Yesterday, the studio was properly 'christened', when the first teaching took place in there. I'd taught in the garage, but ... well, let me tell you, the studio works a *lot* better.
Suki had come over from York for the day, and I think you'll agree that her beads are fabulous - there's not a wonky one among them!
We did round beads and some dots before lunch - by then, I'm afraid to say, we were a bit cold - which will be remedied when I get 'proper' heating for the studio this week-end! But the scampi & chips in the pub across the road warmed us up nicely!
The afternoon was given over to trying different techniques - raking, silver foil (and therefore encasing). All the beads in the photo are Suki's, and no, she's never been at the torch before. I helped a little bit with the flowers, but that's it. Here comes the competition!
Normally, when I get a commission (and I'm sure that's true for most other people!), the person commissioning the piece has seen something from me and liked it. So when an ex-colleague on my Mum's said she'd like to buy some jewellery off me, I'd assumed she knew what she was getting - until it transpires that she doesn't have internet, and only ever saw a bead on mine that dangles from my Mum's keys. Uh-oh. I have met the lady in question.....last, possibly, about 15 years ago! So I convinced my Mum to at least get me a hint - are we talking bracelet? Ring? Necklace? Brooch? Whacky? Classy? Well, I'm glad I got my Mum to ask, because the first piece of info coming back was...gold! Me, on auto pilot, I would have made silver every time. So, after firing an order for findings off, I turned to the rest of the brief - necklace or pendant, simple, possibly leather, beads with green or blue. I'll be taking two - I hope she likes one of them.
