Sarah Downton Beads and Jewellery

Monday lunchtime (but posted Tuesday teatime, we had techie problems!)

Thank goodness that’s all over, all the preparation for Open Houses is done, and the first weekend has passed. I managed to get my displays done, somewhat later than I would have liked, and when asked by my friend why I was so unprepared I wasn’t sure, but then it hit me, oh yes, my hip replacement was scheduled very unexpectedly with short notice and messed my planned schedule for the year, I had set aside May and June for preparation but of course my priorities changed. Still, I managed it with half an hour to go, lol and even managed to make some new pieces, different variations on my current range.

Now that’s done I’ve masses of other jobs to do, but today I’m taking it easy. I got up at 11 this morning, lovely, having been lounging around drinking tea and reading a book by Alan Bennett, not my usual read but entertaining. All the effort last week has caught-up with me and I plan to continue having a leisurely day, as I’m supposed to anyway still being on stick leave and all. It’s been fun watching a bit of daytime TV, yes I know, very naff, but I’m really getting into House at the moment. Up to recently we couldn’t get Five but now they’re cranking up the signal we’ve had more viewing choice. This brings me to walking sticks and disabilities in dramas.

What is it about stick users on TV? why do they always get it wrong? Lots of people who meet me think my left leg is the problem because that’s the side I use my stick. Unfortunately many people who buy themselves a stick don’t use them in the best way, as they haven’t been shown and then they copy what they’ve seen on TV. Even Rick thought I was doing it wrong, tchhh. However I almost always see people using sticks in the wrong hand on telly dramas and in films, very amusing especially when Doctors do it in Hospital dramas! I’m guessing that if a stick was used properly it would have less of a dramatic impact, and I’m also thinking that Hugh Laurie aches like mad after filming! Serves him right. Ha.

Wednesday morning

I have a zillion and one things to do today, OK not really, but I do have lots to do and I shouldn’t really be here talking to you but I am so there. Yesterday was my 6 week from hip hop day, and it was a good one. No more blood thinning jabs in my belly and I got rid of my sexy white compression pop socks just in time for the hotest day so far this year and spent the day sporting a cool pair of shorts. I even managed to get a steaming hot mug of tea down the steps into our garden so I could sit and slurp on my favourite bench. I also haven’t had any painkillers since Sunday night, how cool is that? I have to admit having a moment at 12 noon yesterday, as that was when they woke me up in recovery and I felt so chilled. This whole experience so far has been completely different from my last surgery, where I was still on crutches and using a wheelchair after 6 months, but here we are, 6 weeks on and I practice walking in the house without sticks when I feel up to it, although I do still need my crutches. Chalk and cheese.

Half way through my recommended recovery period and I think it’s going really well, now all I have to do is pluck up the courage to try making beads again. My brain has been and is still so ditzy and slow that I haven’t dared approach the flame for fear of doing something stupid and burning myself, also my mobility and flexibility constraints have made me wary of trying to sit for any length of time in my studio or reaching to get things and forgetting my hip precautions. Add to this my tiredness after short times of activity and you don’t really have the best of situations. So I’ve decided to leave well alone until I feel I can enjoy making glass beads in safety.

I do have lots to do to get ready for Open Houses this weekend. I’m setting up my first display at the 2×4 Studios in Horsham today and have several jobs that I must do for that, including fitting out my flat display cabinets, deciding exactly what I want in them and how I’m going to arrange and display them. I also have to get all the ’stuff’ together to make my sales, for example packaging, a sign to explain what I do, a mirror etc…..phew. See you later.

Monday tea time

Open Houses as part of the Artists and Makers Festival in West Sussex starts this weekend and continues the following weekend. I am exhibiting in 2 places, my first and main venue is at Edith Barton’s house in Plummers Plain, where I will have my tall cabinet of designer glass bead jewellery. Edith has once again opened her summerhouse in her huge garden to display her work together with mine and 2 other local artists, Thea Taylor who will have sculpture on display indoors and outside, and Katherine Haynes who makes bags and lampshades from bubble wrap.  We are discussing having demonstrations like we did last year, and I may be taking my equipment to make handmade glass beads again, this will depend on how energetic I’m feeling by then. Come and see our artworks, enjoy some refreshment while you watch a demonstration and have a leisurely stroll around the garden whilst admiring the sculptures.

My second venue is in the 2×4 Artists community room in the Drill Hall in Horsham town centre. I will have a smaller range of jewellery for sale, but in different colours from the other venue, so don’t forget to check out both places. The room will of course be displaying many pieces by my fellow artists in the group, including paintings, mixed media, textiles, sculpture and printmaking. Studio artists will also be opening their doors as always.

More information is on my events page and by clicking on the links to the festival website where a pdf of the festival guide can be downloaded, and a festival map can be viewed. Unfortunately this map doesn’t so far appear to have our Horsham locations marked on it, oh well!

Friday tea time

Wednesday we had our own Springwatch here as I sat gazing out of the window, with several different birds swooping around and being really bold as they bobbed around just outside where I was sitting. We have had a resident pair of robins for a long time living in the holly tree overhanging the corner of the garden, and a pair of Collared Doves that squeak every time they fly by, but on Wednesday we also saw 3 Coal Tits, 1 Great Tit, and a thrush or two. I’ve also recently seen a type of Finch or Blue Tit, I’m not sure which because I didn’t have anything to hand for reference. We also seem to have 3 ducks that keep appearing in our road, and a few months ago had a peacock parading around the road too. Of course this isn’t as posh as where Rick used to live with his parents, in their house which backed onto a large mansion which had a huge garden with 2 Peacocks and a Peahen. They looked wonderful as they would often hop over the fence into Ricks garden but in reality were a complete and utter pest as they used to eat all the plants and poo everywhere………and remember we’re talking BIG birds here, with BIG appetites and BIG…..well, you get the idea.

Of course the ducks found the only pond available! a small puddle by the edge of the road.

Monday afternoon

So this is it, my last post before my surgery tomorrow, by lunchtime it should all be done and then I can start getting better and looking forward to a healthier, more active lifestyle like I used to have. I still have 99 things to do, of course, but then I have spent more time organising things for my daughter who isn’t really old enough yet to sort out her own stuff. Anything else to do with my business will just have to wait until later next week if I feel up to it. If you’ve sent me a contact form lately and I haven’t replied yet I hope you won’t mind waiting a couple of weeks, I can’t quite get my head around them at the moment, not sure why!

I plan to start teaching again in September, and dates are booking up quickly, so there will be more opportunity during October for beadmaking lessons. That sounds such a while away, but I’m sure it will slam into us real fast, as time generally seems to have a way of sneaking certain dates up on us, no matter how well prepared we thought we were.

I must go now and finish packing my bag for my stay in hospital. Bye for now.

Tuesday morning

What a lovely day. It’s so nice that I’ve taken up my old habit of sitting outside on the bench in front of my studio to type this entry. It’s truly lovely, and it’s days like today that make me so glad that I don’t work in an office for someone else any more. Being self employed is hard in itself because you seem to work loads of hours for not much profit,well, that’s the case with most art related designer makers, although if I was in another line of business I’d make real sure I was making a decent profit, but then art is about so much more than making a quick buck. However, I digress, yes, it’s days like today that make you feel glad to be alive and happy to be at home.

So 2 weeks to go, and my jobs are getting done even though I haven’t planned their timing to the nth degree. I’m hoping to get into my studio and make beads for my Open Houses jewellery again today, even though I’ve almost managed to fill my cabinet with pieces made previously. I now have the mind numbing chore of making earwires and headpins to make up my earrings and pendants, yawn! I do like making jewellery, it’s just that some jobs get a wee bit tedious and the fun part is making up the pieces and looking at all the lovelies! Today I’m hoping to make some more hollows to complete some fun fab necklaces, along a similar design idea to my large hollows necklace that featured on all of last years Open Houses literature. Oh, my tea mug is empty, that means our time is up for today, must pop off and fire up the kiln.

Wednesday morning

The holidays are almost over, yay, then I can get down to making beads again. We have had some interesting days and had a great time out on Monday when we went to Brighton for the afternoon - that’s me and my 9 year old. She’s got to the age where she’s interested in looking in shops other than toy shops and enjoys looking in jewellery shop windows, hurrah! You know what it’s like with a younger child in tow, they just kick the ground and look bored all the time unless you’re walking. I think we spent the most time in an amazing percussion shop where he sells all sorts of obscure imported instruments and rhythm making things. We succumbed and bought a mini accordion for her to play tunes on, great fun.

Friday morning

Wow it’s so lovely outside today, and it was yesterday too. I had a better session in the studio, even though I’m suffering with a throat infection, and think I have my Tempest bead at last. I’m hoping to go out and make more lovelies today, although I’m not sure yet what I need to do……..goes off and rummages in bead boxes. I should probably be good and start getting organised for Open Houses and the Ardingly Bead Fair this summer, but I feel like experimenting today, something that I don’t feel I get much time to do. I’ve been playing around with my new press that I swapped with someone, it’s a lentil, which I thought was going to be difficult to use, but actually it’s not as bad as I thought it would be. That’s it, I’ve decided, I’ll do some experiments and some production work, a good compromise. Have a great weekend.

Wednesday morning

Isn’t it fantastic having longer evenings now? I’m starting to get itchy feet and want to get lots of things done, and go abroad, it must be the spring thing. I love this time of year, there’s so much of a feeling of new beginnings. We have several projects that we’re hoping to do here this year, I expect we’re being too optimistic, but we will achieve half of them probably, although it’s already April, how did that happen? and the next 2 weeks ahead are school holidays, I just don’t feel ready for that.

Fridays bead session was fun, although I made 2 rather long beads (the longest being  70mm, although I just about managed 82mm last week before it cracked at each end, I won’t be trying that again!) that took absolutely ages to do, 1 and 1/2 hours each start to finish, then one of them had a nasty crack up the centre at one end, so disheartening. It’s always the same when you have a deadline, these beads are attempt number 5 and 6 for the Tempest invitational exhibition that I’m taking part in, and I only have 3 out of the 6 beads to choose from due to various cracks and problems with this design. I can see I won’t be doing many more of these, but I will try and do a smaller version that is quicker and easier to keep in one piece while I’m working on it.

I filled the rest of my time with quicker things, experiments with pleat beads, I’d always wondered how Nicole Zumkeller and Eric Seydoux did their close lines, and had worked it out for myself then came across a great couple of threads on Lampwork etc . I had fun with this technique, taking it further than the tutorials for my first bead. Pics will follow later if I can persuade hisnibs to get them ready for me.

Friday morning

I love 4 day weeks, they seem so……short. The downside is that they reduce my days available for bead making unfortunately. I shall be going down the garden to my studio shortly as I have a mammoth 8 hours available to me today that I hope not to waste, although I do have some ‘paper’ things to do first. I have to say that the weather is putting me off somewhat, but I’m sure I’ll get over it.

So T5 (or Terminal 5) at Heathrow is up and running. lol. I can’t but help laughing, but I do feel sorry for BA as the whole project has gone so well, to time etc., and it’s not like they didn’t test all the systems rigorously. Having worked as a project manager and engineer in Industry I know what an achievement this is. Of course they forgot to factor in the mass of people problem with parking and getting in the way of the staff. Life would be so much easier for them and British Rail if there weren’t lots of pesky passengers around to get in the way and mess things up. It’s the same with the hospitals really, which reminds me of an entertaining episode of ‘Yes, Prime Minister’ where they had a hospital fully staffed with all sorts of management, not so many medical staff and absolutely no patients. Ahh, the old ones are the best……tongue firmly in cheek.

Now I have to go and decide what to make today, an arduous task, not. I think I might break out the silver foil again today and makes some real jewels of glassiness. Yippee I can’t wait.

Wednesday morning

It’s Wednesday morning again, and am I smugly doing my accounts? Am I heck. I did that once only, then reality took hold and strangled all the hope out of me…..not really, but there’s always a more important job to do than accounts. It’s a bit like housework in that respect. The thing is, I do think about doing it every Wednesday, then I realise that there’s something more important to be done. Take today, I have a big deadline I’m working towards on Friday, well 2 actually, so I MUST work on that job or I will miss it, as it’s actually a Thursday deadline for the post, which means the deadline is actually tonight as I have to have everything prepared this evening. So should I be number crunching? which if truth be told is only there to support the main event, which is my bead and jewellery making. I don’t think so. Mind you when these dates are past I will have a bit of a breather, and look, it’s then the start of the new financial year, which brings with it the joys of stock taking, whoopee. I think I’ll leave any attempt at counting my stuff until the school spring break.

Tuesday afternoon

We are in the throws of half term once more, and I am reminded of the events of last February’s half term when I spent the week and longer in The Royal Brompton and Harefield hospital in Chelsea with my daughter who  was suffering with a very bad bout of pneumonia. I much prefer this February! Although it looks like I won’t actually be doing my accounts tomorrow morning as planned because I forgot the school holiday and I have a hair cut booked, oh, how easily my best intentions go to pot. At least I’ve managed so far to do something vaguely mummsy today, by making dough and getting my daughter and her friend to make their own pizza for lunch. Yum. And we have half the dough left, so we can have some fun with that tomorrow….maybe bread rolls or dough balls with garlic butter, very naughty but nice.

I’m getting very confused by the weather at the moment, we’ve been sweltering at home today (not really, I thought it sounded good) and yet if I turn the heating down or off altogether we totally freeze in the evening, what’s that all about then? Aside from that I’m revelling in the fact that the evenings are getting longer by leaps and bounds, hopefully I’ll feel like making beads in the evening when the evenings are even lighter and more importantly warmer. I am fast running out of time to make my own beads and jewellery for the events that I have planned for the summer, namely the Guild exhibitions, Open Houses and 2 bead fairs. Looks like I’ll be raiding my bead box for further bargains and clear-out beads to top up my stock.

Tuesday morning

At last, I managed some beading time last week, and even managed to try 7 of my new frits and my new press, woo hoo. Now I need to experiment for a couple of projects I’m doing, one I’ve committed to, the other I’ll do if I can come up with anything good. All will be revealed by the end of March! I’m heading out to my studio today when my kiln is warmer, 13.5 deg C in my studio this morning so it’s getting warmer outside.

I love this time of year, and find it a bit difficult to understand why these are the most depressing months after Christmas. It’s a wonder to go in the garden and see the flower stems pushing up through the cold earth, so full of life when everything else seems dead. It reminds me that summer is on the way, and fills me with thoughts of new beginnings and excitement. It also smells fresh and seems to be gradually warming up outside as the evenings get longer. I love the changing seasons, even though I’d love a hot summer all the time, I find the changes exciting and exhilarating.

Wednesday tea time

Yay, my accounts are finished and my tax return has been well and truly submitted, albeit at midnight on Monday. Typically I was so shattered yesterday that I didn’t do anything at all, but I think I deserved a day off after working all weekend, all last week and every evening last week. I’m now turning my thoughts to what jobs I can do before the next manic season arrives. I’d like to improve my studio and get the house and garden tidy (ha ha) but I bet something else gets in the way….it always does! I’m going to have to write a plan so that I can do preparation for the next bead fairs and jewellery exhibitions and dovetail it in with some home improvements. I also need to sit down and work out just how I can keep my accounts up to date as the year progresses, that would be so lovely, as then I wouldn’t waste all of January getting stressed and spending time on paperwork when I could be making beads and jewellery. It’s a nice thought but I can’t help feeling I won’t manage it, although if I take the defeatist attitude I don’t stand a chance, so, I’m going to make it work this year. I hope to start by tackling my current years accounts and getting up to date if possible. Oh what a boring subject, are you bored with this? I know I am.

So, I think I may well have to go out to my studio tomorrow and make some beads, I have new toys to play with, a new press that I got before Christmas, a Creation Station and 10 pots of frit that Rick brought back from New York, also my stash of Double Helix glass and Vetrofond odd lots that I haven’t had time to experiment with yet.  Also watch this space for some new beads in my shop, most with a valentines theme. So much to do, so little time.

Monday morning

What a weekend, I need a rest to get over it. All Saturday we were preparing for the bead fair yesterday, and of course yesterday was the main event. We had a lovely day mainly due to all you lovely people who came to say hello and spend some time with us. Now I have the unenviable job of finishing my accounts today so that my MIL can come over tonight to finish the tax part and do the online bit. Urrgh and I’m missing my class to do this today, still, it’s a good impetus to finish today.

What a fantastic and inspiring programme last night, I watched Monty Dons’ first part of ‘Around the World in 80 gardens’. I thought it would be interesting but was really amazed at the wonderful gardens and sights that he saw. Also the reasoning behind some of the gardens was very thought provoking, especially the Havana gardens in Cuba. Many of these gardens are tucked away in what used to be derelict areas of the city, and have been converted to communal fruit and vegatable plots for the benefit of the local residents. I loved the idea of the 60 small information centres where the gardeners could get help and advice on growing their crops, truly inspirational, and very green. There was also some amazing eye candy and many interesting themes and ideas for garden design and even bead inspiration. Just what I’m looking for to shape my new collection.

Friday morning

Hi there, me again. What a lovely sunny day it is today. I’ve been walking my daughter to school every morning this week as Rick has been away, and every day has been different, but today is lovely. Especially as I now have 10 new gorgeous pots of frit to play with and my very own Creation Station at last, all hot off the plane from New York. There’s definitely an advantage to having family visit the States when you’re into making glass beads. Of course now I want to dash out to my studio and try out my new toys…err…work items…but that will have to wait until next week, hopefully Tuesday, when my accounts and thus tax will be well and truly done, yay. I just hope he hasn’t brought any critters home with him on his suitcase, it’s so reassuring to know they have high levels of bed bug infestations in New York, lol.

Don’t forget I will be at the Bead fair at Ardingly this Sunday, come and say hello and bag yourself some bargains, most of my reduced beads are at least 70% off, and I also have some special sets that have never been offered for sale before now. The show opens at 10am, see you there!

Wednesday morning

This has been such a busy January, I hadn’t realised how fast the weeks were going, and I’ve hardly chatted you guys. This month has been full of tuition and other pressing jobs, so much so that I still haven’t finished my accounts, and I’ve been avoiding writing here so that I don’t run out of time.

I’ve been spending some time in the evenings getting my stock ready for the beadfair at Ardingly this Sunday (27rd Jan). I’m having a bit of a clear out and it’s been fun going through my bead box, looking at the older beads I’ve made and hung on to because I like them and for inspiration. I really notice the improvement in my control of the glass, in shaping and general neatness, and have ditched several of the beads I would have been happy to sell during my first few years. However I do still have some from early on, that I’ve never offered for sale, and these will be in my bargain pots this Sunday, together with some old styles and some experiments. I hope to see you there.

Monday morning

Hi guys and gals. I’ve just finished updating my events page with the bead fairs and Open Houses that I have booked for the coming year, so do shimmy on down for a look. My first event is the Beadwork fair at Ardingly in 2 weeks time, oooh eck that’s not long. I am planning to have a bit of a sale of some of my older beads and seconds, as they seem to have accumulated somewhat over the years, together with my newer sets and dichroic focal beads. So make a date on your diary please and at the very least come and say hello!

Monday lunchtime

At last, things are getting back to normal. I never thought I’d hear myself say it, but it’s a relief to get back into some sort of routine, and to get the house back to myself during the day. My first job was to tidy the kitchen while making breakfast, run the dishwasher and put on some washing. Well, I’ve managed all but the washing as I got waylaid by making sure that my birthday present worked OK, yes I know, but this is the first quiet moment that I’ve had to peek at my Kath & Kim DVD. Fatal.

Anyways, I’ve just about managed to get back on track and can actually see my desk again, having spent half the morning tidying it. (I can’t see the dining table anymore though.)These are of course delaying tactics whilst I avoid the real job of tackling the dreaded tax once more. All my new years resolutions went out the window last year very early on as we saw our daughter go into hospital for a couple of weeks and then have months off school. This seriously put me behind in every way last year, and saw me giving up my resolve to do my accounts once a week before I’d even started. lol. Hopefully things will run smoother this year, but these are famous last words so let’s see what the year has in store for us. I’d better push off and do some of the urgent jobs now. have a cool Monday.

Wednesday lunchtime

Happy New Year wishes to you all.

It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was writing my last beadlog entry, but it’s been all go since then. Christmas preparations took ages again, and all my hopes for an organised and relaxed Christmas eve went out the window when we agreed (about 10 days before the event) to organise a Carol Service to take place on the Sunday before Christmas. We ended up with our usual scramble to get lots of jobs done on Christmas eve and a well past midnight bedtime, well, at least we’re constant!

We also scuppered preparations by going away the weekend before that to our friend Di East’s grand studio opening in Leicester. We had a fab weekend shared with lots of beady friends and almost forgot all the stuff we had to do. Follow this link to see all the photos Rick took that weekend.

I have to dash now and get ready for all the students I have coming in the next couple weeks. Byeeeeeeeeeee.