Not a lot of jewellery....

Nope, there is not a lot of jewellery being made around here....and it's starting to make me a bit twitchy. The kids first week off school has been pretty eventful though.

For a start we went to choose our puppy.

Now that was difficult. They were all completely adorable. But we chose, eventually, and pick the little fella up in 3 weeks. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek I am beyond excited.

It was quite a trek to get there, so on the way back when we saw a National Trust place en route, we stopped for a bit of a leg stretch. It worked out really well. Wimpole is stunning!

I just wish I could capture the smell of those flowers on my camera, and the warm sun on my back.... ah it was a well spent hour. Hopefully we'll get a chance to pop in again on the way to pick the puppy up!

The rest of the week has been pretty fun packed too... .more of which later!

Fabulous finds.....

So the summer holidays have begun, and to celebrate I've found some fabulous holiday finds to share with you....

Vintage suitcase - epochco 

Picnic napkins on Folksy from Hotcakes

Beach oil from Etsy SusieQsbathandbody 

 

 Beach by aoife doyle

Mason jars by Pamela LeCroy

Holidays ahoy....

The girls finished school today. Six and a half weeks of summer holiday stretch before us and I am truly thrilled!

No school run. No packed lunches (I truly don't know why I hate making lunches so much - it's not as though it takes long, but I hate it. With a vengence!). No overtired school pick ups followed by Brownies. Oh and I get to see my lovely girls all day.

Bliss..... or so it seems at the moment. I'll get back to you on that in a few weeks when they're fighting over playmobil people and I'm trying to get some earrings made!

 Not only was school out today, but the Olympic torch went passed the top of our road!

How ridiculously lucky are we? I've been trying to make sure the kids realise how special it is; how they might not see another Olympics in the UK for 50 years, or more. I think they get it.

I haven't enjoyed watching sport on the tv for decades, probably since I was pre-teen, but I'm getting so excited about how it could inspiring the kids. Bring it on!

Bridesmaid Gifts

I've been asked to make a few gifts for bridesmaids recently. So much so that I'm going to set up a few bridesmaid packages in my shops over the next week or so, to make it easier for the bride to be!

With all the lovely gemstones out there it's usually pretty easy to find a gorgeous stone to match the wedding colours perfectly.

I can make matching bridesmaids jewellery using many of my designs, but the big favourites have always been my leaf pendant, the lily pendant and matching wire wrapped earrings.

This set, made for each of the three bridesmaids at a Surrey wedding, was to compliment a rich purple theme. We chose these gorgeous facetted amethysts which matched beautifully. The bride also showed me some hair combs she had already chosen for the bridesmaids which had some delicate pale grey pearls. I found an identical coloured pearl to tie in with the jewellery design.

Another of my favourite designs for bridesmaids gifts is my lily pendant. I made these recently for a bride in York.

The pale lime green of the peridot was perfect to match the fresh green wedding colours. The facetted gems are small, but add a gorgeous touch of colour to the simple lily design. The bride was so happy with them that she ordered a further peridot pendant to be given to a friend who was doing a reading at the service.

I do hope the bridesmaids liked them!!

Jumping Jack

Kids are supposed to be excited about growing veggies right? Well Eve certainly is, but mainly so she can find new friends. Meet "Jumping Jack" her pet caterpiller....as you can see she made him (or her) a lovely new home. In the pic you only see the first stage, with the sugar snap pea leaves.... she then picked him some wild strawberries too, and fashioned a lid with air holes! She then put his house in a safe place on the sideboard in the hall. Without. The. Lid. On.

Jumping jack is now somewhere in the house, (possibly in the hoover). Eve is devastated (.....but I loved him, why did he leave....?)

Who'd have thought a veggie patch could produce so much drama.

Five fantastic blogs you need to check out....

1 - My friend Jo told me about this blog recently. Family life captured daily in fantastic sketches. Brilliant. No really, just brilliant....
http://doodlemum.com/

2 - Crafty types really should check out Hilary's Craft BlogUK, lots of brilliant information, interspersed with lovely craft by Uk folk.  http://www.ukcraftblog.com/

3 - Much much more than a blog, UK Handmade is a fantastic read... lots of inspiring interviews, tutorials, recipes, a forum, a magazine... if you don't visit, you really, really, should.

4 - I'm not great at sewing, but Made (by dana) http://www.danamadeit.com/ is completely inspirational. I've even made some clothes for the girls using her tutorial, and dagnammit they turned out fine! They even wore them!

5 - http://www.brandigirlblog.com/ - A really useful blog, from an ex- jewellery designer who has loads of tips on all sorts of blog related things. I've found her photoshop tips really useful.