Size Does Matter

 

Thread size, that is. These two baubles have the same number of beads, but the one on the left is worked with size 10 thread while the one on the right is size 20. I think in the size 10 one the thread too obvious. I won't undo it, but I made another one using finer thread, which I think works better. The red and gold baubles are fine:

Since the fair I'm going to is billed as a 'family event', I thought I'd make some bracelets for children:

It's impossible to predict what people will ask for at a fair, but I have a fair range of different products, from Christmas tree decorations to necklaces. And I can always take orders. 

A Label

 

With a lot of help from my daughter in Australia, I managed to create a label that I can print, with iKoro beadwork on one side and my contact details on the other. iKoro was my name when I was spinning and knitting, so I thought I'd stick with it.  I pondered the term 'beadwork' for a while. iKoro beads? People might think I was selling loose beads. iKoro bead crochet? People would visualise something quite different to what I'm making. 'Beaded crochet rope' is too long and not really helpful. No, I think beadwork is the best option. I have to cut the labels apart with scissors, which is fine. I plan to attach the labels to bracelets and necklaces and also give them out when people ask how to contact me. 

Display

Jack made me a frame to hang beadwork on. At the moment it has my tiny Christmas tree decorations hanging on it. I have reached my target, five each in four colours, with three designs. 

The design that took longest was the 'random' one. I didn't want any gold beads to be touching each other, which turned out to be trickier than I supposed in such a small circumference.  With bit of trial and error I got there. 

Tomato Jam

 

Keeping up with Jack's garden could become a full time job! He has a lot of cherry tomatoes at the moment, so I thought I'd make some jam.

I used this recipe.  Another recipe that I'd looked at suggested squashing the little tomatoes as they cooked. I used a potato masher to do that, which worked really well. Two pounds of tomatoes made two jars of jam and I've managed to reduce the number of tomatoes lurking on the windowsill and in the fridge. 

Bottling Beetroot

 

I've been bottling beetroot from Jack's garden. I don't even like beetroot, so I see a lot of beetroot in Jack's future! 

Trinkets

 

Thanks for yesterday's guesses - all will become clear!

At last I've been able to book a table at a fair. It's a Halloween fair on the 31st. Halloween is not really a thing in Southern Africa, but any excuse for a party will do.  I know that small items often sell well at fairs, so I've been making little Christmas tree decorations. They measure just over 3 cm across, a little over an inch. They have a circumference of 5 beads. I've joined them with an invisible join and put a ribbon through for hanging. 

Any Guesses?

 

Can anyone guess what pixelated picture is going to emerge?