Monday again ...

comes round all too quick!

Yesterday was rugby day but it was so very cold, and with only three hours sleep I was uberchilled!  Lord knows how the kids felt.  It was so cold that I sent himself, Piper and Stuart back home with Granny and Grandpa because I don't think it would have done them any good to get frosted at the edge of the lower fields!

Ewan's team lost two games and drew one, the matches seemed fairly even though.  Last match had an opposition coach booing when our team scored their first try.  Luckily I was at the opposite side of the park or I'd have said something I regretted.  If I'd had anything to do with our team I'd have hauled the kids off the pitch and told them they could forget about playing, the lads are only 10 or under, and ours are encouraged to be very gracious and sporting regardless of whether they win or lose. 

Ewan didn't seem as disheartened as I thought he would, nor was he in the thick of the action this weekend, his idea of running was definitely a quick stroll, and even that had to be encouraged (ok, I yelled at him but it's encouragement, of a sort....!)

A hot shower and a game of charades at Gran's later and he was all happy.  He came down just after half past nine last night to get a water refill and to give me a hug, to say thank you for sticking with him through the cold afternoon.  How could I not eh? :D My lovely wee man :D

I have also started work on a new chain maille project, having taken delivery a couple of weeks back of some stainless steel rings, I figured it was time I tried using them.

I'm not well versed in chainmaille but as it was a friend at work's birthday on Friday I thought I'd make her a charm bracelet with a swarovski heart on it for a surprise gift. JoJo has crazy psoriasis and can't wear just any metals so I hoped stainless steel would be okay.  She was delighted with it and wore it the rest of the night, so hopefully no ill effects. I made a copy with a shamrock swaro charm which I managed to photograph(above).

Playing with the rings led me to try something a little more complicated so I've started this, again as a gift for a friend in NornIron. It's late, should have tackled it last year, but I wanted to have the skills to do the project justice, so I hope Mark can forgive me! If anyone can tell me what weave it is I'd be grateful, as it was a quick and dirty wee tutorial in Make Jewellery mag last month. Didn't give ring sizes or name to it, and I just thought I'd give it a try in my rings and it worked nicely ... though I may have to invest in proper chain nose pliers *eyeroll* 

Hope you have a lovely week ... I'm working tonight, but looking forward to Bead and Banter tomorrow :D

post 'n' run

How could I not post that one? :D

Sadly I'm working tonight, so this is a post and run prior to my nap!

I've been busy making cupcakes for Sigrid today, for her girls to take to Brownies so how could I create anything other than chocolate brownie cupcakes?  With supersweet frosting!  Just what the bubs need before bedtime eh? ;)

I also made some vanilla cupcakes with Scottish Tablet frosting - which was a pure accident but a happy one!  Colin, our vehicular fairy godfather will be getting some too, as will my buds at work!

So, yes, Friday, I'm in love ....hope it's good where you are too

Thursday

Yes, tis the Day of Thor, and what better way to kick start one's day than with some Rock from the Eastern Bloc? (how fecking cheesy was that eh? Gorgonzola anyone? :D )

I happen to feel extremely hungover today, which is something considering I had a white wine with soda last night... cheap date non?

I had a blast with Sigrid at the Wheelhouse, though the food was .... expensive, and rather flat ... reading the menu was very tasty.  I still don't know why a salad can't come naked and you dress it yourself! :)

ANYway, today will be prototype cupcakeyness...got an order for tomorrow night ;)

Wednesday

I promise I'm not going to make a habit of this musical interlude stuff, but I figured it was as good a reason as any to include the band Slut! Not that there's any connection, oh no, not me ;)

Well, this is still technically last night, as I decided to make a start on another beaded star now that I know where I went wrong.

And even though I became momentarily distracted by Bruce Willis (what the eff is wrong with me?!) in Cop Out, I finished the second star.  Much happier, but Taede, bless his cotton socks, commented he thought they'd make a great pair of earrings.  Git.  So before bed (at 11pee emm!) I started the first panel of a third star.  

Thankfully this morning Piper was a sleepy girl quite happily lying on in bed (how come she never does this at the weekends when we could do with it?!) So by half past ten I had a pair of earrings and a hungry bubba.  Coffee and toast later and she's being a dinosaur, with a gun, terrorising the dog.  As one does. 

Poor pooch.  

We're off out to mum's today, possibly even in the new oldsmobile.  I had to laugh the other day when they brought the car up for admiration purposes and mum couldn't work out why she couldn't get the key (USB STICK!) out the ignition slot.  Would have helped if you put it in park maw! :)  Still, I'll be old myself one day, I just have more kids to spread the senility around ;)

theme

A

As it is Tuesday, no other song in my head could be more appropriate.  Well Perhaps Paint it Black, but that's depressing.  

Today's botch job is a Jean Power 3D star.  I think I fecked it up in the first panel which meant zipping it up went horribly wrong ... however, by panels 4 & 5 I was confident it looked right (instead of unsure) and so I think the next one I tackle might turn out a sh....edload better...

This is the second attempt I've made at Operation Tackle That Bead Stash

The first was going to be a beautiful RAW(r) *winks at Laney* cuff that faded through four shades of purple swarovskis but it just looked like a p.o.s. I even attempted to turn it into an earring but it still looked sh*t. :D

This one is rejected on two grounds (possibly three)
1. It's not perfect
2. The gold doesn't look Gold-y enough
3. I've ran out of purple delicas so can't make a neighbour for an earring.  

And let's face it, Operation:Beadstash just isn't cutting it if I have to order in more beads! :D

So, back to the drawing board...perhaps inspiration will hit me like a truck soon

In other news ....  It's Rabbie Burns' Night .... or will be when darkness falls, currently it's just his day, but it's less atmospheric so let's gloss over that m'k?

In honour of the philandering ba....rd, how about this wee ditty from the Merry Muses


Wad ye dae That?

Gudewife, when your gudeman’s frae hame,
Micht I but be sae bauld,
As come to your bed-chaumer,
When winter nichts are cauld;
As come to your bed-chaumer,
When nichts are cauld an wat,
An lie in your gudeman’s steed, Wad ye dae that?
Young man, an ye should be sae kind,
When oor gudeman’s frae hame,
As come to my bed-chaumer,
Where I am laid my lane;
An lie in oor gudeman’s steed,
I will tell you what,
He fucks me five times ilka nicht, Wad ye dae that?

And you thought he was all...My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose.... eh? ;)

No wonder he's worshipped wi' the banter! 

As testament to the old rake, I'm having pasta for tea! Though I do have shortbread

Monday, Monday ...

Y

Yeah, Okay, I'm feeling a bit Mamma Cass at the moment, but the day of the week is the only reason I chose this song, and I'm feeling a tad mellow today. In the face of everything!

Today, I didn't get a lie in, though I did expect one, as it is also Taede's day off and a Monday is a tough one as I never sleep well after the couple of night shifts.

I also had the added spice of Stuart telling me before bed that he has a project due tomorrow. And he needs a model with moving parts for his Wars of Independence topic at school.  Last year, we made a wooden framed mangonel for Ewan, and for a torsion based projectile firing weapon, it worked really well ... I can't recall if we took photos, which is a shame as it was goosed by 32 happy kids firing marshmallows around the classroom.  Ewan was bitterly disappointed that his teacher wouldn't let them light the marshmallws...Imagine that eh? :D

So, this morning, after I went back to bed to try and avoid the day, I found myself with a cunning plan.  I make cupcakes, and the boxes I use for transportation have the holders and the holders pop out perfect little discs that would be ideal for wheels.  And mum gave me a great cardboard box that was just not the right size for cupcakedness. 

The drawing out of a paper template and then a honking great stanley blade later and I was ready to assemble, but I'm fairly sure there wasn't gaffer tape back in the 1300's although I think William Wallace did take out the patent on it....no? :) 

Assembly was a whizz and Stuart seems really pleased with the result and now wants me to build a castle so he can lay siege to it!

Sigrid's little bug has the Romans as a topic, and needed a tunic made (for a slave, which can be cream or brown.. I'm told) so she asked if I would help out and I was happy to jump at the chance to use the new machine (yeah, I'm going all out for authenticity eh? :) ) so I raked out some cream material whipped up a funky little tunica that will be several shades too big I think, though Stuart is a slight wee beggar.  I'm hoping that she can stick a belt on it, as it will do a few dress up days in the future (and last Ailidh into her teens I think!) 

 Mum and Dad came round to show off their new car, we passed each other a few times on the road up from school though eventually they got here and mum brought me a new pair of shoes we'd ordered from Hotter....they are fab, very old fartesque but fab for work, not that I'm itching to get to work yet ;)

Now I'm sat watching the pilot of No Ordinary Family.... chinchin!

New Stuff

I've been beading today again.  I decided to make a ring for the first time, following on from a peyote based bracelet I finished yesterday.  I got my eyes in the post today and just had to jump to it!  Piper enjoyed an afternoon of being placated by plastic beads, and jelly diamonds (I hear her rattling something and thought it was beads, turns out she raided the cupcake decorations instead, oops! Bad Mummy! :o/)

Inspired by a project in the Laura McCabe's Embellished Beadweaving, this is my homage....

Oh I Do Like To See Beside The Seaside

 

It was fun to do, and I think my peyote is much improved! Not that you can see from the photo particularly, but I'm much happier.  Fancy some sculptural stuff, and another eye project to do.  They certainly weren't what I expected though....but by gum they looooook so groovy in an unsettling way (I try to think Monsters Inc when I see them, and was so very tempted to make the ring in Sully colours as a result! I might yet :) )

Glam Camo

I've had this planned to be a cha cha style bracelet, but after a catalogue of what felt like disasters I decided that less is more! It has turned out rather like an example from Carol Hubert-Cypher's Mastering Beadwork book, but it was unintentional I assure you, subliminally I think it called to me though....

I also attempted to make something with Vickie from Beads4Breakfast's lampies, but it didn't work out as planned neither, well it did, but the picture doesn't do it or the beads justice.  It does, however, show how well the light pools and flows from these babies! :) 

 

So, that was my Blue Monday ... not sad blue, but more the air being blue!

finished!

I put a brooch back on the ...er, well, brooch actually! (didnae take a photie as it's just looking the same! :) though as an update I did manage another RAW pearl bracelet!)

And I finished the necklace commission!  Well, it is Valentine's next month and whilst I don't buy into it much, I have nothing against those who do! :)

I'm hoping Taede's Dad's girlfriend likes it (and his Dad, as he paid for it - though well mate's rate!)

This pattern is freely available on the web here what you do with it after is your own business.  I'm planning to use it with some embellishment a la Laura McCabe et al :D

working

both on new jewellery pieces and at Asda again.  Tonight is the colleague night out (except it was cancelled) but some of the colleagues are still using the night off and going out for drinkypoos. Wish it were me. Though earning money is good.

I bought Laura McCabe's Embelished Beadweaving from Amazon which was a fab price and pointed out by Carrie on Bead Buddies.  I am inspired by it, and whilst it looks intricate the step by step instructions and diagrams are explicit enough for even me to be able to follow.  So, think I shall have to do a magnum opus as I'm fuelled with ideas and want to feed my creative monster! Want to use it as inspiration though, as opposed to recreate a particular piece! And hopefully I shall learn patience amongst other things, but I must clear my plate of greens first.  I have half a clasp to add to Taede's father's necklace and it's done! Hurrah!

Lurgy

Don't know what's up with me, a tightness in my chest, and a cold spot in between my lower shoulder blades along with a nasty narcoleptic tendency suggests it's all gone a bit Pete Tong.

A few days in bed have helped and luckily the other half was on hand to take care of Piper and/or the house.

Glad to be up and haveclothes on today, albeit slouchy style, but better than jim jams!

I have even cooked dinner (three different versions) and given myself the gippy tum, as the dish I prepared is a very luxuriant rich feast that always has me sitting on the throne for a while ....tmi? oops!

I have a commission of beadyness to work on for Taede's Pop, so as a way of putting off that evil hour, I've whiled away some time I've had with this folly - though it's going to be a brooch for Mum.

I have also had the pleasure of being inspired by a piece another forumite beadalicious person had created after stumbling on a tutorial on youtube.  I am currently working on another in a different colourway :)

And have looked out more of stash goodies to create a couple further.  As well as found my heart charms so another couple of pearl bracelets will be in order shortly.  As well as this damn commission :) I shall try to get involved with as many challenges and competitions this year as possible, although I've been very lucky so far, having won the Winter themed competition on Beaders Online :oD

 We were at Mum's today returning their car which has been a Godsend, if not just boon to us in the past  month or so.  They're likely trading it in against a new (to them) Merc A Class. Dad has trouble with his knees, predominantly his left one so they've opted for an automatic. And as they're due some money back after some hokum company trying to rip them off for solar heating panels hopefully they'll have fun in the new voiture.  They're also going to be getting some money from Cunard after spending almost their entire cruise confined to quarters after contracting the Norovirus onboard ship.  Cunard are blaming it on a passenger having carried it on board, but it's particularly suspicious to hear that within a fortnight of their return to Southampton the Queen Mary has also had a modest outbreak of the same bug! 

Ewan had an awesome homework assignment today.  His math homework is angles ...he loves it, as do I, and I enjoy the fact he's beginning to link how math and all that palaver relates to the outside world, something I don't think I did til I was an adult!  The other assignment he had was find as many words you can make with the letters in the word 'alliteration'. We sat around the table and came up with thirty or so at first, then Ewan said he wanted more than a girl in class who had worked with her family and come up with 53.  We decided to quit after 103 ... some were Proper Nouns though, and he wasn't sure if they'd be acceptable.  so we gave ourselves a small cushion just in case.  Piper was crotchetty so we decided to quit at that and go home.  Ewan had rugby tonight, and he'd fallen en route to the car today outside school as the roads were like glass.  He has a big bruise on his gluteas maximus, and a nice dent on his left shin. Poor scone.

It hasn't been the best of months old December.  Passed in a blur, it did.  As has Christmas and New Year! Neither of which went according to plan!  Taede's family were over and it was good for everyone to catch up on everyone else but more work than was expected. Piper caught the flu, and we had to take her to the out of hours doc. Then we caught it, though not as bad as some so our celebrations were postponed until Tuesday past.  Boys are back to school today, and Piper and I are lost without them! Means I'm slowly catching up with the laundry ....


I have orders of fabric and beads yet to arrive, and my sewing machine did eventually make it so I've made a start on the to do list.  I'm currently having fun guessing the senders of my secret santas, both from tinternetland and work! :)