Some necklaces

 

It was my best friends birthday on sat and she wanted something with both red and green on it...So light siam (bright red) swarovski crystals, semi precious peridot chip beads and some red & green venetian style glass beads...The peridot chips are teensy and although they do look fine i was a bit disappointed that they weren't bigger...Mind you now i wouldn't mind having other semi precious chip beads teensy like these LOL..Hope she likes it...The other pics are just some necklaces that are almost finished...They need fastenings on them but that's all...Bit miffed with the pics as it's a gorgeous sunny day and they look as if the tungsten setting has been used...Hmm

Venetian style or more correctly murano style is where there is either silver or gold foil on the inside of the glass bead...Glass can only be called Murano if it has been made on the venetian island of murano itself...True murano glass beads have genuine gold or silver in them...Other places it is base metal in gold or silver colouring...Even so i intend to buy some genuine murano glass beads at some point.

Toodle pip tc xx

Mishmash

It's been a beautiful day here today...Garath went paintballing and although not many were able to go they all enjoyed it...The site has been expanded a bit so there was more area than just a field to play in :o) Surprisingly the cost was still the same as a year ago...Must be one of few things that haven't gone up in price of late...He got a lift from one of his friends so i didn't have to take him :o) Mind you i've never met these lads from the school he went to so i was a bit on tenterhooks that the lad didn't crash his car...Ok that may sound a bit OTT but there have been so many accidents in the north east of scotland this year it is unreal :o( That accident last monday took the total deaths to 19 so far and it is only july :o(  And there was another accident later last week with 2 deaths but it was nearer inverness.

The accident last week was the driver of the van's fault...Apparently he had briefly nodded off at the wheel...No-one speeding (that was determined by the gizmo's in each vehicle) and it was a tragic accident...So as i said last week it doesn't always pay to jump to conclusions and lay blame at a young drivers door for an accident...The lad who died i used to work with his mum in a local chippy after school and during the holidays when we were kids although i haven't seen her for years...The mum of the girls i knew all my life basically although i haven't seen her for years either...We grew up on the same street, our parents were friends and she was married to my brothers best friend...I say was because he died not long after they got married just before my 16th birthday...I remember that week vividly :o(  There have been other tragedys with that family as well over the last 29 years :o(  Now this is something that i kinda would like to know peoples views on...Usually at a funeral we all wear dark clothes or our 'best' clothes...The girls funeral the announcement says 'No funeral clothing to be worn by request'...So my mum is at a loss as to what to wear...Being the age she is most of her 'best' dress could be deemed funereal...Personally my view is for someone young then funeral clothing shouldn't be worn but something bright or cheerful instead...But many people don't hold with that view...I know if something was to happen to any of my 3 then i couldn't face seeing everyone dressed in black or dark colour...That's despite 90% of my wardrobe being black...When my dad died me and my brother went to stupid lengths to find something black to wear...Well him a jacket and me a pair of shoes...I paid a fortune for those shoes and never ever wore them again and they're still in a box in my wardrobe...Daft really as am sure my dad wouldn't have minded if i wore my black punky boots or my bright red boots or shoes i had at the time...Does it really matter so much what we wear at a funeral as long as we pay our respects to those who have passed away???? Think i may stipulate that everyone must wear purple or blue to mine :o)

I've started a course studying at home...It's wierd this distance learning malarky...Am studying counselling skills and will move on to the other courses as i hopefully pass each one...I have to keep a reflective blog of my thoughts and feelings whilst am doing it eeks...Fingers crossed that i manage to pass this one by christmas...Being distance learning you work at your own pace and can take as long as you want...Well within limitations as you are expected to do it in a year...The tutor i have been assigned said most do it in 6 months...Am afraid that this last week all i can think of is that accident and it's brought back memories that i really don't want at forefront of my mind...On a lighter note i  want to thank everyone for all the nice comments you leave about my jewellery and recently the headbands...You're all far too kind :o)

Toodle pip tc xx

Headbands

The pics above are of a finished headband...Believe it or not the actual headband is supposed to be adult sized but i think it is better child sized...I used to do these years and years ago and sold them ridiculously cheap...This one is covered with velvet ribbon but i also use satin ribbon as well...Everything is hand sewed on with the embellishments being sewn on before the ribbon is sewn to the headband...The inside has satin ribbon sewn on to a) hide all the sewing and b) to look better...Not all of them had these embellishments or the 'pearls' round the outside...I did do other designs as well...I think they make great head pieces for flower girls but maybe that's just me...They were extremely popular when i made them in the past but that could possibly have also been the price...I used to charge £1.50 for a satin one and £2.50 for a velvet one...Now even 14 years ago that was stupidly cheap considering the materials were just about covered lol...Now sadly the embellishment shown here i haven't been able to find for about 9 years...I do have a very limited amount of the pale blue, royal blue and red ones...I have a fair few emerald green ones though...However i have found gold ones and silver ones in a shop in town...Well i say silver she has none left and hasn't been able to get any more although she did say it's mainly at christmas she can get them...She's never seen the white ones with the coloured diamante centres...I have found black ones online that are different looking and i bought a metre of them...Problem is them being black with the clear diamante...Would rather have white as white goes with any colour...I know the pics are a bit fuzzy again but i just took them quick to post on here...White satin or velvet with the coloured embellishments looked really pretty and am so annoyed i cannot find them anymore...John lewis and other haberdashery stores used to sell them...I have looked and looked online and could only find the black which i will post a pic of when i finish that sample headband...Mind you it is hard to search when you don't know what they are called...They come on a strip not individually but obviously you can cut them up into individuals...If any ofyou have seen them or similar on your travels please let me know.

Apart from that i haven't much to say really...Our council apparently are in deeper animal poo than originally thought...So goodness knows what will be cut back on now...Councillor pay!!!! HAHAHAHA fat chance their's and high up heads of depts are protected...Less expenses perhaps!!!!! seriously doubt it...It's going to get worse because they were ordered to employ a troubleshooter for 6 months to sort out social services....He's costing them £100 grand for that 6 months!!!!

The weather was lovely until today where it has been a bit overcast but still not that cold...Sadly on mon there was a big road accident up near mums which even made it on to national teletext news pages...3 young people were killed in the head on collision...When i was at the corner shop yesterday 2 of the old men there were going on about young drivers speeding and killing themselves...They weren't that impressed when i chipped in and said from the photograph i don't believe the young 22 year old driving the car was at fault...The transit style van is the one in the photo on the wrong side of the road and the 2 men (in their 40's) in it survived with minor injuries...But the 2 girls (sisters) and lad come from my home village :o(  That makes 4 young people from there to have been killed in a road crash this year :o(  So tragic and at times am glad that Kerry is unable to be given a drivers licence and that the boys don't wish to learn to drive...Garath is off out to the cinema and has just been texted to ask if he wants to go paintballing on mon...Just as well i haven't yet thrown out his jeans that are beyond decent use and he does have a couple of old tops left that still haven't gone in the bin...But i did chuck out old trainers recently <sigh>

Toodle pip tc xx

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Good news

I went out to the university disability office this afternoon and handed in the letter that Garath needed from a medical person...I did point out that despite this school gp putting down that he has dyspraxia that he has never been tested for it or diagnosed with it...But i did say his writing is shocking to say the least...His writing is the kind that when GP's had to write a prescription it would have been suitable LOL...Messy and mainly unreadable...Which doesn't matter so much in the world today as most work is typed up not hand written...Hsi disability officer did get an email from MrsP which she found extremely useful :o) But MrsP did forget to mention his panic attacks...Now i know Garath won't speak about them so i made sure that his disability officer does know now that he gets them...The woman from the NAS that does the support will work on those with him which is great :o) Although he hasn't been assessed yet his disability officer said that he will get a laptop <phew> and a dictaphone <bigger phew> Bluntly put his memory is bad unless it is something academic...By academic i mean having read in a book or been taught by teacher/lecturer...He'll need a dictaphone so he can record meetings or record tutorial groups...Of course he will have to ask permission of those involved and if any say no then am sorry but i wouldn't have any respect for them...It's not like he's going to record anything to pass on to another party...He's only going to record so that he can remember so he can take part and get his share of the work done...So to me anyone obkecting to that is only caring about themselves and not their fellow students...But my mind is more at rest now knowing he will get those two pieces of equipment at least...I know that nearly every student needs a computer of some kind nowadays but he specifically needs one or he couldn't do the course...He will be assessed once his disability officer is back from her annual leave which she starts on mon, not sure for how long, and not just equipment but support will come into that assessment.

I've been sat making up jewellery samples most of the week...I really want to make up tiara samples but am running out of crystals and beads and i can't afford to purchase much more at the moment...What i want to do is purchase the factory packs but they're expensive (well cheaper in long run) and i have a lot of bills until mid august...My share of the roof repairs and road tax and renew car insurance...Car insurance is thankfully paid monthly...I want to buy a years road tax this time but it's going to have to be 6 months again...My share of the roof is £509 <ouch> Then i'll need to contact my home insurance and see if i can get my bedroom repaired via it...Otherwise am stuffed cos i can't afford to replaster the wall let alone everything else...The outside wall is soaking cos of the roof leak :o(  My bedroom is not fit to live in so it's a dumping ground just now so i need to clear it out before i can have it checked over...At least it;s not as bad as the flat directly above it...The bedroom in that flat is so bad with wet and damp the whole room is BLACK with mould and that mould is creeping into the bathroom and kitchen of that flat...We really need the roof leak fixed LOL...None of the other flats are affected only mine and that one upstairs...The one on that side on the top floor is in the roof so the leak hasn't affected it...Anyways am offski cos i've been sat here typing this for ages...I phoned my mum midway through so had a stop for that

Toodle pip tc xx

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Just stuff

Well school broke up for the summer holidays last fri...Mind you i can't really say they are on school summer hols as they have now both officially left...Mikey starts college on 24th (i think) aug...Well whatever mon in august is around that date lol...Garath doesn't start university until near end of sept...It's proving damned hard for Garath to even apply for a part time job because of his button phobia...Everywhere we've looked at so far is no use because the uniform has buttons on it...Also he can't do barwork because it would be too noisy for him...So his phobia ans sensory issues are now a far bigger problem than they used to be when he was younger :o( 

I bought a sewing machine on sunday in Lidl's...It comes with a 3 year guarantee so i thought it would be ok...John Lewis didn't get the one in i was going to buy from there...This one has a dial on it for different stitches that goes through the whole alphabet lol...I also bought their el cheapo sewing threads set...Some cheap threads are cheap and nasty and break easily but i've been told these are ok...I mainly bought the set for the gold and silver reels and the two transparent reels but there are some pretty colours as well...As they are for using on card then they should be fine regardless...For now though i am making up lots of jewellery...Nacklaces, earrings and bracelets as i will need to have a stock of some kind...What i would prefer is that they are samples and then people can order the same design but with the colour of crystals they prefer...Well earrings don't need to be like that they can just be sold straight away unless someone wants in a specific colour...My niece liked her set and that is all am really going to say about it...Except my sis wasn't too happy with the price...The price i gave her only covered the materials and the postage & packing...I didn't charge for time and she was taken aback at price...Thing is she wouldn't give me an idea of price upfront and i couldn't say a definite price upfront...So possibly a bit of confusion on both sides...All i know is she wanted something pretty and what my sis was thinking of spending wouldn't have covered a necklace let alone a whole set...Plus every time i phoned to discuss it she was too busy and didn't phone back...Oh well ce la vie i don't want to fall out with my sister and if she won't compromise the wayi suggested then not a lot i can do about it...Am a bit upset to say the least and knocked for six and well my confidence is way back down again.

My mum loved her stuff and has banned me from giving her anything for her birthday in october...Well that's what she thinks LOL...She wore her new jewellery to the wedding on sat and as i said to her mum you are a walking advert <g> same as Kerry is...Kerry was back here over the weekend :o) It was lovely to have her home even if it was just fri evening to sunday evening...Our new multi million pound bus station still has NO drop off/pick up point for anyone let alone people with mobility problems...Kerry has always been fobbed off as have i when asking about it...Well on sunday i spoke to a very nice man at the station who told me to complain...Apparently it isn't finished yet and still belongs to the builders...The bus company aren't happy either but i guess complaints from users would have more clout...I know our taxi firms have complained bitterly about it as they of course will be losing trade...Well my letter of complaint ain't going to the bus firm or the builders and i told the very nice man that...He actually grinned when i told him where my complaint was going...Gordon Brown unlike Tony Blair has an email address <g> So all 3 of the councillors for my ward, the head of our council and her deputy, the 3 MSP's for the city, the 3 MP's who's constiuencys are within the city limits, Alex Salmond, whoever is for transport at Holyrood, Ruth Kelly and Gordon Brown are all getting this email from me LOLOL...I have checked up and it is illegal to have no parking for disabled at the bus station, even if it is not finished...Our train station managed to make temporary provision so they can too...Someone somewhere MUST be able to do something into forcing provision to be made...And there is another issue i find really ludicrous in a way...Scotland has had the free Scotland wide bus travel for OAP's and disabled for 2 years now...It was changed slightly about a year ago and there are very specific criteria now...Now the boys get their bus passes because they get middle rate care of DLA...They also get a +1 on their passes because of being on middle rate care...That means someone can accompany them for free as well although they don't have to have someone with them...People on high rate mobility DLA also qualify for a pass however they don't qualify for the companion element...Now that strikes me as a bit daft...Surely someone who has mobility problems with using the bus is in more need of someone accompanying them than someone who doesn't have mobility problems...Even if it is someone to be with them so they can actually get the bus to stop at the bus stop they wish to get off at...Many a time the bus has gone past the stop Kerry wants to get off at because she hasn't been stood beside the door waiting...Thing is she has to wait until it stops before she can get up and stand to get off...Hmmm maybe i should write to holyrood and my MSP about that as well.

As you know our council is broke and needs to make £27M in savings...Well they wrote to the place Mikey goes to for day respite playscheme on fri and told them they won't be funding the last week of the summer holidays...We've been advised to contact social work and complain...Now i don't have a named social worker and it won't affect mikey because he wasn't going in the last tues anyway...But maybe i should still complain...Thing is they have us over a barrel because quite frankly i am scared to phone social work just now because of all the cut backs...If he loses what he currently gets then he will get NOWT

Better get back to finishing off the necklace am currently making up...And there won't be pics as i said am trying to get some stock done...Will be getting better pics done and i need to talk someone into modelling for me...As you can see i've stopped calling them K, G and M as i decided it was a bit daft to keep doing that when this blog is private...Only took me just over a year to decide on that one LOL

Toodle pip tc xx