My Intermediate Student

I did a beading session with Jenny and here is what she made. I love the way the leaves cascade from this necklace. We used wire with silver lined seed beads at the back of the neck but you could use leather or ribbon instead. Well done Jenny!

Summer Supermoon

The full moon has been massive the last few days so I was inspired to make something to celebrate its beauty. I used a 12mm blue sandstone bead and three 5mm cream freshwater pearls to create these earrings.  They will go with the pearl and sandstone necklace I made a little while ago. They are going to be a present for my McCarthy cousin to thank her for getting all the cousins together. 

I think I will make some more of these.  

Stash Busting

I have been trying to use up some of the beads I have left over from other projects and here are the results. 

A multi coloured malachite necklace for Julie

A yellow cracked agate and silver lined seed bead necklace to go with my new top

Using up some of my freshwater pearls

Beara Chairs

These chairs were made by the Driftwood Company on Beara and bought for me by my Dad. They are painted my favourite colour! They will give me much pleasure.

Dingle Daisies

Jenny and I did a painting workshop with Tina Reed at Killarney Art Holidays. We worked in oils and used a palette knife. It was great fun and I learned lots. Tina has a studio in a gorgeous location and she is a lovely host. As a tutor she is excellent. She demonstrates how to do things but if you don't get it first time she will stand and watch you do it and suggest ways for you to improve your technique. I find that this is how I learn best. I may get a better finish if the tutor does it for me but in the long run I learn best if I do it myself. We painted a lovely summer picture of a Dingle roadway. We all struggled with the daisies and most of us lacked the confidence to go for the BIG daisies (you only have one chance to get it right before the colours mix). My finished work does not exactly match the photo but in the final stages I ignored the photo and in that time "I made the picture my own". My painting will take a while to dry but it has already found a home as my lovely sister wants if for her new family space.

My work in progress

A lovely space to work in

Some of Tina's work

Our Dingle Daisies roadway

My (almost) finished work

Lovely views down the valley

     

Grey and Green

We have had lots of lovely bright sunny days so I should in theory be making colourful jewellery. Instead I have been using the grey and green agate and combining them with green/blue freshwater pearls. The grey seems to pick up whatever colours you put it with so it is a very useful piece of jewellery.