New Designs

I mentioned in my last blog entry that I had an idea for a new design of ring; well.. tada!

This silver ring with copper spirals is available here

Sticking with the copper theme, I made these chain-maille inspired earrings with embossed cross detail:

..which I think are cute.

However, when I came to make my star earrings, for some reason the tiny bit of silver solder I'd used seemed to multiply under the flame and flow everywhere! I'll just have to keep them for myself I think!

Any jewellers out there who know how to prevent this? Advice much appreciated.

By the way, find a nice crop of elderberries, because it's time to make this ready for those winter chills

Back in the Creative Saddle

Inspired by six weeks of living cheek by jowl with nature has prompted me to get busy. I've decided to stock up with beauties ready for the Christmas rush:

These lovely copper and silver earrings can be purchased here,

Another copper and silver pair:

and a lovely pair of reticulated silver drop earrings will be listed soon:

I need to get busy making some more rings as I've had two sales from my shop and a request for another, but I fancy some different designs so watch this space.

In the meantime, I've been busy turning scrummy Victoria plums into jam:

and my first attempt at spiced chutney:

The jam is apparently delicious and disappearing fast, but the chutney needs to keep for at least 6 weeks before sampling so I'll let you know about that one.

At the weekend, little helpers came on a walk,

and one puppy went for a swim in the canal, before learning how to pick these

Unfortunately because he picked them with his mouth, we didn't fancy using them, but youngest pixie face and I picked enough to make one of these:

..and some of these:

yummy!

The Girl Is Back in Town

After a really traumatic start to the summer, I decided to get back to basics. I took my three babies (OK, one teenager, one pre-teen and a five-going-on 15 year old) and went camping for six weeks in Cornwall. It was make or break time in terms of the upset we'd had, but it was hard to imagine that a holiday wouldn't set right some wrongs, things were so bad. Now when I say camping, I mean camping, I hooked up my trailer, packed my tent and stuff  (including 11year old Laborador and 3 month puppy) and we camped in a field for 6 weeks- a cold water tap and a toilet 200 metres down the road, no TV, no computer or phone and do you know what happened?... My kids started behaving like kids again. They enjoyed the compulsory walks, early nights, make do cooking and washing, all of it Hurrah! We found mermaids on the beach:

Some were forced to swim in the sea:

Whilst others followed unwittingly, realising just in time that they could swim after all:

A great adrenaline-rush for some: tombstoning, not my cup of tea at all

Daddy joined us briefly to build a fortress against the sea:

Which didn't last for long

We played magical games with just a silk shawl for a prop:

Learnt new skills

Met magical creatures:

Won first prizes

Saw fantastic sunsets

But mostly we did this:

Lots of it