Sarah Downton Beads and Jewellery

Wednesday morning

It’s been a manic few days. I’ve been busy with preparing for and doing a couple of informal sales of my work. Both these mini events went well and now I’m gearing up for the Beads Day at Broadfield House this Saturday. This will be my third time at this event, selling my beads and jewellery together with those of other GBUK members and demonstrating glass bead making the studio. This has always been such a lovely day and we’re all looking forward to it. There are several bead stalls arranged in the various museum rooms and the museum is well worth a look around. Open 10am – 4 pm See you there!

Sunday lunchtime

I remembered today, sat here on my bench, how I used to sit and blog here, outside in the morning. and thought I should revive the practice. Only now it’s just started spitting with rain so I may trot back inside in a minuet. But I’m going to take a few moments, while I wonder how long I should stay here, to soak up the sounds of the birds, sparrows and woodpigeons, and the phantom nose hooter, and smell of the Spring (and all my neighbours sunday lunch smells wafting in the breeze). I can also smell my most favourite wiff starting, that of the dusty ground getting wet as it starts to rain after a dry spell. I think that’s one of the most magical aromas, and I could sit for hours deep breathing in the refreshing scent.

Rain after hot spells is so invigorating, and fills one’s body with renewed vigour (no, not vinegar), maybe they should try and bottle this fragrance, it would be a best seller with the smell of new born babys heads.

It’s stopped spitting now, but I’m covered in ducky bumps – otherwise known as goose pimples – it’s a term some friends and myself came up with as an alternative to the norm back when I was a nutty teenager. Anyway I’m done here for today, but I’d just like to say ‘hi’ to any of my friends who may have popped over for a visit today from Frit Happens, the UKs liveliest forum for glass beadmakers, fusers and the jewellery obsessed.

Tuesday night

Woops, I didn’t mean to leave it so long to blog, it’s not like I’m short on stuff to say, but we have been busy. By which I mean that we had a weekend away (and muggins had to do all the research and looking for a place to stay before we could go anywhere). Another wedding anniversary gone and the memories of a fab weekend in Tetbury between Cheltenham and Bath linger on.

It was just the sort of weekend a gal wants, country drives, oldie world villages, loadsa Georgian architecture, lovely meals out and a man on a pink unicycle in a pink t-shirt and a pink tutu, juggling knives. (Now why can’t Rick do that? he has the skills, and the equipment…..well maybe not the pink gear……but yes he can juggle……balls, clubs and fireclubs, and can ride a unicycle…what’s he waiting for?) Oh yes, the west country and Bath in particular has everything a gal could want to see and do.

Sunday evening

It’s bluebell season again, and whilst enjoying one of my ocassional drives to the Surrey Guild Gallery at Milford I had the pleasure of seeing huge swathes of bluebells making a purple haze under the trees along the way. I also nearly suceeded in killing 1 grey squirrel, 2 sparrows, 2 blackbirds (the birds were having a mid afternoon snack, tea break and general old crows meeting on the road) and one pheasant. I also had the dubius privaledge of hearing distant guns shots probably from game shooting. There were numerous other patches of pretty spring wild flowers and I had to turn off the stereo and listen to the birdsong as I drove along. Ahhh bliss.

I can now report that my cabinet of jewellery at the Milford Gallery is now replenished with some new pieces including my ever popular Porthmeor pendants and a new style of bead earring to match.

Friday evening

The school Easter holiday is upon us, 16 days of child at home (mind you she’s been at home most of the past half-term). I’ve just been out to my studio to collect the afternooons work and the bunch of beads that I batch annealed with them. The batch that I annealed today had already been through the cycle about 3 times but every time something went wrong, and now they’re done, woo hoo. Now I have to clean them…..yuk. I still have another 4 skewers of beads to anneal, but I need to remember not to swtich the strip light on or off in the studio or the programme will go nuts (the kiln runs now but goes wrong when the leckle tricity spikes).

I’ve got so many jobs on my list that need doing that sometimes I feel like Earl Hicky on ‘My name is Earl’. It’s just so nice to be able to cross items off sometimes. I managed to knock 4 things off this evening while Rick cooked. Maybe he should cook every night and I should use that time to catch up?

Tuesday Evening

Hasn’t it been a lovely day? The weather has been gorgeous. I sat in my studio this morning with my fleece and all my thermals on and made a few beads (still vermiculite), gradually getting hotter and hotter, having to strip off layers as I went. I also managed to get my first glass hole in my new pink beadmaking fleece bargain from Millets. I look like Obi-Wan Kenobi in it with it’s voluminous hood, or like I’m in a short dressing gown ready for bed.

Rick is busy working on my kiln again at the moment, we had to buy a new part and we’ve found out what’s going wrong. It may be a couple more days before it’s completely sorted, so my bead making is still rather restricted regarding what I can do and putting any sets together for sale. Of course we’ve also got the school Easter holiday looming up this weekend which will also put the Kaibosh on my bead making activities.

Friday evening

I managed 3 (or was it 2?) torching sessions this week, only an hour and a bit each but it helped. Both times though the kiln crashed, hopefully Rick is getting to the bottom of it. I have to say all this is very upsetting, it seems like the odds of beadmaking are stacked against me at the moment, as whenever I get torchtime something goes wrong (kiln each time) or something else urgent comes up. To say it’s driving me nuts would be an understatement.

All this is very unsettling, and I have to say it doesn’t help me much, especially as I’m feeling so distracted with my daughter at home most of the time. It’s been a very frustrating couple of months, I can only hope that I can work like a superwoman after Easter. Maybe I should write a plan (cunning) so I can do everything I need to in the best time. I’m off now to nip out and collect my slowly cooled but not annealed beads. lol.

Tuesday Teatime

Yo ho, another week almost gone since I blogged. I still don’t have much time to make beads and even when I do I have something of a kiln crisis at the moment, and I’m having to cool my beads in Vermiculite and haven’t been able to anneal any for a few weeks. The second kiln (my Chilli Pepper) was supposed to be a backup but won’t work in my studio as it is at the moment. Hmmmm. So it’s a bit of a stale mate at the moment.

Last week was a very busy week for me, with 2 days lampwork tuition (always very enjoyable), preparaton for my daughters party and then the party itself, with some visitors who stayed until midnight (it’s OK, they were invited to stay longer!). I’m still trying to recover from all the physical effort. I hope to get some beadmaking time tommorrow if all goes well, and I must remember to nudge Rick to take another look at my original kiln. I hope normal service will be resumed soon, but it will probably be after the Easter hols. Bye for now.

Thursday afternoon

Life is sweet. Do you know I had just 1 hour and 10 minutes making beadies and I feel so much better for it. I’m using my vermiculite today, I just don’t trust my kilns at the moment. Rick needs to plug his computer into the controller and watch what happens before I put anymore beads in to anneal.

And what a lovely day it is today, I’ve done two loads of washing and one is on the airer outside in the sunshine. Even my daughter exclaimed how nice it was outside when I walked her to school this afternoon for her first proper afternoon back. Hopefully I’ll get to play for a short while tommorrow as well. I can but hope.

Tuesday lunchtime

I’m still on enforced holiday, or ‘looking after convalescing child’, so still no new beadies. Well, that’s not strictly true, I did have a session Friday evening, quite a good one where I made the beads I needed for that Christmas present, and where I annealed my experiments from last Sunday. Unfortunately the kiln fairy was not smiling on me and I’ve ended up with slumped and deformed beads with decorative bits of kiln fluff attractively embedded into the flat sides (no I didn’t make them that way). I wonder if it had anything to do with the impending lunar eclipse?

Hopefully my daughter will be back at school next week, but probably not full time, so I’ll still have problems fitting in bead making. I had no idea it would be like this and it’s been quite a shock to me, but we are getting towards the end of it now (famous last words) and I’m just about resigned to how the next few weeks are going to go. It’ll probably be the Easter hols by the time we get back to normal!

Talking of the Lunar eclipse, did you see it? I watched from when the partial eclipse began through totality (although we were in the car during the whole of totality) then until the second partial eclipse ended, about 1:11am. Wasn’t it gorgeous, the blood red moon was just awesome and a real delight to look at. Gazing at the sky I really felt like I was in outer space.

Wednesday afternoon

A week has almost gone (come to think, also a whole page on my calender) and we feel like we live here again. But I’ve not had the time or energy to do much work wise, I’m feeling so drained from the whole hospital and health experience, and my daughter is still home recouperating. We had hoped she’d go back to school this week but is obviously still under par, poor thing, so it looks like the beadmaking will have to wait until next Tuesday. I can’t even begin to explain how hard it is to stay away from the torch. There’s just something about it that lifts my spirit, and when I can’t get to play (that’s work for you Rick…lol) I actually start to get sad.

I’m starting to get a bit worried about my stock levels, I really need to get out there and make some more of my usual beads for my range of glass jewellery, which is still selling well in the Surrey Guild Gallery, even though Christmas has passed. I also have a belated Christmas present to make and just don’t seem to have the right beads available to make the pair of earrings I envisage. I don’t know, first my accounts and tax, then family health. I expect that sounds like normal family life to most people, and I have to admit, as much as I don’t like it, that is one of the benefits of being self employed with a business like mine, that you can take the time off when you need to.

I got one hour on the torch Sunday lunchtime and made a few sample bobbly beads in my new colours to see what they’d look like. I’m pleased and can’t wait to have another crack at them so to speak. I think I’ll clean them later on today…you know me and my ‘pot of beads’ to clean.

Thursday evening

I blogged earlier today but lost it, so here’s my second attempt. I got home yesterday from 10 nights in hospital staying with my little one who has been rather ill (Rick did the first night). We started in our local main hospital and were transferred to the Royal Brompton in Chelsea after a couple of days. We have had the best treatment possible and would like to thank all the consultant doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, play specialists and all the other people who have helped look after us, this includes the cleaners and the lovely kitchen staff.

It’s really weird how life goes into stasis and all ones everyday concerns and jobs just fade away while we concentrate on the important things of health. Well, I’m back now, utterly exhausted and surprised that February is almost over (bit of a shock that one). I need a few days to re familiarise myself with my To Do List, and hope normal service will soon be resumed. Although it may be another week and a half before I can really get stuck in as it’s half term and my daughter is not completely well yet.

As Rick said I’ve been mulling over a few new colour ways and designs and hope to be able to make some of these soon. Of course I didn’t get to do that much reading in Hospital, there’s always something to do when they’re on so much medication and needing mother’s care and attention. Although I did get some time off for good behaviour at the weekend and actually managed to have a good nosey around the Heals that was a couple of minutes walk from the hospital. It would have been good to sneak off to the V&A which was also close, but we’ll maybe do that when we go for her check-up clinic in a few weeks time (actually it will be the Science and Natural History museum – rats, I’m going to have to go on my own for the V&A).

Still, I’m home, she’s much better, and spring is on the way. woo hoo, life is good.

Hi there…Richard here again…

Just a quite note to let you know the Sarah will now not be sharing a stall at the Essex bead fair this Sunday due to still being in Hospital with our daughter… But… Judith Johnston will still be going, and will have a whole stall full of her luscious beads !!!

Sarah is not wasting the time in hospital, but is coming up with several new designs and colours for beads… so the time has not been completely wasted !!!

Watch this space for some new beads in the shop in the next few weeks… (daughters health permitting of course).

Sunday lunchtime

I’m sorry there won’t be any more new beads yet as promised because my daughter is ill in hospital and you all know what that means!….several nights sleeping on a zed bed (I typed bead first!) and lots of bland hospital food, but hopefully some time to do some reading about bead making techniques, I haven’t really looked much at the copy of Contemporary Lampworking by Bandhu Dunham that I got for my birthday over a year ago, and now’s the time I think. Of course she’ll be better by the time half term starts which means she’ll have had 3 weeks off (and I’ll not have had much beady time, looks like it will be cold evenings in the studio for me next week, what fun)
Gotta shoot, byeeee.

Thursday evening (late)

I’m sat here propping my eyelids open with a couple of matchsticks (not really, but I am suddenly feeling very tired) so I can let you know that I have a few new beads in my shop tonight, which include Bubbles the fish, kindly named by Sooz on Frit Happens, a seasonal heart focal bead and a spring set inspired by the roof tops of the St Basil Cathedral in St Petersburg.

You may also notice a few little changes here and there, we’re having a bit of a tweak evening which should result in me being able to update some of the other pages a bit easier and adding more eye candy. Anyway I don’t really want to bore you with website waffle so I’m going to shut up now and toddle off to bed. Ta ta.

Sunday evening

Oh yes, yesterdays news is todays chip paper, so I guess my brief claim to fame in last Fridays County Times is now this weeks chip paper. It’s been fun when people I know have come up to me and told me they saw me in the paper, maybe a small taste of celebrity? I think not.

I’d been wondering what new beads I could come up with this spring, but now I’m pleased to say that the ideas for new bead designs and colour combinations are coming my way again. A few themes are emerging which I hope I will be able to do in a variety of different colour ways, maybe partly inspired by the attempt I had at joining in with a group painting yesterday, and also the feeling of spring and new beginnings, and the promise of fresh new life that we see everywhere around us at this time of the year in the buds and bulbs that are emerging.

I’m also planning to make more of my new designs from last summer/autumn in fresh new colours, I had lots of lovely playtime last week with my 4 sessions in the studio and discovered some new colour combinations that I think work really well. Most of these are simply due to expanding my palette with grey, an unassuming colour that I think adds great scope to my work. I also spent some time last week mixing my own glass colours, now that was fun, and easier than I remember. I was taught this on my course with Loren Stump last summer, and this was the first time I’ve made use of it, although I’ve been making cane since then that don’t have dog bone ends, woo hoo.

Friday evening

Well hello there. I’ve had a much needed day off today. It started with getting my hair cut in Tony and Guy, always a pleasurable experience that one, especially when they do the head massage thing with the conditioner. I then had a wander round town and came upon a new coffee shop. I had to go in and have a look, and lo and behold it was Scott and Sargent our fabulous cookware shop which just got even more fabulous and got a new name – Steamer Trading Cook Shop. Now when Rick asked what I was doing today and I said ‘going into town’ there was a sharp intake of breath. ‘What’s that all about?’ I asked? To which he replied ‘well I never know what you are going to come back with’. Oooo, he’s just just come home, so he’s about to find out, but I’ll tell you lot first….

1. Funky silicone brush with stainless handle and purple brushy bits.

2. Funky orange lighter

3. Metal pastry cutters – big tin with lots of sizes

4. 2 fabulous white oven dishes, designed to make a humble meat pie look like Jamie Oliver or Nigella Lawson cooked it.

5. A raspberry coloured hooded fleece to wear while making beads in my studio and a new pair of thermal socks.

Wednesday lunchtime

I love making beads I do. I’m having a great time this morning, and just popped indoors to make a mug of coffee. I’m making huge beads today, with a view to submitting them for a couple of exhibitions, deadlines looming. So must dash.

Also I need to get some more beads in my shop, there’s been a real flurry of sales this week and I now need to restock. Thank you to everyone whose bought something this week whether in the shop or by request. There will be some lurve stuff coming in a couple of days as I’m getting in the Valentine mood and have been making hearts and lots of pink beads in general. TTFN, deadlines, you know.

Monday morning

I forgot to say…I’m in the County Times that came out Friday. Back page of section 1. There is a picture of me holding some of my jewellery made with glass beads, although I have to add that those pieces aren’t in the exhibition but I do have about 12 different pieces in the cabinet. The exhibition the Jewellers Craft is on at Horsham Museum and details and a link to their website can be reached from my events page.

Monday morning

At last…I’ve finished. Well, my tax form isn’t filled in yet, but hopefully my MIL will be helping me with that bit. I’ve got all my info logged on spreadsheets ready to go. Woopeeeeeee.
So that means I can at last get back to doing what I love most and that’s making beads. Can you tell I’m excited? Unfortunately I appear to be suffering with another cold that snuck up on me Friday, and I’m not sure whether to venture out and try lampworking today, being under the weather can be dodgy when playing with fire….but shhhhh, don’t tell Rick, it’ll be our secret.

It’s been a really lovely week and a bit (even with my tax stuff looming overhead). I’ve had the privaleadge to meet and teach 5 students in the last 8 days which was fab. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the thrill of helping new flame workers make their first beads. Needless to say they were all really pleased with the selection of beads they each took home, I just wonder if they all dreamed of making beads in their sleep afterwards, like I did. I remember my beginners course very well. We set off to Plymouth and stayed in a B&B for 2 nights. The second night (after my first day) I dreamt I was melting glass and rotating mandrels all night, I was very restless, but in a good way. There was just something about it that grabbed at my soul and still does, which is why I think I’m going to have to go and get some torching therapy. see ya.