I have never known that moving house is actually a full time job. The problem is, you don't get a lot of time experimenting with glass. But I've managed to run away into my own world yesterday; this design has been torturing me (in my head!) and I had to get it tried out. So what do you think? I really like them, and more to follow!

It's been boring - raining cats and dogs! Luckily, only in Downham, so I hope all of you still have the lovely white snow. Today is the Old Russian New Year - yes, it is a very Russian thing, thirteen days after the normal new year here it comes! We have to put all the Christmas decorations away like everybody else, but I keep a branch of fur tree somewhere for this day: so the new 2010 has now officially begun (apart from the Chinese New Year, of course!). Happy New Year! xxxxxxxxx

Merry Christmas!

Hello at last! We have all been busy, and I have managed to ignore my own blog for over a month! I have been participating in fairs, meeting lovely people - this is my favourite thing about going to fairs. I went to Moscow and saw my family. I have been making beads and selling them on e-bay - this is something completely new for me, and I have been really excited about it. The thing is, I have been so pernickety and I did not think my beads are good enough. So hurray, people buy and they are happy! Thank you to all my lovely customers! I went to Scarborough. I went to London. Now I've got a minute and I would like to say:

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

HAVE A GREAT 2010 and may all your wishes come true!

Till next time... xxx

Wirework

I am getting better and better at it! Look at the pics - pay special attention to all those wonderful loops and wraps that I've managed to achieve, I am very proud of that. I think, the main thing is not to be afraid, so I just keep saying to myself: "Do it, go for it, it's going to be great!".

Not much bead making though. Selling bits on ebay. I am so happy that people like what I make. And hopefully tomorrow it will be sunny!

And this is some of Marlene's work:

You can see more on:

glassygear.etsy.com

glassygear@yahoo.com

I'm sure you'll like what you see!

The Winning Bracelet

The Big Bead Awards was a success for Ellie, who has won the 2nd Prize in the Under 16' category with this "Night and Day" bracelet featuring my glass beads! The idea was Kit's, and she had to show Ellie how to attach clasps etc, but the result is great! Well done, girls!!!

We had a lovely time: we saw and had a chat with Jean Power, editor of Bead Magazine, then we had the Presentations, then we had to go for lunch, after which we came back and had more chatting with my friend Marlene, who is a talented and very knowledgeable beader, bead maker and jewellery designer, and you can see more of her work on glassygear.etsy.com. We also had a chat with Sarah Downton, and we bought two lovely beads from her, Kit loves her blue fish, she's already put it on a string. This was not all: we bought some cabochons (a rip off - I spent £100 and the man charged me for the bails on top of that as well!), but never mind. But never again.

So it was a great day out, of course, we bought some gold leaf from Tuffnell, and I already managed to make some horrible beads with it (the photo is NOT attached!).

I've just discovered that I need to make a different post in order to put some more pix!

The Big Bead Show

Yesterday we went to the Big Bead Show. It was great: Ellie's bracelet won a 2nd prize in the under 16s' category - well done! We saw lots of familiar faces and had chats with all our glass/bead friends, the photos are to follow shortly! It's a bliss to have my computer back after all the de-bugging!