Blogging it…right here

Inspiration

I am trying to find a new bead loom project - something really challenging that perhaps I could hang up and it would look pretty, perhaps as a gift for someone…I don’t know, but it never occurred to me to look at adapting cross stitch patterns for bead loom work, not at all. What a fantastic idea. So now I’m spending my lunch break hunting for ideas.

Smarties jigsaw

I’ve been doing this fantastic jigsaw lately which Graham bought me called ‘The worlds hardest jigsaw’ - it’s taken me ages to do - I think I’ve had it out 5 or 6 weeks and I’ve been spending odd evenings doing it. Well, I’m good at jigsaws of all types but this one was a challenge. It was only 529 pieces but is a double sided picture of Smarties. 

Beading work

I’ve taken some new photos of my latest project for people to see.

Swimming

Ok….so I’ve been learning to swim the last few weeks. I never learnt it as a kid, so thought at 25 I’d better get to it, let’s face it, if I’m going to go on sun sea and sand hols to sunny places then I’d better be able to use the pool I pay for for in my hol eh?

So I’ve been learning at Southampton University Sports Centre and it’s been going well. Least I won’t drown anymore so that’s a bonus.

Bead Looms are cool

I’ve been fascinated lately by jewellery making - ever since I was looking for some beaded jewellery for a night out and found nothing but rubbish stuff in the shops. Anyway, I’ve since found that the jewellery making activity is just a smidge expensive, when you count the fact you need the tools, the jewellery parts and beads. The problem is that the only way I can see whether I actually like how fiddly and time consuming it could be, is if I buy the bits and do some - which I’m not going to cos it’s rather expensive if I don’t like it. So, I’ve decided to give a ‘bead loom’ a try. The initial set with the loom and the beads and all the needed kit wasn’t at all as expensive as the tools, parts and beads (to make necklaces, earrings, bracelets etc). The bead loom can only realistically help you to make beaded rings, bracelets and belts (if that’s your fashion), but it seems to me the cheap way of seeing if I initially like beadwork and it means I can make myself some really pretty bracelets how I like them.

It’s fiddly to set up, like you wouldn’t believe, but it’s rather cool. I shall post a piccy when I make a little more progress