My lovely spotty glass bead earrings

One thing you get when you tell people that you design jewellery is people looking at you, spotting a necklace, bracelet or earrings you may be wearing and saying, “Oh is that one of yours?”. Of course it never is! You see contrary to popular belief I just don’t make as much jewellery for myself as some people might imagine. Of course I’ll make something and think oh I’m definitely going to make one of those for me… but then life gets in the way or I run out of the bits to make another, and I never do!

Now I am a little bit guilty of being a hoarder! I buy these little bits and bobs… mainly beads and charms and they sit there in a box waiting to be turned into something delightful! For example I simply love the lampwork beads which are created by the talented Laura Sparling. She naughtily keeps designing and melting little glass beads which I have no other choice but to own! So I buy them, she sends them in the post all beautiful wrapped and I gasp and wow over her perfectly formed little glassy wonders and then I put them in my ‘Laura bead box’ and they stay there. Sometimes I shall look in the bead box and and awe over them but then I get scared and put them away. You see, because Laura has taken so much care to make such gorgeous beads I don’t want to turn them into something rubbish!

Anyway this is going somewhere, honest… because the purpose of this post is to show you these cute little spotty earrings which I made from some of Laura’s wondrous beads! I have had them in the Laura Bead Box for a long long time and I was determined to make something for myself. So I did. I have decided that one of my resolutions for this year needs to be to stop looking at all the pretty things I have collected and blooming well make some jewellery with them, and that includes some for myself!

So here are my own lovely little spotty earrings… Cute aren’t they?



See more of my jewellery collection at www.cherishedtrinkets.co.uk

Laura Sparling cupcake bracelet giveaway

If you do just one thing this week make sure you head on over to Lamp work artist Laura Sparling’s blog to check out her fabulous competition! You can win this gorgeous Cup Cake bracelet made with some of her wonderful lamp work beads!

The competition ends at 7pm (UK time) on Friday the 25th of February so you need to get your entry in fast!



Visit Lauras blog and enter the competition

then…

Visit Laura Sparling's website to drool at or buy Laura’s lamp work bead creations!

Oceans Heart Vintage Style Necklace

Another new addition! This cute necklace features lampwork by the wonderfully talented Laura Sparling, accompanied with a vintage brass key, satin ribbon and glass pearls. Click here for this and other new items!

Oceans Heart Vintage Style necklace- Featuring Lamp Work by Laura Sparling- SOLD

Cup Cakes Galore!- My first Attempt!

I was up bright and early to to get all the bits needed to make some cup cakes. I have been looking longingly at some of the cup cakes people make and have been dying to have a go! I went along to my local market to buy a piping bag and other bits and the man on the cook wear stall said they are also opening a shop dedicated to cake making, so I'm very excited about that!



For these I followed Laura Sparling's recipe for Vanilla Cup cakes and made up my own design for the toppings! Of course the frosting had to be bright pink! I'm fairly pleased with the results!

Easter Gift!

As I'm watching my figure I asked Mark to buy me this book instead of an egg for Easter. There seems to be cup cakes every where at the moment, and I want to get in on the act! Inspired by Laura Sparling's wonderful creations (Laura how come you are so good at making absolutely everything?) I thought it was about time I had a go at making my own. This book has lots and lots of recipes and ideas!

I'm hoping to get started next week as I have a couple of days off. Lets hope I'm not then tempted to eat them all!

Ooooooh my gorgeous blue Butterfly!

Look what fluttered its way into my post box yesterday. This gorgeous butterfly clip thingy, a gift from Laura Sparling. Its sooooooo me! Bertie (it just seems to go) is hanging out on my bedroom blinds looking out over the city. Thanks Laura for this wonderful gift!

Cherished Trinkets jewellery is now available to buy on Folksy!

...Yes! That's right Cherished Trinkets has now invaded Folky, similar to Etsy but in England! Yay! This means no trying to convert prices before you buy because the price is just there in friendly pounds sterling! Hip hip Hurrah!

Going onto Etsy and Folksy tonight are these Angelic earrings featuring peachy coloured fresh water pearls, brass and satin ribbon that i delicately wire wrapped in brass.



I also wanted to show you my latest 'For Me' necklace creation. Here I've used one of Laura Sparling's fabulous spotty heart glass lamp work beads that she very kindly sent me a while ago, some lovely pink lamp work beads also by Laura, some brass and some ribbon all finished with a nice vintage brass key. I couldn't sleep the other night because I had this necklace pictured in my head and got round to making it yesterday. I'm very happy with it, in fact I'm wearing it now as I type!

Thank You Laura!

The magnificent Laura Sparling has added me as a featured artist on her blog. I've given an interview for an insight into my work. Laura is such a great bead artist and I love working with her beads! Laura will be featuring a different jewellery artist each month so keep an eye out as there is sure to be some fantastic artists and interesting interviews!

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.

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.

The big 50!

It was my Dad's 50th birthday yesterday so my family celebrated with a little get together at my Nana and Grandads House. I'm suffering from it today! Why do I never learn not to mix my drinks?! Bleugh!

Made a few bits as well and I'm also hoping to make some stuff with some of my bead stash particularly with some of Laura Sparling's magnificent beads! Can't wait!

....I'll hopefully have some pictures soon :)

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.

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!

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!