Trinkets and Treasure

Guess Who Got......

2012-01-11T09:50:00.000Z

....a heart bead press for Christmas?

Pink Heart Trio

Pink Heart Beads

Red Heart Keyring

Erm, yes, that would be me :).

Another Year Gone....

2011-12-23T14:44:00.000Z

So it's Christmas Eve tomorrow and I'm almost ready for it! Lots left to wrap up but I'm getting there. I just wanted to pop in and let you know a bit of news. I'm going to be working flat out in January and February as in May we're expecting a new arrival! I had my 20 week scan this week and much to our ~~shock~~ delight we're expecting a baby boy. I'm hopefully going on maternity leave early to try and put my feet up a bit and be back in action before Christmas 2012. Plus I now have several containers full of baby girl's clothes to put on eBay :).

So all that remains to be said is thank you for all your support this year and.....

I Blinked and I Missed It

2011-12-12T13:21:00.002Z

Frosty Lampwork Earrings

How is it that despite trying to start planning for Christmas stock months in advance, I'm still taken by surprise when I realise there's less than a fortnight to go? It's like I start off in 'it's ages away' mode and never actually move on.

Red Baubles Lampwork Glass Earrings

I've been spending my time in a frenzy of order sending, jewellery making (especially earrings) and website updating, and I'm still not done. I have a load of half-finished necklaces in the workshop that I want to get ready before this weekend's fair at Congleton Town Hall. I'm really looking forward to this one. It promises to be a bit of an upmarket do and I can't wait to see the other stalls. It will also mark my last day of trading prior to Christmas, so am looking forward to slowing down a little next week!

Do come along if you can, it's supporting some great causes and looks to be a fun event. Check out the website below for more info, and spread the word!

The CreativEdge Website

New Beads!

2011-11-17T10:41:00.000Z

New in my Etsy shop now

Just a quick hello to show you some new beads I've just listed in my Etsy shop. I've really had to focus on jewellery at the moment due to the run up to Christmas, so am hogging most new glass for my own designs, sorry! As we get closer to the end of the year though, I'll be better placed to focus more on my lampwork shop. In the meantime, please bear with me!

C xx

A Trip Out To Derbyshire....

2011-11-05T19:58:00.000Z

Almost 2 weeks since I updated my blog.... oops. Here I am though, saying hello and putting my feet up after a day at the Craft and Jewellery Fair at Buxton Pavillion. This is a great venue, especially on a sunny autumn day. Beautiful gardens and lots of lovely crafts, what more could you want?

Victoria Garnet and Pearl Earrings

Trade was quiet today unfortunately, with us craftspeople facing the age old problem of trying to compete against mass produced imports (organisers - why? when will you learn?!) but if you're in the area tomorrow it's well worth a look. And hopefully those who appreciate a locally made product crafted with love and care will be paying us a visit :). And I won't be tempted to pay another visit to the fudge stall. Thank God there's no one there selling cake.

Parties and Pendants

2011-10-25T07:46:00.000+01:00

It's been a manic old week here at CeeGee Towers, mainly due to Little E turning 2! It feels like her birthday has lasted several days, ending in a chaotic (but very enjoyable) JoJingles-fueled party for family and a few friends on Sunday. I've just about managed to find homes for the abundance of pressies, but am a tad concerned about Christmas! Think I'm going to have to start sneaking stuff off to the charity shop when Little E isn't looking.... On the plus side, our house is full of cake. And balloons.

Northern Lights

I have managed to do some work though.... These 2 pendants were finished in time for the Cheshire Food Festival the weekend before last (which was ace by the way, really good fun) but as they didn't find new homes then (unbelievable, I know), you lucky people get a peep.

Abalone

These 2 beads were made using gorgeous silvered glass, and I'm so pleased with how they turned out. I decided they needed a little extra on the finish, so made them each a pure silver seat to perch on.

Oxyconked

2011-10-05T10:05:00.001+01:00

I have a poorly oxycon. For those who don't know, an oxygen concentrator is part of my bead making equipment, giving my torch the necessary 'umph' it needs to melt lovely glass. I've owned it since January and I don't think it's ever been entirely happy, but as I had nothing to compare it to and it seemed to be doing the job, I trundled on regardless.

On Monday however it decided enough was enough and spluttered to a halt. I've tried and failed to get the back off to see if I can spot an obvious problem, so I think I'm going to send it off to those lovely folks at Tuffnells for a bit of TLC and a service. Unless it turns out to be truly ancient and parts aren't available, but I'm hoping that won't be the case.

Blue Swirls - finished before my oxycon was

So what this means is that whilst my oxycon is having its little Yorkshire holiday, there will be no new beads coming into my shop. I have 2 new sets to list (both purpley!) but after that there will be a couple of weeks wait at least, so sorry about that.

This is the best time for this to happen though really, as I should be focusing on jewellery making anyway. I've got my first event in the run up to Christmas next weekend (15th and 16th October) at the very first Cheshire Food Festival. Really looking forward to this one - my only concern is that I won't get chance to have a proper look round! I've never done an event like this one before so don't really know what to expect. Manchester Craft Mafia are organising a series of craft classes at the event (see full details here) and I wish I could do the Cupcake Bath Bomb one! I can see how staff would be useful at an event like this.... anyone willing to work for 50p an hour?

It's only £2 entry so if you're in the area, come along!

Most Wanted - MollyMoo Designs

2011-09-27T12:50:00.000+01:00

I owe Hilary of Molly Moo Designs an apology. I quizzed her for a blog feature 2 whole months ago and have only just got round to publishing. Very slack of me and I have no excuse. Or none that I think I'll get away with. So without further ado, let me introduce you to Molly Moo! (See what I did there?!).

Inspired by (amongst other things) her miniature schnauzer Molly, Hilary illustrates and designs gorgeous greeting cards and other paper goods from her home. Being a no-frills kind of customer, I love the fresh colours and clean designs and often end up at MollyMoo when I need a card.

After a degree in psychology, Hilary's passion for art and design led her to study graphic design. Employment in retail, design and software development has followed, with a career in art top of her wishlist. She says she'd love to take card making and illustrating to the next level, and plans to start some lino printing.

Hilary sells her designs through Folksy and says "I love my little folksy shop and get such a buzz when someone purchases an item. It such a sense of achievement and satisfaction that someone actually likes my stuff enough to buy it. I love what I do and try to create designs that others will like too."

There are a couple of bulk buy promos in her shop, for people who like to stock up. Shop at www.mollymoo.folksy.com and find Hilary on Twitter @mollymoocards.

New Beadies!

2011-09-26T19:56:00.000+01:00

Better late than never... a quick hello to show you the new beads I listed last week.

These are much prettier in real life. I've done a rubbish job of catching the blues and purples from the beautiful silvered glass. Next up are these honey coloured sweeties - do not eat.

Lastly I have these chunky purply gems..... all available in my Etsy shop!

I Have A Video!

2011-09-19T16:31:00.000+01:00

Checking my email this afternoon I was chuffed to bits to discover that the lovely ladies at Gift Wrapped and Gorgeous have put together a product video for my shop.

Isn't that snazzy?! Love it :).

#Blogfail

2011-09-14T10:36:00.000+01:00

I have been a bad blogger. Updating it is one of those things that is always on my to-do list but consistently fails to make it to the top. So today I'm making a concerted effort to check in!

Handmade Silver Bangles with Silver and Lampwork Charms

I'm fully into the pre-Christmas run up at the moment, focusing mainly on jewellery stock and making beads for that, so haven't been adding much to my lampwork shop unfortunately. I did my first two day event at Buxton Pavillion recently, which was really enjoyable. Setting up and packing away is always the worst bit of any event, so walking away from my stall on the Saturday and arriving to have it ready to go on the Sunday was great - if a little nerve wracking. The venue didn't appear to have provided armed guards to protect the stock. A couple of customers and online 'colleagues' came to say hello which was fantastic. So nice to put faces to names! I'm back at Buxton in November, which hopefully will be a lot busier. And if anyone can explain how you possibly can make a living selling original framed watercolours for £6, then my fellow stallholders and I would love to know the secret.

My next confirmed event is the Cheshire Food Festival. Really looking forward to this one. Only dilemma is how to watch the chef demos, sample all the food and do the 'make a bathbomb' class whilst manning my stall. Suggestions welcome...

A Lickle Sale

2011-09-05T19:37:00.000+01:00

I'm looking to clear some stock to make room for new items so have set up a sale page on my website with some pretty big discounts. Well worth a look, if I do say so myself :). I may add more items to it if the mood takes me, so keep an eye on it!


Tiger Beach Lampwork Bracelet - was £30 now £20

Beautiful Buxton

2011-09-02T15:28:00.001+01:00

Medieval Purple Long Lampwork and Silver Star Necklace on Etsy

Hello all! Very quick plug for an event I'm doing this weekend - a 2 day Craft and Jewellery Fair at the Pavillion Gardens in Buxton, Derbyshire. Really looking forward to it, it's a great place to visit this time of year, so if you're in the area, come and say hello!

Star Spangled Bangle - A Sneaky Peek

2011-08-25T20:18:00.000+01:00

A week or so ago I treated myself to a new toy, a bracelet mandrel. This is basically a tapered steel pole for shaping bracelets - very heavy and lethal in the wrong hands :). The first thing I wanted to do was make delicate silver bangles to hang beads and charms off, and this is the first one hot out of my shedio.

Not the best of photos, admittedly, but I'm quite chuffed with the result. I hammered the bangles to give them texture to catch the light, and attached a lampwork bead and little star-stamped charm I made from precious metal clay. I've been wearing it today (got to check the comfort and toddler-resistance factor dontcha know) so this one's mine, all mine.

Hopefully I'll be hammering away at a whole load more of these next week and will get some on the website soon after. Can't wait!

Do You Believe in Fairies?

2011-08-18T10:58:00.000+01:00

Wanted to just post a little pic of some beads from a commission I've been working on this week. Little fairy toadstools! Cute aren't they? I haven't ventured much into character type glasswork, but maybe in the new year (yes, I do feel like the run up to Christmas has started!) I'll have time to try a few more things.

The beads below have just been listed in my Etsy shop, and frankly if I'd had more stock available, I'd have kept them :).

Velvet Storm Lampwork Glass Bead Set

Mailing List Giveaway

2011-08-17T13:44:00.000+01:00

Fancy winning some earrings? I'm going to pick a name at random from my mailing list subscribers on 30th September, and they will win a pair of Simplicity Earrings, as pictured below.

These are a new range I have available on my website in a variety of colours. Handmade clear glass beads wrapped in silver - pure and simple! To be in with a chance of winning, just sign up to my mailing list here. I aim to send out a mailing once a month, but in reality it's probably once every couple of months. Must try harder :). Good luck all!

A Couple of Highs Amongst the Lowest of the Low

2011-08-09T19:41:00.001+01:00

Photo by @Lawcol888

Along with anyone else who has the slightest sense of humanity, I've been watching the despicable destruction and violence of the last 3 days with a mixture of anger and disgust. This blog isn't the place to dwell on it, but I wanted to draw your attention to a photo that really made my day. I hope the photographer won't mind me using it, but when I was feeling depressed and fearful about what's happening in London and around the country, this picture of the people who turned out today to clean up the vandalism in Clapham restored my faith in human nature.

My other happy picture today was this one of Etsy's homepage.... because for the first time ever (to my knowledge) one of my items is on it! I'm chuffed to bits as I think it shows that the work I've been doing to improve my photography is paying off. Onwards and upwards...

New Stockists!

2011-08-02T11:24:00.000+01:00

One of the reasons I've been so behind with my blogging lately is that I've been busy behind the scenes setting up shop with 3 new web-based stockists. So it's about time I told you about them....

First up is Wow Thank You. The site itself is just over a year old, but I understand has had a major facelift and was relaunched around the time I was approved for the site. It looks fab, really fresh, is incredibly easy to list products onto, and is powered by one-woman dynamo Tracey Kifford. You can find my little corner of WowTY here.

The new kid on the block is Retro Roost, a funky little design showcase that has been up and running less than a fortnight! They are limiting their intake to 99 designers, and as I had my first sale there on the day the site was launched, I'm very pleased to be one of them :).

Last but most certainly not least, is Gift Wrapped and Gorgeous. A beautiful site, I just joined about a week ago so am still finding my feet and getting my shop set up. I love the range of products on this site, and the fact that Amanda and her team work hard to promote their designers to the press - something I haven't the time to even think about doing at the moment! You can find my shop (still a work in progress!) here.

All this time at the computer hasn't kept me away from my workshop completely, thank goodness. I listed these beads in my etsy shop yesterday - really pleased with them.

Waterloo Sunset

I also have some lovely earthy beads and lentils to photograph and list, so hope to get to them later this week. I'm trying really hard not to keep them :).

The Versatile Blogger

2011-07-19T14:32:00.001+01:00

A couple of weeks ago I was awarded a Versatile Blogger award by Lois of Beads and More by Lois - thank you! It's taken me a while to get round to mentioning it as I'm now supposed to share 7 random things about myself. Harder than you'd think!

Anyway, here goes....

1) I used to be a qualified rhythmic gymnastics coach (I assume for the safety of athletes everywhere that the qualification has expired)
2) I lived in Germany for a year and a half as part of my degree
3) I have eaten more cake since becoming a mum than I did in my whole former life
4) It took me 15 years to get used to my curly hair

5) And another 15 to accept that I’m never going to get a tan
6) I used to have a cat who would use the door knocker on the front door when he wanted to come in the house
7) When we got married my husband and I walked back down the aisle to Lovesong by The Cure - long before the lovely Adele got her paws on it

Random enough for you?! Now I get to ~~exact revenge~~ spread the love by nominating another 7 great blogs to do the same. Remember to link back to me peeps! C xx

http://www.ladybirdbeads.blogspot.com/

http://dollycoolclare.blogspot.com/

http://charlottehupfieldceramics.blogspot.com/

http://bluedaisyglass.blogspot.com/

http://bohemianbluez.blogspot.com/

http://www.handmadebyemily.com/

http://ello-design.blogspot.com/

Out Of A Mess Comes....

2011-07-16T13:34:00.000+01:00

...new beads! I was forced to do a complete clear out and clean of my torch and work area on Monday after stupidly giving my bead release* tub a good old shake without first screwing the lid on properly. It's not the first time I've done this (and probably won't be the last) but was the messiest. The stuff was everywhere... all over my torch, on my workbench, on my kiln, my tools....

Once I'd stopped cursing my own clumsiness, my only option was to clear absolutely everything away and give it a good wash, which gave me the chance to get rid of all the little scrag ends and half used rods cluttering up my workspace and have a fresh look at what glass I have in stock. I found some thick rods of black glass (ordered by accident) which I used as a base for these beauties.

Black Ice Lampwork Glass Beads

I love these - they have ivory glass on them and are reduced in the flame to a metallic finish which is almost like oil on water. I'm not sure the photo captures it that well to be honest.

In contrast I also made some summery beads, having a play with making encased stringers** to paint ribbon patterns on the glass.

Doodlebug Lampwork Glass Bead Set

Purple and green is always a good combo in my eyes and these pastel shades look really fresh. Both sets are available in my Etsy shop now.

*A liquid clay solution which is used to coat the mandrels to stop the beads sticking to them
** Thin rods of glass made from one colour encased in another

Little Birdies

2011-07-11T19:53:00.000+01:00

Tigers Eye, Hematite and Quartz

I'm a little late posting this on my blog (sorry folks) so one of these birdies has already flown off to a new home, but these are my new range of pendants available on my website.

They're a dinky little bird stamped into a handmade pure silver disc, tumbled, oxidised, polished and hung with a trio of gemstones. I'm quite taken with these, they're sweet and simple, and each one is unique. I'll be making more, but currently there are 2 remaining and available on my website.

Turquoise, Onyx and Quartz

The Big Beady Destash

2011-07-06T10:56:00.001+01:00

Like a lot of other beadmakers, my love of glass came about after discovering lampwork glass beads when using them in my jewellery making. I spent a fortune on beautifully made British beads before deciding I absolutely had to learn to how make my own.

As I only use my own beads in my jewellery nowadays, this has left me with the dilemma of what to do with the remaining beads made by others. They're far too lovely to languish in my bead box. I've decided to sell them off in one job lot on eBay and raise funds for more glass :).

They're all fully annealed and there are 25 beads in all. I've started bids at 99p so someone could be in for a bargain. The listing can be found here if you like a look.

New Earrings and A Little Link Love

2011-07-04T11:06:00.000+01:00

Morning all, hope you all had a lovely weekend. Mine was hampered somewhat by a suspected bout of laryngitis - no voice and a very very sore throat. Seem to be on the mend thankfully. Toddler handling is spectacularly difficult when you can't raise your voice above a whisper.

Hearts and Turquoise Earrings

I have a new gemstone earring range - all slightly different, mainly using my long handmade earwires and handmade heart charms. There are 3 pairs on my website at the moment and I'll be adding more soon. More little heart charms are firing away in the kiln as I type.... Click the names for more pictures. The ruby ones at the bottom of the post are a gorgeous colour, and perfect for a July birthday as they're this month's birthstone.

Aquamarine Heart Earrings

Last week I revamped the Links page on my website in an effort to boost my site's search engine rankings, and now I'm looking for complementary sites to link to. So if you are an independent designer or craftsperson and you're interested in a link swap, do get in touch at blog@ceegeejewellery.com Thank you!

Ruby Tuesday Earrings

Happy Friday!

2011-07-01T13:51:00.000+01:00

Another week gone! I blinked and missed it I think. Fridays are my day with Little E - no nursery and no plans this week so it's the ~~challenge~~ fun and games of entertaining a person with the attention span of a newt for a whole day.

We (and I use the term 'we' loosely) made rhubard crumble muffins this morning - really lovely they are too. Every fortnight we have a locally grown box of veg delivered (I like to think it cancels out some of the Tescos shopping) and there was rhubarb in the last one so it was a good excuse for baking. I've never seen anyone attempt to eat raw flour before but Little E was determined to give it a go. Top tip: use natural yoghurt instead of buttermilk. I don't even know what buttermilk is.

All The Blues

My little friend is having a nap at the mo so I'm cramming in a bit of admin and want to show you the 2 new lampwork sets I listed on Etsy yesterday. Also I need to let you know about some eBay listings I have on the go. I've never used eBay for lampwork (high fees, no protection for sellers and a bunch of other reasons), but wanted to list some jewellery pouches to test the water, and thought it would be a good place to auction off some old stock and a few things that for one reason or another don't quite fit my Etsy shop. The listings are here - might be a place to bag a bargain!

Dinky Pinks

Free UK Shipping on Beads

2011-06-23T10:14:00.000+01:00

Morning! I fancied doing a little post-holiday promo, so for today and tomorrow only code FREESHIPEB will get you free shipping on everything (including jewellery pouches) in my lampwork glass shop. Enjoy!

Tropical Seas Lampwork Bead Set

Beach Babe

2011-06-19T19:56:00.000+01:00

Little E heading seaward

Hello! Just back from a lovely week on Ireland's west coast - weather not the best (no surprise there), but a lovely time had nonetheless. Checking in to say my shops are back open, and normal service shall resume shortly....

Lovely Shiny Earthiness

2011-06-07T20:17:00.000+01:00

Quicksilver Lampwork Set

Me again! 2 posts in 2 days, how unlike me! Just wanted to pop in and show you lovely people piccys of the beads I listed today. Am so chuffed with these, they were a result of one of those occasions where you really have no clue what's going to come out of the kiln. I always know what I'd like to see when I open the little blue door but that doesn't mean that's what I'm going to get....

Moonstorm Focal Bead

Hope they get the thumbs up from you too. (And thank you to my Mum for help with the names :)) xx

Moonscape Focal Bead

Bag A Beady Bargain

2011-06-06T19:39:00.000+01:00

Hope everyone has had a good weekend. I had a rare night away on Saturday with my sister at the lovely Netherstowe House in Lichfield. My sis had her son 3 weeks before Little E* was born, and as she lives Down South we never get to see each other without the kids in tow. So we decided to meet somewhere in the middle and catch up properly in a toddler-free zone. We struck gold with Netherstowe, it was really lovely - loads of character and girliest hotel room I've ever stayed in. There were vintage suitcases decorating the hallways and it was all I could do to stop myself packing up my gear in one to take home. Think they may have noticed a grey Samsonite in its place...

On the beady scene, I've been busy in my workshop today and will have new beads online once I've got them cleaned up and photographed. I've had a rummage through my bead jar and put together some bargain strings of odds that are in the shop now - I'm closing my shops for a week's holiday on Friday night, so don't hang about!

*The toddler formerly known as Baby E

Fame At Last!

2011-05-30T19:05:00.000+01:00

Eagle-eyed readers of the fab UK Handmade website may well have spotted an interview with yours truly in their Road Less Travelled feature this weekend. This series focuses on individuals who have moved into a creative career via a less than traditional path - as my formal training extends no further than a long forgotten art GCSE, it seems I fit the mould! I was very flattered to be asked by the lovely Kirsten of Quernus Crafts if I would take part, and am rather chuffed with the result here. Have a read (and post a comment so I know people have had a look!).

Angelfish Necklace

The feature also marks the unveiling of some of the photos I took at my photography class last week - see above and below. It was so worthwhile, I actually feel like I almost know what I'm doing! I've had to wait for my new macro lens to arrive so wasn't able to put my new found skills into practice yet, but hope to start updating all my photos this week. Quite a job - just hope I can get the same results at home....

Mia Earrings

Danger - Unqualified Person In Charge

2011-05-12T11:12:00.000+01:00

Anyone else still feel like they’re trying to catch up with themselves after the bank holidays? I think for me it’s because Mondays are Nursery Days, so if nursery is closed, that’s pretty much a third of my working week blown out of the water. (Not counting the odd hours grabbed here and there around Baby E’s naps and bedtime).

Silvered Pebbles Lampwork Bead Set

Hopefully I’m getting back on track, but I did manage to throw a spanner in the works this week by treating myself to a new camera which I then discovered I’m incapable of operating. My photos are in real need of improvement, and although I love my little Nokia Coolpix compact camera, I decided it was time to invest in a digital SLR so I could have more control over the image settings. After some obsessive online research I settled on a Nikon D5000 – they’re being discontinued so I didn’t have to mortgage the house for it, and it seemed a good option as a first venture into the world of SLR photography.

Anyway, it turns out these things are a whole lot more complicated than I bargained for, so after a couple of days ~~wasted~~ spent trying to figure it out, I’ve booked myself a day’s tuition with someone who knows what they’re doing. Really looking forward to it. So watch this space for some vast improvement in my product photography. I hope.

Cloud Nine Lampwork Set

In amongst all this fruitless activity, I did manage to make a few beads. I was in the mood for soft, beachy pebbles. Can you tell I’m looking forward to my holidays? They all be in my Etsy shop soon – photos courtesy of my trusty Coolpix which has sellotape holding the battery in.

Sea and Sand Lampwork Set

Bugs, BBQs and Beads

2011-05-02T12:53:00.000+01:00

Hello all, hope you're enjoying another long weekend - could get used to this couldn't we?! Mine didn't quite pan out as planned unfortunately. I came down with some sort of stomach bug so was in bed and missed the royal wedding (lovely frock though Kate, well done there), and wasn't fit for the event I was supposed to be working at on Saturday. First time I've ever had to cancel a stall at late notice and feel rotten about it.

Cherry Paint Lampwork Bead Set

Thankfully I'd recovered enough to have family over for a BBQ yesterday so have salvaged something out of the weekend. My sis was up with her family and with me being ill, yesterday was my only chance to see her before they headed back down south. Gutted! Best laid plans and all that....

In amongst all that, I have listed a couple of sets of beads. Hope to be at the torch this week so should be more coming soon....

Softly Blues Lampwork Bead Set

Sundance, Here I Come

2011-04-16T08:30:00.000+01:00

When I'm exhibiting at craft fairs and markets, I'll often say to (potential) customers "I make the beads myself", only to be met with a blank or bemused stare. Not wishing to labour the point (and being a crap salesperson), that can sometimes be where the conversation ends. Which is unfortunate.

In an effort to avoid this, for some time I've been planning to film a short video of myself (or rather, my hands - I'm camera shy as you may have noticed) making a bead, and run it on a digital frame on the stall. Hopefully it will provide a point of interest and get the message across a little better than I seem to.

Having finally invested in a video camera, I set forth to create my masterpiece, intending to have it ready for the event I'm doing this Sunday. I thought the most difficult part would be getting the right angle at which to film, without either blocking the view of the bead with my hand or setting fire to the camera. Ha! If only. That was the easy bit. I spent the best part of 2 hours today attempting to edit the film in various software packages and them downloading a load more in an effort to get it into a format which will actually play on my shiny new digital frame. Complete nightmare. I had no idea that it takes 3 and a half weeks to save a 9 minute film.

My hands. My elbow.

As things stand at the moment, I have established which software will actually work, and have a new respect for people on YouTube. If I can get round to redoing all my lovely little captions in said software and buy a memory stick that the damn thing fits on, I will hopefully be able to have it running at Sunday's Charity Craft and Vintage Fair at The Moor Suite in Heaton Moor. More details on my website. Please come and see it - it's for a very good cause and my little film needs an audience :).

Pretty Fritties

2011-04-12T20:01:00.000+01:00

I went to the Flame Off at Towcester Racecourse last weekend, and apart from having to escape an utterly horrible hotel (less said about that the better; I don't want to be sued) had a lovely time. Shopping mainly! Managed to retain some self control (and fail to find most of the things that were actually on my list) but went a bit mad when it came to buying frit.

Tropics Lampwork Bead Set

For those of you who aren't familiar with the lampworking lingo, frit is little bits of coloured glass (kind of like pretty grit!) which you can use in a multitude of ways to decorate your beads. Fantastic stuff. The fact that it comes in dinky little pots only adds to its appeal for me :).

I have been having a play with my purchases and first up are these 2 sets. In my Etsy shop now!

Raspberry Beret Lampwork Set

Madame, What Lovely Nuggets You've Got

2011-04-07T12:20:00.000+01:00

That's what people will be saying when they spy this week's new beads in my Etsy shop. Two really pretty spring-like sets of nugget beads.

Cherry Blossom Lampwork Bead Set

I love making nuggets. There's something immensely satisfying about making a lovely round bead and then squishing it into shape with a marver to get these little light-catching shapes. Hope you like them!

Orange Blossom Lampwork Bead Set

How Ace Is This?!

2011-04-01T19:46:00.000+01:00

It's my in-laws' Golden Wedding anniversary on Sunday, and working on the (pretty safe) assumption that they don't read my blog, I wanted to show you something I ordered off Folksy last week.

Fab plaque - Kristi-Krafts
Rubbish picture - Me in my kitchen

They're having a bit of a knees up in the village pub, and we're putting up wedding photos and other decorations, but I think the star of the show will be this wooden plaque by Kristi-Krafts. I'm sure my in-laws would cheerfully admit their relationship owes more to Jack & Vera than Romeo & Juliet, which is what made being able to choose our own names so good - I resisted the temptation to put Fred & Rose as it may have been seen as rather poor taste...

A special thank you is due to Kristi for brill customer service. I was very late getting myself organised to order it and she turned it around in super-quick time. You don't get service like that on the high street now do you? Hooray for handmade!

Aid For Japan

2011-03-29T19:48:00.000+01:00

Time to go shopping peeps! Mel from Kookie Designs has been hard at work pulling together a fantastic selection of goodies donated by some really talented artists (and me!), to raise money for the Oxfam Japan Appeal. She's hosting an auction of fabulous jewellery, lampwork and other handcrafted goods here RIGHT NOW so please please take a look at what's on offer.

My personal favourites include this gorgeous pendant by Seaurchin (which just so happens to be in a lot with a pendant donated by yours truly)...

I also love love LOVE this lampwork bead by Sublime Beads - how stunning is this? Wow.

The auction is live now and running until 8 p.m. on Monday. All the money raised goes to Oxfam so please dig deep and bid on whatever takes your fancy, and blog about the auction, post about it on Facebook and generally harrass your friends and family. Ta very muchly xx

A Bit Late Notice, But.....

2011-03-26T19:58:00.000Z

I'm at the Broadstone Mill Craft and Vintage Sunday tomorrow so come along! If last month was anything to go by, you'll find fab shopping, a lovely atmosphere and cupcakes to die for.... what's not to like?

Flash Sale! 20% Off Everything!

2011-03-24T19:43:00.000Z

Hello my lovelies, just popping in to tell you that in honour of Mothers Day you can get 20% off everything in my jewellery website with discount code MUM2011. The code also works on my Etsy jewellery shop, but Folksy doesn't have that functionality yet, so sorry Folksters. Ends Saturday, whenever I get chance to switch it off :).

Lakes and Mountains

2011-03-18T12:43:00.001Z

I've been making some more etched focal beads and these 4 are all being listed on Etsy a.s.a.p. This shape is great for long pendants as it hangs so beautifully. The little spacer beads are handy if you want matching earrings.

Lampwork Focals

I love the earthy shades which make me think of land and water, so thought I'd name them after places in the lovely Lake District. Should keep me going for a while! Have a lovely weekend all! xx

Sea Glass

2011-03-11T12:15:00.000Z

Coast Lampwork Glass Focal Bead

Here are the piccys of the new beads as promised.... just got the Sea Green set still to list this evening. Whenever summer is on the horizon (we hope!) I want to make sea and sand themed jewellery with shells and starfish etc, and it seems that that's also the case when it comes to making beads.

Silvered Green Lampwork Bead Set

I've been drawn to soft greens and sandy ivory. Getting a bit ahead of myself perhaps as it's still freezing every bloomin night - perhaps these are a more realistic colour. Stormy greys and blues! Have a lovely weekend all xx

Spirit Lampwork Glass Bead Set

Colour Clash

2011-03-09T19:33:00.001Z

Paintbox Lampwork Glass Bead Set

Just popping in to say hello, I'm still here! Baby E is fully recovered but I've had some sort of bug myself so have been less than productive. Had a good session at the torch this morning though so should have new beads to list from tomorrow if the weather is bright enough for photos.

Made the beads above when I needed a lift - lots of lovely clashing brights, not my usual style. Do you think it's the toddler effect?!

When Lurgy Strikes...

2011-02-28T09:48:00.001Z

Have a very poorly Baby E on my hands at the moment. She's picked up one of those nasty tummy bug viruses that are doing the rounds and has been unable to keep anything down all weekend, poor thing. All a bit unnerving as a first time parent - this is the first time she's had anything other than a cold or teething trouble so when you think about it, we've been really lucky! She had a bit of toast and milk this morning that has yet to make a reappearance though, so fingers crossed she's on the mend.

Silver Sea Lentil Set

I left N pinned to the sofa with thoroughly miserable Baby E and a non-stop Postman Pat marathon on Sunday, and went to show my wares at the rather fab Broadstone Mill Craft and Vintage Sunday. I'd never been to Broadstone Mill before - it's a huge converted cotton mill, housing an art gallery and cafe, and lots of artists studios. Really enjoyed the day, met some lovely people and hope to do the next one - it's on the last Sunday of the month and well worth a visit, if only for the amazing cupcakes on sale :).

Petal Pinks Lampwork Bead Set

Not sure how much I'll get done this week as I don't know when Baby E will be fit for nursery again, but the pics are a little taster of the beadies that will be coming online this week.....

Honey Drops Lampwork Bead Set

Craft & Vintage Sunday at Broadstone Mill

2011-02-24T18:58:00.000Z

Lampwork Glass Pendants

It's my first event of the year on Sunday so have been busy making some new jewellery to display today, including these simple pendants. Apologies for the dodgy photo, it was taken as I was dashing out the door to pick Baby E up from nursery and is a fine example of why you shouldn't take photos in direct sunlight. At least we had some sun today though!

Being held at Broadstone Mill, a regenerated cotton mill in Stockport, there's going to be jewellery, ceramics, cards, fabric and textile creations, accessories, art and curios, fabulous vintage threads and more.... Also at the fair will be a free customising workshop where you can give old clothes and bags a new lease of life. Wonder if they can do the same with people? Could do with a facelift myself.

Full details on their Facebook page here so come and say hello!

Not So Heavy Metal

2011-02-19T20:10:00.000Z

Did I mention I recently upgraded my torch? My trusty little hothead was a brilliant torch on which to learn, but it was time to move on and a rare opportunity came up to get a second hand Nortel Minor and oxycon. So I'm now playing with much hotter fire (thank you Caroline!) and still getting to grips with it really. Nearly took the wall off my lovely new improved shed the first time I lit the torch - seems you only need to turn it on the teeniest bit.

Carousel Bead Set

Having only recently got to grips with the drool-worthy Double Helix silvered glass on my hothead, I was somewhat gutted to discover that on my Minor I could only manage to make sludge beads with it. However, after much lurking about on the trusty Frit-Happens forum, I seem to have got the hang of it again.

Mirror Mirror Bead Set

These metallic pretties are available in my Etsy shop now. But I'll happily keep them :).

Craft in the Cotswolds

2011-02-18T14:27:00.000Z

Hello peeps, I'm back after a lovely week away in the Cotswolds - once you have kids, it seems that a week's holiday in the UK in February becomes a splendid idea. Anything to avoid getting on a plane.

As it turned out, it was a good idea and we had a really lovely week, despite the weather. We stayed in a great little cottage, with a dishwasher (bliss!), no internet access (the only way the self-employed can be trusted to take a holiday) and Baby E slept OK in the travel cot. Result! Our bed was the smallest double I've ever seen, but that's all I'm going to say about that.

I forgot my camera, otherwise I'd be able to show you lots of lovely photos of pretty, snowdrop covered Cotswold villages. Instead, I'm going to share with you my 2 top handmade finds of the week.

By chance we stumbled upon the Craftsmans Market in Cirencester, and I have to admit to stallholder envy - I'd love a regular event of that standard near me! Loads of great quality craft stalls, and on twice a month. I bought a very cute little dress for Baby E from Kit4Kidz, and had a quick chat with fellow lampworker Fiona Sands, who had a stall brimming with beautiful beaded jewellery. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

We also went for a nosy around the New Brewery Arts centre. An art gallery, craft shop and cafe, with maker's studios on site, this is a fantastic little place. Still on a glassy theme, we watched Loco Glass Glassblowers at work and I just managed to resist blowing all my savings on the gorgeous glass baubles and other goodies they had there. My little torch suddenly seemed very tame....

Sorry again for the lack of photos, but if you're ever in the Cotswolds, go see for yourself! Here's a piccy of a new bracelet on my site instead :).

Splish Splash Lampwork Bracelet

Holiday Closing Dates & Free Gift Wrap Code

2011-02-02T19:55:00.000Z

I can only apologise for the shockingly late notice of this, but I am, as usual, chasing my tail this week. I'm taking a break (just before Valentine's Day, how's that for timing?!) and will be on holiday for a week from this Friday. My main website and Eva Bean Beads will still be open, but orders placed after Thursday 3rd February won't be dispatched until Monday 14th February. My Folksy and Etsy jewellery shops will be closed for the week.

Still Waters Lampwork Earrings

As an extra little incentive to order your loved one something gorgeous before I close, any orders placed before Friday 4th February are eligible for free gift wrapping. Simply add your gift wrapping preference to your cart as normal, and enter code VALWRAP1 at checkout.

Angelfish Lampwork Necklace

Now I'm An International Textile Trader

2011-01-26T19:13:00.000Z

The eagle-eyed amongst you may have spotted some new additions to my Eva Bean and Folksy shops. I'm selling packs of jewellery pouches.

As a rule, I like to send my jewellery to its new home in a lovely soft, thick pouch. Boxes are bulky and not great for day to day storage and I think a nice pouch adds a touch of luxury and gives it a soft place to live*. This wasn't a problem until my usual supplier downgraded the fabric they were using and I ended up with stiff, cheap looking packaging. Not good. Endless trawling of the internet failed to unearth anything up to standard, so in the end I had them manufactured myself, to my own specification.

I'm chuffed to bits with the result, but due to minimum order requirements, I'm now the proud owner of approximately three billion jewellery pouches. Even on my most optimistic of days, I'd be pushing it to imagine I can use them all myself, so I'm offering the surplus up for sale to you lucky lot.

They're currently available in packs of 10, 20, 50 or 100, but I'll make up any size on request. As I said, they're very good quality so won't be the cheapest on the market, but I've not done this with profit in mind so if you buy in decent quantities you're pretty much getting them at cost. A sample pack of one of each size (small and medium/large) is also available. Hope they are of use to some of you!

*I should point out that the best way to prevent tarnish is by storing it in resealable plastic bags. Doesn't look great on the dressing table though.

New Website!

2011-01-21T16:58:00.001Z

After much planning, typing and several glasses of wine, I'm pleased to announce my new website is now live and unleashed! As these things always are, it's still a work in progress, but do take a look and let me know what you think. There is plenty more new stock still to be added (the shops look a bit empty!), but some new items are already on there, like these earrings:

Lavender Swirl Lampwork Earrings

I really hope you like the site - if you do, tell your friends (there's a Facebook tag at the bottom of the homepage) and don't be afraid to tell me about any typos or other mistakes!

Hankering For Spring

2011-01-11T14:04:00.000Z

We're well into the New Year now, and if you're anything like me, you'll be fed up with the cold and gloom and longing for spring. Almost before the Christmas tree is out the door I'm in the mood for tulips and snowdrops, so the new beads I have for you this week are right on that theme.

Daffodil Lampwork Bead Set

Yellow is top of the list for spring colours, so although it's not a colour I generally use a lot of, these daffodil inspired beadies should brighten things up for someone.

Purpley blue crocuses were the thinking behind this set - I love the way the colours have blended together. Both sets are on a base of clear, with clear over the top to give them additional depth.

Crocus Lampwork Bead Set

Both are available in my Etsy shop, which now has all listings in sterling.

New Year, New Beadies!

2011-01-06T14:07:00.000Z

Happy New Year! A little late with that greeting, but nevermind. I'm in my usual January state with a head full of plans that involve a clean and tidy house and getting lots of work done. Now Baby E is starting nursery it might actually happen, although the amount of things I'm intending to achieve in those 2 mornings a week may be a little ambitious.....

Something which should help me out hugely is the fact that I have finally FINALLY got my workshop sorted out. The insulation has been completed (still have a very draughty door though), new workbenches installed (one for lampwork and one for jewellery), extractor fan installed (no more gassing myself!) and storage built. Just have to cut down a load of vinyl tubing to store my glass in and I'll be sorted. Once I've done that I'll post some piccys. It's great to be able to finally get all my jewellery making tools and materials out of the house and have a designated spot for them again away from tiny fingers.

Rain Lampwork Glass Set

So I have of course been having a play in my new improved den, and have listed a couple of bead sets on Etsy this week. The ones above were made using some gorgeous new frit that I currently want to put on everything, and these below were made using silver loaded glass. Each one came out different, but I think they still work well as a set.

Neptune Lampwork Bead Set

I have some more spring-themed beads ready, but having trouble getting pics of them as there's never enough light when I'm free to do it, but they're on their way!

It's Etsy Sale Time....

2010-12-30T19:25:00.000Z

Hello again! Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas break. We're now home after spending time with family, attempting to enjoy a bit of time off despite Baby E being poorly & miserable. With the installation of a humidifier in her bedroom, I'm hoping she'll stop coughing long enough to finally get a decent night's sleep - otherwise I'll be hunting down Argos product review writers and demanding to know why not. At least the snow has gone....

Husband excelled himself with the pressies this year, and I'm now the proud owner of an iPod nano (perfect now I'm re-enrolled at the gym) and Flame-Off tickets! Yey! For those not in the know, the Flame-Off is the annual gathering of lampworkers & glass addicts, where I intend to have a play with the 'grown-up' torches and probably spend a fortune. My mum is coming with me, and I'm a little bit concerned that as a non-lampworker she might be a bit bored. Can anyone put my mind at rest?

Whispers Lampwork Necklace - just £20 with code JANSALE2011

As the clever peeps at Etsy gave us sellers the ability to set up discount codes, that's where I'm kicking off my end of season sale. If you use the code JANSALE2011 against any purchase you will save a nice fat 20%. I'd also be happy to do a 20% refund on Folksy or website purchases if you send a note requesting this whilst the Etsy sale is still on.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year, and a lovely evening tomorrow. We can't go out of course (our babysitters have their own lives unfortunately), but I'm looking forward to not having a repeat of last New Years Eve, when the first thing I had to do after midnight struck was breastfeed. Bring on the vino :). C xx

Wishing You....

2010-12-22T19:07:00.000Z

Image from the fabulous Graphics Fairy!

....a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I'm sorry to have neglected my blog recently - the usual Christmas madness (work related and otherwise) has meant there just aren't enough hours in the day, and I can't believe it's almost Christmas.

I've got lots of exciting things brewing, not least finally getting my ~~shed~~ workshop finished. I had new worktops delivered yesterday, and courtesy of a local handyman I shall have the insulation finished, new worktops installed (one for jewellery, one for lampwork, yey!), extractor fan up and running, and new seating, storage and a blind at the window :). Can't wait to get organised and get my work stuff out of the house and away from little fingers (and mouths).

The little fingers in question, and the little person attached to them, will be going to nursery a couple of mornings a week from the New Year so I can get more work done. She's been having some 'settling in' sessions and is having such a fab time there it's almost embarrassing - the nursery staff must think something's lacking at home. I currently still feel like I've misplaced a limb somewhere after I drop her off but am sooo looking forward to being able to get some structure back to work and working less in the evenings and weekends.

Last but not least I have plans in the pipeline for my website, which is in dire need of an overhaul. More of that in 2011...

Anyway, whatever you're doing over the Christmas break, have a lovely time, keep warm, and I'll see you in the New Year! Love C xxx

Having Another Giveaway!

2010-12-06T19:56:00.000Z

Murano Heart Charm Pendant - Dark Amethyst

I figured there's just enough time for another giveaway before Christmas so hop on over to my Facebook page to be in with a chance of winning a lovely little Murano Heart Charm Pendant.

These and the matching bracelets make brilliant gifts cos pretty much everyone likes them, so if you want to be absolutely sure of getting one, there are still some in stock on my website here.

Last Posting Dates For Christmas

2010-11-30T19:24:00.000Z

Silvered Acorn Lampwork Glass Necklace

Hope everyone is keeping warm... I think I live in about the last place in the country to be pretty much snow free. An icing sugar dusting is about all we've had so far, and as far as I'm concerned it can stay that way! Bloomin' cold though. Baby E has gone on nap-strike this week with her usual impeccable timing, so I'm a bit behind with my admin type stuff, although orders are of course going out next working day - that's something I can do whilst she's awake!

Just wanted to make you aware of my last order dates for Christmas delivery.....

UK Delivery - Friday 17th December
Western Europe - Friday 11th December
Eastern Europe, USA & Canada - Wednesday 8th December
All other destinations - Friday 3rd December

Don't forget that delivery in the UK is completely free! Stay in the warm and do your Christmas shopping online, that's what the smart peeps are doing :).

Black Friday Promo!

2010-11-26T10:28:00.000Z

Vanilla Toast Lampwork Bead Set

Right now you can get 15% off all beads in my lampwork bead shop with coupon BLACKFRIDAY1 - valid until Monday.

On the jewellery side of things, I'll be at Altrincham Market tomorrow for the Christmas lights switch on. Come and say hello!

Silvered Glass Bracelets

2010-11-25T15:38:00.000Z

I recently ventured into the world of Double Helix glass after deciding to treat myself to some of this gorgeous stuff with some birthday money. This pricey 'posh' glass has a high silver content which reacts in the flame to fabulous effect - if you can get it right! My little lampwork torch is a hothead, which can be tricky with some of this glass, but after a bit of playing around I made some beads that I'm really pleased with.

Peacock Silvered Glass Bracelet

This bracelet has lovely blues and greens like oil or petrol on water and is so comfortable to wear.

The second batch of beads resulted in these metallic beads - I love these, they remind me of molten metal. Both these bracelets are available in my shop here. They're one offs, and there's no guarantee I'll manage to get the same effects again, so if you want one, grab it now!

Mercury Silvered Glass Bracelet

Tomorrow's Event - Warrington Vintage Christmas Fair

2010-11-19T09:39:00.000Z

Just a quick post to tell you about the fair I'm attending tomorrow. It's the Vintage Christmas Fair in Warrington's award winning indoor market, and should be a great day. There's going to be classic vintage clothing & accessories, retro products for your home as well as hand made crafts and gifts for Christmas.

In addition, Radio Warrington will be attendance playing some great music from years gone by, and there'll also be a selection of classic/vintage vehicles outside the market throughout the day. I've never done an event like this before so am not sure what to expect, but it's been well advertised and featured on Granada TV, so there should be a good turn out!

Come long if you can make it, and I'll give a 10% discount on purchases on the day to anyone who tells me you've read my blog! xx

New Line - Personalised Charm Beads

2010-11-15T07:27:00.003Z

Charm Beads

A very close friend of mine has a Pandora-style bracelet, so for her birthday I made her a glass silver cored bead (more of that another day!) and these 2 precious metal clay beads with her daughters' names stamped on them. I was really pleased with how they came out, so have decided to offer personalised beads for sale, to order in my Etsy shop.

They have an inner diameter of about 6.5 mm, so should fit all the bead systems (let me know if this isn't the case!). Just testing the water for now, but will put them on Folksy too if they prove popular....

More Shimmer & Twinkle

2010-11-12T15:09:00.000Z

It goes without saying that I couldn't restrict the sparkly theme to jewellery, oh no..... I got my hands on some goldstone so have been merrily adding a bit of sparkle to my glass as well. First up are these sleek simple beads with a subtle gold band around the middle. They're not aiming for big bling, just a classy little glimmer when they catch the light....

Winter Berry & Midnight Bead Sets

For sparkle with a bit more punch I have these Golden Nuggets. I love these, they've got little pots of gold in them! Perfect for Christmas, but I think they'd look great with a tan in the summer as well. Not that I've ever had a tan, so what would I know...

Golden Nugget Lampwork Bead Set

Last but not least I'll be listing these beauties tomorrow. They have the most delicate little sparkle to them on a really pretty base under clear, giving them a lovely soft finish. Glitter for grown-ups. Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Angel Dust Lampwork Bead Set - coming soon!

Time To Sparkle

2010-11-11T14:27:00.000Z

That time of year is approaching and I'm starting to get that festive feeling so I thought I'd have a dig through my bead box and see what was in there which had a bit of sparkle. Many handmade headpins and pretty little crystals later, this was the result.

Sparkle & Pearls Bracelet - Black

I really enjoyed making these - I haven't made this style of bracelet in quite some time and it was fun to see the pattern and weight build up as more pearls and crystals were added. Hopefully they'll make the perfect finishing touch to someone's party dress this Christmas. Available on my website here.

Sparkle & Pearls Bracelet - Amber

Reminder!

2010-10-29T19:24:00.000+01:00

Art and Craft Fair at the Horse and Jockey, Chorlton, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday). Yey!

New Beads!

2010-10-27T10:44:00.003+01:00

A quick post-and-run to show you piccys of new beads I have in/coming soon in the shop. Hope you like 'em!

Tiger Nugget Beads

Snowy Mountain Nugget Beads

Witchery Bead Set - coming soon!

Happy Birthday Baby E

2010-10-21T14:25:00.000+01:00

Can't quite believe it, but my baby girl turned one yesterday. What a year! Feels very strange and a little sad to think she's one already - I can't quite get my head around it. If I'm like this now, what am I going to do when she's two? Or ten?!

Think she had a lovely day though. I made a cake, of which I'm very proud (I haven't made many cakes in my time), and will still probably be eating next year, and she got some great pressies. I should warn my customers however that orders from now on will be dispatched to the village post box by trike. So apologies in advance for any delays :).

Selection Box

2010-10-11T14:45:00.000+01:00

Just a quick post for the bead watchers... as I haven't had much torch time recently I thought it was as good a time as any to have a rummage through my bead box and put together some strings of orphan beads to go to a new home. They are mainly one-offs, extras from sets or test beads - they're not seconds. The 3 strings photographed (including silver plated spacers) will go into my Etsy shop this week priced at about £10 each, so if you want to grab a bargain keep an eye out for them. As always, drop me a quick email to reserve any of these beads.

New Beadies!

2010-10-08T19:57:00.000+01:00

It may seem as though I've been neglecting the lampwork side of things lately, but I haven't really. It's just that I've been keeping the beads and making jewellery with them myself :). I'm going to be very pushed for time over the next couple of weeks though (even more than normal) as Husband is working on the weekend (very inconsiderate) so things may be a little slow as far as new beads go.

In the meantime, to keep you ~~interested~~ going, I've listed 3 new sets this week (I think - one day is blurring into another at the mo and it has nothing to do with wild parties unfortunately) so thought I would share piccys on my blog. Lots of lovely lilacs and greys. Have a great weekend one and all xx

Lavender Berry Lampwork Bead Set

Quiet Storm Lampwork Bead Set

Silver Sheen Lampwork Bead Set

By Jove, It Worked! Silvered Acorns...

2010-10-06T15:16:00.000+01:00

I'm very proud to introduce my new Silvered Acorn Necklace - hopefully the first of many! This is something I've had in my head since autumn first approached, but I wasn't sure whether it would work or not. It's a fine silver acorn cup handmade with precious metal clay, sitting atop a lampwork glass acorn filled with shades of amethyst, purple and olive.

It's a simple idea but I was worried I wouldn't be able to make a lampwork bread just the right size to fit the cup so I'm thrilled it's come together. Assuming it isn't a fluke (!), if they prove popular I plan to make a range of these using different glass colours and patterns in each one. If you want this one, it's available on my website now.

I also have a couple of other new lampwork necklaces online, this one in lovely heather shades:

Moorland Lampwork Necklace

and this in my favourite olive green. Hope you like them!

Olive Glaze Lampwork Necklace

Whole Lot Of Love

2010-10-02T13:31:00.000+01:00

Big Love Murano Necklace

Not so long ago I was asked to do a commission using my favourite Murano glass, and ordered a large deep amethyst Murano glass heart to use as a focal bead in the necklace. You'd think that by now I would be able to correctly translate website measurements to bead sizes (particularly as I have to measure my own), but it seems I still haven't got the hang of it. I'd ordered an absolute whopper that was far too big for the design. The commission was completed using a smaller bead, so I was in the happy position of having an stunning great chunk of Murano glass to do with what I wished.

I'm a firm believer in keeping it simple when it comes to these beautiful heart beads, whatever their size, so have just teamed it with 6 coordinating round beads and a long, strong sterling silver chain. This would look amazing with a little black dress, and the weight from the glass makes it feel quite decadent. In fact, I should include a disclaimer for injuries to passersby in case the wearer spins around too quickly.

Anyway, it's on my website now, and I hope someone suitably glamorous gives it a good home!

Art and Crafts at the Horse and Jockey, Chorlton

2010-09-24T19:11:00.001+01:00

Just popping in quickly to remind you that it's the last Saturday of the month tomorrow so I'll be at the Art and Crafts Market at the Horse and Jockey in Chorlton. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. And if lots of lovely crafts aren't enough to tempt you, then they are also holding a beer festival this weekend :). What other craft fair can offer that? Shame I'll be driving. Although if it was a wine festival I think I'd be getting Husband to collect me.

I've have some new jewellery on the table, and if you tell me you read my blog, I'll give you 10% off. Cos I'm nice like that. Have a lovely weekend!

P.S. There are a few new beadies in my Etsy shop that I haven't had time to blog about if you'd like a little look....

Endora Lampwork Set

Having A Blue Peter Moment

2010-09-22T14:16:00.000+01:00

Whenever I do a craft fair or market, I'm never 100% happy with my display. It has evolved over the years to facilitate quicker set-up and fewer trips to the car, and in its current form can be fitted into two large plastic tubs - with the exception of a chrome mug tree that I hang lampwork bead sets off, which doesn't fit anywhere so goes in a bag with my lunch :P.

My latest niggle has been with how I display bracelets. I don't like them just laid out on the table, so have been displaying them in gift boxes. This takes up a lot of space though, and I suspect it puts people off from handling the jewellery (and realising they absolutely have to have it). So I decided to set about making a curved display to drape them (artfully) over, and this is the result.

Gemstone Bracelets

Apologies for the appalling photo quality, but hopefully you can see it OK. I was planning to use a piece of plastic guttering but that would have involved a hack saw and a lot of cobwebs so went for the baby formula tin option instead.Chopped it in half, covered it with velvet (to match my tablecloth) et voila: one lightweight, stackable, cheap as chips bracelet display.

What do you think? Would love to hear what other people use - am always on the look out for new ideas.....

Having A Giveaway!

2010-09-20T14:58:00.001+01:00

Torch time has been severely limited recently, so as I have a chaotic jumble of half finished jewellery and very little in the way of new beads to show you, I thought I'd have a little giveaway instead. I'm pretty useless at using Facebook - on a personal level it makes me cringe and I'd rather send a text or email thanks very much, but it is a handy tool for letting people know about CeeGee Jewellery news. So I'm running the giveaway on the CeeGee Jewellery Facebook page, found at http://www.facebook.com/CeeGeeJewelleryDesign - please pop in and have a look!

Mixed Nugget Trio

I've been working mainly on commissions this weekend, but did manage to make these too. Just listed in my Etsy shop....

I Love Purple

2010-09-08T16:23:00.000+01:00

'Nuff said :).

Violet Femmes Lampwork Glass Bead Set

Purple Daisy Lampwork Pendant

Still Here!

2010-09-06T10:21:00.004+01:00

Patterned Silver and Lampwork Glass Bracelet

I've been very slack when it comes to updating my blog recently, but I do have a good ~~excuse~~ reason. I've been trying to get my new season stock photographed and onto my website, a process which has been hampered by Baby E deciding that actually, she doesn't need a nap every morning. (She so does though).

Night Sky Lampwork Earrings

I'm not there yet, but I've managed to get a few things up and will have more this week hopefully, so please click on the links to take a look and I hope you like what you see. x

Impressionist Splash Lampwork Pendant

Bank Holiday Bonanza

2010-08-26T13:25:00.001+01:00

I think it's the last Bank Holiday until Christmas.... a depressing thought, as despite being self-employed and therefore theoretically untouched by such things, having Husband roaming about the place is nice, and sometimes quite useful.

So I thought I'd mark the occasion by offering free international shipping on all items in my Etsy lampwork shop for this weekend only, starting now. Offer closes midnight Monday (or whenever I manage to get to the laptop on Tuesday morning) so don't hang about!

Silvered Mink Lampwork Glass Bead Set

I still have my end of season sale running on my jewellery website here for a few more days, and last but not least, don't forget it's the last Saturday of the month this week so I'll be at the Art & Craft Fair at the Horse and Jockey - full details on their Facebook page here.

I'm Having A Sale!

2010-08-18T09:42:00.001+01:00

To make room for some new autumn stock I'm having a bit of a clear out and have put some whopping great discounts on some items. Here's a little taster of a couple of these, but do have a look at my shiny new sale page on my website here, and keep an eye on it whilst I add a few more items over the next few days.

Rock Pool Lampwork Bracelet - now £22.99

Seychelles Lampwork Pendant - now £15.99

New Treasuries

2010-08-17T18:43:00.000+01:00

Just a quick note to show you a couple of beautiful Etsy treasuries that feature my beads...

Color of Rain

This isn't in black and white believe it or not, it's just made up of lovely soft shades of grey. The other one is perfect peach shades - not a colour I would usually go for but it's been used by a fellow lampwork artist to great effect here. I'm very chuffed she chose my lampwork cos I've had a nosey in her shop and her beads are beautiful :).

Sweet Peach for the Summer

Click on the links for a better look....

A Lost Weekend

2010-08-16T09:19:00.000+01:00

On Friday night my Mum and Dad came over to babysit and N and I went out on our own for the evening for the first time since Baby E was born. Had a really lovely evening - dinner at Loch Fyne (where we were served by a frighteningly youthful waiter who made me feel ancient) and then drinks at some of our old Knutsford haunts. Great night (and we even managed to talk about none baby-related stuff!), but blimey I felt rough on Saturday.

What with pregnancy, breastfeeding and general parenthood (not to mention a 6 p.m. baby-induced curfew), it's a long long time since I had a hangover and I'm sure they never felt that bad. I can only conclude that I can no longer take the pace and it's time to start nursing spritzers or alternating alcoholic drinks with soft drinks like all the magazines tell you to. Which, let's face it, is never going to happen. So it's probably a good thing I only go out now once in a blue moon.

As I was no good for anything on Saturday, I only have 2 new sets of beads to list this week (the shame!). These silvered beadies will be in my Etsy shop today or tomorrow, so please pop in and take a look :) xx

Changing Seasons

2010-08-10T10:30:00.000+01:00

September is looming large and I thought it was about time I got my act together and started thinking autumn. Jewellery making means I always find myself thinking at least one season ahead of time, but with the crummy weather we've been having Up North recently (alongside the traditional summer hosepipe ban of course), this hasn't been difficult.

Ambertones Lampwork Glass Bead Set

So it's time to stock up on gorgeous reds, golds, purples and all the luscious colours of autumn. I thought I'd kick things off with this set of lentils. When I made them I was intending to etch them like my Burnt Sugar beads from a few weeks ago, but when they came out of the kiln they looked so silver and shiny I decided to leave them as they are for now and etch them on request. You can find them in my Etsy shop.

The New Day of Rest

2010-08-04T14:33:00.000+01:00

Just a sneak preview of this week's beads for you. There are only 4 new sets, as I've rejigged my work schedule about and am no longer working Sundays, which will inevitably mean less torch time. Much as I love my job, cramming it in around Baby E's naps plus evenings and weekends meant I was never actually switching off and having a day away from it. So for the sake of my sanity (and my family's), I now do no jewellery making, bead-making, website updating, admin or anything else work related on a Sunday. Which is rather lovely.

So, back to the new beads. The miserable weather we've been having has led to me making rather a lot of blues and greys and I thought my shop needed brightening up. So here we have some bright red beads listed this morning:

Lollipop Lampwork Bead Set

and these 3 sets will all be listed over the next 24 hours. Hope you like them!

Market Reminder

2010-07-30T16:29:00.001+01:00

Just a quick reminder of this month's Art and Craft Fair at the Horse and Jockey in Chorlton. There's a new time for the market now with it running from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., as we were having quite a few people turning up when we were packing away, but not so many early on.

We're running a promotion with the bar this month, so if you buy anything to eat and drink you'll get a voucher entitling you to 10% off at any of the stalls. Got to be worth a look hasn't it? Hopefully see you there!

Most Wanted: The Snail Emporium

2010-07-28T09:35:00.000+01:00

The Snail Emporium

Every so often something catches my eye, and for reasons I don't know myself, I think it's just brilliant. And I want one. Even though I have no use for it. That's what happened when I spotted a very fetching snail named Ermintrude shuffling along the homepage on Folksy.

Ermintrude. Not mine **sniff**

I was instantly smitten. And somewhat gutted to discover just now that she is going to live with someone else. Luckily she has plenty of mates so I think one of them may be destined to live on top of my kiln...

The talent behind these little beauties is Kirsten Miller, a Leeds based ex-lawyer who left the legal profession last year to find a more creative way to earn a living. She found she had a gift for developing clay figures and works with polymer clay to make these fantastic little snails.

Brad

Those of you who frequent Folksy may recognise Kirsten from a recent featured seller piece on her original shop, Quernus Crafts. This is where she makes a variety of little creatures, from cats to horses and pretty much anything else you could want. She welcomes commission requests, and it was a commission for a snail that led to the development of the Snail Emporium. Each Snail has his or her own personality and name, with Kirsten creating a back story for each one.

Cedric

And as for the future, Kirsten says "I will still be focusing on Quernus and continue to develop my range of wee creatures, and I also do a lot of commission work. I've been approached by a number of galleries to exhibit, and I am getting my work out to a number of stockists, as well as selling online. I'm having so much fun with my business, and I want to share that with as many people as possible."

Just don't hang about if you see a snail you like, because as I've discovered to my cost, these snails move pretty damn fast....

The Snail Emporium - Facebook - Folksy - Blog

Shedio Development Part 143

2010-07-21T09:04:00.000+01:00

I haven't had much in the way of new beads available this week for a couple of reasons. I had my first custom order to do (very proud!) and my shed/studio/workshop/whatever has been in a state of chaos in anticipation of new storage. You may remember that the conversion from shed to workshop was started last year, when we got a load of stuff cleared out and part of it insulated. Then Baby E was born and shed decor fell down the priority list somewhat. It's been a perfectly workable space, but I want to get it finished as autumn will be here before we know it, and another winter without insulation and ventilation no more sophisticated than an open door doesn't appeal.

So last night Husband and a very obliging friend-with-a-van headed off to Chester in the peeing rain (sorry lads) to collect a massive metal storage cabinet I'd bought off Fleabay. I'm going to stash all none bead and jewellery related items in it (old tins of paint, gardening equipment - although probably not the tumble dryer :P) and get tidy in anticipation of getting a handyman in to finish things off.

This evening I'll try and get everything tidied up and some new beads hopefully made tomorrow when my Mum comes to look after Baby E for a few hours (thanks Mum!). These are new in the shop though - I think purple and green are a great combo so tried them out on a few dots... Maybe that's the colour I should spray the new cabinet?

Dino Lampwork Bead Set

Raspberry Beret

2010-07-19T09:39:00.001+01:00

Just had to show you a gorgeous treasury that one of my lil' beads has been featured in. How cute is the baby in the hat?! All together now: awwwww! To have a proper look and comment click here.

Zoozii Nugget Press For Sale

2010-07-15T09:34:00.000+01:00

Just letting you know about a press I have for sale on Ebay. For reasons I won't bore you with, I have 2 nugget presses so am selling one of them to buy a lentil press with the proceeds. The lentil press I'm using at the moment was very kindly loaned to me by a member of the Frit Happens Forum and I'm going to have to give it back sooner or later!

Bidding ends next Thursday, so if you're interested you can find it here.

Picture Post

2010-07-14T13:36:00.000+01:00

Lounge Lizard Lampwork Beads

Available in my Etsy shop now. Am really wishing I'd etched these so will be chuffed to bits if their buyer wants them etched so I can see what it looks like!

And a splash of summer colour (despite the rain) in lovely greeny teal.....

Surf's Up Lampwork Beads

Polka Dotty

2010-07-11T18:53:00.000+01:00

I've never really been one for dotty beads. They've never held much appeal and if I'm being completely honest the potential for a last minute error scares me. (Stray glass on the last dot! Aaaargh!). However, if I want to be able to produce gorgeous flower beads (and I so do), then I need to become a master of dottiness.

Polka Blues Lampwork Set

So it was with some trepidation that I set about making some dotty bead sets, but I was pleasantly surprised to find I enjoyed making them. There's something quite relaxing about carefully placing those little blobs of glass and then watching them melt in, so I think dots will become a more regular part of my lampwork.

Miss Piggy Lampwork Set

These are my first dotty offerings, available on Etsy. Hope you like them!

Going Green

2010-07-06T13:39:00.000+01:00

With a little splash of colour in my Etsy lampwork bead shop.....

Vivid Vert Lampwork Focal

Available now. Thanks for looking! xx

Vivid Vert Lampwork Set

New Old Jewellery

2010-07-05T08:30:00.001+01:00

Vintage Long Beaded Chain

Had a rummage through my bead box looking for inspiration and unearthed my last 6 Czech vintage glass beads. These beads are so pretty, and the fact that they're over 60 years old just adds to their appeal. A long elegant necklace was called for I thought, so I've put them with glass pearls and lots of silver chain (sterling of course!) and treated the silver with liver of sulphur to add to the antique look. I hope someone suitably glamorous gives it a good home :).

Petal Print Fine Silver Pendant

Also new on my website is this fine silver pendant. I made this using a mould I took from an etched glass candle holder I've had for years, and I'm really pleased with the result. The uneven finish and oxidisation gives it a lovely worn feel, like it's been handled and loved for years. Fancy making one for myself if I ever get time.

I've made lots of new beads over the weekend so will be back to post more piccys on my blog soon, and will be listing them on my Etsy shop over the next few days so keep a look out!

Speedy Beady Post

2010-06-30T19:37:00.000+01:00

Just a quick post to show you the beads I'll be listing this week. I'm a little late as the pink set have already been listed and sold, but I took the photo so I'm blinkin well going to use it. Lilac Crocodile set on Etsy here, and Aquamarine set to be listed tomorrow....

Market Reminder

2010-06-25T08:36:00.000+01:00

Just a little reminder that the end of the month is nigh, so it's time for the arts and crafts market at the Horse and Jockey in Chorlton. I'll be there on Saturday from 10 until 4 (we're round the back of the pub where the evening restaurant is - just follow the bar!), so pop along if you can and say hello. I'll have some new items that aren't on the website yet like this lampwork bracelet, and a little treat for my customers - but you'll have to come along to see what that is!

Why I Won't Be Flying Anywhere For A While

2010-06-20T15:32:00.005+01:00

Back from a week's hols in sunny Gran Canaria. Baby E was teething, N wasn't well all hols and as a result I'm well and truly knackered! A 4 and a half hour flight with an 8 month old is not an experience I'm in any hurry to repeat. Made much worse by delays caused by the French playing war games over the Bay of Biscay which left us stuck on the tarmac for over an hour before take off (I'm not making this up, honest). I used to mutter about people who took babies on planes, and to the Manchester-bound travellers on Saturday, can only apologise.

Still, I reckon parents on planes would have a much better chance of keeping babes asleep and peaceful if they weren't constantly woken by totally unnecessary announcements from the crew attempting to flog fags, booze, scratchcards, overpriced sandwiches and other things we don't need. Unless I was actually hallucinating by this point, one announcement was to promote 'Twilight' branded lip gloss. I kid you not. Jet2, please put a sock in it.

Anyway, travel horrors aside, the holiday did have its upsides. Baby E took to the pool in her little inflatable seat with gusto, had her first taste of ice cream and charmed the pants off a large percentage of our fellow holidaymakers. (That's a wafer in her hand, not a cigar). The weather was gorgeous and I actually managed to read not one but two books.

So to anyone considering a similar jaunt, I would recommend you keep the flight as short as possible, and go for a fortnight. Because by the time you're getting into the swing of things and your baby is settling into a nice continental routine of long naps and late nights, it's time to come home again on the dreaded flight....

Sea & Surf & Shutting Up Shop

2010-06-07T15:15:00.006+01:00

Got some torch time at the weekend and came away with these 3 sets of beads. I definitely have holidays on the brain as I'm really drawn to blues and greens and sandy colours at the moment.

Emerald Wave Lampwork Bead Set

This is a beautiful green colour - enjoyed giving it a bit of a twist as it's a technique I've only ever botched before! A quick recap from my beady bible (Corina Tettinger's Passing The Flame in case you were wondering) and it worked a treat. Looking forward to doing a lot more with this.

Jetstream Lentil Trio

These 2 sets are really simple but I just love frosted pale blue glass. I added a rich opaque turquoise to make the silvered ivory pop a little more. The lentils are already listed, and the bigger set will be on Etsy as of tomorrow, time permitting!

Jetstream Lampwork Bead Set

Last, but not least, a quick heads up about shop closures. I'm taking a much needed break so will be closing my shops for just over a week from this Friday, and avoiding computers, email and any other electronic communication at all costs. Anything you'd like to have sent to you before 21st June, please place your order by end of day on Thursday. Thank you! xox

Calling Eartha

2010-06-06T11:27:00.003+01:00

Just a quick post to show you a new lampwork pendant I have on my website. It's one of my own lampwork beads and I'm really pleased with the finished piece. I had a little dabble with the liver of sulphur last night to give it an antique effect. Yep, that's how I spend my Saturday nights nowadays. Very sad.

Eartha Lampwork Pendant

Bank Holiday Burbles

2010-06-01T19:12:00.005+01:00

Well another Bank Holiday has whizzed by - blink and you'll miss it. On Saturday I had a great day at the Art and Crafts Fair at the Horse and Jockey on the Green in Chorlton. The fair is a small one held in this luvverly pub on the last Saturday of every month. It's my day to leave Baby E and N to entertain themselves whilst I sell my wares, chat to the other stallholders and enjoy the odd quiet moment to read a book or magazine. This month it was part of the Chorlton Arts Festival so we had a great turnout with lots of interesting people coming for a look. Got home to find daughter and husband having had a fun day - Baby E wearing her top back to front being the only sign that I'd been out....

Cappuccino Lampwork Bead Set

Went to a friend's baby's Christening on the Sunday, and then finally managed to grab a bit of torch time on Monday morning. Didn't get a lot made unfortunately, but have listed the set above on Etsy today. Sometimes it's nice to use really muted colours for a subtle finish and these reminded me of frothy coffee. It wasn't until I was doing the listing that it dawned on me that I didn't know how to spell cappuccino. Which is shocking when you consider how much I used to spend on the stuff when I worked in London.

Last but not least, thanks to everyone who voted or commented on my poll. It was really good to hear what people thought. The name out of the hat was Mel P, so if you email me your postal address Mel, I'll send over a little mixed bag of beads to you.

Forever Blowing Bubbles?

2010-05-25T10:51:00.006+01:00

I have a bit of a dilemma that I'm hoping to get some views on, especially from jewellery designers who buy and use lampwork beads in their work. When making glass beads, particularly encased beads, I sometimes get teeny air bubbles trapped in the glass like in this set that I made at the weekend.

Lily of the Valley Bead Set

As a jewellery designer I don't mind little bubbles. So long as they don't weaken the bead in any way I think they add the interest and individuality that you don't get with mass produced beads. However, I know there are some lampworkers who consider air bubbles to be a fault and confine bubble beads to the seconds pile.

Is this what I should be doing? Are bubbles OK? Should they be pointed out in a listing's text rather than just leaving it to a buyer to spot in the photographs? I'd hate for anyone to be disappointed with what they'd bought, so would be grateful for your views. If you could answer the survey on the right and/or leave a comment I'd really appreciate it. I'll pick out a respondent at random next week and send you a little bag of (bubble free) orphan beads to say thank you :).

Beady Rock

2010-05-19T14:48:00.005+01:00

A combination of lack of time and lack of gas has meant I haven't had much new in the bead shop this week. I was a football widow at the weekend whilst N went to Wembley to see his team win promotion (well done OUFC), so couldn't get out to my ~~shed~~ garden studio. Thought I'd just quickly post piccys of the 2 sets that I've just recently listed on Etsy.

Turquoise Rock Lampwork Bead Set

Plum Rock Lampwork Bead Set

I'd like to do some more like this I think - wonder how long it would take to work my way through the rainbow?

Yep, I Make Jewellery Too....

2010-05-12T20:41:00.006+01:00

You may feel I've been neglecting the jewellery side of things lately with my lampwork bead making and you'd probably be right. I can only apologise - there just aren't enough hours in the day. I have managed to make a couple of new pieces recently though, all with a bit of a beachy theme using my own beads. Can you tell I want to go on holiday?

Tiger Beach Lampwork Bead Bracelet

Seychelles Lampwork Pendant

Sahara Lampwork Bead Bracelet

All of these are one offs and on the lampwork sections of my website right now...

Beads In Store

2010-05-10T19:51:00.005+01:00

Judging by the feeble firing of my beloved torch at the weekend, I'm about to run out of propane so wasn't very productive. So instead of what's coming up, this time here's a quick view of the latest beads I have listed on Etsy:

Sea Foam Lampwork Bead Set

I'm a bit disappointed with how the photos of these came out, hence the shot in the sunshine. I think they look much better in the flesh, a really delicate colour of glass that contrasts well with the silvered ivory waving through the glass.

It was a treat to see these come out of the kiln as it was glass I hadn't used before and they looked a lot darker than I was expecting them to, which resulted in a rich toffee colour. Werthers Originals eat your heart out :).

Toffee and Cream Lampwork Bead Set

Last but not least, you can't go wrong with purpley amethyst glass..... and another sunshine shot to remind myself that the sun does come out on occasion 'cos it's been bloomin freezing today.

Blackberry Ripple Lampwork Bead Set

New Mum Best Buys

2010-05-06T09:21:00.011+01:00

I went to visit one of my oldest friends this week. She's expecting a baby within the next 2 weeks (she hopes!) and it got me thinking about new baby pressies and what our best things were for our baby. I thought I would put together a list of my faves.

There are just too many beautiful baby clothes out there to mention (both handmade and not!) so I'm not going to include them in my list, but non-clothing wise, I think these are my top 5 baby buys:

1) Morrck Baby Hoodie www.Morrck.com

Snug as a bug at 6 weeks old....

This is just brilliant - one of those items that's so simple you can't understand why you didn't invent it yourself. A cosy blanket that has holes to feed through the baby's buggy/seat straps so you can strap them in and wrap them/unwrap them without waking them. No messing around with coats that make their little arms stick out like a scarecrow. I'm going to buy a bigger one to use over the summer I think. Not cheap but lovely quality and worth every penny.

2) Baby Blanket Three Red Apples

Featured some time ago on my blog, I bought one of these gorgeous handmade blankets before Baby E was born and it's been so useful. Mainly used by us as a playmat, it's really handy for taking to friends and family's houses to protect their sofas and carpets from exploding baby, and washes brilliantly. So pretty too.

3) Burt's Bees Baby Bee Shampoo and Wash

You only need the teeniest drop so the bottle lasts forever and it makes your little darling smell even more delicious than they already do.

4) Jellycat Bunny Rabbit (or similar!)

I'm not sure if this is the one Baby E has as it was a present (hers is pink), but she loves it. She never had a dummy but has this in her cot and cuddles up to it and uses it as a comforter. It's just her size :). I'm tempted to buy a spare...

5) Supabath

Available from Mothercare, this was recommended to us by our plumber - he has twin babies so knows what he's talking about :P. Saves my poor old aching back.... Just pop over the bath, fill from the tap/shower attachment and you're good to go.

There's just so much stuff out there for babies - hope someone finds this useful! Any other suggestions, pop them in a comment to me....

Bead Soup

2010-05-04T12:52:00.005+01:00

Hope everyone had a lovely Bank Holiday weekend. We didn't do much apart from going to my Mum and Dad's for Sunday lunch. Baby E had her first taste of lamb and confirmed she's a carnivore. Gummed a piece of meat into submission, going "Mmmm... mmmm... mm".

I batch annealed a load of beads in my kiln so have a nice stash to sort out and list in my Etsy shop this week. As well as the beads pictured, I made some lentil beads for the first time yesterday - such a lovely press to use. Think I'll be using them in my own jewellery rather than selling them in the bead shop, so will post pictures once I've had time to make it!

Listed the first new set (below) this morning, and will try and offer something new each day this week so keep looking xx

Kir Royale Lampwork Bead Set

Treasury

2010-04-27T14:16:00.003+01:00

Just popping in to show you a beautiful Etsy treasury that features my latest beads. Such a pretty collection of items. I was really pleased with how these beads came out - the smokey colour on the surface spread beautifully in the flame to give a really nice effect.

Smoke On The Water Lampwork Bead Set

Although I made a couple more sets at the weekend, I haven't got them to show you yet as I didn't have the kiln on so need to wait until I've made some more and batch anneal them. A very generous member of the Frit Happens forum has kindly lent me a lentil press to have a play with so I can't wait to get to my torch and try it out. Watch this space :).