As busy as Santa's Elves

Well I can't quite believe it's Christmas Eve!  The last couple of weeks have been so hectic, what with Dad being in hospital & his health going up & down the whole time I'm not certain if I'm coming or going.

I've been keeping myself busy as usual, last Saturday we were snowed in and I couldn't get to the hospital or use the tickets I had for Panto.  So I made some Tea Cup Candles as little Christmas Gifts for friends.  They really are so easy & I don't know why everyone isn't doing it!

Melting the wax

Poured Candles

One finished Tea Cup Candle, albeit a milky one!

I had also made some handmade lipbalms in different flavours, when I wrapped them in tissue paper & a pretty organza bag I decided to embelish the little bag with a tiny beaded Christmas Angel, sometimes inspiration strikes & you have to act upon it!

Beaded Christmas Angel

Christmas Angel on gift bag.

 

I also wanted to share a picture of a Christmas Card I commissioned from my friend at work, we're a secretly talented bunch in the office.  I wanted a special card for my other half; we'd both visited a lot of penguins this year, at Edinburgh Zoo where we watched them go for their afternoon walk, & for my birthday I got to feed the penguins at Bird World so I wanted penguins on the card. My friend Meagan made the card and it's brilliant.  My other half loves the style because it's tactile & reminds him of lego! 

All that's left now is for me to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! 

Kendra x

A Bit Of Christmas Nostalgia

This week I've been finding it difficult to get into the Christmas Spirit.  It was all going so well, my presents were wrapped & my cards were written.  Last Saturday I also did my last stall before Christmas, at St Peter's Church in Staines.  It's the 2nd time I've taken a stall there, most of the stalls are run by the church community with just myself & another stall (Wine, Cheese & Chocolate - yum!), that are invited to take stalls.  They are such lovely people & I always have such a fun time with them & I thoroughly enjoyed it, got me feeling really festive & I came away singing the 12 Days of Christmas, and then on Sunday we put up our Christmas Tree & decorations at home. 
Sadly I had some news about my father on Friday which means he'll need to go into a Nursing Home & now I need to start clearing my parents place that was their home for the last 35 years, that's a lot of memories and a lot of things that need to find a new home & recycled/re-used where possible.  Being so close to Christmas I've found it all a bit overwhelming but I'm determined to take it all in my stride.  

It's got me thinking about when I was a child looking forward to Christmas & I was busied with tasks of making paper snowflakes & covering them with glitter & making those paper chains out of gummed paper.  So to make me feel better (& sometimes you need a bit of distraction) I got my beads out & made a berry coloured beaded snowflake, a bit too late too late to start making & selling for this year, but I'm so pleased with it I may make a few as little gifts for friends & add them to my repetoire for Christmas 2011.  

Frosted Snow Queen

Until almost a year ago I used to love the snow, until I slipped in the ice & broke my arm in 5 places (ouch!).  I don't remember the last time it snowed before Christmas in the area I live & although it looks really pretty & gives me that festive feeling ... I've not ventured very far!
So with the snow & my Lego Advent Calendar making me think even more about Christmas, I busied myself yesterday writing Christmas Cards & wrapping Christmas Presents to stave off the cabin fever ... all very well & good until I realised I have to venture to the Post Office at somepoint to buy stamps to post the cards. 

I was pondering upon the snow & wondered what jewellery the Snow Queen would be wearing, so I made an EmBracelet & some earrings fit for a Frosted Snow Queen, & I thought it would be fun to photograph them in the snow.  I think the Snow Queen loved the jewellery so much she stole the earrings out of my pocket when I wasn't looking, I had them in my pocket when I went out the front door, but after the few steps to the table where I was doing the photography they had disappeared!

So I sulked a little at losing the earrings (I'm sure they'll show up) and made some skull earrings from the hematite skull beads I brought at the London Bead Fair!  Both the skull earrings & the Frosted Snow Queen EmBracelet are available on my Etsy Store.

I'm off now to see how slippery it is outside before deciding about the stamps...


Kendra x

New Items on Misi & 10% off Etsy Purchases Until Dec 14th 2010

Another busy day, managed to take a car full of old broken things to the dump this morning, all very exciting.  Visited Dad in hospital this afternoon, he has new company on either side of him, slightly less crazy people who were fun & talkative.  Also managed to squeeze in a visit to my best friend, Hollie, for her birthday.  Happy Birthday Hollie!

More importantly though I've listed a few new items on Misi, from my Enchanted Necklaces range & some cute cupcake earrings, I've listed 3 pairs of these in different colours, the last pair were snapped up really quickly!

Remaining on the cupcake theme, there are a couple of cupcake necklaces listed on Misi too, the one above strung with seed beads & a rainbow cupcake on red ribbon.
To promote my Etsy store I'm offering 10% off all purchases placed between now & 14th December, please use code ETSYINTRO10 to claim your 10% discount.

That's all for now, going to get into my PJ's & snuggle up next to my wonderful open fire!

Kendra x

Blog Launch & Etsy Store Launch

Well I set up my Blog account about 3 weeks ago, but unfortunately I've not had the chance to write until this evening.  It's been a crazy few weeks, I brought some great beads from one of my favourite Lampwork Artists, By Keiara, at the London Bead Show at the end of October, but again I've not had chance until recently to make anything with them.


Sadly my Dad has been rather poorly the past couple of weeks & was finally admitted to hospital on Sunday, so I've been really busy with him, I'm hoping he's turned the corner now & things are looking up.  I took the evening off to set up my Etsy store & start my blog.

I've made some rather fun & colourful necklaces using some of the beads from By Keiara, these are now available on my Etsy Shop, I have made a few more as pendants but I need to list them in my Misi Shop (I like to share things out!).



I've also set up a Facebook account (yes I have been a busy bunny on the internet today!) after years of saying I'd never have a Facebook account so I can promote Spellbound Jewellery, I'm not 100% certain what I doing with Facebook though, so I'll have to have a playaround with it this weekend if I get the opportunity.


Speaking of opportunity, if you do get the chance please have a browse around my website, www.spellboundjewellery.co.uk


Happy Friday!

Love

Kendra x