planning a trip

It's all excitment here as we plan a trip to Dorset, somewhere we've never been before. I'm dreaming about Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door and all these other intriguing names of places to go and visit. We'll be staying in a very old, thatched cottage just south of Dorchester so all of Dorset will be within reach to explore. I'm in the middle of making a list of the best beaches, places to eat, pubs (especially dog friendly ones) and interesting places to visit so if you have any suggestions please leave me a comment.

If you've ever wondered how I package up my pebbles there's a great post at Vintage Squirrel with some photos. Thanks Katie! Katie has been making ace bird stencils on the wall of her loo recently and has a dog called Porridge who looks very similar to Floss but I bet isn't half as naughty. Floss snaffled half my lunch off the kitchen worktop yesterday. I only turned my back for a few seconds. That'll teach me to leave anything too near the edge!

fruit-ion... bead magazine and pie!

Here's the article about my pebbles in Bead Magazine (issue 25)! It has been months in the making, so long ago that I thought it had been forgotten about and wouldn't happen, especially as Jean Power (the old editor who originally spotted my work on Etsy) left the magazine halfway through the process. But here it is!!! And I'm so pleased!!!

Mr P made me a lovely apple pie with some windfalls from the bramley tree I used to climb when I was a kid in my parents' garden. The pastry was extra tasty having cinnamon added to it and it was not too sweet, not too tart, just right. Loving the bakery typography! There's no mistaking it's a pie ;-) It's fab having a husband who can cook. It's a military operation clearing up afterwards but I find that funny and Mr P looks great in his stripy apron.

happiness!

My little robin pebble made it onto the front page of Etsy this morning in a really lovely seasonal looking treasury. What a great start to the weekend!

My mum and dad brought me some sweet, delicious damsons and a bottle of homemade apple wine yesterday with strict instructions to drink it a little bit at a time in case it's like rocket fuel! It was so potent last year that one glass blew my head off. It is delicious and sneaks up on you because you really can't tell how alcoholic it is. I think a good weekend will be had. :-)

autumnal pebbles

Yesterday I saw the most beautiful fly agaric fungi in the forest. They were HUGE! And so many of them! I've never seen so many in one go. That'll teach me not to carry my camera with me. I will have to take it with me later to see if I can get some good photos. So anyway, I decided to celebrate with a mushroom pebble.

This new bird pebble I think is my most favourite pebble to date. It has a curved line running all the way round it and I wanted to make use of it in my design. Really pleased with how it's come out. Anyway, into the etsy shop they will go.

The very exciting news I was talking about...! There is an article about my pebbles along with an interview in Bead Magazine (UK issue 25 - published today). I haven't had a copy in my hands yet but the proof looked ace. I can't wait to get hold of it so I can show my mum. I think she will cry!! They are also having a give away of 3 of my pebbles. If you see it please give me a shout and let me know what it looks like :-) I can't stand the suspense but I won't be able to get a copy until the weekend. Eek!

pebble offerings

Feeling all autumnal here now, I was inspired to carve a squirrel onto one of my pebbles yesterday. The ideas are flowing at the moment so I am making the most of it. Hopefully more to come.

Have a great weekend :-)

the heart of snowdonia

Photos from a refreshing trip to Wales we had one weekend recently. We're lucky to live close enough to Snowdonia to go for the day although we haven't really explored this area at all so after this natured filled walk I hope we'll be going again.

This walk had it all really... streams, waterfalls, rivers. Mountains, fields, woodland. I love these twisty gnarled tree roots. There was a rope swing over the water, an idyllic place to be.

And this tree within a tree.


This is Floss looking like butter wouldn't melt shortly before she snaffled Mr P's sarnie. Very naughty girl.


After Mr P had been lugging Floss over these ladder stiles (lovely aren't they?) she nimbly climbed over one herself which made me giggle. Ah it's so good to get out in the fresh air.

Can you feel Autumn coming? I can sense it waiting in the wings.

Something ever so exciting is happening in a couple of weeks. Can't wait to see my mum's face! I will keep it a secret for now although it is very difficult!

Now I'm off to carve some pebbles but I will be back soon.

silver metal clay adventures

Major excitement here! I've just made my first ring using silver metal clay and it must be beginner's luck because it has come out pretty much exactly how I hoped!! I am beyond pleased!!

The gorgeous lampwork bead was made by the very talented Julie of Lush Lampwork. I'm not sure my work could ever really do it justice but when I saw the bead on her website I knew just what I wanted to make. The colour and texture reminded me of sea glass and the ocean in general.

I had seen a project I wanted to try in a fantastic book by Kate McKinnon and the ring is based on this. This is by far the best book I've seen on metal clay and goes into great depth about the material and working practices, and uses silversmithing techniques too.

The book helped so much and I learned a lot just from this one project. This was the first time I'd attempted to make a rivet which was exciting and just a bit scary when I had to cut the wire to less than 1mm before hammering it flat on the top. I made a little flower shaped washer with a dotty texture to go underneath.

There was a bit of guess work involved when it came to making it the right size for my finger. I thought that it would still be way too big after being fired, even accounting for the shrinkage so I just couldn't believe it when it slipped onto my finger perfectly! How lucky!! Definitely beginner's luck I think.

I have also fired the sage leaf from the last post. Here it is straight afterwards. It has oxidation on the surface which has to be removed with a soft brass brush before finishing.

I think I'm falling in love with the whole process. I just can't help but get excited about possibilities of this material! It is like alchemy!