HELLO AND WELCOME

Thanks for dropping by.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Meeting Laura-mae


Recently I've been lucky to have a young woman share her Fridays with me on a local high school Day Out Programme.

Laura-mae lives just down the road from us, and though we have met before, it has been a real pleasure spending time with her getting to know her.

She is 14 years old and loves jewellery and music, spending time in her weekends busking (playing her guitar and singing) and hanging out with her friends.

The Toy boy also has a young man from Laura-mae's year group spending time with him in the workshop - Jeremy is helping to assemble snails as I write.

Since our son grew up and left home, we find that we have had ever decreasing contact with young people, so this has been great fun for both of us!

We're off to the bead room this afternoon to assemble some lovely coral Swirl beads that came out of the kiln this morning.

TGIF everyone! - Generation gap here - Laura-mae just asked what TGIF mean, and for those who don't know...THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

After a Long Silence...

It's been ages since I've posted here - and ages since I have uploaded new work onto the website.
Excuses, excuses...we've been away doing lots of shows and fairs - our last one was to Hunters Garden Marlborough on the 7th November. It was a fabulous day out, but quite chilly with that good old east coast wind blowing through us rather than round us!
I've just been catching up with uploading some of the new pieces I've been making in the little studio time I have had
So here's a little taste...

Light Ivory "Spice" Pearls
I was thinking about pearls when I made these beads, but with a bit more character!

Peach Mango Round Spice Beads
I'm in love with this Peach Mango glass and have just discovered that it was a limited edition - and I only bought a pound! Neeedless to say, I'm squeezing out as much as I can possibly get out of this gorgeous glass.

True Red Small Round Spice Beads
I always love true red - the Italian Reds are wonderful - rich and full.

Earthy Colours on Black CanCans
This is a different one for me - I'm not usually good with "off" colours as they don't suit me, but this set looks wonderful on my friend Helen, who has dark hair and skin.


Chakra Lotus Flowers with Whole Colours and Crystals
I've been meaning to try this out for ages - making Lotus Flower beads in two shades of the same colour. This style has so much meaning for me, and I love the "rhythm" of making them. It's a bit like a meditation in itself.
So, it's back to the studio again for me - I have lots of ideas for Roses in different colours and styles - watch this space.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

The Culverden Fete Thursday 28th October


It's getting exciting...
Things are really busy here - both the Toy Boy and I have been very productive in our studios preparing for the Christmas Country Fete in Culverden next week.
It's always a gorgeous day out, with wonderful food, music and early Christmas shopping - I always manage to find something extra special for gift giving there.
So put the date on your diaries - Thursday 28th October, 10 am till 4 pm
I'm in Stand A57 and the Toy Boy is in Stand A56 with Golden Bay Toys, right next door.
Come and say "Hi" - and remember to bring your sunhat!
See you there!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Green Beads for Sonja


It's been nearly a fortnight since we got home from our big trip South, and I've really enjoyed being back in my studio. After three weeks away I was beginning to get withdrawal symptoms - I just can't take time away from the torch!

However, the trip was a really good chance to recharge out batteries and breathe a little fresh air - and VERY fresh some of it was, too!

I've had a lovely project on, making a green bead necklace for Sonja - a petite redhead with that perfect Irish complexion. Those of you who know me well will know how much I love all shades of green - I have green eyes and wear a lot of it myself.

The colour green is one of the major colours associated with the heart chakra, the colour of healing and love.


The beads for this necklace are quite small and I decided to make them all in transparent glass in a Swirl pattern, and the colours are these. It's a very simple style but very effective, working on the principle that "less is more" - something I can find hard to achieve sometimes! The beads are quite small, too, and the transparent glass makes the piece look light and dainty.
In between each glass bead I have put a tiny Swarovski Crystal bead in the colour Peridot, just to create a flow of green from bead to bead.

I'm rather pleased with it, and so is Sonja, thank goodness!

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Lemon Honey or Lemon Curd


I seem to be blogging about almost anything except beads at the moment, but I promised to give you this recipe ages ago, so here it is.

Lemon Honey
Glennys Raffils

75 g butter
1/3 cup lemon juice
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rhind

Put butter, sugar, juice and rind into a little jug and cook on high (100%) for 1 – 2 mins (until sugar has dissolved). Mix and gradually add to egg mixture, stirring well. Return mixture to the jug and cook on medium (50%), stirring every minute until mixture thickens (3-5min). Mixture will thicken more as it cools.

Lemon Honey using left-over egg yolks

1 cup sugar
Juice of 3 lemons
100gm butter
1 egg
Grated rind of 1 lemon
3 egg yolks

Same method as above.


Lemon Curd
Annabel Langbein

340gm caster sugar
220gm butter
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
300ml lemon juice (about 6 juicy lemons, strained)
6 eggs beaten lightly with a whisk

Place sugar, butter, lemon zest and juice in a pot (use a double boiler if you don’t have a
thermometer). Heat over medium low heat till butter has melted. Take off heat and
strain eggs into mixture.
Return to heat with a thermometer attached and cook, stirring constantly, until
temperature reaches 75 deg C. If using a double boiler, cook until mixture thickens
enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove at once from heat and stir a little to prevent mixture overheating at base and egg
from curdling.
Pour into hot sterilized jars while still hot and seal with pop-top lids or store in a sealed
container in the fridge. Chilled, it will keep for many weeks.
Preserved it will keep indefinitely as long as seal is unbroken.
Makes just over 1 litre.


I made the complicated (Annabel Langbein) recipe a wee while ago, with all the fuss, complete with thermometer etc, and what a palaver it was! I ended up with so many dirty dishes and even put the mixture back in the pot to do it all over again as I wasn’t satisfied that it had set the first time. I have to say that it is absolutely fabulous though – the flavour is really tart, and I’ve used a dollop of it in the middle of muffins, made a Krummeltorte with it (a butter crumble cake), and mixed it with yoghurt and whipped cream for desserts – and there’s still a jar left.
There’s nothing like having a jar of Lemon Curd in the fridge to whip up something fabulous when the urge comes upon you!
Next time I will try the microwave recipe – it’s one which my sister has used often and swears by. I remember that she used to make lots of microwave jams in the days when her kids where at home, and they were jolly good.
I’m sure it’s not Weight Watchers approved, but a little of what we fancy does us good, they say, just focus on of all the Vitamin C in the lemons!