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Hello again,

I have been busy again with making some gorgeous cabachons.  Now that I have taken up beading my self and learnt how to bead around cabachons I'm now having a field day making suitable and very yummy cabachons.  If I can let them go they will up for sale very soon.  Most of these are destined for 'The Bead Trail', Sandiway, Cheshire.

I'll be up there on 28th March 2012 with lots like these and if I ever get in my studio, lampwork beads and fused glass cabachons and donuts.

Lots to do, and so little time!

This is my latest work with polymer clay, this gorgeous combination of orange and turquoise with lovely purple blooms spreading out all over these pieces are enough to blast the winter blues away.  I'm playing with colour at the moment, I'm looking for bright unusual combinations that step very much away from the norm.  And why not, it's fun!

I will be creating lots and lots like these to take up to The Bead Trail' in Sandiway, hopefully with some fused glass cabachons and donuts.  I'll be up there next 28th March.

Dawn

Some of you will know I have been playing with polymer clay for years, however, although I love this media I always found finishing clay seemed to take just as long as making it, far too long!  Recent exploits with clay and experiments with how I create from scratch and a lot of research have now meant finally I have found ways to create quickly easier and faster, safer ways to bake my pieces so no yellowing as well as how to finish beautifully.  Now I feel very comfortable with making my pieces not just good - but totally fab.

This is some of my work......

These ones I made a while ago.  I knew I had to find a really good way to show off my cabachons, and my fused ones too.......

so I have turned to the "dark side" of beading again.  These are some of my experiments while I try out what works and what doesn't.

Until finally I have found something that eminently suits the work I like to do......

Not bad at all!

Dawn

I took my self off to Ness Gardens today to search for signs of spring, snowdrops that sort of thing.  Well I was quite surprised at what I found blooming already in nooks and crannies.  I took a load of pictures of landscapes and tree studies for my painting course, but I was also on the look out for lovely blooms to give some ideas for making beads in polymer clay and glass. I know it's mid January, but you never know until to go and look.........

This is what I found......the last one was a bit of a surprise, they have created a mini Stonehenge at Ness Gardens.  There must be thousands of bulbs coming up every where.  I think I will have to go back in a week or so when they are all out!  So far just the snowdrops are out.

Lots of food for thought, quite fancy doing the mini iris in  polymer clay, should be quite a challenge as the centre sticks up quite a lot!

Dawn.

I have started my Sketching and Painting course now which I have to say I am enjoying it!

So far I have done a watercolour in class, started an oil painting which is not yet finished.  Ok they are not very good but they are a start, here they are........

and the unfinished oil, I'll show the finished oil when it's done.......

Tonight I'm going to finish this oil off and have a think about what I'm going to try and paint next!

Dawn.

It's been a very exciting week for me.  I started a Painting and Sketching course this week, quite funny really as I have not painted anything except the wall for about 20 odd years!  We have a very good teacher who shows you how to paint, what to use and explains why.  Well I was doing well, even managed to impress him with my sky, despite using the 'wrong' brushes.  Just as well he didn't see me spread sap green all over my work at the end of the lesson!  I did get it off, just hope his expert eyes don't spot it!

In my youth I painted with oils, however, the turps and linseed always made me queasy and I hated waiting for the oils to dry so I stopped painting.  Now to my delight they have developed water based oil colours, and low odour thinners and fast dry mediums.  Well after that little discovery I was off to shops to buy some, ha ha and the rest of the stuff you need....  and I'm going to have a go as soon as I have posted this blog.

I also started a short Beginners Jewellery making course at out local school this week, not that I'm a beginner...........but it is nice to natter to the other mums who think I'm an expert!

Well, I have made a good start on my new path this week and I'm all revved up and ready to go.  Tomorrow I'll get on the torch again, the monthly freebie bead has not been made as yet and I want to make my own version of the class lessons floating necklace to my own picky high standards with my own beads of course.

See you next time.....

Dawn.