Oh So Quiet.

Peace and Quiet.
Doesn't happen often around these parts.
But when it does, I soak it right up.
My other half is working his day away.
My older daughter is at school.
And my baby girl is sleeping in the warmth of the sun.

And in the meantime, I am writing this post and doing lots of house cleaning.
I don't mind house cleaning. It gives me so much satisfaction (for the 1minute it stays that way) to see a clean house and everything in it's place.

My mother is coming to stay for a couple of nights, which I am really looking forward to. It's a beautiful sun shiny day here, but still quite cool. We are just over halfway through Winter.

I have ordered a bundle of new tools and supplies this week. Have been holding off for a while, but decided I needed some excitement injected into my week and waiting on tool/supplies parcels always gives me that! The anticipation of experimenting is always lots of fun too. I have some new ideas tumbling around in my head - I just hope that they turn out the way I see them .... it's probably about a 50/50 chance.

Poppy had her injections done yesterday afternoon.
I hate taking babies for that to be done. Fortunately, both of my girls cry for only a moment and then get over it quickly. I hate seeing them in pain, even if it's for a good reason.

It's nearly lunch time.
I have upstairs to finish off cleaning and then I have to tidy up downstairs and make a pie, pop on some washing and post off a parcel and then on to pick up my daughter.

I wish the days were longer.

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 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 ♥

I'm tired this morning.

But the house is fairly quiet, so I thought I would do a quick little blog post, whilst I can. 

Summers arm is finally all good to go. No more cast/brace. Which I'm sure she is enjoying. Baby is doing well. I'm doing o.k.

I've been getting to the bench a little - only 3 months till baby comes, so I really want to enjoy the time I have to myself before then. 

I have spent a little while searching for an anvil. 

I thought I had found what I was after, but it turns out it was Iron and not steel and that's not any good. Finally I decided to take the plunge on one from RioGrande. It's costing as much for the postage as it is for the actual anvil. Hubby has lovingly and generously offered to pay for the postage so I could have my anvil. 

Isn't he fab?!! ♥

So hopefully some time this week I will get that :)

I know I don't overly NEED an anvil. But a steel plate isn't going to cut it for me anymore. It jumps around on my stump and it isn't big enough. 

I want to do some fold forming this year and the anvil will be great for that to begin with. I'm hoping it will absorb all the noise when hammering too.

Below are a couple of pieces I have finished recently that I had a lot of trouble with:

Sold

 

Sold

I have a few new things I am working on at the bench right now too. Just need to do the bails and clean up and set the stones etc. 

I did finish this on Friday:

 

Just felt like doing something simple and out of silver only. I'm not really loving my stone collection at the moment. I find it so hard to find really good ones. Everyone else seems to be finding them :(

Well I'm waiting on a friend to come over - but who knows if/when she will. Either way, I've got lots to get done today, so I should probably make a start :)

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 ♥