New IPad App

Just trying out my new app...Blogpress. Not sure how it all works so this is a little tester!
Picture? I discovered this while searching for images of flowers...a lovely blog flowersbyirene.blogspot.com


That was easy!!....now let's publish it.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:The Oxford Bead Shop

New Kits on the way...

A little piccie to tempt the taste buds...new Christmas Kits!!

Summer School..

For the past two days I've been teaching twelve 10-13yr old girls jewellery making for D'Overbroecks Summer School. It's been really good fun so far...they're all doing so well. I'm feeling tired already and I still have two days left!! At least Lucy's with me on Thursday. I'll post more at the weekend...

Kay Making a Fish...

New Beads

Look at these lovely new beads we have in stock. They are about 4-5cms in size and made of acrylic with silver foil running through them. We think they look like Quality Street sweets!!! Perfect for a knotting project with some 2mm cotton cord. The best thing is they're only 70p each!! We have eight different colours and they come in a round and oval shape.

August Sunshine

Harry and I are having a lovely time in the garden. I'm sat reading books and rethreading some necklaces while listening to music and Harry's hiding from the sunshine under the chair. It really is beautiful today...fingers crossed it lasts for the whole of August!

Hen Party!!

Had a lovely workshop today with eight ladies all celebrating Rachel's wedding. They all made beautiful necklaces and we all had scones, clotted cream, jam and strawberries. My little sister Lucy is back from Cuba and had her first day back in the shop too...What a lovely Sunday!

Oxford Summer School

Mum and I are selling a variety of our goods at Oxford Summer School today. I have not stopped all morning since I got up at 6am!! We're currently in quiet time as all students are in class but break happens at 10.30 so we're getting prepared for the rush!!

The results...

A lovely afternoon making button necklaces...

Harry new summer cut!!

I know he hates having it done but he looks sssoooooo cute!!

My evening project...The Granny Blanket by Attic24

Catch Up...

We've had a lovely week at the shop this week and met lots of lovely people. On Thursday morning I taught a lovely group of girls from Bishopstone School nr Swindon. It was their leavers treat to make Charm bracelets with us then they were going Bowling and finishing the day with tea at The India Room at Blenhiem Palace. What a lovely surprise for them - they were a pleasure to teach and look what they all made - the teachers enjoyed it just as much too!!

Silver / Gold Plated Chain with Czech Glass beads and headpins

I've also been working on a lot of commissions this week some of which are finger print pieces. To make these we use Precious Metal Clay...such a special gift and so important to the receiver. I've got a pendant with Harry's paw print!!

I've got a busy busy weekend ahead...Beads & Wire on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday we have a group of girls that are all meeting for a catch up in Oxford and have decided to come to a jewellery workshop with us - I'm looking forward to teaching them.

Tonight I've got the night off so I'm going to the cinema to watch Bridesmaids...a nice girly night.

Just Quickly...

Look what I made! My own lampwork beads with Ivory Coral and Topaz glass, PMC water charms (I'll explain more later), handmade clasp..the only parts I didn't make were the crystals.

Technology Troubles!!!

OMG...I have just been trying to organise my iphoto application on my Macbook because I haven't got any memory left on the computer and have lost 3500+ photo's!!! I suppose I've got the memory I need but I'm rather stressed at having lost my photo's. Anybody got any ideas?? Hopefully my Big Sis Kay can sort it out for me. I shouldn't be aloud to do these things on my own.

On a happier note my workshops at the weekend went really well. The Tiara workshop was a success with everybody starting some beautiful Tiara's. Some for weddings, just for fun and mother of the bride. My new Decorative cuff workshop went really well...we didn't finish the cuff in the three hours but I didn't think we would. I'll post all the images up on Facebook this afternoon.

Beautiful Tiara

Decorative Cuff

Mum and I also did a workshop last night for Botley WI...again it was a great success with 19 members participating and all making completely different pieces. Some restrung old pieces of jewellery that had broken, some made buttons necklaces, memory wire bracelets and others used pearls and our lovely bead mixes to created all different length necklaces.

Botley WI Working Hard

And the results

Right well I'm going to try and sort out my problem!!

We're still here!!

Wow...this must be the longest break yet!! I've really got to get to grips with the whole blog writing thing and try to keep up to date. Ironically the reasons behind not writing is because I've been busy which means I have loads to tell you!! Anyhow, you could catch up through our Facebook page and see the workshops we've been running and all the gorgeous pretty things everyone's been making.

New Workshops...

I've been designing some new workshops for our new programme that now runs until Christmas (say that quietly so not to scare people). Our newest workshop is A Decorative Wire Cuff - I actually submitted this into the new Fine Silver Magazine and had a really good response so decided to offer it as a workshop. The first of them is this Sunday so I'll upload peoples creations on Facebook next week.

I've also secured some day and residential workshops for Denman College in Marcham Nr Abingdon. Denman College is the WI's (Women's Institute's) centre for learning. The workshop titles are:

• Beading for Beginners - Day School
• Precious Metal Clay - An Introduction Day School
• Beaded Jewellery with Handmade Findings - Two Day Residential
• Silver Beaded Jewellery from Scratch - Three Day Residential

I very excited to be teaching for Denman. The facilities and environment are just amazing and the fact that its on my doorstep is perfect. To find out more about these courses and everything else they offer visit www.theWI.org.uk.

Last week I taught at The Birmingham School of Jewellery for a day. I delivered a Precious Metal Clay Beads workshop. This is the first time I had taught this session and I found it went really well. Everybody got to explore all the different types of clay and make a variety of beads you can see all the images on our Facebook page. The class were lovely and the staff and Birmingham were amazing especially Alan and Mike who couldn't be more helpful so thanks a million to them.

Hard at work

Wood Clay Beads

Well, that's all for now...I'm going to do my best to keep up to date(ish).

Amy.x

P.S. Harry's still as beautiful as ever!!