Seaside bead bracelet.

Here's a tutorial for a simple bracelet designed for 8-11 year olds to follow and create their in their school Beading Club.

Seaside Bead Bracelet.

Use flat suede cord to make a bead bracelet, using simple knots- a relaxed surfer style that is perfect for the beach!

You can use wooden beads, pony beads or any type of bead as long as the bead holes are large enough for the cord to be threaded through.

The bracelet uses a 'donut' bead on one end which acts as a fastener.

Donut beads are sometimes known as 'Angel halos'.

Materials: 

• One end bead-a donut, or other large, flattish bead.
•  60cm fat suede cord
• 7 coloured beads

To make:

1. Cut the required amount of cord. The cord length will be longer than your wrist as knots are made to separate beads.
2. Plan your design. use your favourite colours, colours that complement each other, or colours that contrast.Think about the colours you can see and find at the seaside! Experiment with different combinations until you find a design you like. This one uses ocean blues, turquoise and sea lavender.
   
3. Take one end of cord and tie a knot to make a loop.
4. 

Thread on your first bead. Now tie a knot. You can also push the end from where the loop was made into this bead.

5. Thread each bead on in the same way, making a knot after each. Make knots loosely so   that you can adjust them slightly to make the spacing even.

 Before adding the final, donut bead, Try your bracelet around your wrist for size. If it is too big you can try pushing the knots tighter, or leaving out one of your beads. If too small, add another bead.

6..Finally, add your donut bead. Make a final knot, then another knot over the top of the first. Trim any left over cord.

 Now your bracelet is ready to wear. 

Perfect for when you are out in the sunshine!

Enchanted Durgan

A 'dream' of a day this week.  I often spend quite a bit of time in the Falmouth area, due to my work and also sometimes dropping off/picking up daughter from the university.  Over such long days I dreamt that as soon as work (which I fit into these days) eased off  I could make the most of the 'in between' time to explore the area more. Finally it happened - me free and daughter needing to be in uni...glorious weather so time to head off with the dogs and explore!  

Mawnan Smith lies just south of Falmouth at the head of the Helford River (remember Frenchman's Creek? ) When exploring some months ago  I discovered an idyllic walk next to  Glendurgan Garden. ( National Trust - if you love gardens it's a must). Just before the gardens you head left-park in the National Trust car park down the lane on the right. A path leads you through glorious woods down towards the Helford. The woods were shady and cool on such a sweltering day! The path beckons you onwards and you glimpse the Helford through the trees.

A little further downhill and you're treated to a stunning vista with little boats bobbing around on sparkling waters. 

A little beach appears..

Almost there.... This is the idyllic little village of Durgan. 

The sun was beating down from a cloudless sky! 

The village is only accessible by car to residents-the only way out the other side is via the coastal path. I had a little wander around the village...

 Pretty cottages and locally handmade cards on a vintage chair.

 Mmm...Roskilly's ice cream! Did you see Cornwall with Caroline Quentin? She did a feature on this family-run business in Series 2.

Scarlet geraniums at a cottage door.

A little boat tucked away behind the sea wall.

 Getting very hot-time to sit on the little beach and peruse  my new craft magazine!

 Ooh what lovely makes-love these shabby hanger covers-must make one for my older daughter's wedding dress! (had forgotten about the wedding for the moment...it's the end of October-plenty of time!)

 Well if I can't have any Roskilly's maybe I'll get younger daughter to make some of these delicious looking beauties!

A little hot on the beach so I retreated back to the woods and settled in a lovely spot. Ah-Frenchman's Creek! Easy to see why Daphne du Maurier was so inspired by Cornwall's rugged beauty.

 Such a beautiful, relaxing location-gazing out onto the water you could almost imagine nothing had changed for centuries...an enchanted place.
Eventually it was time for the climb back up....in the heat!  Plenty of water rest stops were the order of the day as I reluctantly headed back. If you are ever in the area-do visit enchanted Durgan!

What an uplifting day-enjoying the beauty of Cornwall in the sunshine. When you live and work here it is easy sometimes to overlook the beauty of the area, rushing from place to place never stopping to 'smell the roses'. In the rush of life and work do you sometimes overlook the beauty of the area in which you live? Have a happy, sunny and relaxing weekend! xx

Down to the sea.

Well due to a busy work week my crafting has been a little on the back burner. Today was such a welcome day off and in this glorious summer weather it was time to leave everything else and get down to the sea.

 I spied this cute heron making the most of the tide being fully out and a large pool where he could fish to his heart's content.

 He saw me peeking from behind a rock with my camera but didn't go far-the lure of whatever was caught in the shallows must have been too tempting!

The sky can be described here as 'Cornish blue' and today you could see why-it was glorious! a perfect June day-such a clear sky!

I made a little camp in the rocks while the dogs played in the waves. 

I shouldn't really have introduced my little Oscar looking like this- he is much smarter usually! He is only a baby- just 5 months and it was his first really proper beach visit. He got so excited he decided to roll around in the muddiest rock pool he could find. 

 Here he is looking a bit better!

My younger daughter, now free from university work entertained the dogs while I sat in my little camp with a hot chocolate...never go down to the sea without your thermos!

I love it when the tide has just washed out-it leaves behind so much flotsam and jetsam...and shells. Here are a few seen just where I was sitting.

  I brought back the razor shell for my seaside themed craft room collection.

Oscar wore himself out playing with 'big sister' Bonnie the labrador, while I just sat and gazed out to sea...

'I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

and all I need is a tall ship and a star to steer her by...'

I memorised Masefield's 'Sea fever' when I was a girl, as I thought it conjured up a delightful picture of   freedom and escape.

Going down to the sea is the perfect antidote to the stresses of everyday life and work-how lucky we are to be able to living here in Cornwall. Where do you take time out to enjoy this glorious summer weather? Wherever it is hope you have a beautiful, relaxing and warm, sunny weekend!