Claire's blog

I’ve been working on some designs for a box lid, trying to choose which one to do.

So Wilbeary and Mum might be exited about the people they see, but I had my own brush with fame yesterday when I went for lunch with a couple of workmates and Martin Sheen walked in. He’s currently taking some courses at NUI Galway, so he’s seen around campus quite a lot.

Very short stories that is, with a limit of six words. I think my favourite is… It’s behind you! Hurry before it – Rockne S. O’Bannon Visit here to see the rest.

I love lists. I really enjoy organising things into lists, putting them into categories, arranging them in order of importance. It’s why my books are in alphabetical (ish) order on my bookshelves (and divided by category), why I love boxes with lots of little compartments, why I’ve catalogued all my books on LibraryThing and it’s […]

I flew back to Galway yesterday, via Leeds Bradford airport. I’m not sure what I think of it – it’s very convenient for me at the Galway end, but the Leeds end is not that easy to find or get to. Even having travelled the route on Friday, we still managed to go wrong again […]

The course went well, with both students getting the hang of all the chains I was teaching, and going home with several bracelets each. They also bought some finished chain maille and some rings to make more of their own, and I sold a necklace. So a good day to be in Patchings. I was […]

I’m back in the UK, and preparing to teach my first course on chain maille tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Just to show that you can find anything on the internet – A great cake Although I have to admit that I’ve always been a fan of unusual wedding cakes. There used to be a shop in Liverpool that made great cakes – Rapunzels tower with the groom climbing up the brides hair, a swimming […]

As well as the beading, I’ve been doing some chain maille. I recently got a shipment of rubber rings, so I’ve been playing with the possibilities with those, first by weaving some foxtail. Then by playing at making stretchy bracelets using a Japanese 12-2 weave I’ve just learnt from a new book. These look great […]

It’s been quite busy here lately, including a trip to Rotterdam for a conference, but I’ve managed to fit in some beading and prove I still know how. I’ve made this from size 11/0 seed beads, following a pattern from Julia Pretl’s ‘Little Boxes’ book.