posted: Saturday, 31st December 2011
What better way to ring in a new year than with good food, drink, company and a burlesque variety show?
read more »
posted: Friday, 30th December 2011
My return visit to Dunstable Downs back in October was one of my highlights of the year. The weather was amazing and the memory of sitting on the grass, watching gliders fly over our heads and hearing so many kites whip around in the breeze will stay with me for a long time.
read more »
posted: Tuesday, 27th December 2011
We were due to head home to London today but have decided to delay our return until tomorrow. Which makes us all feel like we have an extra day free to do with whatever we desire. What a treat!
read more »
posted: Monday, 26th December 2011
Today is Boxing Day, or St Stephen's Day as I grew up knowing it.
read more »
posted: Sunday, 25th December 2011
I love Christmas. The eating of food and drinking of drink you wouldn't touch at any other time of year
read more »
posted: Saturday, 24th December 2011
I'm still beading, and still keeping it hidden, and still not doing much so I'm now beginning to visually crave new sights and interesting things.
read more »
posted: Friday, 23rd December 2011
I'm still working away on my latest project but can offer you no photos as I want to keep it hidden until it's published
read more »
posted: Thursday, 22nd December 2011
Fortunately my family are all as fond as food, and drink, as I am so when we get together it's not just one of our main activities, but a big topic of conversation.
read more »
posted: Wednesday, 21st December 2011
The best thing about your parent moving to France is when you go to see them, you get to go to France. Simple but true.
read more »
posted: Monday, 19th December 2011
Another day, another thing to learn.
read more »
posted: Sunday, 18th December 2011
Last year I missed the LCS Christmas party, so when I realised my trip to Egypt was postponed, my disappointment was tempered by being able to attend this year's.
read more »
posted: Saturday, 17th December 2011
Unfortunately my teaching trip to Egypt has been postponed until March, due to the elections there, and worries about what may happen. But the upside is that I get to visit my bead group today for the first time since April- and I have missed everyone there.
read more »
posted: Friday, 16th December 2011
Even though the recipe I have been following for Milk Liqueur says to leave it for 10 days, and I'm only 7-8 days in, I'm ready to filter as I want to give some of it as presents tomorrow.
read more »
posted: Wednesday, 14th December 2011
Phew. It's just gone 11pm and I've been sitting in front of my computer for almost all of the past 15 hours
read more »
posted: Tuesday, 13th December 2011
4 days on and my Milk Liqueur still hasn't curdled.
read more »
posted: Monday, 12th December 2011
Another day, some more beading and another excuse to drink a cocktail.
read more »
posted: Sunday, 11th December 2011
I'm still working away on my latest necklace and whilst I'm enjoying seeing it come together I have a constant dilemma as to what colour rivolis to use.
read more »
posted: Friday, 9th December 2011
When I wrote my blog yesterday I really wasn't sure whether to talk about the charity, but it was very much in my mind as I was thinking about what to get people for Christmas
read more »
posted: Thursday, 8th December 2011
I promise this is not the start of some regular theme of my blog posts, but bear with me and it will make sense. If you don't want to read about a charity my sister is working for and how you can help them, simply scroll on to the beady talk at the end. It's marked by a line of xxxxxxs.
read more »
posted: Wednesday, 7th December 2011
Just to prove I do spend my time doing more than eating and drinking, here is a look at the big bag of beads I'm currently making my way through.
read more »
posted: Tuesday, 6th December 2011
It's almost a year since I last visited l'Atelier Des Chefs and the vouchers I received for Christmas are about to run out so it's time for me to panickedly take some cooking classes.
read more »
posted: Monday, 5th December 2011
My roller derby team has a big bout on Saturday so we're having a quick team meeting tonight and the chosen venue is Garlic & Shots in Soho.
read more »
posted: Sunday, 4th December 2011
Today I'm supposed to be working on making some more of my 3D triangles but am being very distracted by the fact that the first ever Roller Derby World Cup is taking place in Toronto
read more »
posted: Saturday, 3rd December 2011
Off to Cambridge today to teach the Newmarket bead group all about beading 3D triangles. The main focus of the class will be making these beaded beads but I'm hoping to explore Geometric 3-4-1 and its variations with them too.
read more »
posted: Friday, 2nd December 2011
Last year I read all about the Courvosier Dickens tour and promptly booked tickets. Then I got my times all mixed up and we missed it
read more »
posted: Thursday, 1st December 2011
The main downside to travelling and doing fun things, like courses, is that all my regular work still needs doing. So having already stayed up untiol 4am working twice since my return home a week ago, tonight I had to pull an all-nighter just to try and catch-up.
read more »
posted: Wednesday, 30th November 2011
Since I was young and used to visit my grandmother in Ireland I have been fascinated by taxidermy. She only had one item but I had never seen anything like it and ever since I have frequently sought it out and for a few years now I have been trying to get on a course to learn how ot do it myself.
read more »
posted: Tuesday, 29th November 2011
Don't ask how or why, but with only a few minutes notice, today I found myself sitting behind the controls of a Boeing 737 learning how to take off and land. Ok the fact it was only a simulator made it slightly less dramatic, but no less of an unexpected turn of events for me.
read more »
posted: Sunday, 27th November 2011
I have no new photos to show you, so instead I'll treat you to some more from New York, but I do have some exciting news.
read more »
posted: Saturday, 26th November 2011
Since December 31st 2007 I have celebrated the arrival of each new year at the Comedy Cafe with the great company of my boyfriend and friends. Some years there are more of us, but most years there is just a core 3.
read more »
posted: Thursday, 24th November 2011
A trip down to Dorset today to teach both my Peyote Geometric Beaded Beads and the Brick Stitch version.
read more »
posted: Wednesday, 23rd November 2011
We safely arrived home yesterday and promptly fell asleep for a good 20 hours.
read more »
posted: Monday, 21st November 2011
Today is my last day in New York and you know what- somehow I managed to not take any photos. I also managed not to yesterday either. So instead I will tell you what I did and show you photos I took on other days.
read more »
posted: Saturday, 19th November 2011
Today I'm teaching my Jaipur Jewels pieces for The Bead Society of Greater New York and once again it's great fun to catch-up with old friends and meet new ones. I haven't taught this as a class before so it's nice to see that it all works ok and everyone likes it.
read more »
posted: Friday, 18th November 2011
Still tired today so another late start before heading off to eat lunch and wander The High line.
read more »
posted: Thursday, 17th November 2011
Today we're still tired so a slow start which begins with a walk to the World Finanical Center to see Canstruction.
read more »
posted: Wednesday, 16th November 2011
Just as it doesn’t take much to make me happy, some days it equally doesn’t take much to annoy me. One thing guaranteed to frustrate, upset and generally infuriate me is bad service
read more »
posted: Tuesday, 15th November 2011
A busy day today starting with a private class with a lovely group of women. Many are friends who I have met before, but some are new to me and I really enjoy the day getting to know them and share some beading with them. One lady, Dolores Risso-Tesch, brought in a triangle bangle to show me
read more »
posted: Monday, 14th November 2011
A day off and a day to look at beads and meet up with friends.
read more »
posted: Sunday, 13th November 2011
Day two of teaching at Beads By Blanche and todays class is all about my Rivoli Roses.
read more »
posted: Saturday, 12th November 2011
Today is my first day of teaching and I catch the bus out to Beads By Blanche. This is my third time teaching here and as always I am amazed when I walk through the door
read more »
posted: Friday, 11th November 2011
Another day, another opportunity to shop...
read more »
posted: Thursday, 10th November 2011
Another day, another breakfast at the Broadway restaurant...
read more »
posted: Wednesday, 9th November 2011
I'm back in New York and super-excited. We flew in last night and, having packed for intense winter weather, were delighted at how warm and sunny it is. No coats needed which is great.
read more »
posted: Monday, 7th November 2011
I've been reading a great book called 'How's your drink' by Eric Felten which is full of history, anecdotes, advice and of course cocktail recipes.
read more »
posted: Sunday, 6th November 2011
This may look like a lot of my previous work, but in my mind it is completely different.
read more »
posted: Friday, 4th November 2011
A few years ago I won in a raffle a brooch made of a measuring tape. It was unlabelled so I had no idea where it came from. Unfortunately over time it went missing and I've mourned its loss ever since
read more »
posted: Thursday, 3rd November 2011
No sooner had I found my new local branch of HobbyCraft last night than I discovered it had only been there a few days and most importantly was having a 25% off sale on everything this afternoon. Well that quickly answered my question about when I would manage to visit it...
read more »
posted: Wednesday, 2nd November 2011
A busy day today writing instructions and catching up with emails. I was pleased to get in the post issue 34 of Making Jewellery Magazine which features some colourful beaded beads I made recently.
read more »
posted: Tuesday, 1st November 2011
At the Tate yesterday I was unable to resist this book. How could I not come home with a book that features history, design information and gives ideas for colour palettes? I can see me and this book are going to be friends.
read more »
posted: Monday, 31st October 2011
Brian Williams, who I met last week, had kindly invited me to visit his studio and as I had already fallen in love with his work there was no way I wasn't going to accept the invitation.
read more »
posted: Sunday, 30th October 2011
Today I'm determined not to sit in front of the computer or behind a beading tray all day and we head off to The Bird of Prey Centre in Bedfordshire for a half day introductory course.
read more »
posted: Saturday, 29th October 2011
I've been very lucky recently to have been proof-reading and technically editing a new book on wire beaded butterflies and bugs. When I was first asked I had visions of basic pieces which were very childlike but when they arrived I was truly amazed
read more »
posted: Friday, 28th October 2011
Today is D-Day. Or, to be less dramatic, the day we discover whether all our hard work has paid off and we have created wondrous things in bronze.
read more »
posted: Thursday, 27th October 2011
I start the day very tired and with extremely sore hands so am in no rush to get to college. When I do arrive it's obvious that the room has been a hive of activity.
read more »
posted: Wednesday, 26th October 2011
Today on the course starts out nice and slowly. We're due to begin preparing our pieces to be cast, but lots of people are still carving amazing creations, so we're a bit behind.
read more »
posted: Tuesday, 25th October 2011
It's the second day of my course today and I start by checking out my work and seeing if I still like it after a good nights sleep. Fortunately I do, so all I have left to work on is the lettering on the back.
read more »
posted: Monday, 24th October 2011
Ever since I saw my first art medal (back in July 2009) I've been in love with them and have wanted to work more in wax and bronze.
read more »
posted: Sunday, 23rd October 2011
After my jam disaster of the other day I ordered extra pectin and today set about trying to salvage all my hard work. A bit of boiling, juicing and ladelling later and I appear to have 22 jars (down from 24 even though I added extra liquid- weird) of potential pear, ginger and lemon jam.
read more »
posted: Saturday, 22nd October 2011
The past few days have been spent mainly writing instructions and trying to squeeze in some beading when I can.
read more »
posted: Thursday, 20th October 2011
It's been months since I've had the time to write a newsletter but I'm pleased to say that one will go out in the next few hours.
read more »
posted: Wednesday, 19th October 2011
Today as well as still trying to catch-up on all my work, I'm making use of all the lovely pears I picked from the small tree in my garden.
read more »
posted: Tuesday, 18th October 2011
Today I'm tied to my computer still clearing emails and paperwork.
read more »
posted: Monday, 17th October 2011
This week I'll be frantically trying to catch up on all my work having had so much of last week off.
read more »
posted: Sunday, 16th October 2011
Today is a day of roller derby bouts for my team, the London Rockin Rollers.
read more »
posted: Saturday, 15th October 2011
My time at London Cocktail week 2011 is over and today is all about recovering, preparing for a skating bout tomorrow and beading.
read more »
posted: Friday, 14th October 2011
Today is the last day I'll be doing anything with London Cocktail week 2011 and to celebrate 3 of us planned to visit 3 different gin events and see just how much we could learn whilst imbibing.
read more »
posted: Thursday, 13th October 2011
It's still London Cocktail week and today I'm booked onto 4 talks being given by the 'Monkey Shoulder Ministry of Mixorcism'. Monkey Shoulder is a brand of whisky that I've not tried before so I'm interested in that, but it's the talks I'm mainly interested in.
read more »
posted: Wednesday, 12th October 2011
Today was work, work, work with nothing of interest to photograph and show you. So instead I present this photo I took yesterday of a pumpkin sitting on a chair.
read more »
posted: Tuesday, 11th October 2011
Today I was back for more cocktail talks and had a great day of education.
read more »
posted: Monday, 10th October 2011
Today is the first proper day of London Cocktail Week and having managed to secure myself a special pass I've booked into lots of trade talks and seminars.
read more »
posted: Sunday, 9th October 2011
Don't worry, just because it's London Cocktail Week doesn't mean I'm not working!
read more »
posted: Saturday, 8th October 2011
... to please me. One thing that delights me, whilst at the same time resoring my faith in humankind, is good service. Unfortunately it's all too rare a commodity sometimes which I guess makes it noticable when it does occur.
read more »
posted: Friday, 7th October 2011
This week I'm mainly working on writing instructions, proof-reading a book on making wire beaded butterflies and bugs and finishing my latest Jaipur Jewels piece.
read more »
posted: Thursday, 6th October 2011
Two of the best things in life are friends and random acts of kindness. When both combine, as they did today, you know all is well in your world.
read more »
posted: Tuesday, 4th October 2011
Today I managed to make my delayed trip to The British Museum to see their Treasures of Heaven exhibition.
read more »
posted: Monday, 3rd October 2011
In amongst all my other work and travels this weekend I have been busy beading.
read more »
posted: Sunday, 2nd October 2011
Well we made it. It took ten years but I got back there again.
read more »
posted: Saturday, 1st October 2011
The weather in the Uk is unbelievable. It's the start of October yet it's hotter than it's been all summer. Today I stayed in and worked but tomorrow I'm getting out there to enjoy it!
read more »
