Christmas

Well, Christmas Day was lovely. Callum's obvious delight at receiving his DS




James was also over the moon with hits train set

And Millie loves her huge doll

And this was the box for table favors that I made. A sizzix die cut the boxes, I printed names onto card then punched them out with a large circle punch from SU, and the snowflake stamped, and placed on red card cut from a lable die from PTI. The card goes all the way round the box. And inside? Little gifts taylored to the receipient - they all enjoyed so much more than some tacky gift from a cracker, and I spent less than a box of crackers on the lot!

Happy New Year!

Christmas Banner

Never did quite get around to uploading those pics! Even with all 3 at school now, I never seem to have enough time.

Here is a Christmas banner that I made for our dining room. Its only just finished, so this may not be its final position (hubby will probably object as he'll be walking into it every time he goes to open/close the blinds). This is the colour scheme for the Christmas table though, so its definately staying in the dining room.

Bazzill dotty card (red and blue), SU - kraft card, and PTI dies.

AWOL!

I've been a bit AWOL over the summer! I had meant to post the odd picture of the kids - but it just never happend. And the summer holidays flew by. We didn't do everything on my list of things we could do to keep them from getting bored. I also didn't do a lot in terms of crafting and jewellery making was non-existant.

I did badger the boys to do a summer scrapbook for school - an optional thing - with the promise of money at the end. They all completed a scrapbook and took them into school. Millie, having just started school this term, did one, but as it wasn't expected, no prizes were given - but she did get a certificate. The boys both won a prize for their year groups (when they entered 2 years ago, they also won a prize). We didn't do much of any excitement, no going away holiday, trips to the park, a walk round Silchester Roman dig, the swimming pool, the fun swimming pool with slides and rapids. Just day to day stuff mostly, but it was photographed, and a few sentances written about it by the boys. And it will be treasured by all in years to come.

Anyway, hubbys watching the tv, so I've been doing a little cardmaking - just finishing off cards where I've got half done bits that just need something else to finish them off, a sentiment, or button attached, but its not good lighting for photographing them, so I'll do that tomorrow.

Hopefully as things settle down, I'll fall into a routine, and I'll squeeze in some regular craft time.

Ballet and Watermelon

I'd forgotton how nice watermelon was on a warm day! We'd been to the park and stopped at the shop on the way home to stock up on some fruit and veg and one or two extra bits - really can't face the supermarket with 3 kids in tow, all asking if they can have this, that and the other. The local shop was bad enough! And I came away with more buscuits than I really intended... We did however buy a watermelon, and it was delicious!

And this is my little baby, all dressed and ready for her 'intoduction to ballet' exam. She loved doing the exam - I think she enjoys the performance, though we did have to pay careful attention to her appearance - mostly she wanders round looking like a grubby urchin, in mis-matching clothes - something her nursery teachers love about her, but here she is looking beautiful.

And everyone in her class passed with distinction! We were very proud mothers.

Jewellery!

I have been busy trying to set up my web site sharonbetts.co.uk for selling my jewellery, and showing stuff I have made. Also the three pieces I submitted for the exhibition were accepted, so a preview to attend this Friday - and I really wanted to have the web site vaguely presentable by then, so I can hand out some sort of business card - yet to be sorted, should the opportunity arise!

More Jewellery

I have the opportunity of submitting some jewellery for an arts week, max of 3 items, application has to be in next Wed, before they look and choose what they will exhibit. It all has to be made within the last year - the Birdie pendant I know I finished after Christmas, and the other 2 I finished this Tue. Really couldn't remember when I finished other pieces I could have submitted, so I thought I'd go with these:

My trusty Birdie pendant - I love this, and there was alot of work went into it. It also gets lots of comments, so I'm hopeful...


Next is a comission - I was asked to make a Holly pendant, and this is what I came up with. If this one is successful, then my friend won't get her pendant for a little while longer. But I guess it would be nice to say it was publically exhibited. The main leaf was frosted, and the veins brought back to a high shine to give extra interest. The central vein coils round to form the bail.

And finally, a stylised leaf. It was originally just going to be silver, but we covered enamelling in my class, so I filled the 'recess' with blue enamel and torch fired it, as we have no kiln to use (the general method for enamelling).

Exciting Opportunity

During the week I had an offer to do some freelance work for a jeweller (she's my tutor at my class). It would mean becoming 'self empolyed' and all that doing that entails, so I'm currently on a big learning curve.

I've been thinking about setting up an on-line jewellery 'shop' for a little while, and I think this is pushing me more and more to think about it. I've sold one or two things to people I know, and the exhibition I was involved in also gave me a huge ego boost too, so was considering it more seriously since then.

The freelance work would be about 5hrs a week give or take, depending on how busy my tutor is. I'm flattered she obviously thinks I have the abilities - after all, this is her business she wants me to help out at. Anyway, I start tomorrow. So we'll see how that goes. So my head is full of things that I will have to set up and organise - like invoicing, tax and NI stuff. Its exciting, but daunting at the same time.

So, if I set up an on-line store, what do I call it? And do I create a 'logo' or not? And how easy is it to set up? after all I'm not terribly technically minded when it comes to computers.