First up this week was a commission for a ring and a pair of matching earrings.  The remit was for 'matt dark blue beads, similar to the previous commission, but different'.  The beads were made by US artist Serena Thomas - my first beady purchase from across the pond.  Hopefully, this set will fit the bill!

After that, I had a bit of a play.  When hubby found me a particularly nice red beach pebble whilst on holiday, he insisted whatever I made with it had to be named after him.  So, meet Dave the pendant.  I think he's regretting it now, but 'Dave' it is - and I quite enjoyed giving some of my work a completely inappropriate name for a change, instead of having to try and think up something more fitting, so watch this space for possible news of a new pendant range - I'm thinking of 'Bob' for the next one...

After that, I decided to incorporate some of my handmade beads into a necklace and earrings - beaded beads made using an excellent tutorial by the lovely Liz Reed, and sparkling polymer clay beads.

(And that's enough links for me, thank you very much - I'm all linked out!)

I've had better weeks.  But how many people can go home, raid their stash of beads and give themselves an (almost) instant pick-me-up with a new piece of jewellery?  This is what I made to cheer myself up, whilst vegging out in front of the telly last night.  It was my first attempt with bronze wire, and I find the colour pleasing - very like copper, but not so pink/orange.  It wasn't my first play with wire this week - I finished a necklace made with some of my Farnham-purchased labradorite too, which gave me the chance to beat up some wire leaves with my hammers, and oxidise them too - the rotten-egg stench of liver of sulphur is only just worth the lovely aged result!  (Hubby is standing behind me reading over my shoulder, and assures me the smell is NOT worth it.  The cheek.)

Okay, you've sussed me - hot weather and me do not mix.  I think I was meant to be born way up North, and while England's not exactly known for its soaring temperatures, the South East of the country is the wrong place to live if you dislike the heat!  It's been too hot to do much work in the 'studio' this week, so I've just managed a few lanterns (bit like this, but less fancy) for the garden - hey, I might not enjoy the heat, but every cloud has its silver lining, and this one is being able to sit in the garden in the evenings.  And I get to recycle some glass jars while I'm at it!

The only other thing I've made this week is a simple beaded daisy chain - still nothing clever there (I did mention it's not my forté?) but I love daisies!  And leaves...