Glass

It's Handmade Monday time again and this week I thought I would show you my very first glass pendant. I finally got to buy a kiln after an age of saving, it is something I have wanted for a long time and it felt brilliant to get it delivered. I've just got to find a good name now for it :) My mum has suggested Trevor after my dad, as it is full of hot air and takes ages to do anything (we love you really dad!) but I'm not sure... one to think about I think! I have to buy some cutting tools as my skills in that area are none existent and snapping down the score line with my hands isn't producing the results I want (and I'm probably risking my skin!)... so a pair of running pliers are on the 'to buy' list.
I'm fairly chuffed with how its turned out, I think I'll have to read up on how to minimise air bubbles but other than that I'm just happy it came out the kiln in one piece. The colours are inspired by my football team (Blackpool) and I'm going to hang it from a necklace as soon as I've glued a bail to the back of it and wear it on match days for luck (could of done with that Saturday!)

I also have this picture of some crochet flower pin board pins, I made them a few months ago but have only just got around to photographing them as they have been pinning bits of paper to the notice board in the kitchen.

Have a great Hand Made Monday everyone, I'm off to have a look at what else has been made this week.

LH
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Friday

It's been a strange 8 days. Monday was awesome, I finally, after months and months of saving, got my kiln. I made two glass pendants which turned out better than I thought they would. I'm going to post some pictures as soon as I take some :) I must admit I'm a bit rubbish at glass cutting, it's going to take a bit of practice and the arrival of some decent tools before I can cut anything that resembles the shape I was after. As ever I have grand plans that my newbie skills aren't quite up to! Still, I've always been someone who tries to run before I can walk. Tut!

Wednesday was a day of mixed feelings. I got some news that I had been waiting for but that left me feeling... well I'm not sure how I felt and I still don't . You see, my sister(who didn't have cf)  passed away unexpectedly last year and Wednesday we found out why. I m glad I finally know what it was but it has brought all the grief back. I miss her so, so much. That she's gone hits at the most unexpected times, like the other day I was looking at some crochet tutorials and thought 'wouldn't it be nice if I made Karin a bag for christmas, I ll have to get started' of course then it hit that she wasn't here anymore. When I told her my dreams of making and selling things she was so supportive. I made her a scarf once and she was so happy with it, she was the sort of person who really appreciated the thought that went into handmade gifts. She was creative herself and was great at drawing and painting. The hallway of her flat was painted like a castle and she had a seaside scene painted on the wall in her front room.
So Wednesday was tough, I txt'd my best friend who, as ever was a total support. He has a knack of just listening to me and talking when he needs to. He also knows I won't ask for help so he always gives support if I ask for it or not. Mostly he drives me crackers and I know he's a much better friend to me than I am to him, something I'm going to change as I've come to realise you shouldn't take people for granted.
Well it's Friday night, I'm trying to decide if I should go out dancing in the local rock club where I shall meet some creative arty type (who happens to be rich) and we will decide to set up a gallery come bookshop come bead shop come sweet shop together... or I mighr just be watch telly instead.

LH
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Get it before November 4

Here are some more items that have to be delisted after November.

From LittleRedRobin

Two pocket mirrors




Ponytail holders





And fridge magnets






Get them while you can!

Get it before November 3

Here are some more items that won't be available after November 1st. Get them while you can!

From sweetsuzy

These cute teacup earrings.




PuttingontheCharms has a great selection. I love the robots!











maxineveronica has this lovely necklace.




From ickleimogen








I love these earring from Oldskoolretro



CraftyWarren- a pretty necklace.

MiaScintilla- Get these before the shop closes!







From heartsandcrafts







Some themed earrings from PoisonedAppleJewellery







Selling for a good cause- GrimmExhibition




From cosmiceden some stitch markers, earrings and a ring.








Some gorgeous earrings fromBlueForestJewellery




Click on the photos to be taken to the shops.

LH
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Tomatoes!

Its a bit windy here in Blackpool because of the tail end of hurricane Katia (just how do they come up with the names?) so I have decided to stay in an do a bit of blogging and crochet. I did venture out this morning to pick some tomatoes from the greenhouse, some have fallen off because of the mouldy, furry stuff that seems to have infected the plants but the green ones should ripen up on the window sill. I have had quite a good amount this year and less have split which I think is due to me watering them less but more often.

 Here are the rescued tomatoes on the windowsill :)

I went to visit my bf in Warrington Friday night and Saturday we went to The Blue Planet which is an aquarium at Ellesmere Port. I thought it was quite expensive but at the same time I guess it is costly running a place with so many tanks and animals to look after. I did have a great time though, the sharks were fab and I got to stroke a ray (lucky ray *smirk*) which was strange- they are rough on the back and very smooth underneath. I love how smiley they look :) I have read some bad reviews on tripadvisor about Blue Planet, some saying that it doesn't take long to walk around, yes that's true if you walk past everything and just have a quick look, but if you stay a while at each tank, read the information and just watch the animals then you can be in there a good few hours.

I have made some progress with the Epic Beadspread. It really isn't coming together as fast as I would hope but its fun and that's all that matters really. This photo shows what I have done up to now, I still have to sew everything together and do the edging and seeing it laid out like that made me realise that if I'm going to make it 6 big squares across and down that it is going to be huge!

I've been doing a lot of thinking this past few days after all the furore over at folksy and the enforcing of THE RULES. From what I can understand, they are tightening up on what is and what isn't classed as handmade and what can and can't be offered for sale on Folksy. Now I can understand that if a person buys a necklace from a shop, adds a few pounds and puts it for sale on Folksy, then that is wrong (and I'm not saying that has been happening)  but there have been some lovely shops that have been told their items aren't handmade enough to be listed.The thing is I can't see the reason they have to be de listed after November and that's what is making me a bit wary of listing anything else, when I make I have an idea of what I want to do and then it sort of evolves into something else, I don't sit there and think, 'I must not make the pendent the focus of attention because it is mass produced and that isn't allowed' I just make what feels right.
I was attracted to Folksy because it seemed a friendly place and was British based, I just hope it doesn't become elitist with a 'mine's more handmade than yours' attitude.There is also no way I am reporting items I see that I think (and again it seems such a fuzzy area) don't completely comply to the handmade criteria. I had my first sales on there Tuesday and I was really happy to be there until it all kicked off this week...I think the way it has been handled has been awful and there are some people who have  had shops on there (and selling lots and paying the commission and listing fees) for years, who must be very, very upset.

Anyway, after that rant I am off to have a look at all the talented crafters at 1stuniquegifts. Have a brilliant Handmade Monday everyone.

LH
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Get it before November 2

Some people have found out that the items they have listed on Folksy will have to be delisted on November 1st. So I thought it would help if I posted links to some of the items that have been affected in regular blog posts for the next two months.Click on the photo to be taken to the shop.Get them while you can!

AingealDesigns- some lovely wine glass charms.

And from Auntyjoan these gift tags. Perfect for Christmas.





Just click on the photos to be taken to the shop.

LH
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Get it before November

Some people have found out that the items they have listed on Folksy will have to be delisted on November 1st. I don't want to go into the rights and wrongs of this (at the moment I'm still unsure what is deemed appropriate and what isn't, I've been told my items are ok but I'm undecided about staying at Folksy) but I know there are some very upset people out there. So I thought it would help if I posted links to some of the items that have been affected in regular blog posts for the next two months.Click on the photo to be taken to the shop.Get them while you can!

First up- LaurasJewellery

Sold!

           I had a reprieve from the bowling shoes, not long after I posted my last blog my friend txt'd me to say there had been a last minute change of plan as another of our friends was feeling a bit rough and that we would have to rearrange our bowling afternoon for another day. Instead we decided to go to the cinema the next day but when we got there my mate realised she hadn't brought enough money with her... d'oh! So, cinema out of reach, we did the only thing we could and headed to the pub (they do unlimited refills of coke- result!) When we got there we found out there was a pub quiz and so the team of the two of us became "And the Winner Isn't"  And we didn't win! It was great fun though and free to enter which was a bonus. I like a good pub quiz as it gives me a chance to show off my brilliantly sharp mind (HA!) It was during a break between rounds that I decided to check my email (I wasn't cheating by going on the internet in search of answers- honest!)and found out that two of my bookmarks (the pirate ones) had been sold. I think the whole pub heard my over excited cry of ' I've sold something! Twice!'  

I must admit I was starting to wonder if I was ever going to sell anything so to find out that something I'd made had caught someone's eye and they had paid actual, real life money for it has put a huge smile on my face. It's given me a shot of confidence and tmw I'm going to spend the day making items to replace the ones that have sold (woooot!) I've also started to tidy a table off in the spare room in preparation for a kiln! I can not tell you how excited I am to be finally giving glass craft a go.I've got to make super sure that the space is suitable but I think it will be ok, I'm still a little worried that it will be too fumey and that I will have to wait until the garage is sorted out (not looking likely to be done any time soon- still waiting for someone to have the time to give us some quotes and we asked a while ago) to use it properly. Fingers crossed that its ok!
Have a great Wednesday!
LH
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A bit of sparkle for a dull Monday

Happy Handmade Monday !

It's a very dull, rainy Monday here, there is nothing good on telly so I have stuck on the radio and have curled up on the sofa with my laptop ( I *love* wireless internet- I'm a fairly recent convert to it)
It was my mate's birthday party yesterday (her birthday is today) and I'm feeling a bit sleepy after having two late nights in a row (I must be getting old) The plan is to go bowling later which I haven't done for years. Now I say bowling, but my technique is more of a throw and a hope for the best. Its also a bit embarrassing hiring those bowling shoes... while everyone else gets the lace up adult variety, me with my tiny feet has to suffer the indignity of Velcro fasteners. I think I may lie and say I'm a size three and just wear very thick socks and tie the laces extra tight- that should stop my feet flapping about too much.
Here are some (awful- it was a rush to take these) photo's of the commission I made for a friend of my dads. All I had to go on was that he wanted a necklace and a pair of earrings for his wife's birthday and that she liked colour.. this is what I came up with.

I was told that she really liked them and her husband may want me to make a few Christmas presents :)

I also made a bracelet for a raffle prize at my dads bowling club.My dad told me it was snapped up so yey for that :)

Anyway, I have to go and brave the rain and bowling shoes.

LH
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