Pig Tails and Bumble Bees

The sun is glorious and its only March!!

Me and the dogs have been loving the river walks, most days both Iz and Defi are in the water, splashing and swimming, chasing balls and sticks and meeting all their doggy pals for a good romp in the sunshine.  Its been glorious.  Defi has done so many things this last week, all of them silly! that he has inspired his own range of character beads.  Last week, Defi took to snorkeling, or at least thats what I thought he was doing, totally immersing himself in the river and finding the treasure, that rotten tree branch and really stinky, green slimy stick being his treasure of choice.  That particular walk inspired this bead....

Defi, complete with snorkel and goggles.

Its was only at the weekend that I caught the naughty puppy, (he is really 2yrs old but is our puppy and has definately yet to grow up, much to Iz's chargin) with his nose buried deep in more trouble.  There he was in the sunshine, nose deep into a big yellow daffodil when a big bumble bee - yes we have had some already this year - came and landed on his flower, he did jump out of the way pretty quick....

Defi and the daffodil Just click on the link and Defi has just been listed in my Etsy shop.

I have also just listed, for auction, these beautiful Bullseye Roses Ebay Auction Roses

And just for a giggle, yesterday at the torch I was thinking pig tails, why? who knows!  But this is what happened...

isn't she cute?

Laney x

Spotlight Friday is....Jo Wolfe of Kitzbitz Art Glass

I am jumping straight in here with a brilliant colour chart and what, happens, when, from CIM lampwork glass.   Just click the link below and it takes you to a wealth of information about this glass.  I didn't click on Jo's webpage until earlier today and then lost nearly an hour just reading her charts, brilliant information for beginners and professional glass workers alike.

Colour Chart

So, who is Jo Wolfe of www.Kitzbitz.etsy.com  AND www.FritNChips.etsy.com.

Jo is Craft Pimp.  She set up the Craft Pimp forum, on which there is so much inspiration, information, giggles and chitter chatter, from some exceptionally talented people, from needle workers to silver smiths to paper/card artists to photographers to clay to ceramics to us chatty lot that make up the lampwork group, and I imagine I have missed a few!!

Jo is the owner of two Etsy based shops, on the 'tinterweb one of which is FritNChips which sells glass supplies for the lampworker.  Hand blown shards, murrini and twisties.  Click this link to go to that shop...Glass supplies

Beautiful murrini, twisties, shards and frit blends

As well as FritNChips, Jo makes her own lampwork glass beads and if that isn't enough, her own polymer clay beads.  Jo is known for her beautiful, big aquarium beads with her own hand pulled murrini fish, of course!  Here is a few of my favourites currently for sale in her Etsy shop..

all of these are currently available in Jo's shop

So, that is Jo.  Creator of beads in glass and clay.  Seller of murrini, frit blends, shards and twisties and the wonderful woman that puts in alot of time and energy into a wonderful forum on which I have made many friends and had lots of laughs.

To see more of Jo's work and meet her 'virtually' yourself, come to www.craftpimp.co.uk or check out her beautiful work by clicking the links below.

http://www.facebook.com/KitzbitzArtGlass

www.kitzbitz.co.uk

www.kitzbitzartglass.blogspot.com

www.FritNChips.etsy.com

www.Kitzbitz.etsy.com

Laney x

CandyFloss and Milk

Candy Floss

Candy Floss is a beautiful dragon.  She travels with the fairs all around the world, doing her fabulous tight rope dancing tricks...thats right tight rope dancing, none of this walking for Candy, she is the dare devil dragon with a wiggle and turn!

Then there was Boo.  Why so sad Boo?  Where we live here in Hereford UK we are surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside and rural landscapes and of course farming.  Opposite our home is the cowsheds, full of big 'ole cows.  The farmer buys the young calves and rears them for meat before selling them on at market and buying the babies and so the cycle begins again.  Its quite sad when the babies come, you hear them mooing their mournful moo's throughout the day and into the night, but after a day or two they settle in and munch happily on the food the farmer provides in plenty and become big and fat cows ready to go back to market.  During the summer time, they get moved out into the fields down by the river and we become quite acquainted, the cows, dogs and I.  Little Boo, is a new recruit to the family, but unlike the other other cows she will not be getting big and fat and going to market...hooray for Boo!!

Little Boo

...and finally for todays show and tell, introducing Buster, the Bulldog.  All this talk on the radio about our upcoming festivities to do with the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of our Queen Elizabeth II, I found myself winding glass around the mandrel and hey presto, this little Bulldog arrived in all his British splendour, complete with red white and blue collar.

Buster the Bulldog

and just to show I can, some rather grown up beads!!  just pretty and pinky ones...

Laney x

Owl's that....

Just a few pictures from me today.  I have been doing more experimenting with my fusing, having found a beautiful purple glass to work with.  Purple being one of my most favourite colours. 

Necklace, bracelet, ear rings and ring set

...a little brooch with a beautiful fushia decal detail...

and finally, Libby the Librarian Owl, its reading time at the library, so Libby kindly offered to read the children their favourite book.

Libby the Librarian Owl

 All these will be added to my  Etsy shop in a minute. 

Laney x

And the winner is............

VICTORIA!!  whoo hoo....using the tried and tested method of blindfolding the girlie - far too much fun for a Mothering Sunday afternoon, I got her to pick me a winner with a pin, whoo hoo Victoria, you are the new home that 'ole Beachy Bum is looking for.

Laney x

Craft Pimp Blog Ring - Mel of Inkydoodlecrafts

Inkydoodlecrafts

Its official, Mel is indeed an international seller of beautiful handmade cards.  Check out her blogspot Inkydoodlecrafts for the newsflash!!  She is in the Cardcraft and Papercraft Magazine...whoo hoo...well done Mel, well deserved too x

I love Mel's cards and know first hand that they are truly brilliant, so brilliant, that once you have one in your hands you just don't want to pass it on.  Mel sells her work over the internet, and has cards for all occasions, the one above is available in her Etsy shop Mels Etsy Shop and if you are super quick you will still be able to just about get it in time to give on Mothers Day.

Some of my favourites of Mels are her childrens cards, I could just have them displayed in my house as pictures in a frame!  Here are a couple of my favs that are available right now to buy in her Inkydoodlecrafts Etsy shop.

To see more of Mels beautiful cards, at a bargin price too I might just add, check out her Etsy shop and see her work in her Flickr account and follow her on her blog.  Just use the links below....

Inkydoodlecrafts on Etsy
Inkydoodlecrafts on Flickr
Inkydoodlecrafts Blogspot

Before I go, don't forget to leave me a comment on the Beach Bum for a chance to rehome your very own Bum, draw will take place this weekend by the tried and trusted method of paper and pin, I might even blindfold the daughter and get her to do for me

And lastly....

I have two favourite card makers, one is Mel and the other  is Jane Janes Journal, a long time internet buddy and wonderful jewellery maker and card maker, and I couldn't do this blog shout out,  without mentioning her even though she isn't a Craft Pimp member, she jolly well should be!

Laney x

The give away.....

Really, its all Jo's fault!  It doesn't take much for my imagination to spark and create the wackiest of beads, something someone says, something I see or hear, but this time it was something I saw.  Jo, created these fantastic beach hut beads, are they not the cutest beach huts ever?  She doesn't have them listed in  Jo's Etsy shop just yet, but I have it on good advice they soon will be, that's if the Craft Pimp lot don't give her so many orders for them that she still doesn't get time, which is where I saw them, and the conversation came round to beach bums and so my imagination was sparked and well..firstly, here are the beach huts from Jo...

Beach huts 07.03.2012, a photo by jowalker2368 on Flickr.

She kindly let me link to her Flickr for them to show up here....and here, is  my take on beach bums...

...and no, they are not modelled on anyone I know!! 

So, this beach bum, is looking for a new home, someone who doesn't mind him in all his...ummm...voluminous-ness!  With his builders bum coming over the top of his 'budgie smugglers'...isn't that just a great saying?  one my daughter is known to exclaim loudly whilst in the spa, causing huge giggles and more flushing of cheeks than is perhaps necessary!

So if you think you are able to give this unabashedly, letting it all hang out guy, a good home, all you have to do is comment in the box as to why you would be a fine home for this chap.  I will choose a winner by the tried and tested method of a pin, blindfold and list of names, next weekend.  Hows that?

Laney x

Dizzy Kitten and her clay treasures.

Now its my turn, *rubbing hands together in glee*.  I am part of a blog ring on  Craft Pimp, which is a wonderful and diverse group of crafty minded people, from glass, like me, to paper, fabric, photography and clay.  To name a few.  Its a brilliant forum, full of laughs and giggles and the chance to meet some fabulous artists.  The nominated victim candidate for this week, is Kayleigh aka Dizzy Kitten and her fantastic polymer clay treasures.  I am going to start with a feast for the eyes, some of my favourites from her collections...

Pirate Cats...Ahoy there sailor me 'earties....

Such a cute froggie

Kayleigh is a youngster on the group, being the baby age of early twenties *spits*, but she definately has an eye for detail, just look at her froggies, more on her webpage Dizzy Kittens fabby pages and her lizards Lizards extraordinaire, and you have to agree, she has a talent for the Polymer Clay she favours as her medium.

As well as froggies and lizards she dabbles in a bit of rather special jewellery, colour and form being, I think, her strongest drive, just look at this beautiful summer bracelet, wouldn't be out of place on your hols or watching Wimbledon with a Pimms and bowl of strawberries....

Yum yum!

Kayleigh does seem to have a bit of a gift of turning sticky lumps of clay - when I tried it it was a disaster! - into some fantastic display pieces, from the jewellery, above and the sculptural ornaments in her froggies, but she also designs and makes these superb wedding cake toppers...

Bride and Groom Wedding Cake Toppers

How unique and original would that be on the big day?  and what a beautiful keepsake to remember it by.

My final picture is of these brilliant drawer knobs.  Imagine your kitchen transformed into a arty collection of colour and whimsy, I think they, and all of Kayleigh's work are brilliant, and to think she is still studying at Uni!!  Amazing, the young have so much energy *sigh*

Drawer Knob Bling

For more of Kayleigh's work visit her website or go to her flickr
Website for Dizzy Kitten aka Kayleigh Sexton
Kayleighs Flickr


Laney x

Group of Froglins!

Group of Froglins!, a photo by DizzyKitten on Flickr.

Just a quickie.....

Thursday March 8th....

Dear Diary.....

Girlie had hissy fit last night and had to pluck up all her nice-ness, took a while, to ask for a lift this morning due to having the violin, obviously I made her wait until this morning and didn't mention the kitchen being spotless before we left, just went to the looe with my book and listened to the gentle sounds of dishes being badly washed

Boy person, home from Birmingham night out with pals - how are my nerves going to stand him going to S.France when I barely coped with one night in the big smoke - Hereford not even being a small spark - I don't know. But, he was good, had fun, and got up this morning for college.

Day plan. Girl to school. Woofits to river. Me to shed. Good Plan....

Girlie to school, she even said thank you...the day is going well. Get woofits ready for the off. Go.

Get to next door - about 300-400yds - man said, 'not a good weekend', thought he was referring to my rubbish bead fair, but he wasn't. Him and his wife managed to write off both their cars. My day/week is begining to feel quite good. Nod to him my sympathies - he is a grumpy arse normally - and advise getting rid of car, his, as its the second crash in it this year, its obviously jinxed, I know this being the clever girlie I am

Get to kissing gate at river, mobile goes. Heart stops.

Boy person. Breathe Laney, breathe....

'Mum, thought you might like to know, I have ran out of diesel, have rang the AA...'

'F'ing idiot' I say, nothing like motherly love 'do you have any money, they will not give you diesel without money?'

'Sh1t' says boy person. This means no.

'Where are you?' say I. He then gives me road names and stuff...what a waste of time, I can't direct the postman to next door and boy person is about 40 mins away. Tarrington, he says. 'Where?' say I. We have lived in this county for nearly 15 yrs

We discuss where he is, me getting more and more confused, until I say I am walking the dogs, he says AA will be there by about 10am, its not quite 9, so I say, right, I will walk dogs, get home and go from there. New Plan.

Meanwhile...

On 6th March, a collection of roof bars sold on Ebay, was booked with Shitty Link. They really are rubbish. Hubby works nights and I can't stay in forever. Leave parcel, outside of garage with note on, with hubbys mobile number on, hubby in bed, any problems...blah blah blah...note on door, next to garage, Dear City Link, collection by garage, any problems.. blah blah blah....

Walk woofits. They have been muck spreading again. Iz rolls, Defi eats, both go in river. The sun is shining, I am still doing ok.

Get half way home. Mobile rings. Iz drops ball, big truck comes round corner, I drop mobile on floor so it switches off.....

Get ball. Turn on mobile. Ring boy person. Engaged. Bugger. Try again. Wait for contact list to load. An eternity. Get boy person.

'Did you ring me?'
'Yes. I need £15 for the AA man'
'Ok, where are you?'
'Bartestree.'
'Thought you said Tarrington?'
'On way back to get money'

Dash home. Get to gate. Note on gate.

'we tried to collect'....blah blah blah...

The lazy little... **(**&() never even went through the gate We have three cars on the drive, how did he know we were not there

Grab note. Livid now.

Go in gate and actually up drive.....rush in house, upstairs, wake hubby,
'do you have any money?'
He is instantly awake.
'Uh, no, why?'
'Ben has ran out of diesel and needs £15, AA man coming round with him to collect money'
Hubby rolls eyes. I am sure he is thinking the same as me. We are so proud.
I have £10 in cash and hubby has £5 in change. Got the £15 for the boy person.

Back downstairs. Get phone and try to ring number on failed collection note. Goes through to automated service, I get no where with that. Fire up laptop and get number to talk to actual person.

Finally get through. Some man on the other end.
'Consignment number please' he says
'What number?' say I 'Your delivery chap never even made it through the gate let alone gave me one of those...I have waited in for three days...I will start from the beginning, I am cross' I warn

Tell whole sorry story of rubbish collection driver/parcel by garage/hubby on nights in bed/mobile number on parcel/hubby is lorry driver so I do know that they actually do have to walk through some gates to collect stuff.

Man on phone makes very sympathetic noises.

'Your driver was here approx 25mins ago' I say, 'he actually managed to write that bit down, can you ring him and get him to come back?'
'Yes, absolutely, not a problem, I will sort that for you'

Boy person comes back, dogs start barking....hubby comes downstairs...what happened to my plan??

AA paid. Boy person now at home, hubby still up, tea drunk, kiln on, collection driver coming this afternoon...yeah right....and to think I had a plan and its not yet lunch!

Just an ordinary weekend....

Our Waitress

Last weekend was the Harrogate Bead Fair.  Hubby and I packed, his car, mine not being able to make the journey due to a dodgy clutch.  His is much smaller than mine, so I declined to help load up what usually goes into a large estate car into his more economical and compact one.  It fitted!! Much to my surprise, so we set off from Hereford around 3pm Friday afternoon and arrived in Harrogate around 7.15pm - too late to off load at the bead fair, not that we were planning on going anywhere anyway, the Premier Inn, we were booked into was where we were staying for the weekend. 

There is something to be said for drinking Rose wine out of the glasses that are provided in the Inn, but small they may be, and yes my arm did have to work extra hard to re-fill the glass more regularly, but between us we managed to finish the bottle, albeit I think I probably drank more than himself...ok, definately drank more than himself!!

Over the weekend, we had one evening meal on the Saturday night and one breakfast on the Sunday morning and our waitress was just lovely.  She was always there with a smile, nothing was too much bother, even when dealing with the most ungrateful, obnoxious old woman - no, not me - at the table opposite, who reminded me so much of the character Diana, from Waiting for God, such a miserable looking woman who truly did think she was at the Ritz and not a Premier Inn.  So our waitress, dashed between us and them.  She reminded me somehow of a really cool cat, so...once home, she was immortalized in glass! 

I haven't had much torch time just lately and yesterday I did manage a couple of little miniature collectibles which will be finding their way onto Ebay this afternoon...

Oink

Cute or what?

Also introducing, Eleanor (named after my neice :O) ), the circus Elephant.  Eleanor is a very clever little elephant, she has been to circus school and is learning how to use the ball in her new act....

Eleanor

One of Eleanor's closest friends, has come all the way from the Alps, just to see her new act.  Bernie, is such a lovely boy and is always ready to share a nip or two from his whisky flask, which is always full and of a particularly fine vintage, around his neck...

Bernie the Saint Bernard

Laney x

ps I almost forgot to mention...I am part of a blog ring, and this time round its my go to be talked about.  I am thinking most people think me as the quiet, gentle sort, a bit like a wall flower, or shy rose, occasionally nodding from behind my laptop, but no, this lot think I am a complete nutter!!  To read what some of the others think about me, go here....

http://kitzbitzartglass.blogspot.com/2012/03/artists-spotlight-laney-mead.html

http://dizzykitten.blogspot.com/2012/03/post-no-7-laney-of-izzybeads.html

http://inkydoodlecrafts.blogspot.com/2012/02/week-one-of-craftpimp-blog-ring.html