My First Attempt at Glass Beadmaking

I made these beads at the class I went to on Sunday -the other people in the class seemed to make more than me, but I didn't care because they had all worked with glass before.



The yellow, light amber and last amber were my last 3 and I really think I was beginning to get a hang of it by then. These ones seem much rounder etc and I felt I was more in control when I was doing them. You might see some bead release, because I didn't have time to clean them and my file is too big, and I also can't use them as wanted to take them home straight away instead of having them annealed (I knew they weren't up to a high enough standard to use in any jewellery. That said, I am inordinately proud of them and hoping to do another class in August.

I'd love to get a kit for making them, but realistically I don't have much spare time on my hands at the moment, so can't really justify the outlay for something I wouldn't utilise very often - hopefully at some point in the future, once I've had a bit more practice, I will be able to do it. Also meant to ask at the studio where the class was if it's possible to hire out kiln space etc.

Off to a polymer clay bead making class this Saturday, although this one only lasts a couple of hours and isn't expensive - I have most of the stuff I'd need for clay beads, but just thought it would be nice to get a little bit of tuition instead of trying to learn from a book all the time - sometimes it's nice to see someone actually making things to learn techniques etc.

Piece of Cake

Had Stu's parents and my Mum round for dinner last weekend, so decided to attempt a baked cheesecake. Used a recipe from Nigella's Domestic Goddess book and it was very yummy indeed. One word of advice though - if you're ever making this cake, the cooling/setting time after cooking is 3 hours (cooking time another 1.5 hours on top of that), which doesn't leave a lot of time to chill the thing if you don't start making it until 3pm. Had to try and chill it in the freezer and resorted to mutter at it chill you damn thing. Anyway's here's a slice fo the end result:

Was at Paul & Kirsty's summer party last night - had a great time, even though I was driving and it was dry (not like last year!!) so we managed to sit outside.

Going to a glass bead making class taught by Rachel Elliott today - just off to get dressed shortly - really excited about it, although as it's my first time the beads I make prob won't be particularly pretty.

Lotus Bangle

Remember the lovely pink and purple beads I posted last week, well this is what I made with them. The pattern is by the ultra-talented Jennifer Airs

Also got this book last week, so have started learning shapes because I want to make almost everthing in it - the Moroccan lanterns (shown on the cover) are absolutely stunning, but probably way beyond my skill level at the moment.

Went to the Take That gig at Hampden on Saturday - only knew on Thursday I was going, as G called to say she knew someone who knew someone who could get 2 people in if Stu and I wanted to go. Never ones to turn down a freebie we jumped at the chance. Was a really really good show; obviously a lot of time and money had gone into designing the set and show. The mechanical elephant was fab and Stu and I were singing along to quite a few numbers. One of the support acts, Gary Go, was also really good. The other support was James Morrison, of whom least said the better!

Thanks for looking.

Pinks & Purples

I ordered this delicious section of beads on Monday and they arrived on Tuesday.

The bright pinks are a colour called orchid and I think it just may be my new favourite colour in the world.

I put them to use straight away, starting on this bangle:

It's done in peyote, the same technique I learned for my spiral bangle. Was a little bit tricky at first, but once I had the first "V" done, it go much easier.

At the weekend I went to little Samuel's first birthday party, held at the Boilerhouse in the Hidden Gardens at Tramway in Glasgow. Great venue, really really interesting garden and a glorious day. The birthday boy had a great time playing in the dirt and it was good to catch up with my cousins again.

Think I am going to Take That on Saturday - looks like I managed to wrangle a couple of freebies - still waiting for it to be confirmed though.

Til the next post, bloggy-types.

Finally Finished

I finally finished the beaded bangle I was making. I'ts taken me 2 weeks to day, and if I'm being perfectly honest, I'm not even sure I like it that much. I don't know if it was because I changed the beads slightly or bause of my tension, but my spirals don't seem as sharp or tight as the ones in the pattern.
Despite the apparent negativity above, I would love to do another of these bangles, maybe in fuschia and purple next time.

I made these utterly decadent red velvet cupcakes last weekend for Phil's BBQ. They seemed to go down a treat, altough I only had a small bite of one as wasn't that hungry (think that was the start of me not feeling well).
I still have a couple of them left, so may treat myself to one later.

Off to a first birthday party armed with pirate ship and cove later, Yarr. Then when I get home I'm going to try to get the last of the sie 15 seed beeds I dropped out of the keyboard - damn you sticky keys.

Poorly Sick

I seem to have some sort of bug and have been off work for the past 3 days. I really really hate being off sick and thought yesterday afternoon I would be able to go back today, but last night and this morning I wasn't as good again. Definitely feel a bit better today, but playing it by ear and going to get up for an hour or 2 shortly. Means I have got nothing at all done all week, even though I had lots of things I wanted to get done.

On a good note, I signed up for my first glass beadmaking course today - it takes place a week on Sunday (21/06) and I am really excited about it.

Another Work in Progress

I've still not done the polymer clay beads for my necklace, weather has been so nice and sunny and haven't wanted to be stuck in the spare room (which really needs decorated as it's quite dark). So, whilst my necklace awaits its finishing pieces, I decided to have a go at peyote stitch (which I had always been a bit chicken to try). I used a pattern from one of my Carol Wilcox Wells books (but changed some of the sizes to fit the beads I had).

Here's a sneaky peak of the bangle I decided to do. Not quite halfway yet and has taken a fair few hours so far.
I'm hoping it'll go well with the necklace, even though one is peyote and the other herringbone. Hopefully I have mixed sizes in both pieces and all the beads in the bangle are used in the necklace.

.....fingers crossed.

Thanks for looking

Super Sunny Sunday

Another beautiful sunny day today. Up bright and early and heading off to Mum's later to take advantage of her garden (the only downside of living in a flat is that, although I have my own garden, it's not very private). Will take up some goodies and maybe make a picnic. Luckily it's not far, so can walk and have a couple of glasses of vino.

I've almost finished my necklace now, just need to make the polymer clay focals (which will be a bit of trial and error) and a little dangly bit then pull it all together. Don't think they'll be done today though, as don't want to be stuck indoors (expecially since there was only about 1 sunny weekend last year).

No new photos to post today, but this is the book I'm reading at the moment (actually I've almost finished it)I've really enjoyed it, but it probably isn't to everyone's taste. I loved her last book too (The Trophy Taker) and there is a new one due out in paperback in August. They're detective novels based in Hong Kong and deal with the (extremely) seedy side of life there (although most of the action in this one is in the Phillipines and London).

Talking of London, Stu and I were planning on visiting for a few days at the end of July, but when I priced it, it looks like being quite expensive, especially as we'd like to the the Rocky Mountaineer train in Cananda not next summer but the next again. So we've opted to do this instead - Jacobite Steam Train, and spend a couple of days in Fort William. I've never been up that way before, so should be fun. Oh, and this is the steam train that goes over the big bridge you seen in the Harry Potter films.

That's about it for now.

Take care bloggy-types.

Lisa xoxo

Work in Progress

Remember the citrus beads I posted a pic of at the weekend? Well yesterday I started a new necklace with them. Only my 3rd attempt at doing off loom-beading and my first attempt at both herringbone and using different sized beads (I think the 2 necklaces I used before used a spiral rope, but can't really remember).

Here's a little pic of the first section:

As well as the beads that arrived on Saturday, I used some orange cats-eye beads. I did originally plan on also using some lime Swarovski crystals, but completely forgot about this plan until I was driving home from work today!!

Thansk for looking

What Lisa Did

Yesterday I baked some banana muffins using one of Nigella's recipes. I love love love Nigella - everything I make using her recipes just seems to turn out well. These muffins are lovely and soft, yet almost chewy.

For lunch we went through to The Boat House in South Queensferry for a nice lunch. First time we've been there and will definitely be back. Really nice atmosphere and great views.

In the evening we went to see Nickelback at the SECC in Glasgow. Absolutely fantastic - great show. Black Stone Cherry were supporting - they were a lot better than the last time I saw them.

Off to make a start on my new necklace. Also need to do some tidying in the spare room at some point (spare room is like painting the Forth Bridge - it just never seems to be done).

Thanks for looking.

Lisa xoxo

New Seed Beads

These seed beads arrived this morning. It's the first time I've had decent seed beads, as I've tended to do more stringing than off-loom stuff in the past.

I know the bright citrus colours may not be to everyone's taste, but I love them. The 2 oranges in the top row are actually the same colour (the paler of the 2). Once I teach myself how to do the styles I need I'll be able to get cracking on this making these into something.

As I enjoyed adding a couple of my favourite things in my last post, here's another:

This crystal globe was given to Stu and I as a wedding present from a couple of our neighbours. It's absolutely gorgeous - the globe itself is about 7 or 8 inches in diameter.

On a final note, finished my SVQ level 4 in Management, along with 2 enhancement units on Thursday. Really enjoyed doing it, but also really glad it is all done now.

Afternoon Tea, Anyone?

A few weeks back Stu and I treated ourselves to a gorgeous Portmerion Crazy Daisy tea set... and I finally got round to taking a photo! I think it is gorgeous, but let me know what you think.
(Had to squish it into my little pop-up studio, hence rusbbish picture and looking a bit squashed{I love being able to use squish and squashed in the same sentence!!}).

We got the cake stand, teapot, milk jug, sugar bowl, 4 breakfast cups & saucers and 4 mini mugs (which also fit perfectly on the saucer). Coveting the egg cup and toast rack set too (although we'd need one each or there would be tears).

Whilst I was taking the photo I also took a pic of one of my current fave things, which is a little Columbian frog which Mum brought me back from holiday. Here he is........
Ribbit ribbit bloggy-types.

p.s.take a look at James May's plasticine garden at the Chelsea Flower Show.
I loved plasticine when I was little - much better than playdoh (which I wasn't allowed to play with anyway cos the smell made my Mum feel sick).

Tools of the Trade

I'm treating myself to an order for a nice batch of tools for polymer/Art clay today. Hoping to make my own clay beads as have such a desire to get back beading again, but really want to try something new. I got a really good book on polymer clay beads a couple of years ago and also bought a little starter Art Clay Silver kit from someone round about the same time. Hopefully will have something nice to post soon.

Also keen to try lampworking classes, but will have to put that on the back burner for a few months, as still have one VQ assessment to go and then need to spend some time doing stuff around the house.

You Don't Always Realise...

... the good stuff that's on your own doorstep.

A couple of weeks ago we went to the Bo'ness & Kinneil Steam Railway and then to Birkhill Fireclay Mine. We had a fantastic time and it had the added bonus of only being a 15 minute drive away.

Quick Update (and a couple of holiday photos)

Hey bloggy-types. I'm still around and nothing much has changed since I last posted. Still working away at my VQ - hoping in 6 weeks from now I'll be the proud owner of a Level 4 Management VQ though. Working hard at work too, although looking forward to nice summer nights, finishing at 5 and going for a run and stuff (in the car obviously!!) and not starting til 9 the next morning.

Still not gutted/decorated the spare room, although we have made a start on it - can't wait to get my workspace back again so I can start making stuff. Really wishing I had listened to my mum and not got a glass desk though - look pretty but like working over the black hole of Calcutta.

Thought you might like to see a couple of my holiday photos:

Domincan Republic

Tortola in the British Virgin Islands

Antigua

Barbados

Scotland District of Barbados

St Lucia
Miami
Grand Cayman

Cozumel

Boat

Me & Stu

Quick Update

Can't believe it's been quarter of a year since I updated this!! Stu and I are just back from holiday/honeymoon to the Caribbean - was fab - will upload some photos soon (already thinking about where to go next year).

No cards or jewellery to show I'm afraid, as haven't done any in months. I need to redecorate this room to see if that gets my oomph back.

Had a pretty rough start to the year which wasn't a very happy time. Still working away and doing my VQ stuff (halfway there, so hopefully will have it finished in next 6 months or so). Will do a proper catch-up at the weekend.

Here Comes the Bride

Can't believe it's over 3 weeks now and I've still not even posted a picture. Still waiting to see everyone's and get my book back, but here's a couple people have sent me so far.

Now that things are going back to normal, I'm really going to get stuck in about designing some new jewellery. I realy sickened myself of this 2 or 3 years back, when I seemed to just be doing jewellery for people constantly and it did take the enjoyment out of it for me.

I'm still enjoying making cards again, but completely not sweating it if I don't get any Christmas ones done - after all it's not the end of the world is it (also still need to get wedding thank you cards finished and posted).

Looking to get this spare room decorated, as I feel it's too dark, especially as we still have cds and dvds everywhere - got some units arriving on Saturday for these though, so that should make a difference.

Off to do some blog-hopping shortly, as I've missed catching up on everyone's news.

Toodles xoxo

You're my Guitar Hero

Can't believe it's been so long since I posted. So much has happened since September, not least the fact that I got married on 1st Nov!!!! We had a fantastic sunny day and managed to get plenty of photos done outside, which was definitely a bonus we were not expecting.

I was pretty tied up doing all the stationery and favours (as well as being really really busy at work), hence the reason for the posting gap. Beginning to get some energy back now, although so glad we decided not to go on honeymoon until February.

Another bit of great news is that one of my best friends has recently found out she's having a baby, so I'll be an auntie!!!

New Guitar Hero band pack is out tomorrow, along with the new one for the DS, so guess where Stu and I will be heading after work. We've actually got it on pre-order at Game as they were offering a free bass guitar when you pre-ordered. New WoW expansion pack came out today - not got it yet, as I've really let my WoW time slip (so much so I cancelled my subs about a year ago), but hoping to stop working late so often to enable me to free up some fun time for myself - fed up being tired and drained all the time.

Anyways that's my update for the moment - more just to announce my return to blogland than anything else.

See you all soon (if I have any readers left).

Toodles xoxo

Spicy 3-Sausage Pasta

Although it's never going to win any beauty contests, this dish is one of my favourites (especially now that autumn is drawing in). It's hyper speedy to make and really tasty.

As well as some pasta (I just used dried 3-colour spirals as I had some in the cupboard), you will need 3 types of sausage (cocktail sausages, mini salami and hotdogs), bell pepper (any colour), hot sauce (at the moment I'm using Cholula, but Encona/Tabasco etc will do the same job), tomato puree and creme fraiche.

Chop the sausages and pepper into pieces approx 1.5". In a small/medium pan, heat some olive oil and gently fry the pepper for a couple of minutes. Throw in the sausage, a few dashes of balsamic vinegar and some sugar and continue to fry for a couple of minutes. Now start to boil the water for the pasta and throw pasta in once boiling. Add a good splodge of tomato puree (enougth to amply coat the sausages and pasta) and hot sauce (as much or little as you like!!), and cook a bit more. When pasta is just about ready to drain stir some creme fraiche into the sauce mixture. Drain pasta and add to sauce. Serve with some grated parmesan and black pepper.

Thanks for looking.

Lisa xoxo

For my Mum

Tomorrow's Mum's birthday, so I made her this card.

The background paper is Dovecraft Hint of Pink (from my new stash). Flower dies are Bosskut Wild Flower and Wildflower Cutout. Font dies are Curly Girlie. The border is one of the Cuttlebug Frills Border embossing folders (also from new stash - I love love love using new stuff). Edges are inked with Dark Peony Cats Eye Chalk Ink (I think this colour is just fab!).

Here's a little close up of the border embossing - I bought these and thought I might never use them, but actually I really like this one.

I'm quite liking my white background for a bit of a change, although I really need to make myself a banner for my title. A long time since I've done anything like that, so may have to trawl for a tutorial.

Toodles

Lisa xoxo