Grey days and Chickens.

Today in Hereford, its grey, misty, dreary and a little depressing, considering its early March.  After a very wet walk down at the river this morning, followed by a vigorous hosing down and cleaning up of the dogs when I got back, I turned on the heater in the studio, and had a couple of hours pottering about in there.  Coming back into the house I walked past this trio, and they waited there until I could grab the camera and take this snapshot from the window in the hall.

 

My studio is left of these wooden chairs, which see alot of sitting on in the summer, and to the right of them is my veggie beds, hence the sitting on in the summer, admiring my lettuces and such, but over winter they languish under the grey skies and turn that lovely silvery colour with touches of green...and chickens!

 

 

From left to right, Dirty Gertie, EveryReady Looky Likey and Frankie, who was originally totally black feathered and now white as snow.

Two of my veggie beds, waiting for veggies, we have one of the Maran girls (there are two but they are just the 'Maran girls' and Big Red, the oldest member of the chook coop.

Not the best pictures of the week, but they made me smile!

 

Laney x

Stitch markers and experiments

 I have been encouraged by Sara of Crafts of Texture, to make some stitch markers, using my natural brand of humour, finally able to put it to some good use!  She brought some glass buttons from me, a while ago, and mentioned that with my humour, stitch markers would go down a treat...so get them while you can!  First up is my trademark Chook marker with fried eggs and bum holes...how else would they lay eggs!!

 

Chicken (chook) and fried egg stitch markers on Etsy

Just click on the link for the chooky set or for the Sheep and balls of wool set (below) click here!

Struggling to think of that perfect Xmas gift for Granny?  Look no further than in my Izzybeads Etsy shop

I have been experimenting with my fused glass.  This pendant is quite simple in that there was only three pieces to cut, but the finished piece is stunning, but, a touch grown up for me!

So...

I decided to have a play.  I put together some fusing glass and made some cabochons, then I dragged out the glass paints (ones that go into the kiln to be fused into the glass, so posh ones!) blew off the dust and promptly emailed the lovely Jill at Kiln Fired Art for some tips.  Sadly, my watercolour skills are limited, the paint isn't vibrant with me, it just goes to mud, and using glass paints is a similar process, other than for drying you use a kiln.  Jill suggested I try an oil based medium, which resulted in a quick dash to the local supermarket for some Olive Oil, then I set about my fused cabs. 

So far they have had two firings and I am not unhappy with them, just not over happy.  They are not quite the masterpieces I imagined they would be, but, they are a start and I have many more ideas...and cabs...to play with, but I think I will take the bull by the horns and attempt to use the glass paints in a more watercolour technique, possibly this weekend...wont be next weekend as we are now counting down to the Beadathon raising awareness and funds, to support the Children with Cancer charity. 

If you are feeling generous and want to support us, and read more about it, click this link Beadathon.  We are a small group of lampworkers, and we are very passionate about raising awareness for this fabulous charity, we are nearly at our target of £500 and it would be brilliant to reach that by next weekend.

Laney x