The Weekend!

.... well for me anyhow! I had to work today and working as a collector is not the best thing on a Saturday, for some reason people just don't want to talk to you about how much money they owe!

Mark and me are going to the cinema tonight to watch Slum Dog Millionaire. It's got a good write up so I'm quite excited.

Two days off now so hopefully some more jewellery making! I have a couple of projects to finish so I'll be getting on with them.

Here is my Ice Queen bracelet, just about to be listed on Etsy now. It features a beautiful lamp work bead by Jan Jennings, sterling silver, crystals and Opalite!

Ooooooooooooooh Snow!

Yes it's even been snowing here in the City Centre! I did get a snap from my balcony but my phone isn't letting me upload it :o( I hope it goes soon I really hate slipping all the way to work!

Here is a creation made from some wonderful beads by Laura Sparling, Mark had bought me them as a gift and I decided to create something using lots of Amethyst and silver. I love them! And wore them when I went to a party on Saturday night.

She sells sea shells

I first saw Laura Sparling's wonderful shell beads about a year ago and yet again fell in love! I then waited and waited for some more to come up for sale and vowed that if they did they would be mine!!! And so they were, quite a few months later. Then I got scared, because they are so beautiful I wanted to do them justice. I teamed them with some more of Laura's beads and turned them into this super long necklace. I love the result!

A New Start

I fell in Love with Laura Sparling's beautiful Easter focals when I saw them and decided I must have one or my life would be incomplete (This is how beads get you sometimes!). Last week, was a strange one, what with loosing Sasha and various other life changing events that I will go into in a moment, I just had to calm down and relax with some jewellery making. This pendant must have taken me about three hours to make and my hands were so sore!!! I teamed the bead with sterling silver and a gorgeous Rose quartz drop. I love it and it's mine! I wore it all last week and lots of people commented with 'oooohs' and 'ahhhhhs'. Lovely!!

Mark had some brilliant news last week. He has just been offered a job for the massive web design company based in Manchester called Lightmaker. I am so happy for him as he is so passionate about his design work! After much thought we have both decided to move there. Manchester is about 90 miles away from us, so it's pretty far! I had to inform my boss on Friday which I was so scared about, but she was lovely and very supportive.

Mark and I went to Manchester on Saturday and found a lovely apartment which we secured, so now we're trying to sort that out too. It's all go!!! But we both fell in love with it, can't wait! Part of me is very very scared to leave everyone and everything behind, I am an only child so I'll miss my parents so much but they have agreed to visit as much as possible and of course there is no excuse not to keep in touch these days what with email and texting and goodness knows what else!

I also had a nice surprise yesterday when I looked at the My Vintage Charms blog and found a post dedicated to my jewellery, such nice words to say about my work! I love their website as their charms and findings are so unique, so thanks for featuring me guys!!! Click here to see their post on Cherished Trinkets :o)

Seaside!

All of this glorious weather inspired me to use these fantastic beads by Laura Sparling. They really remind me of the fabulous holidays I used to go on with my parents as a child, usually local mind like Scarborough, or sometimes even as far down as Devon. I used to love them! I really wanted to keep these as they really do make me smile but they are currently for sale on my website and Etsy.

I love bank holidays!!!

Green With Envy
Oh I do love them!!!! I had lots of time to spend with Mark (my fella) and also to make jewellery. I left Mark playing with wire on Sunday (don't ask), and settled down to some serious jewellery making. I even borrowed my dads drill and made some home made twisted jump rings for the above bracelet made with gorgeous beads by Isabelle Anderson. It was hard work as I find wire work really daunting but I think it looks OK! Well I hope it does :o)

I was so proud that I went on to make a matching pendant! Hurrah!!!

Cool Waters

Just been taking a peek at Bead artist Laura Sparling's blog. I must say I am in awe of her work, as she's added a link from her bead making demo at the 'Flame off' at Towcester at the weekend and it's amazing. Here is a set that I created with some of Laura's beads. I've had them a while and have been wondering what I should do with them. I just love the colour of blue that she's used, they remind me of lovely cool water with their silvery bubbles glistening in the light.

Summers Blush

I can't seem to help but make jewellery with a nice summery feel, maybe it's because the weather is so terrible, and cold!

Here is a necklace that I made from one of the wonderful beads that Mark bought me for my birthday last year made by the fantastic Jan Jennings.

More pictures to come.... so watch this space!

New Stuff!

New items for the website, I'm hoping to get them on there this weekend, but for now they are on Etsy. I've made my first watch! and of course another cluttered charm bracelet this time in a nice gentle blue colour. I've also had chance to make a pretty pair of butterfly earrings with little jangly Swarovski crystals dripping from them.

Glorious Green Charm Watch

Blue Flutter Sterling Silver Charm Bracelet


Eternal Butterfly Sterling Silver Earrings
I also managed to make some earrings with my PMC kit and I'm feeling rather proud of myself, I'll hopefully have pictures of these to show over the weekend too!

Blogging? Again?

Ok so I only have 2 people to give an award to, and one is my boyfriend... I know its sad but this is the problem.... I wanted to give numerous people awards but they already have one.... and also I spend far too much time lurking around on blogger without having the courage to actually talk to these people from fear of being laughed out of blogger town. Silly I know but I'm a 'face to face' kind of person. I am therefore going to make a concious effort and talk to people and get to know them better!

so...

1) Mark of Fault151 I award you a 'you make my day award' How funny is that?
2) Clare of Clarenicolson.com

To pass the award on you need to
1. Write a post with links to 5 blogs that make me think and/or make my day.
2. Acknowledge the post of the award giver.
3. Display the “You Make My Day Award” logo.
4. Tell the award winners that they have won by commenting on their blogs with the news.

Now above is my latest piece, made last week I must admit, but I didn't get round to posting a picture yet. I 've made a rather simple (for me) charm bracelet featuring lamp work from Laura Sparling. Laura named these beads Raspberry Pavlova and I adapted this my turning them into Raspberry ripple as that's what they reminded me of when teamed with the cream freshwater pearls. I really do struggle not to cram bracelets with lots and lots of bits and bobs so I'm very proud at having stopped here on this one. I must admit that in this case less is more as you get to see much more of Lauras gorgeous beads! This bracelet for sale on my site or my etsy store.

Today I'm going to have another go with that pesky PMC, I wont let the bugger beat me this time!

Hearts and Flowers

It's that time of year again where the air is filled with love and romance! So with this in mind I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to use one of Laura Sparlings wonderful beads, and make something a little bit pretty and romantic for the website. So here's the new addition, my 'Wondering Heart' necklace.

Turkey....

Yes I'm just squeezing a quick blog in whilst I wait for my turkey curry to cook! Here's a gift that I made for my Mum. She has many a time sat and adored the work of Glass artist Claire from Rowanberry Art Glass. Particularly her beautiful trees which are just to die for. I therefore decided that I would make her some jewellery using one of Claire's wonderful beads... and here's the result. Mum loved it when she opened her gift on Christmas morning and to my relief I don't think she's taken it from around her neck since!



I received a PMC kit for Christmas, which for those of you who don't know is a clay which after being worked and fired with a torch (yes I know its scary, I'm hoping I'll keep my eyebrows)turns into beautiful precious silver. So I can create even more unique and one off jewellery with charms, pendents etc! I'm hoping to have a go tomorrow and shall post the results!!!

Hope you all had a FAB Christmas!!!

Janine

Oooh Hello there! Kings Of Leon Gig

It's been a while hasn't it? Mark and me went to see The Kings of Leon last Friday and they were excellent, easily the best band that I've seen anyhow!

I'm still very busy with the commissions and I've managed to get a few done this week. Here's my 'Aqua Dream Pool' which I was asked to make as a leaving gift for somebody.

I was also very lucky to win some of Laura Sparlings beautiful Zebra beads last week from her bead naming competition on her blog. I couldn't resist getting some earrings made from them straight away and I'm sat wearing them as I type. Thank you Laura! I love them!

New Addition

It's been a while since my last web update, or my last blog post for that matter! I have still been busy creating and it was my birthday at the weekend so I stayed away from the computer! There's a new bracelet that's been added to my website. I've named it 'Confused Heather' after the beads that I've used to make it. These were created by Tania from 'Tan of course'.

I've also been trying to get ready for Christmas, I'm dreading the thought of fighting my way through the crowds this weekend to get a bit of shopping done.... on second thoughts I may look to the internet!

Pink Princess

Here's a bead I just couldn't say no to! It's one of Laura Sparlings fantastic creations.... a bauble bead. I just fell in love when I saw it as its completely hollow which I just think is sooo clever! Laura did tell me how it was made but to be honest it didn't really sink in! All I know is that its very girly, pink and just gorgeous and I'm keeping the little blighter!!! Here's what I did with it!

Lamp work Bead Necklace- New project- 'Floral Pearl glory'

I have been deciding what to do with this gorgeous bead for a while now! Mark had bought me it as a surprise from one of my favourite lamp work artists Jan Jennings and I really wanted to do something special with it! So i decided to team it with some beautiful freshwater pearls and sterling silver 'wiggly tubes' and I love the outcome, especially as the necklace is a bit longer as I really like the style of the longer ones. This necklace is for keeps I think!! He he.

I now have a eBay shop which Mark has been designing for most of the weekend, i may have the odd auction now and then as well as some jewellery as 'but it now' that is also on my website... It's anther portal for people to see my work after all! and I'm pretty happy with the result. Take a look!