'Tis the season. . .

Well it's almost upon us and I think we are all ready. . .
Today we spent the afternoon baking, flapjacks, mince pastry 2yr old style, mini mince pies. . . and I was asked to make a christmas house. Tomorow if i'm feeling up to it i'll bake a batch of gingerbread and we can build a simple house.
We have wrapped until I can't cut straight anymore. I have been trying to pass presents out as we go but I still can't get in the spare room comfortably. Next year it will be the youngest bedroom so we have to be way more organised. And perhaps buy smaller and fewer gifts for people.
Tomorrow hubby is baking a yule log for the family reunion get together. It will be the first time in 7 years all my family are in one place and the family has grown somewhat since then. My eldest brother has had two boys, my younger brother a boy and a girl, I have been married and have had 2 children. It's only my sister who hasn't added any more to this madness. In total we will be 20 in my parents house for Xmas lunch and present opening. It's going to be choas. . . enjoyable but choas!

I wish you all the very best for Xmas and the New Year.

Fiona @ Christals Creations

Santa Days. . .

I was hoping that by now I would be able to say I had Christmas all wrapped up as it were but with delayed deliveries and things going out of stock left right and centre it's not been that easy.
We have had to make a few substitutions but we are getting there, two more to buy and lots of deliveries anticipated and it'll all be over for another 12 months.
We have been lucky (?) enough to see the man in red twice in two days with another two expected sitings this week. Luckily at 2yrs and 2mths neither of them noticed he looked completely different and had lost his glasses. In a few years we may not be so lucky.
As we are waiting for the pics to be sent through and as I just spent 15 mins trying to load old pics from last year this will be a bland post with no pics but I shall put some in my next post.
I shall try not to leave it so long this time.
:o)

Feed the Ducks. . .

New Arrival!

September September. . .

Well it's almost the end of another month. We have finally given in and turned the heating on it's been so chilly the last couple of days and it just makes the house seem cosy.
There is still no sign of the baby though he did put in another effort on Thursday/Friday. We're just playing along now and seeing how it goes.
I have added another bracelet to my folksy outlet this afternoon. I am trying to get a good collection on there so I can relax when baby finally puts in an appearance.



I need to take some more photos too. I have ordered and received a new dummy especially for necklaces so you can see how they lie when on. Now I need to get snapping!
Thats all for now. We are being asked to build blocks Mummy so I have to go and make a tower!
Until next time.
Fiona @ Christals Creations

Still waiting!

For those of you who read my last post you'll already know we were waiting on the arrival of a certain little bundle of joy. Since then things have been quite up and down but we are still waiting. We have been told i'm OP which apparently maes it all a bit longer and a bit harder unless you can get baby to turn.
I have been religiously sitting with my knees below my pelvis, my back straight or leaning forward, lying on my left side and all the other little things we've been advised to try.
We'll see where we are this time next week. LOL.
I have just been on Folksy and am listing a few new items.
The first one for today is this pretty bracelet - made from glass pearls and glass beads the green reminded me that Summer was over now and so I have called it Summers End.

I haven't quite decided which piece I am going to add next so you will have to pop over and have a look for yourselves later. :o)

Goodbye until next time.

Fiona @ Christals Creations.

Waiting. . .

I have been a bit quiet recently but there is a good reason for this. Last Wednesday we were told to go into hospital as it seemed the baby was coming, only a few weeks early so no worries but they wanted to check us out. On Thursday morning we were in the same place we'd been the night before, (2cm), and the contractions had pretty much worn off so we were sent home and told to come back later when they were regular again.
We are still waiting for 'later'. They seem to come at night and disappear during the day. The first day at home I mostly slept from lack of sleep, luckily a good friend came and took my little one off to hers for playtime and tea and he loved it. So I was able to relax as was hubby.
On Friday I felt ill all day but nothing happened and by yesterday I had pretty much given up on anything happening for a while.
We feel really silly as my hubby was supposed to go away with work in the early hours of tomorrow morning but he has been taken off the course and 'ordered' not to go into work at all but to sty home and look after me. Thing is there seems to ba a complete lack of anything happening.
Perhaps we'll buy some pineapple when we pop out to the shops later. LOL.

So that is why I have been a bit quiet but I am still here!

I haven't added anything new for a few days but here are a couple of pics of items in the shop to keep you going.

Another day another dollar

Or perhaps I should say another pound. I was pleased to find when I logged on to Folksy on Tuesday that I had been lucky enough to make my second online sale this month. It was a gorgeous green bracelet that I had decided I may just keep for myself if there wasn't any interest in it. I popped into my local post office on the way to toddler group this morning and dropped it in the box. Let's see if we can make it 3 in a month.
I have been trying to keep up with the listing a day challenge and I think I have only missed one or two days.

Last night I had to do it crouched on the floor as we had our sofa taken out of the room to allow for delivery of a new one today. We were expecting the delivery men between 12 and 6 so were a little suprised when the phone rang at 7.15 and the man told us he could be with us in 10 minutes. Luckily hubby was still home and everything was pretty much ready.
It also meant the little human and I could stay for lunch at toddler group today which was just as well as my neighbour was left at the end with the packing away and tidying away and has two small people to worry about, so while I was trying to stop her youngest who was trying to escape from the pushchair, (he's a wily little thing), she was able to chase the two older ones who managed to get out while the door was shutting. We also managed to hoover and pack away between us. I was forbidden from box carrying so settled with hoovering the giant carpet. I don't think there is that much carpet in the whole of our downstairs!

Otherwise there is not much to report. Due date is slowly creeping closer and bump has started to descend, so thinking it may be sooner rather than later!

Take care until next time.

Fiona @ Christals Creations

Catching up. . .

Well after our slightly busy Saturday, Sunday was much calmer and I even managed to get another necklace listed over at Folksy. This one is on a blue theme using some of the beads I was lucky enough to win over on the Beads Direct blog.

It is our son's taster at nursery this morning so we are off to spend an hour there shortly and see how he likes it. But first he is telling me he wants puzzles! We have already built a train track and used the felt shapes. I see a carpet that is more like a sea of toys this morning. Where do they get all their energy from at such early hours of the morning?

I hope everyone is enjoying a sunny start to the week. I'll be back soon with more ramblings to share with you all.

Fiona @ Christals Creations

September so far

Well I decided to set myself the challenge of listing an item a day over on Folksy and I did ok for the first three days of the month. Then we had to go out for the day and after leaving at 9.30 and planning on not being back late we didn't get home till gone 9.30. We had a lovely lunch with my brother and his partner, all the children played together and hubby drooled over my 6mth nephew. He is so good with children. We saw Granny, we saw Uncle and then Nanny. There was some not so good news which was added to by more not so good news, I was secretly thankful that it was not my family and sat trying to be non commital and cheerful. Glad when hubby and his brother came back from pub and we were able to get home. So yesterday was not so successful. However it did bring me a sale of the latest item so I am not complaining. My chocolate box necklace will be winging it's way to it's new owner tomorrow.

I shall see if I can catch up with my listings this afternoon. If the weather is nice I can try and off load the hubby and wee boy to the park!

In other news, it transpired that the suprise going away party for my friend on Wednesday was in fact a suprise baby shower for moi. It was a really lovely evening carefully planned by two of my neighbours. We played lots of silly games, there were lots of prizes and I was sent home with a bag full of presents and vouchers for the new arrival when he gets here. I don't think I have laughed so much in a long time. Blindfolded doll dressing and pin the sperm on the egg were new to me. We were also banned from saying baby all night, this is in fact very hard and I failed miserably. Sadly I don't have any pictures but if you are following me on Facebook I believe a few were posted.

Thats all for this morning I am off to help hubby in toddlers insistence that nappies must be changed when they are wet and smelly. The fuss he's creating you'd think we'd told him his Thomas dvd was being binned forever more.  :o)

Fiona @ Christals Creations.

2 days down. . .

So I have managed to list something else today fitted in between toddler group and mid wife visits. Another bracelet, in fact another pink bracelet. I love the way the rock crystal sparkles in this one. It's a beautiful stone to incorporate into jewellery design. I Know it's only 2 days and September still has another 28 in it but it's a good start. I have a couple more pieces that are ready photographed then I will have to get desigining and photographing again.

There are lots of people taking up the challenge to list an item a day in September over on the Folksy website. It's definately worth popping over and taking a look to see what other lovely items are up for grabs.

Fiona @ Christals Creations

Musings from a Suffolk space

I was just looking through my reading list and comparing it to the list of blogs I 'follow' and I realised how redundant some of them are. I must have a clear out and find some new and interesting people to follow. In fact I think to make it more fun I'll ask all of you to suggest to me a really good blog to follow. If I am not in the middle of giving birth by then I may even throw in a little something for the one I find the most interesting.

Talking of giving birth I have to say I'm ready now. Everyday people exclaim at me, Ohh you've popped, Ohhh I haven't seen anyone that big for a long time, Ohh how long did you say you have left. Yes I do resemble someone who decided it would be really funny to stick a giant football up my top. However I suppose I can't complain as everyone also tells me that you can't tell i'm pregnant from behind and that it's all in the bump and nowhere else. Still i'd be quite happy with a couple of weeks rather than the 5 the hospital predict.

I perhaps foolishly have decided to get back into the swing of listing things more regularly and have become a token September Club member on Folksy. I hope to keep it up as long as possible. My offering for today was this rather pretty, (though I do say so myself), pink glass pearl and twisted wire bracelet. It was a lot of fun to make and I thought was quite effective when it was finished.

www.folksy.com/shops/christals

I ordered a bag of pink mixed glass pearls for a party I was asked to do and the hostess than changed her mind so this is the first of what I anticipate to be many pink pearled items.

I am off to a suprise leaving party tonight for one of the wives who has after 10 years of being settled here got to go and start a new life on the other side of the country. She is excited to be going somewhere new but sad to be leaving her friends. After 10 years there are lots of us that will miss her.

I made her this pendant on a chain as a leaving gift.

Thats's all for this evening as I must help with the wee ones bath before it's finished and then try and find a top that hasn't been chocolated or juiced by said wee one to go out in.

Take care - Fiona @ Christals Creations

The winnings and the resulting makes

I mentioned recently that I was lucky enough to be picked as a giveaway winner by Beads Direct (click to visit website full of amazing beads and findings). I managed to get some pictures uploaded from my camera today so here is a picture of the bead stash, it was accompanied by two jewellery making booklets with tonnes of ideas and inspiration and a catalogue and even a voucher for a discount on my next shopping spree!

I also managed to get a picture of one of the pieces I have made with my stash. I also made a bracelet but my son appears to have been playing in my jewellery box again. For a 2 yr old he has an amazing interest with my 'pretties'!

Soon to be appearing in a shop near here!

I am looking forward to making a lot more incorporating these gorgeous beads. I'm also considering popping over to their website before the £5 off bank holiday offer expires.

Fiona @ Christals Creations

Is there anybody there?

Sometimes I get the feeling it's just me, sitting here typing away, posting pictures, having random conversations with myself.
I blog and blog and I tweet about blogging and I post links about blogging and occassionally I blog about other things and other people or about giveaways but there never seems to be a lot of response.
Then I look at other blogs and there are 500 followers and comments here there and everywhere.
I am wondering if I've got the wrong end of the stick and i'm doing it all wrong?

Ah well. For now i'll just keep chatting to myself in cyberspace . . .

:o)

Wordless Wednesday!

Where did the Summer go?

It seems as if the Summer is over already and I don't really remember it being here at all. I know there was a week or two of sun way back in May but that was forever ago! But it's not just summer thats passed us by it's time in general. I can't believe my little boy is two already. And we are not far off the second arriving. It doesn't seem that long ago he was just a tiny thing in an incubator cot.

You wouldn't believe it looking at him now.

I have been busy working on some wedding jewellery - very simple glass pearls. The main jewellery is done just waiting for the beads to make the tiara now. It was based on a bracelet I had made previously that the bride to be liked.

I have also been making a bracelet for a lady who bought one from me previously and ended up selling it on to her friend while she was visiting as she liked it so much. She has asked for another and a pendant to go with it. It is a simple twisted wire link bracelet but looks very effective when it is done.

This afternoon we have been making things. My husband and son are just trying to prise the plaster from the cast they made earlier and then I understand we are growing prehistoric creatures. . .

I hope you are all having an equally bizarre and fun weekend.

Fiona @ Christals Creations.

Another job done

I  have been a bit lax of late keeping up with business on and offline but I am pleased to say I have been making a comeback slowly.

This evening I sat and filed my tax return online which is something I have been putting off for ages, though now I have done it i'm not sure why. It was not at all as i'd imagined and as I keep a regular spreadsheet of income and expenses it was even easier. Apart from all the random questions I had to check up on as I wasn't sure if they applied.
During the week I have made a few new items just waiting for some good weather to picture them now.
Last week I attended two events, a shopping night where I sold a few items and as it was hosted by a friend I was lucky not to be charged for a table.

And a party night which wasn't quite what i'd expected but at least I came home with a few extra pounds and as I was driven there by the Vie at Home lady I didn't have to spend out on petrol.

So things are ticking over slowly.

New things. . .

So I figured for now I will just type in black. That way you can read it easily and I can worry anout the trivia of blog backgrounds when I have the important stuff sorted out.
I have been working on a few bits and pieces recently that were for friends locally so I haven't been as busy with Folksy as I could have been.
I thought i'd share a couple of pictures with you so you can see i've not been totally lazy! :o)

A peridot and silver pendant part of a set.

Crystal pendant and earring insired by the peridot pendant.

Photobucket Mayhem

So I popped on this evening to try and catch up with things while hubby is watching 'The Corpse Bride'. And I found my background had disappeared. Now in fairness I do remember getting a warning about this but it had completely slipped my mind.
So I went back to the CBOTB to find another. Only there were so many I couldn't find a similar replacement in a hurry so I have settled with this for now and will try again when I am feeling a bit more with it.
All my text is the wrong colour now as the background is so light but I will endevour to get this all redone during the week.
Until next time.
Fiona @ Christals Creations

Toddlers Toddle. . .

Yesterday our little toddler group went for a toddle to raise money for new toys and some rechargable batteries for the noisy toys that never work. They did a spectacular job and all managed to get all the way round.

This is a rather tired little boy having walked the whole thing himself.

But we were very proud of him.

Unfortunately it didn't tire him out enough to sleep early or have a lie in and we were up and about this morning as usual busy wanting to read and do puzzles and have juice!

We think we have raised something like £90 so that should go a little way to acquiring some new things.

:o)

PIF - And an apology. . .

I recently took part in Pay it Forward. You agree to send three items to three people if they agree to do the same. You will in turn receive one item from the person you take the PIF from.
I have been really naughty and have forgotten to blog about receiving my PIF from The Felt Fairy .
I had a lovely packet in the post which my toddler took one look at and decided must be for him. Wrapped inside were a felt bird, some embroidery thread and some ric rac. The ric rac took me back to my childhood and sewing with my mum.
I haven't been able to upload any pictures as I have yet again misplaced the camera/pc lead.
I will endevour to do so in the future.
Meanwhile pop over and see her wares for yourself.
I must now think about what I shall be sending on to my 2 respondees. I never did collect a third even with 73 blog followers and over 200 twitter followers. . .
Apologies for the lack of pictures. I'll do better next time. ;o)
Fiona @ Christals Creations.

Quiet week. . .

Things have been a bit quiet on the jewellery front after my busy week last week. I have started to make a few bits for summer which I must photograph and list on Folksy.
Hubby has been away on a course. He was able to come home this weekend and we had a fun day out yesterday at a local car boot followed by a walk around the lake to see the ducks and geese and even some crickets to my sons excitement.
Today however was awful, son screamed all afternoon, bar lunch. We tried everything from the mean Mummy and Daddy to the coaxing and even found ourselves giving him calpol after he worked himself into such a state. First time in a long time I had to use a syringe as he wanted to spit it out at us. Put him in the car to go to the station and drop off hubby for the next part of course and he was quiet as a mouse and fell asleep. Would love to see inside that little mind and see what is going on. Screams for Daddy, he goes and gets pushed and kicked out of the room.
So i'm hoping for a model child tomorrow after the devil was clearly residing in him today.
The washing machine went last week which was a bit of a night mare. New one being delivered on Thursday. Thank heavens for a father who taught us to save not spend.
As you can see not much to tell.
Hopefully there will be more going on this week and i'll have more to talk about.
:o)

Cedars Park and My First Jewellery Party. . .

This week has been a busy one for me. Both at home and with the jewellery making.
My Consultant chirpily told me I have a big baby, showing 28 wks at 25. I was not so chirpy, it's hot, i'm big, my first was a petite little thing though you couldn't tell for looking at him now!

On Thursday I had my first jewellery party I decided t do it at my house so I was a little more relaxed. In the end only 4 of the guests showed up but we all had a fab night, ate lots of nibbles and I even sold a few items of jewellery which was of course the idea.

This bracelet was one of my favourites and i'm pleased to say it hasn't gone too far. My neighbour bought it so i'll get to see it being worn now and again.

Today I went to Cedars Park School Fair. It was a glourious day and there was a wonderful turnout. I was juiced and biscuited by the PTA which was an additional treat as I was only asked for £5 for the table. The atmosphere was amazing, everyone was smiling and having fun.

At the end of the fair I discovered I could fit what I had left into one small box, not including my earring stand. And when I counted my takings I was more than pleasantly suprised. The most success I have ever had at school carnivals and fairs is £32 after the table fee. I more than tripled this today. It has left me feeling a little bit dazed though very pleased.

One happy little girl could be seen sporting my penguin charm bracelet all afternoon.

Another lady came looking for me after seeing a friend of hers wearing a pendant she liked and being sent my way. I had sold it to her about 15mins prior. Following this two ladies could be spotted with similar pendants patrolling their children around the rest of the stalls.

It was actually quite a boost to see a playground full of mums and children wearing my jewellery and getting so much enjoyment from it.

I now have a busy week ahead as following Thursday evenings party I was asked to accompany our local Vie consultant to a hen party next Saturday. I am looking forward to an evening out but will need to make some more pretty things to take with me to bulk out my display again.

I hope all of you are having a good start to the month as well.

Fiona @ Christals Creations.

Pay It Forward

Pay It Forward...
I have taken up a Pay It Forward (PIF) from my the lovely Felt Fairys blog. This concept is like the movie called Pay It Forward with Kevin Spacey and Haley Joel Osment in it.

PIF is where acts of kindness are done without expecting anything in return, just passing it on, hoping that the recipients will do the same and pay it forward, like a never ending chain of kindness I will make and send a gift for the first 3 friends who post a comment to this post, requesting to join this exchange, and promising to pay it forward to 3 other persons, etc.... I don't know what my 3 gifts will be, but I can promise I will send them within the next 365 days. What YOU have to do in return then, is "Pay It Forward" by making the same announcement and promise on YOUR blog.

1,2,3,4,5!

It seems to have been a while since I was here, we had a busy week. Hubby was away, little one wasn't sleeping much and jobs just seemed to pile up. But things seem to have settled down again now and we even had FOUR nights unbroken sleep over the weekend!

I had a nice suprise on Tuesday morning, the postman knocked far too early for my liking but he had a package in my name. It was a gift from my lovely husband. The package contained a selection of glass pearls, a mix bag of red glass beads, 3 in 1 pliers, a bead mat, gold coloured nylon coated wire and a whole selection of gold and silver plated findings. I have a discount voucher for the company they came from, a catalogue, an ideas sheet and a basic hints and tips booklet.

I made myself a necklace using a focal bead I was sent in a folksy swap last year. I have been holding onto it waiting for the right inspiration to come along.

(I'll try and post a picture when little one not asleep on me)

Then on Wednesday morning there was another knock, though not so early, this time it was an order I had placed for a few custom items. I made a memory wire bracelet and it was purchased by a friend of mine, she then ordered one in black and red and following that she asked for 3. so here they are:

First in bright yellow!

Next in post box red.

And my favourite mix is this bright blue mix.

I just hope she likes them too!

A bit late coming. . .

I am sorry to say I have been a bit lax. Back in May I was the winner of a rather lovely giveaway held by Buttons and Beads Gifts. (View her blog here).

I won a bookmark customised to my specification. I choose green and the letter C and it is going to be a present from my son to his god mother on her 30th birthday later this month.

I also won a £10 voucher. I had actually been eyeing up a couple of things from the Buttons and Beads website as gifts for upcoming birthdays and so this voucher came in very handy.

I choose two items from the site as you can see below.

The first is a very pretty pair of pink and white bead and button earrings which I am saving for my neice who had her ears pierced last summer and loves new earrings.

The other item I choose were these gorgeous wine glass charms. They were for my neighbours birthday though I must admit she nearly didn't get them. They are absolutely stunning and make a fabulous gift for any wine lover.

Needless to say my neighbour loved them and even asked me 'How do you find these things?'

Ahh the secrets us crafters have up our sleeves!

Buttons and Beads Gifts have many many more fabulous items up for grabs and are also on Folksy.

And with free postage on their website for June it really is worth popping in and having a browse.

A winner and a day out. . .

So the end of my 200 twitterers giveaway was Friday and as we were out yesterday I checked the entries this morning. All 8 of them, wrote them on some paper, folded them up and asked my son to pick one from a cup. He managed to get hold of one and gave it to me with a big grin. Opened up it revealed that RedMoon was the winner. You can pop over and visit her blog using the link.

Yesterday we went for a day out to Hollesley. It is about 50 mins away from us and while I went to the local craft fair hubby and son went playing on the beach and walking in the park. I was greated toward the end of the afternoon by a very tired, very happy toddler with cake on his face, clutching a soft teddy and a wooden mushroom two of the other stall holders had given him.

It was a lovely afternoon and I even sold a couple of items during the afternoon, the lovely bracelet pictured above and a pair of matching earrings.

Party Time.

I had a little bit of luck last night. I went to one of these parties where you are expected to get out your wallet and buy some overpriced object of non-desire. I really went as we were also celebrating my friends birthday and her hubby is away for a few months. It wasn't too bad, I ended up buying some fashwash which at least i'll use and the chocolate fudge cake was yummy!

While I was out I was able to pass out a couple of business cards to new faces i'd not seen before and I even picked up a custom order for some silver and peridot jewellery for an August birthday and sold a bracelet from the Folksy pages of my emporium.

So for all of you who had commented about the 'Golden Dreams' bracelet, i'm afraid you're too late. I may have to make some similar items as it did seem to have a bit of interest.

I really must get some of my new makes up for show. Perhaps after we've been out in the garden to play with Thomas and the slide.

Don't forget there is still time to enter my giveawy for a bracelet. Just pop down to the post below for entry guides.

200 Twitter Followers Giveaway!!

Yes it's here the 200 followers giveaway I have been promising has arrived. It was a slow progression to 180+ then suddenly in a matter of days it jumped up and over the 200 mark.

It will be a simple giveaway, no jumping through hoops or juggling balls of fire. Simply follow me and leave a comment about your favourite item in my Folksy store. A tweet about this item will gain you a double entry but be sure to let me know you've tweeted so I can tally up.

Now for the important bit! What is the prize?

I have had a bit of a think about this and I have decided rather than making something new I am going to give you something from my own website which will sadly be closing in a couple of days. But hopefully re-launching at some point in the future.

I have choosen this red and blue glass bead bracelet, just in time for the start of the world cup.

Finished with a handmade silver plated wire clasp.

So ladies and gentlemen - get browsing, get twittering and get following for your chance to win.

I may just throw in a pair of matching earrings for the fun of it.

Good Luck Everyone!

Almost forgot. . . You have until Friday to enter. Winner will be picked at random on Saturday.

End of an Era!

Well not really quite that dramatic but it is the end of the May Listers Challenge and knowing there is lots going on in June I have not elected to join in with the next round though I know many of my fellow listers have.

So here is a little selection from my May Challenge. . .

Green and Gold Claire - Vintage Pink Sherbet

Jade Slinky

And here are a few items from the other very talented Folksy Listers.

You can click on the picture to pop over and visit these talented artists shops.

It has been a fun month and hopefully it had brought in some sales for the people who have put in all the effort listing and blogging and promoting.

I hope those of you that continue into June have a wondeful time.

Tomorrow I will give you all the details of my 200+ twitter followers giveaway.

Thats all for now - Fiona :o)

Browns and Greens . . .

This is todays offering over at my Folksy Shop. A pair of earrings made with crystals and spacers on beadalon. I particularly like the colours I'm a bit of a brown and green person recently i've discovered.

Yesterday I added these earrings which I am also quite fond of. They are jade and silver coloured spacer beads. Very simple and delicate.

Pop over and see what else I have in store.