A summer of creativity and change

Things have been rather frantic of late. We’ve been ruthlessly tidying and sorting stuff out. We started with the garden shed. It had got to the stage where we simply couldn’t get at stuff because it was full of unused  things. A perfectly useable vacuum cleaner and shampooer went off to the charity shop and my poor little bike has had a makeover. I used to cycle most days, but as the brakes gradually wore out and not being good with puncture mending it has languished there unloved for the last 7 years. I decided to find a small local business and let them transform it for me. Off it went to bicycle hospital – AKA Soren’s Cycles – and he has done me proud and given it a whole new lease of life! I had my first proper ride yesterday, off to the hairdresser. Norfolk is fairly flat, but I still found I was rather out of practice as the dimply bits around my middle testify!

I’m in the process of giving the website a bit of a change round too, as I was finding it very time consuming to list any new pieces.  I know a little bit of web design, but really I’d rather spend the time making  jewellery than writing javascript so I’ve opened a Folksy shop, and linked it in to the website and blog. I adore Folksy. I buy nearly all my gifts from there, and it is a lovely site to search and browse. Like all these things, as a seller I realise it will be as good as I make it, so the summer will be spent making new and lovely stuff to stock it up with. I also need to get to grips with Pinterest, as it looks an exciting thing to be a part of. Social media is a wonderful resource for anybody who loves to make things.

I discovered some great focal beads to make into new pieces, including this unusual ceramic bead. I like sitting outside to make jewellery if the weather is good. It gives you a completely different mind set beading close to nature and I find natural materials inspire me at this time of year. Certainly the jewellery I wear myself has a lighter, more organic look in the summer.

 

I love leather thong necklaces, just right for the summer weather with a floaty top and sandals. Bring on the Pimms!

Inspired by a rose garden.

Another copper clay and wired beauty has kept me happily busy and enthralled over the weekend.

 

The copper clay centre gives a little weight to the necklace and the wire wrapping continues right to the clasp. This means that the necklace hangs in a beautiful curve. The copper took 10 mins continuous torch firing, and I'm now seriously thinking of buying a mini kiln. This would mean I can fire several components at once without having to wield a hot torch. A bonus if we ever do get any summery weather this year!