JCB's and Sparkly Things

Ok, so I finished the JCB cake.  It didn't turn out quite how I'd planned due to a lack of time after an unexpected shift at work, but I was eventually pretty pleased with it.

Adam liked it so I guess I did a good job.  He thought he was getting a 2D picture of a JCB or a photo stuck on top of the cake so it was a bit of a surprise for him. :0)  I also made him a JCB inspired card.

I really struggled with jewellery to wear to the party but eventually came up with these:

Sterling silver, rose quartz and Swarovski crystals.  Unfortunately the bracelet is no more. :0(  Dunno how I managed it, but it snapped towards the end of the night so I guess I'll have to remake it when I get round to it.  Fortunately, I think I only lost two crystals, so it's easily done. :0)

I do think I'm getting too old to be partying till the early hours though.  I've been asleep half the afternoon!

The website is coming along nicely, so I'm told.  Autumn is doing a great job in a fraction of the time it would be taking me to do it and I've been so busy this week that I've barely had time to look at it myself.

Website Whispers

So, I've started to sort out the new website - with a huge amount of help from Autumn, thank you! - and it's looking good.  All I have to do is figure out how to actually list my jewellery and kits on it and I'm away. :0D  Just as soon as it's all done I will give you the link and you can let me know what you think.  It might take a week or two though.  I'm just recovering from this stupid cold/flu virus that's been doing the rounds so I've been out of action most of this week and it's put things back a little bit.  I'd hoped to have taken pics of all the different colourways for the dragon kit and have them listed by now but unfortunately I haven't managed it yet.  Watch this space.

I've got a birthday cake to decorate this week with a model of a JCB on it!  I'm quite looking forward to the challenge.  Will post pics when I'm done.

Candy Stripe Bracelet

This is a pic of the bracelet that I used for the demo at work today.  It's a flat, even-count peyote strip in two colours and everyone left with a set of instructions to give it a go, so I think it was a success! :0)  I much prefer to use Delicas for this sort of thing but, since we don't sell them, this was done in Czech size 11 seed beads.  It's not perfect but who is? ;0)  I'm planning on an embellished version using size 8 seeds for later in the year so I guess I'd best get on with that too.  Next month's demo will be a pair of snowdrop earrings if I can figure out a) how to do them, and b) how to write the tute so that it's easy to understand.

I've listed some of the jewellery that I had in my Misi shop in my FB one.  Misi seems to be on it's way out, unfortunately, so I decided to remove my work from there before it disappears. :0(  Now all I need to do is get some more pics taken and sort the website out so I've somewhere that's 'mine' to sell from. 

Two posts in three days from me - more than my total for the whole of last year - things are looking better already. :0)  You may see things changing on here from time to time as I get to grips with it all a bit more - or you may not, if I don't!  Don't worry, I'll be back soon.

Donna xx

Stormfyre the Dragon

Well, so much for last year's list! Events in my personal life kinda got the better of me - again - and I didn't manage to do any of the things on it. I certainly didn't keep up with the blog!

So what's next? I'm really excited about the plans for this year!

I'm looking into converting the garage into a little beading studio where I will be able to teach. The monthly demonstrations that I do at the craft shop where I work have gone really well, with a small but loyal following, but now I'd like to expand their skills and I can't do that with the limited selection of beads that we stock in the shop. I'll still continue with the demonstrations but keep them to simple pieces and try some of the more adventurous stuff from home.

I've finally got around to making up some kits for this bracelet that I designed last year and now just have to take pics of the different colours available before I can list them for sale in my FB shop. Meet Stormfyre the dragon:

Which reminds me, I still owe Lynda a prize for coming up with his name.

I'm also in the middle of setting up a website so it's pretty full-on here at the moment! :0)

So here's to a happy, healthy and productive 2011!

New Year, New Start

Well, finally we are in 2010! I feel so positive that this year will be a good one and I know it sounds corny but on the stroke of midnight I actually felt all the tension and stress of the last year lift away from me. It wasn't even the drink talking. :0)



So the plans for this year are:



to put more effort into making the business work.

to lose the extra weight I gained last year and start eating more healthily.

to be more organised with the housework.

to make sure that everything that needs doing, gets done.

to spend time in my garden and turn it into a place I can relax.

to try not to get stressed out over things that I have no control over.



I'm really looking forward to seeing what this year brings. Hopefully I will be able to tell you all about some really exciting stuff from now on. :0)

U2 Live!

I went to see U2 at Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield last night after waiting for about 20 years because I couldn't get hold of tickets before. I certainly wasn't disappointed. They were absolutely fantastic! I was like a kid on Christmas Eve when we got there, couldn't sit still and just kept grinning like a fool - you'd think at nearly 34 that I'd have grown out of that sort of excitement, but no. We got soaked waiting to get into the stadium - it absolutely threw it down and I thought we were gonna be in trouble 'cos I'd got no coat or anything but it brightened up and was quite nice after that. Steven bought me a programme and a t-shirt, which I ended up wearing later when it got cold (that'll teach me not to take a coat). As soon as U2 came on the stage, everyone stood up and from then on the time went far too quickly. They did some of the songs off the new album first - Magnificent, I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight, Get On Your Boots, then Beautiful Day and Elevation, which I love. Bono got the crowd singing Happy Birthday to the set designer, Willie Williams who is from Sheffield and has been with the band for 26 years, then loads more stuff including Sunday Bloody Sunday, Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (another favourite of mine), One, Ultraviolet, Mysterious Ways, Elevation, Walk On, Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of, Unknown Caller, No Line On The Horizon and With Or Without You - which is my all time favourite song of theirs but I was slightly miffed that Bono changed the way he sang it, althought it was still great. They closed with Moment Of Surrender from the new album which is a fab song. We were sat quite close to the stage but round the back so watched most of it on the huge screen above the stage, they did keep walking right around the stage though so we got to see them all fairly close.

Steven took loads of photos which are here if you want a look:http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=37232&id=1195366397&l=250ee0ac98

Okay, probably bored you enough now, so I'll shut up.

Okay, been a few weeks since I was last here. More family stuff getting in the way, but hopefully it's all sorted now.

The Summer Fair wasn't up to much but I did manage to give out some of the goody bags so you never know. The week after that I went to Wembley to see Take That and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I love going to Take That shows they always put so much into it. It was completely amazing and we took loads of photos ( you can see them here, if you're interested: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=32169&id=1195366397&l=248f4eabfd ). The Script were fantastic too.

Anyway, now we are on holiday in Cornwall for the week. The weather wasn't good yesterday. It kept raining. I'm hoping it picks up today. Kieran wants to get down on the beach and play in the sand, and I'd love a lazy day doing not a lot. I can hear the seagulls from here and I can't wait to get out and about. Hopefully I'll get some photos I can show you later.

Bye for now,

Donna