Blue Monday!

Well, the Colour Challenge has started! It actually helped me get a couple of pieces finished in good time for delivery to Between Dreams this afternoon.

I sat and designed the necklaces and did the wirework yesterday evening and finished them off this afternoon while B was having his nap. I'd made the base of the butterfly earlier last week as I've decided to keep a couple of bases for each of my butterflies and daisies in stock, and decided to add turquoise to it to keep with the theme - oh, and also because turquoise jewellery usually sells really well in the shop! The first necklace is amazonite, smoky quartz and freshwater pearls by the way.

I'm in the middle of getting my stock ready for the Southampton City Art Gallery shop too. The exhibition they've got on when my jewellery first goes into the shop has a water theme so blue should fit in there nicely too! I've realised though that I'm going to have to break away from the colour theme at the weekends as I've got a couple of commissions to do. I don't think it'll go down too well if I put the pieces off until I get to that colour in the challenge!

It's been really hot working in the shed this afternoon as the afternoon sun streams in through the door. I am definitely not complaining though as the forecasters say it'll be much cooler by the weekend. I think it was too hot for B though - he didn't have such a good nap as usual. Unfortunately it is not too hot for mosquitoes. My face looks like I've got the mumps on the left hand side, or as if I've just had my wisdom teeth out. A lovely friendly mozzie decided that they liked my cheek this afternoon and as I'm allergic to them I've swelled up nicely despite lots of anti-histamines. Oh well! It could have been worse - it could have been a wasp!

Busy, busy, busy

It's been a busy weekend here. B and I went to a fancy dress birthday party yesterday afternoon. He went as Bob the Builder and wore his hat all the way there, but took it off as soon as he got inside! I guess it's because we always take his coat, shoes etc off when we get inside. We had a fun time playing pass the parcel and playing with the birthday boy's toy cars. T took the opportunity to mend his bike without B around to 'help'!

Today, T took B swimming while I did some more soldering and finished a project that I'm really pleased about (more about that tomorrow when I can take some photos to show you!) and then Nicky and I went to the Wessex Guild of Craftsmen AGM. AGMs are never wonderful fun, but I rather liked this one (for reasons that I will tell you tomorrow when I can show you the photos I need to take!). I've offered to help the show organiser with promoting the Guild shows. I wanted to contribute to the Guild (afterall, it benefits me too) but I can't commit enough time to be a committee member, so I decided to offer to help one of the committee members with what is probably the biggest job in the Guild.

I've been busy soldering and creating with silver art clay this week. I've made the start of a few pairs of stud earrings but I'm waiting for my order of studs backs to arrive so that I can finish them off. They should be on the site soon, as will the earrings I posted tonight. These chandeliers are a design that I used to make in silver plated wire and I decided to resurrect them this week. I've used garnet, tiger eye, amazonite and turquoise in these ones.

And last, but definitely not least, for tonight, as it's Valentine's Day in less than a fortnight I am offering 10% off any jewellery orders of £50 or more placed between now and 14th February. Just type the code 'Valentine' into the relevant box at checkout. Prehaps time to drop a hint to your Valentine or to stock up on a few birthday presents? This offer includes commission pieces, so if there is something that you would like me to make especially for you please do contact me.