taking home made banners to a new level (probably a lower level then ever taken before!!)

i'm amazed. somehow, amongst all the up side downness of my life at the moment, i've been creating ??? how can this be? obviously, theres some creativity coming out of all this emotional turmoil. must be a subconscious thing, without realising it, i'm immersed in my jewellery work, which in turn stops me from thinking about the upheaval thats surrounding me.

silver wire worked bracelet with semi precious jade, accented with forest coloured seed beads

tried putting 'pink for october' stamp on my blog to help promote the awarness of breast cancer. hmmmmm, technology and me really are poles apart!! so for now, i'm writing in pink! i have a friend who has breast cancer. to say she is full of life sounds a cliche............................but she is, she really is! promoting this, supporting that, helping anyone and everyone and always with a smile and most of all laughing. she's also a mum, and a bloody good one. best i shut up about my situation now eh. *zip*

hang on! i've got an idea................................................................................ what do you think of my banner??? ok, bit primitive, but hey, needs must. (think the kids need some new felt tips!)

jade and jasper earrings. i tend to make my own earwires now as i think they look so much more individual to the piece. i just luuurve the colour of the jade.

things are moving.....................

an unfinished piece, of st. silver and lampwork beads. the funny thing is, i didnt have suitable silver beads to put inbetween the lampwork ones, so tried it with coiling silver wire and twisting it round the handmade bangle to create a 'spacer'. i quite like it!


they certainly seem to be! while i'm not going to count my chickens as to the certanty of me and kids and dog relocating to somerset, things are definately moving in the right direction. the sale of my house is going through well by all accounts, and the one we're buying is due to have the survey next week (so i'm told!). my nerves are getting the better of me today. stomach churning with some anxiety, which i think is brought on by the fact i'm taking my eldest down there tonight. it'll be the first time i've been back since things are more set in stone, so making the move more real i spose. also gotta check out schools for them both, and with my youngest having special needs and a full statement, am obiously very axious to get it right first time. eldest will be seeing her new home for the first time (was away with friends when i last went down and happened to find a lovely home). planning ahead, i'm gonna take some pictures of the house to make into a 'book' for my youngest when the time comes, to prepare her for the move. this is scarey stuff. its just me. whatever happens, its down to me, and it feels like more then just the weight of the world on my shoulders. i want a better life for the girls and if i dont do it now, probably never will. i dont want to be in my rocking chair in years to come, wondering what could have been if i'd taken the plunge and left london............................................... so here goes!


two more pieces i created this week, inbetween housework, solictors forms and kids clubs! sound familiar?? haha

bats in the belfry..........no, pigeons on the patio

st silver and fine silver wrapped and coiled, with chunky

green howlite nuggets

well today started with a slight drama at breakfast, (whats new). the dog was hankering to get in the garden as he'd obviously seen something. usually its a squirrel, or a cat perched defiantly on the pergola down the back. so i let him out, and he ran round to the french doors which i thought was odd as it looked as though there was nothing there.................... but there was. a pigeon. on further investigation it was apparent that the bird was hurt, as no right minded creature with wings would 'sit it out' when a dog comes sniffing their butt! well, i thought, if its injured and cant fly (bearing in mind i'm talking about a bird that is known to carry disease and having recently evacuated them from my loft, dont have a lot of time for them), then hopefully , the dogs presence will give it a heart attack. but it didnt. and to spare you the longevity of my morning going back and forth to the garden to check on it, i'll come to the conclusion. my neighbour hit it on the head with my shelf. i had to do something. even with my feelings on pigeons, i couldnt see an animal suffer. and after realising that i was more of a wuss then i thought, called upon my neighbour to do the dirty deed. thank you mike. i must admit, i had to walk down the side passage, with my fingers in my ears while going 'la la la... la... la... la... la.. la.. la.. la ..la.. . i would infact advise those of you who find yourself in this situation, to remove yourself completely from the vicinity, as i could still hear the 'thud' which caused me to squeakily release an expletive, naturally; i am a girl after all!

well, i wasnt gonna take a photo of a battered pigeon so thought i show my 'random' silver jewellery instead! i should point out, their not a set, as sets are definitely not my thing, i just got carried away with freeforming the wire!

a comissioned ring, using sterling silver and turquoise

blimey! my last post was on friday, and its now monday and i'm writing another. wonders will never cease!! haha lets hope this is a habit (but dont hold your breath, and i'm only good with bad ones!) well, this morning i had a lovely chat with my mechanic. i say mine cos...................... i dunno really, you just do, dont you? he's great anyhow, and hes even gonna take the van for its mot (so that'll spare me the humiliation when it fails!!) one less job for me to worry about.

now, i was gonna put up a pic i've just downloaded, on my blog of the glastonbury extravaganza i took the kids to with friends. fantastic family gig with 'the feeling' and 'kate nash'. had the best time, brilliant atmosphere and such a laugh; even if they did play my favourite song while i was queuing for the toilet, it just meant i had to dance in the toilet que! but it turned out to be a video clip........???? now, even if i was capable of transferring the clip to my blog (obviously i'm not at that level of technical ability) it would be complete pants cos its a clear as mud, and i dont just mean to use that term as a simile (have i got the right word? got the feeling its a different name, but seeing as my english is as pants as the video clip, i'm gonna take it that you get the idea) it WAS the summer of 2008 after all!! oh yeah, and there was no sound. (*note to self about camera: KEEP OUT OF REACH OF 'ORRIBLE 'LIL HERBERTS LIKE MY KIDS!*) so instead, i'm gonna post a pic of my 'orrible 'lil herberts just so you can appreciate what i'm up against. love 'em to bits really xx

moving and shaking..............

managed to make a couple of pieces inbetween the bedlum! really really pleased with them, especially the 'chunky' one. using a technique i havent tried before, but love love love the effect (particularly as i have a thing about things that are funky chunky). it was one of those moments when you've created something you've been meaning to have a go at, somehting new, and it works! then you spend the next two hours going back and admiring it, with muted outbursts of 'wow' even though your the only one in the room!! haha ( thats not just me is it?)

apologies for photo quality. another thing i've yet to master. is it apparent i like the colour aqua marine?

well, its about time i wrote something.................................. but what? my head is filled with indecisions, concerns, numbers (which just clouds it further as my mathematical attributes are worse then poor!) and everything that comes with selling the house and uprooting my children from all they know. yeah, its a biggy. hence not much jewellery being made either. although i will say, i spoke with a 'mad as a hatter but very wonderful' lady (not my words, but ones that i'd definately agree with!) who runs a local group in somerset for children with downs. great advice about visiting prospective schools, local support, entitlements, and shes more then willing to visit the schools with me. what a woman! and she too is a single mum. hats off to the mad hatter!!!!

at this moment in time my house is now sold, and the survey's being carried out tomorrow - that'll be interesting! thought i'd found a house, but the vendor keeps changing the goal posts, so looks like thats a no no. better look into renting........................! somerset authorities applied for my daughters statement and proffesionals reports so they can assess her needs. my head is spinning but at the same time i'm fully aware this is just the tip of the ice-burg! to top it, i've been pulling the house apart in search for my van keys. no luck. will have to cancel the hospital appointment to take a moulding of daughters feet. oooooh, lifes a real peach at the moment!! (hang on, whos gonna want me renting their house when they realise we have a dog??? oh big hairy dangley bits............................................... i cant worry about him now, hes definately last in line.........................!

its been a while!!

thats an understatement.......................its been months! not something i want to make a habit of, but there is good reason for the unintentional absense.......................Jewellery Parties! i've been blown away with their popularity and success and extremely grateful to the hosts and customers for helping to make them fun (and for saying the nicest things about my jewellery!) so i've been manicly making pieces to complete orders and the time has just simply flown, (have we had summer? i should have been a duck!) my next task is to start creating my new inspired designs that had to be put on the back burner..................................... i'm quite excited to be honest, to see new ideas come to life instead of seeing them as drawings in my medium sized red book! here are a few pieces i've sold:

tuesday 1st april. I'm no april fool!!

no, not today, as i've just made a necklace that i created in my mind a week or so ago, jotted down on paper, but the picture in my head was obviously in more detail. its quite hard when you get inspiration and you have an image of what you want to create and then makeing it happen! i must be honest though, i'm really pleased with this one, mainly cos it turned out to be just how i imagined (which doesnt always happen, believe me!). i've also been dabbling with photographing an image for some new business cards and postcards. heres a couple of examples, plus my much loved new creation........................

the pendant is made from thick silver plated wire, shaped and hammered, with finer wire tightly coiled round while carfully adding turquoise glass beads to take the shape of the circle.

right, back to creating while the juices are flowing................!

friday 28th march 2008. WOW!

what a fantabulous day!!!!! its raining buckets, my gardens a swamp (thanks dog) and my house is only habitable for street urchins who dont mind taking the risk. BUT........................... i've just received my parcel of various coils of silver wire (that took some organising!) AND i've just discovered my first comments to my ramblings!!!!! (yes, its true, the little things in life really do make me smile :) allbeit like the cheshireist of cheshire cats!). spent most of the morning taking and uploading pictures of some of my latest peices, and have realised that i havent got as much stock as i thought!! (i am quite the self critic, and dont consider some of my other work to be exactly the creation i was hoping for). so here is some of my 'stuff'!

feel free to scribble (or should i say 'tap') some words as to your impressions of my fairy's accessories. i am now going to see off the risk taking urchins and get on with some housewor..................................... oh no, i've picked up my parcel.............i can see lots of shiny wire just begging to be shaped and moulde................................. too late, ive been distracted AGAIN!

TUESDAY 25th MARCH 2008

crikey i find it hard to navigate round a site! much better at navigation in a vehicle, and i'm a woman!! haha

well today (inbetween my day job and being a mum) i've mostly been researching and planning for my jewellery designs 'enterprise'. i use the term 'enterprise' quite loosely you understand as its pretty much at the early stages (although i've had even more interest from aquaitances and 3 jewellery parties coming up!) think i'll throw in another picture here just to give the feel of what i'm about. its all very well me waffling on about my plans and progression, but if anyone actually reads any of this its not gonna make much sense without some visual back up! this is a leather choker with silver wire roughly coiled.

if i'm honest, i've also been feeling a bit guilty at not taking the kids out over easter. they had a great birthday party at the beginning (played some brilliant games that i got off the net and adapted) but the rest was mainly me doing my 'jewellery stuff' with a bit of vegging out in front of the box with some home made popcorn! at least we have plans for the end of term which includes some wild animal spotting; thats 'looking for', not changing their appearance with daubs of paint!! (*must remember camera!*)

this picture is one of my favourite places in the south east. in my opinion, the best beach in kent!(and its location is a secret as its not well known so i'm keeping it under my sunhat!)

First Blog! Monday 24th march 2008

HELLO and welcome to my blog!

It wasnt easy. Trying to set up a blogspot while Billy Elliot is on the box. Just about finished before the film did, which was just as well cos I wouldnt have seen my monitor through the blur of my teary eyes......................haaaah (*gently stroking the bottom eyelid). Thats better!

well this is me (i'm gonna relax now and not worry about capitals - ok?) . i'm not ordinary - just like everyone else! i've been creating for 8 years now, and since designing and crafting jewellery last year i've decided to take the advice of many friends and aquaintances and take it further. so this could be an interesting blogspot (if your into that kinda thing) as i will endevour to jot down my comings and goings (and succeses, naturally!)

i would also love to here from anyone who is starting a new adventure too.................

going to get some sleep now. sadly have the 'day job' to go to in the morning. one day though.........................................!