Bad Blogger

I'm sorry, I've been a bad blogger recently! I'm just soo busy at the moment that I just haven't had a minute to update things! Christmas is hurtling towards me like a giant comet and I fear that I shall be squished before I get a chance to get out of the way! I have been off this week and last (although I spent a day marking final pieces, sketchbooks, etc.) and I have spent each Saturday with my stall at the Hip hip Christmas Bazaar in town. I made a bit of money (£250) and promptly got it all stolen, so all that hard work went for nothing! Spent a couple of days on the phone to the police, etc, but I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles! I now can't afford to buy the BF a decent Christmas present! *sighs* This has been a terrible year and I can't wait for it to end! I've made most of my presents now! I'm just taking a break from making Sis's present, coz it's been a marathon session on it so far! She wanted a wheaty bag which would go over the shoulders and down the back slightly, so I'm having to fill the wheat in stages and sew them into little compartments. Done that now, I'm just onto the fleecy cover. So, here's where I am so far:

WIP - Sisters wheat bag (almost done)
Dad & Brother - Herby roasted nuts (Just need to sew the stocking bags!)
Mum - Stocking bag for yoghurt nuts
Mum & Brother - Stencilled t-shirt

Completed - Corkscrew scarves for Mum, MIL, Sister and 2 friends
Crocheted hat for friend
Scented candles for friends
Body scrub and massage oil for friends
Stencilled t-shirts for brother and BF

The BF had his birthday yesterday, we had a nice day, I gave him some new ear buds for his i-pod and a stencilled t-shirt and we went to see Eragorn at the pictures in the morning (not only is it half price in the morning, but it's never that full, so you get more space (yay!) We did a massive shop too, so we actually have stuff in the fridge again! We ate so much Birthday yule log that I was stuffed! The Christmas tree is up, so everything is looking nice and festive, and dusk is just starting to set in outside, so the sky is this wierd shade of pink and grey! Ah well, back to the sewing machine!

Holiday Happiness!

Wheee! Just three more days till the end of term then I'm finished for a whole month! What a luxury! I don't actually get paid for it of course (down side to everything) but I'm doing an alternative Christmas Bazaar every Saturday in December (Craftermath special!), so I'm hoping to earn some top up cash! I shall be working hard I guess! I did the first one last weekend, and it was pretty good. I also did a craft fair on the Sunday and did quite well there, so things are looking good. I'm knackered though, this is my ninth day of work and another four to go till I can get a break on Sunday! Here's some stuff I've been doing recently!

Crappy Birthday to me!

Well, it was a day of ups and downs in the end. My car decided to give up the ghost - I just bought it 3 months ago and the head gasket and the alternator decide to go at the same time!!! We sat in the car in the pouring rain, with a car full of booze (hee hee, birthday celebration booze) and a completely flat battery. This of course made the BF loose it big time...if he could have picked up the car, he'd have thrown it through a window. Not a good start to the evening. I was supposed to be doing a craft fair in the next county the next day, and he flat refused to let me go in the car. Later when the family came round, Dad offered me his car for the next day, which I gratefully accepted (hell, I definately needed the money now to get the car fixed!) The next day I was up bright and early (curse you, insomnia) and despite the lack of sleep, travelled to a small village in the middle of nowhere. I say travelled, actually I drove round and round in a circle for what seemed like hours before I found the place. It was a fairly successful day, though not as good as the previous year. I drove back struggling to keep my eyes open, I stopped several times on the way home and got out of the car to try and keep myself awake. I had a gang of mates arriving for Birthday booze-up later, so after a dinner of chip shop chips, (unheard of for me, but I was too tired to make myself anything healthy) I was just about up for it! Never mind, I've got Christmas coming to make up for it!
Anyway, I got some lovely pressies in the end, I'll post some piccys when I get a minute.

Happy Birthday to me!

Today is my Birthday!! Yay! Happy Birthday to me! It's now 6.45 am and I'm not a saddo with no life to be on here at this time, but the BF starts work at 6.oo am (he does a permanent early shift) and he desperately wanted to give me his present before he left for work, so I have been up since about 5.15 am (eeekk!) Anyway, he gave me a big box!! Inside the big box was a new laptop!!!!!! I made an attempt to squeel excitedly which is difficult at that time, the spirit was willing, but the body was weak and oh, so tired! My poor little old baby is getting more and more unstable and needs a re-install I think, but now I have a new shiney one! Brand spanking new!!! It even has a DVD burner on it! The wonders of new technology!!! I love it! I have to go to work in a bit (Phah!) and I sooooo don't want to go now! I wanna play! I have to pick up a wi-fi thing for the Broadband connection when I'm out so that I can hook it up, and then I'm off! Ooh, I can be lounging in bed on a Sunday, watching trashing TV, surfing the net, and knitting whilst the BF plays games on the pc!! I have my family coming round tonight for a more sedate celebration, I have a craft fayre tomorrow, and then my mates are coming round tomorrow night for a night of mayhem! Well, I suppose I'd better hit the shower and make myself look the part! *lol*

Winter Spice Pinecones Tutorial!

One of the nicest things to do at this time of year is to make some Winter Spice Pinecone Decorations. To do this, you take a walk in your nearest woodland area and collect some pinecones. Spread them out on a bag and spray them with metallic spray paint. For mine, I used a mixture of gold and copper. Make sure you do it in a well ventilated area. I did mine in the garden. When they are dry, spread some PVA (white) glue onto a palette and dip the ends of the cones in. You don't need too much glue on each one. Sprinkle with some glitter (I have used gold) and allow to dry. When they are dry, pop them in a plastic bag and sprinkle a few drops of essential oil in to create the winter spice smell. I normally use cinnamon, clove and orange oil, but I guess pine would be nice too! Shake the bag to spread the oil and Voila! Some seasonal pot pourri that won't break the bank. I use them as table dressing for Christmas Craft Fairs, as gifts for friends and piled high in a bowl as nice smelly room scenters.

Happy Hooker Piccys

Here are the gorgeous hooks that Miss Mermaid sent me with close-ups!! Blogger has been misbehaving for the last day or so, so I hope this works!

Happy Hooker!!

I received the most gorgeous crochet hooks from Miss Mermaid today! They are covered with polymer clay and inspired by one in my Wists! And the hooks themselves are coloured metal - they are *almost* too good to use, but I can't wait to try them out on a project. It's a shame I've already started a corkscrew scarf for my Mum's Christmas present, and have just finished one for a friends present, so I guess I'll have to think of something else to use them on! It's my Birthday on Friday and I have to work for the first time ever! :-( I have my family coming round in the evening, then on Saturday I have a craft fayre (I know, I'm a glutton for punishment) It's one that I have done before and it's been a good one, so I was loath to turn it down! I've done some new glass pieces for the Craft Fayre so I feel very smug! My friends will be coming round Saturday night to help me celebrate another year and then Sunday I have to myself (and the BF)! I was able to get Monday and Tuesday off, so I have decided that I will be like the Queen and have two Birthdays this year! Hmmm, could become a new tradition!
WIP: Glass - ongoing
Craftster Hogwarts at Christmas Swap - almost finished.
Mum's Christmas Scarf - halfway done.
Finished: SewPixies Pincushions, glasses case and glass pendant
Corkscrew Scarf for my friend Theresa's Birthday
Owl swap with Lemonfloorwax.
Birthday Swap gifts for Craftermath.
Yet to start: Stencilled T-shirt gifts for Christmas (the BF, Dad and the Brother)
Wheaty bag for my Sis.
Several knitting projects for personal swaps!
I have nearly a month at Christmas for school holidays, so I'm hoping to get quite a bit done this year. I hope that the bank balance can stand the lack of pay though!

Trees and stockings!

Well, I'm nearly done with my swap stuff, just the Hogwart at Christmas to finish. I had a mass posting session this afternoon on the way home from work, and when I got home I received a hoody in the post from Banga! It's lovely! Blue, with a tree design from my Wists painted on the back. Also it has a design on the front too. She did a great job! Current WIP's are some Christmas stockings - I haven't decided yet whether they will be for the BF and I, or whether they'll be a gift for someone else. I'd like to keep them, but the BF would never fill mine for me, and I would feel ripped off if I did one for him, and didn't get one back :-(
Oh yeah, this is my lil Brother...basic, but I love him! Ha ha ha! Note the crowded crafting table.

Hard at it!

Well, these few weeks have been crafting madness. I have sent bookmarks and pantas for swaps, these have been received and both recipients seem pleased! Here's a picture of La_Chrystelle with the panta I made her! The flower was crocheted in two layers and had a blue crystal bead in the centre. I made it as a brooch pin, so that she could wear it on or off the panta.
I have also made some Christmas tree decorations which will be going to Canada, and some lovely owl goodies for a private swap, which I will post pictures of when I have taken them off my camera! I've made a couple of pincushions and a glasses case for SewPixie, and as a private swap, I'll be sending a glass pendant, and in return, she is making me one of her wonderful Tree of Life pendants that I have been coveting for ages! *lol*
I am well into crafting for the Hogwarts at Christmas swap too, and I'll be ready to post that too. I signed up for a Birthday swap too, so hopefully I'll be getting some Birthday gifts in the post...the poor postman must curse me sometimes! Mind you, I sometimes think that I'm personally keeping Royal Mail in business!
Did I mention that it's my Birthday next week? I have to work that day for the first time ever! I've always been able to book the day off before! :-( Ah well, I suppose I'll live! I might have to ban my brother though, he has a nasty rash all over apparantly and is quite contagious at the moment! He has potions from the quacks, but I don't know when he can socialise again! *lol*

Fallen Angel?

I did a personal swap with

Devilninny

I sent her a glass pendant, some patchoulli body scrub and some English chocolate, and she sent me a stencilled angel wings t-shirt and a ton of Kool-aid! I love my t-shirt!!

Half-term Holiday over :-(

Oh well, back to work! Nice to have a few days off. I managed to get some serious crafting in and I am up to date with all my swaps (I just have one on the go now), and I'm starting to think about Christmas. I have a few ideas, and have sorted the materials out for one or two things. I've got a few craft fayres booked up for the festive period, and as I have a month off at Christmas so that students can go home, I am looking forward to some well earnt relaxation time, and a bit of time to catch up with some personal projects! I would like to get the bedroom decorated at some point, but it's having the cash as I'd like to replace the furniture, carpet, and have a new double glazed window fitted. The window we currently have in there is knackered, and the curtains blow with the wind! *lol*

The top photos are what I made for a Firefly swap, whilst the photos to the left are some bookmarks I made for another swap! I'm enjoying applique and embroidery at the moment.

Injured Digit

Well, first things first, wine and lino tools are a bad mix! Seriously, never ever get drunk whilst you're cutting with sharp tools, it is such a bad idea! *lol* I know the creative juices flow well with some alcoholic lubrication but you can end up with some painful crafting injuries!
And if you look closely, there are not one but three cuts (no, I never learn from my mistakes), the one at the top being the biggest and deepest. It bled. It bled lots. There was blood pumping out and dripping down my wrist! (I was holding it up in the air and running to the bathroom cursing!) I'm quite pleased with the result though. The owl lino is hopefully part of an idea for a personal swap I'm doing, and also I'm testing out some school stock so that I can do some lino cutting in a lesson or two. I think it's pretty old stuff though. It's really hard to carve; I'm gonna try warming a piece up to see if that helps. It's really dark too. The stuff I've used before has been alot lighter. It made it hard to see to sketch the image on. Okay, so I have learnt that I need to get a grip board sorted out, a tray with side just doesn't cut the mustard, I need fresher lino, I need to sharpen my tools a little too I think, and I need to cut while I'm sober!

No new floor :-(

Hahaha! Got the first couple of strips of flooring down to discover that the floor is not completely level, so it was impossible to lay the wood. Having spent most of the morning listening to the BF's complaints and temper tantrums (DIY does not come naturally to him...no, really) we pulled it up again. We were ruining more of it than getting it down. Even Dad came to have a go and struggled, which made me feel a little better - this is after all, our second attempt at it! The BF just wants to pay someone to do it now...he's seen what it may potentially look like when it's done, and he wants it! And to be honest, with our menagerie, a carpet wouldn't survive! I just want it done....*sighs*
Anyway, signed up for another couple of swaps on Craftster...the Firefly Swap and the Hogwarts at Christmas Swap. Can't wait! Yep, I'm a swapaholic! Yeah, and a Sci-Fi geek! And I made a couple of scarves for swaps, and also a sunglasses case from scraps, which I appliqued and embroidered. All in all a productive weekend, apart from the failed flooring attempt, but hey, I'm getting used to that!!

Time Turner!

Okay, it's official - I REALLY need Hermione's Time Turner. I just don't have enough hours in the day! I'm seriously thinking about giving up sleeping! I had a really nice weekend, spent Saturday night at Mum's, celebrating her birthday with a nice family meal; Sunday, I finished my other kitty mitten, so my kitty hat finally has paws. I also made a scarf with some nice novelty fleecy yarn that I got in the magic yarn ball swap (there just wasn't enough to make the capelet, so I frogged it) whilst watching Angel. Then I did some yoga and spent the rest of the afternoon chopping shrubbery (I just can't say that word without going all Pythonesque!) in the garden. Filled my wheelie bin, so no more chopping till the Council empties it again! I really resent work! It gets in the way of the things I want to do! Oh well, till I win the Lottery anyway! I've spent tonight painting glass, so there'll be some new stuff in the shop shortly :-)
This week is exam week, so all my students are knuckling down to some still life stuff - I took some of our instruments in (didge's, drums, percussion stuff) so they'd have something other than flowers to do *lol* Then next week is half term! I do Monday and Tuesday teaching pottery for a charity, for people with special needs, but then I'll have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday free! Yippee! And, how cool is this...Hawkwind are playing locally on the Tuesday night, so I can go and see them and get completely trashed and not have to worry about being all cool and responsible the next day! This weekend though, the BF and I are supposed to be laminating the living room floor...can't wait....

Cooling down!

Wow, the temperature's certainly taken a nosedive in the last day or so! It's starting to feel like September now! I am definately going to have to get my kitty paws finished! I don't know if I posted my finished Kittyville hat piccys, but here it is!! I really like it and I'm so pleased with how it came out!

I've also been doing some Craftster Swap projects! Here are 3 necklaces I made for Cotneyroo; a microscope slide pendant, a domino pendant and a necklace made from cd's and dvd's (it took ages sanding those buggers down!) It glitters so nicely in the sun! And next to them are a set I made for Madmatigan. The ubiquitious Craftster panta in a lovely turquoise colour, a bottle cap necklace (UK readers might recognise the Newcastle Brown Ale cap!) and some dangly glass earrings! I really liked how they all turned out! Some of them were so hard to part with! Might have to make another bottle cap necklace just for me!

Brain Overload!

Phew! My brain is well and truely overloaded! I am due to start teaching at a new college next week for a couple of days a week, so I spent yesterday in staff and faculty meetings, and as usual with these sort of things, there is just too much info, too many new names and faces, and I think my brain is going to explode! *Lol*
Everyone seems really friendly though, and the few students I have seen as I've been about in the last couple of days seem lovely too! It's an International College, so there are alot of overseas students, alot of Oriental at the moment, and they are all so polite and well behaved! I'm really lucky, I think my biggest class is about 9 students, so numbers-wise, it's not too different from my existing job! Other than that, it's completely different student/client group, one lot are special needs adults, and the new lot are under 18 and (predominantly) priviledged. They are so cute at the moment, they seem tiny, and quite lost. Most of them are miles away from home and their families, and some of them are really young (I think there are some as young as 14)
Anyway, I staggered home yesterday under the weight of a thousand booklets, course outlines, registers, and homework record books. Luckily I don't have to do any study hall supervision, but I do have to do homework supervision within my artroom, some hours a week. Hopefully, that'll give me some time to do marking and lesson prep. All teachers new to the school get a mentor, so I met mine briefly yesterday, but I've got no idea where to find her!
I get to play Santa next week, coz I get to hand out the art boxes to the GCSE students (boxes full of materials that they will need for the year, brushes, paints, pastels, etc), hee hee! They'll love me! The AS and A2 students will get theirs from one of the other teachers earlier in the week. I think that I get a box full too, so that I can experiment with the materials and brands that the students will be using so that I can anticipate problems!

Here is what I sent for the Star Swap and what I received! What I sent are the first two pictures and what I received are the last two! I love the little camo-payramid wristlet and the needle roll that Amy made me!

Kitty needs some Paws!

Yayyy!! I finished the Kittyville hat! (Piccys will follow, promise!) My version has tassels instead of pompoms though 'coz I just hate the way pompoms bounce about on your boobs! And tassels are easier to twirl with your fingers! It wasn't nearly as hard as I'd imagined, so I'm now endevouring to knit some paws! Well, mittens anyway! I thought I might sew felt paw prints on them! *lol* I finished and sent my star swap stuff off, and I received my star swap goodies from Amy! A really cool needle roll made of velvet, some stitch markers and a camo-print pyramid bag were among the booty I scored!
At the moment, I'm working on some jewellery for another swap, I've painted and sealed some domino jewellery, and I've spent an hour tonight sanding down some cd chunks for another necklace. I also sold a pair of goblets on eBay at the weekend, but after firing them, I broke one getting it out! Arrggghhh! After some MAJOR cursing, I e-mailed the buyer to let them know that their goblets may be a little late as I'll be doing them a replacement! Can you believe it? Spent Saturday night at my Sis's, getting drunk, scoffing garlic bread, and working on WIP's. I took my Star afgan and got a bit done on that, and Sis was working on her tiger cross-stitch. I think we had a DVD on in the background too, but I can't remember what it was, coz we were waffling! *lol* She's just become single again and after a long distance relationship, is looking to score some pussy...ha ha ha!! That got your attention, didn't it?? She really, REALLY wants kittens! But can we find any? Seems like the Cats Protection league has done too good a job! Cat's cost more than coke round here, and I'm not talking the cola variety! One place she looked was charging £85 for moggie kittens!! Yep, you heard right! 85 quid!!!

Windy weather!

What on earth is going on with the weather?? It's been so windy this weekend! The BF and I had planned to try and fix the bedroom window, which got damaged in the August storms, but it was far too windy! Oh well, at least I got on with some crafting! I finished the 'Big' project for the Craftster star swap (piccys later) on Friday night, and on an impulse (alcohol fuelled I'm afraid) also decided to make a new cover for my 'lil Brother (machine), so this is what happens at midnight, after a bottle of wine, with a sewing machine and a pair of charity shop curtains!
Actually, I'm quite pleased with the result!
I also managed to mostly finish my magic yarn ball project, well, enought to get the goodies out! *lol* I think the yarn might run out before I'm finished though, so I might just frog it and make a scarf instead! I'll see how it goes.
I spent this morning happily watching the Hollyoaks omnibus (yeah, I know, it's bubblegum for the mind) and knitting away at my Kittyville hat, and managed to get the hat bit finished! I just need to do the ears and the flaps now :-)

Although it's been very windy today, it's also been quite warm and sunny, so I popped into the garden to see what's happening there. The buddleia and the lavender are still in bloom, so here are a couple of blossoms to remind me that summer may not quite be over yet!!

You Are 20% Left Brained, 80% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

This confirmed my suspicions - I'm really bad at maths! *lol*

Craftster Swaps

I've been making jewellery for the Craftster ongoing wish swap 13 - someone wanted domino pendants so I made her a cherry one, a bluebird and a cherryblossom one (all her favourites), and another wanted some extra-long necklaces, so I made her three and I'm proud to say that I resisted the temptation to invest in new craft supplies for all of these and have used my craft stash! Yay! I'm on a craft diet at the moment and have been resisting the draw to the craft shop (I can hear it calling to me.....) beads, paints, yarn, stuff......I start a new job the middle of September and I envisage a pay drought somewhere up the line, so I'm trying to save a bit of cash!

And look at the awesome crochet roll I received this week! I just love the geisha fabric. I think I must be the Imelda Marcos of hookers, I figure I have about 20 hooks in total! Some are inherited, some have been given to me, and some (like the bamboo hooks and the jazzy coloured ones) I've treated myself to! Am I being greedy?? Or do I have a problem *hello, my name is Samsara, and I am a hook whore!* Hey, who cares!

I had a traumatic morning today. My youngest kitty, Pippin, came in limping! She was holding her leg up and it seemed quite swollen, and she was breathing fast. I had heard a kerfuffle at the catflag earlier and assumed she had been chased in by the neighbourhood bully. I decided to make an appointment for her to get checked out, and when I rang the vets, they said I should bring her in straight away because she may have been hit by a car and could have internal bleeding! I totally freaked out and had to borrow a cat box from a neighbour because I had lent mine to my sister. I rushed her up to the vets, but she had just bruised her leg! *Sighes with relief* One quick jab later and back I went with one squalling kitty!

Crafting Crazy!

Such a busy week! I made a start on my Kittyville hat (yay!!), although I think Vinny will be finished long before me!

This is what I've done so far!

I also received my magic yarn ball from Sarah- on Craftster and have started the project (spiderweb caplet from SnB) I have knitted 3 gifts from the ball already! 2 little piggy patches, a sachet of orange chocholate options (yum, yum!) and some Felix treats for my kittys. (They'll be fighting over those later!*lol*

Bank Holiday Weekend!

Yayyy! It's the Bank Holiday weekend, yet another opportunity to prove the theory that any time we go away in the caravan, it absolutely must chuck it down! I'm expecting storms and flooding at the very least! This weekend, we are heading down to Wiltshire, to a lovely little pub site alongside a canal. There are a few of us going, so I expect that we will be spending alot of time drinking! The couple that are joining us down there can drink for England! I don't need a crystal ball to tell me that I will probably be suffering a few hangovers! But, hey, what are Bank Holidays for, if not for partying? I'm mentally packing as we speak, although I can't actually do that until I get home tonight!
The main issue is, what craft project(s) do I take? I am currently between knitting projects as I am trying to get hold of the right sized needles for the Kittyville hat (I wanted to treat myself to some bamboo circulars, but they are proving difficult to find), so what do I do until then? I'm reading the Gormenghast Trilogy at the moment, so I'll definately take that, but I do need something for my hands to do! Maybe a panta, that's nice n' easy, and I've got to do one for a swap anyway! And maybe I could start my Star Afgan?
Got the Corgi man coming later, so we'll have hot water again! Yippee!

Yep, another swap! This time it's the Craftster Star Swap. Just loads of starry goodies, coz we do love stars! I've made a few things, but I might just have to keep quiet about them for a bit as at least one of the Ski-Fi KAL girls is on one of the swaps I'm doing at the moment, I suspect there maybe another, I'm not quite sure yet! I'll post piccys after I they receive them *whispers* "If you're one of my swap recipients, don't read my blog till after you get your goodies!" Borrowed a great book from the library (Weekend Knitting) and spent the days surupticiously
photocopying projects at work, hee hee! There's a really cool one for a knitted backgammon board, and another for a checkers board! Got to figure it out before I try it though, and I want to do my Kittyville hat first with Vinny.

Pondering new projects

Here's my Jayne Cobb hat - finished at last. As it was a mixture of yarn that I already had, it's not quite the original colours, but I think that Ma Cobb would have approved of the stash busting principle! I think I'm gonna tackle the Kittyville hat next, a mini KAL with Vinny (from Craftermath, and also the Sci-Fi Kal group). I don't really have the circular or the double pointed needles for this project though, so before I rushed out and bought some, I thought I'd knit a swatch first as I have a tendancy to knit a little tightly. I dunno, you leave your needle roll on the bed for 2 seconds and when you come back, some cat is using it for a pillow! *lol* Rankin is my oldest girl though, so I guess she deserves to take it easy! It looks like Keilo is using her for a pillow too, but I think that's the camera angle :-) Pippin (the youngest) is downstairs in her hammock - I think shes had a brawl with her nemesis, the cat next door, coz she's sporting a scratch above her eye! Teenagers, eh?

The "Why" Question.....

This is a question that I'm very familiar with...as in "Why am I doing this?" (Answer: Because I am a complete and total masochist!). So what is todays "why" question I hear you ask....well, several weeks ago, I decided that this bag of unsavoury brown acrylic yarn that I have in my posession would be the perfect thing to crochet my dog a bed for the caravan. Okay so far. But my dog is a larger than average german shepherd. This thing is gonna take me, well, forever! As I sit crocheting this flipping thing, which never seems to get any bigger, I ponder just "why" I thought it would be a good idea! Because obviously I am a glutton for punishment!

Swapsies!!

Well, the magic yarn ball swap is go!! I received details of my swap partner this morning, Sarah in Scotland! She has a pattern she wants to try out involving knitting a kitty and felting it, so she has asked for some pure wool, so I'm on the lookout for that! I asked her to suprise me though, so I don't know what project I'll get! I need to find the 'magic' now too (little gifts to wind into the ball so they drop out as she knits!) Great fun :-) I've got a few bits already!
BTW, I finished my Jayne hat! I just need to take a photo now!

woolly wormhead

woolly wormhead Love these hats! I've got to have a go at these!

Glass galore!

This is what I've been working on lately, some more glass for my shop. I haven't done much painting recently, I've been busy with orders and swaps, and personal stuff, but I think that now the weathers getting cooler, I'll be able to spend more time in my studio! I'm quite pleased with this little lot. I love the bowls, they have an embossed design on the outside, which shows through the designs that I've painted inside, and just gives them that added depth. I'll try and get around to listing them in my shop shortly. I like to give them a week or so to dry fully though!

Busy, busy, busy!!

Okay, so this is what I've made for Bhean for the Craftster Ongoing Wishlist Swap. She had on her wists a black gothic poison glass, an silver amethyst pentacle pendant and a skull candle holder. So I sort of combined them a little and came up with this black candle holder, with a silver pentacle on four sides and an amethyst stone in the centre of each pentacle. It's in her favourite colours of black, purple and cobalt. I was intending to try a skull candle holder, but bottled out, so I made her some little skully earrings too! Hopefully she'll like them! They glow in the dark!