Christmas is coming! Gift!

Around our way there are some amazing beaches. Northumberland has a stunning coastline with award winning sands. The downside is that we only get a few days a year to roll around on them in our bikinis. The rest of the year they can be used for such things as bracing, restorative morning after walks, wrap up warm rockpool hunting trips and, if you're lucky, sea glass hunts. I always get a bit of sea glass when I'm at the beach but nothing like the lady at Surf and Silver. I have seen her at the local craft markets and covet her wares everytime. She can do some pretty inspirational stuff with the glass that she finds, and some of the glass she finds is exquisite! Have a look and hopefully it'll be a gift inspiration.

I saw this and thought of you pt4. Beautiful handmade silver and costume jewellery.

A lovely lady I know has this little business making silver and costume jewellery beauties for us all to wear, at very reasonable prices. She's a qualified silversmith with a whimsical bent and everyone who I've bought her jewellery for has been delighted by their gifts.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-fairy-goldsmith/242266762496245

A first for everything!

About a year and a half ago my friends started a knitting group and I went along for the chatter, only having a little knitting experience, and that was from when I was in school. However I got the bug and have been knitting since then tackling projects such as socks (everyone got them for Christmas) and hats, I even made myself a vest from Rowan studio 20. It turned out alright but I think it could do with being felted a bit more, either that or I could put on two stone and still fit into it.

At the minute I'm really enjoying Sarah Keay's work and I'm soaking up inspiration from her book Design & Make Jewellery Using Textile Techniques. I've attempted the monofilament attachments and the french knitted wire and have a long way to go to perfect both, however I'd also really like to try the nuno felt techniques.

Juju Vail is another crafty lady I'm enjoying following at the moment. I lent her book, "Creative Beading" from the Settle Down Cafe when I was there one day. I was instantly hooked by all the crystal bicones and vintage buttons. Since then I've gone a bit crazy making necklaces and earrings, which is a bit weird as I don't have my ears pierced and a lot of these only work on ear wires!

Now that the weather is turning I'm losing my need to knit and now have a need to make beautiful summery dresses. I found this version of Burda's Anda dress and by chance I have a very similar batik stashed away from my visit to Malaysia and this is going to be my next creation. I thought that since I'll be downloading one pattern I may as well get two and I'll be having a go at Burda Style Magazines cape. It recommends that this is made in wool jersey which mean that I may have to re-mortgage my house to complete it!