Weekend Trip to Jervis Bay

Thursday (9th September) we travelled south and stayed in a beach house in Jervis Bay.

 Apart from a few showers and breezy moments the weather was kind to us - as hot as a UK summer! 

Our holiday home

... and here is the view from our bedroom and the deck!

On the way we stopped at Kiama for a sarnie and a quick look at the blowhole ...

On Friday we went to Green Patch beach - a lovely location with blue seas and white sands all to ourselves - Ron even went for a swim which encouraged the boys to strip off!

We went back next day and had a BBQ visited by a kangaroo who smelled the sausages!

Overall a great weekend!!

Sydney Day 2

Well day one was arrival and jetlag so our visit to Aus starts on day 2.  We are staying in a suburb of Sydney called Randwick - own shopping centre and an easy bus ride to the city centre.  Staying with daughter Toni and family who are here for a year.  Flight was as expected but Airbus is quieter.

Alex went to preschool for the day and we went into the city.

Our first view of the magnificent harbour bridge.

Ron, Toni and Ollie in front of the Opera House

Ollie chose the biggest ice cream!

Ollie took this picture!

A short rest on the Opera House steps

After mooching around the harbour we had a picnic lunch in the botanic gardens the ibis are very tame and will steal your food at the drop of a hat.

Large flying foxes are hanging in the trees.

So peaceful it is hard to believe it is in the centre of a city.

We're Off!

.... on our travels to Sydney!!

Watch this space as I hope to post pictures of our holiday.  Will miss the glass though ...........

Lovely Silver Glass

Fire Opals

Aurae and Ivory

Clio encased in Count von Count

In the Garden

The garden is lovely this year even if it is the size of a postage stamp - that would be due to the new(ish) shedio!

I love these lilys - they come back year after year - whatever the winter frost do to them!

The baskets are overflowing with petunias......

.....and geraniums.

Here is Saphy guarding the shedio.

Finished Turquoise set

Finally finished my tuquoise set I am going to make more of these I think but this one is all mine!

Beady Practice

Been trying out raised florals - always wanted to do a basket of flowers - still some way to go I think!!

A Short Break from Beads

Took a weekend trip to N Ireland and it remained sunny. Had a great time meeting up with friends Ron and Lyn (Ron is taking time out to sail around the UK). We caught up with them at Portaferry. We then caught the ferry to Stangford for lunch. On the way back caught a wee glimpse of a pair of dolphins - no picture I'm afraid.






We spent Saturday with son Andrew, daughter-in-law Claire and their lovely girls Isabelle and Sophia. A lovely sunny day in garden with a barbeque for lunch - what more could you ask for? Maybe just to round it off with an Italian meal in Belfast - so that is what we did.

New beads

I've been using shards and murrini so here is a sample. Been told off for boring photos and have to say I have struggled a bit with them so I have ordered a light tent to try to reduce the reflections in the glass. Hopefully things should improve!!

Inspired by

"Golden Heart
She was swinging by the bangles in a main street store
A while before we met
The most dangerous angels that you ever saw
She spied her amulet

And she took a loop of leather for around her neck
And that was then the start
The most dangerous lady on her quarter deck
She found her Golden Heart"

Is it really nearly a month!

Yes - I can't believe it but then again I have been messing around with facebook. Been making the usual stuff and more exciting am planning my first bead show with a fellow lampwork artist - Karen - more news about that later. I thought today I would post picture of something I made for me - a turquoise beaded bracelet. Just working on matching necklace and earrings and it should be prefect for a posh do!

Where Have I been

Can't believe I haven't been here for a while - I've just been to the Flameoff at Towcester - lots of lovely glassy things to buy and demos to watch - so I'll be trying out some new things. Tried out some faces - still need lots of work and they are a bit spooky!!




I've also been making a few standard beads which I will be listing soon. I am particularly fond of the tree bead.

Trying Out Big Hole Beads

I recently bought some 5 mm mandrels from Manda at Mango beads and have been practicing. These beads are harder to make but Manda's mandrells have a thinner handle which makes it easier to turn them evenly. Just need to put silver cores in the top set now.

I've been busy with work lately but this weekend have had plenty of time to get out into the shed so should be putting plenty up for sale very soon.

Volcanoes

Been making beads with black Cim glass and some of Jolene's silvered shards in hot colours so I think these will be the first of my "Volcano" series of beads. Have cleaned them - my least favourite job and strung them in sets, just cropping the photos and after dinner will get them in the shop. These are made with silvered crimson.

Playing with Multi Colour and off to Flame Off!

Well here it is - my first try with Reichenbach multi colour - just a practice bead so the shape is a bit out but it shows some promise.

Just booked tickets for the Flame Off in Towcester - 2 days of demos, beads and glass - heaven. Ron is coming - I hear there is a man creche and I need someone to carry the glass and credit card!

A Ramble

Well - last night I listed 19 sets of beads and sold 8 sets with in a couple of hours! Very pleased. Been out in the shed today after a trip to get my hair cut and a quick dash to the post office. I have some Reichenbach Multi colour that I am playing with and also some Cim Sangria which I have not used before. Just made some test beads today - will see what comes out of the kiln later.

New Beads

Just spent the afternoon listing some new beads on the webby. Not one of my favourite tasks - one step up from cleaning them. Got some new glass this week and have also put in an order today for some of the new Cim colours. The whole weekend is stretching ahead - plenty of time for melting glass with a bit of relaxing in front of the TV watching rugby...