Every Tuesday, on both my jewellery and lampwork bead sites, I will be setting up a special of the week.  There will be only one item on each site available at a considerable discount during that week.  So if you’ve had your eye on something and see that I’ve discounted, be sure to be quick as once it’s gone it’s gone!

So to start off, here are this weeks specials… 

I’ve decided to scrap my monthly draws for now, and instead offer occassional giveaways.  I think it’ll be less predictable and more fun.  These giveaways will be at random times, and can be for vouchers, beads, anything at all! 

I will be tying the giveaways to my blog, so you will need to keep an eye on it.  Or even easier, just subscribe to it and you’ll be kept informed via email.

So, how do these giveaways work?  I’ll pop a post up here in my blog with details of the prize.  For your chance to win that prize, all you have to do is respond to the post by adding a comment.  Just make sure that you leave me some way to contact you, in case you’re the winner.  After a couple of days, I will randomly pick a winner out of those comments using random.org and they get the prize!!

It’s that simple!

So keep an eye out!  I may hold a giveaway tomorrow, next week, or whenever!!  

I have had a large group of 37 beads I made sitting here for a while now.  They’re cute tab beads with raised scrollwork on them in topaz and red. 

I’ve set up a new category on my website, called Singles, where I shall list large groups of identical (as identical as I can make them that is) and you get to choose how many you wish to buy, until they’re all gone.  I thought this way, you are not restricted to buying a whole set if you don’t wish to.  You can just purchase one bead or as many as you like.

I probably wont have alot of listings in this category, as it can get quite tiresome making multiples of the same bead.  But sometimes I just get in the zone and keep going.

Let me know what you think of this idea, if you’re much happier with choosing your own quantites or prefer having ‘unique’ sets.

Oops!  Almost forgot the piccies! 

Well I finally got around to getting new batteries for my camera.  So now I can show you some of the beads that I managed to get made.  To be perfectly honest, I’ve been seriously been lacking motivation and inspiration so far this year, so the styles of the beads are all over the place LOL

First up is an oriental style bead, I really wanted to make something with a feature section and clean, ends and I think this works.  I used the mandrel spinner with this bead and got the nice even tube shape.  Need to get some more mandrels that fit it properly, so I can use it more. 

The next couple of beads are some of my colour palette beads.  I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I intended to make them using stringer so I get finer colour definition and a more marbled effect.  This style really reminds me of the oil paint on water effects we did in primary school way back when. 

Ahhh, next is a Terra bead.  This is the original ‘Terra’ glass also, it is a silver saturated glass which created the beautiful hues of colours.  I finally got some colour out of it after melting it completely in, previously it was turning to mud for me. 

And lastly, some small focal rounds using frit.  When I sat at the torch to make these I was thinking of making something that would work really well for small pendants or for attaching to the clasps of chainmaille bracelets.  The colour saturation in frit is really strong and I think they’d work really well with chainmaille. 

So, there have it!  Some of the beads I have created so far this year. :)

Ohhhhh have I been bad or what?!  It’s just been over a month since I have posted anything here!!  To be perfectly honest, nothing exciting has been happening in my life anyway LOL

It was mums birthday last Friday, yes Friday the 13th!  I got her a gorgeous bunch of flowers, pink gerberas, rose buds and lizzies, with greenery of course.  I do love the smell of fresh roses.  I would of taken a photo of the flowers but, of course, my camera batteries are dead!  Isn’t it always the way?!

I finally got some lampwork beads made too, not that I can show you them at the moment.  :-S  I tried some experiments and just playing around with the glass, some worked, some realllllly didn’t LOL  It’s crazy, I sat down at the torch and just went completely blank.  When I’m unable to torch, I get all these ideas flowing through my head, but as soon as I do get the chance, it all disappears.  I think I really just need to get into the groove again.  Next time I torch I think I shall stick to what I know for a few days til I get back into it.  Meaning more colour palette beads!!  I did make a few colour palette focal beads, but in a slightly different style.  Instead of swiping on the colours from the rods, I made stringer and used that.  This means the beads have an even more distinct marbling effect on them.  I’m really liking that look, so will make some sets like that, I think.

I’ve also got a few pieces of jewellery made up that I need to take photos of as well.  They were actually made a couple of months ago.

So, you’re probably wondering what I’ve been doing with my time then…  I’ve been watching dvd’s!!  hehehe Specifically, the whole four seasons of Dr Who.  I bought the dvd sets, and both mum and I have been watching them LOL  I’ve gotten her addicted to the Doc lol  I also got the two seasons of Torchwood, still have to watch them though.

I’ve also been playing with the setup of my new aquarium.  Unfortunately, I’ve lost a few fishies, the latest one yesterday.  :(  I’ve been inundated with snails too!  grrrrrr they must of come in on one of the plants I got.  So everyday, I’m picking out snails.  I had thought I’d managed to get rid of them, but I must of missed one or two and they bred.  Pity the fish I have dont eat them.  If they weren’t such a pest I wouldn’t mind them as they are kinda cute.  But if I let them be they’ll become an infestation that will overtake the tank.  I’ve ordered some little shrimp for the tank too, they’ll help with the algae.  The ones I’m getting are clear, they’ll be so cute, like tiny prawns in the tank. 

Well, it seems I’m starting to ramble on now LOL  So I’ll sign off until next time.  I promise not to leave it as long before writing again.

Cheers!

Anne