The Christmas Rush......

You think you are ready for it, but then you realize your not !! That is the run up to the Christmas shows.
I have just finished my last show and the stock has  a really large hole in it. However that now leaves me, with a blank canvas to start the new year.
My trusty sketch pad has loads of new ideas from pendants to brooches and rings. I can't wait to start after Christmas, with I hope a few new tools for birthday / Christmas. Surely with all the hints I have dropped, someone will have got it :)
As always I have some pictures to show you. I am still etching a lot of my silver jewellery, especially the backs of my rings.

Well here goes, the first picture is a pair of 14mm silver etched stud earrings.

The next is some silver and lampwork cabochon studs.

Lastly a 25mm Silver Poppy Ring with silver Poppies on the bezel edge.

Hope you have like the items of eye candy, that I have shown you. I will blog again next month / next year. I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a healthy New year.

Thanks to all my customers, old and new for making this a really good year.

To my friends (you know who you are) thanks for your support and encouragement.

SEE YOU ALL IN 2013

Busy, Busy, Busy.....

It is that time of year, when you look at the calender and realise that you have Christmas shows for the next couple of months and you need to make more stock.
The ceramics is taking time with pouring, painting and then glazing. However the kiln has been busy.

I have some shows where I can only sell Ceramics, others where I can take my handmade Lampwork and silver jewellery.
Thought I would show you this ring that I made a couple of weeks ago. It is now sold. It is a stunning lampwork 25mm cabochon dressed in a silver bezel setting, which has been etched on the back.

I love making large rings, there is such satisfaction in the end product. I also love making these silver and lampwork stud earrings.

I think they would make super Christmas presents.
There are some super handmade items at local shows and it is up to everyone to support the great British Artisans in everything Handmade.







Holiday over.......

 

I have spent two weeks in the Greek Islands, just reading, swimming and relaxing.It was very hot 34deg during the day but cooler in the evening.This is a picture from our balcany.

 

As I stepped off the plane when I returned home, I wished I had put on a jumper.
But now it is back to the studio and down to work.
I must stock up with my ceramics for the Autumn and Christmas fairs.
I need to get on my torch, as my jewellery stock is depleting fast. I think this years Christmas fairs I will concentrate on Vases, Jugs and bowl. The items that are practicle for the home.
As soon as I have a photo, I will post one on this blog, so keep popping back to see new items as they are done.
O'h and by the way, it's nice to be home....................... till the next holiday.



Rings and things.......

Hope you are all enjoying these few warm days that we are having, maybe we will be having a late summer after all.
I had intended to clean and tidy the house yesterday as hubby was fishing all day.
However I went to the studio and before I new it, the day had passed by with no house cleaned but.........
I did get these couple of items made.

 

The cabochone is 25mm and sparkles like a rockpool with sea coral filling it's waters. I have etched the back and dressed it in Sterling silver.







The copper and silver earrings are a couple of stunning rose silvered cab set in silver on etched copper tear drops, they hang from simple silver wires.

 

So today I must stay out of the studio and do some housework !!!!!
Or maybe I might pop out this afternoon for just half an hour :)

Dressed in Silver

Well is it the end of Summer ? or maybe we will have a nice warm Autumn.
I have been making up some jewellery and this is my Ocean Heart and large shell , now dressed in silver.

I am getting ready for the Autumn shows, which will lead into Christmas, a very busy time for me.
I love making thse Ocean themed lampwork beads and have now made some buttons that are shaped like the shells. These would look lovely on a sea themed dress or jumper.

 

Just to let you know that I will be selling the buttons in my Etsy shop as soon as I have listed them.

As for my Ceramics, that is always busy and I have loads of new jugs and Items already to decorate for the Christmas shows.

I will update again in a few weeks.





Christmas !!

Yes I did write Christmas. I have just finished Taunton Flower show and customers were buying for Christmas.
It was a good show and the weather, although showery, the sun did shine most of the time.I need to start making now for the Christmas shows as I am taking a two week break soon.
This is a very short blog as there is not much to tell you all.
I have been making a few new Beads, like shells and hearts ready to dress in silver.

I am trying to work on some different style of ocean beads, like the heart. You really need to see this one close up, the shells and sandy beach is resembled within the glass.
I will blog again when I have more to show and tell you.
Until then Happy Christmas !!

Bring home the Gold.......

With the 2012 London Olympics beginning to start and the sun shinning for our Team G.B thriving to bring home the gold, we wish them luck.
In my own family my Nephew / Godson will tomorrow be having his own golden moment, when he takes on is new wife.
It only seems like yesterday that he was a small wee thing and now he is all grown up and I will be one proud Auntie.
So I needed to make something new to go with my outfit, so started with a sterling silver handmade Etched bead, which I only broke five saw blades in the making.

Added some of my own lampwork beads with Lava beads and citron chips to make the necklace.
The earrings are lampwork cabs again made by me, with sterling silver bezel cups and as always a bit of sparkle with a crystal teardrop.

I am pleased with the way it has turned out and it matches my outfit really well.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend, where ever you are.

For any other couples getting married tomorrow I wish you........

A life of happiness  and fulfilment.

And to my own Nephew if he gets to read my blog

Be happy go have your golden moment and shine.

To our Team G.B good luck, make us proud.



Busy Busy

Yes I have been very busy, getting ready for shows, that have been cancelled owing to the weather. What a dissapointment. Axe Vale garden and craft show was rained off, so the next show will be Taunton Flower show in Somerset with my ceramics.
Any of my regular customers who missed me at the Axe Vale, very sorry but do pop in to Taunton on the first Friday and Saturday in August, I will be in the craft Tent.

Very Large Jug / Flower vase

I am also playing around with silver smithing and etching metal. I love the effect it has on different metals. Here is some copper and sterling silver that I have etched.

My Nephew is getting married in a few weeks, so I have made him a pair of sterling silver cuff links, with part of his vowes etched onto them. I am hoping he will wear them on the day.

As for my Lampwork, you must know by now, I love making Cabochons and setting them in silver. However Jenna Best set one of my cabs into this lovely silver spider pendent. Well done Jenna.

Will blog again in a few weeks.

Rain, Rain go away.....

I have just had a super week in Cyprus, weather was in the 80's the sea was blue and the sand was hot.
It was their religious festival, so there was plenty going on and the evenings were bustling with people. There were stalls as far as the eye could see, but also they make these tiny round sweet balls, soaked in a honey glaze.....scrummy and very fattening.

I thought it was rude not to try them !!

It also seemed the month for weddings, and there were a lot of new brides, looking lovely in the sunshine, Spending the receptions on large boats from Pathos harbour.We sat in the evenings at a small table sipping wine and letting the day drift away.

But like all good things, they come to an end and back home this morning to the wind and rain. The never ending washing and emptying the cases.

I did, however get a couple of new things made last month. An adjustable silver ring, with my own cabochon.

A sterling silver pendent on a chain, it has a deep blue cabochon set with a silver bezel setting. This is so pretty.

My Etsy shop is now open after my vacation and I will be adding new items over the next few days.

.

Busy weekend

It has been almost a month since I updated my blog, so sorry to those who do pop in to see what I have been up to.
I hope you all had a nice Easter, even though the weather had changed. I spent a few days in Brixham, we were very lucky and didn't have any rain, so able to go on loads of walks. This is over looking the bay, next to Fishcombe Bay.

It reminds me that we have some lovely coastline in our Country.

Then last weekend I went to Flame Off with a friend, for a couple of days. The best way I can explain it, is a lampworkers convention. So much to see, glass to buy and try, tools and gadgets, frit and stringers, demonstrations and meeting old and new friends. I loved it, even if my bank balance didn't :)

I bought a fantastic pendant by Anouk Jasper, who I have also had the pleasure of doing one of her courses.

Loads of glass and a couple of presses and rollers, all I am sure I really needed !

Fantasic demo by Manda from Mango Beads. Pati Walton from U.S.A, Claudia Trimbur-Pagel from France with amazing stringer work and very different look to her beads.Emma Mackintosh with seahorses.

There was a large area to try out the torches and buy kilns and set ups.

Then it is back home and get down to doing some work.

New items in my Etsy shop.

This set of Ocean Focals, which I really loved making. A new Goddess and a Large BHB cored Pendent.



I will try not to leave it so long to blog, next time. bye for now.

Robins

Just a quick update to let you all know that the Robins have hatched out at the weekend.
So far I can see two out of four. Mum is now busy feeding them.

Spring is here....

The sun is out and the birds are busy making there nests. One little Robin decided that he would make her nest in my stockroom shed, on the top of all the mugs.

She is sitting on four eggs and I am hoping that they all hatch out. The local paper got to hear and have been out to do a small story on her.
Although, when they came , she flew off and then returned after they went, I think she must be camera shy.

When I go in and out of the shed, she just peeps over the top of her nest, protecting her eggs.
I hope they hatch out and I will take more photos of the development.



GODDESS AND MERMAID FOCAL BEADS

I have been making some focal beads, sea themed.

Yemays Goddess of the Ocean

Mermaid Focal

Both of these are in my Etsy shop for sale.



Mothers Day

Tomorrow will be Mothers Day and I am sure that lots of you will be treating your mum, or being treated yourselves. So have a lovely day.
The clocks will soon be changing and we will be springing into holidays and summer cloths and if like me a wedding or two to go to.
So if it is a bracelet, earrings or necklace for that special something, then have a look at my Etsy shop or contact me and I will see what I can make for you.
I have been making some shell beads this week to make up into a bracelet or I may pop them on Etsy.

This is the back View of the shells

This is the front view

I am a  member of the FHFteam of lampworkers and we produce handmade jewellery and lampwork beads, so please visit their page as well, there is some stunning items and we all handmake our lampwork and are proud of that.

Buy Hand Made and help and appriciate Self Representing Artists.





Practice Practice Practice

As it says above, I have been practicing with silver glass. It can be so temperamental. I haven't made anything in  silver glass for a while, so thought it best to try out a few beads, before I get into the big stuff.

It is all in the heat control and how far to cool, before you reduce. I am hoping I get a lot better at it.
The other Item I made was a new goddess Focal. This also helps with heat control and Patience.
I was very pleased with her.

Now on Etsy for Sale

I really need to get going with my ceramics, within the next couple of weeks. or before I know it, the fairs will be here.
Will blog again in a couple of weeks.

How does your garden grow....

What is this weather doing, one moment  warm and all the plants think it is spring, next hard frosts and snow. So the plants are frost bitten or die. My poor Arum Lilly's have really had it this year.
I have been in the studio playing with a few ideas and trying to build up some stock as I have been booking my shows for this year. Already have a couple of commissioned orders to do, so a good start to 2012.
Cored a few Silver cored beads, this one is on Etsy for sale.

I  also had a lovely Cabochon in my box, made by the very talented American Glass Artist, Donna Millard. I have looked at it for weeks, not knowing what to incorporate it into.
Then I decided to make it into a Sterling Silver ring for myself. I must say that I was pleased with it. The ring is a whooping 27mm across, so is a real statement piece.

Will have more items next week , so do pop back and have a look.

Dorset Weekend

Only a short post today as I have just had a fabulous weekend at Burton Bradstock.
 Loads of walking along the beaches at West Bay and Lyme Regis. I couldn't resist taking this photo of the sun coming through the cloads.

So today I have been listing new Ring / Pendant toppers in my Etsy shop. Do have a look, you may see something you like.

I see my son is already looking !!!!

What next......

How are you all feeling, with this wet and windy January? I really have to force myself out to my studio.

I seem to have been playing around this last couple of weeks, trying out new ideas.

I did however manage to make another pair of silver rubino earrings. These are now in my Etsy shop for sale, Valintines Day coming up and they would make a lovely present.

I have made a few large hole beads to fit the popular Europian bracelets, these will be cored tomorrow. In the kiln annealing is a Ocean Focal, lets hope the kiln fairies are good , when I open up the kiln tomorrow.

Had a customer visit yesterday and bought the last of my Ocean Focals, so I need to make a lot more, before my shows start. If the kiln delivers some lovely eye candy in the morning, I will post some pictures.

Just a quick Blog today

This is just a ver quick blog, as I am going to brave the studio on this frosty morning.
I have now attached my Flicker pictures to my blog, which shows the latest items that I have made.
Interchangable ring/ Pendant toppers are ver popular at the moment and selling well, so have a peek at the ones,I have on Etsy.

I also have some very organic textured lampwork, which I have called Davey Jones Locker.
These will go well with my well known Ocean Focals, of the Dorset coastline

All the Items can be seen in my Flicker photo's and in my Etsy shop for sale.
If not and you are interested in something, then contact me on my email rita@avalon68.fsnet.co.uk.

Back to work

Have spent the last couple of days, tidying the studio. Making spaces for new glass and tools.
I did find some time this week, to make a few  toppers for the interchangeable
Ring / Pendant toppers. They are for sale on Etsy. A aqua sea topper sold straight away, so I will do another for my Etsy shop, next week.

Do visit my Etsy, as I try to pop new items on regularly.

Happy New Year

Wishing you all a very happy New Year. Hope you all had a good Christmas. I have just spent all of Christmas and the New Year in the Canary Islands, so now it is back to work.
Hope to pop new Items on my Etsy shop this week, so please pop in and have a look.
Will get out in the studio by next week to make more new beads.
This is a view where we stayed over Christmas.

We walked around some of the golf courses and came across this bird, any idea what it is called ?