Beetroot & Chocolate Brownies.

As mentioned previously, I am cooking up a storm during lockdown.  Each week we have a special treat and I have been trying some baking that’s a little different for me.  In fact, I do not usually cook at all.  My husband has been the primary chef in our household for over 30 years now.  This eventuated when he began working from home and I worked in the city four days a week.  He is an amazing cook, often  creating meals from nothing other than bits and pieces from the pantry and fridge.  He covers many different cuisines.  However, I digress.  

This week’s treat is Beetroot and Chocolate Brownies.  They are rich and delicious.  One square is enough and we enjoy just that each night with a cuppa.  Well to tell the truth, one square is not enough.  I would love to have more but we are being very strict and resisting.

From this......

To this......

 Today I watched a live demonstration for using brick stitch on a metal finding by Paula Gething from On A String.  One of the best things to do during lockdown.  Below is an earring design I did after the demo.  My first attempt at brick stitched around a metal shape.  Pretty happy with it.  I used a black metal square as my base.

I have a wonderful collection of beading books and many, many beading magazines.  One of my very favourite books is Shaped Beadwork And Beyond by Diane Fitzgerald.  I am a little embarrassed to say I have had it for a few years and not made anything from it.  This all changed in COVID isolation.  I have now made 3 pairs of earrings and a pendant from this wonderful book and have a stunning bracelet pattern in my sights.

Strange Times

Life is difficult for everyone at the moment.  As I type,  I am looking out at a beautiful view.  The sun is shining, skies are blue even though clouds are rolling in over the mountains.  I am so glad I have this view to gaze upon.  We have just begun Stage 4 lockdown to fight this dreadful Corona virus!  I give thanks every day for the fact that I am a beader.  I have a huge stash of beads, crystals and findings.  This has meant I’ve been able to keep myself occupied since March when we first went into isolation.  I have attended Zoom classes, chosen challenging projects from my books and magazines and joined in with fellow beaders doing projects together via Messenger.  It has also been the perfect time to complete the many unfinished objects I have, some started over 5 years ago.

I’ve also been cooking up a storm.  Not my own recipes but they are delicious and healthy.  I have to credit them all to Dr Clare Bailey and Justine Pattison and the inspiration given by Dr Michael Mosley.  Just for fun I will post some of them here.  If you decide you want to make something, let me know in the comments and I can give you the recipe.

I recently attended a Zoom beading class taught by an amazing Australian artist Paula Gething from On A string.  The necklace is Treble Brilliance and it is stunning.  Here is my finished item.

A Few Earrings

I managed to do these yesterday.  For years I have been buying strands of gemstones and doing nothing with them so I decided enough was enough and made some earrings.  Also used a few bead caps that I have had lying around for years.

Great Fun To Create

These may go into an exhibition later in the year.  I am going to have another dabble today.  The sun is shining and the view from the studio is gorgeous.  I feel inspired to create.  

A Few More

I have been having a lot of fun with some wee metal houses.  The template is available on Altered Alchemy and as usual my first reaction was "I can't do that!" but with encouragement I did.  I find I am a bit of a wuss sometimes and just need to have some belief in myself.  The wee houses are not hard to do at all and I have plans to do a lot more.  I want to scale them down and make some brooches.  My next challenge is to see if I can do some cold connecting and rivet the brooch pin onto the back.  There is always the option to glue but I am not sure that would be strong enough with continual use.
I am loving the use of eyeballs at the moment.  Bit macabre I suppose but interesting just the same.  I am also playing with up cycling old tins.  This not only saves money but you can find some gorgeous designs on them.  It is great fun to scower the op shops (Thrift shop for some) and find old tins and wee objects that could be incorporated into a piece.  The hardware store is another source.  Hunt out screws, washers and even little handles or hinges.  Of course if you can lay your hands on some old rusty ones, even better.
I am a novice in the medium but plan to practise as much as I can.