My brainy boy...

There's so much to tell you... so much to catch up on... it's going to take me several posts - probably over several days!

But first, and most importantly, I have to boast about my gorgeous boy. Tom got 8 A* and an A in his GCSEs. This adds to the A* he got last November. He also got an A in his Additional Maths Qualification. We are so very proud of him.

It's not the actual grades - although they are, of course, very impressive - it's the fact that he fulfilled his potential, that is so very pleasing. We are just as thrilled for other friends and family members who got - or exceeded - their predicted grades. I think that's all we can ask of our children, that they do as well as they possibly can - in all things, not just exams.

I hope all of you who have had exams - or exam takers in your family - feel equally proud of the results achieved.

Family matters...

So, let me catch you up on family stuff...

Tom has finished school! Well, he'll be going to 6th form college in September, but he's finished at his present school. His GCSEs went well - just the looooooong looooooong wait for the results in August now. I know he'll have great results... he's a clever old stick and has put in a lot of work.

On Friday it was his last day at school. They had a leavers' mass in the morning and then in the evening it was his prom. So, last week was spent dashing back and forth to Bristol (a 20 mile round trip) to get him measured for his suit, to fetch his suit and then take it back again. But, it was worth it. He looked gorgeous (although I admit to being rather biased!). Here, judge for yourself.

Nice picture of our kitchen radiator too! LOL!

Tom had a great time at the prom, dancing the night away with a bevy of beautiful girls!

He's got a great smile, hasn't he?

Also, I had my birthday in June. I had a super weekend. On the Saturday night I went with the rest of the family and my lovely friends, Mike and Helen, to see Bruce Springsteen at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff. He was fantastic - as always. I danced for the whole evening - much to Tom's embarassment! But at least he knows where he got his dancing skills from, that stood him in good stead for the prom!!

Then on the Sunday, my actual birthday, which I shared with Father's Day, we had some chums round for a BBQ. The weather was brilliant and we had a fab time.

My mum came for my birthday and then stayed for a week. Whenever she comes to stay the time always flies by and we're saying goodbye almost before we've said hello.

On the weight front, I was going great guns and I'd lost 9lb between coming back from Spain and my birthday. I put on a pound for my birthday - well, if you can't indulge for your birthday, when can you? And then I lost that and another half last week. Stayed the same this week. So nine and a half altogether since Spain. I really must get back on track now and lose the other five that I promised myself I'd get rid of before the school holidays. Whoops, only 25 days to go... Better be good!!!

I think that's about it on the home front.

What I did during the FA Cup Final!

I don't like to just sit and watch the TV and be idle, so here's what I made during Saturday's FA Cup Final. As Portsmouth won, I'm calling it Pompey Pink! It's a double shaggy loop (four bead bearing rings, per base ring) with pink magatama beads. I love what it's done to Pinky (you've seen his brother Perky in other pictures!) - he looks like he's wearing a wig - or turning into a King Charles Spaniel. LOL!
The next one I've made with antique copper rings and Chartreuse magatamas - single shaggy loops this time - and I rather like the combination.

This next bracelet features nuggets and button beads in Moonstone. The tubes in between are Thai Hill Tribe Silver.
And here's Pinky again! This time with a set made with shell nuggets and button beads teamed with freshwater pearls and Sterling Silver. I really like the earrings on this set - I might have to make some for myself.
And lastly in this bunch, a set made with dyed turquoise nuggets in four different colours with Sterling Silver tubes. I really like these oversized kidney earwires - I think they make a very striking pair of earrings.
Tom is still feeling OK about the GCSEs he's done so far. It was English Lit and ICT today. Do you know they're allowed to take the books into Eng Lit these days? No learning pages of quotes like when I was at school, back in the dark ages!

Thought I'd update you about WW too. I've been on a roll since we got back from holiday and I've lost 6.5 lbs. I'm really proud of myself. I'm trying to lose a stone by my birthday, but with less than four weeks to go, I'm not sure I'll make it... but I'll give it a damn good try. Watch this space!!

It's less than three weeks until our first big show - Bowood House Dog Show and Country Fair, so Sarah and I are madly trying to get our stock levels as high as possible. We're excited... and terrified... in equal measure!

Talking of terrified... the Weston College prospectus comes out tomorrow... with my photo in it. Eeeeeeeeeeeeek! I'll let you know what I think.

Shell I show you?

Here are some of the shell necklace and earrings sets that I've been making. I love using shell - it comes in such wonderful colours.
The larger round beads in the set above are really unusual. They are tiny shards of shell which have been set into resin and formed into beads. They're very effective, aren't they? I got some in turquoise and some in pink.... think I might have to get some more!


Tom had his Spanish Oral today - which he'd been quite nervous about as he had to give quite a long presentation and then answer questions on it. But, apparently, it went really well. And then RF (RE) which he said was fine... he 'waffled on'!

They say that this spell of fabulous weather is going to break tomorrow. It's been so lovely to have the sunshine as we didn't really have a proper summer last year with all the rain. Even though we only planted up our pots and hanging baskets last week, they've already grown masses and there are flowers opening! As we were having all the work done on the kitchen last year we didn't bother with doing the garden, so it's doubly pleasing to have it all looking pretty and tidy again... rather than it being full of rubble, planks, cement, builders, cardboard, bricks, toilets..... We've already sat outside more often than we did for the whole of last year!!!

Let's keep our fingers crossed that this is just a taster for a long, sunny summer.

Are WiiFit yet?

We're into GCSE mode now. Tom's done the first Physics paper (not too bad, Mum) and tomorrow is Spanish Oral and RF. He's so laid back about it all... it's just me that's stressing!

Our sale last week at Clerical Medical was great. We took practically the same as the first time we went and several people who bought last time, bought again. A good result.

The big thing - and the reason for the lack of posts(!) - that happened at the end of last week was that we got a WiiFit... and we've all become rather obsessive about it. It's great fun. I admit that I like playing the games much more than doing the jogging, yoga or exercises, but I reckon that if I'm doing something it's better than doing nothing! Martha is, at this moment, doing two hours of step... 2 HOURS!! She's watching Top Gear - she's got a HUGE crush on Richard Hammond - and stepping at the same time.

I've been making some shell necklaces today - they always sell well - and have sent some off to my out-worker (or Mum as I call her!) this afternoon. It's an interesting way to work... I design the necklace on paper, send Mum the 'pattern' and the beads and she strings it up for me, then posts it back for me to finish off and to make the earrings. I'll take some photos when they're done.

There's been a flurry of sales on the website this week... which is lovely. I must put some more things on there. There are certainly not enough hours in the day at the moment.

Right, better get back to it. The stock-take is all but done (thank goodness) and then I'm into serious making mode. Our first big show is only three and a half weeks away... EEEEEEK!

Bookmarks galore!

Had a day of feeling quite uninspired, so I thought I'd stick to something I know how to make and so made a load of bookmarks.

I've made (and sold) loads of the silver ones with the Swarovski crystal dragonfly dangle before - but the gold plated ones are a new thing. I'm pleased with how they turned out.

I'm awaiting a BIG package of beads - which hopefully will come tomorrow. And then I've got 101 things to make with them.

Tonight I've been at a study skill evening with Tom - his GCSEs start in May. He seems very laid back about it all, I'm more nervous than he is!

Ring-a-ding BLING!

Been making some rings recently - bling rings or cluster rings. I was inspired when I found these rings - when I was buying something completely different!

I'd not seen this shape before and thought they were really unusual and desirable... I made a couple using the wrapped loop method, but when I was trawling about looking at other people's rings, I found the suggestion of attaching the beads to the ring with jumprings. Well, that was it, I was off! Here are two of the first ones, along with a wrapped loop one with Swarovski crystals:

I really like this method. It is quick and gives a different look to the ring. And I can use my Miyuki drop beads, which are some of my favourites in the seed bead department. Lots of these on the website now.

The Christmas weight is slowly shifting. I lost 2.5 pounds last week, stayed the same today. Will try and have a good week this week, but we're away at the weekend which is always a challenge!

Am extremely happy to report that Tom got an A* in this GCSE Maths which he took in November and also that he passed his Grade 5 keyboard exam with distinction. Am thrilled for him.