Flame Off

I can't quite believe that after about two weeks of intense nerves and worry that the Flame Off has been and gone!

It was a great day - very nice to meet lots of people who I've been emailing for ages. It's always good to put faces to names! I finally met Manda from Mango Beads after more than three years of speaking to her and she gave me one of her beautiful silver cores. It was also lovely to meet Pam from Maple Glass who gave me one of her fab beads too. Thank you both!

I'd like to say that I enjoyed doing the demos but I was such a bundle of nerves I was concentrating more on stopping my hands shaking than actually enjoying the experience! For those that watched my demos I apologise for the lack of decent commentary but I found it very tricky to make beads and talk at the same time.

My favourite part of the day was later in the afternoon when I was downstairs making beads where I was able to answer your questions and show you the beadmaking techniques that you wanted to see.

Martin Tuffnell and everyone else involved with the organisation of the day did a wonderful job and Towcester Racecourse was a great venue too.

Finally, I want to say a big huge thank you to my wonderful boyfriend Chris who was fantastic moral support and a general calming influence on a very nervous me. He was also an ace photographer and handbag and coat minder too! ;o)

Off to the Flame Off!

I'm heading up Towcester-way tonight ready for tomorrow's Flame Off.

I've spent my last couple of beadmaking days in the shed 'rehearsing' what I'm actually going to do and say during my demonstrations. It's actually really tricky to describe how I get those lines and squiggles on my beads. I'm hoping that my stringer-applying actions will speak a little bit louder than words.

If you're coming along to the Flame Off tomorrow make sure you come up and say hello!

Oh, and here's a fun link for you. I spent ages (too long, in fact) playing with this! Just click or drag your mouse anywhere on the page.

'Elegant'

Ecru and lilac beads. There's something quite chic and ladylike about these colours.

I can't believe how fast this year is going. It's the Flame Off on Saturday and I think it was about September time last year that it was first mentioned. Where does the time go?!

I had a lovely surprise on Monday night. I entered Caroline's prize draw on her blog and I actually won! I never win anything, unless you count a £5.00 WHSmith voucher when I was eleven and a Nintendo pin badge when I was fifteen. So thanks Caroline!