred percent true.  I kind of do know why I avoid certain glasses.  Some of them do things that I don't like.  Take Effetre Turquoise for example.  I rarely use it and when I do it is in the form of stringer.  I can count on the fingers of one hand how many times I've used it for base beads in my whole beadmaking life.  It has a tendency to go a tad streaky and it also has a habit of developing a grey metallic sheen which can make the resulting beads look grubby. 

But my reason was naff.  Turquoise is a nice colour and many people love to wear it.
Turquoise Lampwork Glass Beads
So I decided to make a set of beads out of plain, un-encased Effetre Turquoise and then I decorated them with some fine scrolly stringerwork in CiM French Blue.  Yes, the turquoise went a little streaky.  Yes, it got a grey sheen which I've now removed.  But hey - those are some nice beads, even if I do say so myself!

These will be for sale on my website at 8.00pm UK time tonight.  Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to dig out some long-forgotten glass and see what I can make with it .....

Monday 25 October 2010

Spottiness

Spotty Lampwork Glass Beads
It took me ages this morning to clean all the beads that I made at the end of last week but they're all done now and can currently be found over in my Etsy shop.  There are some strands of mixed pairs that would be great for making earrings.  Please click here to take a look.

Wednesday 20 October 2010

'Halloween'

Lampwork Glass Beads
Green and purple.  It's an odd colour pairing but I always like seeing it.  In my mind it just works.  The time of year greatly affects the feel of the combination, though.  In spring mint green and lavender look fresh and floral.  In summer emerald and purple look bright and cheery.  If you pair olive and indigo in autumn it has that Halloween feel to it and that's exactly what I was going for with these beads.

These will be for sale on my website tonight at 8.00pm UK time. 

Monday 18 October 2010

Even more beads

Lampwork Glass Beads
I've just added lots of beads to my Etsy shop.  There are the 'Olive' ones pictured above .....

..... these pale and pretty 'Coconut Ice' ones .....
Lampwork Glass Beads
..... a strand of 'Regal' ones .....
Lampwork Glass Beads
..... and a chilly-looking set called 'Iceberg'.
Lampwork Glass Beads
There are also a few strands of Lonelies waiting for new homes too.  All of these beads are currently available over on Etsy.

Have a fab Monday night!

Friday 15 October 2010

In The Shop

Lampwork Glass Beads
I've just added these three sets of beads to my Etsy shop.  Up there is 'Berry & Blue' .....

..... then there's 'Apple' .....
Lampwork Glass Beads
..... and 'Ink Blue'.
Lampwork Glass Beads
I'll try and add a few more sets to the shop at some point over the weekend.

Have a good Friday night!

Thursday 14 October 2010

'Strawberry'

Enamelled Lampwork Glass Beads
I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has left comments and sent emails and tweets about Buster.  Your kind words and thoughts are really appreciated.

I started making these red beads on Tuesday morning and I had to stop after the Buster news on Tuesday afternoon.  I carried on with them yesterday and they were really comforting to make.  I've told you before that I like making polka dot beads when my mind is preoccupied - their repetitiveness and regularity is quite soothing.  And of course you know how much I like red and white polka dots!

These three strands already have new homes but do check my Etsy shop tomorrow night as I'll be adding some beads to its virtual shelves then.

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Buster

Buster
I'm finding typing this really hard as I'm looking at my laptop through tears.  Dad called me this afternoon with some sad news.  He was calling to say that Buster died this afternoon.

This was a total shock.  I last saw Buster at the end of August and he was absolutely fine - eating, purring, sitting on my lap and generally just being himself.  I always asked how he was whenever I spoke to Dad and the answer was always the same - he's fine.

Buster on the lawn

But last night Buster was very ill and this morning he was even worse so Dad took him to the vet.  The vet thinks that Buster has had bowel cancer for some time and last night something just went wrong.  Because of his age - he was fourteen - the vet didn't think surgery and treatment would help him so Dad asked the vet to put Buster to sleep.

We'd had Buster since he was two.  We got him from the Blue Cross and I fell in love with him the minute I saw him there.  When I left home earlier this year I was distraught about leaving him and I've been missing him terribly.  Chris doesn't like cats, you see, so Buster stayed with Dad.  Although Buster was ill I'm pretty sure he wasn't suffering because as I say he was eating and everything and being his normal self.

Buster in my suitcase

I'm going to have to stop typing now.  My laptop is getting very wet and I need to go and get a tissue and some paracetemol - I have a crying headache. 

I just wanted to write a goodbye post for my Buster and to tell him thank you for being our cat.  Love you, miss you and sleep well, FurryPurry. ~X~

All Sorted

Lampwork Glass Beads
And they're all sold too but I thought I'd brighten up this dismal October morning with a splash of colourful glass beadery.  Pictured above are 'Pumpkin' .....

..... then we have 'Moonbeam' .....
Lampwork Glass Beads
..... followed by 'Peach' .....
Lampwork Glass Beads
..... then 'Lavender'.....
Lampwork Glass Beads
..... and finally we have 'Deep Blue'.
Lampwork Glass Beads
There you go.  If, like me, you're looking out of your window at a plain expanse of pale grey sky I hope that my beads have brought a touch of colour to your morning!

Monday 11 October 2010

Blue & Purple

Blue & Purple Lampwork Glass Beads
This weekend there was a definite blue and purple theme happening with my beadmaking.  I am still in love with CiM Sepia Unique - its gorgeous tanzanite hue is utterly lovely.

These need stringing and photographing in their respective sets and then they will be for sale in my Etsy shop at some point this evening.

Have a good Monday!

Saturday 9 October 2010

Thursday 7 October 2010

Etsy Update

Lampwork Glass Beads
I've just put a few beads in my Etsy shop.  There are some Lonelies, including those Berry ones up there, and there are also some sets of spotty beads that just would not behave for the camera last night!

And no, I haven't changed my photo setup.  I just decided to take advantage of the autumn sunlight which shows the beads off beautifully.

Wednesday 6 October 2010

Autumnal Beads

Lampwork Glass Beads
It's that time of year where I just can't help being influenced by all the lovely colours that Autumn brings.  Reds, ambers, browns and yellows are everywhere and it just looks so pretty.

Tonight's Freshly Baked Beads include the amber and purple ones at the top of this post and the encased frit beads below :

Lampwork Glass Beads

When the light catches these frit beads it almost looks as if they've got fire inside them.  They really glow!