Matroyshka

I've been making matroyshka charms in one form or another for a while now. They sell well. But they're always different as I scavenge them from vintage pictures and suchlike or hand draw them. So I thought I'd try and get one into the computer - quickly. I can't find my tablet so thought I'd try paint, but as ever my hand just isn't steady enough. So...I tried basic circles and ovals and lines and came up with the matroyshka below.

The idea is that I change the pattern on her tummy to go with different colour combinations. I grabbed the nearest available image.That's why she has a goldfish there. Sheer laziness and not a view of her dinner.

Still on the introduction!

Oof – what a day. I’ve just returned to work, even though on vastly reduced hours, but it’s hard. Everything’s changed! Well actually it hasn’t, it’s all the little things. New phones, new contacts, new people in post, name changes for the posts. Little things that build up!
I mean – what’s a workplace development co-ordinator & facilitator? An education co-ordinator was sufficient before! Anyhow this is being written at work. I have to do something J The workplace smoking ban is now in place. I don’t smoke at home, I don’t smoke in the car, and I don’t smoke in the street – I have nowhere else to smoke except at work, but I can’t do that when it’s dark as we have to go out onto the road, beside a load of bushes. Not being paranoid, but I’m not doing that by myself. So this is keeping me occupied in my down time.
Tomorrow hopefully is jewellery time. I’m still trying to master making heather from bead and wire. I think what I produce is pretty good, but then I know what it’s meant to be. Do other people?

I’ve been involved in teaching some jewellery techniques recently so thought I could write them out for this blog. It might ensure that I write them clearly and intelligibly. I think I could start with basic techniques and build up, sort of jewellery ABC. My main problem is that I cannot draw! So I’ll have to gradually write them and try and take photos at the same time. Could turn out interesting, but may not get uploaded for a while.

Blogging

Well, I'm trying to blog again. I used to enjoy it - writing about something that interested me, something that irritated me or just little incidents of the day. All based on my work at that time. But then I ran out of time. Three children later and my goals in life have changed. So, I'm back to blogging, but from a totally different viewpoint.
This time, it's really about what I enjoy doing that's gradually replacing my previous work.
Years ago, I made jewellery as a hobby. I played around with clay. I loved working with paper and paste. Then I ran away to sea and found it all a bit difficult to do when we were listing to port. I've taken it all up again now and am enjoying it more than ever. I've already sold to the USA and Australia so my plans for world domination are progressing!