I've been having great fun with my fimo creating these little characters.

I made these one's over the last week or so. 

The whole cake topper thing is new to me, but I love the idea of creating little people with a resemblance to the recipients. 

This little bride is very cute, I'm quite happy with how she turned out, but really unhappy with the way the groom has turned out, I don't know what it is about the soft clay (I can only seem to source the soft fimo here in Ireland) but the black clay is awful, I honestly can't see any use for the soft black clay at all?  It's very unmanageable, I can only describe it as trying to model with chewing gum. 

So I'd say this little bride will be divorcing her current husband (maybe I'll make a divorce party topper next!! lol!!) and finding herself a dashing new husband, as soon as my new clay arrives from craftcellar, I've ordered the big blocks this time, so that I hopefully don't run out as quickly.....  it's my first time using this company, I have to say that so far the customer service has been excellent, I placed the order on Friday and they rang my husband the next day (unfortunately I hadn't told him I'd used his card to make the order!! so he was a little bemused at first),  to explain that they were out of the white but would send on the order and forward the white as soon as it came into stock.  So faultless so far...... I await my package! 

Business ideas!

Beading, I had never heard of such a thing in the year 2000, I worried about millenium bugs and that the world would collapse due to no computers knowing what year it is!!! 10 years since the year 2000, what direction did you think your life would lead you in? I thought I was going to be a karaoke star, or maybe a media mogul!!  None of those things have happened since the year 2000, I worked in the karaoke industry for a few years, but haven't even sung since I lived in Scotland (except the odd outburst in the car), media mogul, I barely even read the papers now!?!?!?!

WHY???? I very loudly ask myself????

Well the reason is quite simple, I am obsessed with beads, beading, polymer clay, infact anything remotely related to beads....

I spend hours browsing beads online, browsing forums and blogs online shops for supplies and inspiration, my husband will ask me "what u doing" and I will look at him with "those eyes" his reply "oh that's the beading eyes again".

The result of this obsession is that I have lots of ideas, but very little actual beading time!!!  Having a four year old it's difficult to bead before 8.30 pm when she goes to bed.

I'd love to be a full time beader, but sure I'll never be able to make a full time income from it.... although that never stopped me from spending DAYS trawling the internet for my latest beading idea!!

I want a MOBILE library or a van to convert into something like a mobile library, I have an idea I want to create a mobile bead/craft shop, where I can teach beading techniques in a portable studio.... I think it would be ideal for parties etc, I can also sell wares at markets etc in it!!


I must be mad! But I have been thinking about this for ages and I really want to do it!

Pity is I have no money  to do such an idea!

Aww I can always dream!

STAR EARRINGS PHOTO TUTORIAL

Been a while!

I knew I would do it, totally forget to blog.... but I'm gonna try and make an effort to blog at least once a week...

Well here's some of my most recent "makes" the top pic is of a bridal bracelet, using 6mm Swarovski pearls and AB crystals... hope to add it to my etsy, but want a better pic.

Second one is a necklace made using my own polymer clay beads and 14mm glass pearls, I love those beads...

Third one is my play on a necklace I saw at the Big Bead Show in Sandown racecourse last year, the original design just used all 14mm pearls, but I added some glass and a little metal, I love the chunkiness of this piece....

I've been on a buying ban for a while now, so I am trying to use up what I have, so the last piece is made using another of my own polymer clay beads as a focal, a mixture of hematite and czech glass makes this asymetrical necklace..

Bridesmaid jewellery

Just a wee quick one for this evening, this late year has thrown up a few late bride's tying the knot in the later months of the year!

I have been working on a set for a bride, who has 4 bridesmaids, being a cash concious girl (which is understandable in this climate) she asked me to create a bit of bling without the heavy price tag!!

This is what I came up with for her featuring swarovski and pearl accents

Beaded Bead tutorial

I've always wanted to know how to cover wooden beads with seed's thus making the beaded bead, this is I feel a very useful skill to have when working with seed beads as they can add a lot of interest to a piece in addition you can make them however you like, meaning they can become a focal bead for your work.

Having had those wooden beads in my stash for ages I decided to scour the net for a tutorial on beaded beads, I have often admired other seed beaders work and wondered "how do they do that?" so after looking around on my favourite site for information and general chit chat about beads UK BEADERS forum and admiring work from a talented seed bead artist Liz Reed, I had a look at her website The Crimson Moon beaded jewellery. Liz has some very beautiful and interesting work along with some fab tutorials. I purchased her colossal beaded bead tutorial, this is the first tutorial I've ever actually paid for (usually I'm a skin flint, unless I buy a book I never usually pay online for the tutorials) but the beads looked so well made I just had to have a go.

After a couple of shaky starts, which mostly were due to me having no ink in my printer and having to keep getting up to look at the pc, I finally produced some pretty decent beaded beads (if I do say so myself!). The tutorial is very good, very easy to follow, the pictures are great, I'm rubbish at working out and calculating things, so even though I am pretty alright at peyote stitch I would never in a month of Sundays have been able to make these beads without this tutorial......highly recommended!

I've added a pic of my efforts.

Maybe some pictures might jazz it up a little?

Here's some of what I have been working on recently, been making some tiara's,

these were made for a bride who will be tying the knot in October in Co Clare. The bridal tiara I have named Hilary, there are about 150 beads, swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls, it measures approx 2.5" in height, took me ages but was well worth it the effect is beautiful. The bridesmaid tiara is very simple, just swarovski's and freshwater pearls. The bride was absolutely delighted with the finished product.

Right! About time I started to take this seriously

Well, the blog has been up and running for a little while now.... not much to say, always think I have so little time, but I always seem to be on the pc...... I promise that I will update this thing a little more frequently.

Was thinking that I might start posting a few bead tutorials, basics for stitches and maybe a little of what I have learned about polymer clay. Need to sit down and think it through though.