A Whiff of Spring

We had beautiful weather here yesterday, it really felt like spring is just around the corner so to celebrate the fact and to try to bring some spring-time cheer to a dull and damp day I made this treasurey in Etsy.

I ordered some new glass colours on Friday so hopefully there will be some neew bead pics coming soon!

Enjoy!

A Little Listing Activity

Hooray, I have managed to list some buttons on Etsy if you care to take a look.

TTFN!

Happy Valentine

I know the way to Mr G's heart and that's through his stomach especially if its chocolate cake on offer.  Can't go wrong with Nigella Lawson's chocolate fudge cake - I will try to resist the temptation to creep down to the fridge in my nightie......

Lovingly decorated by the children.  We are under strict instructions to leave some for them!

Enjoy your Valentine xxx

When is a button not a button?

When its a cufflink ofcourse!

Its my Grandad's 90th birthday in a couple of weeks time, what do you get/make a man who has everything?  I decided that a man can never have enough cufflinks especially when they are handmade by his grand-daughter!  If you were lucky enough to meet my grandad you would never believe he is 90 years old.  I hope that if I live as long as him that I am as mentally and physically alert as he is.  He lives in Canada now and is travelling over for a holiday, I can't wait to see him, I still really miss him eventhough he has been living in Canada for a number of years now.

Here's how the cufflinks look when not on a shirt.  They are on sterling silver chain and bar.

I've got a thing about making buttons at the moment.  Here are some more sets, some with matching big hole beads which I think will become a bracelet.












Thanks for looking.  Hope you're manageing to keep warm, its -2 here which is cold for us, I know some of my relies in Canada will be scoffing at that.

Getting Things Done

Hi, and happy new year.  I had every intention of writing a new year blog entry but time is racing away.  Mr Blue Kiln Beads has got a job!  But unfortunately it is in London which means a 5 hour round trip for him thus leaving the house at 6.40 and getting home 19.45 on a good day.  This means that yours truly is very much at the helm getting 3 children up and ready for school, packed lunches made, dinner planned and cooked, shopping, laundry basically I'm running the whole show.  I have a renewed respect for all those single parents out there who have to do it all, all of the time. I have had to re-jig a few things not least my morning a week volunteering at school just so that I can buy myself some time to get it all done and still be able to melt glass and plan workshops.

On the subject of workshops I have just finished the sample for my next workshop at Potato Patch Crafts

I can now put a very big tick next to this on my 'to do' list.  If you want some instructions and kit etc leave me a comment and I'll get back to you. 

That will have to be all for today, got to go on school run and get to assembly for one of my littlies to be presented with a certificate!!

Here's to 2012!

Another Handmade Gift

I have been wanting to make this little coin purse for a while now having stumbled across this blog.  I have had mum's sewing machine gathering dust and the other night I decided it was time to give it a go.  I managed to thread the machine and started to mess about with the settings.  Not sure what I did but there is something wrong with the tension which was pulling the fabric tight.  I sewed up my 'sandwich' of fabric and batting and decided to call it a day.

Not one to be defeated I decided to pull out the coin purse last night and to have a go at hand sewing it together.  Ta da,

Its not as square as it might have been had I used a machine but I am proud of it nonetheless.

I had to add a little Blue Kiln Beads flourish and added one of my handmade glass buttons to the zip.

Just got to get the ingredients for my Biscotti today and I'll be baking up a storm tonight/tommorrow.

A Festive First

We have started to get abit more into the festive spirit now in our house.  The tree went up yesterday along with some decs and today I made a wreath for the door, something I have never attempted before.  I would never claim to know anything about floristry so this was a complete shot in the dark and I made it up as I went along.

Ian and the children went foraging yesterday for holly and ivy.  We are very lucky to have a lovely wood across from our house

They returned with a bounty of greenery with lovely berries and some 'Old Man's Beard'.  I had a wreath tray thing left over from last year with the oasis still in it.  I soaked the oasis and hoped for the best.  It is hanging on the door as I type this but not sure it will stay when the wind picks up.  But it hasn't cost me anything so if it all falls apart I will chalk it up to experience.

Next on the list of  festive jobs is some homemade teacher gifts and this year we are going to make some Biscotti.  I have a tried and tested recipe!  I figure some home baking wrapped in a cellophane bag with some pretty ribbon will go down well.  I'll let you know how we get on.