A Quick Note

Just a quick note to say 'hi', I'm still here.  I have made some beads but my poor oxycon is still not 100%.  In case you're wondering the oxycon is a reconditioned NHS oxygen concentrator which is rigged up to my torch with propane to give a nice hot flame.  It is essential to the bead-making process.  I am going to poke around inside it tommorrow, and if I have no joy I think I'll have to invest in a new one - Yikes!  And yes, I would love to include a photo of said beads but we seem to be encountering technical difficulties with the camera!!!!

I went on a jaunt around the countryside on Tuesday with my OH, we finished up in Bradford on Avon which is a very pretty town on the edge of Bath.  We visit BoA periodically, but haven't done so in a while.  We went on wander up Silver Street and stumbled upon Jumble Jelly Oh my goodness!  What a fantastic shop, it is eye-candy to any yarn and fabric addict, even the OH was impressed.  Beautiful products, beautifully displayed, it was so hard to walk away without making a purchase.  I am currently working on a blanket which I am determined to finish before I move on to the next project.  They do hold a 'Knit and Natter' session, which I am definitely going to attend, along with some very tempting workshops.

If you are ever passing Bradford on Avon it is well worth a detour to visit, there is also a fab-looking ice cream parlour which I will definitely taking the children to.

Hang out the bunting

Its back!!!!!!!!  Finally my oxycon has returned.  I did have it back before but it stopped working during the first session.  This may be a premature celebration but I have every faith that all will be well and I can get melting some glass again.

Meet Wonka

We haven't ventured into the world of pets until now.  There has been much talk in the past about getting guinea pigs, but we totted up the cost of hutch etc... then we decided we would move house so it wasn't a good time.  Anywho, a friend of mine takes in tortoises that people can no longer look after and then finds new homes for them as part of the work the British Chelonia Group do.  We joined the Group and then I took Reuben to pick a tortoise for re-homing. 

Wonka, which is the name he came with, seems to be settling in nicely.  I'm sure he must think the garden is 10 times bigger than it is due to the fact that he wanders so far then Reuben picks him up and turns him around to go back the way he came. 

Its a great feeling to have a pet, I didn't have any growing up because we moved around alot.  I will confess though it is similar to bringing home a new baby, especially the first night, we were fretting about he was ok, was he going to be warm enough?  But all seems to be fine so far.

Wonka is rather partial to lettuce, freshly picked from the allotment ofcourse! 

Something for Girls

I still don't have my oxycon so no new beads to share.  Instead I have been focussing my energy on using the beads I have in my stash.  Just thought I would share these really cute girls' bracelets with you.  The bangles are made of nickel free metal, incorporating my own lampwork beads and buttons.  They are fastened a bit like a safety pin with a hook on one end and a ball on the other.  I will be getting around to listing them in my Etsy shop over the next couple of days.  I hope you like them!

I also had some bits and bobs to use up from a previous workshop.  These are lovely little bracelets made with cotton cord.  Again all the metal components are 100% nickel free.  Here is a sample, I have a few more in different colourways.  These will also make their way into my Etsy shop, unless they are sold in the meantime!