flower power and leaking aneurisms!

I have been making flower jewellery.  Just finished a lovely pendant.  I finished the ring with the ray's tooth - very different!  No sightings of the snake.

Had a family crisis when my brother in law Richard II (my Richard is Richard I and my nieces soon to be husband is Richard III) was rushed into hospital for emergency surgery as his aortic aneurism was leaking.  There was a 50/50 chance of him making it through and he did thank God!  We were all saying our prayers!  He is back home now and convalescing.

The wedding fayre in Winchester was very quiet.  The first one I have ever done.  About 5 minutes after it opened two lovely Russian ladies came in and bought 4 items of my jewellery.  I was very pleased but unfortunately I didn't sell anything else.  The two ladies were staying at the hotel and just happened to pop in!  I am worried now about the wedding fayre I have booked for October which has cost a small fortune. 

Last Sunday I did a craft fair in Hamble.  Again that was very quiet but a lovely lady bought a pendant - the one with the brass and copper discs - so again I was lucky.

The next craft fair is next Sunday in Otterborne the village next to Hursley.  I will let you know how that one goes.  I have hardly a free weekend left this year now. 

So lovely to see the sun - holiday in 3 weeks - hurray!

 ray's tooth

 brass centre (not gold)

scary snake moment!

We were about to take the dogs for a walk this morning; got to the top of the garden and I saw a rather large grey snake lying in the sun!  Richard has a serious snake phobia so I told him to stay back and called on Martin our neighbour for help.  He came over and said he thought it was an adder.  Sophie was barking and we were worried she might get bitten.  Martin gave it a little nudge with a stick and it weaved off into next doors' garden.  Richard was so traumatised.  We carried on with our walk and later Martin came over with a print out - our snake was a grass snake.  Phew!  Richard still not happy; bit like someone telling me that spiders can't hurt you.  At least we know the dogs are safe.  The article said that they like water - better check out the swimming pool before we get in.  I had no idea that grass snakes were large and silvery grey - for some stupid reason I thought they would be green......

Back to the jewellery making.  I have been doing very well this year.  Probably due to the fact that I am now taking credit card payments with my Worldpay account.  It has made a huge difference to my sales. 

I did the teacher's conference in Bournemouth over Easter and that was very successful - I now know all about OFSTED etc.  What a lovely group of people they were.  Then on Thursday evening I did Girls Night In at the Discovery Centre in Winchester.  Three lovely lady authors came along to tell us about their books and a few of us had stalls.  I sold 5 items so was very pleased.  Next Sunday I am doing a wedding show in Winchester.  My first ever wedding show - I'll let you know how I get on. 

I have been experimenting with mixing small amount of copper or brass with my silver and then using Renaissance wax to stop it from tarnishing.  The effect is very pretty.  I have also been making brooches and pins - another first.  Out of 3 brooches/pins I have sold 2 already.  I will attach some pictures for you to look at.

I have been getting more earrings together for a display at the Tourist Information Centre in Winchester and I have some new gift boxes with lynettejewel.com on the top.  They are black with silver script from the Tiny Box Company.

I have a new commission.  A lady has asked me to make her a band ring with a ray's tooth mounted on it.  Watch this space.....

Big Birthday Coming Up! Argggghhhh

I can't believe it - I am going to be 60 on the 18th Feb.  I don't feel any different to how I felt when I was 30.  Apart of course from the aches and pains.  One good thing I have discovered is going to the cinema is now a lot cheaper!  In a couple of years I will get my bus pass and then there will be no stopping me.

I am doing palates at the village hall every Monday morning - just to try and help my aching joints.  Richard is fine and S&M are doing well.  Sophie will be 7 next month and Megan will be 6 in April.  Guess that makes them middle aged.

I have been making lots things and re-making things that don't seem to be working.  On a note from my last post.  I had a commission from a lovely lady in Switzerland, who contacted me through my advert in Vogue! So, you just never know.  I have been doing lots of commissions this year which is good.  I can't wait for my next big selling opportunity in March - I just hope it goes well.

I have been using my rolling mill a lot to texture my silver and when it snowed I did some snow casting which I heard about through my pal Gill who does a lot of it.  You basically drop molten silver into hard packed snow and see what comes out.  I also do this with water.  I think I like the water casting best as it makes more cornflake shaped pieces whereas my snow cast pieces were quite heavy and large - maybe it was the way I was doing it.  Anyway, I had a bit of a disaster!  I was melting my silver in the utility room and lost concentration and instead of dropping it in the snow tin, I dropped it on my brand new oak worktop.  The oak promptly caught fire and bits of silver went everywhere - all over the tiled floor and even outside of the back door which was open!  I was just lucky that it didn't spill on me.  I managed to put the fire out with a wet cloth but the worktop doesn't look to happy.  I found that I had a lot of tiny silver balls all over the floor - great  for doing some granulation work - look out for them in future makes!

I think me and Richard are both pyromaniacs as he was trying to reignite our log fire the other night by using a newspaper and set fire to the paper!

Anyway, enough of all that.  I am attaching some of my recent pieces - hope you like them.

Happy New Year!

Hi there
Happy New Year to all my readers and followers! 

Last year was a very good year for me.  I did very well at the Association for Contemporary Jewellery at Hilliers in December.  It was a very exciting time and very successful for all of us.  I have just heard back from the Tourist Information Centre in Winchester and had had a lot of sales with them in the 3 months I was exhibiting.  On a low note, I got nothing as a result of my advert in Vogue.  Disappointing but if you don't try these things you never know.  At least in my old age I can say I was in Vogue!

I am hoping for an even better year for 2013.  I am all set up to take credit card payments now which will make life a lot easier for me and my customers. 

I already have some things booked in for this year.  I am doing an exhibition with the Guild of Jewellery Designers in Birmingham on 9th March and I have a stand at the NASUWT annual conference at the BIC in Bournemouth over the Easter weekend. 

Richard and S&M are doing fine.  Megan had some one to one training today to try to stop her from pulling at people's trousers when they walk around! 

We had a great Christmas - the grandson Louis came to stay - he is walking now - scary how quickly they change.

I am attaching some piccies of my latest makes - hope you like them!

My amber ring is going to be in Vogue!

So exciting.  It's the January issue that comes out on 10th December.  They have a section called Bedazzled and the amber ring will be advertised in that. 

I have been so busy selling jewellery - not much on-line but lots of craft shows etc.  Did the Christmas Gift Fair at the Pavillion in Bournemouth last weekend.  It rained all weekend but I did well and we enjoyed it. 

I am working hard towards the exhibition at Hilliers starting on 2nd December and continuing until 2nd January.  Twenty members of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery are taking part this time. 

I am also doing the Discovery Centre on 8th December and a Christmas Craft and vintage fair at the Treasury in Southampton on 15th December.  It will be quite a relief to put my feet up in January.

Megan is suffering from "dry eyes" and has to have gel put in her eyes every morning.  They are much better than they were.  She was very sick yesterday after eating something nasty in the woods.  She seems fine now. 

We are off to Somerset to stay with my sister and brother in law for Christmas.  All the children (and grandchildren) are coming to us for Boxing day and we are going to the Kings Head in Hursley for lunch.  Aaron and Luz are coming over from Dubai (plus the baby who is due in March).

I will attach some photos - including the amber ring again.

Free Running Spider!

Whew scary thing happened last night.  Me and Richard and S&M were watching the TV when I saw something drop from the mantlepiece into the log basket next to the fire.  I told Richard and he looked rather sceptical.  However he started to look through the log basket and found an enormous spider which he duly dispatched.  I can't believe it just jumped over a metre into the basket.  First larger spider of the season and I only have 2 conkers!

I have done very well on the selling jewellery side.  The Romsey Show was a huge success - we were so lucky with the weather.  I am also selling some small silver items at the Tourist Information Office in Winchester which is great news.  I am displaying there through until January.  I am back at the Discovery Centre in Winchester tomorrow and November and December.

In December me and about 22 other members of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery are exhibiting again at Hilliers near Romsey for the entire month.  I am busy getting my collection together for that.  I am also doing the Contrasts Contemporary Jewellery Fair in Rowland's Castle on the 3rd November.  This is a very busy time of year and very exciting.  My friend Deb and her husband Gerry came to stay for the weekend and she bought 3 items of jewellery.  (At a knock down price I might add!).

Megan has "dry eyes".  I am having to put cream in her eyes every day.  They seem a bit better but I think I may have to do that for the rest of her life. 

We had a lovely cruise round the Med in September.  We both came back with stinking colds and I spent 2 days on the way back trying very hard not to be seasick!  Other than that it was great fun.

I have been making a few things see below.  I will keep you informed on how I am doing at the shows.

What's that in the pool?

Is it a shark - no it's Richard testing his scuba gear to make sure the mice didn't chew through it!  He kept it in the garage over the winter and they ate most of his towel.  Sophie is very perplexed by the whole thing!

I had a good time in London - lunch with Debs and dinner with Richard but unfortunately Anne couldn't make it.  I got some amazing freshwater pearls in Bellores in Hatton Garden.  They are called triable pearls - great colour for my autumn/winter collection!  See pictures.

I am driving to Somerset tomorrow to see my mum and my sister and her husband.

Been picking raspberries in the garden today - still loads of them.  I am freezing them separately and then when I have a glass of white or rose wine I pop a couple into the glass - lovely.

Weather still rubbish - what can you do eh!