January Blues

Thankfully we are now at the end of January; this month has seemed quite long to me. Whilst it has been cold outside, I have been busy indoors making lots of jewellery. This weekend I completed this bracelet from some large beads, that I had bought some time ago and some Mill Hill seedbeads,

this trio of bracelets using turquoise chips and coco wood pukalets

and I beaded a large glass bead with smaller beads left over from a knitted bag project. This idea is still evolving. During January I took part in the CL January Blues Swap and these are the beautiful gifts that I received -
A felted Aran bag and beaded necklace. The colours are very me. :)

Today is also the last day to enter my blogiversary giveaway by leaving a comment on the giveaway post. I will be doing the draw tomorrow. Best wishes, Pj x

January's Monthly Make 2011

This week I have joined The Felt Fairy's Monthly Make 2011 Group, as an added incentive to keep to my crafting resolution throughout the year.

As January is nearly over I had to get a "wiggle on" and quickly make an item for the first month. I have been planning a blue flower ball necklace since I bought the Swarovski crystals in the sales, so this was an ideal opportunity to make it and some matching earrings. I am now planning February's item - hearts will be involved. :)

Trollbead Treat

I've had a little splurge and have treated myself to these gorgeous Trollbead earrings to match my pearl fantasy necklace.

I usually swap the beads around on the necklace and bracelet to coordinate with my outfit.

I love the detail on these beads and I have collected 24 beads so far. My daughter has a little competition with me to see who has the most beads - I'm in the lead at the moment! :)
On the crafting front I am playing around with these felted hearts. I plan to use them as Valentine's Day decorations.
I knitted and felted the double knitting yarn into a rectangle and then I cut out the hearts in 3 sizes. I am now crocheting an edging around each heart and will probably decorate with a crochet flower and some beads. The design keeps changing at the moment! Watch this space!

A Winter Evening's Sky

Yesterday, whilst working on another corsage, I was struck by the beauty of the sky as dusk approached

and by how similar the colours were to that particular corsage. Blue blushed with pink and the dark outlines of the winter trees. My last corsage is for my daughter who is fond of wearing black.

As we are now entering the final week of January there are only a few days left to enter my 3rd blogiversay giveaway. If you wish to take part please leave a message on the blogiversary post.

Best wishes, Pj x

Painting and Making

I have been busy this week painting my thrifted laundry box and making jewellery to sell in my friend's shop. The laundry box I have painted in Farrow & Ball All White and Pavilion Gray. I then distressed it to allow the original colour blue to show.

These are just some of the pendants and earrings that I made.

I recently bought a fabric brooch and it inspired me to make some myself.

I am truly enjoying making these and I'm now off to make some more. :)

Beautiful Beads

I'm having so much fun with my stash of Swarovski crystals and pearls. :) First I made this necklace for myself.

Then of course I had to have matching earrings! :)
And I had enough beads left over to make a matching ring. :)
I have also made some jewellery to sell in my friend's shop.
So far I have been keeping to my New Year's Resolutions, except for losing those 3 lbs! I'm back into my routine of swimming 3 times a week and the Christmas cake has been eaten, so hopefully I can start to lose a little weight soon. Or maybe not, because I have made a lemon cheesecake for dessert tonight!! :)

Lloyd Loom Laundry Box

Earlier this week I was saying to my husband that Fay really needs her own laundry basket and this morning I discover this in the local charity shop. :) Sadly it has been covered in peach gloss paint, so it is going to need some work. A friend, who paints furniture for a living, has recommended scrubbing it with a plastic brush dipped in white spirits to try and remove the surface of the gloss paint, so that I can then repaint it in a Farrow & Ball eggshell paint. I will have to take care not to over wet it, as Lloyd Loom furniture is paper-wrapped wire and has a tendency to sag if soaked. Definitely a job for the outside, so I may wait until the weather improves. I plan to paint it in an off-white or pale grey with a touch of silver on the detailing. I will post a photo of it when finished.

If anyone has tried removing gloss paint from Lloyd Loom furniture and knows of a better method please let me know, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Best wishes, Pj x

3 Today

Today my blog is 3 years old. I can't quite believe that it has been 3 years since I started blogging, but along the way I have met some lovely people and have been very inspired by the blogs that I have read. To celebrate my blogiversary I would like to host a giveaway of this charming trio of crackle-glazed ceramic critters.To enter my giveaway please leave a comment on my blog stating that you wish to enter. At the end of January I will pick a name from the hat and the winner can then contact me via e-mail.

Today is also my Dad's birthday. Happy Birthday Dad XXX
This photo was taken en route to Madesimo in Northern Italy in 1982! This is my Dad and me getting some exercise on a break in the journey. I don't think either of us could manage this now! :)

Good Luck on entering my giveaway, I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes, Pj x

Groundhog Day!

A few days ago I popped into our local charity shop and stumbled upon not one, but two of these gorgeous glass plates. :) It was love at first sight and unbelievably they were only £1 each.

I was also very naughty and spent a huge amount of money (and no, I'm not confessing how much!!) on Swarovski crystal and pearl beads at the Hobbycraft sale. They were being sold at an amazing 75% off. :) I have started to make this necklace for myself.
I have also made this flower-ball necklace from some glass beads I also bought at Hobbycraft.So far I have managed to keep to my crafting resolution, but I have only been swimming once this past week. Could do better!

And as to why I have called this post Groundhog Day! - Well that involves a lengthy (sorry) explanation of why I blog. It all started with my reading other people's blogs and I felt that it was only right that I should have a blog for other people to read. To me my blog is a way of meeting new people, making friends, a photo album and a diary. Paradoxically I am quite a private/shy person and yet my blog is public! My family don't know about my blog. To start with I thought I would see how long it took my husband to realise that I blogged, as we often joke about his not being very observant! Then I realised that if my family read my blog/diary that my writing of it would change and not be as true to myself as it is. So although my husband knows that I like to read blogs, he doesn't know that I have one of my own. A couple of days ago I was relating, to my husband, something that I had read on someone's blog and his comment, "You couldn't blog, because it would be like groundhog day!"

Thanks Dear!!!!!!

New Year's Resolutions

Here we are back to normal now. I packed away all the Christmas decorations on Monday, as it was my last day off work. Traditionally they can be left up until the 12th night after Christmas, but I like the fresh start to the year that removing the decorations seems to bring.

Special cards will be kept and others will be turned into gift tags for next Christmas.

The Paperwhites have been given a fresh Spring make-over.
I don't like the madness of the January sales, so we waited until Sunday to go shopping. I bought a few birthday gifts for friends and this pretty brooch, which I wore to work yesterday on this jumper and these bracelets for myself in the sales. :)

I have also given my blog a fresh look. The photos are now larger and I hope to change the background regularly by adding my own photo.

New Year's Resolutions

I don't usually make New Year's Resolutions, let alone go public with them as I think they are easily forgotten as the year progresses, but this year I am publicly making some resolutions in the hope that in doing so I will keep to them!! So here we go:-

1. Weight Loss - Yes that old chestnut! ;) To lose the 3lbs gained over the Christmas period and ideally to lose another 3lbs. Losing the first 3lbs should be relatively easy, but I will struggle with the other 3lbs :( - I'm blaming my age! (Making excuses already!) :)

2. Facebook - To spend less time on FB. Over the past year I have rather got sucked into FB and plan to use my time more effectively. I will still keep in touch with friends and relatives, but ignore the other applications on FB. I think this will be an easy resolution to keep. So far so good. :)

3. Crafting - I need to craft and plan to spend more time doing so. I have lots of ideas for projects and I will post details of them on my blog as I do them. I'm looking forward to this one. :)

4. Exercise - Last August I started swimming 3 times a week and I would like to do some additional exercises this year. Maybe in the gym or doing yoga at home or even just walking more? Not sure how this one will pan out as I will need to make time for this and I prefer to do my exercising at home when there isn't someone in the background being cheeky!

So those are my resolutions. Please feel free to nag me. Anyone else making resolutions?

Best wishes, Pj x

Happy New Year

So one year has ended and another begun ...
2010

We had a wonderful family Christmas.

I was quite organised in the run up to the festivities and managed not to be icing my cake at midnight this year! :)

I made a Yule Log for the first time in quite a few years.

I even had time to make myself a pair of Swarovski crystal earrings to wear on Christmas Day.

The children opened their stockings in the morning. The Stig put in his final appearance!

Luckily we didn't get any more snow and my parents arrived in time for Christmas lunch. I think we have all had quite enough to eat by now!
I swam 60 lengths on Thursday to try to make up for all those cakes!! :)
And now it is 2011

We wish you all
A Very Happy New Year

xXx