blue skies and beads...

Today the sun is shining and the sky is blue - blue with translucent wisps of white cloud hovering overhead. It is lovely to revel in it after such a wet and dreary summer - the wettest, apparently, on record for us. September sunshine is warm and gentle - but with out the force of August and July - meaning that in the shade it can feel very cool.

Having Mum and Dad to stay meant I was doing things with them (which was lovely), but am now catching up with various chores (which is not so lovely). I cleaned the fish tank earlier this morning and then tackled the rabbit hutch (interspersed with trips to and from the washing machine). I was doing a proper clean out for Charlie's hutch, rather than just one segment. Rather tiring, if you remember the size of it from the pictures...

Yesterday afternoon Bev and I went out to a bead bar, which I knew was there but knew very little about - and had a lovely time, rows and rows of beads, beads, and more beads, and we sat at one of the tables and made a bracelet each. They very kindly gave us a tea and coffee, and the tools we needed. We both had a very nice time.

Today: 4/10, medium high

beads, beads, beads

Made this during one of Andy's meetings this evening:

I'm particularly fond of turquoise. Shown here in the last rays of today's (beautiful) sun!

I need to get some slightly bigger memory wire as this is quite small in diameter and will only fit small wrists; neither does it cater for bigger beads very well. This next one I made a couple of weeks back - not so much my colouring but demonstrates using slender beads.

Energy rating: 5-6/10
Headache: medium low

another one

I made this yesterday evening while Andy was out. Think I've caught the bug!

Energy rating: 5/10

Heading: medium - high

bracelet making

Yesterday Karen came over in the morning to do some bracelet making (hence my desire to find beads on Wednesday!) Andy gave me some jewellery making stuff and beads at Christmas which I love but really I've only made earrings and have not been very confident. But yesterday I made my first bracelet:

And modelled on my very own wrist:

Nothing spectacular but it was my first bracelet and I'm pleased with it! Made with memory wire.

It was a really enjoyable morning actually. I wasn't aware of feeling tired at all and we just nattered away while threading our beads. I think doing crafts is a great way of socialising and of getting to know people better. It's very unpressurised as you are focusing on making something - and the conversation ebbs and flows naturally.