Polymer Clay Play

In a previous post I posted about polymer clay and some cuffs that I had made.  I also made rather a large amount of beads.  I am now tasked with using these beads in my beadwork.  To that end I am happy to present 'Autumn's End' - a collaboration of seeds beads and polymer clay - the clasp is magnetic.  I will list this shortly in my Etsy shop.

More beads to be made up

New obsession

I have learnt a new skill and now have a new obsession - woven leather bracelets!  Just loving making these at the moment and have loads of ideas for more:

Time to let go

Have you ever made something and then not wanted to part with it?  I can see you nodding.

My hard to part with piece is a necklace that I first made for the Beads Direct Football World Cup comp.  I came 2nd overall in that one.  I then entered this piece in the Beads & Beyond Magazine 2010 Jewellery Maker of the Year 2010 comp - and came 2nd in that one too.  (I know - always a bridesmaid .....and all that - my time will come!!!).

Anyway I have finally listed this piece for sale in my Etsy store after more than a year.  If it sells I only hope that it will go to someone who loves it as much as I do.

Without further ado - I present 'Enrichment'

Long time no bead!

Its been a while since I blogged - sorry guys.

Something weird has happened to me in that I have lost some of my urge for beading - haven't touched a needle in ages!  Maybe it's some kind of mid-life crisis or something.  Hope it goes away soon.

I have however been a little creative and have got the polymer clay out.  I am having a lot of fun making beads and cuffs at present and will post piccies as I can.  In the meantime, have a look at these and tell me what you think.

New additions to the family!

I have added two boys to the family; say hello to Tigs and Felix.

Adopted from the RSPCA, the brothers are about 4 or 5 months old and full of energy.  The kitties were named by my two boys and have quickly integrated themselves into our family life.  No doubt they will have lots of adventures over the coming years, which I will try to keep up with.  In the meantime say aahhhhhhh!

Do you decopatch?

I was introduced to the world of Decopatch by my good friend Alison B (click her name to be taken to her FB fanpage).  Decopatch is basically a craft where ordinary objects are covered with special paper to change the finish into something a little less ordinary.  Its so easy to do and would make an excellent project for kids.

First you need some decopatch glue (a bit like the white glue we had in school - remember the one you would paint your hands with and then peel it off??); a brush; some decopatch paper and something to transform.  In this case a small paper box.

First you rip the paper into small pieces

Then you apply the glue to your object;

Pick up a small piece of paper with the sticky brush;

Put the paper on the glue and then smooth it down with the brush.

The glue dries clear after about 10 - 15 mins and looks quite glossy when dry.  There is also an optional varnish that you can use; particularly if the object is going to be used and is not just for decoration.




Thats it - pretty gift box!

Oh - say hello to Patch the kitty.

Bead Soup Blog Party!!

Oh dear what have I done?

I've only gone and signed up for the Bead Soup Blog Party run by Lori Anderson.  The idea is that you sign up by August 3rd and you are partnered up with someone (anywhere in the world).  You then send them a bead soup made up of a focal bead; co-ordinating beads and a special clasp (not just a trigger clasp).  On the given date you publish your creations on your blog and hop around visiting all the other participants blogs to have a look at their makes.

Well - I needed a challenge...........................!  Sign up with me!

Wild Life in SE London

Check out this clip:

Filmed not in a field somewhere but in my back garden this morning.  Now I know that foxes are technically vermin but love them or loathe them; the urban fox is here to stay.  Now I don't do anything to actively encourage them into my garden but to be honest neither do I actively discourage them.  My family and I do not use the garden very much and until the day comes for us to reclaim it; the foxes can come and play.

Some more of my favourite SE London wildlife is this snake necklace that was one of my round entries into the Beads Direct Football World Cup Comp last year.  I actually came 2nd overall which was brilliant bearing in mind that this was the first ever comp I had entered.  This necklace is listed in my Etsy shop.

My soft addiction

I consider myself to be addicted to beads but have you ever looked up the definition of addiction?  It does not make for good reading and didn't quite match my affliction.  I also found a definition for something called soft addiction (heard of that?) which was a bit better:

"The term soft addiction was coined by Judith Sewell Wright to describe activities, moods or ways of being, avoidances, and things-edible and consumable but which do not pose a grave health disease risk - rather, they have the most effect on personal time and productivity."

For me the knowledge of my soft addiction is reinforced by certain things:

• buying beads just because I want them and have no particular project in mind;
• buying beads and then forgetting all about them until the next tidy up;
• buying beads just because they are on sale and are a good price.
• coming across packets of beads in illogical places - such as the bathroom;

With this in mind you will not be surprised to hear that I recently did indeed come across a padded envelope in my bedroom the other day and a padded envelope addressed to me only means one thing: beads!  This envelope contained some Swarovski goodies that I can't believe that I had forgotten about.  Included were these flat back cabs:

Vintage jet with crystal rhinestone

These measure 18mm by 13mm and I remember buying them just because I had never seen them before (oh yeah that should be on my soft addiction list too).

Now what to do with them?  I decided on some earrings because I hardly ever do earrings.

I bead embroidered around the cabs with black size 15 seed beads - accented with charlotte beads in clear ab.  I them used some dark silver crystal rondelles for a small fringe.  I will shortly be listing these earrings for sale in my Etsy store if anyone is interested in them.

Picket Fence Blogs

Ever heard of it?

I hadn't either until today when I read a post here: Asterope Bead Creations Blog

The idea is that it will help people find blogs that they like. You register and then put a button on your blog. Every time someone clicks on the button it takes them to Picket Fence Blogs and counts as a vote for your blog.

I registered - here is my button:



Register your blog too and give it a go: what do you have to lose? ...............Oh and don't forget to click the button.

So what do you wanna talk about?

Ok so here I am.  What now?

I have wanted to do a blog for a long time and enjoy reading the meanderings of others.  It takes a lot of energy and time to have a sucessful blog and I am not sure I am up to the challenge.

A little about me first - I love beads, I love my family, I love my friends, I love my boyfriend - not necessarily in that order.  I have a full time day job which frankly just gets in the way of my beading addiction but is essential to fund same.  Yes I play the lottery!

Now for the good stuff - my latest make:

I have called this 'Sun Kissed'.  I made the focal out of polymer clay and then put gold leaf on it (what a drama - will do a post about gold leaf).  It has a slightly distressed look to it which gives it some character.  The focal is beaded using metallic seed beads in golden hues.  I made the chain using some tigers eye beads that I had in my stash.  Its quite long - about 24 inches so great if you have a cleavage.  I have a few more of these focals in various sizes so may make a choker length piece.  What do you think?