right--here again after a short break! (a short, very busy break!) i can't remember when i left you but having done a few stalls and a few commissions it's been a busy few weeks! the charter fair went off with a bang, and i did really well-it really surprised me! however, bee-fest was another story, there being about 3 stalls and a huge empty field!! needless to say it did not go well, but i had a killer tan! moving on to the melplash show with helen, having moved (finally!) into the studio, we only remembered to get a very expensive pitch at the last minute and did appallingly! ah well-trying times and all that jazz! apart from that-i had two commision pieces from the shop in town that stocks my jewellery--candlelight living, south street--which after a small dilemma were received very well, and i had an opportunity to play with some enamels! another order i have been working on, my favourite so far-it has to be said, is a small silver bottle pendant with a glass window. i thought this was such a lovely idea, as the woman who ordered it was getting ait as a present for her surfer-daughter for her eighteenth birthday, and wanted to fill it with sand from coco beach, which is her daughters favourite place! so, anyway--having had mark 1 explode in the kiln, and going slightly over due because of this-i am handing it over this morning, having fixed the explosive issue! we'll see how it's taken...........

ok, so saturday went brilliantly!! i sold about 7 things, and had plenty of interest! altogether i made about £200. i have two options for another stall, one in the ropies, and one at bee-fest, but they're on the same day and i don't know what to do--arggg! also, helen has very kindly put some of my stuff on her stall, and we've bought some lovely wooden busts. hopefully the stuudio will be finished soon, so i can finally get all of my work stuff out of my house and away from the kids!!!

two weeks until the fair and i'm still no-where near ready! i had a complete disaster yesterday--i put a load of glass work in the kiln-and accidentally forgot to turn the temperature down. thankfully, by some miracle it all worked out, and is fine! (just a little bit melty!) i'm really proud of what i managed to make yesterday, despite my idiocy, i made some beautiful puzzle pieces that polished up fantastically. i also made some moulded pieces that i haven't done for a while--they didn't turn out quite so well!! i have managed to sell some pieces to a local shop--who saw some of my stuff on the website and actually tried ti find me!!! so i hope that this will become a regular-ish thing, and give me some steady work.

hooray!!! i've been working hard all day today, and can hear my tumbler thundering in the background as i write. i'm becoming a lot more confident the more i work. at the moment i'm trying to stock up for my pitch at the charter fair-and despite being my usual clumsy self and breaking a few pieces (i think i've managed to alter and mend most!) i'm doing quite well. the glass i've been using came out really well, and looks absolutely beautiful! my only hang-up at the moment is that a friend of mine has asked me to fix an earpost on one of her earrings as a favour, but i've been trying and without paying out for a load of solder, i can't! anyway, it's late and i'm going to empty my tumbler and have a spy at all my shiny goodies!!!!

right, this is just to have written something, so you know where/how this ends up. i will change it later.

right, i am having a hell of a time trying to find a little turquoise heart cab for a pendant that an old friend has ordered for her sisiter. who would think it would be so difficult to find one little cab!!! i think i am going to have to buy a piece with the turquoise set, and just pry it out, which feels kind of silly. but, that is what she has asked for and that is what i shall endevour to supply, i don't like to let my clients down!! on the other hand, i have just spent an AWFUL lot of money on supplies and have made some very nice things using twig and plants. i'm also branching out, and have been using some very pretty dichro in myy stuff-- i'll just have to wait and see what the results are.