New website.

Oh dear! Is it really that long since I blogged. Must try to do better.

I have been rather busy, Somerset Arts Week, Big Bead, Christmas.....and setting up a new website for my jewellery. One of the pendants available there is the heart pictured above. I've kept one of them for myself, something which I rarely do, but I really loved the colours of this design. The range is a bit limited at the moment but there will be more to come.

And for any bead lovers out there, don't forget the spring Big Bead show is rapidly approaching. I will be there at Sandown Park on 2nd April. I really must get onto the torch and start making stock!

Some buttons and some news!

I have just added some glass beads to my shop. I've been planning to make buttons for ages and have only just got round to it. They have been very popular during Somerset Art Weeks so I thought I would try some in my Etsy shop too.

I also have some exciting news that I have been keeping secret for the last few months. I have a bracelet and a lampwork bead in the finals of the British Bead Awards, due to be presented at the Big Bead Show, Sandown Park on 30th October. The bracelet above is very similar to the one that has been shortlisted. It is on my Arts Week stand at the moment but if you would be interested in buying it then please email me. The bracelet has gold filled findings, lampwork beads, amethysts, pearls and Swarovski crystals. It is priced at £85.

I will be at the Big Bead Show selling my beads with the help of my friend Gill, so if you are there please come and say hello.

Somerset Arts Week.

Today was the first day of Somerset Arts Weeks Open Studio event which lasts for the next two week. I am at The Coach House, Pitminster with my friend Charlotte and another artist called Sara Glanfield. We are really pleased with how our venue looks and the mix of work we have; my beads and jewellery, Charlotte's applique and Sara's paintings. There are also some lovely corsages that my sister has made. She is going to get an Etsy shop to sell these but if you are interested in the meantime then email me. They are £12 including postage and packing. I know I'm biased but they really are the nicest I've seen anywhere.

If you are anywhere near us in the next few weeks do pop in and say hello.

Some new beads.

I haven't been very productive since I got back from holiday despite having had a week without either of the girls at home. However there are some new beads in my shop including this set.

I am off to London tomorrow to help my older daughter carry her bags home. She has been to a summer art course at the Slade School of Fine Art which is where she would love to end up in a years time. Unfortunately it is about twice as competitive as any Oxbridge course, 1400 applications expected for 25 places. Still, someone has to get in.

Phoebe and I need to decide what to do in London. We are meeting up with my son and his wife who has just got back from visiting her family in Iowa. And I will get my new Macbook tomorrow which Emily has brought back with her. My laptop finally gave up the ghost last week. The graphics card has gone, plus it needs a new keyboard so I decided it was time for a new one. I've never used a Mac before but my iPhone along with some visits to Apple shops to stroke the elegantly designed computers has convinced me to make the change....along with some advice from Emily who is a big Apple fan.

Have a good weekend. I will try and get more work done next week!

Norway.

We had a lovely week cruising up to Norway, visiting Bergen, Olden, Alesund and Stavanger. The weather was kind to us and apart from a couple of hours drizzle in Bergen the sun shone all week and the sea was calm.

The top photograph shows our ship, Oriana between some of the charming wooden houses in the old area of Stavanger. Phoebe and I rather fancied living in one of these or in the lovely green house in the next photograph. This was at Olden. Having sailed about 65miles up the fjord to Olden we got off the ship just by this house and went on a coach trip to the lake shown in the last photo. The water was a really lovely shade of green because the movement of the glaciers means that the water contains a lot of fine sediment from the rocks. We went on a trip across the lake and then walked up to just below the glacier.

Seashells.

Sea shell beads always seem to be popular and it is certainly the weather to make thoughts turn towards the beach. Here is a new set I have added to my Etsy shop today.

I hope you all had a good weekend in the sunshine. I had a visit from my two little nephews which was lovely...although our three cats didn't agree and made themselves scarce.

If you are in Taunton this Sunday then come and see me at the Art Boot Sale and Queen,s College. I will be selling my jewellery and beads there but there will also be lots of artists selling paintings, prints and ceramics.

Mexican Beads.

I've been making beads in lovely bright colours inspired by some Mexican arts and crafts I've been looking at. I've even made some little skull charms for Day of the Dead jewellery. I need to practise them a bit more before I show them or list any for sale. Don't know that they will be popular in the UK but there does seem to be a lot of Día de los Muertos work on Etsy.