Sarah Downton Beads and Jewellery

Monday evening

I’m pooped. Don’t know why, but I’m going to make this quick…famous last words.

You’ll be pleased to know that after my Christmas clean up of my desk I’m now trying to keep it tidy, and so far it’s working. We did a trip to Ikea on Saturday and I treated myself to a plywood desk tidy that has space for the odd bits of paper that end up floating all over my desk and piling up on every available space. The problem is that I have to do my tax now, and that means showers of paper and receipts all over the place. So my desk is ‘organised chaos’ at the moment, with everything coming out and going away very fast.

I did try to keep on top of it this year, but all I’ve achieved is filing most of the receipts and entering most but not all of the purchases. I did buy a program to help me cost things and keep track of inventory, but so far haven’t had time to even start entering details. maybe I need a input clerk…….that takes me back to when I was a student. Everyone was scared of computers and I wasn’t, so I got loads of jobs during University holidays doing computer input. How things have changed.

It has been a busy day, with a quick trek to Horsham museum to deliver my jewellery and a few rods of glass and some twisties for the exhibition that they’re putting on. More details will follow here and on my news and events page probably. TTFN.

Friday lunchtime

You know how I was feeling jaded on Monday? It so happens that I came down with a cold later that day and have been suffering since then. Just what I needed in the run up to Christmas. Never mind, I’m enjoying swigging back the fizzy orange flavoured Vitamin C tablets while attacking the enormous mess that needs clearing in our house. Speaking of which we watched Anthea Turners perfect Christmas last night. That was a laugh, goodness knows what she’d make of our house and front garden, still it was worth watching just to see one of the contestants bond with her turkey that she named Jeffrey and weeping while she stuffed it.
Wednesday was enjoyable at least. I had my stewarding session at the Guildford House gallery and met 2 more Guild members and the lovely staff at the gallery. This was my second ever visit to the Guildford shopping streets and I had the unenviable delight of queing for about an hour waiting to get into the car park that I was recommended to use.

The part of the High Street that I quickly explored during my short break looked lovely, and I managed to get a couple of Christmas goodies…..still haven’t done the cards yet!

Saturday afternoon

Rick’s asleep on the settee. Honestly the man’s got no stamina. We got home from a short Christmas fair an hour ago and now he’s zeding away, anyone would think he’s been lugging boxes around or that he got up earlish for a Saturday. We now have to decide what to do with the remainder of our precious Saturday. We have 3 fairs next weekend then we’re done, although I’m beevering away busily to keep my cabinet at the Gallery in Milford stocked up, where my jewellery is out of the shop quicker than I can keep it stocked (they are buying it, it doesn’t just hop off on it’s own like an enchanted thang).

I have to say that I’m feeling a bit less stressed now yesterday is over, which had to be ‘The day from Hell’. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t that bad but it was bad enough. I had to drive over to Guildford with my pieces for the Exhibition at The Guildford House in the High Street, and couldn’t find the gallery anywhere, having never really been to Guildford before. I had to park on a meter near where I thought it would be and walk until I could find it, stopping to ask knowledgeable looking passers-by where it could be, not like I was in a hurry or anything (hmmm). When I’d set up my part of the display and helped where I could (the room looks great by the way, lots of scarves) I whizzed back uphill to my car with 2 minutes to spare on the meter and planned my trip to Millford to restock my cabinet.

I was told it was 10 minutes down the road……I suppose it would have been if I hadn’t kept taking wrong turns and going round in 15 mile circles, or getting stuck in traffic jams while I tried to correct what I’d done wrong. Then my phone ran out of money in the middle of nowhere. nnnnnrrrrgh. I should have reached the Millford gallery by 4:05 at the latest but ended up staggering in totally flustered at 4:47 with 13 minutes to spare before the shop closed. Then I left my only pen that works well with my jewellery labels on the top of my cabinet. rats. Still at least my cabinet looks a bit fuller again.

Here’s some snaps of the gallery at Millford

Thursday evening

Just a quick note to say I have successfully set up my cabinet with lots of jewellery goodies in the Surrey Guild Gallery at Milford.  Details can be found on the Surrey Guild website, and I’ll put more info up on my site when I get a chance.

Thursday afternoon

Oh it feels good to be alive. I’ve had another one of my days out, well it feels like it, even though I was technically working. I had another lovely drive this time through the leafy Sussex countryside over to Haslemere, were I was manning the Surrey Guild exhibiton this morning. My route there took me through Petworth and Midhurst and various other beautiful villages, and up and along an amazing tree covered hill will stunning views over the woods and fields below, with the occassional glint of sun reflecting on pools of water. There were various tree lined lanes and really dark wooded parts along the way and the buidings en route were gorgeous.

Haslemere itself is a lovely town, I popped out to grab a sandwich and caught a very quick look up the High Street. I came home via the villages on a more direct route that I discussed with a couple of the volunteers at the museum. With the sun shinning and the autumn hues surrounding me, I have to say my heart was singing all the way.

It’s so good to get out of the house and explore this glorious countryside, and I hope this is the start of lots of good trips out from being a member of the Guild….I think it is.