Chicken pig and bears, exploring crochet.

What a glorious, sunshiney day.  Its smells like summer is coming, all green and growing. 

 

Iz, Defi and I went to the river this morning, we watched the swans bathing and grooming, the ducks swimming, the golfers on the opposite bank golfing...and losing balls in the river which was most funny... and we smelled the smells that mean summer is coming, wet, green growing smells.  Ummmmmmmm.

 

So.  I have been busy lately, or rather the hubby and son have.  After deciding that the time is right to start giving some lessons in how I make my style of beads, the studio had to under go some renovations.  Both hubby and son are currently on a lunch break, but within the next couple of hours they will be finished.  We just need the pipes tidying away (a quick trip the hardware shop to purchase some clips and bits) and a sweep up and I will be firing up my torch for the first time in over a week....I have missed my torch.  I will be posting pictures of the studio, soon, it still needs a lick of paint to brighten the walls, but I have to melt some glass first, with my nice new torch, the Midrange Plus, and I am now connected to oxygen tanks rather than an oxygen generator so will need a little play to get used to the hotter, faster flame.  I have a massive grin :)

 

Seeing as the studio has been out of action for me to play in, I have been playing with another medium.  Wool.

 

I don't knit, I can only do purl and knit stitch and knitting grows so slowly that I get bored, but I do crochet, not very fast, but faster than if I was knitting.  I have picked up the hooks several times over the years and made crocheted tops and gloves and little things like that, but nothing ever grabbed me as much as making little creatures out of glass, so my crochet stints never lasted long, until now.

 

As I haven't been making pigs and cows and dragons and bears in glass, I thought about filling the gap with crocheted ones.  I have glass buttons, lampworked ones, that I have been wanting to put on something, thought it would be a jumper for me, but had a little epiphany and not much enthusiasm for a larger garment, I found on line a free pattern for a pig and chicken toy by Michele Wilcox, and using my eye buttons gave piggy a goofy look.  Defi loves this toy and is always in trouble for trying to steal it!

 

After I made the chicken pig, as he is called around here when Defi runs off with him, shouts of 'give back chicken pig' echo around the house, I wanted to make something else.  The teddy bear pattern was another free one I found on the internet, again by Michele Wilcox, and when she was made she just looked so naked and cold, so I set about trying to find teddy bear clothes patterns and came up with none.  Very disappointing.  So I picked up the hook, and set about making teddy clothes, with lampwork buttons, of course.  This well dressed bear, has knickers, little top with two buttons, a pinafore dress, hat and shoes.  Best dressed ted in the house I think.

 

Just off out now to fire up my torch and make something in glass, but my interest in wool has definitely been ignited so expect some more animals from me, I have already drawn up plans to create my own patterns, so maybe some glass creatures will find themselves recreated in wool.

 

Enjoy the pictures of Esme and chicken pig in the garden, you can just see Defi in a couple loitering around ready to run off with chicken pig, who is now safely upstairs out of the way!

 

 



 

 

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