24 Dec 2008

Bob is great

So, my friend Bob Tarling is great. Yes, he's great. Why? Because he fixed the back button on my website!!!!!!!!!!!! hurrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!
The problem was that if you looked at the details of an item, say a ring, and then wanted to go back to the main list of items, e.g. rings, it always went back to the beginning of the list. NOT where you already were on the list. This made looking through the items somewhat annoying.
It turned out to be a rather tricky issue to fix - not least because it required Javascript tweaking, and I don't really know Javascript, I know HTML. Anyway....just so you can be impressed at Bob, here's a piece of the code that sorted it in the end:

if (page > 0) {
var previousPage = currentPage - 1;
document.getElementById("previous").innerHTML = '';
} else {
document.getElementById("previous").innerHTML = '';
}
var nextPage = currentPage + 1;
if (totalPics > nextPage * picsPerPage) {
document.getElementById("next").innerHTML = '';
} else {
document.getElementById("next").innerHTML = '';
}

Oh YES, read it and be impressed!! or confused, whichever. Keeping in mind that Bob's main thing is not Javascript, that's just one of his many nerd hobbies! (He also has non-nerd hobbies!)
So, anyone out there who wants to offer Bob a job paying loads, please contact me!

End result: browsing my website just got a lot easier!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

23 Dec 2008

christmas tree

This is a photo of our small christmas tree. It actually looks nice with the lights and things...but it was hard to get a decent photo. Oh well, anyway, that's the tree. It was grown potted, so hopefully it'll survive and we can use this one again next year. Which reminds me, I haven't given it any water yet...

22 Dec 2008

holidays....

It's so close...only a few more days and then it's really Christmas holidays! hurrah! Strangely it has gotten quite a bit warmer again, so it's not as wintery cold as it was a couple of weeks ago. Ah well, so I guess I can forget about snow on Christmas day then.
I did a ring for someone, better not say whom just in case, and it's one I have on my website, but a bit wider and hopefully more masculine looking. Here's a photo:
I was going to have photos of a new necklace, but I sold it on Friday, so I will have to make another one and then make some photos. I'm working on another new necklace which hopefully I'll finish today. I'm not sure yet how it will turn out, so I'm hoping to figure out how to do one of those polls on this blog so you guys can let me know what you think. Ok, I better go work on it!

18 Dec 2008

dark at 4pm

oh yes, it's winter alright...dark by 4pm....
I've been putting up loads of new items on Etsy, Folksy and Dawanda...check it out :-)
Finished a ring for a friend today and have been working on two new necklaces...photos soon to see what people think of them...
hope everyone's having a good winding-down-to-Christmas week!!! Nearly the holiday....

17 Dec 2008

yawn

oh dear I'm a bit sleepy today. I went to see a friend in London and had a lovely time. We went to a restaurant which I'd been avoiding because I don't like the name (long story) but she suggested it, so off we went. To my surprise what I had was very tasty indeed. I had farfalle pasta with roasted pine nuts, cherry tomatoes, pesto and grilled artichoke hearts. It was very tasty indeed...especially with pasta dishes I find that often they sound good on the menu but are bland and disappointing, but this one was very good. My friend had a calzone with aubergine and bunch of other veggies and she really liked it too. I tried a piece and it was good! Anyway....that wasn't really my point. My point was that we then went to a pub and were chatting away and eventually decided to go and when I got to Paddington I'd missed all the sensible trains before the last fast one. So I phoned my other half because I knew he was aiming to get that last train, because he was in London with friends to go to a gig. So eventually the boys showed up and we all got the train together, which was much preferable to travelling alone and it was fun. Then we got to Reading and the boy decided he needed some fresh air so we walked home which meant that we probably got to bed close to 1am. So, a bit sleepy today..... long excuse, huh?

16 Dec 2008

for Bea

So I went to the kitchen and took a photo of this box especially for Bea. Just to prove I wasn't making it up....there is vegetarian suet as well. Proof:

15 Dec 2008

mince pies

When I first moved to the UK, I thought mince pies were pies with mince meat in them. A sort of shepard's pie, meat pie, etc. I'm glad someone (probably dougs) showed me they are yummy little sweet tarts with raisins and currants! ha! I just ate one...hmmm yum! Mince pies are filled with mincemeat. You'd think that means there's meat in them, but there only used to be. Nowadays, mincemeat is, according to Delia (the TV chef Delia, I mean):

8oz (225g) Bramley apples, cored and chopped small (no need to peel them)
4 oz (110 g) shredded suet
6oz (175 g) raisins
4oz (110 g) sultanas
4oz (110 g) currants
4oz (110 g) whole mixed candied peel, finely chopped
6oz (175 g) soft dark brown sugar
grated zest and juice 1 orange
grated zest and juice 1 lemon
1 oz (25 g) whole almonds, cut into slivers
2 level teaspoons mixed ground spice
¼ level teaspoon ground cinnamon
good pinch freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons brandy

I just looked that up because I wondered what all was in mincemeat.

Anyway...in other news, the craft fair was a complete dud. Oh well. That'll happen. Happily online sales are going well, so there's that. Now only 10 days until Christmas!! We tried to get a little xmas tree yesterday, but the shop was completely sold out of trees. Sigh. I think we'll go again later this week and see if there are some more.

12 Dec 2008

13 days til Christmas

Oooooh it's miserable looking outside today. Drizzle and about 2 degrees C. brrrrrrrr. Yesterday I managed to get to the post office and post heaps of things (ok, 11) on Etsy, daWanda and Folksy. That involved a lot of picture-taking as most of it was new stuff that I hadn't photographed at all yet. So we'll see how that goes online. I still have some little earrings and a pendant and some more things to add, but that will go up slower since I have to wait until after tomorrow - which is the last craft fair for me for this year!!
I suspect I'm going to be rather on the tired side after this last craft fair so the plan for Sunday is fun - sort out some holiday things. We're going to go find a Christmas tree and make lists of what we need to have in the house so we actually have food when the shops are closed. So that's pretty relaxed. Over the holiday I've promised myself to make time to make two things - one is the ring with a big pearl that is going to be my gran's 90th birthday present - I think it's safe to say that because I don't think she reads my blog, ha! The other is a gold ring that I've been meaning to make for myself as a replacement-of-sorts for the ring that was stolen at the beginning of the year. I've been meaning to get around to it, but because it's for me there has always been something more important to work on! So it will get done this holiday!!!

11 Dec 2008

random stuff and only 2 weeks til Christmas

One more craft fair to go...must prepare! Must also put new stuff on Etsy, daWanda, Folksy...must also post things. must also apply to craft fairs....can you tell I'm in a bit of a panic? Trying to do too many things at once. I will now have a nice calm cup of tea and calmly take photos for the online stuff. I will go to the post office later this afternoon. And I will do the prep for the craft fair tomorrow. And I will merely make a list of craft fairs to apply to and apply to them all beginning of next week. Although I did already apply to one yesterday, so at least I have one out of the way! Hurrah! It's busy here....can you tell? I had sales at the Slough Museum, Etsy and Folksy!! Hurrah! Ok, sorry for the not so interesting post...better tomorrow I hope!

10 Dec 2008

I was working on craft fair applications for next year - yes believe it or not the deadlines are SOON - and I made a much better photo of the sunken texture collection with the pendant included this time. Here it is......click on it to see larger image (and now I'm off into the freezing cold to my lesson! brrrr!)

9 Dec 2008

Rising Sun Art Market 13 December

Music and stuff

I'm back after a weekend at All Tomorrow's Parties in Minehead in Somerset. It was brilliant, lots of interesting bands and music and people. It was COLD but happily it's all indoors so aside from a quick stroll on a very cold beach the weather didn't affect us. Fun was had by all! The Melvins were brilliant - they played three times, as they were the curators. Each time they were quite different but excellent. So now it's back to work and getting ready for my last craft fair of the season - this Saturday at the Rising Sun arts centre in Reading!
Here's a photo of me on the cold, cold beach:

5 Dec 2008

update

Ah ha, just got an email from ACJ and it turns out that the administrator type person only works there 2 days a week! No wonder! Anyway, it's all sorted and fine now. Phew.
I've been making good progress on a new collection...just need to do the fiddly bit of polishing on the buffer to get most of the items finished. I also want to make a bangle to go with this collection, but I haven't finished that yet. Should all be done next week and then I can post some photos.
It's nearly the weekend!! yay!

4 Dec 2008

still freezing cold

It's still cold - that's hardly news though, is it? I am in a state of confusion. I am trying to become a member of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery. I downloaded the application form, filled it in, wrote out a cheque and posted it all. More than two weeks ago. I haven't heard one little teeny weeny pip squeak. So I phoned the number listed on their website and got a strange answering machine - you know how most answering machines say something like "You have reached X but we can't come to the phone, please leave a message" or something along those lines? This one says "This is an answering machine". Erm, ok then. As if you'd mistake it for a real person or something. A bit odd. Anyway, so I left a message and for good measure also emailed them at the general enquiry email address listed on their website - which, incidentally, also states "We welcome information FROM YOU". <-- odd caps and bold theirs! So...no response. Hmmmmmm....
Short of going to their office in London, I'm not sure how to proceed.....

3 Dec 2008

cold!!

It is very cold here today - the kind of day that reminds me of winters in Pennsylvania - where the temperature is measured in wind chill factor. It's about -1C in wind chill temperatures here today. I walked for a bit without gloves and that was a mistake - frozen fingers!!!
Anyway...another busy week...I'm applying for next year's craft fairs with all that that entails. More photos, application forms, updated CV, etc. I'm looking forward to it all already, seeing as the craft fairs went very well this year! I'm hoping to do more and be in more galleries as well.
An item sold in the Yorkshire gallery (Projeto) and on DaWanda, so things are looking good! Also sold some more small earrings and have plans to make more for the 13th December Rising Sun Art Market.
I'm also excited about the christmas holidays in general - some time off to eat nice things (xmas lunch is already planned - nut roast, roasted parsnips, garlicky salad, date pudding for dessert!) and to go into London and see some exhibits. I'm interested in seeing the exhibit which I believe is on at the Hayward Gallery of the South African artist who does chalk drawings and photographs them. Oh drat, I just found it on the Hayward site, it's Robin Rhode, but that exhibit's only on til 7 Dec. sigh. Hm. Oh well, there is a big Rothko exhibit at the Tate Modern. I do like Rothko and I've seen lots of his work in Houston, where he made a special chapel with huge black paintings. Well, they were black. He used cheaper paint, so it's kinda purpley now!

1 Dec 2008

Gift and things

Here's a photo of my stand at the Gift show in Farnham over the weekend:

It went well but it was pretty quiet, not as good as the other two craft fairs I've done recently. There just weren't that many people there, but oh well, I still did well and met lots of nice people. I have another stash of business cards from interesting people who make wildly different things - from clothing with antique lace to recycled handbags to paper clay ceramics.
I have to admit I was pretty tired when it was over and did a whole lot of nothing much on Sunday. One more craft fair to go - in Reading at the Rising Sun Arts Centre - on the 13th of December. Hard to believe it's December already!! On the other hand, it is easy to imagine because it is COLD today! yikes! I have to find where on earth I put my snazzy fingerless gloves...I have some that my sister made and some that knithappens made. Hm, they are somewhere in my closet!!