Sarah Downton Beads and Jewellery

Friday tea time

Well hello there. I can’t believe its only been 11 days so far, that’s probably because Dickie DooDah has been working from home for 3 weeks now. As we come to the end of another work week it’s a good time to look at what I’ve achieved (or more truthfully Not). To be honest I don’t feel I’ve done much this week, as I’ve had good days and bad days, and oh my, the distractions and sad news. I’m trying not to read too much, enough to keep well informed but no so much that I start feeling miserable. Very important that one, and so are the daily walks if I can manage it. Here’s a tangly pile of wood we saw in Leechpool woods this week.

Soooo, I’m keeping up my painting afternoon on Thursdays. I usually go to the group run by the brilliant teacher Kate Tugwell of Kates Art Classes, and what she calls ‘Artynoons’. We gather and paint or draw, everyone using different mediums, chat and have tea and Kate’s home-made and very yummy vegan cakes. This is a follow on to my taking a course in acrylics 2 years ago (wow, can’t believe it was that long ago) as I was a complete beginner with proper painting, and had always wanted to be able to do it, like my maternal grandmother. She painted weekly with a group, almost until she died at the grand old age of 94.

This weeks painting is another watercolour, this time I followed a You Tube tutorial to produce a 10 minute pot of lavender. I think it worked quite well, I still can’t quite believe I do seem to be able to paint. Thank you to my daughter for encouraging me to do this, although I think I’ll never have her natural flair.

I’ve also today joined a ‘30 day sketchbook challenge‘ #AtHomeInApril organised by Magenta Sky. She usually runs one in the new year, but has started this one to help creativity in adults and also give ideas for parents looking after children at home from playgroup or school. My sketching is OK, but I’m hoping to improve this over the coming days, trying new techniques and hopefully becoming a bit looser in the process (no not a big looser). I didn’t really need himself telling me that some of yesterdays sketches weren’t so good…..I know…but that’s not really the point of the exercise. This challenge is more about fun, experimenting, being free, and most importantly about mindfulness, especially in this weird time that we are in. It’s never to late to join in…..

I’ve also done a spot of baking this week. These are simple ‘Banana and white chocolate muffins’ that I haven’t made for about 5 years now, taken from Nigella Express, although hers have butterscotch chips. I only made half a batch as I figured 12 was waaaaay to many sweet treats for the two of us, and it worked nicely with one egg. It’s nice to feel I have a little more time to do stuff like baking.

Who knew? I’ve actually done more this week than I thought. Enjoy your weekend, Sarah x

Friday tea time (This post was written a few days ago…….photo insertion now sorted)

Yesterday (Thursday) was a good day. Washing of some sheets done and hung in the warm sunny garden to dry – tick (but nearly left them out all night as I got distracted putting the rotary dryer cover on :-)). Other washing chores done – tick. A bit of new bookcase filling and reorganising – tick. Small watercolour painting done from flowers in our garden and Facebook art sharing session – tick. I’m pleased with my new original painting but it looks botanical which is not really the look that I want. I will have to have another go with a concerted effort to produce a loose version, should be fun.

After a lovely email from one of my friends sharing with me what she’d been up to this week I was also inspired yesterday to check what provisions we have in our somewhat scattered ‘pantry’, and I use the word loosely because its a shelf here and there, a pull out drawer or two and the top of a cupboard. Dust, high in calorie, low in calorie? Its amazing what you find squirrelled away and how old it is…I had a rather suspicious puffed up looking tin of peaches that had started oozing (who knew they could even do that, right?) which went straight in the bin. I also came across three 1 litre unopened bottles of ‘Coffee Anise’, a brilliant concoction of Ouzo and coffee, made and sold in Rhodes. Anyway, I have now successfully divided and conquered our provisions and we know exactly or thereabouts what we have or not, and can shop accordingly…..result.

Today was not so good productively, but I have strung some more of my new beads, which does take a while. To string a set of beads I Bubble Sort them by diameter and shape in a long line then split them into groups, removing any good pairs that would be suitable for earring pairs first. I choose a good colour rocaille bead (seed bead) to go between the beads in the set (or look at previous similar sets) then get stringing. I’m pleased with the sets I assembled today, some repeat sets and some new lovely pink and pastel pink sets, and a few pairs. Enjoy your weekend at home.

Said Big Brother House stylie……… Well this is a first for the UK and has given a lot of people more quality and reflective time I hope. For me this Coronavirus pandemic hasn’t changed much for my day to day life really, apart from having Dickie DooDah at home full time (which started last Tuesday) and stopping me from popping out to the shops and for the rare coffee meet ups with friends.

But what a glorious sunny spring day to start our enforced stay home time. I’m sitting on our deck enjoying said sunshine. The birds are tweeting, I hear a dog barking and the sound of children playing outside, which has to be a good thing. and look, I’m blogging again!

So first things first, obviously the Big Bead Show won’t be going ahead this Saturday. It was cancelled 2 weeks ago to keep us all safe and I was so relieved as the uncertainty was stressing me out. I was however preparing for this show and have made a considerable stash of new beads, not as many as I would have by now, because as you know we’ve all been somewhat distracted this past couple of weeks.

I am continuing to trade while the posties are still doing a valiant job, so please feel free to pop along to my Etsy store where I’m endeavouring to keep a good supply of your favourite beads. I also hope to add some new stock at some point so keep an eye out for that in the coming weeks. I will also announce here and on Facebook and Twitter as usual.

So that’s the formal stuff done, I’m hoping to keep this blog a light hearted place with just normal news of what we’re up to, I think it’s good to be positive and concentrate on other stuff when we can. Thanks for reading and stay safe everyone x

Post Script……..I should apologise for the late posting of this post…this is due to the lack of photos which is apparently down to WordPress. I did have one lined up but even DickieDooDah couldn’t manage to make it work.

Helloooo. And welcome to a newish new year of beads, thoughts and life.

I made a promise or resolution (again) to try and get out and about more this year, including finding and joining a new art/ craft/jewellery making course to replace the one I used to attend in Bromley.

So in that vein I’m halfway through my first ever painting course, learning to use acrylics, and totally loving it. It really bugs me that I can’t paint, and have only ever achieved a sort of ‘colouring in’ style of work. Of course my daughter is a fantastic painter and artist, and my maternal grandmother painted until she was about 92, so I feel it might be in me to do this.

The class is brilliant, teaching us techniques so we can (hopefully) go on to do anything, and we even get ‘healthy’ cake during tea break, yum. So far I’ve painted……..

week 1) a part done woodscape (first ever attempt at a proper painting with a wash and all that). this used a wash, then trees, then another thin wash, then more trees and a scrubby bit of land to settle in the trees. It needs way more work, branches, more washes and more trees, more ground and grass stuff, maybe even some leaves, but I think I rather like the skeletons of winter trees.

Week 1 woodscape, 1st 3 layers

week 2) a mutant cockerel …using acrylics like watercolour and a very floppy brush that was extremely difficult to control and kept going all over the place. I do know he’s dreadful, looks like he’s wearing wellies.

Week 2 Mutant Cockerel Done water colour stylie

and week 3) a hilarious blocky mountain scape using a palette knife and thick paint. I think the flowers are the best bit.

Of course all the paintings could be way better, but were done in a very short space of time and I am of course a complete beginner, so it’s good to be reminded how frustrating it can be when you see the expert show you something that you think you can replicate, only to find you can’t and she makes it look so easy!

I know they’re not very good so please don’t judge me, I am a complete beginner after all. I wasn’t going to show you these but it’s always good to have a starting point so you can see how you have hopefully improved over time, whether it’s painting or making beads.

Thurs afternoon

So I’m sitting in my garden, on the deck (newly oiled and slip proofed), enjoying the last few rays of the summer sun, which of course have arrived as per usual once the kids have gone back to school. What can I do so I don’t waste working hours? I know, I’ll write on my blog. At last…….I know I’ve been rather slack for the last few years, down to all the ‘stuff’ that I’ve been through, it kinda puts you off your stride.

I’m actually wondering ‘does anyone blog anymore?’ Or is it all micro blogging like Twitter, Facebook and other things. Incidentally I’m now on Pinterest, having set that up a couple of weeks ago, I was busy setting up inspirational boards yesterday while sitting on the deck. You can follow me here ……….

Anyway, I don’t care if no one blogs anymore, I’m going to start again and see how I get along, so hopefully this will be the first of many more regular updates and musings on life, the universe and glass beads.

oh and in case you’re wondering, it’s not constant sunshine here, but naughty clouds too.  Toodle loo for now.

Monday tea time

Happy very belated New Year. I’ve been a bit quiet on the blog front again, but you should see my Facebook page, it’s all going on over there when it goes on. You can read reminders of the fairs I’m doing, spaces on courses and new Etsy listings.

Of course it was tax and accounts time last month and of course I did them in January as usual, and eventually managed to squeeze in a studio session making beads last Friday. Bliss, I couldn’t help smiling most of the time, it was so great to be back in production.

So what am I up to this year? I have the 2 Big Bead Shows at Sandown Park booked, the first one on 9th April, and as ever I’m looking forward to it. The rest of the year I will be concentrating more on my Etsy shop and tuition as I have some other commitments that need to take a bit more priority this year to get them done and out of the way, so my bead fair bookings are rather flexible thanks to the wonderful Paul of Beadworks Fairs. I will of course post here and on Facebook if I book any extra fairs.

The main event for me this February/March as taking care of Dickie Doodah, my lovely partner in crime at the fairs and skilled photo man. He is having Open Heart surgery (new plumbing) this Wednesday for a congenital defect that they only just found at the start of November. To say we’re a bit preoccupied with that would be huge understatement ;-)  So all will be a bit quiet for a week or so while we deal with the first part of his recovery and numerous visits to keep him company in hospital. It will certainly make a change for me not to be the one undergoing major surgery this time.

Friday

Well the title gives it away somewhat, I am actually doing this fair, even though I wasn’t sure if I was, which explains why I haven’t put much on here already! whew, that was confusing.

After what feels like a long absence from making beads for the last few months I’ve been steadily re stocking your favourite designs, and making some new ones too. I’m almost ready for the fair this Sunday but will be popping out to the studio later to make some new lovely focal beads.

So what have I been doing you ask? It’s been manic, with Dorking bead fair in June followed very closely by 2 weekends of Horsham Artists Open Studios (thank you all for coming and making my event so lovely). We’ve had our daughters’ Japanese exchange student stay for 2 different weeks, an intensive few months while she prepared for and took her GCSEs this summer and then I helped her get ready for prom, you know, lots of shopping for all the accessories, dress alterations and hair, that kinda thang. Then our holiday, and lots of teaching mixed in where we could. It’s been an unusual summer so far as she’s been home so much and a bit of a distraction, but a nice one.

Of course results day was yesterday and I’m so proud of what she achieved, 11 GCSEs all grade A* to B with one C, and especially her Art in which she gained an A* with a score of what we found out to be full marks of 100%!

Here’s a look at some of my newer beads. And if you can’t make this Sunday I might be doing Dorking the following one, August 30. Have a great weekend whatever you find yourself doing.    🙂

Monday evening

I’ve updated my bead fair and other events for the coming year.
I’m really pleased to be attending a new fair for me, the Essex Bead Fair on Sunday 22nd February.
I also have a new tuition date (or dates depending how you look at it)

***Wednesday 25th Feb and Friday 27th Feb – 1 space on a 2 day beginners beadmaking course 10 am – 5pm.
This can also be booked on Weds 25th only as a 1 day beginners course***
Of course other dates are available, just drop me a line for my tuition dates for 2015.

I’m nearing the end of doing my yearly accounts for my tax return (yucch) and will be in the Surrey Guild of Craftsmen Gallery at Milford off and on this week, so if you want to pop in for a visit you may catch me there.

On a personal note I’m sad to write about the passing of my dad last week. He was in hospital from 10th December and was at last getting better and they were planning for his return home. Unfortunately he caught another infection and was moved to Critical Care on 17th Jan. He passed away on 22nd January at the good age of 86. I will miss him loads. Of course this has and may continue to impact on my work, answering emails and facebook may take longer than usual, so I hope you can bear with me as I come to terms with another loss and help organise another funeral.

Tuesday lunchtime

Oooh cryptic. Time to come clean and confess that I had my left hip replaced 5 weeks ago, so technically I am on sick leave  at the moment. I guess if you’ve seen my facebook page you’ll know that already. So at 11am 5 weeks to the day I entered the room next to theatre where they stuck tubes in me, stuck monitoring pads on me and I could hear the equipment and tools clinking as they prepared for my surgery. So glad that is over and fading to a memory.

I’ve been home just under 4 weeks and have another 5 weeks hip precautions unfortunately (you normally only have 6 weeks of not being allowed to move your operated leg in certain ways) but it’s all good and I’m making steady progress and getting stronger every day. The annoying thing is I sort of want to do stuff but really can’t be bothered hence the lateness of this blog post. I have managed to finish a knitted hat that I started 5 years ago and didn’t get time to finish. I think it looks dreadful as the tension is all over the place, so not up to my usual standard, but to be expected as I find my hand craft skills and lots of other stuff takes a dive for a while after surgery, just like it does when I’m unwell. So if you see any typos please excuse me, I’ve corrected loads as I type but you know what?   cba…..

I should be back firing on all cylinders by the time Big Bead Show comes along in October, and I have the exciting privilege of judging the Bead Awards again soon too.

Friday tea time

Well hello to you my hearties, and I hope you all had a jolly good Christmas and New Year…..can you see we’ve been watching old episodes of Miranda?

It’s been an unusual week for me as I’d usually be preparing madly for the Ardingly Winter bead fair, but due to unforeseen circumstances unfortunately this fair has been cancelled. I think the snow last year killed it really. I’m thinking of having a January special week for you my lovely readers but haven’t managed to get my bum in gear yet. All those photos and all that writing for Etsy.

Meanwhile this week has been rather unusual in that my daughter has been home poorly for a few days, and I’ve spent most of my time endeavouring to tidy the house, entertain a group  of friends (including buying food for a meal…Rick cooked it), visited Ikea, and generally pottered around the house as I try to sort out (or hopefully exile from our house) old books, magazines and stuff to be returned to the new back bedroom bookshelves after our redesign and decorating effort that stopped just before Christmas. Our back bedroom was a ghastly mustard yellow with yellow wallpaper that was stripping itself from the walls, and totally stuffed with things so that we couldn’t really have anyone to stay comfortably. I’m really happy that now it’s brilliant white, and furnished along the lines of a Swedish bedroom inspired by our visit to Sweden the other year, although it also has now evolved into a St Ives/seaside inspired room too, they work together you know! And we’ve already had 2 different people to stay, including my dad. So it’s a good result. All I have to do now is continue with the tidying and binning stuff…..oh dear I’m so bored…I’d much rather make beads.

Thursday morning

What a lovely day we had on Saturday at the Big Bead Show. It was so nice to meet you all again, and share the excitement of the day. Visit my Facebook page to see photos of me and my stall there, and a running commentary from Dickie (he was posting as me, I was way too busy working – oops, my little secret for the day).

Today I get back into my studio to start making new beads for the next show at Newmarket, on Sunday 17th November, so I’d better get my head down quickly as I’m reliably informed that it’s a very busy one, almost like Big Bead Show, eek. I thought you might be interested to see the studio fallout from the show this weekend gone, so I’ve popped a photo of my workstation below. I have to say I will be tidying it up, I struggle to keep working with that much mess. Oh and there isn’t even more mess behind my bench, that’s a mirror reflecting the other side of the studio.

I’ve also received a new batch of frits to try from Glass Diversions in America, and I can’t wait to dig in. I have 4 large pots of some of my favourites from Robin, including 2 colour-ways that I’m using loads more of at the moment so that’s a relief knowing I won’t run out, and a mixed set of 16 mini pots to try out too (these last ages, I bought my previous batch about 7 years ago 😮  ), so exciting. Oh and I forgot my 3 freebies in mini zip loc bags. Yay, I can’t wait.

Saturday lunchtime

The sun is shining, and at last I’m feeling excited about making beads again, so much so that I can’t stop smiling. Rick and our daughter are off in Brighton today, a trip we promised her in half term.  Of course I’m running behind in my preparations as usual, this time due to the untimely loss of my brother, which took time out of my usual schedule to plan the funeral service and after ‘do’ and to generally try to come to terms with it. Stuff like this really does mess with your head, but also brings more questioning about life and ‘regrets’, and once again I’ve decided I must have more fun, more me time and more exercise.

I made the difficult decision this morning to stay home and work for Open Studios next weekend, and I’m so glad I did. I’m determined that whatever I do today I’m going to have fun, and I do believe I will. So I thought I’d pop on by here and do a quick post to say ‘yay’, and I can’t wait to get into my blue studio and make lovely beads!

Here’s a snap of some beads I’ve already made for my rummage pot.

Tuesday evening

Big Bead Show came and went, and the Easter holiday too. A huge thank you to everyone who came and supported me by buying my beads at the show, and came to say hello, we had a good day and hope you did too.

I have to say I haven’t had a very good a couple of weeks really, as I was called by my family on Easter Monday (before the show) to tell me that my big brother had died unexpectedly that morning at the age of 55. This was why I was rather subdued at the show. I then had the privilege last Wednesday of having one of my wisdom teeth removed under sedation….cos I’m such a big woose. It’s needed doing for at least a year and wasn’t because I was too chicken, so really sedation and amnesia were the only option and better than the raging toothache I had at the show and just before…another reason I was quiet that day. We have yet to be told the cause of death and another funeral to arrange, so please bear with me if I’m a bit quiet on here in the next few weeks. I will do what I can when I can, which may be lots of new beads on Etsy, or maybe not, but please pop by my shop and have a look if you haven’t lately as I’m still sending out bead orders. Bye for now, Sarah xxx

Thurs Morning
Home delivery….and I’m not talking about child birth here. Isn’t this supposed to make life easier? The words ‘home delivery’ conjure up thoughts of luxury and maybe that bygone era of Downton Abbey (see what I did there?) where groceries and meat were delivered, and the rich had gardeners, cleaners and cooks. Of course today the middle classes and all sorts of people have food delivered, and may also employ cleaners, gardeners, nannies and home decorators, and have all sorts of items delivered right to the front door without having to move an inch.
But for me, home deliveries fill me with stress, will I hear the front door? will the bell work this time? What if I’m in the bathroom when they knock at the door and I miss it? Will they leave my package somewhere sensible, or will I have to ring a number that never gets answered to arrange to collect it at a time not convenient for me from some silly place which is a 40 minute drive away? This last scenario really fills me with dread, as I’ve had a few trips to said silly place which always take ages and are a complete waste of my time (apart from getting said parcels which is not a waste but I’d rather have had them left here than had to go and get them).

So today I am waiting for one such delivery, namely a 2 metre long 4 in 1 profile to finish the edge of our new laminate floor in the extension. Unfortunately the last ones got snapped in half on their journey from Sweden, so here I am stressing about the impending delivery. I’m glued to the lounge, can’t go to the studio and make beads as I would never hear the door there, I’m totally distracted and struggling to do the huge list of jobs I’ve allocated myself today. I haven’t even put any of the washing I’d planned for today in the washing machine, just in case it makes too much noise and I miss the door. I managed to switch on my pooter a short while ago, and have done some recycling of old magazines, decided what to cook for pudding on Sunday….very important that one ;-)… and rearranged 2 shelves of cookery books. The last one was fun and very quick, they are now in colour gradation rather than by author, and do you know, they look much neater. Hang on a mo while I pop over to another internet site and pay for my daughters school meals….see what I mean?..all done, and the first item crossed off the TO DO list, hurrah! I wonder if I pop over there again, if I can see what she’s chosen for lunch today, or if the information gets updated overnight? But I digress. (P.S. site is now updated and a toasted panini has been purchased, cool is that?)

So what is the answer to my quandary? I want to feel a sense of luxury, not dread? Maybe we need an air horn that fills the house with an alarming sound when the door button is pressed, a bit like the one they had in the Big Brother house. Unfortunately we don’t even have a doorbell at the moment, just to compound matters even more, so have to listen out for knocking by hand….we don’t even have a door knocker, as I couldn’t bear to get one of those urn ones that seem to be the only choice on every door in the land at the moment. I like to be different as you well know. I think I will go and make another pot of tea and put another set of beads or a focal on Etsy and hope they turn up soon.

Here’s a few shots of progress on our new front room last year.

Wednesday lunchtime

Wow, what an amazing few days I’ve had.  It was my birthday last Thursday, and I have to admit to now being officially in ‘The Saga Club’ as one of my friends put it. So yes, that means I am now 50, but to be honest I only feel like 40 if that, and as many of my friends who came to celebrate with me informally last week said, I don’t look it. So yay!

I was determined not to let this milestone pass without a squeak, so planned and had a Fika party (cake and coffee) last Friday, for which I made several cakes. Then on Saturday we went to London and rode the London Eye, with champagne. It was absolutely fabulous and a highlight of the weekend. I was surprised with meeting my dad, who joined us for the Eye, and afterwards we went over to Covent Garden, one of my favourite places, that I haven’t visited in about 13 years. It’s still a vibrant and exciting place, just buzzing with energy, so we stayed there until it was time to come home, only venturing away to find some food. Unfortunately I had to work over the last 7 days also, sliding in bit of prep for both events, preparing for a Surrey Guild exhibition that I set up yesterday in Guildford, so I’m well and truly whacked….but happy.

I’m still smiling with happiness, I’ve had such a lovely time, and still haven’t come down!

Here’s a couple of snaps of the day in London

Thurs lunchtime

It’s been a long time, been a long time…..ode to Led Zep

Well, it has been the long school summer holidays, and we have been having building work done since mid June with all the upheaval that comes with it, like completely dismantling my non studio work space, then re setting the essential bits up in the conservatory (which incidentally is WAY to bright to use the computer), and putting the rest somewhere else….eeek. I’ve been so out of sorts and dazed and confused……more Led Zep. Still feeling a bit that way to be honest as they still haven’t finished, we’re waiting on plastering, then final wiring, then new doors. Then we have the fun part of decorating and putting down the floor of our choice. After that I get to move into the corner of the room for my new office, yay. Then I will be out of our living room (and conservatory) and I can shut the door on work instead of being constantly reminded of it. I can’t wait, and neither can Rick.

here’s some shots of past progress, we’re further on now, but they can come later…

So the kid went back to school yesterday, the builders are off for a couple of weeks and I get time to draw breath and think about the upcoming season. Big Bead Show is on the horizon, and new stock will be put in my Etsy shop very soon as Rick has now had time to do my last batch of photos, so keep an eye open for that.

In the meantime I am taking bookings for my autumn teaching, and I have one new date already for you with one space available……
Friday 5th October, 10am to 5pm, 1 day intermediate beadmaking course. Contact me now to book your place or for alternative dates, I have a few remaining but you need to be quick as they’re going fast.

Wednesday lunchtime

Happy new year to everyone, and in the words of John Lennon….let’s hope it’s a good one, without any fear…goodness knows I could do with it this year! I’ve just scooted to check the words and for some reason in my head I was singing ‘without any tear’ and ‘with plenty of cheer’, that would make more sense for how I’m feeling today. OOOO and it looks like I’m back to blog titles using song lyrics, yippee.

I’ve had a lovely Christmas with family, my dad came and stayed with us for a few days, and we had a good time getting to know him better. It’s very interesting the things that can come out of difficult times, and important (I think) to try and find positives when chaos or problems arise. I’ve always been one to explore new avenues that open up when life throws me a curve ball or wallops me off my road and into the ditch or even over the hedge and into the field next to me. Life has to constantly change or we can stagnate, and it’s important to go with this, whether it’s about what we do for a living, or how we feel about our friends and family or the stuff that happens to us.

Last summer was probably one of the most important things that ever happened to rock my world. I really felt that I’d been booted with great force into the field by the road, and I’ve been reassessing my life ever since. I’ve been considering my priorities, my family, my work, how I spend my day, the many mistakes I’ve made and more importantly I’ve been trying to work out how I can improve the things I’m not doing so well. I’ve also looked at my successes and all the wonderful things and family that I’m privileged to have.

So what does the new year bring? Hopefully a happier year than the last one, and more time to do the things I want to, like going out with my dad and getting the house tidy and keeping it that way (this is going to be very hard as any student who has visited for a lesson will tell you!). I will have to get more organised in the way I run my beadmaking business if I am to have more time off………taps chin and wonders how I am going to fit even more stuff in my week.

Have a great week and make some realistic resolutions.

Tuesday tea time

When I started this blog several years ago, I made a promise to myself not to get too personal about me. That has been impossible to do sometimes, firstly when I had time off for my hip replacement, and just recently, when my lovely mum died so suddenly and unexpectedly.

So I thought I’d pop on here and explain my huge absences, well, I think it’s probably obvious. I have wanted to come here several times and write, but just didn’t have the heart to do so. I’ve always tried to do up beat posts, and don’t if I can’t be jolly, but as you can see it’s been a while. So I’ve resigned myself to letting you know that my heart is aching, and I’m doing my best, but I have a huge gaping hole in my life where she used to be. I had no idea it would hit me this hard and be so painful. I’m also still staggered that she died looking so young and being so active and busy. She drove to Birmingham and back from Kent 3 days before the day, and was doing a big shop in Sainsbury the morning of her stroke.

So please bare with me (is it spelled like that?), I’m making beads when I feel like it, but seem to be making lots of wonkies, (hurrah for the £1 bargain pot) and the inspiration comes and goes. Some days I just sit and think about her, what happened on that awful day and my life now. It’s a time of great reflection for me and reassessment of how I live my life.

Looking at this again after publishing it, I see it’s 4 months to the day when she had her fatal stroke. I have stopped counting every day now, it’s just a monthly thing. I promise to have a more cheery post next time, I hope.

Saturday afternoon

It’s been a while, and I was going to update you with all the exciting news of what we’ve been doing here.

But……here I am writing something I didn’t expect for a few years. My lovely mum passed away this morning at 4:35, just after the sun rise. It was all very sudden and I think I’m a bit in shock and wanted to write and tell everyone how lovely she was, what an amazing selfless woman she was, how she cared so much about me, my brothers, my dad and all her grandchildren. She’ll be sorely missed and I was so privileged to be her daughter and to be with her during her final hours…..To my lovely mum. xxxxxx

Monday 20th June

Hello peeps. It’s a been a long time hasn’t it? I’ve been really busy over the last few months doing a City and Guilds course, and I’m now eagerly awaiting my letter to tell me I’ve passed. I was really surprised how long all the homework and class preparation took, especially towards the end of the course. Anyway, that’s over now, and I have got my life back, sort of.

Horsham Open Studios started this weekend, and we have had a lovely first couple of days with so many visitors that we didn’t get time to eat lunch until 3:30pm on Saturday. Thank you to everyone who came this weekend, you made it really special for us, and we look forward to welcoming more of you next weekend. I have a cabinet full of colourful jewellery, with some new designs, lots of beads to choose from, my fun earrings (using sterling silver) and lots of big hole beads starting at just £3 each to put on your Pandora style bracelets (they don’t have silver in them). I also have other small bits and bobs to choose from, including my ever popular £1 rummage dish. Here’s a couple of photos to tease you.

I have several new tuition dates listed on my tuition page. The next available date is a 1 day Beginners course, Weds 29th June, 10am to3pm. Special rate of £79, class size of 2. Contact me to book your place now.
As always I have other availability if these dates do not suit, drop me a line for my list of dates to choose from.

I have one new listing on Etsy and will be adding more during the day, just follow the link on the left.