Wednesday 25 August 2010

Autumn is here?

I know it's still the summer holidays but it feels like autumn, today the weather is forecast for rain all day and it's dark like a winter day. Not pleasant for the kids on the last full week of their holidays, they are back to school next week.
I have finally found time to make my first beads you can read all about it in my Storm Glass Bead Blog, the link is on the right.
Wire Leaf Brooch By Cornish Dragon
Autumn Wire Leaf Brooch Copyright Cornish Dragon

This is my entry for the monthly competition on the Making Jewellery Forum, the comp was for a brooch and I don't do brooches. I was going to go for a polymer brooch but I thought about wire leaves, so I had a go. My fingers were a little on the sore side afterwards and I did do six leaves but I removed one as it looked better with five. of course as it was leaves in brown wire it had to have some autumnal colour beads in it. I'm pleased with the result I wonder what we have to make next month.


Monday 9 August 2010

New Hobby on the way

I seem to collect hobbies like some people collect stamps. during the collecting  I've learned Encaustic painting, Fairy drawing & painting, paper crafts and much more. Some of them I have stuck with and still do for pleasure and work. 
So my new Hobby, well it is something I have always wanted to do for a few years, I even bought a book on the subject that has been sat on my bookshelf gathering dust. Well it's my birthday soon, so encouraged by my friends the hobby I've always wanted to do I can now do so as my lovely Hubby will be getting me a Kit. So what is this new Hobby, well I'm going to get a Hothead kit and I will be trying my hand at making my own beads.

What put me off years back was the fact to sell the beads they need to be annealed in a kiln, so they don't break or crack. Kilns are not cheap and this fact was the sticking point so to speak. But doing some research on forums etc I can batch anneal at a later date. Which gives me time to have fun making beads, practicing techniques while saving for a kiln, or sweet talking hubby to help out. I will be setting up another blog which I will add those first beads how ever bad they turn out. I'm still thinking of names for it so far the winner is Storm Glass or Spy Glass but I can decide on that soon enough.

Oh despite it being the Summer Holidays and having the sprogs at home I have managed to make some jewellery. Beribboned beaded necklace and a vampire inspired necklace.