New bricks and mortar shop!

Oh dear, I didn’t realise I hadn’t blogged for quite so long!

But I have a good excuse. I opened my first bricks and mortar shop, Artfully Made, in October last year which has been hugely exciting and just a little bit hectic. You can find the new blog here http://artfully-made.blogspot.co.uk/ I’ll be updating it on a regular basis with news from the shop and info about upcoming workshops and events, etc. There’s more details about the shop, how to find it and the workshop programme on the website – www.ArtfullyMade.co.uk which will soon have an online shop added.

Bees and Ladybirds have landed!

I’ve been busily making and gradually filling up my Etsy and Folksy shops. And as promised I’ve added some honey bee and ladybird lampwork earrings along with some other pretty things, here’s a taster of what’s there

You can find these and more in my Etsy shop and also my Folksy shop.

Vintage chic

The other day I uncovered a stash of vintage fabric covered buttons which had been hiding in my sewing room.

There’s loads of them, lovely colours, textures and patterns, and I thought to myself ‘I want to use them’, so set about devising a way. And so far here’s a few designs I’ve come up with

I’ve started listing them in my Etsy shop, why not take a look, there’s lots of other pretties there too.

The birds and the bees

Well ladybirds and bees actually, of the glassy variety. I’ve been busily making, when I can, I’ve come down with a bout of tonsillitis so have felt lousy and therefore not terribly productive.

I made another little batch of ladybirds and honey bees last time I had a session on the torch, here they are fresh from the kiln.

And after cleaning, all lined up ready to be made into earrings, along with some cabs I made a while ago that have been waiting to be made up.

Unfortunately there was a bee casualty, she’ll get her wing glued back on at bee A&E and made into a pair which I’ll persuade a kind friend or relative to adopt. I know, I live in my own little world, but it's ok they know me here :)

Bee sure to keep an eye on my Etsy shop as they will hopefully be landing there soon!

See the wood for the trees!

On the weekend I took myself off to the Blackdown Hills Woodland Festival. I know it sounds a bit tree huggy, we I suppose it was a bit, but really interesting and fun too. There was lots going on, people carving things with chainsaws (yes these really have been carved with chainsaws!)

A competition for running up a pole, sounds dull but the guy on the left managed it in under 5 seconds which I thought was pretty amazing, he must have been a squirrel in a previous life.

People making chairs out of sticks, and lots of other stands about green energy, or selling lovely handmade stuff.

There was also a stand displaying bonsai trees which I find absolutely fascinating, all the teeny tiny leaves and the patience that it takes to carefully persuade and coax them in to shape over the years and it amuses me when a bee or bug lands on one like a giant out of some 1950’s horror film. I’m not sure I’m that patient but I certainly have admiration for those that do, and that’s what has inspired me this week, the teensy weensy detail and miniaturisation of nature.