holy busy, batman

Still manic around here, which you can probably tell, since the number of blog posts has been dwindling! Just getting a job ready and hoping I'll manage to get to the post office before it shuts. Meeting some people tonight, one pair for a custom job and another to return a repair job. Also need to clean and make one earring (for someone who lost one of their pair) and laundry and ....etc. I finished another custom job that I'd love to post photos of, but it's a secret so better wait til after they've been given! Right, I better run off to the bench again but before I go, for another custom job (another secret but I highly doubt the recipient would see this post and even if they did they wouldn't recognise it was for them) we tracked down the right fabulous stone, which is this facet cut cabochon aquamarine:

So much going on...

It continues to be super busy chez magpienest. Yesterday I did a private craft fair which was ok but to be honest a bit disappointing. Ah well, can't win them all! At least I met a bunch of interesting people and two ladies in particular really liked my jewellery and are hopefully going to come to the Desire show in Winchester to see me. I had good news as well, I've been accepted to Festival of Crafts in Farnham! Hurrah! So I'll be putting up links to that soon on my website. I have a bunch of commissions on the go with the related research. I'm searching for a particular stone, which I may have a look at in Brighton because I'll be there for a friend's wedding. Also have a mock tension setting in the works. For another piece, I thought I was going to photo etch it, but in the end it made more sense to photo etch brass and then use the brass through the rolling mill to imprint the image on to the silver. It worked beautifully, so just need to tidy up the silver and transform it into cuff links and a pendant.
In other news I couldn't sleep and came up with a (I think) pretty good idea for my 3-day summer course I'm teaching over at South Hill Park in August. If you're interested in that course, let me know. The brochure is being printed, so it's not out yet. I believe it's going to be 17-19 August, but I'm waiting for the brochure to be 100% sure!! There will be two summer 3 day courses, one for beginners (taught by Bev) and my one, which is for people who have already been taking the jewellery courses.
Tomorrow I'm going to South Hill Park to do a resin in jewellery workshop - should be good and something different for me. I've used resin a bit, but not extensively, so it will be interesting to see what other options there are!
Right now I need to go off to the post office yet again but happily it's a beautiful day out, so it'll be a pleasure.

Caversham Arts Trail

Yesterday was the last day of the Caversham Arts Trail for this year. Copious amounts of tea were had, cake was eaten, pots were made, earrings were created, and visitors said they really enjoyed seeing the locals artists! Here are a few photos. The first one is of the super cute kitten, Friday.This is the clay pot making session in action:
Lauren's beautiful work:
My two cases:
The fuel for all the hard work: tea and cakes!

Caversham Arts Trail

We've been on the radio, loads of flyers have been circulated, things have been made, people have already said they are excited about it : tomorrow is the first day of the Caversham Arts Trail!!!! See details over at http://cavershamartiststrail.co.uk - we're open from 11am - 5pm. See you there....................