Lockdown - Overthinking, Goslings, Socially Isolating Chickens and Stripey Stuff

So, two and a half months since my last blog post. That must be a record. Not one to be proud of I have to say. (I initially wrote 'two and a half moths' until I noticed and corrected it, still, I like the image it throws up. . . )
I suppose the enforced limbo we are all in has eroded any sense of urgency I might have felt. Also, feeling guilty about not posting for weeks doesn't help. How can I possibly post after so long a gap? etc. etc.
Oh well, I am doing it now aren't I?

Scratch design rustic, turned look tube beads

The trouble is, for us, so far this lockdown has actually been rather pleasant, which is something else to feel guilty about. We have had fine weather, a lovely big garden to spend time in, access to pleasant country walks and good, responsible neighbours. I know, sickening. . . And it's so much like the everyday existence of self employed freelancers working from home, which is all I have ever done, that it doesn't even feel even vaguely disconcerting. (OK, the supermarket trip is a bit weird with 2 metre distances and masks etc but everyone is pretty chilled and considerate. I tend to go at 8.30 a.m. to avoid any queues.)

Pleasing shape stripey rounded bicone type beads

I feel guilty mentioning it, which makes no sense really. Feeling guilty doesn't actually help anybody else. You can end up feeling guilty because you feel you ought to, that somehow it's not right not to feel guilty considering the predicament some people find themselves in.  Somehow it's the least you can do. You find yourself feeling guilty for even wanting to not feel guilty. . . Like it's a social responsibility to make yourself suffer because others are suffering. Not that affluent middle class guilt is in any way comparable to real suffering you understand. Anyway, I've been round this convoluted moral dilemma enough times for one blog post so I'll stop wittering on about it. Apart from to say that of course I miss seeing friends and family, I miss pubs, I miss meals out, I miss finding cool things in charity shops and I miss playing music with others, but as long as they are just deferred pleasures and not permanently withdrawn ones I can cope without them.

Extremely bad taste

Obviously we wish the situation was different for those unfortunate enough to have been directly affected by this potentially lethal virus, and send them our sincere sympathy/empathy/thoughts/prayers/support. Meanwhile we will keep our heads down and maintain social distance and all the things a certain government advisor has shamelessly ignored recently. I'm not even going there apart from to say 'Grrrrrrrrrr!'. . .

Distressed blunt ended turned look spike bead

As I am talking about domestic stuff, I'm pleased to say that the two geese have done themselves proud and produced two wonderful, greeny yellow, fluffy goslings. ( I don't have pics, sorry) They have even reinvented themselves as good parents, the goslings are about two and a half weeks old and are thriving, unlike last year when the poor little things lasted two days.

Using some simple digital patterns and upcycled steel split rings

The chickens are also in lockdown. We have confined them to the orchard and the pond area, as they were trashing the spring flowers and threatening the well being of anything that might show it's head in the veg patch. (and pooing everywhere) There is more than enough room for the four of them and they are still amongst the most environmentally fortunate chooks you will ever come across so don't waste any sympathy on them ;-)

Weird conjoined tube bead focal thing

My jewellery components have had a few ups and downs, but that is more to do with general retail variation and the fact that I make different stuff every week which will either tickle someone's fancy or not. Recently things have been going nicely, so that is one more thing that hasn't changed much in this time of lockdown. They say that craft supplies are undergoing a boom as people turn to crafting to alleviate the boredom of lockdown. Not so sure about that in my case as I sell to a variety of repeat customers with only the occasional new buyer appearing. Whatever, I am still busy making stuff, so again, situation almost normal. .

An actual necklace - 'Red Lorry -Yellow Lorry' retro rubber stamp images with nylon garden string. .

I have been experimenting as usual, and producing variations on tried and tested things too. The images throughout this post are in chronological order, (apart from the first one) just showing some of the things I have made and mostly sold in the last two and a half months. Enjoy ;-)

I will post again soon, probably. . . ;-)

best, Jon x

Sideways spikes, like fairgound ride spaceships

Boombox!

Seriously large hole tube beads

Multi blob painted distressed spikes

Image transfer wrapped chunky large hole wooden beads

Face

Stripey painted tube beads - these and others like them have been popular ;-)

These rustic image trans wrapped tubes have been popular too

Moved House - Outcome 10/10. Process 3/10.

A big old farmhouse with chimneys that look like rabbit ears, if your brain is like mine.
Some poor bugger is going to have to cut that enormous lawn regularly. . . Um. . . that would be me. . .

Well, we finally managed it. The stress and anxiety is behind us. At least the particular stress and anxiety around moving house is behind us. There may be other kinds of stress ahead, but they will be pale imitations of house move stress. And our move wasn't all that bad compared to other peoples'. . . I won't bore you with the details. Suffice it to say that we experienced human nature in it's raw state, and British contract law as it concerns house selling and buying in all it's ludicrous glory.
But, all that aside, we are here in our new home and couldn't be happier. Don't you just love a happy ending?

Apples, (various) Greengages, Damsons, Quince, Medlar, Mulberry, Pear, Walnut, er. . I think that's it.

So anyway, this blog has been neglected, not even reaching the dizzy heights of becoming a pale imitation of it's previous self, but left to gather virtual dust and cobwebs - due to me understandably having other things on my mind.
I have still been making beads and suchlike though, listing them on Etsy and posting on Facebook. Just a bit less often than before.

My own crackle technique. . .

I have felt suitably guilty about not posting here, and as the weeks went by and the different stuff I created built up, undocumented, I have felt a bit overwhelmed by the backlog. So what I have decided is that I will just skip the last few months creative output apart from a quick picture or two, and start again from now. 

Long texture beads

Faux ceramic style rolled bicones, beads the auto spell check insists are actually 'bacons'. . And 'diablo' shape beads, crackled and varnished 

There will be some house orientated content, but nothing too self indulgent I hope. Anyway, a blog is a self indulgent thing by definition so it's going to reflect the generality of my life as well as the particular creative avenue I am following.

New house texture background. Cool but distracting.

OK.

Intention set.

As you were. . . . . .

Jon x

Clayhem, no more. . .

BEFORE - working with a bit of MDF sat on top of an open drawer as a work surface, with all the random boxes of stuff strewn around. Not to mention the tatty curtains, bits of 80's recording gear, guitar cases and boxes of blank tiles and coasters etc etc etc etc etc etc in the background. . .

AFTER - makeover time. . . I put this spare washstand/writing desk in the corner (top left in the clayhem pic), put a bit of foamboard on top to protect it, stuck a big tile I rescued from the dump on top to work on and arranged all the things I use most around that. The best thing is that I can leave them all there and come back to them as and when I have time/motivation. The shelving on the left is where the beads, clay, texture sheets and wire etc live, in various "Wham boxes" (which seem to be in shops everywhere these days). I'm addicted to storage boxes with compartments now. . . Pliers and other tools are in the drawer on the right, printed images in the drawer on the left.

The fast food container that seems to contain a urine like liquid is actually full of water that was used to clean yellow acrylic ink off a brush in case you were worried, or thought I had a secret ingredient in my work. . . I also use it to cool beads out of the halogen oven (floor, bottom left)

Notice the new curtains (OK, not new, charity shop, six full length velvet curtains for £25. Result!) and notice that I painted the wall, whoo! . . .

This is all part of getting the house in order so we can sell it in a month or two, but whatever the motivation it's nice to have a dedicated workspace for claying and jewellery work.

The interesting and unexpected knock on effect of all this order imposing activity is phychological. I feel calmer, and more in control now that I occupy a more ordered space. I wasn't aware of feeling particularly stressed or depressed before but I am aware of not feeling that way so can only assume that I must have been feeling that way to some extent. Well well. . .

cheers,

Jon x

That New Year Motivation thing. . .

My Christmas present to my sister

This last Christmas and New Year break seemed to go on for ever. I always find that weird, dead few days between Christmas and new Year's eve a bit disconcerting. I never quite know what to do with myself for some reason. I don't want to start on anything new because it's not the new year yet, and the old year has still to have its final fling. Normal life can't be resumed until it's all over with.

Usually by the time the second of January comes (the first being a bank holiday of course) I am, and my wife is, what we call "Peopled out", we just want to get on with our own stuff, (we are both artists) and find being back in the real world again something of a relief. The trouble was, this time round, New Year was just before the weekend, so in effect, normal existence didn't happen until that was out of the way. It didn't happen until today, Monday the 5th. Frankly it was all a bit frustrating.

So, now the world is up and running again I can fix up that dentist's appointment, clear up that issue with the bank, email that publisher etc etc.

It's especially frustrating when you have made all these plans for what you will do in the new year. How your life will change for the better. How you will be a more efficient and organised person. How you will sort out all those things you somehow never got around to sorting out last year. You can't wait to get started on your new life ;-)
Yeah well, It may not last, but the intention is there all the same. I feel optimistic this year. Long may that feeling last.

I hope you had a good one, and have a good one, if that makes sense, or even if it doesn't. . .

Jon x

Here's a couple of pretty pictures that might end up on some image trans beads in the near future. It's one of the gazillion new year things I've planned to do, make a load more groovy image trans beads.