Spotlight on: Claire of Clasibags

Oooh, now where do I start?  Not only does Claire make some fantastic knitted and felted bags, she also makes her own lampwork beads, jewellery and takes commissions for wedding stationery.  I have to wonder when she finds the time to sleep!

Okay, well I guess I should start with Claire's bags.  Here is a beautiful felted one in a gorgeous shade of pink:

I love the flower on the front too. :o)

This knitted one looks sooooooo fluffy.  I think I'd end up just sitting and stroking it if it were mine!  Again, the colours are gorgeous and the flowers really finish it off nicely:

Claire makes the flowers herself too and you can also buy them as brooches from her website:

If jewellery is more your thing, you should check out this site which features some beautiful earrings, necklaces and bracelets like this one which features one of Claire's own lampwork beads:

My favourite though, is this necklace, aptly named 'Heather Dreaming'.  Gorgeous isn't it:

Finally, here is an example of some of Claire's wedding stationery which can be commissioned through the same site as her jewellery:

If you'd like to find out more about Claire and her work why not check out her FB page and Blog.

Spotlight on: Mel of Inkydoodlecrafts

I've only recently discovered Mel's work through the Craft Pimp forum but I'm amazed at how fabulous some of her pieces are!  Take this for instance:

Who wouldn't be thrilled to receive a card like this?  I also love the Royal Wedding hat that Mel made for her daughter.  I can't imagine the amount of work that must have gone into it!  No wonder it won first prize.

The flowers that it is decorated with were also handmade by Mel and similar ones can be found in her Ebay shop. 

If you take a look at Mel's Etsy shop you will find some beautiful enamelled toppers like these:

and also these fabulous enamelled tiles:

Don't they just shout Summer at you?

If you would like to find out more about Mel's work you should check out her FB page and  Blog where you will find a wonderful dragonfly drawing and see how Mel turned it into a finished design.

Spotlight On: Dianne Sandland

I've really enjoyed reading about Dianne while doing the research for this blog - and looking at some of her gorgeous silver work.  Since retiring four years ago Di has fallen in love with silver and also enjoys lampworking too.  Me?  I've fallen in love with this etched silver clasp:

I would so love this for something just for me!  Isn't it beautiful? 

These beads are already sold but I loved Di's description of them so much that I thought I'd share it, and them, with you:

'A set of five lentil-shaped sterling silver beads that have been etched with the words of a love letter. Because all love letters are secret, it has been etched in mirror writing so protect the lovers...'  Awwwwww.

Finally, how about this fabulous amber pendant?  I've no idea how you would go about making something like this but I do love it!

If you would like to see more of Dianne's work why not pop over to her Etsy shop or to read more about her life, check out her Blog.

Spotlight On: Jolene of Kitzbitz Art Glass

I've known of Jolene's gorgeous glassy work for a while but have only recently discovered that she makes fabulous polymer clay beads too.  Her tattoo beads are amazingly detailed as are these beautiful rose beads.

I am in awe of anyone who can do canework like this - especially when they have small children to look after as Jolene does!  For those of us not blessed with that particular talent Jolene also sells the canes for you to use in your own work.  Look at these, aren't they beautful?

Looking back through some of Jolene's past work I found this picture of some of her fabulous lampwork beads.  Don't they just call out to you?  They certainly did to me.  The colours in them are really zingy and they look good enough to eat!

Jolene has also recently set up the Craft Pimp forum.  It is a great place to meet like-minded people across a huge range of crafts - and the eye-candy in the galleries is definitely worth a look!

If you would like to find out more about Jolene and her work why not check out her Etsy shop, Blog and FB page.  And don't forget to pop on over to the Craft Pimp forum too. :o)

Trying to catch up

I've not been around as much as usual the last couple of weeks so I'm going to have to try and catch up with myself.  Please bear with me, normal service will be resumed shortly.

We recently lost my Grandad, just a year and nine days after we lost my Nanna.  It's been a rough couple of weeks but hopefully, after we scatter his ashes tomorrow, life will return to something resembling normal. 

In the meantime I have been making up kits for my Rivoli Flower Necklace - which I demonstrated at work yesterday.  It went down really well!

I'm also preparing for the upcoming Bead Retreat that I've organised with a group of beady friends.  Only 12 days until we'll all be in Monyash eating cake, drinking wine and beading.  Not necessarily in that order. :oD  I can't wait and I know the others are just as excited!  Check out our FB page here if you'd like to see where we're going and what we'll be getting up to.  More on that soon.

I'm about to get caught up with the Craft Pimp blog ring so get ready for some more posts really soon.

Look what I've just found...

... A fabulous blog all about sweet treats!  Bakerella makes some yummy looking things and has a new (ish) book out too which I just have to have.  Now.  If not sooner! :0) 

Go and check it out.

Easter Cupcakes and More

Having been inspired by all the cupcake pics being posted on other blogs/forums I decided I'd make some for Easter Sunday, as we were having all the family round  for a bbq, and here they are.  My very first ones too - previously all I've done are bog standard buns!  I bought a new icing set from Lakeland on Thursday to do the tops with and I'm really pleased with them.  They taste good too! :0)

I also made some egg shaped biscuits, using a vanilla sable recipe, and left them plain so that the kids could decorate them themselves.  I'm not sure who had more fun, the big kids or the little ones!

Look how pleased Adam looks with his biscuit!

Kieran busy decorating a biscuit:

 Look at the concentration on Lexie's face!

A rare pic of Mia with one of her biscuits:

And lastly, Karen showing off her handiwork:

We'd hidden loads of chocolate eggs in the house and garden and the kids had fun finding them - and eating them , of course!  Even Emily got some to take home (I bet her Dad eats them though).

It was a lovely afternoon even though the sun deserted us, although I think it was all a bit much for the chef! :0D