Beads, beads and more beads

Had a great day on Sunday - I went to the Bead Fair at Hatfield House on Sunday with my friend Pam http://textilegroupie.blogspot.com/ Had a really lovely day wandering round, and buying the odd bead or two (thousand). Haven't done anything with them yet but have lots of ideas. Especially pleased with a kit I bought from Beadsisters http://www.beadsisters.co.uk/ - a Byzantine chain maille kit for a bracelet with silver, black and pink jump rings. Also bought some black rubber jump rings for another chain maille bracelet. I have tried a bit of chain maille jewellery before, but these kits are really unusual - like nothing else I've seen - and they were such lovely helpful people too. I think this will have to be my next project. Will post a photo when it's finished. Watch this space!

After leaving Hatfield, I just had time to visit one of the Herts Open Studios at Long Barn Workshop in Benington, an exhibition of Textiles, Paintings and Mixed Media by seven local artists. Really worth seeing and I recommend a visit there if you are not too far away. The Open Studios continues until 5th October.

Today was a working day at Art Van Go - and while I was there I treated myself to a tube of Reduran hand cleaner - so will no longer have to walk about with Brusho stained hands! But thanks for the other helpful suggestions.