Balloon Folksy Friday

It was my son's 4th birthday this week. I have no idea where the last 4 years have gone, it seems like only two years agao that he was born.
We went to the tampoline centre for his party but like most 4yr olds he knew what he wanted as his theme (i.e. his plates, party bags etc.) - ballooons.
I was quite pleased with this as it was easy for me to do and far cheaper than a branded theme. However, what about the cake? well i cheated a little with a pre-bought hedgehog. But, I did make 2 doz crispie cakes and 2 doz fairy cakes which with an easter egg cutter borrowed from pre-school turned out like this.

To celebrate his balloon themed party, this Folksy Friday is also balloon themed - enjoy.

fly fly away peach ring – Nelli D

balloon necklace - Niche Handmade

Birthday card – Clare’s Creations

And finally how cool is this - check out heir shop for more stunning balloon creations.

balloon super hero - Balloon Baboon

Red Polka Heaven

A while ago, I bought this stunning set of beads from Trudi at Glittering Prize , aren't they lovely?

It is more unusual to get red lampwork beads than other colours. The glass is coloured with metal oxides. Red comes from gold oxide so is expensive and rarer than say copper oxide whoch makes the blues and greens. When I saw this set of beads I fell in love with them.

With the set, I made a bracelet and a pair of earrings and I still have some black spacer beads left for another project.

What do you think of this stunning handmade karen hilltribe heart toggle? Stunning isn't it? I just had to use it with these red beads. I have echoed the red and black of the lampwork with faceted chunky Czech red rondelles and onyx rondelles. A few round hammered hilltribe silver beads and in my mind you have one stunning bracelet.

For the earrings I used the main polka dot lampwork beads and the black spacers along with my favourite at the moment the karen hilltribe daisy spacer. I love that flash of silver between the beads, it is so subtle and yet eye catching.

I hope to get the beauties listed in the Beady Pool Folksy shop later this evening, in the meantime I am going to think of a name for them! Hope you like them x

May

O SPRING has set off her green fuses

Down by the Tamar today,

And careless, like tide-marks, the hedges

Are bursting with almond and may.

Taken from ‘The Seasons in Cornwall’ by Charles Causley

from Collected Poems 1951-1997 published byMacmillan, 1992, ISBN 0333699211.

As a child I was given a book of poems by Charles Causley and this poem was in it. This first verse really sums up spring to me. One moment it's winter and the next the hawthorn (may) is sprouting lush green shoots and creamy white flowers. I didn't remember the poem properly hence why initially these pieces were called blackthorn...I remembered it as blackthorn and may. It was nearly 20years ago now when I first read it, well that's my excuse.So, why call these peices may?

Take a good look at the gorgeous lampwork beads by Rachel Dawes. We have the fantastic vibrant green of the new may leaf shoots, against the dark blacks and browns of the bark with the early flush of flowers emerging into the spring sunshine. As soon as I saw the beads that poem came to mind.

For those who wish to know, blackthorn (my original name for these pieces) is the sloe. Please correct me if I am wrong but the blackthorn flowers first and then gets leaves and the may (hawthorn) produces leaves and then flowers. A lot of the time we see blackthorn flowers and assume it is the may.

May is the common folk name for the hawthorn tree and the name has been used since the middle ages. Spring is coming earlier though each year as now we see may blossom in april instead of may.

The may bracelet and earrings are now available in the Beady Pool folksy shop.

Folksy Friday - Lampwork jewellery

I have a love for lampwork beads.

That is handmade, one of a kind artisan lampwork beads. Each one lovingly made from a rod of glass gently heated in a hot flame and coaxed into a bead, each one different, each one individual.

Beady Pool jewellery is mainly designed around these artisan beads with a good sprinkling of silver, stunning gemstones and quality glass beads. To celebrate Beady Pool's love of lampwork this weeks Folksy friday focuses on these handmade beads.

Check out these beauties. Don't forget each one is unique as the beads used are unique - you won't see anyone else wearing these items

Bracelet - corinna2designs

Necklace - The Boutique Jewellery Company

Silica necklace - beaushambles
Snowdrop necklace - CeeGee jewellery
green heart necklace - Fairly Girly
Lime tree necklace - Whitecockade46
Blumen Bracelet - Beady Pool
earrings - Saffron Jewellery
Cocktail ring - Kookie Designs

Nasturtium

The other day I shared a picture of some gorgeous polka dot beads that I had bought from Caroline Cash.
With the orangey/red beads in the set I have made Nasturtium, neckalce and matching earrings.

I have matched the beads with some spacers (small lampwork beads in a plain colour) I had in my stash from Alison Davies, karen hilltribe entwined spacers and orange Swarovski crystals. In the centre is a lovely chunky hilltribe flower bead. I have then attached these to fine Sterling Silver chain. The whole necklace is finished with a Silver s-clasp and a handwired lampwork spacer charm.

Close up of the flower bead and the spotty beads.

Oh and the earrings - can you spot the hilltribe daisy spacers in between the polka dot bead and the spacer? I love the effect this gives to earrings which is probably why I reproduce this design in various guises.

Orange is not a colour I would normally use, but I am really pleased with the end result. Nice and sunshiny. Roll on the summer.

I am hoping to get these listed in my Folksy shop later this week - keep an eye open for them.

Old Town

Remember those gorgeous grey toned lampwork beads from Lushlampwork ? Well here is what I made - oh and a pendant which I inadvertently forgot to photograph.
I will post that photo soon.

Old Town Bracelet

I found my love by the gasworks croft
Dreamed a dream by the old canal
Kissed my girl by the factory wall
Dirty old town, dirty old town.

Lyrics by Ewan MacColl

Old Town earrings

Both are available now in the Beady Pool Folksy shop.

I would love to know what you think of them, please leave any comments below.

Baaa Baaa it's Folksy Friday

It's lambing weekend at a farm near us and we are hoping to take my son. So in keeping here are some woolly finds.

A few weeks ago Woolly Lakes did a Sheep inspired Folksy Friday a few weeks ago so I am keeping mine a little different. Why not pop over to their blog and take a look?

Cute t-shirt from Silver Birch Crafts, I wouldn't loose my son in amoungst the lambs if he was wearing this.

A cute memory of the day? Wee sheep from Quernus Crafts?

Oh how about a cute sampler from Sew Lovely

Finally maybe my son could send Grandma a cute card telling her all about the lambs.

Sheep card by Fluffy Thoughts

Back next Friday with some more Folksy Friday Finds X

And the winner is....

Jolicious

Well done Jolicious, if you can email me your address or where you would like them to be sent I will get them off in the post to you.

A huge thank you to my son for picking a name out of the hat...and for keeping on picking

So, can Vonnie, Laura G and Nichola Pitt also send me you addresses :)

Am feeling over generous and he did pick you out.

It won't be lampwork earrings but I will pop a little something into the post fo you all as well

Mothering Sunday Giveaway

So, are you organised? Have you bought your mum or that someone special something for mothering Sunday?
Or more to the point are you a mummy and just want to be spoilt?

Would you like to win these gorgeous earrings?
To either give to someone special or keep for yourself?



The earrings feature handmade lampwork spacers by Rebecca Weddell, Karen hilltribe silver diasy spacers and amazonite faceted rondelles. Handwired by Beady Pool using sterling silver wire and hung from sterling sivler earwires.
Gorgeous :)

So, what do you have to do I hear you ask?
Just write a comment below saying who you would give these to and why.

Yep it's that simple.

What I hear you ask - no blog following, no facebook fanning, no shop favouriting?
No, I want to keep it simple this time. But, if you want to please do
facebook - http://artist.to/beadypool
www.beadypool.folksy.com

So comment away below....if you won these earrings who would you give them to and why?

Small print - Open to UK residents only this time as I have left it a little late
Draw closes 8am Thurs morning so I have time to post them out

Names will go into a hat and my son will pick one after 8am
Good luck x

Today I am making with....

Town stonebaked beads from Julie at Lush lampwork. The beads have been etched to give them a lovely tactile softness.
I can see these looking fab with some black diamond faceted Czech glass beads that I have. I also have a stunning Karen Hilltribe silver toggle whose design will really bring out the silver band on the beads.

And these nautical inspired set from Caroline Cash . I am really in spotty beads at the moment, so these came along just at the right time. In real life the "red" beads are far more orange. I was disappointed at first, however I have some stunning orange spacers left from a previous project by Alison Davies (Who by the way has just reopened her shop, so take a look.) So, I am going out of my blue comfort zone and am making in orange - yep that's right orange! This spell of sunny weather really has inspired me.

I will post pictures of the finished items when I've made them. Check back to see what I make soon.

Beady Photographs courtesy of the lampwork artists.

Creme de Mure

And the gorgeous purple frit beads by Rachel Dawes became......

Creme de Mure earrings

Creme de Mure Necklace

Both are available now in the Beady Pool Folksy shop.

A Berkshire Folksy Friday

Folksy has so many fantastic sellers and at times it can be hard to decide what theme to choose. So, this week I have decided to look on my doorstep. Not literally, but in my locality.
So, here is a showcase of some Berkshire Folksians - enjoy the diversity.

From top left :
Pop up birthday card - Pop up Zoo
Leaf earrings by Edwina Simone
Ceramic cupcake pincushion – Lauren ceramics
Anemone Blanda pin pot – Granny Ruth’s Gift Emporium
Wonderland Hatter brooch – Silent Theatre
HooterNinnie - Oddsox

Sumi – Pussy Galore

Blackberry - Beady Pool

Handpainted tulip vase – Clare’s Creations

Button bracelet – Wintersnow

I would love to know which are your favourites - please let me know below. If there are any other Berkshire Folksians out there please leave your links in the comments.

Damask

Remember those stunning signature artisan beads by Rebecca Weddell I showed you in the previous post? Those floral cerise beauties? Well here is what I have created using them.

Damask

I picked out the floral theme of the lampwork with a beautifully handmade Karen hilltribe Silver rose. Then I used ooodles of pink swarovski crystals and chunkier faceted rondelles in cerise pink to compliment the lampwork. These are interspersed with hilltribe silver tubes.

All finished with a hilltribe s-clasp and a handwired faceted crystal rondelle charm.
I am so pleased with how this has turned out and it's been nice making a necklace instead of a pendant for once.
Damask can be found in the Beady Pool folksy shop as can the complimenting Anemone earrings.

Today I have been making...

With these gorgeous lampwork beads.
A set of fritties from Rachel Dawes, I am loving the deep purples in these beads. I have been teaming them with faceted crystal beads and Karen Hilltribe daisy spacers. I've made two necklaces and a pair of earrings.

And a set of Rebecca Weddell's trademark floral beads - scrummy.

With these beads I have made a necklace with a Karen Hilltribe silver rose pendant and a pair of earrings which can already be found in the Beady Pool shop on Folksy. Photographs of the resulting jewellery coming soon.....

Sunshine Sunshine Sunshine

Wow today is just stunning - spring is definately on it's way.

Over the past month or so, I have been lucky enough to receive a Sunshine Blog award from numerous other bloggers who like reading my blog - thank you, I'm really touched x

Being my usual self it has taken me ages to get around to bloggin about this and passing it on.

So, here it is - isn't that Gerbera cheerful?

Blog awards usually come with rules to help share out the blogging love and introduce us all to new blogs. Here are the rules for this one...
The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity and creativity inspires others in the blog world.
The rules for accepting this award are:
Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.
Link the nominees within your post.
Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.
If you would like to take the award and pass it on to bloggers who inspire you then please do.

However, I already follow all the people who sent me the award and as this has been doing the rounds for a while most people have received it. So, I am changing the rules for me :)
I am going to showcase here some items from each of the bloggers shops who nominated me. Why not have a look around their shops?

Trinket Box
Top Floor Treasures
Coburg Crafts


Kookie Designs

and Pussy Galore

Thank you all for sharing the award with me x