Nothing in particular

This is one of those bit-of-everything posts where I waffle on and on for no particular reason. I know my parents-in-law like reading my ramblings, though. *waves at Lynne and John*

I've had a very meh bead week output-wise, but I had the urge to make buttons yesterday. I've not made any buttons for about eight years so goodness knows why I suddenly decided some had to be made, but I did and they were. I made a few but the one at the top of this post is the best of them. It's not for sale as I'm not totally happy with it (bit of scum in the clear and a slight wonk) but I'm going to make more.

I also made a couple of cabochons. These are flat-backed, without a hole, and can be set in jewellery or seed-beaded around. They can also be turned into pendants and brooches with a bit of glue and some findings. This black and white cabochon is my favourite and I can just picture it set in a silver ring. So yes, expect more buttons and cabochons soon. Not strictly beads, I know, but never mind.

On Monday Chris and I went to the Cambridge University Botanic Garden. I took many photos but I'll not bore you with all of them. Here are a few of my favourites:

Bee going about his bee business

Aster

Honey bee on a purple tansy

Poppies

Groovy mullein moth caterpillar

Our gardens at home are coming along nicely too. We've had the front garden turfed—it was just gravel and weeds—and a couple of flowerbeds made. I'm going for a cottage garden look and have planted lupins, asters, poppies, white foxgloves, teasels and cornflowers so far. They're all sprouting well so we should have some colour out there soon. I've also planted a little French lavender bush and a yellow climbing rose. We have a round window in the side of our 'porch' and I'm hoping that the rose will climb up and around it.

Graham's first bloom

Raindrops on roses etc etc...

The rose is 'Graham Thomas' from David Austin Roses and he's already blooming. My mum absolutely loved yellow roses and I've been wanting to plant one since Chris and I bought the house, so I've got there eventually. Only took me seven years.

My study resumes on Monday. This time it's Later Prehistory (Iron Age and Bronze Age) and Classical Archaeology (ancient Greece and Rome). The textbooks for the latter look very dry, like drier than a dry Shredded Wheat in the Sahara on a particularly dry day dry, but hey, I wasn't too enthused by the prospect of the Early Prehistory module either and look how I enjoyed that. Oh, and I got my first two essay marks back. I passed! I got two 2.1s (upper second class) and on one of them I was only two marks away from a 1st. That'll do for me.

Enough of my chatter. Have a great weekend.

My beads

I've always said that I don't have a 'signature bead' but many people have pointed out that I do. They normally say something like "Your scroll beads are your signature beads" or "I can spot your polka dot beads a mile off" so maybe I actually have a signature style as opposed to a bead? Scrolls and polka dots aren't fancy or wow or how-did-you-even-do-that? but they require a steady hand, oodles of patience, careful heat control, precision and a good knowledge of what each glass type and colour does and how you can make that work for you to get the results you're after.

I often feel like I should be making more elaborate beads—big, showstopping, takes-an-age-to-make beads that contain a bazillion elements and techniques—but I just like the simple look of my dots and lines and I enjoy making them. That last point is very important to me. I enjoy getting lost in the rhythmic placement of polka dots and I get a buzz from completing a bead that's covered in curvy, loopy scrolls. I'll often do an out-loud "Yes!" as I put a finished one in the kiln. And I know that they look simple, but finishing a well-executed spiral bead—the ones with the continuous trail of fine stringer wrapped from hole to hole—always makes me smile.

For me, beads are as much about the beauty of the glass as they are about the prettiness of the design. I like my beads to show off the glass itself; how it plays with the light, and how certain colours look together. For me, the negative space is as important as any decorated parts.

Now my beadmaking time is limited due to my studies, I'm making sure I thoroughly enjoy my shed sessions. Yesterday I got absolutely lost in making navy and white polka dot beads while listening to Steve Coogan's autobiography. The day just flew by and I walked out of the shed feeling all relaxed and happy. In the past I've often felt bad about making "just some polka dot beads and a few spotty ones" or "just a few scrolly beads today", like I should have created some massive focal with silver glass, gold leaf, silver foil, goldstone, enamels, and maybe some CZs and fancy cane, all finished off with a touch of sandblasting instead, but I've decided to not think that way anymore. This probably won't make sense but it does in my head... my beads are my beads because they are my beads. And that's fine by me.

Hello Sailor

These are a bit nautical, aren't they? Flexing my scrollwork muscles. I'm glad my fingers can remember how to apply stringer. Feels like an age since I did a bit of scrollollollollolling. If you like these 'Hello Sailor' beads, they're in my shop as I type.

I fixed my it-will-not-go-over-my-head sweater problem and the finished item is waiting to be blocked so I've still not got a photo of it. Here, have an in-progress shot.

Puffin sweater in progress

I'm part-way through another sweater, this time not so colourful. It's just plain grey but I love grey so that is plenty fine by me.

Sleeve-in-progress in my yarn bowl. Puffin sweater in the background.

I've developed a bit of a morning-knitting habit. As soon as I've fed the cat and made the morning tea I sit and knit for about forty minutes. It gives me chance to think about the day ahead and what needs doing.

Lovely grey wool. Lovely Addi Clicks cable stopper. Lovely.

My in-laws are visiting this weekend so I'd better go and throw the hoover about the place and make it look like we actually do some housework.

Have a great weekend!

Even more pebbles

Sometimes I get caught up in making the same beads over and over because I just need to know what they'll look like in different colours. These pebbles are very soothing, both to make and to touch.

Although they look like random shapes, they're not. In true me style each strand has three beads in three shapes and three patterns. The repetition of making them all the-same-but-different has been lovely. I could go on making them but I feel that people may get bored with them so maybe I'll leave them for now and return to them at a later date. I have no basis for that last comment, except the reception they get on Facebook and Instagram. I read far too much into that, you know. People stick a 'like' on things because its easy - hit the like button and done. Not many folk take the time to leave a comment these days so I find it hard to gauge how things are received. Social media, eh? It'll be the undoing of us all. I find myself withdrawing from it more with every passing week.

Anyway, I've added more pebbles to the shop, including a couple of strands of assorted pebbles.

I'm now going to make a peppermint tea, compose myself and unpick the neck of the sweater I've just about finished knitting. I knew that following the pattern as written was going to result in a head hole that would make putting the sweater on feel like I was being born again, but honestly, this is ridiculous. I don't think even the cat could fit his head through it. When the sweater is done and actually put-on-able I shall blog about it. That'll be mighty exciting for you, won't it?

Have a great Wednesday!

Pebbles aplenty

I've finally reached the end of my first two degree modules. I submitted my essays on Tuesday night and now I have to wait a month to see if they weren't complete twaddle. I'm not expecting amazing marks; I'd just like passes. We shall see...

I now have a study-free month and I've been down the shed this week making beads. The resulting 'pebble' beads that are pictured withing this post are mainly about glass, shape and texture, as opposed to stringer and precise patterning. The tumble-etching makes them so beautifully smooth and they're ever so soothing to touch. Little glass worry beads.

I listened to Into the Water by Paula Hawkins as I made beads this week and oh, that was a good'un. Proper gripping. I do enjoy an audiobook while I work. I can't listen to words, either sung or spoken, while I study (I end up focusing on that rather than what I'm supposed to be reading) so I've missed my audiobook and podcast listening and I've got lots to catch up on. Also, telly-wise, OBVIOUSLY Line of Duty series four, obviously, but did you see Big Little Lies too? That was great. I've read all but one of Liane Moriarty's books and the Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon adaptation of Big Little Lies was perfect. Hard to watch at times, but perfect.

All of the glassy pebbles pictured are currently available in my webshop. I'm expecting a glass delivery on Monday so expect some different coloured pebbles soon.