Sarah Downton Beads and Jewellery

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).

Hi this is Richard here (Sarah’s husband)

Sarah has asked me to say that she is still in hospital with our daughter, and hopefully normal service will be resumed next week. So if you have any outstanding emails please bear with us, but as I’m sure you understand it’s not exactly practical responding to emails at this time !!

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.

Wednesday morning

What a lovely crisp wintry morning (and doesn’t wintry look odd spelled like that?). There’s frost everywhere and the sun is shining making it sparkle. Again I’m glad I don’t have to travel far today like I did yesterday, when I went to the Guild shop to do another days duty. Honestly that dratted auto-piloty thing and not really twigging about where I was going yesterday saw me pootling up the road towards Guildford for 10 minutes in totally the wrong direction for the road I normally take. I suddenly realised I was going the wrong way as my brain was working out the rest of the route and I had to stop and see if I could get back on track easily. Fortunately for me there was a short cut across country which took me through Ewehurst and Cranleigh, which I was quite pleased about because I’ve never seen Cranleigh and my curiosity has been very piqued by all the signs that you see on the road that say ‘Cranleigh, England’s largest village‘.

I have to say that after driving through the place, It’s gotta be a town, it’s so big. Anyway, what is the definition of a village or town? Surely if it has a big church, used to have a hospital and has a largish supermarket and a couple of pedestrianised shopping squares it counts as a town? In modern day terms it must be a town if it boasts a ‘Costa coffee’? Wikipedia says a town can be a village that is larger than surrounding villages and has a regular market, and is also a community that doesn’t survive on mainly agriculture – well I passed signs to what looked like a large industrial estate. A village can also decide to call itself a town by it’s Parish Council calling themselves a ‘Town Council’. So I reckon it should be called a town, but they want to keep themselves as the largest village. And why not, if you’ve got a uniqueness, flaunt it!

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.

Wednesday evening

I was going to blog this morning but we had naff connection all day, so here it is now, trouble is I’m absolutely shattered……..it must be all the thinking……I’m doing my business accounts…..yes, I know, I said I wasn’t going to be doing it last minute again. I really must work out a reliable way to achieve this, I can’t bear being away from my torch and not melting glass for so long.

I was womaning the Surrey Guild shop yesterday, after my usual lovely woodland drive, which was very different yesterday – I’ve never seen so many broken branches and ripped trees before, all debris from last weeks strong winds. I even saw a tree trunk freshly split in 2 down the middle lengthways (top to bottom). Of course strong winds are natures way of pruning the trees and bushes.

Today we awoke to a fresh blanket of snow, and of course it looked beautiful. Rick took several pictures, but I haven’t downloaded them from the camera yet because my hard drive is stuffed full to the gunels, needless to say computer speed is not very good at the moment. I was so pleased that I was at the shop yesterday and didn’t have to cope with driving up remote lanes in the snow. Ooo that reminds me…..

I have new stock in the Surrey Guild Gallery including some heart pendants perfect for Valentines Day.

I must go an get me some zzzzds now, I’m getting desperate to finish my paperwork and need to be fresh if I’m going to get most finished tommorrow. The problem is I’ll be so glad to see the back of it that I won’t want to sort how I’m going to tackle next years (which is this current year). maybe I’ll go through and do what I can while it’s all in my head, like I considered doing last January but didn’t….nah…too easy.

Monday evening

Today, 22nd January, has been officially described by scientists as the most depressing day. But hey, I had a good one, hope you did too. It was lovely to leave my class at 4pm and be able to walk to my car in daylight…..spring is on it’s way….even if they are forecasting snow to kill all the confused flowers that are coming out so early.

Friday morning

Just a quick update on the fence wars…….I was about to ring Rick and tell him not to worry about popping home to move the fences, when a huge (yer, even more huge than before) gusto of wind picked up the second fence panel, put it vertical, through the uprights and into next doors garden, then a few minutes later flattened it back into ours, wrecking all chances of just a mend job. Oh well, we lost 3 panels yesterday (bringing the total to 5), all newish (1-3 years old) compared with the 15 year old existing panels. Also the fence down the side of the house nearly took off but fortunately I hadn’t cut back the ivy this year so it was strapped down even though it did look like a sinusoidal wave generator. lol.

Also we nearly lost the cold frame, the barbeque and several prized architectural plants which we moved to safety, so there, wind. What a pain having to spend money on the fence panels we’d already replaced, we were hoping to invest in some garden restructuring this year and decorating the house. I have to say though, after watching the news and hearing other peoples stories, we are now counting our blessings that it wasn’t worse, like loosing the roof or having an accident.

Now all I need is some beadmaking therapy, although I won’t get any until I finish my accounts for the year. I really must work out how to actually do the hard bit on a regular basis for the future

Thursday morning

What was that I said about the weather forecast on Monday? If I’d listened hard enough I’d have known that it would be ‘unsettled towards the end of the week’. All I know now is that the wind is systematically and willfully destroying our garden boundaries as I type. Before Christmas 2 fence panels on the right hand side of our patch blew down, and today a further 2 have come crashing down next to the kitchen window (yep, another one down Rick). That means the barbeque is flat on it’s side (haven’t dared try to move this on my own, couldn’t anyway because fence panel is on top) with all it’s pretend coal things adrift I expect. Also our beloved tree fern got blown over, this was righted before Rick went to work. I just hope no more panels go, or if they do, it happens before he comes back to help me move said fence panels.

While all this is happening in our back garden, our lovely neighbour across the road who stupidly left his open top basket of newspapers outside, still hasn’t bothered to move it and consequently the road and all our gardens are being littered with rosettes of scrunched up sodden newspaper, beautiful. I suppose it makes a change from daffodils!

It’s all a bit deja vu this rubbish flying around the gardens and wheelie bins coming to life and chasing residents down the road. The same thing happened last week when our bin people were due to come round, only then it wasn’t newspapers but cans and plastics like milk cartons and cat ‘fud’ tins.

Monday tea time

What is it about weather forecasts? It doesn’t seem to make any difference how hard I try to concentrate I always switch off. Take last night, they did a forecast for Sunday up to Tuesday evening, I think I made it to Sunday evening before I drifted off and it was Tuesday morning before I realised that I’d gone again (not literally….lol). I found my self watching the new graphics and pondering the bumpy bits called Exmoor and Dartmoor. I noticed that it was rather flat where I live and that there was a blob of blue that is probably a reservoir. Then I got to thinking that the new graphics could make you a tad seasick the way they twist and turn and woosh from one side to the other at jaunty angles, and maybe they were a bit distracting rather than helpful. It was at that point I noticed that yet again I’d missed what the weather would do.

Don’t get me wrong, I know discussing the weather is a national pastime here in the UK, but I am actually quite interested in it. So much so that I requested a book about clouds for Christmas so that I could identify them when I’m out, you know, what are the Simpsons clouds called, and what does it mean when the sky looks like it’s full of delicate orange coloured fish bones? So what’s my problem with weather forecasts? Maybe I should try and study my new book hard so that I understand what they’re going on about and can try my hand at predicting the local weather for the next hour or so?

Friday morning

I was hoping to sneak out to my studio for a little play today (oops I mean work), but my thermals are in the wash, maybe I don’t need them, it is still very mild. I think procrastination city has set in, I’m doing everything but my tax. I’ve updated my events page to show the bookings I have so far this year but you need to go to the bottom as we still have to shift last years stuff.

Yesterday saw me going to the museum again, this time to have my photo taken for the County Times about the exhibition they have put on. It should be in next Fridays edition. The exhibition opened yesterday afternoon and finishes 24th March, more details and a link are on my events page.

Tuesday evening

Pooped again! It was one of those lovely day out days today where I drove to Guildford and back. I had an appointment to meet the lovely ladies who run Aluisa Beads, Guildfords’ first and new bead shop. It’s a lovely shop selling everything you need to start making your own bead jewellery, and they also stock a selection of my beads now! So pop along and have a look if you’re nearby, then take time out to explore the other shops in Guildford.

It was a truely beautiful drive across Surrey Hills, and I have to say the countryside made my heart sing once more. I think Surrey is a really nice county, and reminds me of Dorset, even though it’s so close to London. I have driven through winding lanes and caught views along valleys that so evoke the feeling of glaciers cutting though the land to carve out the curving shapes. Put that with some of the nicest architecture around and now I need to come up with some bead designs that complement those thoughts.