Stuck with a poorly finger!

If ever a finger could cause trouble, one of mine has!

I picked up a basket that some flowers had arrived in. I remembered the ouch then forgot about it until, a couple of days later, when a lump started to appear. Just on my index finger by the first joint.

So, having tried soaking it, putting various lotions and potions on it, then several visits to the drs surgery, the finger still has something sharp embedded in it.  Now having to go to the hospital to have the offending piece surgically removed. 

This has stopped me making things for the moment since that finger catches on everything I want to do!

Not good!

However, these are pieces I have been making recently, before the finger episode.

Polymer clay butterfly with added beads and embellishments.

Spiral stitch necklace using haematite bicone beads with silver #8s and #11s

Polymer clay fusion bracelet 

Another spiral stitch necklace in shades of pink and pastel

A plaited necklace using triangle beads

A modern wirework necklace using large marble-like beads

A polymer clay and wirework fusion pendant with flowers and added swarovski pearls

March 1st - Spring is coming!

Have been very busy with my pottery course, which has just finished. There is a new blog available with the current photos of the makes. More to be added this week.

Of course, with pottery, you make your piece from clay, then the tutor takes it away to dry it and then fire it in a kiln, then it comes back for you to glaze, then the tutor takes it away again to fire it in the kiln for the second time.

Great adventure. I have absolutely loved every second of it.

March 1st today. My birthday is on 14th.     I found a deal on Groupon for CND Shellac nails, which I have never had done before. After an indecisive week of should I should I not I have made the appointment to have them done. Have been on the CND website and have shortlisted three or four colours for me to choose from. 

A friend is wanting us to have a full deluxe facial so that she can pay for mine as part of my birthday present. Will make that appointment sometime this week.

Found all sorts of lovely things to buy myself for my own birthday. Family-wise we are thin on the ground being just two of us. So, I have always bought myself both birthday and Christmas gifts. Have already got some perfume and a couple of new dresses.

Speaking of clothes, have been watching My Great Challenge on youtube, also a blogger here too.  Was inspired to go through my wardrobe, since  I have not touched it since about 2007!!! 

So far so good, I have found clothes I forgot I had, even found a couple of pieces I have no memory of ever buying in the first place!  Have done one-fifth of the wardrobe so far and have taken five full refuse bags of clothes to the charity shops for them to pass on.  Having seen all my clothes I really don't think I should buy any more clothes for the next ten years!

Mother's birthday this week, also Mother's Day this month and my own birthday

Got a copper clay jewellery class arranged for our little beading group for March too, which will be amazing I am sure.

Signing off for now

JEWELLERY TO 14 JUNE 2013

Crocheted Wire with beads and earrings 

                                         Crocheted necklace done for a friend by request using amber and 
                                         drawbench beads plus swarovski pearls

                                       

                                          Wirework Ring

Wirework necklace I made for myself

                                         Crocheted necklace with small square amethyst beads

First wirework ring

First pair of earrings made

Coiled wirework beaded bracelet

Necklace made from buttons and wirework

Crocheted necklace made for Dorothy for her nephew's wedding

Brooch made at Class

Crocheted necklace made by request with choice of beads by request

Romanov Chainmaille necklace 

CRAFT BEGINNINGS

At the end of November 2012 I started going to a Craft Class called 'Colour Your Life'.

We have 8 weeks with an artist and do all sorts of work with them.

The first few weeks was card-making.

Then we had a textile artist and did angels and stuff for Christmas, wet-felting, fabric pictures. 

We did some brooches made from scrap fabric -

I then went to a private class taught by Namirla Bankhead and did needle-felting 

Then did some wet felted balls to make a necklace -

We then switched to an artist in oils.  I inwardly groaned. I could not paint. All the art teachers I had ever had said I couldn't paint. Sometime in the 1990's I paid for a watercolour class, did two weeks and the tutor declared that I was wasting my time. So I gave up.
So - I was dreading this new artist and what she would expect us to do, more specifically me!
Jilly presented us with some photos of artist's work by Turner and Monet. I chose a Monet and it turned out quite well!

That progressed to an oil painting from a photo of trees in a forest

Then chinese birds.

Photo to follow 

The next 8 weeks was taken by Trish Hudson-Moses, another wonderful artist.

We did Pen & Ink drawing followed by watercolour tinting.

The a watercolour landscape

Followed by a chalk pastel landscape,

 then an oil landscape painted with our fingers.

Photo to follow


Then decorating a ceramic flower pot

Finally doing glass painting.

Photo to follow