SEA GLASS MOSAICS

I now have so much sea glass that I thought I would try my nieces idea.  With the bag she collected she was going to do some Mosaic on a tea light holder.  That sounded like a lovely idea - the flame flickering through the different shades and colours.

not a very good drawing but good enough

my seahorse

putting on the clear glass

First I drew a very rough outline of a seahorse on a piece of paper cut to size.
Then I placed green glass on it, rearranging till I was happy with the design.
Using superglue gel I fixed the sea glass to the tea light holder one piece at a time following my design.
Then I covered the rest of the tea light holder with clear glass - with a few thin lines of green to look like seaweed.

My first piece of Mosaic - a shame that it wasn't on my list of crafts to try.

With some teeny tiny shells and a couple of slithers of sea glass ( the bits that you would think are far to small to use on anything) I have made a really pretty phone charm and another glass charm pendant.  I will be listing the pendant on Etsy later.  I am not sure what I want to do with the phone charm yet.

It was a chilly start to the day so we lit the fire early while we made up our minds what we were going to do.
Lunch in Broadstairs was the decision and a very good one it was.  A very nice lunch followed by a walk along the sea wall at Stone Bay.http://www.flickr.com/photos/73346943@N07/sets/72157628853489351/
As the walk was a post lunch thought we hadn't got cameras with us so these were taken with my phone.  I did change the settings to sport which probably helped.
It was lovely to come home to a cozy house after walking along the shore.

Perfect weather again

Another day with perfect weather - perfect for crafting in front of the fire with a contented cat asleep on a chair next to me that is.

Had to do a little bit of baking before starting. Some drop scones for a quick yummy lunch, the last christmas cake (accidently used self raising flour but it seems ok and is now soaking up some sherry) and a bread pudding for my mother.  Defrosted the freezer yesterday so there is room to start filling with christmas goodies.  I like to make the sausage rolls, some bacon puffs, spicy pork rolls and mince pies (both puff and shortcrust pastry) and freeeze them uncooked so they can be baked as I need them.  I want to try some cinnamon buns and have just discovered this idea on Pinterest.                                                              http://goodcheapeats.com/2010/03/cinnamon-roll-convenience-without-can
I may make a Dundee cake this year, it is ages since I made one.  Christmas is just a fantastic excuse for a massive baking frensy.  Many days of feasting ahead.

The coaster that I tried to make yesterday for my nephew were not a success so today I tried again with much better results.  I have also been putting the base coat on the box I am using to gift pack my home made jam.

I spent the morning with my sister and she showed me the jewellery she has been making fromm seaglass - not the stuff we collected together but some she got on a previous occassion.  She also showed me the shadow box she had made to display some fossils.  I can't wait for her to really start producing things - she will inspire me to different approaches and together we will have so much fun.

The latest item to be placed on Etsy.

A 1967 Mercury Cougar original photo tote bag.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/86536523/original-classic-caroriginal-photo-tote

I have just noticed how well the car fits in with its background.  I really enjoy making these bags and have a couple more in the pipeline - the design is sorted just need to print them off and make them up.  I have a stunning one of HOTRODS outside a diner.

 As I love being driven in this beautiful car I kinda sorta don't want to sell it - I will just have to make a similar one for myself.



I have been looking at recipes again and think that I will have to have another "lunch" again soon.  So many delious looking cakes, biscuits, and savouries to try.  Too few mouths in my house to put all the food into.  I made SMUNCHKINS last night.  There would have been a photo but they need to be eaten while they are hot.  The camera was in the basement and we ate all the cakes. Next time I make them I will take pictures and write the recipe out.






 I have another bangle nearly finished and one just started.  I am quite liking the fact that these bottles will not go to waste.  I think they look so pretty and when finished so hard to remember what they started from.

I have just got a bag of logs in ready to spend an evening crafting in front of the fire.  Young Bruce will make me pull out a chair for him and the two of us will have a cozy relaxing evening together.

Bruce thinks we had the stove installed for him

I have a lot I want to get done this evening :- I have a few more Christmas cards to make to give to Wingham Wildlife park ( an idea that came to me in the summer and I am doing now) as we are going there tomorrow and I wanted to give them to them.
http://www.winghamwildlifepark.co.uk
The bracelets that are nearly done finished so they can be listed on Etsy.
Get the mirror I am making through the next stage.
Paint the inside of cigar box purse.  Make some Christmas cards for us to send.
Finish the recipe books for my neice and nephew.
And anything else I have time for.

Making a start - Christmas cards begun

This evening I spent a couple of happy hours in front of a log fire making the first of my Christmas cards.  I did a few last week but they weren't for me .  Back in the summer I decided that it would be a good idea to make some Christmas cards and give them to http://www.winghamwildlifepark.co.uk in kent to sell in their shop using pictures of their animals.  Having opened my Etsy shop it occured to me that I could use my good deed as advertising by putting my logo on the backs of the cards.  I set myself a target of two dozen A6 cards for them.

Today I was making ones for friends and famuly.  In the past I have managed to get organising Christmas a bit muddled.  I will have all my presents wrapped but no cards made let alone written.  As some have to go overseas this is not sensible.  So this year I WILL BE ORGANISED - maybe. 

It is also the time of year when the card and papercraft magazines have their big competitions, every year I mean to enter and somehow miss the deadline. I like the challenge of producing things of a high enough standard to be considered.  There are some very talented people crafting.

http://www.etsy.com/people/dreamtimemakes

Feeling better and ready to craft

Just after my trip to Pegwell Bay with my sister the cold that had been lurking in the background decided to take over - and how.  I dont remember ever being so ill with a cold, I even had time off work - something I very rarely do.  I didnt eat and all I really did was sleep. But that is done now. I still have a few snuffles but pretty much I feel better.  So back to living.

I made a start over the weekend on the recipe books for my Niece and Nephew, and I have a photo bag two thirds done for a friend who liked mine and wanted one of their own.  I also have a bag half made to go onto my Etsy shop - this one has a picture of my parteners Mercury cougar ( a most beautiful car).  I have so many ideas tumbling over themselves in my head and only so many hours in the day to do anything about it.  The little bit of daylight that we currently have after coming home from work was spent cutting wood for the stove.  My partener has found a custom staircase builder near to where he works and has permission to take wood from their skip.  Great news as fuel prices go up and up - the free wood to burn will help kill the bills down.

I have wasted some happy time on PINTREST this evening looking at lovely food and following the links to the blogs and sites where the recipes are listed.  I am really looking forward to trying them out. There is the added bonus of other recipes on the blogs. Cant wait.

http://theurbanspork.com/2010/05/flour-tortillas/
http://annies-eats.net/2010/08/06/raspberry-swirl-cheesecake-cupcakes/
http://www.bakedperfection.com/2010/12/candy-cane-blossoms.html