Serendipity

You never know where life will take you. I suppose that can sometimes be one of the great things about it. A chance meeting or a seemingly insignificant event can result in some surprising, occasionally life changing consequences.

Five years ago, just a few weeks after moving to Bournemouth, I happened to see a poster in the window of a quilting shop advertising an exhibition of work by local City & Guilds embroidery students. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed at the time, I had just moved to a strange town, started a new job, I had no friends or relatives nearby to talk to and to make matters worse my OH was working over a 100 miles away and we were only able to see each other at weekends. I have always loved looking at textiles and embroidery so I went along to the exhibition to cheer myself up. When I arrived I was surprised to see some amazing beadwork on display. Intrigued I chatted to one of the students who was acting as a steward. I had dabbled in off-loom beadwork but was mainly self-taught and so found it difficult. That afternoon a whole new world opened up for me. I immediately signed up for the Level 1 City & Guilds Beading course. In the past four years I have learnt so much and made some wonderful friends. I am blessed with a wonderful teacher who has given me constant inspiration support and encouragement. One day I would like to teach beading and she has given me the confidence to believe that anything is possible.

A beaded passion flower created by me and based on a pendant designed by American beader Laura McCabe

A detail from one of my necklaces inspired by a trellis covered in climbing roses. Four years ago I would not have had the confidence to design and make my own jewellery.

Recently another event has unexpectedly opened up a new range of possibilities and a chance to make more friends. A few months ago P, R and I attended a talk by Linda Harrold, a local medical herbalist, about the medicinal properties of herbs. The talk was very interesting and Linda proved to be an engaging and informative speaker. At the end of the session she mentioned that she was interested in setting up a local herb group affiliated to the Herb Society. P, R and myself volunteered to help. Last Thursday was the first meeting of the Dorset Herb Group. The aim is to provide an friendly and informal atmosphere where like minded people can discuss growing and using herbs. P gave a wonderful talk on how she grows and uses herbs in her garden. Every month there will be a 'Herb of the Month' spot presented by one of the group. This time I was asked to talk. After much deliberation I chose nettles, not an obvious choice. I think that they are very under used and under appreciated. They are often considered a nuisance by the gardener but can be useful for conditioning your soil, encouraging wildlife into your garden and are very good to eat. The whole evening was a great success. Yet again I have been able to get to know a whole new set of people and to expand my range of interests. As I said you never know where life will take you next!

As Promised - more holiday pictures....

My Other Half staring over the cliffs near Stair Hole. I couldn't resist taking this as he hates heights. I suspect that he is clinging onto the railing out of shot - the sign says it all!

My Other Half having a surrealist moment.

Armillary Sphere in the grounds of Kingston Lacey House.

Part of the Fernery at Kingston Lacey House



Temple at Stourhead




Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens



Abutilon flowers in Abbotsbury



Chesil Beach as seen from the viewing point in Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens. Another steep climb (oh, my aching knees!) but well worth it.




Lulworth Cove seen from the rocks above Stair Hole


Part of the coastal footpath leading to Durdle Door. I really am very lucky to live in such a beautiful part of Britain.

I am going to leave it at that for now as I am in danger of becoming one of those people who insist on boring everyone with their holiday photos. No one is interested but they are too polite to say so!

Holidays at last!

I have not been able to add any entries for the last two weeks as I have been on holiday. When I started my vacation I made a conscious decision not to log onto a computer, as I knew that I would not be able to resist checking my work emails. I needed a complete break from everyday routine. Plus my time away from work was actually very busy so I really didn't have time to update this blog.

The first week was spent preparing for and helping at the City & Guilds Exhibition - Textile Kaleidoscope. It showcases the work of City & Guilds Beadwork and Embroidery students. Also this year we have some work by the local branch of the Embroiderers' Guild on display. I was unable to display anything this year but was in awe of the talented people around me. Here are just a few pieces on display.

Gabby's necklace inspired by an old snakes and ladders set given to her by her brother.

Liz's lizard (affectionally known as Lily) inspired by Antoni Gaudi


Tricia's wonderful beaded lampshade inspired by Tiffany glass

Val's Cherry Blossom necklace


The second week was spent in Lulworth - about 40 miles from where I live. We have been wanting to explore that area of Dorset for some time. My Other Half had been told about the Castle Inn in West Lulworth and so we decided to stay there for a few days. It is a lovely 16th Century thatched pub which offers bed and breakfast accomodation. It is full of character - our room had a four poster bed and exposed beams.

On that first day my OH persuaded me to go for a walk to Durdle Door. It turned out to be quite an afternoon! The footpath is long and very steep. These pictures give you an idea of the scale of it. And no, in the first pictures those dots are not specks of dirt on my camera lense but people.




About half way up the footpath to Durdle Door. By this stage my knees were starting to hurt!

The footpath to Durdle Door seen from Stair Hole

Durdle Door

We then walked down into the village and went to look at Stair Hole and Lulworth Cove. The strange rock formations are created by layers of shale and limestone which have been forced up at an angle through the earth's crust. The shale erodes faster than the limestone creating dramatic ridges and folds.

The next day we visited Abbotsbury. The Sub Tropical Gardens are well worth a visit as they have so many exotic trees and plants. There is also a viewing point (yet another steep climb) where you can see Chesil Beach.

On the final day we decided to go to Stourhead. This was stunning as always although the weather had taken a turn for the worse. Thick unpleasant drizzle coupled with high temperatures did not make for a comfortable afternoon. We trudged on regardless. After all being British it takes more than a bit of rain to spoil our day.

On Friday we went to Kingston Lacey and wandered around the fernery and gardens. I will post more pictures in future entries. I really needed the break and will now return to work with renewed vigour!

Time for beads!

We are now into the Summer Vacation at work and everything has slowed down. However I suddenly seem busier than ever. I have been trying to go to the gym at least twice a week and that really seems to be helping my general sense of well-being. If anyone had told me six months ago that I would be going to a gym and not hating it too much I would have thought that they were mad. M is away on holiday at the moment but K has agreed to go with me this week. It is a bit boring but I find that I am able to do more each time that I go and it does make me feel better about life in general.

I was recently asked by one of my colleagues if I had any pictures of my beadwork. I brought in what I had and this has resulted in me selling a couple of pieces. I am very bad at selling. I find it hard to price the things that I make. They take a long time to make and I put so much of myself into them that it is sometimes hard to part with them. But I don't wear them often enough and it is only right that they should go to someone who will appreciate them. I have decided to document my beadwork in more detail in future. It is really good to look back at some of my pieces of jewellery and remember the process of designing and making them.

Last weekend I went on a 'bead' trip to Shaftesbury. I normally buy most of my beads by mail order (thank heavens for the internet!) but nothing beats handling and choosing them in person. Unfortunately there are very few places in Bournemouth to buy craft materials. There is a good bead shop in Poole but it does not have a range of seed beads and cylinder beads - the type of bead that I use most frequently. The nearest bead shop is Shaftesbury in Dorset. It is quite a trek for me but I try to go two or three times a year. There are now three bead shops in Shaftesbury, one having recently opened at the top of Gold Hill.

Stitch and Craft in Swan's Yard is my favourite. They stock a dizzying array of beads in all shapes and sizes, Swarovski crystals, beading thread and wire, sterling silver clasps and even a range of knitting yarn. The staff are very knowledgeable and helpful, nothing is ever too much trouble. If you can't visit Shaftesbury they have a great online shop.

Bijoux Beads is literally a few feet away from Stitch and Craft, also in Swan's Yard. They stock a range of larger focal beads, pearls and a small range of semi-precious beads. they also have shops in Salisbury and Bath.

The latest addition is The Beadster which is situated behind the Town Hall and at the top of the picturesque Gold Hill. This is not a great photo of the shop -you can just see it on the left hand side of the picture. However it does show how pretty Shaftesbury is. Gold Hill was immortalised in the famous Hovis advert which featured a young boy pushing a bicycle up this very steep cobbled street.

I spent a great morning wandering around Shaftesbury and then headed home to continue working on my Passion Flower vase. I am a bit stressed about it at the moment as I want to finish in time for the City & Guilds exhibition at the end of next week.


Finally here is a selection of photos taken by my Other Half at the weekend. He is talking about doing another photography course. I hope that he does as he is very talented (although I might be a bit biased!)

Race for Life

This Sunday myself and M took part in the 'Race for Life' to raise money for Cancer Research UK. It is for women only and anyone can register to take part. The course is 3 miles (5K) long and you can choose to walk jog or run. We chose to walk on this occasion. It was a beautiful day, sunny and warm but rather windy. The course was along the seafront from Bournemouth Pier to Boscombe Pier and back again. The only down side was that we were sandblasted on the way back as the strong wind whipped up the fine dry sand. There were 3,000 entrants and approximately half decided to walk. It was a great fun event with all ages taking part from small children right though to women in their 70s and 80s. M and I walked the 3 miles in 1 hour 4 minutes which I am quite pleased with. I am particularly proud of M as she has never done anything like this before and was rather nervous about the whole thing. In the end we both enjoyed it and are determined to take part next year. Between us we have raised £100. It is a cause that I feel very strongly about. We were each given a card to pin on our backs saying who we we thinking of when we were taking part. When I was writing it on Sunday morning I rather sadly realised that I had quite a long list of family members and friends who have been affected by cancer. In the end I decided to put my Father's name as it is 20 years ago on 18th September that we lost him to liver cancer.






I continue to bead as much as I can. Last year I made a beaded chatelaine as part of a group project. It involved beading around a wooden needle case, a tape measure and creating a beaded scissor case. I based my design on an Art Deco wall tile. I was sitting at the dining room table (where I do most of my beading) the other day, deep in thought and I looked down at the beaded tape measure and realised how much I enjoy using it. Underneath the beads it is a cheap plastic tape measure costing only a few pounds but now it makes me happy just to look at it, use it and to remember the experience of creating it. Joy can be found in so many everyday things, I will try to remember that the next time that I am feeling down or frustrated with my beading.

"Mens Sana in Thingummy Doodah" (Victoria Wood)

I have always loved Victoria Wood and her hilarious take on the trials and tribulations of everyday life. One programme is a particular favourite "Mens Sana in Thingummy Doodah" where Victoria and a friend go to a health farm to get fit and lose some weight. Well yesterday the joke was on me as I did something very out of character - I joined a gym. Six months ago some routine blood tests showed that I have high cholesterol. It came as a bit of a shock as I have always been fit and healthy. I knew that my Mum and my Aunt both had high cholesterol but I did not realise that a raised level be hereditary. I am so grateful to my doctor for suggesting the test otherwise I would never have found out that I am potentially at risk of heart attack and stroke. I asked my GP not to put me on medication but to give me a chance to change my lifestyle. She agreed and gave me three months to lower it with diet and exercise alone. My diet has always been fairly healthy but I concentrated on cutting out as much saturated fat as possible, eating more whole grains and at least five portions of fruit and vegatables a day. Also, I started to take more exercise, trying to fit in at least 30 minutes of brisk walking three times a week. Being on such a strict diet was hard at first but it had an added bonus - slow but steady weight loss without having to worry about counting calories. At the end of February I had my cholesterol re-tested and was over the moon when I discovered that I had managed to get it down within a normal range. I will have my blood tested again at the end of August and if that is OK will just need annual check-ups.

Eating a low fat diet has become second nature to me now. I am an expert at reading labels in supermarkets and of keeping track of how much fat I am eating. I try not to stress out if I have a bad day or if I am eating out. I simply make sure that I am extra careful for the next few days. My Other Half has been very supportive and he is feeling the benefits too. People have been commenting on how fit and healthy he is looking. Losing weight was never an issue for him as he has always been sickeningly trim.

Joining the gym is the next step for me. I always said that I would never do such a thing but I am lucky that we have a free gym at work. Plus, I will be going with my friends M, K & P. We can support and encourage each other. I would advise everyone to have their cholesterol level tested at least once. It is impossible to tell by looking at someone whether they are at risk.

Now I am faced with another challenge. I am struggling to find things to wear as most of my clothes are now too big for me. I loath shopping, especially clothes shopping, so I have been putting it off.

Featuring more stunning photos taken by my Other Half

On the beading front things are progressing very slowly with the passion flower vase. More pictures to come very soon.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Today I am featuring some photos taken by my Other Half. We both love thistles and he has created a 'prickle garden' at the allotment to attract bees and butterflies. He recently spotted a clump of thistles by the side of the road and took the following stunning pictures. Although they are commonly thought of as weeds they are very beautiful if you stop and look at them closely. One thing that I have learnt from my City & Guilds courses is to take a closer look at the everyday things around us. You can find beauty in the most unexpected places - paving stones, panes of glass, moss growing on a tree stump, even weeds, the list goes on.

I am feeling very guilty because I am not helping my Other Half at the allotment at the moment. Last weekend he spent Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday digging and planting. Sometimes I suspect that he secretly likes being up there by himself - enjoying the peace and quiet! My excuse is that I have been concentrating on my beadwork and at last seem to be getting somewhere with my vase project. I have been struggling with covering the base and have tried different methods without success. Finally I decided to try netting and it worked. Now I just have to tackle the fluted top. Once I have finished covering the vase it is time to make lots of passion flowers, leaves, buds and insects to attach to the netting. the flowers themselves will probably not be faithful reproductions of passion flowers but inspired by them. More photos will be posted as the object develops.

And finally when we woke up yesterday morning we discovered that the borlotti beans my Other Half had planted were starting to grow. We had a really good crop last year and ate them both fresh and dried. I am looking forward to many tasty meals in the months to come.