A little lapse with, if I say so myself, a brilliant recovery…

Published on 10th September 201610th September 2016 by coldfeetstudioblog

As I write to you on this fine morning I admit to having just deleted the FOUR new games I gave in to midway through this week.

Shame on me.

But it did bring home to me more than ever the fact that this addiction to wasting my precious time is wasting my precious time.

I was reading again.

I was like almost finished with the book I’ve been reading for over a year now.

And then – nothing.

A black hole of word games sucked my life into a mindless funnel toward zombie land and I was gone again.

But now I’m back.

Until the next slip.

Not going to happen.

Maybe.

Despite the relapse I’ve had a fairly productive week and I sold quite a few things.

I’m now over $60,000 for charity which although amazing seems to have had no impact whatsoever on saving the world.

Man.

Can you say disappointed or what!

But, kidding aside, I do want to thank everyone who has bought a piece of jewelry from me.

🙂

The new lovelies this week are.

A pair of earrings with beautiful purple Luna Agate stones.

This shop is expensive, but I just can’t resist the stones there. It’s sometimes hard to use them as they make the jewelry so much more expensive.

This Ocean Jasper was from there also.

fullsizerender-22

And here’s its back.

fullsizerender-20

Then I made another one of these for someone using one of my new favourite stones.

Rare Purple Chalcedony.

And this one with a piece of Carnelian that I cut myself

😉

Next up I’d always wanted to make something with one of these dentritic stones.

It came all the way from India. I prefer not to buy from outside the US, but look at it

🙂

And then I fiddled once more with this piece which has been giving me some trouble with its stone choice.

I think finally I’m happy with it.

fullsizerender-21

I also made a couple of chains, some simple silver earrings, and cleaned up my work table to the point where I’m shocked whenever I go into the studio and see it again.

Simple joys.

🙂

I’m still having trouble avoiding purchasing stones, but look at this

il_570xn-1037721324_da5v

And this.

il_570xn-862988581_s87r

Seriously.

I had to have them.

No hope for the wicked as my old mum used to say….

Just as a side note those are not my fingers. He seems to have cut the top off of one of them, something to look out for when cutting my own stones perhaps…

And on a completely different topic.

Just look at our orange tree!

We bought it last year and I forgot what it was. I picked one thinking it was a lime and cut it open. Wow. The combination of the gorgeous green outside colour to the vivid orange inside was incredible.

Another shock to my week.

It’s all good.

🙂

TTYL

–

Alrighty then…

Published on 19th April 201619th April 2016 by coldfeetstudioblog

I bought myself a new toy.

I decided to give myself a pick me up after, you know what, happened.

Now, whenever I grind a stone, I can imagine my dad did it with me.

We’ll be in it together.

Trouble is when it arrived my immediate thought was to phone him to tell him the exciting news. He would have laughed at the thought that his daughter had bought yet another piece of machinery and perhaps wondered what happened to her and all the girly things.

But of course I couldn’t phone him so instead I took a photo of it and sent it to my sister and told her to show him.

He’s under her stairs.

He was on the porch for a while, then she put him under the stairs until we can decide what to do with him.

She can’t look at him yet. Also she’s had to give up watching soccer as she used to watch it with him every Thursday when he came to her for dinner which is a shame as she loves football.

For reasons only known to him, dad supported Queens Park Rangers. Traitor to those of us who know that West Ham is the team to beat. Well according to P that is.

My nephew called QPR and apparently we can spread dad’s ashes on their football pitch if we want to.

Who knew!

Lords cricket ground won’t have him though as, although he loved the game, he wasn’t actually a member.

I just can’t get over how many dead people all those cricketers and footballers must be playing on.

Do they know?

It’s almost as bad as all those dead people laying underneath the aisles of the churches.

Gives a whole new meaning to not stepping on the cracks.

Anyhow, in other news, I was thrilled to break the $50,000 mark and my new goal is $60,000. I did wonder if it should be $55,000, but then threw caution to the wind and decided to dream big.

You can see where I sent it all – HERE

And I’ve been making a few things all whilst eating the sweets I brought back from home.

S00171-Maxons-Sour-Apples-350x350 — Sour Apples

rhubarb-and-custard_zoom_2 — Rhubarb and Custards

Don’t judge me…

Actually the Rhubarb and Custards have gone now because they’re my favourite.

The Mint Humbugs are actually P’s, but I confiscated them as I feel my need is greater than his.

Here’s what I made.

Another one of these.

Another one of these,

One of these,

One of these,

One of these,

And a pair of these,

And I finished a happy painting.

Now I just have to get up, get going, and wonder what else I’m going to make.

I’m thinking I should make some simpler things for the art show coming up as I’m wondering if all my stuff isn’t a bit big and fussy.

They just seem to want to be that way.

All on their own…

ttyl

–

More excitement than one could possibly ask for, or Why you should drive something with a little more height perhaps…

Published on 2nd November 20152nd November 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Yep. N’s car got drownded (as the kids used to say).

In lots of water.

And they had to wade home in it up to their knees at 4 a.m. for an hour and half while we slept oblivious to the phone calls and texts.

Good parents we are.

The Mini Cooper is a ferocious beast with eight, yes read that again, eight air bags crammed into that small, but safe, cocoon of a vehicle. B has had five, (don’t talk to me about it), accidents in hers and, aside from the extortionate amount of money they charge to put the thing back together again, she wasn’t hurt once even though two of them were really bad and involved 360 degree spins on Austin freeways.

One might say they’re a bit of a bumper car really.

But it seems they are no match for the elements when it comes to driving through hidden flood patches.

Perhaps they should have triggered all of the bags and floated across.

Guess you’re not thinking straight in stressful situations.

So, not a lot of luck with the cars really.

That’ll teach them for going out on a Friday night enjoying themselves…

–

So it’s Monday again.

And I’m off out to the studio.

I did spend yesterday reading my book and eating dinner with the kids and I think that was all I needed.

A day of nothing.

However today this little lovely is waiting for me.

And I had two sales over the weekend that I’ve to post which is quite nice and cheering.

Especially as this

Found its forever home.

One of my favs.

I’ve been really lucky just recently with selling some pieces and I have a feeling that I’m up to $44,000 now, but haven’t sorted it out yet.

I think I might send it to Heifer International this time as I’m getting a bit depressed about Syria and I’ve had to stop listening to the news for a while.

So I’ll be concentrating on sheep and goats for a while now to shake it off.

Except for the bunnies.

I won’t be thinking of Heifer sending any bunnies to anyone as what do you do with them except use their fur and eat them?

Or pigs.

I won’t be thinking of the pigs.

Maybe chickens and bees.

We need bees.

–

It worked!

Published on 4th October 201513th October 2015 by coldfeetstudio

Thanks for all the good wishes.

We had a great art fair and the weather was absolutely perfect.

For a minute I thought we must be somewhere other than Houston.

NO humidity what so ever.

Brilliant.

AND I met this really neat little old guy and we chatted forever about jewelry making.

Loved him.

Never had such a good conversation about flux and firescale.

Today I feel shattered.

Everything hurts and I even had to get out of bed early because my legs hurt so much that I thought I needed both hips replaced. Like immediately.

Man!

How do all the other people do it?

Am I the only weenie around?

So today, after I had to take Advil (double weenie) I’m off out to the studio to either try my hand at sand casting again, or to finish up my painting.

I’ve cast two things so far. One with the bad sand which I sent back, and one with the good sand which I’m actually thinking is also bad sand because there’s no way the pathetic lump of silver that emerged from the mold could be my fault.

Bit of a let down really.

Not going to give up though.

I’ve also come up with a better way to cut my jump rings so I’ll be writing about that (Gale) as soon as I get back to jewelry making.

Might be a while with the old hips playing up though.

So, $2,500 is going off to Care.

Thanks for all the good wishes and to the weather god.

I think I love you…

–

So the plan was…

Published on 21st September 201513th October 2015 by coldfeetstudio

That the chunky chain got a home.

Didn’t happen.

Instead I started a new painting.

Yes, I know I said I’d given it up again…

So I got this far and then decided I was bored with it.

So I moved over to the jewelry area and half heartedly played around with some sketches and stones.

And decided on the spider one.

Even though I knew that it really wasn’t ever going to be the same as the drawing.

Just to step it up a bit I used one of my new stamps on it.

And then soldered it onto a back plate that was way too large for it.

That annoyed me as I usually pay a lot of attention to the amount of silver I waste to the point that I often have zero wiggle room to work with which also annoys me because then it’s touch and go that I’ve enough silver around the piece to do what I want with.

Guess the search for a happy medium continues…

Now I will share with you a tip for what to do with all your old pick sticks.

I don’t know about you, but after a while my picks start to loosen from their wooden handle. Even though I try to ignore it for a while they eventually start to swivel in the handle when I’m doing the picking thing with them.

I still try to ignore it, but then it just begins to get ridiculous and I can’t do a thing with them.

That’s when I get excited because I remember that hey! I can just buy a new one.

I’m a bit slow on the uptake sometimes.

So, not one to be wasteful, (apart from the huge amount of silver waste above), I keep the pick ends and use them to prop up pieces when I’m soldering.

See.

Anyway, long story short, it all looks good here, but the soldering flopped due to the funkness and then I had to go in to make dinner…

Not before I added a bit more to the painting though.

So… that’s it.

In other news, while I was bored with it all and in one of my funks, I bought a new table top to add to the jewelry bench area and now it feels more complete.

I’m telling you, that small Swedish store is a blessing when you need a funk distraction.

Now my jewelry area is fantabulous.

And I feel very fortunate.

And just so the painting side of the studio didn’t feel left out I bought it a new table and drawers also.

That side is still a bit of a mess, but I’m working on it…

But look at all my pastels!

They have a happy home…

🙂

AND last, but not least, I have to tell you that I’ve hit another milestone.

$40,000!

Next stop $50,000.

See where I’ve sent it – HERE

TTFN

–

Update.

Published on 1st June 201513th October 2015 by coldfeetstudio

I finished the custom order and the lady liked it!

It was a nice surprise to hear from her that she wanted it.

The day I finished it I told P that I didn’t think I was up for any more custom orders as it was just too hard for me to get to grips with what someone really wants and then I end up wanting to under charge them because I’m unsure of myself and feel bad for them that they’ll be getting something that they don’t really want.

Etc…

Then yesterday, when I was upstairs cleaning out my ‘clean’ studio, the one where I make my quilts etc., I got an e-mail from another person wanting a custom order.

I didn’t say no.

And so it starts over…

Actually I’m looking forward to it.

(Remind me of that when I start to moan again)

In the short time it took me to give up taking custom orders and then accept another one I tackled my thirty year stash of craft books .

To be honest I didn’t think I would be up for it and P definitely had doubts.

In fact he laughed at me which was not funny and not very encouraging.

But look.

And I haven’t finished yet.

They haven’t actually made it out of the house yet, but I’m working on it.

Of course the upstairs A/C decided to pack up half way through my sorting, but I soldiered on and now I’m feeling quite pleased with myself.

They’re all going to the ministry up the road although I think that they may have to open a new room to accommodate them.

In other news,

the boy’s cat, Nutmeg,

has diarrhea.

Nope. Don’t talk to me about it.

I’m not really that put out by the sofa covers needing to be washed five hundred and sixty-three times daily.

Nope, not at all.

–

Oh the trauma…

Published on 8th May 201513th October 2015 by coldfeetstudio

Lots of trauma.

First up, I had to have a tooth out.

I know, right!

Now I feel old and gappy, as though I’ve forgotten to put my dentures in.

It was a horrible experience and I’ve felt shattered the WHOLE week. I can only imagine what I’m going to be like when I have to have the implant. It’ll most likely freak me out completely.

I’ve already warned the dentist, but he says it’ll be o.k. as he’ll have his phone on hand and there’s this guy on youtube who does some great dental demonstrations if he needs to check in on the procedure.

Doesn’t help.

Secondly, much to P’s distress, I’ve been going through the whole Inspector Barbaby series on Netflix and all of a sudden, what do you know, it’s over.

No warning.

No nuffin’

It’s left a void, like a black hole imploding in my chest.

It’s going to take me a while to get over it, I mean, how do you recover from something like that…

Fortunately Netflix only went up to season 15 and so somewhere there’s another three waiting for me in the magical world of t.v. limbo land.

P will be delighted..

On a brilliant note, however, I had a great art fair last Saturday.

You know, I didn’t really feel up for it. I’d been a bit blah, as you all know by now from my recent groanings and moanings, but it was really good.

The weather was perfect. I managed to emerge from my introvert coma for the day, and we talked and laughed all day.

And, as you may know, laughing is my favourite thing to do…

I made $4,000!

I can hardly believe it.

Personally I think people were afraid, paid quickly and ran for their lives.

Whatever it was it worked, and I’m fairly sure Nepal is not going to worry about it.

Studio happenings are as follows.

This

Fell apart.

Don’t talk to me about it.

So I threw it around a bit, gave it a good sanding, and re made it.

The serpentine crumbled in the first setting so I had to re make the middle bezel and use his brother.

I can see I’ve still a little sanding to do in between the top two stones.

I’m also in the middle of this

Which I’ll hopefully finish today,

and I might knock up a few of these.

Because I hit the mother lode of Gaspeite…

Exciting times…

–

The beast, the triffids, and the goal…

Published on 26th April 201513th October 2015 by coldfeetstudio

I finished the beast by taking out the Serpentine stone after I gouged a great big 5mm wide trough through it from one side to the other and managed to work with it on the Jool Tool (beginning to like this thing) until it was looking better.

I found that Serpentine, at least the ones I have, are very crumbly and I’m not completely sure I like that.

I worked with it as much as I could, but it isn’t one of my better pieces.

I think I set myself up for the fall because in the back of my mind I didn’t think I’d done the best job I could with forming the stones.

You can see from the above that the bottom bezel is too high, and the top bezel is just annoying because the bottom edge of its collar soldered to the top edge of the middle bezel’s collar and I had to saw it apart.

I say I had to. I could have sweated the three bezel collars off and started over, but, as I said, I don’t think I ever thought it was going to be a good piece in the first place and believe I set myself up for sabotage.

Oh the dark inner workings of our minds…

I like the back though 🙂

I’ve been cleaning up my work for the art fair on Saturday and reworking some pieces that I don’t really care for.

I hate cleaning the jewelry, but wouldn’t be seen dead trying to sell it without it being its absolute best. As a consequence I’m probably not taking the beast.

Unless little pixies break into the studio between now and Saturday and work some magic on it.

Could happen.

I finished the second needlework piece.

And started another.

And that’s about it really.

Except I’m fiddling around with a new website as, although I like the Wix one I have, I’ve discovered that Indiemade seems easier to use.

I’m not sure about it yet.

And I’m just about to send off $800 to Care for the Nepal disaster so guess what?

$30,000!

Goal reached!

Going for $40,000 next…

Onwards and upwards people

🙂

–

So there I was. In the studio.

Published on 25th January 201513th October 2015 by coldfeetstudio

Minding my own business.

When in the space of one swallow I had a sore throat.

Add that to the constant runny nose and it’ll not be long before I need my face mask for more than just keeping the dust out.

Actually I’m wondering if I shouldn’t put my pickle farther away from me as I work. I think I’m going to try that because I think the fumes might be getting a little too intense and perhaps it’s burnt my throat and soon my lungs will drop out.

Just another studio freak out waiting to happen.

I had a great week last week, in spite of the runny nose and burnt lungs.

I made over $1,000 and I’m still wondering if it hasn’t all been a terrible mistake on the part of the people who purchased my things.

Here’s the run down.

I sold this.

And this.

This one.

And this.

This.

And two charms!

See.

That’s a little too good for anyone to not feel worried about.

I am very grateful for all the people who did buy my jewelry. I hope that they like it when it arrives.

Anyway, yesterday I made this.

But I am beginning to wonder if they aren’t all a little too much.

I love making them though.

And I sketched up a design because I’m thinking maybe the quilts are calling me again.

But again.

Even the quilt designs are getting a bit out there…

It’s all making me feel a bit like Willow did yesterday.

Bless her.

–

It is my great honour, and privilege, to present to you today.

Published on 17th January 201513th October 2015 by coldfeetstudio

The joy and anguish of my life.

In all its grubby self.

To take my mind off it being in the same room as me I bought it some new friends.

The Optivisor…

I got a 2x and it’s brilliant.

I was a bit doubtful at first, but it really is cool. I have to take it off when I’m soldering because it bumps into the fume extractor, and once or twice I pulled it down over my cheapo target magnifying glasses and had a little vertigo moment, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it.

Warning!

Don’t buy one if you don’t want to see every single mistake and botch up you’ve made on your jewelry.

It will send you into a funk.

I’m too excited to get the funk right now, but I’m telling you, at any other time I might well have given up making jewelry forever – again.

I also got a pair of half round pliers.

A special little wax stick thing for picking up stones.

A different kind of ring clamp.

Only it wasn’t the different kind of ring clamp I wanted.

I wanted a different kind of different kind of ring clamp.

One that holds the ring on the inside.

I’ll be checking out where to get this little gem later.

I also got a few different sizes of bezel wire to play around with, and some chain.

So that was my excitement for the day.

Here’s the better photograph I told you I’d take of my latest piece.

All finished and up on Etsy.

And a little something else I’m interested in doing.

Remember those charms I made using some of my left over silver.

Well, the left over silver just won’t stop coming.

I’ve a whole bowl of it just hanging around waiting for something to do.

I knew I could send it back to Rio for their recycling programme, but I wanted to do something special with it and the charms seemed perfect, but I also thought the charms needed their own role in life.

I’m happy to say that they have finally found their purpose.

A little school in Kenya 🙂

So while I’ll continue to send the money I make from selling my jewelry to the larger charities, all I make from the charms will go to the Roko 20 Academy.

🙂

–

Thank You

Published on 28th December 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I had a little run of sales just before Christmas.

And was able to send $1,000 to Care.

That makes my total to date

$13,500

Onwards and Upwards people

🙂

–

The quilt, Kumbaya, and, ‘why’ drawings.

Published on 24th November 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

The quilt is finished!

DSCN9479

DSCN9482

And the back.

DSCN9488

I’ve enjoyed it.

Taken my time quilting it.

Decided I didn’t like the orange half way through.

Thought it would take forever about two thirds through.

Got fed up quilting it.

Felt sad when it was all over as now I have nothing to quilt.

Decided perhaps the orange was o.k. after all.

Thought it was a silly quilt and who the hell would want it in their house.

Realized it was for a five year old, and that perhaps she would like it.

Got told (several times) by that man who lives in the house with me that it would cost a fortune to post and that he’d take it back with him when he goes back to England in January for a business trip.

Got defensive about getting my Christmas gift there on time.

Got told again.

Decided that perhaps he was right.

And finally …

Bought this for Hope’s gift instead.

il_570xN.322186483 — click photo to get your own

(Come on. How cute is that!)

She’ll still get her quilt, but as a, because gift, instead of a, Christmas gift.

We all have to pick our battles.

–

In the meantime, I’ve still been drawing my ‘why’ drawings.

But I don’t know why.

Perhaps they need to be quilts.

Perhaps not.

–

And lastly.

I’m still worried about the Philippines 🙁

I go to bed every night loving how comfortable my bed is.

I wake up, amazed that I can shower every day in hot water.

The power went out the other day due to a storm, and I appreciated how lucky I am to have electricity.

Now. Believe me when I tell you that I’m not a sappy, let’s all hold hands together and sing Kumbaya in voices just off tune enough to make you want to throw up a little, sort of person. (Although that’s o.k. if you are) (Except for the throwing up bit) (And the fact that I might just have to leave you to it and run away from you quickly bit). I’m English for heaven’s sake. A true cynic if ever there was one. But perhaps I’m just getting a little soggy in my old age.

(not really)

But I

Can’t do the suffering any more.

Can’t do the, what the hell is happening here, any more.

And.

I’m just going to have to stop listening to stuff like this.

Because, no matter how much it has always been one of my favourite songs, it’s just not good for my mental health any more.

Oh well, that’s me bummed out for the day.

So what are you up to?

–

Happening stuff

Published on 14th November 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I’ve been adding new pieces of jewelry to my Tictail shop.

I’m quite pleased with Tictail. It’s easy to use and I think it looks nice. So far not many sales so I guess I’d better get my act together and take my chicken boots off and start handing out business cards. I was going to ask to leave some at the hairdressers this morning, but accidentally, on purpose, left them at home.

No hope for me yet.

But, I did send out postcards 🙂

I think they came out pretty good.

If you need some you can get them from vistaprint

I’ve haven’t seen one in person yet, but you can put the addresses on the card along with the postage which saves a lot of fussing and post officing later.

I’ve always worried about my photographs, but think they’re definitely getting better.

Oh the burdens of being a perfectionist …

I’ve also been working on some rack cards which are longer. I’ve been thinking of leaving them in shops for wholesale, but I haven’t quite got my head around the wholesale thing yet so I keep procrastinating.

brochure

They’re pretty much the same, but I thought I could get more information on the back.

I don’t know, I might just stick with the postcards.

So that’s what I’ve been up to.

That and finishing the quilt.

I think I’ve got about 36 stitches to go then I’m done. I’ve only been quilting in the evenings, but I’ve been dragging my feet over it a little. It’s still in time for Christmas though so I consider that a success 🙂

I also was just able to send $2,000 to Care for the Philippines. So I’m pleased about that.

Oh, and I’ve also been working on my mailing list.

Like a big girl.

HERE

It’s all happening at my house 🙂

What have you been doing?

–

I’ve been painting

Published on 31st October 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Or rather, oil pastel-ing.

I think this is my favourite medium. The colours are so rich and meaty.

I find it hard to get back into jewelry after an art show. It’s like I’m all jeweled out.

I did fairly well at the festival. I made a thousand dollars, which, with what I already have, brings me to fifteen hundred.

I think this time the money is going to the Water for India thing, and Syria again.

Although I’m going to check out the Indian charity a little more first. I don’t usually give to the smaller charities as they aren’t so well known.

I don’t know, sometimes I get disheartened. It all seems so little for so much, but I can’t worry about it too much otherwise my brain will explode.

And that might hurt a bit.

So, I will leave you with a picture of my son in his halloween costume.

If you see him, please take him directly to the nearest psych ward.

He needs all the help he can get.

–

It’s going to be a good day …

Published on 10th September 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I’m gradually putting some new things up on Etsy.

I always balk at doing this as it seems to take so long to list everything, but the stuff is beginning to pile up and it’s all getting a bit overwhelming now.

I’m still working on my own website but, again, it’s taking its own sweet time because all this photographing and describing rigmarole simply isn’t as fun as making the stuff.

But look at it.