EVEN OUR GOLD FISH HAVE ASKED FOR BROLLIES

Hi everyone

This is getting just a little too much to smile about, isn't it?  I do feel so sorry for those people who live in areas of the UK that have suffered because of extraordinary rainfall.  We live at the bottom of a hill so do tend to get debris washed down off of the top of the Hog's Back - not into our home but at the end of our road that is nearest to the Hog's Back.  We live in a bungalow, so you can imagine our concern that there is no first floor to move to if we are flooded.  However, we could grab the cats and head up to the loft if it comes to needing somewhere to escape to - would prefer not to though.

We had lots planned for this week as Richard has been on hols, but the best laid plans, etc, etc.  The bad weather played a large part in spoiling some plans, but it wasn't helped by the fact that Richard somehow managed to get bitten.  Not by anything with four legs, more like something with four wings.  The odd thing is that I had been sympathising with Lesley about her bee-sting which caused cellulitis, and it turned out that Richard has the same condition (unfortunately for him, this is the third time he has had this problem).  Wonder if it was the same bee that flew over from Shackleford to Christmas Pie?  Could this be the original busy bee?  Like Lesley, he has been in considerable pain this week but unlike Lesley, he wouldn't go to see our GP.  But he had to give in eventually when the pain became too much for him!

A week of  'oh dear, my arm has fallen off' has meant very little gardening was done, going out and about was limited too.  It was our wedding anniversary this week, and we had planned to have a day of shopping, lunch and the theatre - first on Wednesday in London, then moved to Friday in Gunwharf Quays, and sadly moved again.  Never mind we will arrange some time away when Richard is next on leave.  I won't mention when because we have discovered that recently when he takes time off of work it rains - almost non-stop!

We had a meal with a friend on Thursday evening and hard to believe looking at the weather now, we sat outside until gone 10.00pm.  It was dry, warm and the sun shone for longer than five minutes.  I know summer is out there somewhere, but I think it has got a little lost.  If you see it, please send it back home because we are going to an open-air production of the Marriage of Figaro next Saturday to celebrate the 'Thursday evening' friend's birthday and don't really fancy the idea of trudging through mud to sit on (and in) more mud.

Have you managed to read last week's guest post from Madeleine of the Craftsite?  It's a great post and clearly demonstrates Madeleine's enthusiasm for her business and in particular for her customers.  I have really enjoyed the guest blogger posts I have had to date and I am sure you will agree each post has been interesting, and many of them have included some really great photographs.  As always, I am keen to add some more names to the long list of great bloggers, so if you would like to join them please do get in touch: christmaspiecrafts@virginmedia.com.

I started work this week on another fabric wreath which I had hoped to finish to display on this week's blog post, but it is a case of almost there, but not quite - so plan to add it to next week's Handmade Monday blog post.  However, as it was the last week of my course (until September), here in true Blue Peter style are some things I made earlier:

The first photograph is of the much talked-about serviette rings.  As you can see they are not the run-of-the-mill style as these ones stand up.  There were made with a triangle of clay, embossed on both sides and rolled around a tube.  Originally I made four, lost one and made a further three.  The ones at the back have been biscuit-fired, the ones at the front are drying off ready for biscuit-firing, which will be done during the summer break ready for me to glaze all of them next term.

While making the serviette rings, I had a triangle of clay left over and initially wasn't too sure what to make with it.  Then an struck, why not make jewellery?  So I cut a triangle for the pendant - at the narrow end I carefully rolled the point over to create a loop to be able to thread ribbon or wire through.  The earrings are small squares and I pierced them in one corner.  Once fired, glazed, etc I will be able to add wires that I learned to make on the Wire-work course I attended recently.  I have the wire-work bug now and am moving into making Polymer Clay Jewellery - I have bought lots of lovely colours so over the next few blog posts I hope to be able to show off my jools!  The butterfly-mind behaviour has struck again!

My last 'show' piece is a pot I made some time ago and couldn't think of how to decorate it.  I had carved a flower on one side of the pot and this week I sponged the outside in green-powder glaze (powder mixed with clear glaze and water).  I then coloured the flower petals in orange - I painted them several times to build up the colour and depth - and then painted the leaves.

Sadly, I ran out of time so I will have quite a few things to finish off next term.  I have really enjoyed the course and as I mentioned before, it has been so nice to do a course that doesn't have homework, assignments or exams associated with it.  Roll on next term.

Well, well, it has stopped raining!  Must check that the fish are OK and have not floated off into someone else's pond.  As well as that I am working on a friend's database and email marketing newsletter and as often happens, these things never go smoothly.  Don't forget to visit the other blogs taking part in Handmade Monday - as always lots of gorgeous makes and interesting posts.  I hope you have a good week - I will be back on Wednesday with my mid-week post and if you would like to be a Friday Guest Blogger, please do let me know.

Jill