April Foolishness

Near the end of March, Red Bird Jewellery posted a thread on the Folksy forum asking if anyone fancied joining her for some April foolishness. Her suggestion? To list an item everyday for the whole of April. Yep that is list 30 items, one per day for each and every day of April Well, as if I don't have enough to so I decided to join in. Stupidly when I signed up I forgot I would be back home in Cornwall for the easter weekend and with limited internet access. So, I have been playing catch up. Here are the gorgeous lovelies I have listed so far.

Seaspray Earrings - Lampwork by Laura Sparling

Seaspray Bracelet - Lampwork by Laura Sparling Cosmos Earrings - Lampwork by Laura Sparling

Smokescreen Bracelet - Smokey quartz latern beads and hilltribe silver

Portholes - lampwork by Caroline Cash

Nautical - lampwork by Caroline Cash

Fern - Green Amethyst and Hilltribe silver

Most are available now in my Beady Pool Folksy Shop, a couple have already gone to new homes.

Wish me luck luck for the next 23 days!

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