Beaujolaisbeads Banter.....

What A Fab Week!!

2011-04-17T20:04:00.006+01:00

What a fab week I've had! First there was Flame Off! Such a fest of glassy goodness, so much glass, tools and wonderful things to look at and buy, then there are demos by some inspiring artists and finally friends galore to catch up with, what more can a glassy girl want? !! I had such a great time, the only downside is that it whizzes past so quickly! I did take my camera, and I brought it back home again - without even remembering to open the case - ah well, there's always next time!

Then there was a brief evening of trying out Bev's lovely new graphite marvers, Manda's fabulous 5mm mandrels and a rod or two of the new glass acquisitions! Just a brief play, though, so now I just need to find some more time to get back to the torch.

Yesterday saw us take a trip up to Rudston for Martin's New Studio Open Day. What can I say, it's just perfect! A lovely, new, huge studio just crying out for some classes..... There's a couple of photos on my FlickR (yes, I did remember to get the camera out, briefly!)

I had another chance to watch Kaz making her lovely murrini and also managed to see a demo from Caitlin as I missed this at Flame Off. Then there was another chance to chat some more, too!! Another great day with special thanks to Martin and the team.

Then today, we finally put the finishing touches to beaujolaisbeads new studio and tidied it up. Yay!! So here it is:

I don't think I can top all of that this week, somehow!!

Hope you have a good one.

Ta-ra,

June
xx

15% Off at Beaujolaisbeads Etsy Shop !!

2011-01-01T13:49:00.007Z

Happy New Year everybody! I hope 2011 is a happy, healthy and prosperous one for you. I also hope you have all had a happy holiday.

With the festivities all but over, it's now time to start thinking about getting back to normal. It's been a busy time for us over the last couple of months as we have been moving our studio from one room into another, and we are not quite there yet! So I haven't been at the torch for about a month and I am not quite sure when I will be either, though I would hope it will all be set up and ready to go within the next week or so... (fingers crossed!).

In the meantime, I have listed a couple of sets and a vessel I made a couple of months ago on Etsy, so here's a taster

Pashmina

Maple Blossom

AND..

I'm also having a sale! I am giving 15% off all of my items in my Etsy Shop - even the newly listed ones. Just add Newyear2011 in the coupon box and 15% should be automatically deducted for you. The sale will be on until 31st January, so please do pop by. If you should have any problems, please convo me.

Have a good week.

Ta-ra,

June
xx

A Couple Of New Sets

2010-11-06T18:53:00.008Z

With thanks to Yvette of Blue Kiln Beads I have managed to add a widget on my blog to take you straight to my Etsy shop! So I am very pleased with myself!!

And I have added a couple of new sets to my shop, too.

Misty Hills is a set of 6 beads in three shades of green all finished with pixie dust to give a lovely shimmer

Raspberry Shake is also a set of 6 beads but these have a base of pale pink transparent that have been swirled in a pink frit and then etched for that velvet feel

But my favourite set at the moment is Tigers Eye, I just love the colours in this beautiful frit by Jolene of Kitzbitz Art Glass

These were all made a few weeks ago and I still have a few more to list over the coming weeks, too, which may be as well because I don't seem to have any time to get to the torch and make any new sets up! I wish I knew where all my time went!!

Have a great week.

Ta-ra

June
xx

Beads From Astrid Riedel's Class

2010-10-25T17:47:00.006+01:00

I had a great time at Di's a couple of weekends ago when attending the Astrid Riedel class. What a lovely and clever lady she is! The weekend went in a flash, but here are most of the beads I made whilst there - some are still on the mandrels because they are cracked and are not going to come off in one piece, unfortunately!

It was the first time I had tried a crunch press, too, so I now have one of those on order from Maria Louisa! So it's just finding some time to practise. I did have a go after the course, but unfortunately those two cracked, too. Oh well, if at first you don't succeed...... !!

Have a great week!

Ta-ra,

June
xx

Busy, As Always!

2010-10-18T21:08:00.009+01:00

Since last updating I did go to the GBUK AGM and bead fair and had a lovely day catching up with a few people and selling a few beads. I was also lucky to have spend a couple of days at Di East's studio in the company of Astrid Riedel. Her beads are just beautiful and I learned loads - though unfortunately I haven't taken any pictures as yet! Nor have I had much time to practise any of the techniques!

But in the meantime, I have managed to take a few pictures of some beads that I will be listing in my Etsy shop in the next few days.....

Eqyptian Silk

Ink Splat!

Springtime

Thanks for looking!

Have a good week.

Ta-ra,

June
xx

It's Been A While!

2010-09-16T17:35:00.003+01:00

It's been a while since I have updated here but the summer (what summer?!) has whizzed past. The 6 week school holiday flew and we had a lovely relaxing week in France towards the end of it. My 2 DD's have been in a show at the theatre which was great, but manic, and now, I hope, things will settle down a bit for a few weeks!

Although I haven't had much to show lately, I have been quite busy on the bead making front, too. I have a stand at the up and coming GBUK Bead Fair in Ardington on Sat 25th September, so I have been getting together a few sets to take with me. It will be my first Bead Fair, so I am looking forward to it. It will also be the GBUK AGM in the morning and a chance to catch up with friends, old and new, many from the Frit-Happens forum.

I have also been busy trying to create a couple of items for the Beads & Beyond Jewellery Maker Of The Year 2010 Competition - for which I was a runner up in the chainmaille category last year. So fingers crossed..!!

Anyway, I hope to post a few pictures of some of my sets in the near future. Most have been cleaned and batched up now, so it's just waiting for a nice day and some free time (very difficult to achieve both of these at the same time!!)

Ta-ra,

June
xx

So What Have I Been Doing?

2010-06-21T18:43:00.010+01:00

It's been a few weeks since I have updated here, so what have I been up to? !! Well, we spent a lovely week in Normandy during the half-term holiday. The weather could have been better during the first half of the week, but it was lovely to have a break. Since then, it's been the usual round of work and all things to do with DD's school life! I haven't even had that much time at the torch, though I did snatch a couple of hours at the weekend. These bits are still to be kilned, so they will be for another time, but I do have a few pictures of beads created before I went to France.

Firstly this was the necklace worn for one of the days at Flame Off (wow, that was 2 months ago now!!)

This was my first attempt at a flower inspired by Sabine's fab tutorial at Flame Off

Then came various attempts at raised floral beads, so here's a couple of the better ones

And finally I have had a thing for grapevines lately, so here's one of those

I am still enjoying making vessels, so there will probably be more of those in the coming weeks!

Ta-ra,

June
XX

After Posting About Bead Sets....

2010-05-10T22:33:00.006+01:00

After posting about bead sets, I have just listed a couple on Etsy tonight, as well as one of my vessels and I have a couple more to add in the next day or two .... however, these were made a good few weeks ago, I just hadn't got around to listing them!!!

Adriatic

Rustic Pine

Annalisa

I did spend a couple of hours at the torch over the weekend and tried a couple of new things out though, unfortunately, a couple of them cracked, but that's how it goes. Hopefully I will get some photos up soon.

In the meantime, hope you have a good week.

Ta-ra,

June
XX

Actually, I'm getting fed up with making bead sets!

2010-05-06T18:45:00.005+01:00

Yes, really, I am! My attention span just doesn't want to last the time it takes to make a few little beadies of similar design. I am ok with focals and I have been enjoying making vessels, it's just sets of beads that I am having trouble with! I have still got one or two vessels yet to clean and photo and then I will show you, but that for later.

So in the meantime, I decided to wander over to 'the dark side', otherwise known as borosilicate. A totally different way of working, it seems! After trying a couple of small beads to get the feel, and then having all the bead release crack on me, an off-mandrel pendant it was, so here is my first attempt, which is simply clear dipped in boro frit:

After this I attempted a heart which is also clear but mixed with some rather lovely deep blue which has a lovely sparkle, though that is very difficult to capture with a camera! Still, here it is:

I am rather pleased with these for my first go with boro and I hope to play some more soon.

So what else has been happening? I had a great weekend in Towcester at Flame Off. There are a few pictures on my FlickR. I saw some great demos, met lots of people and spent far too much money. It's probably just as well it is only once a year!!

Anyway, I hope to clean a few beads and post some more pictures here soon.

Ta-ra,

June
XX

So Happy!

2010-04-11T19:12:00.005+01:00

I have finally got around to ordering a new laptop and have been setting it up today. Wow, what a difference! The old one was soooo slow, it was impossible to do anything much. So now I'm full steam ahead and it's fab!!

Hopefully I will try and get a few pictures up soon and I also desperately need to update my website, Etsy, FlickR.... the list goes on! Everything seems to have lapsed just lately.

Still, I hope that will change! So to get me in the mood, here's a handflower I made a couple of weeks ago, modelled by my 6 year old. It's a bit big on her (to say the least), but she makes a wonderful model!! I found the pattern on Chainmaille Artisans and just had to make one - I'm not sure why, but you know how it is !!

Now I'm off to catch up with a couple of blogs and then carry on catching up.

Ta-ra,

June
XX

Some New Chainmaille Bracelets

2010-03-16T20:57:00.007Z

I've finally got some rings cut with my Koil Kutter and have been playing with a couple of new chainmaile weaves.

Firstly came one inspired from a picture on Maille Artisans International that I managed to figure out without a tutorial! It makes quite a chunky bracelet that I decided to make up in black

Then I went onto a Persian variant, Persiantine, completed in dark blue. This has made a slightly more delicate bracelet

And lastly, my favourite (which I am wearing whilst I type!!), Forars Kaede. Similar to the popular Jens Pind, but having made this up into a bracelet I think I prefer this weave of the two

So I have ordered some more wire to practise with ...... you know how it is !!

Ta-ra,

June
XX

Another 3 Weeks Gone? !!

2010-03-09T18:19:00.008Z

Another 3 weeks have disappeared and I really haven't got much to show for it! This year is just speeding by and looking at my calendar, it will carry on that way - at least, for a short while!

So what have I been doing? Nothing really, but the weekends have been a round of shopping and taking and fetching daughters to various social events. Then, when I have an hour or so, I have snatched it to get to the torch. There's still a few beads to sort, photo and list, but I haven't been making sets as such recently. Instead I've been having a play at these...

Unfortunately this one has a crack inside, but I will still kiln it and keep it for myself!

I've also been playing with jump rings a little bit, but I haven't got any photos as yet. These will follow soon.

This weekend will go pretty much like many of the previous weekends this year, too, and I doubt I'll have any torch time until the following weekend. So roll on Easter so I can have a rest!!

Ta-ra,

June
XX

Ooo, Look What I Found!

2010-02-16T22:34:00.007Z

Just looking around the web and I came across this Random Colour Scheme Google Gadget! What's more, if you enter a colour in the search box, it will display quite a few colour schemes with that colour in. Cool !! So I thought it would make a nice addition to my blog, I hope you like it! Looking at the Google Gadgets page I see there are literally thousands of them, but that, perhaps, for another day.

What else have I been up to? Well, loads but then again nothing specific, just life, I guess. The weeks have zipped past since Christmas and I really don't know where the time has gone. I have had a couple of evenings at the torch, which has found me just playing about and trying a few new things. I have a couple of sets of my 'Agité' beads kilned and awaiting cleaning, but not much else at the moment. I have also used the Koil Kutter to cut a few more rings to practise with, but nothing photographed.

And that brings us to now, midway through February already with little to show for the time. Never mind, it's good to practise and just try things out without any pressure (well, that's my story)!!

Ta-ra,

June
XX

Sunshine Awards

2010-01-28T17:08:00.005Z

Just popping in to say that I am a lucky recipient of this Sunshine Award from the lovely Elaine of ChatElaine Jewellery

Elaine is a fellow lampworker and also makes a range of lovely jewellery and I am particularly fond of her Autumn Sunshine Bangle. So thanks very much, Elaine, it was a lovely surprise!!

The rules for accepting the Sunshine award are:

1) Put the logo on your blog or within your post

2) Pass the award onto 12 bloggers

3) Link the nominees within your post ~

4) Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5) Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

So my award winners are:

Hazel - All Those Things

Helen G - Glass Beads by Helen G

Angie - Beads by Angie

Becci - Fired Silver

Dawn - Zelda Zog Blog

Helen - LaLa Lampwork

Becky - Chameleon Designs

Monkey - Monkey Chatter

Jennie - Raspberry Rings

Gemma - SilverGem's Blog

Jess - Jessamine Designs

AR Jewellery - A & R Jewellery Daily Ramblings

You will find a great selection of lampwork beads and jewellery as well as lots of chatter among these great blogs - please go check them out !!

So that just leaves me to pop along to these blogs myself and leave them all a little comment to tell them the good news... !!

Ta-ra

June
XX

I've been spending...

2010-01-23T20:06:00.009Z

Too much money!! Firstly, I decided to finally invest in some..

Lindstrom ultra cutters. My Xuron cutters were ok, but a bit too wide when trying to cut smaller sized rings. So I finally succumbed to getting the best!!

So these were used to cut some rings to make another Persian bracelet which I coupled up with a couple of my beads made with some lovely Val Cox frit

And then came..

A Koil Kutter, and it's fab. Makes cutting those jump rings a breeze! So I had a practise with some copper wire and made a byzantine bracelet. So I'm now set up for chainmaille and I have one or two ideas I want to have a go at, but all in good time!

As for beads, I have only got one set to show at the moment. It's part of my Agité series called 'Just Red'

I hope to get these listed at some point in the next few days.

That brings me to today. Today I spent a couple of hours in the company of a few FHF'ers at Sabines lovely studio. It is always a pleasure to spend time talking glass (amongst other things) and having the good fortune to see a demo or two as well. A great day was had by all and Sabine is not only a pretty good beadmaker and glass sculpturer (just take a look at her website and you will see what I mean), but a great hostess too! Thanks Sabine.

So that brings me up-to-date.

Ta-ra

June
XX

Where has the last week gone? !!

2010-01-20T22:31:00.004Z

I really don't know where the week has gone, so if you find it, could I have it back please? !! The last week or so has just flown past. I finally ventured out on Saturday having been stuck indoors with all the snow and ice about, which I was very pleased about because I was getting a bit fed up looking at the same four walls. Since then, though, the time has whizzed past! I have just had a couple more hours at the torch, so I used it trying to get to grips with my marble press. I'll let you know how it went once the beads have emerged from the vermiculite and been kilned. I've also got a couple of other bits to photograph, but I just don't seem to have found the time to do it. So, as seems to be be the way with me and photos, you'll have to watch this space for a few more days (sorry)!!

Have a good week.

Ta-ra,

June
XX

At last !!

2010-01-09T21:10:00.000Z

Finally.... I got a couple of hours at the torch!! It didn't go too badly considering it's been a few weeks now. I hope to get an hour or two tomorrow, too.

I've also just managed to get an Etsy Treasury, but as it was purely pot luck, I didn't get any time for inventive titles, so it's just 'Lovely Beads' to show some of the lovely beads that are available in some of the Frit-Happens members shops. If you want to take a look, you have until Monday (11/1) 11:21pm.

So how's the snow where you are? We've had a bit here in Derbyshire today, but it's not looking good for tomorrow or Monday. My lovely daughters are due back to school on Monday, but I'm not so sure they will be there if the forecast is right..

Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

Ta-ra,

June
XX

I Promised Pictures..!!

2010-01-04T18:11:00.001Z

I finally dug the camera out and took a couple of pictures today to share with you here.

I'll start with my beautiful necklace that I received as a Secret Santa present from a member of the Frit Happens Forum

Next up is the first of my chain maille projects. I saw this Christmas Tree design in Step by Step Wire Jewelry and it just grabbed me, so when I saw that Beadsisters were selling the kit, I just had to have one! I decided to make them into earrings and, of course, I had to wear them on the day!

Whilst ordering the Christmas Tree kit, I couldn't help but order a few more coloured rings to attempt the tutorial by Sarah Austin in January's issue of Beads & Beyond to make a bracelet in Turkish Round Maille, so here are a couple of bracelets, one in bronze and red and the other black and fuschia

And also in the January issue of Beads & Beyond, another lovely tutorial by the very talented George Harper East for some earrings in the Pheasible weave, which I added my own lampwork to

Finally, I received a Beadalon jump ring maker and some Xuron flush cutters for a present, so I have been playing a bit with plated silver and copper. Unfortunately the rings are not cut as flush as they should be, so there are some small gaps (and I have found the smaller the rings, the worse the joins are), but this is only to practise some weaves I hadn't tried.

So this is Full Persian, which I am quite pleased with (well, aside from the rings!)

Anyway, that's about it for the moment, so thanks for looking and enjoy your week.

Ta-ra

June
XX

2010 - Let's hope it's a good one!

2010-01-03T17:27:00.001Z

Happy New Year to everybody and I hope you have a happy, healthy and prosperous 2010!

It's been a quiet start to 2010 so far, but yay, my 'lil Bobcat, Bertie, is now ready and raring to go again.... Just need a bit of time! It feels like it has been absolutely ages since we spent some time together so I am hoping to snatch an hour or two this week (though may well not be until next weekend, tbh).

Still, I've not been completely unproductive over the past two or three weeks. I've been playing at chain maille instead, which I am also enjoying. I made a couple of bracelets for Christmas presents and have since been practising with a couple of different weaves and am quite pleased with how they are going. So when I dust that camera down, I will take a couple of pictures and post them soon.

Anyway, here we are, Sunday 3rd Jan and the day before many of us come back to earth with a bump! As ever, this holiday fortnight has disappeared far too quickly and it's back to work and reality. So I hope you have all had a nice time and we can all move forward into 2010 with renewed vigour!

Ta-ra

June
XX

Happy Holidays

2009-12-27T11:00:00.000Z

Just a quick update to say that I hope you've all had a lovely Christmas with plenty of everything and to wish everybody a happy, healthy and prosperous 2010 !! Let's hope it's a good one.....

Ta-ra,

June
XX

It's Christmas!

2009-12-17T21:07:00.000Z

Well, it's nearly here. I've still got a couple of presents to wrap, but at least I have the cards written now!!

I did manage to snatch a couple of hours at the torch on Saturday evening, but mainly to complete a few bits for a commission. I'm not sure whether I will manage any more time this side of Christmas, though, with everything else that is still to be prepared/tidied/wrapped/cooked/cleaned..!!

However, I do have one thing to share.. my little Christmas Tree. It's not overly big and I thought it would benefit nicely from a few homemade decorations.. so what do you think?

And a slightly closer view

I was quite pleased with it, anyway!

On that note, I would like to wish everybody a Happy Holiday and I hope 2010 is a happy and healthy one.

Ta-ra

June
XX

Lucky Me!

2009-12-10T18:45:00.000Z

Whilst getting the beads prepared and ready for adding to the website on Sunday, my littlest daughter was raiding my stash and decided to make me a bracelet, so I thought I would share!

She's only 6 and she added the clasp herself, too, so I think she did rather well (and that's thanks to Dizzy Di, who patiently showed her how to twist wire with the pliers at the Beads & Beyond Show in October!) So I think I'm a lucky mummy!!

Still not been near the torch this week - for a combination of reasons like having things to do (wrapping presents, for instance, but still not done those cards...!) and feeling the need to have a few days break from lampworking and doing a little chain maille instead. Hopefully I'll snatch an hour or two over the weekend, but that's between putting up decs, going to Meadowhall Shopping Centre on Saturday morning because the oldest daughter has a party there (Nooooooo, shopping centre, Saturday morning, two weeks before Xmas, what were they thinking?!!), Jiu Jitsu gradings, the usual ritual of spellings, reading and overseeing any other homework and, oh, some food shopping, and not forgetting the dreaded cleaning.... So maybe not, then!!

And that will be another weekend gone. Maybe I'll just get enough time to update the blog, instead? !!

Ta-ra

June
XX

Sneaky Preview !

2009-12-06T20:04:00.000Z

Having finally got around to cleaning the latest batch of beads, I am about to add a couple of new sets on the website and will be adding another to my Etsy shop, but I thought I would pop them in this post and give anybody that is browsing around a chance to have a sneaky preview (mind you, you'll have to be a bit quick 'cos they are nearly ready to go!!)

So we have (in no particular order!!)

Lilac Garden (Etsy)

Moonlit Bay (website)

Hawaiian Shores (website)

Misty Rose (website)

Sweet Lime (website)

I hope you like them!!

These will probably be the last listed before Christmas because I'm not likely to have much torch time until New Year now, unfortunately.

So now I'm off to get this listed on the website and Etsy and then I've got a couple of chain maille projects I want to pick up on, so you may see a picture at some point in the near future.....

Have a great week, whatever you are doing.

Ta-ra for now,

June
XX

Wot - Another Week Gone? !!

2009-12-01T16:11:00.000Z

Whoa, where did that week go? I really don't know, I don't seemed to have done anything and yet I've been really busy! I do know one thing, it's not time that has been spent at the torch. I did snatch a couple of hours Saturday afternoon and played around with a couple of Christmas type ideas, but that was it over the weekend. They've been kilned now, but still awaiting cleaning and a photo or two, so I can't show you anything just yet.

In the meantime I have, at least, managed to get some of my Xmas shopping done (relief!) Still a few bits to get, but mostly stuff that can be ordered online. So that's my next job. Then there's those cards to write.... (I'm sure I'm not alone in not relishing this task!) I have created myself a label template so at least I don't have to address all the envelopes (call it streamlining!)

Finally I have to get my 'Secret Santa' gift wrapped and in the post soon....

Best get to it!

Ta-ra

The Nature Of The Beast !

2009-11-24T17:30:00.000Z

Hmm, I thought to myself, I quite fancy trying something in shades of caramels. What to use? So I carefully selected CiM Ginger, Reichenbach Caramel and then I wanted a transparent - perhaps Vetrofond light brown....

(Sorry, photos are a bit dark, but with this weather, it's impossible!)

And I got the two beads on the right....

OK, I know transparent light brown can be reactive (though I didn't realise it would with this particular selection of colours!), I'll try Effetre Medium Topaz instead....

And I got the two on the left (yes, quite, spot the difference!)

So it just goes to show that sometimes melting glass does all sorts of unexpected things!! Sometimes you can get a wonderful surprise..., and sometimes not! Me thinks these may be destined for the 'frit' jar !! Needless to say that I gave up on caramel.

Meanwhile, I did get a couple of hours at the torch last night. Had a little play and also produced a couple of smallish lentils that I hope will make a set sometime soon - got to be kilned, cleaned and photo'd yet - so maybe a few days before they get as far as the website. I probably won't get much more time at the torch now until the weekend, either, but that's the way it goes with a full time job and two daughters...!

Ta-ra for now,

June
XX

Hello !

2009-11-21T19:42:00.001Z

After much consideration, I have taken the plunge and decided to set up a blog. I'm not sure where this is going to go, but I hope to update occasionally with news and views and maybe the odd photo of newly listed beads... so we shall see !!

So I will start with a couple of piccies...

Firstly my one and only piece of jewellery that I entered into the Beads & Beyond Jewellery Maker Of The Year 2009 competition. I was amazed to be short listed as a runner up in the Chain Maille category for my piece "Midnight At The Oasis"

And secondly, "On Safari"

I was really chuffed to bits when Kathy posted this picture on the Creation Is Messy site in the 'Olive' gallery. This is a first for me. "On Safari" has now been added to our online shop. I hope you like them!

Ta-ra,
June
XX