The meaning of life …

So, prepare yourself for the next couple of days, or more likely weeks, when the hypochondria sets in, once again, as I’ve just finished sanding S’s room and found, wait for it, white stuff under my mask. Yes, I should have brought out the big mask. The, oh my god it’s so uncomfortable but I […]

Finally.

(drum roll) I have finished the book! (I know some of you were really worried about how it was going). And it was good. Sadly inevitable but good. I’ve just sent it to my sister, and, as I was buying it on amazon u.k. took the time to read the reviews. A few of them said […]

I can’t stand,

The hatred. The anger. The discrimination. The fear. I can’t stand ignorance. Prejudice. Violence. Terrorism. Anything, in fact, that presumes one being is more important than another. I can’t stand the fact that we can’t seem to get that we are all here together. That we are one. That we shouldn’t need guns to allay […]

Oh no, I did it again.

Is there no hope? I’m not even in jewelry making mode right now. I’m in quilt making mode with a slight leaning toward painting. To complicate everything, the pottery niggle is getting pretty strong also, but, I can’t cope with thinking about that right now. So why? And, (save me now). All I can say […]

Pickles.

Decided to pose for us. Albeit reluctantly. You’ve got to love her. She has issues. Fat issues. I try not to draw attention to it as I want her to feel comfortable in her skin, but, she lay on my chest last night and I felt as though she collapsed a lung. She’s been dieting, […]

This is not a quilt blog.

Promise. It’s a, I don’t really know why, but, I want to do it anyway, blog. So. Sometimes it’s about quilt making. Sometimes it’s about jewelry making. And, sometimes, but not often, it’s about writing. Right now I wish it were about photography. Why is Mickey so small! O.K. that’s marginally better. Don’t ask me […]

Yesterday

I bought a cup. Really I wanted a mug, but, as I’m a fussy tea drinker, I wasn’t too sure about them. Now, coffee … I wouldn’t have a problem with. For me, good, strong, coffee, is best drunk from a good, strong (read think edged) mug. Tea needs a different rim thickness. A refined […]

Next up.

Cut out all of the pieces for the four corners, just so you don’t have to freak out later when you discover you’ve run out of a particular fabric and the store hasn’t got any more and you spend fruitless hours on-line looking for someone, somewhere, who can help you, all the while knowing that […]

Every so often

I get the quilting bug. Hence the trip to the quilt festival at the weekend. I finished N’s quilt quite a long time ago now, but, because of the jewelry making, painting, etc., I’ve not felt as though I’ve had enough time for quilt making for some time. But it’s always there, in the back of […]

Yesterday

I went to the Houston Quilt Festival. It’s held at the George R Brown Convention Center which must be one of the biggest buildings I’ve been in here in Houston.  By the end of it my legs felt as though they were going to drop off, and, we didn’t even see all of it. Here […]

My brain

 is worn out and itchy. Here’s its (my brains) work station before I started on the afternoons work of creating the next best children’s novel. Hahaha, in my dreams. But, it’s nanowrimo time, and, every year I say I’m going to do it, and, every year I chicken out at some point or another. Not this […]

I wanted to

take a photo of dinner last night. But I forgot. Here it is at the end.   It’s hard to see exactly what we had, so I’ll help you out. We went to our mussel friends house and ate mussels cooked in butter, white wine and thyme. To be honest the liquid is as good […]

Just so you know.

It’s 46 ¡™£¢∞§¶•••ªªƒ©˙∆˚ (O.K. that’s me trying to find the degree sign. No worries, I think I got it). It’s 46˚ out there today. Very nice. I feel as though I can breathe. Although Wally has decided that he’s better off under the bed clothes. Either that or he’s hiding from the wicked step cat […]

Something

I’m working on today. Only it doesn’t quite look like her yet. I had a bit of trouble getting back into my studio after the art fair. I typically go through a, what’s the point, period afterward, but, it’s over now. I think. I’m off out this morning, but, I’m looking forward to getting back […]

Saturday

Was the art fair. The weather was perfect. Which is unusual to say the least. It’s usually hot as hell, even though it’s near the end of October. Here is my booth. Every year, well twice a year really, after I pack up from doing this fair I swear I’m going to re vamp my […]

It must be Monday again.

O.k. today’s the day I’m giving up painting again. This seems to happen on a regular basis now. This is what I feel like. Anguished. Pure droopy melodramatical anguish. Hence, the above, is a small angusishy photo, because I feel small and anguishey. (Yes, I know that’s not a word but I’m in too much […]

Just so you know.

I’m working on a new triffid. – It’s vaguely thundering out there and I love it. Hopefully we’ll get a storm with a good heavy downpour and moody skies. Right now, it’s just grumbling but it’s nice and dark and promising. – Happy Sunday 🙂 –

So, where were we …

As you may remember I made this link. Which was all well and good except that the chain I made with it costs 5 billion dollars as it was so time consuming to make the ends smooth enough so that they wouldn’t catch on your clothes. (This bracelet is still for sale btw if anyone has the 5 billion in cash). […]

It’s all good.

This weekend was moving in day for B. I feel as though every bone in my body is broken, (O.K. well maybe just my shins and ankles), and I wont be able to walk again anytime soon. I’m also tired and my face is puffy. I think this is a mystery ailment. I’m probably allergic […]

Why everyone’s on the moon and is there a good reason why I haven’t thought about getting them off yet.

Yes you heard right, the moon. I stumbled upon this on-line e-course, that, for some reason I’ll never fully understand, I signed up for. I think I was having a ‘moment’. I’ve written about my moments before. Some of them are dark, moping, droopy moments. Some swirling, anxiety, omg moments. And I’m sure there are […]

The tale of two links.

Wondering what else you can do with those links? You remember the ones. Well fret no more. To find the post with instructions on how to make these click HERE, however, I will recap. First make the links. This time I used 16 gauge sterling silver wire and I worked on them in a slightly different […]

Mostly dead.

Well it’s Friday. Damn if this doesn’t happen every week! I like Fridays but they’re coming around too quickly for my liking. I start on Monday thinking its a new life, a new start, a new, bright, wonderful opportunity to rock the world, lose weight and make beautiful, interesting, different art, and then before you […]

Baby steps.

Today I am going to work on this, and this, I’m going to try to keep with the acrylics on the first one. The bottom one, because I’ve already started over the acrylics with oil pastel, I’ll finish with the pastels. If I can follow through (always my problem) with the acrylics I think I […]

How To #4 – More links.

Cut 1″ lengths of 14 gauge sterling silver wire. This produces a fairly chunky link – you can experiment with different lengths and gauges to suit your taste. Now put the music on and bring out the christmas present you got from your middle child who thoughtfully wants to protect your hearing from the hammering […]

The way of the lost.

I may have got a bit carried away with this one. The houses are rightly shocked as they are being swept away downstream after the road collapsed into the river. Well, it’s just a beginning. Here are the first two. I don’t particularly like them which is why I think the houses went the way […]

Really?

I think its going to be a jewelry kind of day today. I haven’t made anything since my dad was here except to paint. But, I’ve now decided to give up on the painting. Yep, I’ve gone into my, I can’t do it and it’s bringing me down, stage. It generally happens after a few […]

A rainy Pissarro kind of day.

Big storm last night and it looks like more rain today. Right now it’s dark and cosy. A good reading day, but, I’m thinking studio … A while back I started this, which turned into this, then this, and now this, As always I think I prefer the first one. Bummer! Today I’ll be continuing […]

It’s O.K. really :)

Update from this mornings post. – So, perhaps the hair didn’t come out so well but I had a jewelry sale this morning which topped me close to the $1000 mark. Okay, so I didn’t really make $1000, as P would be eager to point out to you, as I have never worked my jewelry […]

When Hairy met Scary.

Dad’s gone, the garden is a disaster and I’m getting my hair cut today. Sounds like it’s going to be a touch and go day. Actually dad’s going wasn’t as bad as it usually is. I hate to see him go and it always seems as though we just do a drive by at the […]

Studio time.

It doesn’t look as though I did much more to it but I managed to sneak back in the studio yesterday and now I have this. I’m not sure if I want to put the windows and doors in. I kind of like it without them. My houses always seem to look a bit shocked […]

Meanwhile …

Not a lot being done around here. I didn’t take any new photos to list but I have been buying up all the bead supplies on Etsy … People aren’t allowed to visit me any more because I turn into super sofa sitting girl with my veins plugged into the computer. Here are some things […]

Why I’m not an Olympian.

I’m going to try to photograph and list some new items of jewelry today. I’ve been a bit behind in everything since my dad is visiting, which is absolutely fine by me. Priorities are everything, right 🙂 Been watching some of the Olympics. Loved that the Brits got a bronze in gymnastics. I didn’t even […]

Kitty Fashionista.

Here’s Wally, waiting for his nails to be painted. I took all the cats in for their yearly this week, and yep, while dropping them off mentioned the doggy pedicure – again. I couldn’t help it, I think I’m still in the baffled and amazed stage. S, who helped me with the cats, gave me […]

I just don’t get it …

Yesterday we picked Willow up from the groomers. Yes, bless her heart, she was shaved again. I know she’s a girl, I know she’s a cocker spaniel and should have all that cocker spaniel hair, but – we live in Houston, and it’s hot. She also loves to ditch swim. Yep in the ditch. She […]

While it’s been raining.

Here’s what I’ve been working on while it’s been raining. I finished this and this, now they’re waiting to be fired. I made some of these, these are also waiting to be fired, after they’ve been cleaned up. They are going to be little triffid plates. I made one of these But I think I’ll only […]

Monday gloom.

Dentist this morning 🙁 Only a cleaning but the trauma of dentistry in England in the early seventies has left its toll. Our local dentist was a Mr Hoolian, aka, (o.k. only by me), Mr. Hooligan. Hated him. I’m sure he was a nice man but he had all of those sharp whirring tools, and […]

Oh the problems …

I only rocked the world a little bit yesterday. P came home early from fishing. No fish he said, which I think is code for, I had nibbles galore but couldn’t catch a thing. But, to give him the benefit of the doubt, there were no fish … in the whole lake, or sea, or […]

Friday. Again.

Do you think Spencer One Eye could be more comfortable? I can’t make the bed until he gets up. O.K. that’s not true. I probably wont make the bed anyway. Soooooo, it’s Friday. Again. I’m not up either – only because I don’t want Spencer to feel the odd man out. I’m a good pet […]

Oops. I did it again!

Maybe there is no hope for me. You might be able to tell that I have a thing for Crazy Lace Agate. NOT my fault – look at it! My only hope now is that I might be able to save others. For all you jewelry makers out there that struggle with cabochon addiction. Run! […]

Acting out.

‘As far as I’m concerned, if a person desires to write, it’s worth trying to find a way to do it, even five minutes a day, and what happens to the writing afterward is a separate issue. The act of doing it has enormous value on its own.’ – Aimee Bender. – I read an article this […]

I made a box.

And put an amethyst in it. I know. I said that amethyst was banned from my studio, See here. But it seems I am a glutton for punishment. The design of this pendant is really more a pocket than a box. I’ve been wanting to try something like this for a while now but wasn’t […]

A disturbance in the ranks.

The troops are gathering. And they’re looking pretty determined. Wally is keeping a close eye on them, whilst appearing nonchalant. And Spencer is on high alert. In a shrewd feign of guarding the jewels. Pickles, not photographed here, is undercover. Some might think that she is slightly ashamed of her body weight, but she is, […]

Neverwhere.

I woke up dreaming that my dad had died 🙁 Very sad. It set my day off badly. I called my dad and he was fine, but I still felt sad. So, today has been a drooping day. All of me is drooping, especially my face which kind of bothers me as it also feels […]

This week

I’ve been finger painting. Which I love, except now I have paint all over my bra strap. I’ve been pallet knife painting. Which I also love and it’s a little less messy – bonus. And, I’ve been doing, whatever the hell this is, Really not sure at the moment. It started off as an acrylic mess, don’t […]

Playing with Pixlr

I’ve been playing with pixlr and I’m liking this scratchy effect although I’m not sure it would sell my jewelry for me 🙂 It’s great what you can do with these programmes and this one is free if you want to check it out. It just takes a minute to figure it out and then […]

Keeping it simple.

Yesterday I wrote a long post about the African Green Opal. It was really boring – so I deleted it. So, until I don’t feel so boring I’m just going to keep it simple, fumble around WordPress to get my bearings and try to get my umph back from wherever it’s gone. These are my […]