Long Time No See

I'm still here.

And wow! It's already July!! That's craaaazy!! I didn't realise till I logged into my blog that I'd not written a post in so long.

Poppy turned 1 and is walking. Summer is on her school holidays right now, but as Poppy and I've been sick, we haven't really been anywhere or doing anything very fun. Hopefully all going well next week, I have a couple of outings planned.

On the jewellery making side of things, it has been slow. My creating mojo pretty much died. Completely. I managed to make 1 ring a couple of weeks ago:

But apart from that I've been dead in the water when it comes to making things. I watch everyone else around me making strides in their skills - whilst I fall waaay behind. I really want to make things, but when I sit and look at my stones, I'm uninspired and I can't come up with anything decent or new, so I just don't bother.

I think it's time to start practicing something new. Perhaps that will inspire me to get making again?

Apart from that, there really isn't anything new to write about. Oh except for a couple of months of being obsessed with make up. Yes, so late in life I know. But I've always been a very basic make up wearer. And since having my 2nd child I don't really overly care about putting on make up every time I leave the house. (and by make up I mean a dash of powder and mascara.) But something caught my eye - to do with make up - and ever since I have been collecting it. Hmmmm perhaps that's why I haven't been making any jewellery.....

Anyway, I've been having fun discovering things like Primer - for the eyes and face! - no I didn't really know either existed. And how to apply eyeshadow properly - like doing the crease etc. Oh and I discovered really nice make up brushes (sigma and real techniques). And the most fun part was discovering a whole load of make up brands - Urban decay, Stila, Nars, Too Faced and so on.... you gals in the USA have it SO GOOD! We pay $45 for a Nars blush here, compared to your $30. Make up here is atrociously over priced. Revlon and Loreal etc are around the $20 and up - and I'm not overly a fan of their make up either.

So my obsession is no longer really an obsession, more like an enjoyment now. I have a nice collection of different make up - not in the foundation and powders though - just in eye shadows and blush mainly - and I LOVE both as I'm a big fan of colour.

I hope to get back to my bench again soon. I feel bad just letting everything out there lay dormant - especially seeing I have a nice new computer out there that my hubby bought me! Winter time is usually my favourite time to work at my bench.

Well that's me done for now. Hope you are having fun creating - even if I'm not!

Em ♥

Muse

For once my creative muse is visiting.

I'm hoping this isn't a fleeting visit, that she will actually find a comfy seat and settle in for a while.

I think though I am filled with a new batch of ideas, I'm a little overwhelmed. I'm working on one of the largest pieces I have made (it really isn't that large, but for me it is) and of course, even though instinct told me to anchor things down, I didn't. And so now the bezel has soldered on slightly askew.

The perfectionist within says 'sorry, but you are just going to have to make it right, it's not good enough. Fix. It.' Though I worry if I do go in again and try to realign it, I might just ruin it altogether. I hate that part about soldering. I have some Yellow Ochre powder which I might have to slather all over the parts I can't have reflowing. Hoping with all hope that I can fix it, or it is going to be a very expensive scrap piece :(

Below are the latest things I have finished:

My favourite things to make would be the pendants you see above. I've always loved pieces with some weight to them and these all have just that. And the piece I am working on right now is even heavier, so I must make it work!!

Well that pendant isn't going to be fixed with me sitting here now is it?! Must get on with it :)

Have a wonderful day
Em ♥

2014

Well it's now the 3rd of Jan 2014 already.
I hope you had a great Christmas and New Year ♥

My eldest is away at her Nans for a few hours and my baby just fell asleep on the tiles lol, so I've just put her to bed. Now I can finish off my housework. So whilst I mop and wait for the floors to dry, I figured this would be a good time as any to do my first post for the year.

I don't do resolutions.
I do goals.
Usually I give myself 5(ish) goals to achieve within the year.
Mostly techniques to teach myself and one goal to reach for my etsy shop.
Just before the new year, I managed to teach myself one last technique:

Prong/Claw setting.
I haven't attempted anything like this before and it was playing on my mind for the last few weeks, so I jumped in head first last week and am super pleased with the results for a first try. I'm even wearing the ring right now.

It's a big ring and it's quite a 'bling' piece. I am very proud of it and absolutely intend to try to make another soon. I've had a few rather large stones like this for a few years now, never knowing if I would ever learn to set them. Now I now what I am doing, the confidence is there to do it again. (not a pink fan really though, but it is a pretty stone)

My shop was closed for a little while over Christmas and I reopened it on the 1st of January. I have 40 pieces listed for the first time ever! One of my goals for my shop is to get to 50 pieces listed and to keep it there....if not more. I have a couple of new rings yet to list, so I'm getting there :)

Again I have revamped my shop with new pictures of my pieces. I am never happy and never sure how to 'stage' my photographs. So I just went with what I personally like and I'm happy with how my shop looks. For now.

Below are a few new pieces I have made. The fox I am yet to list. 

I am working on a few heart pieces for Valentines day, got to get in early. And another enameled fox is in the works. Generally I'm not one to make things that are 'trending' but sometimes I feel it's necessary. My other goal for my shop is to sell 50 pieces this year. And that is going to mean I will need to make current trend items to help bring traffic to my shop. I intend to invest more into my shop this year, as last year I fell way behind.

Well the floors are drying very slowly as today it is expected to reach 37C and that dear friends is getting damned hot. Tomorrow it is forecast to be 40C, the plan for the day ...?... lock ourselves indoors and put on the airconditioning!

I hope the new year so far is treating you well!
Em ♥

The Waiting Game.

I've done it.
I've finally applied to a market.
Now I'm playing the waiting game.
Waiting for them to let me know if I can go. Though I'm not going on my own. I don't have enough goodies. So I am going to be sharing a stall with my Mother In Law, who makes handbags. This market isn't anything out of the ordinary. It's a Farmers/Craft market. But I just wanted to get my work out before Christmas, to test the waters. (And to hopefully sell a few pieces!! of course)

So, I have a whole lot to get organised. First off I have these I want to get finished:

 I am totally loving my disc cutter!! It has made my crafting life that little bit easier. All the other shapes I have sawn and dapped and pierced. The flowers have been waiting a while for me to choose their colours (hence the patinas). They're now going to need a super clean up before I can start. The circles are just going to simple pieces, they will help to plump up my stock. I might even dap some of them to give them a little bit more something. Then I need to make all the ear wires to go with them. Not sure yet what I'll do with the small circles, but I have a few ideas.

Below is the animal I have been working on:

I had a hard time experimenting with bails. I didn't want to just pop on a jump ring and leave it at that. It wasn't going to do him justice and it didn't look right. So the bail in the picture is what I finally came up with and I'm happy with it.

Typically today is really humid and so not much fun at the bench. I'm supposed to be finishing up a custom order, will see how that goes. Will probably get to it late in the afternoon. That now seems to be when I spend time at my bench most, between 4pm and 6pm. Whilst making dinner and feeding the baby and so on. It just seems to be the time that I feel like being there the most. No idea why. Clearly I don't get much done, when I'm doing all those other things. But it's working for me right now.

Most likely I will post again when I hear about the market application. Pretty sure it'll be accepted. But there is no point in working like a mad woman, until I know for sure.

♥ Em ♥

Hello.

Well it's almost 2014.
My baby girl is now 6 months old and my eldest is going to be on school holidays very soon. This year has definitely been one of the fastest. Ever.
I am thinking about my goal list for 2014 as this year I've mainly focused on baby (as you do). Next year she will be crawling and walking and eventually talking, so I do struggle to see how I'm going to find that extra bench time I'll need to fulfill my goals. But I'm sure I will manage somehow.


A couple of weeks ago I tracked down a hardware store with foldable market tables and I got one! And I've even ordered a table cloth for it too. I'm actually on Vistaprint right now looking at banners and posters. I'm serious about the markets. I'm dying to see how the locals receive my kind of work.

The enameling experiments continue.
I'm still enjoying it. My other half even offered to buy me a kiln! Yes, That is how supportive he is of my metalwork. Basically though I want to continue to torch fire, until I see a steady sale of enameled pieces. (none have sold yet) I don't think it would be a wise investment if there was no opportunity of recouping the costs. Do you? Right now, I am still able to do decent sized pieces with my torch. Just. It's hard to keep the whole piece hot enough, when you have a large area to fuse.

Instead of a kiln, I am thinking of a nice bench guillotine. I have my eye on a Pepe one. Their smallest. It will help make some of my work a bit swifter. Not a big fan of sawing out big squares and then sawing out the shape. I just want to get in and saw the shape and be done. Especially if there is piercing involved too. Plus I like the idea of being able to cut my own bezel wire easily. Sawing in a dead straight line tends to send me cross-eyed!

Below are a couple of pairs of enameled earrings:

 

The green ones are in my Etsy store and the crescent shapes I'm still yet to list. 

I have been having a play with drawing on enameled pieces with Graphite pencil. My ideas of 'drawing' would just be patterns mainly as I can't draw to save my life. It's a great addition to the enameling. I have found you can even do it on coloured enamel pieces too. 

I have run into a bit of difficulty. I can't for the life of me pin anything (ball up both ends of wire to secure a bail). I have tried a big bushy flame, a very small hot flame and nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero. My wire. Just. Won't. Ball Up. Super frustrated. As I really wanted to pin my enameled earrings and pendants. Someone on Instagram suggested riveting, but I'm not really any good at that either. Guess I will just have to practice that, as I really need a solution to attaching a bail to my pieces.

So that is about all for this post. 

Might go and have a little snack before Poppy wakes up.

Have a great week all.

Em ♥

 

More Enameling Fun

So yes, my latest love has to be Enameling.
I am having so much fun! I love that I can blend (sort of) colours together, to give the illusion of texture and I love that I can pair enameled pieces with silver. Below are 3 pairs of earrings I have made so far (available in my Etsy store).

My biggest challenge has been how to attach an ear wire that compliments the earring. I don't really want to do plain french ear wires, I wanted to do something a little bit more fancy. The Aqua blue pair of earrings have an enameled center ear wire, so they add to the look and the function of the earring.

I have just finished an animal piece last night, now I just have to work out how I want to attach it and then it's good to go too. I just ordered 2 liquid enamels yesterday to try and I have gotten some Cloisonne wire with my rio order last week, as I would really like to attempt torch firing Cloisonne too :)

The only booboo's I have encountered thus far, is when I don't balance my piece on the trivet properly and just as I go to fire it, it falls off and in the process, dumps half of the powder too :( But fortunately it's a pretty easy fix :) I really need to seriously consider a hydraulic press in the near future as I would like to be able to cut ovals, squares and circles quickly and neatly (which pancake dies are great for I hear!). As for flowers and animals, well I will continue to hand saw those.

I have just washed a nice Prussian Blue transparent enamel last night, I want to give it a go with some fine silver cups tonight at some point. When I get some time and some very fine tipped paint brushes, I will also give that Cloisonne a go too. And eventually when I get back to some etching, I hope to give Basse-taille a go as well :) So many techniques, so little time!! But I love having something new to try.

Hope you are having as much fun as I am?!
Em ♥

Stinky day ahead

stinky hot that is. It is set to hit 36 Degrees here at some point today. Not going to be fun for those that have to be out in it. Unfortunately, this means no bench time for me. It's just going to be too hot to use a torch.

I purchased myself some Opaque Thomsons enamels a couple of weeks ago. And I finally got my hands on a small sifter for them - they're sold out everywhere round these parts.

Seeing as I've a heap of copper sheets, I can practice enamelling with my torch and not have gone to too much expense to do so. I really do want to incorporate enamel work into my silver as I love the colour pop you can get. (plus I'm almost out of sheet and funds for it too :( - that's what you get for buying everything else under the sun and not what you really need - smack on the wrist!) So's I can have fun playing with the enamels and such till I've recovered my supplies fund.

Finally I have my newest Moo.com order (as pictured below). Now I have a cohesive look across the board. From business cards, to packing stickers, all with my logo. This is my first time trying the mini cards. I splashed out and got the Luxe ones.

The stickers for my jewellery boxes, I print myself on our laser printer. The little stickers are for my tissue wrapping inside the box. Overall I am very happy with them.

I received a nice bunch of labradorites in the mail yesterday and I have another big lot coming as well. Got myself some nice Broken Arrow Variscite too, which I haven't ever had before, must say I really really like it and think I will be investing in some more in the future. (see, this is where all the funds go ..... )

There are several pieces almost finished on my bench and one piece I finished setting the stone in yesterday, I probably won't get that listed till the weekend some time and who knows when I will finish up the other pieces. I'm a procrastinator at the moment (nothing new there) and just can't seem to get it together out there and get things done! Makes things even harder when you are down to that last few inches of silver sheet and you don't know what to do with it!

Well little Poppy is waking up now, time for some milk I guess. Better get to it!

Take Care
Em ♥

A Gorgeous Day.

It's beautiful outside today!

My baby is asleep in her swing and my eldest is out with the Grandies having fun shopping with a little bit of pocket money tucked in her hot little hand to spend on whatever she wishes!

The other half and I are still sick :(
Either we are coming down with a new flu, or the old one is renewing its ugly self?

Below is another pair of etched brass earrings I made this week:

♥ SOLD ♥

Did I mention how much I am enjoying etching? Well I am. It's so much fun. I have ordered some more Ferric Chloride this weekend and patinas. I feel like throwing caution to the wind and busting out the Nitrate to etch some silver!! But, I am waiting. I have ordered a new lovely bench to come, hopefully early this week. I found a guy who makes them locally and for a decent price too, I really need the extra work space and this will give it to me. I can't wait to get it and set it up! It even has a peg board :)

Spent most of Friday changing my product photos for my etsy shop again. I wish I could be happy with what I had, but I am forever changing my tastes and love a fresh change. What do you think? Do my pictures look okay?

I have decided the other new skill I want to teach myself by the end of 2013, is flush setting. I have been on the brink of trying it many times, but never got around to it. So, I ordered some small 3mm cubic zirconias to practice with. I have read a few tutorials on it and watched a few Youtube vids on it too, so I feel I have the gist of it, just need to make a little burnishing tool of my own and I'll be set to give it a shot.

Is there something you hope to teach yourself or learn by the end of this year? It's flying by, it will be here before I know it!

Em ♥

Nothing doing.

I'm in a funk.

Creatively speaking.

Below are pictures of my bench:

Beading. I have been playing with my beads and knotting. The first picture is a mockup of a knotted necklace with an old skull pendant. I thought it looked quite nice, (Faceted red jade and rose quartz) but when I showed my other half, he said the beads look like plastic. Well basically now I can't get that thought out of my mind when I look at it, or any of my other beads for that matter.

Since having Poppy, my work at the bench has dwindled down to almost nothing. My head is choc full of ideas (as always) and desire to work on something, but my body just won't follow through. I go out to the bench, look at a few stones and half made things and don't feel motivated enough to stay. So I leave and then don't seem to get back for days - to 'look' at stuff lol. Obviously I don't have the time I used to before Poppy arrived, plus I'm so behind on sleep right now.

I did get some ferric chloride yesterday in the post, but I am waiting on buying a second hand bottle warmer so I can warm the chloride, so I won't try any etching until then.

My Father in law has found a nice jewellers hydraulic press locally at a tool shop I've never heard of - it's also a nice price too $1000.00. Not sure that I am ready to part with that amount of money just now, not on something I am not sure will be used enough to justify that price tag.That being said, I do have a disc cutter that cuts up to 2" discs that I can't use without a press ..... so I will have to work something out one day.

I caught this photo of Poppy 2 days ago:

Is it any wonder I don't get anything done lol?? ♥♥♥♥

Em ♥

Aaaahhchooo

Yup, I'm sick. 

That's the one thing about having a baby in Winter time - a) you don't want (but would love) to go out in case of catching something, b) you can't do much about it once you have caught something!

I have been wearing a mask when I feed Poppy. I don't know if it would really keep much of my germs at bay, but I have to at least minimise them. I haven't been sneezing much and have only coughed a little, most of which I try to do away from baby and into tissues. I have the disinfectant spray out and ready to spray down the computer area etc when I'm finished here. I can't take anything to help with the cold either - neither can Poppy for that matter :( 

Anyway on a brighter note, I finally finished and listed my first collection. 

It wasn't an intentional one, it just sort of happened whilst I was making something and I couldn't really think of a cool name for the collection, so I went with 'Vintage Lace' as my work kind of reminded me of lace:

*Rabbit & Owl are sold*

Unfortunately the earrings I won't be able to list, as whilst setting the turquoise in one of them, a little piece broke off the top. It's very minimal, so it's not really noticeable, unless you were to say something. I was thinking of offering them heavily reduced on my fan page, as I would hate to see them go to scrap - they're still sweet :) or, I could just keep them for myself ...........

Poppy is now 5 weeks old and is alert and awake for longer periods of time. She isn't afraid of me when I wear the mask whilst feeding, so that's a good thing. She has a good stare at me, but there's no change in her expression. 

Summer starts back at school next Monday - thank goodness! So I may be able to get my creative mojo back on ... though I'm honestly not feeling it right now. I really hope this cold is over tomorrow (for more than the obvious reasons), I really wanted to drive up to visit my parents for the day, they haven't seen Poppy since she was a few days old. And once Summer is back at school I can't go up as it's too far away to get back in time to pick her up. Maybe I can go Saturday - here's hoping!!!! 

Time to cut my nails down I think ... they're getting to that 'could really scratch baby up' length lol

Em ♥

So not in the flow.

I'm struggling to finish my little collection. And I have a small custom pebble pendant to do, but I just can't seem to get it happening. Doesn't help that it's now day 2 of the 2 week school holidays. I'm keeping up with everything domestic/parental. Just not jewelry.

I have to get my backside to the bench today to finish that pendant so I can get it posted. I have been enjoying getting my groceries delivered, so that is something I don't have to contend with, spesh with having the baby to take and a 5 yr old ... not my idea of a good time.

So jewelry wise, here is a piece I finished not long before I had Poppy:

My first ever attempt at a hollow form piece. I love it. It has a nice weight to it and it's a great simple -go to- go with everything pendant. I wear it with another long necklace with a feather, being that it's all silver, it goes with other necklaces. Not that I have any others lol

Below is a picture I just captured:

I absolutely LOVE it - I managed to get her to look at me just for a split second, enough to capture her beautiful little eyes looking right into the lens. This will be one to frame!

*sneaking away to make a cuppa*

Okay, I ended up going to the bench to get that pendant happening too lol.
I am going to make sure I have my collection complete and listed before the 1st of July too! I think it's so hard for me to get on with it, because of that little bundle of cute above. When she finishes her feed I want to continue to hold her as she sleeps or just lays there looking around taking the world in, it's so hard to put her down sometimes. But if I were to hold her all day long, I would get nothing done - at least nothing done that requires both hands/arms :)

It's time now for me to enjoy my cup of tea and a chocky biccie or 2! Then it's back to the pendant, by then I'm sure my little one will be awake again.

Take care
Em ♥

Poppy ♥

My little girl Poppy arrived on the 27th of May.

I was induced again and it was a strange experience this time around. I experienced contractions for most of that day between 2-5 minutes apart for most of that time and eventually had an Epidural - which in the end didn't work - so I may as well not have had one! (I remember hearing another lady in agony in another birthing suite and saying to my husband that she sounded like the cookie monster and how I hope I never sound like that! In the end I sounded just as bad lol) I was in 'labour' for about 7 and a half hours, but Poppy came into the world in about 3-4 pushes.

I had both my mother and my husband as my support team this time. With my first it was just my husband. It was great to have them both there, especially considering how it all went down this time around. So now Poppy is 3 weeks old and sleep deprivation is starting to catch up to me. My hubs has been a great help again (just as he was with our first). I really have myself a great man!

Summer has taken to Poppy as though she's always been here and loves her greatly and loves to help out. I feel sorry for her having to go to school (when she just wants to stay home with us), but I'm grateful that she goes. I don't think I could handle them both just yet. Although, school holidays are next week :(

So all is well here right now. I love my little family and feel content. I am almost finished my collection:

But I am finding it hard to sit at the bench right now as I'm so tired and there are always so many other things that need my attention, not including Poppy! Hopefully will have it all finished and listed by this weekend :)

Em ♥

......

I probably should be at my bench right now, enjoying what little time left I have to myself. I was motivated to do so ... but that was yesterday. Today was the first day all week I've had to myself and I realised there was much to be done about the house. So my 'me' time has to wait. The housework is almost done. Just a small section of my floors left to mop. There are towels in the dryer - too tired to hang them out, or maybe too lazy, you choose. The dishes have just finished washing in the dishwasher. I have cleaned all my daughers toys up - really need to go through them again. Half of the baby's things have been washed and neatly stacked ready to hang/fold and put away. Everything else is pretty much sorted.

I am working on a very small collection. My first ever collection. Not sure if it will turn out or not, but I'm having fun trying.

Here is a piece I managed to finish for the shop over the weekend:

Kingman Turquoise and Red Coral

The leaf on the pendant is my 3rd (2nd silver) attempt at fold forming. My first try was with copper and my second was double the size and thickness in sterling silver. The one above is in Fine Silver. I tried my hand at a little wax carving last week and it was a pitiful attempt. So much harder to do than I'd imagined. I mean I knew it wouldn't be super easy, but I honestly thought it wouldn't be so hard either. No, I've not given up. But I've put it aside till another time. Fortunately I haven't put up a large sum towards it, the most expensive part so far has been buying the wax - which didn't cost very much at all.

Well, I've a hospital appointment this afternoon. They won't tell me when my induction will be, until a few days before they want to do it. It's a little frustrating that they can't tell me a little more ahead of time, as I have to let my mother know and my husband, so they can schedule what to do with work. But it is what it is. Really not very far off now. I pray this time that everything goes well. The birth of my first was an absolute nightmare and I am going to be well prepared this time that things go differently - at least with the things that are part of our control. I cannot, simply CANNOT go through what I went through the first time.

So until that time, my hospital bag is almost packed and ready to go. We are waiting on a change table to arrive and then we will start putting everything together. My Blood Sugar Levels are all over the place, which isn't good. I'm getting put on higher and higher doses of insulin every few days, but it isn't bringing them down at all. I know this baby is going to be bigger than my first - I just hope it doesn't get TOO big - Ouch! lol. Baby and I will have a couple of weeks together before Summer's next school holidays! Hoping I will have some sort of routine in place by then ..... but that's a big hope :)

That's all I have to write about for now. I will hopefully do another post or 2 before arrival of baby, as I'm hoping that my little collection will be finished soonish.

Hope all is well in your world!
Em ♥

Not Cleaning Today :)

Normally Mondays are when I'd do some big house cleaning for the week. But today I have decided, I don't want to do that today :P

The house doesn't look any worse for wear because of that decision, so I figured I can probably get away with it today! I am going to try and work at my bench instead.

Below are a couple of pieces I've finished this past week:

♥ SOLD ♥

I am only working on 1 more pendant and a pair of earrings for my shop at the moment and a little brooch for my mother. So hopefully today I can get a few more pieces started. I also want to do something for myself. I don't really make things for myself, but I want something like the piece above, but without a stone and with a back. Hope I can have that done before baby arrives.

Above is the latest addition to my techniques 'to do'. I haven't ever attempted this wax carving before, but it is something I have been intending to try for about 9 months now, so finally with my latest Rio order, I got a box of wax tablets to play with. I also would like to pull out my repousse kit and give that a go too, but I think I need another kit with a different pitch in order to do a whole piece. So I have to investigate a little more into that and maybe order that with the next purchase from Rio.

Well I had better leave it here and get on with my day. I have to finish the chain on the owl piece above and get that posted out and it's nearly 10am, so only a handful of hours left before I pick up the kid :)

Em ♥

Not Long Now ...

I haven't been very devoted to posting of late.
So I thought I had better pop on by and say hello.
Not long now until baby comes. Under 6 weeks and it will be here! If all goes according to plan anyhow (not that that ever happens!) :)

I have decided to renovate my blog.
It's still simple, but I like the colour change and I have added my Etsy and Facebook and Pinterest to the links in the header and sidebars.

There hasn't been much going on bench wise lately. I'm just not feeling very creative - though I do have several pieces almost finished. It just takes me a lot longer to create at the moment. When I'm at my bench, I have been enjoying the show Downton Abbey. I'm up to season 2. It's funny how not much really happens, but enough goes on to make you want to keep watching :)

Below is a pendant I've recently finished and listed in my store:

And below are some earrings I've recently made and listed:

The pieces I'm working on now are all pendants.
Isn't it great news that silver dropped??!!!!! I was so happy. I needed to make an order and the price drop couldn't have come at a better time. I didn't go crazy or anything, but I ordered enough to keep me going for a little while. I don't imagine that I'll be making much for a while once baby arrives, but we'll see. Once in a new routine that includes baby and Summer, I might get more time to myself.

We have an inspection tomorrow. I hate them. But it does give us a chance to do a good ole spring clean. Which is exactly what I've been doing with my spare time of late. I have sold some clothes and books and stamps and have cleared out a lot of stuff from the spare room that baby will be eventually going into. It's a nice feeling downsizing things and even better if you can make a little cash on the way.

Well I have a hospital appointment this afternoon with an Endocrinologist. I'm hoping I don't have to wait around long. I'm tired of waiting around there.

Have a lovely day
Em ♥

A Little News To Share

I'm not sure if you will remember, but last year over a few of my later posts, I was complaining of not feeling so great.

Well this is the reason why:

We are expecting baby #2 this year in June!

I have been struggling with several ailments due to being pregnant :(

I'm having some heart palpitations (seeing a specialist about this) have had 'Morning Sickness' (usually an afternoon early evening event) and am now suffering from Chronic Reflux - which last Friday afternoon got sooo bad that I called an Ambulance for myself!! At that time I didn't know what was wrong with me, but I thought I was dying :( The pain was the worst I've ever had in my chest. Fortunately I have the best GP and I was able to talk to him over the phone and he gave me the name of a tablet to take.

Last night at about 9:30, I felt the symptoms start in my chest again and so I got up and took the tablet. About 10 minutes later after really bad pain, it just disappeared! Just like that! That happened to me on Friday too. I was on the floor in severe pain and then - snap your fingers - it was gone. So I don't know if it was the tablets that worked their magic, or if it was going to go of it's own accord. 

I guess I will have to wait until I have another attack :( Which I really hope doesn't happen!

In other news, Summer is doing well at Prep.

She now has a half cast again - after having a whole arm one for 2 weeks and she gets that cast off (hopefully) next Tuesday.

Not much else happening around these parts. I'm too tired to do much. Keeping up with the housework takes it out of me as it is. I want to get to the bench today. I have finally finished soldering a piece that was giving me hell. So I need to oxidize it and polish it up and hopefully it turns out. 

Well, here's hoping I get to that bench at some point today. Or this week lol.

Take care all 

Em ♥

Hot Enough For Ya?

Seems like many of my posts are about our heat. 

Sorry about that folks, but it's a fact round these parts.

I am feeling really badly for those in Tasmania (and other parts of Aust that are affected), where all those fires are breaking out. 

It freaks me out here too, as across from our front yard is bush/rainforest. As I am a worrier, this kind of weather just pushes my pessimistic side.

So I now have Queensland fire service on my facebook, so I can keep up to date with what's happening around my area.

Regardless of the heat (which is not nearly as bad as some parts), I am attempting to get to the bench more. I have a water cooler (like a fan, but it uses water to cool the air) beside me at my bench. It isn't anywhere near as good as having air conditioning. But it's all I've got. I have worked out a position so I can have it on whilst soldering, which is something. 

Here is the piece I finished last:

Sold.

 Right now I am working on a pair of earrings and a pendant.

I have an order coming from Rio and some small tools and supplies coming from round Australia. I'm still browsing stones on Etsy. Not that I have any money left after those supplies :(

Best get back to the bench whilst I can ....

Take care all 

Em ♥

Too Hot!!!

It's killin' me.

I can't even contemplate going to the bench and attempting to make anything :( 

I would just melt away.

Granted it's not as hot as some parts of Australia, but still this is as much as I can take.

We got the new quick release handle onto my flexshaft, but I haven't been out there to take advantage yet. 

What's on my bench: 

no idea when I'll get this all finished.....

Above is a bracelet I made, instead of a necklace. It's nowhere near the completed stage, lots of filing and cleaning to do yet .... maybe next year LOL.

I'm getting to the point where I think of bringing my metal out to the kitchen to work on. It's air conditioned in the house (watch out electric bill - Yikes!!). I could solder in the hot plate area, as it has the vent above and possibly I could file and sand over the sink. Desperate? Yes. If it's like this for the next 2 months then I am going to have to seriously consider this. I am falling waaaay behind. I haven't had a sale in a while - but again, I'm still not promoting myself and I don't renew much and I certainly am not making enough new work to attract new customers. Basically I'm getting out what I'm putting in ....... which is nothing much really :(

Went outside just now to see to the pets and this little guy was in my dogs water bowl having a soak:

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Don't often see them in the daytime - they're more nighttime lurkers round our parts - but it's been so hot. I don't like toads. At. All. Love frogs. But you never see them ... only hear them.

I really really really really hope it rains. This weather freaks me out, as we live across from the bush and it's weather like this that brings massive bushfires - super humidity, dry and windy. Not a good mix.

Well that's all for now folks.

Oh I decided on a new logo - thanks to the help of all my friends and family and helpful fans on my facebook page. I am pondering a new backdrop in the new year and I want to incorporate my logo too.

Take care :) And have an awesome holiday season!

Em ♥

Boring Sunday....

I don't often get bored.

Summer is spending the day at her nan's and hubby is out working. 

I am down to my last little square of silver sheet.

I asked at Rio when they were getting the particular sheet I want. They informed me it won't be until late July now :(

So, it looks like I will have to make the order for some here. But I have no choice. I want to make stuff and I can't, not even with that last little piece ... I just don't know what to make with it lol.

Yesterday wasn't much of a better day either.

Though I did get the dog groomed. I cut all his hair down very short (Took me forever) and washed him and now he's happy. As much as he doesn't enjoy his hair being cut, he definitely enjoys the aftermath. And so do we. If I ever have a dog again, I will never have one with long hair. Way too much maintenance. 

Last night whilst my hubs and I sat and ate dinner, we heard a huge ruckus going on out the front of our house. Hubs went to investigate and to cut a long story short, our neighbour (bout 50yrs oldish, very quiet family man) had been punched in the face by a friend. We were both puzzled as to what on earth had gone down, to encourage this mans friend to punch him. But the neighbour was drunk. So it could have been anything. We are surprised that this went down though, as to look at him, you wouldn't think he would ever go out and come home drunk. Ever.

So that's all that's been going on around here. Summer goes back to kindy next week (YAY!) and hopefully by the end of the week, I shall have some silver supplies?....

Here is what I finished this past week:

You can see most of it's metal clay as I had a couple of packets to use. So at least I got to make something. For the first time ever, I am over the 30 piece in my shop mark! I am thinking of making my own website/shop, but trouble is I would want to put all my work from Etsy on it and I'd want to leave my work on Etsy at the same time. I don't know if that would work? What if just by some random coincidence someone bought a certain item from Etsy AND that same certain item from my webshop??? Then what would I do?? lol

Em ♥

Fuzzy Hair & Rainy Days

Yes...that's my hair. Fuzzy. And it has been raining on and off for a few days now. 

Here is a picture of what it looks like outside my front door today

We have several of these pink plants out the front of my studio and the front of the lounge. They look awesome on a day like this with their bright leaves and raindrops decorating them.

 

Summer and I took the 4 hour round trip to visit my Mum yesterday and the weather was just as soggy. The drive there wasn't so bad...but the drive back home was terrible.

We enjoyed lunch at a local venue and it was very yummy. Then we trekked over to my favourite store 'Giddy & Grace'. I almost always come away with less money in my bank than when I arrive. And this time was no different. I bought myself some gorgeous Owl wrapping paper and this:

It's really heavy - it's made from stone. But I love Owls and knew it was coming home with me the moment I touched it. I also purchased a lovely white ceramic one from a fellow Etsian in Melbourne. I have used it as a prop for my Etsy shop too... Iove it. It's so cute and detailed.

My mother bought me these little bird eggs as a gift ♥

Now I just need to find something to display them in :)

I finally got my new dining chairs. Hubby was so helpful in taking the nearly 5 hour round trip picking them up in his new truck. Now we are back to needing a new dining table as the chairs really don't work with it :(

Below is what I am working on:

I have just oxidized those 2 pieces and hopefully will finish them off this afternoon. The metal clay pieces will have to wait another day or so to be fired as it's so damp I have to ensure they're properly dried out. 

This past week(ish) I've been on a roll with my muse. It has been a while since I've had this amount of pieces on the go - just finished these 2 below on Monday as well

Both are Ocean Jasper and I love these stones ♥ You can see the White Owl I bought too ♥

Summer is on 2 weeks school holidays now. It's going to be boring for her at times, but it can't be helped. When it's raining, indoor activities are it. I might be able to take the trip up to my Mum's again next week. It's such a hike, but it gives us something to do and gets Summer out of the house to visit her grandies :)

Okay I've rambled on long enough now. Might make myself a nice hot cup'a'soup!

Em ♥