I got my foot back!

Wow it was so good when I didn't have to cover my foot in a plastic bag, wrap it in cling film and fix it with masking tape (and the water still got in) when I have a shower.  I am walking the dogs again now.  Not very far - to the playing field and back, but it is progress.  I was very lucky that my neighbour Angela helped out for 4 weeks.

Throughout it all I have still been making jewellery.  My stepdaughter Jo has changed the look of my website for me as I am such a technophobe! 

The building work is on-going.  The hall, stairs and landing are nearly finished.  Its all looking amazing.  Only the kitchen and utility room to go now!

I did a commission for my friend Penny (see picture) a necklace and matching earrings made from silver art clay (binder burns off and you are left with pure silver).  Amazing stuff.  I also made a geko in sterling silver for my stepdaughter Charlotte (she has a pet geko). 

I had a man from a blind company come round to measure up for a curtain for our front door and my assistant Megan grabbed his trousers and tore them!  A really big tear!  I was so embarrassed!  She loves to grab people's trousers as they walk past.  For anyone new to my blog my assistant Megan is a miniature schnauzer!  See previous picture of her in my studio.

I have been busy making chain from silver wire.  I made a small chain with violet pearls (picture to come next time) and haven't done anything with the larger rings yet.  I did so much hammering of the rings that I now have pain in my fingers.  I had better take some photos of my new stuff before the light goes or it rains.

Just call me Big Foot

Well, I had my bunion surgery and I am doing fine except I can't wait to get this bandage off and get my foot back.  It comes off next Thursday and then I can wear sandals! 

The renovations are ongoing and its the plastering of the hall, stairs and landing at the moment.  Apart from that the upstairs is all done now.  Just the kitchen, utility room and breakfast room to go.

Despite all this I have still managed to make some jewellery and book a lot of fairs/exhibitions for this coming year.  I am attaching a picture of my new assistant Megan and my foot of course.  Then a couple of my new makes.  Had to move my new rolling mill out of the garage as I was worried that it was going to go rusty and I could never get to it without clambering across all the builders stuff in the garage.  So now have to find a way of fixing it to the desk - may have to get a work bench - my birthday is coming up!

I made a fused ring yesterday.  I tried to look on line to see if I should be making it round and flattening it but I couldn't find anything quite like it!  I think it's really nice and looks very organic.  I may add a small amethyst stone to it.  I think if I try to make it look perfect it will lose it's organic feel so I am going to leave it.  I'll attach a photo of it - let me know what you think.  It was great fun to make.

The pendant and the bangle were textured with my rolling mill.  I made the chain myself!  Very pleased with it.

Happy New Year!

Hi!
I am feeling very positive about this year.  I have decided to change the photos for my website and instead of the mauve background for every item, I am going to use a dark background with flowers and foliage - depending on the time of year and what's around - and take the pictures outside in the garden.  I have tried with my latest two makes so let me know what you think.

The ring features the emerald that I bought in Columbia and is for me!  The sterling silver pendant is a present for a friend.  It features one oval hammered ring and two round hammered rings with a small freshwater pearl hanging from the middle ring.  All 3 rings hang from a sterling silver snake chain.  Hope she likes it.  If you want me to make one for you, let me know via my website www.lynettejewel.com.

Had an exciting time in Miami and Columbia for Aaron and Luz's wedding.  We were glad to get back for a rest - hard work keeping up with all those 30 somethings.  Cartagena was very hot and humid and we did get a lot of rain but when the sun shone it was lovely.  Much bigger than I expected, with sky scrapers!  I was expecting it to be like Romancing the Stone and the old town was like that but without the alagater.  Wish we could have spent more time in Miami.  South Beach was great.  I am attaching a picture of the happy couple, then there is Jo and Robyn and then a deer and a sloth from the hotel in Columbia - they wander around the complex.  I thought the sloth was a bit weird!  The final picture is from a diner in Miami near the hotel.  This is our first breakfast.  Mine is the one with pancakes and fruit - amazing.

Christmas was quiet.  My sister Gill and her husband Richard came to stay with our mum.  Unfortunately mum got a bad cold on the first day and was ill all the time.  They went back to Dorset on the 27th.  Jo and Jac and  Robyn and David with baby Louis all came to see us for the day and we had lunch in the King's Head in the village.  Louis was such a good baby in Columbia - he's amazing.

I am having surgery on my foot on 18th January - not looking forward to it but it has to be done sometime.

I love Bournemouth!

Did very well at the BIC in Bournemouth on 26 and 27 November.  Sold lots of things and gave out lots of my business cards.  Since then a lady who bought quite a few items has phoned to order something else.  We had a lovely weekend.  We stayed in the Norfolk hotel and had two great evening meals with wine etc.  I have had the best Christmas this year despite not doing well at the two school events.  I think I need to stick to larger events next year.

My fibromyalgia is playing up at the moment - did a lot of hammering and I am having a lot of pain in my fingers as a result.  The cold weather doesn't help and on top of all that, I have a cold. 

The upstairs of our house is nearly finished apart from our bedroom which will be started in the new year.  My sister Gill and her husband Richard and our mum are coming on Christmas eve to spend a few days with us.  Richard will be cooking the turkey and I will be having nut roast!

Off to Columbia for Aaron and Luz's weddding on 15th December.  We fly out on Saturday to Miami to stay overnight in a hotel at South Beach and fly on to Columbia the next day.  I am dreading the journey as I hate being trapped in a plane for 9 to 10 hours!  I will take some Valium and try to relax.  It will be in the 80s in Columbia so that is certainly something to look forward to.

Still managed to make some jewellery.  The wrapped ring was bought by my friend Penny and my sister has her eye on the wrapped bangle.  The other bangle consists of two sections of sterling silver wire twisted together and then soldered.  Check out my website to see full details, but I will attach piccies of them all as usual.  Well, I guess that will be it until next year.  Very happy Christmas and New Year to all my followers!

I am up to my eyes in dust and rubble!

Not really, but it feels that way.  We now have 4 rooms completed and our tradesmen are working on the next 3.  The new rooms look great, we can't wait for it all to be finished.  S&M are having great fun barking at the workers and Megan loves to run behind them biting their trousers.  This is a bit of a problem for those wearing shorts! 

Anyway, I have been working.  I did the psychic fair in Alton which was no good at all!  OK if you were a tarot card reader but not selling jewellery.  Then I did the Winchester Discovery Centre and sold several items.  I also re-opened my Folksy shop which I decided to do because my jewellery has changed a great deal over the years.  I sold a ring - a lovely amber ring which was wonderful!  Tomorrow night I am doing Ladies Night at Hursley school and then off to Bournemouth BIC centre for a 2 day Festive Gift Fayre on 26 and 27 November.  Then I am back to Hursley school for their Xmas Bazzar. 

I have been busy making things and trying to promote my shops.  I am going to the Desire jewellery and silversmithing show at Winchester Guildhall on Friday with Wendy and Penny.  I can't wait to see all the lovely things I can aspire to!

I used some square wire (2mm) to make a bangle and a ring - I found it much harder to line up for soldering than round wire.  Maybe it's just me. 

Still haven't sold our house in Somerset, we may have to rent it out.  We have been lighting our log fire, despite the fact that it's not that cold yet.  I just love it - we are getting through so many logs.

Well, I am going to try to upload some piccies and then off to feed S&M.

I forgot to mention that the silver hammered heart ring is featured in the Christmas Showcase on www.ukhandmade.com, click Christmas Showcase, then jewellery.  I was so chuffed!!

I got my mojo back!

Yey, I have been working!  Made a lovely mixed freshwater pearl necklace (see piccie) and a couple of pairs of small earrings.  I have done 3 craft shows in the area and have sold 8 pairs of little earrings.  I also sold my lovely silver ring with the cut out circles.  I have lots more shows to do before Xmas.  I guess people buy earrings because they are cheaper than necklaces and bracelets and with the current climate people are not splashing out.  I was asked if I had "anything for less than £1" by a little boy and a girl who wanted something for £2.50.  I may try little things for kids to give their mum's for Christmas. 

We have asbestos in all our artexed ceilings - we had no idea they used asbestos in artex.  Apparently you either skim over the ceilings or take them down - I know which option I am going for!

Our gas boiler packed in yesterday as well and I am waiting for the gas man to turn up.  Sophie and Megan are being groomed this afternoon - they don't know it yet!

Megan is OK now but on her special diet, which she doesn't mind.  Anyway, back to work!

It's all taken off!

I have been busy finding venues for craft shows and I am now signed up for 8 shows before we go away in December. 
I did the Discovery Centre in Winchester on 10th September.  A very nice venue with a huge window behind me which showed off my silver very well.  I did OK for September.
I am doing the Discovery Centre again in November.  Check out my website for the other shows I have lined up.
Poor Megan has been in the wars since I last wrote.  She started weeing all the time and eventually had blood in her urine.  We took her to the vets who said she probably had a urine infection.  She had an injection and some antibiotics and away we went.  She seemed to improve but then it started again and she passed a stone about the size of a cherry stone.  We thought that was the end of it and then she couldn't wee.  That obviously is very dangerous so she had to have a scan and they found another stone stuck in her urethra which she was trying to pass but couldn't.  They had to operate, and having just found out that she  has a heart murmur we were very worried.  She had the op and everything is fine now, apart from the fact that she has to be on a special diet for the rest of her life to stop her from getting further stones.  No more treats - poor little thing. 
I did a taster session with the World of Beads in Winchester on lampwork beadmaking.  Great fun made quite a few beads but not sure whether to spend out to buy more equipment. 
Other than all that, everything is fine and we are settling in very nicely in Hursley.  I'll keep you posted on how the shows go.