Thursday April 29th, 2010

I've just completed my shopping list, this is the fourth time I've done it now and what started off at £15 has now worked its way up to almost £45 including P&P of course. The reason? Well I was sheltering from the rain in the local library where I was leafing through some of the various pamphlets and brochures on local places of interest, it was while I was looking at an image of Stonehenge that I had another one of those eureka moments. I wanted to put together some form of multi-strand bracelet with maybe three strands (four if I'm feeling ambitious. The theme I've chosen is
Luck of the Irish and it's going to consist of a variety of green beads, whether they be seed, round, cubes, fire polished, bugles, plastic, glass or pearl (I would have put Swarovski Crystal but I'm on a budget), they just have to br green in order to qualify. Now not only on these three strands will there be a mish-mash of green beadage but also several silver 'good luck' charms (hence the theme), including horseshoes, leprechauns, four-leaf clover, coins even a pot of gold (alright, a glass vial with gold glitter inside). Now all of these will be thread on beading wire (coloured green of course). When the rain finally stops I scurry down to 'Pink & Dizzy' an awesome bead shop I'm lucky enough to have just up the road and spent all my loose change, and yes some of those purchases were green. It's quite cool really because for those who neither know or care my favourite colour is green and I've been thinking of ways in which I could use it.

I know I can confide in you dearest blog, do you know what I was thinking earlier, you'll never believe it but I was thinking about what designs I'd have on my business cards and then, oh yes it gets worse I went on concluding that when I sold something I'd package it in a kids party bag as opposed to the traditional transparent bags. Then it was reality check, I was like woah, woah, woah, slow down, slow down, slow down, my brain was having a Usain Bolt moment leaving me still at the starting line. I'm embarrased to admit I even had thoughts like that, I'm blushing at the very thought of it. Shame on me.

At least now I've got that damn Wham song out of my head.

Wednesday April 28th, 2010

Right they're both done now, I've just been adding the finishing touches to my latest creation; a simple pair of Autumn style earrings (check out
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thegreenwinegum/?saved=1 if you want to see them - there's nothing like a bit of shameless self-publicity). Now these were not the the outcome of a cartwheel turning eureka moment as with my previous ideas. I was simply browsing through my loyal Tupperware, mulling over what beads I already had and just whacked something together. I've come to terms with the fact that the 'Message in a Bottle' project has been put on hold due to the fact that I have barely any of the necessary beads or charms I'd need and nor can I afford to (victim of the recession you see beaders). Making those earrings was also the first ever time I've used crimp beads - ever, please bear that in mind if you do take the time to look at them

Today, however, I did eventually get round to paying of my library fine of £2.21 so I rented out 8 books of the art of beading and jewellery making woo-hoo. Matty (my boyfriend as I live with him and he graciously contributes towards this new found habit I best give him a name) will be most displeased, he often complains that my Tupperware and tools take up enough space as it is. My thumb is all better now but I've noticed gradually that the sun is once again bleaching my ginger locks turning them kind of a weird strawberry blonde, some may think that's odd but trust me it happens everytime we get sun for more than three consecutive days, it goes back to being unbleached as the Autumn comes in.

I confided in Matty earlier that I was interested in working with epoxy resin, now instead of shaking me warmly by the hand and congratulating me on my willingness to experiment the poor man looked horrified, stating he wouldn't trust me working with chemicals for my own personal safety. I was slightly perplexed at such a reaction because even though I caused a test-tube to violently explode and singed my hair on a bunsen burner I still left school with a grade 'B' in chemistry. But then again how many people can boast to actually almost breaking an arm by falling up the stairs in a completely 100% sober state - exactly, I think I'll wait a while, it's a shame I'm such a dope I had several spiffing ideas using resin as well.

On a safer, more chemical-free note I really want to give bead-weaving a try or working with seed beads in general. In the books and magazines I open them only to see these magnificently woven pieces gazing back at me saying 'you will never be able to make me, never, not in even in your dreams ginger so forget it'. I can't help but feel slightly intimidated, is it hard? (sorry I've got no idea who I'm asking there). If it isn't I could maybe teach myself it, I have masses of seed beads, just no needles or proper beading thread - shame.

Before I go, to the shop that was playing

'FREEDOM' by WHAM I just want you to know that I hate you.

Sunday April 25th, 2010

Hmmm, I guess it could work, in fact I'm pretty sure it will. I'm referring to the outcome of my infamous eureka moment, since that Friday evening this latest piece of wizardry has been re-drawn three times (although to be honest it doesn't matter how many times it's done my seahorse still looks more like a Brontosaurus) and now I've just finished expertly colouring it in with my finest Crayola colouring pencils. Incredibly the inspiration behind it came from VH1 and The Police classic 'Message in a Bottle'. I guess you're kinda curious as to what it is, am I right? Well it's simply a silver charm bracelet (as my entries progress you will no doubt learm of my obsession with them) that will feature numerous nautical charms, fish, boats, shells, seahorse/dinosaur, palm trees etc, then a number of golden and blue coloured charms to represent the beach (but I'm sure you figured that out), then finally the focal piece will be a glass vial containing a tiny rolled up piece paper stained with tea (for that aged and vintage look) and well that's it. The drawing in my sketchbook is pretty laughable but the cool thing about being a bad drawer is that you can almost guarantee that the finished product will always look better than the one on paper.

Today I had been initially planning to do some serious work on my wire wrapping but this had to be suspended due the reason being that I'd bitten my thumbnail down way too far and it hurts like hell, even writing is a struggle. Amazing isn't it how thumbs are taken for granted, they may seem small and insignificant but when they're down and immobile you really miss them. Get well soon thumb I need you. I was working my way through the Sunday supplements, (I swear it's crazy how many you get, you want a simple Sunday newspaper but each one seems to come with a trees worth of extras) in one particular magazine I spotted a rather delicious looking pink necklace, seeing it's accompanying price tag I recoiled in horror. 'I could make that easily' I scoffed out loud, alright so I couldn't but that still didn't justify it's ludicrous price tag.

I think I'm going display some of my creations up on the beaders forum, scared as I am it's the only way my works will ever really get seen. Believe it or not fellow beaders I don't actually wear jewellery at all so I can't shamelessly promote myself by flaunting my creations, so it looks like pix are what it's going to be - I will be nervous though.

Friday April 23rd, 2010

Oh diary I am so consumed with discontent, for here I sit in my bed chamber quite literally surrounded by Tupperwear boxes overflowing with beads, sandwich bags filled with various findings, pairs of pliers randomly scattered about the bed linen alongside stacks of craft magazines. Yet all that lies before me is a sketchbook, it's crisp white, virginal pages remain untouched. My creative mind is a blank canvas. I'm sure there must be a word or term for this; jewellery makers block perhaps? That doesn't quite sound right does it? Not snappy enough, just consulted a magazine it is actually referred to as 'beaders block' you see I'm catching on, learning the lingo.

Last night, however, I did actually create 2 pieces, well pairs of earrings under the themes of 'Strawberry Fields' and 'Winter's Tale' for the former I just used a variety of red and green beads, for the latter I opted for a number of wintery related colours white, silver, grey, clear, lilac and even a very light pink. Now I am not one to boast but I was pretty pleased with the my efforts, so much so that I abruptly sought the balls to put them up on the gallery of he 'Bead Buddies' forum for all to see. So with the pictues taken I set about the task in hand then my eyes fell upon the works of my fellow beaders, astounded and amazed by the gems they had created I logged off immediately, painfully concluding that I still have a long, long way to go.

And now here I sit in solitude, patiently waiting for an idea to leap out right at me like a fresh salmon. My silver foil lined heart beads are staring at me, taunting me with their fiendish glint. Averting my gaze I look round the room Mui Mui the hamster is ferociously attacking a floret of broccoli, next to the laptop lies 'World of Warcraft' (I swear on my round nose pliers that's NOT mine), an emptied bag of pick 'n' mix, the case for 'Professor Layton & Pandora's Box' (which IS mine). Gingerly I picked it up and started flicking through the inserts and that was when it happened, I felt like jumping on the bed shouting 'eureka', it was the equivalent of Bradford City scoring a goal (not an own goal), it was clearly a euphoric moment. I took a swig of Lucozade and tore open a bag of Haribo I'd been saving for such an occasion and once the initial merriement was over I picked up my sharpened pencil and began to draw...