Getting ready for 'Magpie Art'

With only three weeks to go, it's all actions go getting ready for the first of this year's events, 'Magpie Art'.

I will be joining Lis Toft, Pauline Evans, Pat Cornwell and Gillian Connor at Quarr Abbey, PO33 4ES from 21st - 26th April each day from 10am to 4pm.

'Magpie Art' is such a good way to describe what will be on display. There will be Gillian's driftwood art, Pauline's glass, Lis' ceramics, Pat's wire work and of course my glass beads.

Spring 2016 - Sand, Sea and Sky

Sand, Sea and Sky

www.littlehousejewellery.co.uk

When deciding colours for my Spring collection this year, I started with just two coloured glass rods. I have been using baby blue transparent in a small way for several years. I like it's paleness and it rarely gets a yellowy tinge that clear other pale transparent glass gets. I usually use cream opaque glass in the Winter because it warmer and white for freshness in the Summer. However this was a cream glass I had not used before and from the moment I first used it, I knew it was going to be interesting. So these two colours became the foundation on which to add shape and other colours.tuffnellglass.com

Pale Baby Blue and New Ivory Effetre Glass Rods

As each piece of jewellery emerged it became apparent that a theme was beginning to develop. Wisps of white and grey added to the blue became watery Spring skies. Cream, new ivory and fossil swirled together gave an impression of sand and pebbles.

I have included a few additional photos that reflect my sand, sea and sky theme. These include pebbles and shells from opposite sides of the country and two pictures by two artist friends.

Oyster Shells and Pebbles from Whitstable, Kent and Other Shells from St Davids, West Wales

Pebbles by Trudi Bridgeman

Yachts at Cowes by Hilary Thorpe hilarythorpe.co.uk

And here is a selection of my Spring Sand, Sea and Sky 2016 Jewellery

New Spot Pattern.

I've been trying out a new spot pattern this week. I made fine stringer [thin stretched pieces of glass] to keep the spots small. I wanted to make black beads and I think this may just work.

littlehousejewellery.co.uk

Beads within Beads

'Bead within a Bead' Necklace

For the past few weeks I've been working on a new design. At last, after many attempts I've created enough 'beads within beads' to make a mini collection.
After experimenting with mauves and paler greens, I decided on a strong shade of teal with a core of pale opaque green, which I thinks works well at giving the beads a sort of extra 3D effect.

Anyway, see what you think. So far, I have made a necklace, a bracelet and earrings. These are all available on my website -littlehousejewellery.co.uk

'Bead within a Bead' Necklace

'Bead within a Bead' Earrings

'Bead within a Bead' Bracelet

Bead Party with the Ladies of Porchfield

'Orphan' Glass Beads

Seed Beads and Handmade Glass Beads

Had a super evening with the Porchfield ladies group yesterday. They each created a made measure unique necklace with my 'orphan' beads and a selection of seed bead.

Several Ladies were inspired to take home one of my bead kits too.

Affordable Arts Fair at Ventnor Winter Gardens

Just a short post this week, as I'm busy getting ready for the 'Affordable Arts Fair' at Ventnor Winter Gardens this coming bank holiday Monday artsisle.org. Monday 4th May 2015 - 11am - 4pm.
I've been making some pendants combining lamp work and fused glass, I'm hoping to get them ready in time for Monday. Here's a little preview of them fresh out of the kiln.

Fused glass and lamp work combination

Trying Something New

Cylindrical Beads within Transparent Outer Glass Beads

For the last couple of weeks I have been experimenting with a new style of bead. It's sort of a bead within a bead.

First I made a cylindrical bead and then used the hollow bead technique over the top. This was quite successful and effective. The biggest difficulty is getting the bead even and preventing the transparent outer bead from collapsing onto the inner bead. Hopefully, it just needs plenty of practise.

Cylinder Base Beads

I got really ambitious next, I decided to try and create a loose bead within a transparent outer bead. It took a good few sticks of clear glass in practise, as the beads continued to fuse together. On the ninth attempt I achieved it.

Tricky to see, but small orange bead within clear glass bead

Unsuccessful Attempts

In conclusion, although I quite like the loose bead within a bead, there's a few impracticalities with it. It's success rate at the moment being one and the difficulty in cleaning out the bead release being another. I may go back to it at a later date. However the original cylinder base bead definitely has possibilities. It's effective on it's own and definitely has scope to develop further.

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Black with Smudgy Flowers Beads

I do like black, so I made these beads. Although they are black, my intention was to make them summery with soft smudgy flowers of lavender and pale pink. I was aiming for sort of Chinese chrysanthemums. I didn't quite achieve this, but I'm pleased with results all the same. www.littlehousejewellery.co.uk

Amazing Necklaces at the Alverstone WI Craft Group

Selecting beads

More selecting beads

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of taking my beads etc. along to a lovely group of ladies from Alverstone WI. Alverstone is a very pretty village, sort of near Sandown  and oddly, a place I have not been to, despite living on the Isle of Wight just about all my life. I had a really enjoyable morning and  more importantly, I think the ladies did too. Two hours just flew by in a flash. I'm particularly pleased at how everyone created a necklace that was delightfully unique and wearable. I love the way colours and shapes were combined in so many different ways.
Thank you, Sue Lax for organising it.

A present for a daughter

Favourite colours

A finished creation

and another super necklace finished

threading tiny seed beads

A clasp and ring and then all finished

Taking care not to let go of the ends!

A present for a daughter who loves pink

Beautiful shades of turquoise