Here comes 2012

So firstly HAPPY NEW YEAR!  and apologies for not having posted here for what seems like an age....indeed it almost is!

2011 was a big year for Raspberry Rings and me personally.  We moved into our new house and I opened up my little studio to the public for the first time last summer and was overwhelmed with the response.  Appledore is a beautiful village, right on the estuary and it attracts alot of summer visitors. Here is Milly my lovely Lakeland Terrier checking out the view!

The visitors came and came and the studio was buzzing right through the summer.  In terms of glass I experimented with different designs, the Mandela Wheels were still top of my creation list though!

 But during the year I experimented wth the shape and created these Daisy Beads.....

Marbles were another exploration of 2011 which I definately want to explore more in 2012..

And a few mini paperweights....

Looking at this reminds me that in the summer I created a second' Etsy Shop Lovely Lily Beads in memory of an Airedale Terrier, Lily who died from Addisons Disease. I was friends with her hooman Mum and we hatched a plan to create some dollars for Airedale rescue and www.lovelylilybeads.etsy.com was born.

Most of what was posted in this shop had some paw prints on to represent Lily x

In my own work I was getting more and more into the 3d and was creating some swirl beads that I was  very pleased with:

 So the year unfolds and I was lucky enough to do a course with the so talented  Carla Di Francesco  at my friends Amanda and David's Studio in Barnstaple: Mango Beads what an inspiration!

 

So weeks passed and more Mandela Beads came out of the kiln....

And then the thoughts turn to next year and the need for a more 3 dimensional design bubbles to the surface again...

So here we are 2012..I have lots of plans, I have a days class booked with the extremely talented Diane East, I also have a course booked with Anouk Jaspere  in Febuary and a couple of other courses in mind for later in the year. I definately want to experiment with Boro Glass and am excited about the year ahead.

Thank you everyone for your support in 2011 and I hope 2012 fufills all yur dreams x

Jennie

And the message from Milly and her new friend Roo the Spaniel is:

LIFE IS A BEACH.....SO JUST ENJOY!