Monday July 19th, 2010

I was looking at Flickr page earlier and felt quite disappointed, I'd seriously got into the craft of jewellery making in around Feb/March time and I just don't seem to have much to show for it. As it currently stands I have a mere 18 items upon there and that's everything I've ever done, ever. Even 'The Lonely Blue Earring' is up there and that was the very first thing I made. Maybe I'm being a bit too harsh, but to be honest I think it's fair to say I've progressed since I put those blue beads together, I guess I'd be more concerned if everything up there looked pretty much the same, but I've tried out new things (whether they've worked is another matter entirely). As I get more confident in my abilities I will be making alot more things I assure you. I'm getting there albeit somewhat slowly. The ideas are there certainly.

Writing of ideas I read a piece in a magazine about how to go about putting together an ideal sketch book. Hmmm, looking at their 'ideal' I laughed out loud, there is no chance I could produce anything up to that standard. I can't draw for toffee, in fact there's more chance of England winning the next World Cup than me producing a work of art. I still chuckle when I see my 'seahorse' that looked more like a brontosaurus and my 'butterfly' that just looked like 2 letter B's (obviously one was a backwards B) with a sausage in the middle. At present I have a simple exercise book covered in dogs, I'm well passed the middle page so I'll think about that later on.

I'd come in to a bit of money after selling my old PS3 as I'd just upgraded to a PS3 Slim (thanks to the Carphone Warehouse). I used some of that to have another bead splurge, I ordered lots of goodies from eBay, a box of delights from Beads Unlimited and I went and raided Pink and Dizzy. It was then I'd got the pack of glass crosses I'd been waiting for in order to get started on the rosary bead project I'd seen in a copy of 'Bead' magazine. I used the actual design in there purely as a guide, with regards to the colour I did it purple and used a whole variety of beads and bits that I already owned, I also made it rather long as well. Although it cost less than a fiver to make to make as 'Bead' stated, it certainly took longer than 2 hours, saying that I was routing around for beads for ages, getting food, playing with the hamsters and was distracted by the TV so I guess that kinds of explains that. I was in fact so pleased with the eventual outcome of it I chose to make another one, only this time in red. Because I ordered the mixed coloured pack of crosses I plan on making more of these rosary beads using a variety of colours - maybe go monochrome, use charms or take on themes autumn colours, fruits of the forest, the ocean, sunset, you know that kind of thing.

I'm off up to Bradford on Thursday for a week to visit my family, as soon as this was confirmed pretty much I was online checking out numerous craft and bead shops in Leeds (I knew for a fact there'd be nothing of that nature in Bradford), I'm all too aware there is a Hobbycraft as it was situated round the corner from where I used to work - I spent many a lunch hour in there, but much to my delight I found another one in the town center 'Yum Yum Beads' it's called I believe and judging by it's online shop then it looks most interesting, I'm sure a few quid will be spent there.

Wednesday June 30th, 2010

Phew, phew and thrice phew. I had finally managed to find my two formally AWOL library books.I had gone along to the library to return my mountain of jewellery making related books when the librarian asked if I'd like to renew the additional two books remaining on my ticket. This was news to me, I had no idea I was clearly under the impression that the ones I had just returned were all the ones I'd had. Perplexed I politely asked for their titles before readily agreeing to their renewal, I was really hoping my psuedo enthusiasm disguised my initial panic, inside I was thinking 'oh my god, oh my god, where the hell are they?'.

'Perfect Match' (a book on making earrings) and 'Making Necklaces' (title self-explanatory) were the books I sought and I spent the evening searching frantically moving the bed, checking behind the bookshelf, even inside my pillowcase (don't laugh I have left books in there before). It was then I had visions of them having fallen into the bin somehow and already been disposed of then I would be forever in the libraries debt. I was sat in the spare room absorbed in 'The Jolly Postman' when Matty casually strode in opened up the box file where we keep the boring but necessary paperwork and blow me down there they were. The relief was tremendous, up until that point Matty had been about as much use as a chocolate fireguard, but right at that very moment I could've kissed him but I didn't instead I gave him a finger of my Twix, a very noble gesture on my part, besides I had another one in the fridge and he did only find them by accident after all.

Now reunited with my books (mine for 3 weeks) I browsed through 'Perfect Match' and was immediately inspired by the ocean/sea range, so much so I'm considering purchasing some African Recycled Glass beads to make them happen. I guess it is kind of ironic that I have a love of making these earrings without actually having pierced ears, but that might be soon set to change. In a previous entry I wrote that my lobes were too small for the piercing procedure to take place but it turns out they're not so I could soon be wearing and flaunting my very own creations before you know it (obviously when I get good). Using up some of my plastic charms and beads I put together a pair of earrings kinda similar to the gumball charm bracelet (also featured on Flickr).