Tuesday troubles ..

Washing machine, water heater and lawn mower broke over the weekend!

Apart from that it was a great Easter weekend, my nephew came to stay and 2 lots of friends came over for dinner so we had a busy but fun time.  The weather was great, got gardening done and watched the #twicket yesterday in the sun.  Feel quite privileged to have been part of the first ever village cricket match to be streamed live on Twitter!

The people who viewed our house last week came back for another look but have decided not to put an offer in which is bad news but hey ho, we shall plod on.

I have been busy making earrings this afternoon.  I have enjoyed making this teardrop shape and I think these will be the ones that I donate the profit to a charity.

Let me know what you think and also what charity?  I am thinking about a soldiers/wounded charity ........

Good Friday

Its been another busy week so its great today is Good Friday and a long bank holiday weekend.

I had an interview for a part time job on Wednesday which went really well, they liked me and want me to go back next week.   I also saw  another job advert on the way home from that interview for someone to help out in a jewellery shop with sales and repairs.  I have applied but have heard nothing so far.  It would be great if I could get that position and carry on with my work, I would learn so much.

We also had a viewing for the house on the same day.  They are coming back today for another look so fingers crossed.

I have got some more jewellery made this week.

This bangle is made from square silver and has been textured with lines.  It is highly polished and looks really organic, my usual style!  It will be on my website for £38.

This bangle is made from round silver and sanded to a rough matt finish.  It gives it a sleek look that kinda glistens a bit from the sanded finish.  This will retail at about £48 on my website.

I have matching necklaces and earrings for both designs which I will post shortly.

I am hoping to relax today, get some reading done etc before the Easter weekend.  We have visitors for most of the weekend, my nephew and his family on Saturday and Sunday, friends for dinner Sunday night and Monday we are off to watch / help out at the first village cricket match to be streamed live on Twitter!

Another commission done ....

This was a commission to set a stone in a pendant.

It is similar to the sea glass ring I did which I showed to the customer when we were thinking of designs and she really liked it.  It shows the stone off well and make sit more natural looking ....... it is in the post to her today so hope she loves it!

Sea glass ring

Monday already .....

School holidays are always a bit mad and I completely lose track of time ..........

Friday was youngest girlchild's 16th birthday.  She had a party at home ......... it kinda woke me up a bit to a couple of things.

One was that I had never realised how good my daughters are, polite, respectful and tidy.  The other kids dropped litter on the floor inside and outside my house, spilt drinks and didn't bother mopping up, smoked and put their cigarette butts on the ground, etc, etc.  There were 2 people who really helped out and I am grateful to them as we wentut for 2 hours and when we got back there were a lot more people than had been invited and they were kinda overseeing things.

The other thing was the alcohol.  We didn't provide any as I wasn't sure what other parents opinions was on the subject and it was impossible to contact them all to discuss.  I was surprised at the amount that people brought, it was mainly beer provided by the boys but there was a few bottles of wine and a Malibu bottle amongst the recycling.  It seems to be normal, there was no obviously drunk kids so they are probably used to drinking but it surprised me,  At least now I know what I am dealing with and hopefully my girls are cautious about alcohol, they don't go out that often with us so if they do drink it only occasionally ........ hopefully not at all but I am taking off my rose coloured spectacles now ...............

Spent the day gardening yesterday so its all looking good.  Someone coming to view the house on Wednesday so heopfully they will love it and buy it!

Little film of our break in Scotland, showing Portpatrick, Port Logan and Mull of Galloway.

Weird stuff happening ........ I saved a sheep on Saturday, it had rolled over on to its back and couldn't get up.  My friend once told me about this and said they eventually died from exhaustion.  I saw one stuck on its back and half an hour later it was still there when I passed so I stopped and sorted it out.

4 days later the same happened.  I was coming back from a run and saw the same situation, different sheep, different field, so I rolled the sheep back over in to its feet.  Weird or what, 2 sheep in 4 days, 47 years old and it had never happened before ......... or had it?

Short break

I have been away for a few days to the south of Scotland in the camper van.   What a laugh.
The weather was very sunny and chilly but that was okay as there was no rain.  We went around the south west coast to Sandhead and stayed on a great site which was on the beach with a stretch of 7 miles of sand!

Camper van driving is funny, you have to wave at every camper you pass, they all do it but if it is a Hymer (which we were in) then you have to wave frantically.  The novelty wore off after a while and you really can't be bothered but you feel like you must .........

We visited Portpatrick and Port Logan, see below, and then we went on to Mull of Galloway, the most southern point of Scotland.

All these places were very quiet and small but it was a lovely peaceful time, a good short break at the start of the Easter holidays.

It gave me a bit of time to think about my jewellery and design work.  I have a few ideas in the pipeline so there will be some new pieces shortly!

Back home

I survived BCTF in Harrogate ....... slightly disappointing on the sales front but there was interest, just not sure if they will develop in to orders.  I will chase them all up of course.  However I did have a blast, it was fun and I loved to talking to everyone especially the other exhibitionists, Corrine and Valleri ( Susan for short).
Loved staying in the camper, I could quite easily drive off in it for a month and enjoy my own travels and my own company ............. but alas this is reality and there are kids and a house to sort out, a birthday next week for youngest girlchild after a short break in Scotland .... in the camper of course.

Off to the Bath House tomorrow for 2 days ...........