I placed an order for more glass today! It'll be exciting to have lots of different colours to play with, of course the real reason I 'need' it is to make Christmas gifts for family members... -- yes that's the real reason ;o)

Yesterday I spoke to David Paterson, one of the glassblowers in the village and he said he'd be willing to anneal beads for me! Yeeha! Another hurdle overcome, now I will be able to get some finished before the holidays.

We had to have one of our rats, JB, put to sleep on Sunday, I was feeling pretty miserable as I'd been nursing him since he lost the use of his back legs a couple of months ago, it was hard to say goodbye. I am determined to make some rat beads so it seemed like good therapy to light up the torch and try again at some sculpting.

Here are the results, better than the first attempt, hopefully I can keep improving. I made a little pink one too, but was so frustrated - I made a lovely pink stringer and when I came to use it for the tail it had disappeared. The bead got too cold while I was trying to locate the stringer and it cracked, and an eye popped off. I managed to save the bead by heating it up again, but it's a poor one eyed tail-less looking thing.

oh how did Raffi get here? LOL, he's been sleeping in the beginner's kit box - I haven't got the heart to throw it out!