Pre blog diary...
Sunday, 17 February 2008 - DIARY MOVES!!!
Rather than me just ranting and raving in here with no feedback, I have got a dedicated blog package now so others can comment and let me know what they think. I will keep this as an archive for now, maybe I will transfer the entries over eventually (but that will take time when I would rather be making jewellery!)
Saturday, 16 February 2008
We have been so lucky with the weather on Saturdays, last week was really nice - sunny and quite mild too, very springlike! This week it was not so warm but lovely and sunny!
That's about all I can say that's positive about Saturday - unfortunately, I don't know what happened but no-one was buying any of my jewellery. I think I got a negative head on. One lady was looking down her nose at my jewellery with a very superior air. I could tell she wasn't impressed, she then said "I'd rather buy the star", turned on her heel and wheeled off to annoy someone else.
I should perhaps explain that I use perspex star shapes, like the one that displays my purple frizzle bracelet in the lampwork section to display a few of my jewellery items. So I take it that she didn't think much of the jewellery but liked the display items. :-(
It's not very often I get someone that makes such a negative comments, most people who shop athte Craft Market are absolutely lovely and they understand the time and effort, not to say sweat and tears, that go into our work. I don't think the people that say nasty things realise the effect it has on the confidence of the artist that it's directed at. Constructive cricitism I can take but she didn't say what she didn't like, she just dismissed it all. As an artist you put yourself out there and it feels very vulnerable; I felt extremely hurt.
I tried not to let it affect me and I was chatting away to everyone else who were very nice and complimentary about my work, it just wasn't translating into sales! Oh well, bread and cheese for tea this week!
Means I can't buy any more materials, I only just covered my stall fee, the cost of my tea, coffee and lunch (plus I had some crisps and a Mars Bar as comfort food - always cheers me up and I don't do it very often!)
One of the other artists who does abstract work tried to make me feel better, he said he never accepts any compliments for his work, and that means that he doesn't have to accept any criticism either! He says he does what he does because he has to, not because others like it. I kind of get where he is coming from but I like compliments too much to disregard them so please ... when you come and see me, do feel free to say nice things about my work, even if you don't buy any!
Saturday, 9 February 2008
I made some white swirly beads this week, some were clear on white, most were white on clear and I also experimented with shapes and made some into flattened lozenger shapes. The earrings I have made look really groovy with them, they are kind of retro, almost sixties look to them. I have to have a pair of them myself!
A set of these looked so nice together I made a bracelet and teamed them up with some Hill Tribe sterling silver hand made beads. Again, I wanted to keep it myself but I have bills to pay! The first person that saw the earrings bought them on the spot and the bracelet sold a bit later; the lady who bought it also purchased the bracelet I made with Laura Sparling's beads so that was a good sale!
So, I haven't even put the new things I made with my own beads on the website and they have sold already so they have to go straight into the gallery! It's a good job I took some photographs of them yesterday! I haven't downloaded them from the camera yet, probably do it a bit later on in the week.
I have discovered that how well my stringer work goes is a direct reflection of how I am feeling. I have been really low this week because the house we purchased in May 2006 has loads and loads of defects in it. We have been fighting the builder for 18 months to get everything fixed. We will probably have to move out for three months because the defects are so serious. My husband is working in Lincolnshire since his ankle got well enough for him to be able to drive and so we are going to rent up in Lincolnshire (and I will travel on Saturdays to Cambridge for the market). It's all very unsettling though and the thought of packing up my studio has me in an absolute panic if I think about it too much.
Anyway, getting back to the point, there was a big meeting arranged with the builder and we thought to make a deal on which defects they would put right but quite the contrary, they aren't budging an inch. They told us four major items are still under question, one of which they absolutely won't do at all, another will take ages to get a sound test done on and another we have to wait a fortnight for yet another survey. So I don't know when I am going to move, when the work is going to be done and haven't slept much at all for days and days. So - and here is the point I was leading up to so long ago - my stringer work was all over the place, I produced three days of rubbish beads day after day. :-(
And THEN we took the decision that we were absolutely fed up to the back teeth of dealing with the builder, Geoff is trying to build a business back up and he has to spend ages writing letters, sending e-mails and on the telephone about our defects. As part of this decision, we have set aside a large sum of money to instruct a Construction specialist lawyer and he will do the fighting for us - at £225 an hour ...
Darling hubby spent nearly all of one day summarising the very thick file for the lawyer and when we sent it off, it felt - to me - like all our troubles disappeared with the parcel! I ama great one for symbolism, darling hubby is still really down about it all but suddenly my stringer work went absolutely beautifully and that one day is what produced the white swirly beads that are in the bracelet and earrings that sold. The money we have earmarked for the lawyer is a bit of a worry but we are the injured party here, the builder is making our lives a misery, they have dragged it out for so long. We will get it back when we sue them for compensation for all the angst it has caused us. The postal charges alone with all the letters we have sent is measured in the hundreds!
Saturday, 2 February 2008
Weather was lovely again for market day and I am soooo pleased to report that I sold the pendant that I made out of the bead that handsome hubby removed so carefully! (He was so chuffed!) All in all I have had a successful day considering the time of year. It's very tiring being out when it's so cold all day but I was well wrapped up and talking to all my lovely customers always gives me a nice warm glow so thank you to everyone who visited the Art & Craft Market today and helped support local artists.
Friday 1 February 2008
Success! Handsome hubby was able to remove the bead this morning, I told him he couldn't have any breakfast til he had removed it so I'm not sure whether it was the half and half Toilet Duck solution or the incentive of no breakfast that did it but I now have my bead so I had better make something with it now!
Thursday, 30 January 2008
I made a batch of recycled Perrier bottle beads today. I made some different shapes, some flattened lozengers which I think will make nice earrings and some triangular nugget shaped beads for a bracelet and pair of earrings. With the soft Effetre/Moretti glass that I buy specifically for beadmaking, it requires less heat to make beads. Recycled glass needs far more to melt it and because of that, I have to increase the annealing temperature for it and I also doubled the soaking time to be sure they are thoroughly annealed.
Mostly I have no trouble removing beads from the mandrels, usually I can do it by hand, occasionally I might need to employ the pliers to hold the mandrel to give me a better grip but the additional heat during the manufacturing of the recycled beads has meant they were more tightly adhered than usual. So for the first time, I had to bring in the big gun; there were three beads that I just couldn't get off! I handed them to handsome hubby and asked him to see if he could do it. He managed two without much difficulty but one just wouldn't come off even for him. So I employed a trick from one of my books which says to soak ovenight in toilet cleaner. We'll have to see whether it works tomorrow!
Saturday, 25 January 2008
What a great day today! The weather in Cambridge was superb for the time of year, a bit breezy - which made it feel cold this morning - but none of the horrible rain of last week so I pitched up my stall in All Saints Garden and waited for customers. I was telling anybody that would listen all about the lampworked beads that have made an appearance and I sold one of the bracelets and matching earrings made with my own beads which pleased me no end! Most people were fascinated, particularly by the recycled Perrier bottles.
It was a bit slow in the morning, I was half way through the Big Issue's Sodoku puzzle (and struggling as usual, I haven't managed to finish one yet!) and Laura Sparling introduced herself. Apparently she comes to Cambridge quite a bit. I was really pleased to be able to show her a bracelet that I had made with the aqua anemone beads I bought from her earlier in the week. I promised I would send her a photograph of it, which is the next job on my list.
It was very kind of Laura to make time to stop by and she was just as nice as I imagined she would be. I showed her some of the beads I had made and all the time I just wanted to say "We're not worthy" - she is so talented!
The aquamarine dreams bracelet was tried on on several occasions and I was convinced one lady was going to buy it (this was before Laura turned up so she might never have got to see it in the flesh!)
Business picked up in the afternoon and it was a worthwhile day so I think I can say Sooz Jewels is well and truly on the map now.
Wednesday, 24 January 2008
I made some beads this morning but it was another morning of interruptions, first the postman came but I didn't have to stop for him because there wasn't anything to sign for, so I just got distracted by Missy (my dog), barking like mad at the door as the letters (and Laura's beads) flopped through the letterbox (hallway is next to my studio).
BUT he got me later, one of my neighbours wasn't in and he knocked on the window to the studio (open to let out fumes) so I had to take the parcel in for them. Oh well, at least I wasn't mid bead, I was just warming a mandrel so at least he timed it right and I have the nice warm glow of being a good neighbour! THEN I remembered that Laura's beads might've arrived so I had to stop and check - and yes they had! They are fabulous, like teeny little paperweights, they have so much depth. I have started thinking about what to make with them, I have an idea for a gorgous "aquamarine dreams" bracelet. I am going to start it tomorrow and hope I get it finished to put on sale on Saturday.
I have some useable beads from my labours this morning, some pretty blue swirl beads that are similar to the pink ones that are already in my lampwork section so I shall get them photographed and put on the site pronto! I experimentally made some tabular beads which I am pleased with but they have turned out all different sizes so I need to make some more to get some matching pairs.
I also made a black glass tadpole! The eyes ended up a bit wonky but it looks quite cute! My sister, whenever she comes to my house, always rearranges the ornamental frogs that I have in the window-sill of my downstairs cloakroom. Sometimes they are upside down, sometimes they are hiding under an upturned vase, one time after a boozy Sunday lunch, I found them one on top of the other ... (blush). So next time she comes, she will be surprised to find that they have had some off-spring! :-)
Tuesday, 22 January 2008
I can't believe it, I have managed to buy some of Laura Sparling's beads. They have usually all gone, even when I log on just before she puts new stuff up. I am so excited, they are the new anemone beads she has been making lately and the ones I have bought are in my new Sooz Jewels colours of aquamarine. My customers are in for a treat when I get them; I shall make something very very special with them.
This has really cheered me up, I had the morning free to make beads myself and I had another go at making some purple beads. I had a go at some complex twisties in purple shades but the bugging phone kept ringing. I won't answer the phone mid-bead but once the phone has rung, I feel I must look at messages in case it was anything important and then deal with it. It didn't put me in the right frame of mind and about an hour ago I inspected the beads that had cooled off in the kiln ... sigh, I wish I could make beads as nice as Laura's, there really wasn't anything in there I think is saleable or anything that I can photograph for the forum but I reckon I knew that when I put them in actually. Oh well, more practice makes perfect! I'm not giving up yet ...! This afternoon was better, I plugged all the gaps in my jewellery stock that I haven't filled up yet from the Christmas rush and I ALWAYS enjoy making jewellery so I feel really ready to face the new year of trading.
Another thing about buying Laura's beads ... the weird thing is, I only logged on to check e-mails and only thought on the off-chance I would go and see if there was anything new, she said she was putting some freshly baked beads up at 8.30pm and when I looked at my computer clock it was 8:33pm ... "eeek! Too late" I thought but no, I am feeling very lucky today, better buy that lottery ticket too! :-)
Saturday, 19 January 2008
I have been a frantic blur this week getting everything ready for my triumphant return to the Art & Craft Market as Sooz Jewels so no new lampwork beads. Last night I was up until 11.30pm tweaking my new display by setting everything up on the kitchen table as it's roughly the same size as my stall (we had to eat in the hallway last night!) I have been making new business cards, making "Sooz Jewels" stickers with the web address to stick on my gift boxes that comes free with every item.
Unfortunately, the weather here is attrocious this morning, horrible miserable rain. I did make the journey to Cambridge (it's only 11 miles) but only five other stallholders turned up and it's not really worth running a market with fewer than 10. A couple of the stallholders said they were going to chance it but it's forecast to continue all day, so I bet they pack up early. I decided not to sit out in the wet all day as it's very rare customers will bother to come into an open air market when the weather is so bad, especially when they are so few stalls there. So it's all been a bit disapointing, the hard work this week isn't wasted because I'm sure the weather will be great next week!
Friday, 11 January 2008
Buzzybead has put some marvellous purple beads onto the forum at GBUK - I really must-must-must make some more purple beads. Unfortunately today's weather is really very dull and overcast, it's actually chucking it down as I write this. So with no light in the studio, I will have to wait til tomorrow.
Yesterday I ran out of the Effetre pink base that I was using for my purple frizzle beads and I want to experiment some more with it, especially as I got some Rubino Ora recently and I want to try to combine the two. It's not 591046 Pale Purple or 591068 Pink as I bought some of those as well thinking that was it. I think I will have to send the last stubby bit I have left to Tuffnell Glass and ask them to match it.
So, today I am jewellery making with swarovski pearls ready for when I go back to work a week on Saturday.
Thursday, 10 January 2008
A couple of weeks ago, I rather rashy, set a challenge in the GBUK forum. It seems very quiet in there, no-one but me and one other lady posting who is charmingly named "Buzzybead". She also makes beads and jewellery, The jewellery on her website is very much to my taste so I think we will get along very well.
I was amused to read in Passing the Flame, Corina's references to Opaque Purple as EDP (Evil Devitrifying Purple). I am not actually sure I have any of the offending colour in the miriad of colours at my disposal but I do have some that look purpley/mauvey some are opaque and some not. So I set the challenge for anyone reading the forum to join in a purple challenge. I extended it to violet/lilac shades as everyone has their own idea of what colour purple is (somewhere between red and blue is as loose as it gets methinks) so .... Buzzybead and I are both trying to make a purple bead!
I am failing spectacularly but having lots of fun and learning all the time. I had high hopes of one bead that I put in the kiln yesterday but that was a bust (um ... not literally she hastens to add), it's nowhere near good enough to show anyone else! But today's batch, when they come out of the kiln are bound to be marvellous (she says confidently!!!) as I got some new (to me) glass colours from Tuffnell Glass this morning. For sure, I will have something to photograph tomorrow!
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
"I am a real safety freak", did I say that only a few weeks ago?! Today I managed to set fire to my hair! Well OK, so I am exaggerating a bit ... I was trying to apply some stringers (fine lines) in a spiral round some beads and it's jolly tricky to do. You don't want the end of the stringer to ball up in the flame if you leave it in there too long, else you get a splodge at the start of the spiral. So every time that happens, you have to break it off. You have a bead on a mandrel in one hand, stringer in the other and then no third hand to break off the blob so I was just trying to kind of "bounce" the stringer off the fireproof board at my workplace and break off the end inch or so like that. This worked a couple of times at first and it broke off nicely and the end just stayed on the table.
The third time it happened though the end broke off and jumped into my hair! Obviousy the end is quite hot and it started to sizzle. I quickly turned off the torch and tried to get it out whilst the smell of burning hair got worse and worse! In the end, it just burnt its way through and fell off on the table. Fortunately, the piece was under 2mm wide and so it cooled down very fast. When I ran my hands through my hair to check there wasn't any of it left gummed in there, a clump of pieces of my hair about an inch long fell onto the table - an unusual way of getting a trim!
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
I have happily spent a couple of hours yesterday and this morning making beads and putting them directly in my kiln for annealing once it gets up to 960 degrees F and no problems so I guess it's OK to continue doing that. The only problem would come if the kiln overheated and the glass melted. That would make a mess. I shall just have to worry about that if it happens. Apparently you can repair the kiln bottom with a compound that I have forgotten the name of.
Yesterday I made some plain beads out of recycled Perrier bottles and also a lovely blue bottle that my sister gave me which used to contain Acqua della Madonna mineral water. I am going to make a pair of earrings with the beads (combined with some matching swarovski crystals) and I can't wait to give them to her to see how surprised she will be that something so ordinary can turn into something so pretty!
However, I am having to spend the afternoons in the less lovely activity of doing the end of partnership accounts. Arcturus Jewellery has ceased to be an entity as a partnership and now my sister is taking it over as her brand name as a sole proprietor. I am of course continuing as Sooz Jewels but am not enjoying doing the stock take and having to look up the costs of each and every bead and piece of wire that is in the place. Anyone wanno do my accounts for me?!
Thursday, 3 January 2008
Today I did some batch annealing of some beads that I have made over the last couple of days. They aren't very advanced, just some donut/roundish beads rolled in some frit (shards of glass) which has been well melted into the surface but they are soooo pretty! The first jewellery made with it is now for sale on the site under Jewellery > Lampwork Jewellery called Purple Frizzle! Ta dar! I am so happy! I also have some similar blue ones which I am also going to make into jewellery.
Wednesday, 2 January 2008
Happy New Year to anyone who is reading this! :-)
Friday, 28 December
With my lovely hubby on hand and at his insistence, I have fired the kiln up and it's very powerful, it heats up very quickly. I just did a test firing without any beads or anything in it. I set it for 550C for 10 minutes at the fastest rate and it quickly went past the temperature so I stopped that firing and set the rate a bit slower and bingo it did what I expected - I am now less scared of it and might even fire some PMC pieces I started making yesterday.
I am still a bit worried about damaging the bottom of the kiln by not putting anything underneath my beads when annealing them. My PMC book suggests bisque tiles as a suitable firing surface so I might see about acquiring some of those.
As the temperature for firing PMC3 is higher than the bead annealing temperature, I can't understand why I can't just put the fibre blanket that came with the kiln under them which is certainly thin enough. I don't know if it has to have the feet underneath it. It won't be problem when firing the PMC as I don't need to open the bead door for that. It might be that the fibre stuff will leave an indentation of the texture in the bead. I guess I could just experiment, no-one has repied to my message in the forum.
However, if anyone from Paragon ever reads this, I reckon I could give many pointers on making the instructions less scary with fewer contradictions.
27 December 2007
Today I tidied up the studio so I could put my fireboard in place and re-arrange my beadmaking station with all my new equipment.
I also decided to read the Paragon kiln instructions but they have scared me rigid and I am too terrified to use it as the instructions are a bit contradictory. I have posted a "Help" message on the GBUK forum in the hope that someone can reassure me.
It says you should vaccuum the inside if you'll be firing glass (it does seem a little dusty) but then says later on that you shouldn't put the vaccuum nozzle near the controller as the static might damage it. How close is close? The inside of the kiln is no further than a foot away from the digital controller. Perhpas I'll just use a dustpan and brush ...
I am not supposed to put glass directly on the floor of the kiln but if I put the shelf and the shelf feet provided in first, the mandrels are pointing so far down that they will slide out and the door has to be left so far ajar I am sure I will be wasting too much heat. It does say to leave the door ajar but in the photograph in the instructions, the mandrels look far more level and the door is not open very far. What I need is a very thin shelf or use the shelf provided but without the feet, it doesn't say that it's OK to do that. The fibre blanket they provide for PMC is thin enough but it says not to use it with glass.
Most of December 2007
No blogging for ages, the long break is due to making Christmas stock for the Cambridge Art & Craft market, lots of people buying presents so was much busier than usual! No days off at all for three weeks! Three/four days per week at the market (they put on extra days in December) and the rest of the time making more jewellery to meet demand! Having said that, sales were down quite a bit on last year, everyone is being far more cautious in their Christmas spending, must be the Northern Rock/US sub prime crisis scaring everyone. The good news is that lots of the things I made with Rob's glass beads have sold and so I know people like jewellery made from lampworked beads!
A very useful thing to happen this month was my husband has had a word with one of his ex-colleagues in the Fire Protection business and he has very kindly got me a large off-cut of fireboard to stand my kiln on so I am not worried about setting fire to the studio. Martin at Tuffnells Glass said that they don't get very hot on the bottom but I am a real safety freak, I want belt and braces every time.
A couple of excellent lampworking Christmas pressies, Passing the Flame (best pressie this year, thanks to my ever-loving) by Corina Tettinger and also a DVD by same person about stringer control - something I need lots of help with!
Christmas is now all over with, now I should have some serious time to get to grips with my beadmaking. I am having a well earned rest and organising the new look for the new year to Sooz Jewels. I therefore won't be back at the market in Cambridge until Saturday, 19th January.
Friday, 30 November
I have solved the Hot Head torch angle problem. I have propped the Hot Head against a brick which has got holes in in, it's just an ordinary housebuilding engineering brick, the type for foundations which is really dense and heavy. The holes are really handy for securing the torch using some iron soldering wire and now it can't fall off or go anywhere so it's really safe as well. I am happy now but boy is it noisy compared to the small Microfire torch I was using before! I haven't made any beads yet as it's the market tomorrow and I have heaps to do to get ready for it. Christmas should start to kick in soon and I need more stock to sell!
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
I got the bulk fuel tank working and attached to my new Hot Head torch, checked for leaks using the soapy water trick. I have attached it to my work station using the Hot Head Bench Clamp with the jubilee clip which I already had and it all fits together really securely, but the angle for making beads is really awkward and too high for me, I need it to be less upright and more horizontal so I can rest my elbows on the table or I can’t keep the glass and mandrel still enough to make beads.
The dual fuel torches have adjustable bits so you can change the angle of attach but I can’t find a way of doing it with the Hot Head. I had a look on some websites to see if there is anything that might help, there is a creation station on Tuffnell Glass's website but it's a bit more than I’d want to spend right now after all the expense at the Bead Fair recently. I can probably rig up something with some angle bracket and a C-clamp perhaps.
Monday, 26 November 2007
I have discovered Cambridge is not a good place to buy bulk gas. On the way back from the Bead Fair in Newmarket we stopped off at Homebase and picked up a big bottle (um, 9kg I think). Now I remember Martin at Tuffnells Glass telling me that B&Q had started to do a snap release fitting bottled bulk gas with a red top and not to buy it as I need a screw top fixing. Why I then bought a red top one from Homebase is anyone's guess (der! I think I was just too excited with all my new kit).
So, today I had to take the red top back and they don't carry the screw type one so they gave me a refund. We have only lived in Cambridge for about 18 months and the need to buy bulk gas has just never come up so we decided to go home and do some research about where to get some. We stopped off at the petrol station just outside our village and hey presto - they have bulk gas bottles in a cage outside! (I suppose they must try to escape ...) I took my hose out of the car, we tried it and it fitted - wonderful (and it's cheaper for a bit more!) Trouble is the only bottle that wasn't as heavy as me was empty ... (sigh)
A bit dispirited but with a cup of tea in hand, we went on line and got a list of four suppliers of bulk gas and then went back out headed in the direction of Godmanchester which is nearer to where we live. We found the first place, it was jolly difficult to park outside and then we thought it was odd that the shop was in darkness, perhaps it was lunchtime ... but no, it was closed on Mondays. I had to reverse into a busy road. I am not the best of drivers, my husband usually drives but whilst he is in plaster, I am having to do the honours. I am getting a little irritated now!
The next place on the list was Jewsons on St Peter's Road in Huntingdon. Fortunately, they had loads and loads in their yard and a charming chap carried the gas to my car for me. Well done Jewsons, we love Jewsons!
I really wanted to get started making beads with the bulk gas and my Hot Head. I was so pleased to see that when Martin was melting glass yesterday, it happens so much quicker than with the Microfire torch I have been using so I should be able to speed up production. Trouble is I need to rearrange my workshop to accommodate the kiln so I spent the afternoon tidying it all up, an uncluttered workspace is a safe workspace so I suppose it is worth it. After walking the dog, it's dark now so no beadmaking til tomorrow!
Sunday, 25 November 2008
Gosh my bank balance has taken a huge hammering from the Newmarked Bead Fair. Got my kiln, some safety glasses, new Hot Head Torch, bulk gas kit with flashback regulator, palladium leaf and some more bead release from Tuffnell Glass and met the entertaining Martin who was getting applause for his beadmaking demonstrations. He was full of great tips and helpful hints.
I found some really unusual amethyst beads, some labradorite with wonderful lustre and then I came across Rob Johnson's stand manned by his wife and daughter who were charming and relieved me of some more money as there were beads there that just had to bought. By the time I came to Glass Tales with more sets of beads I wanted to buy, I had spent all my money!
Thursday, 22 November 2008
Rob's beads arrived and I have been busy making earrings and a bracelet with them. They are so beautiful!
Friday, 16 November 2008
I am so pleased that I won an Ebay auction today for some absolutely beautiful beads by Rob Johnson. I have some lovely blue sea glass that I think will match the beads and I have in my mind's eye a sterling silver bracelet with some swarovski crystal and some silver charms/bali beads to give a "full" look; I will put it on this site them I photograph it.
Thursday, 8 November 2008
I managed to get an hour today to make some beads. I was planning on spending all afternoon but somehow it never quite works out. My husband has been in plaster for the last six weeks with his ankle; he has had a fusion operation to get rid of arthritis he has suffered from since he had a motorbike accident years ago.
This morning six weeks was up and he got his walking cast on after an x-ray to check it was all healing up. He got the OK and so a new cast and a special shoe was his prize. He had to wait 3 hours for the cast to harden up before he was allowed to put any weight on it. We were dying for a cuppa when we got in, not having had one at the hospital so by the time we had that, it was time for lunch so it was well after 2pm before I sat down at my torch.
Less than an hour later his lordship announces his cast is dry so can he try walking - he wants his special shoe so I have to go get that (bless). He says it feels a bit odd but ta dar, he is now walking with only one crutch and pain-free finally. We of course had to have a celebratory cup of tea and by then the rain had reached East Anglia and it was getting dark prematurely. I can only ventilate my studio with the windows open but when the lights are on, I can be peered in at by anyone who walks past the studio. When the curtains are drawn, I don't get any ventilation so I only ever make beads when it's light outside so that was the end of beadmaking for today (sigh). He is worth it ... I think! ;-)
