Playing with clay

Clay is so much fun. I don't have a lot of experience with polymer, well, ok, none...lol
But I picked some up and integrated with some chain maille. This is what I came up with, it's still a work in progress but I think it might look like an interesting piece when it's done. I did a Full Persian legnth, joined in the middle, added the clay 'cab' and baked the whole thing...

I had an interesting suggestion from Debbie L over at The Hive . Stamp a design on and seal it..interesting...stay tuned

Chain Mailler from Alaska

It's nice to have other chain maille weavers to talk to. I've gotten to know Dawn on The Hive, she is a fellow chain mailler, she is a pro at Viking Knit and her stuff is just gorgeous. So she has her FB Fan page up and running now so stop by and say hi.
She is having her very first giveaway, a lovely beaded pendant.
Here is a link to her FB Fan page and here's another to her website

This is one of Dawns viking knit bracelets.

Blog Designs

I guess the trick is, when you find a layout you like, stick with it. I've sat here for the last hour playin with all kinds of different bckgrounds and layouts, and I ended up going back to the one I started with. I looked at the dark for the last couple of weeks and kept sayin I had to go in and fix it. I didn't like that at all.
So, im not changing it again.

Posting a link to FB Fan page so you can see pics of the finished bracelet. I posted the WIP the other day.
Byzantine Variation Finished project. This is for a friend. She lives in Minnesota, cowgirl, dollmaker. I was goin for a country look, it has a bit of vintage, but thats ok, I think it will go well with her cowgirl boots!!

I have tomorrow off and hoping the sun will shine so I can get on the picture taking project. I have to do pics outside because I just don't have enough of a light source inside. Sunshine is better anyway, so thats my project for tomorrow.

Byzantine Varaition

This one I just started putting together. I wanted to use some the copper flat wire rings I made for something. So this is what I came up with.
                       Each section of Byzantine is connected using two flat wire copper rings (6mm)               

Another chain is made and attached next to the previous chain.
This is as far as i've gotten. This is a possible design for my bud Bridget. I wouldn't mind some feedback. She's a cowgirl from MN. So I really wanted to use something earthy like copper but i'm not sure if it's too dark.

I am going to use a hand forged clasp, also copper.









Hope everyone is staying safe out there today!!

Facebook Fan Page

Setting up a FB fan page turned out to be more difficult than I thought. I can do most things on a computer but Facebook is crazy. I don't know if having a fan page will let everyone see my personal page that I share with family and friends. I need to take some fresh photos. The ones I have just won't do. I am thinking of asking someone else to take the pictures.
I guess the thing for me is linking all this stuff together. I think I got it but i'm just not sure. So my final thought here is, for now, ArtFire stays, till I have all my stuff set up the right way. So here's the link, check it out, tell me what you think.
FB Fan Page

Well, it's been a busy week so far, i've only got one project done. It is a pretty simple design using Byzantine weave to make a focal point for a necklace. You can see on each link in the triangle there are three Byzantine links. Then they are linked together so the top half of the ring is visible.
The chain is just two in one. I put a magnetic clasp on this one. The necklace is really light, and only measures just over 14".

The new job is going well, I am training at a store in Spartanburg, I can't wait to get to my usual store. It is in walking distance, so there won't be any drive time.

Another thing i've been thinking about is shutting down my ArtFire store. I don't get hardly any sales there, so i'm thinking of just listing everything on my blog. I've seen other people list things on their blog and buy through email. I will have to do a little research about taking payments through paypal and such.


We gave two puppies away this week. They went to a wonderful home. They took a boy and a girl. Their names are Brutis and Bella now. The lady sent me an email the next day and said they had a good first night. I'm so happy they have a good home and they are not alone. And, they have four kids to play with...

Chain Maille

I finished up the Dragonscale today. This weave gave me so many problems. I went through so many tutorials that I was about to give up. Then, one wonderful day, Sam and I were in Hobby Lobby, and I picked up a copy of Step by Step wire jewelry. Charlene Anderson wrote the best tutorial for this weave and guess what, I got it, finally. I don't know if I just needed a break from thinking about it but I like to think it was this article that helped me out. If you click on her name it will take you to the magazines website. It is the Dec-Jan issue. So here's the finished product. I used enamel coated copper, which were a total pain to cut and pre ordered GP 4mm.

Then, I got my step daughters watch band done, I just have to wait for the face to come in. So all-in-all it was a pretty good first day of the year.

Wire Working

I thought I would play with some wire, get back into creating something after the holiday. I went to the library and picked up a couple books. One is an older one, published back in the 90's. It's called "Making Wire Jewelry" by Helen Clegg and Mary Larom. It's pretty good, it has in depth instructions and a gallery of photos in the center. There aren't a lot of photos throughout the book in the instructions but they are good enough that the drawings they use are sufficient. The ISBN, if you want to do a search for it, is 1-57990-002-X

So they first technique I tried in this one was the Egyptian coils. The authors explain that it is believed that the first time this was used was over four thousand years ago by an Egyptian goldsmith. It was the first time a necklace was produced using only wire.

I've seen these made before but never tried for myself. Here are a couple pics.
The one on the right is a bracelet made with purple enamel coated copper.

This is one of a pair of earrings made with black enamel coated copper.








There are a few other techniques in this book i'm going to try, I thought this one was the coolest though. The other book is on Viking weave and twisted viking weave and wire knitting. I'm gonna be busy....

New Year Comin!!!

What a year it's been. Some rough, some good but we made it through. I have high hopes for the coming year. This one has been such a roller coaster. I finished my tax season in April and though I would really concentrate on building my business. I think it's more of a hobby at this point, but again, high hopes!! I think I have too many ideas and not enough time. I have to pick one and stick with it, but when I try to do that I get sidetracked. I will be working on only jewelry and someone will want glass or windchimes. Then I get carried away with that. I want to do it all...

Well, we got the call in late June that my Mom was not well and I really needed to go home. So off I went. We lost her July 10th at 9pm. I was so sad for so long, I kinda still am. I used to call her for recipes that I knew she had in her head that I could never remember. I didn't have to cuz she was always there.

It took me a while to get back on track. Job hunting, jewelry making, bamboo harvesting....
Searching the web one day I came across the Hive. What a wonderful place, I have 'met' wonderful people with so much talent and humor and warmth. You have to love the artist. We have fun and get educated and just keep in touch every day.

So we come to the end of the year, with all it's trials and tribulations. I am working on my list. I have to have a list. I have to make myself sit down and decide what direction I want my 'business' to go. I have a great prospect on a job. Two interviews and I should get the call tomorrow.

So I am wishing everyone a happy and safe and prosperous new year.

New Find-Jump Ring Supplier

I can't believe I haven't run across this one before. Located in Astoria, OR. I hope he's done ok with the storms up there.
The Bead Man has pretty good prices on jump rings, some useful tutorials and a gallery of his work that is really impressive.
You have to create an account to view all of the content but it takes like 30 seconds and well worth the time.

Christmas Spirit

I'm trying very hard to get into the Christmas Spirit. I don't know why i'm having such a hard time with it this year. We put up the same tree with the same ornaments every year. We can't have a real tree anymore because of allergies. The pine stuffs us up so bad. The same old Christmas village.

I'm a little discouraged with my AF shop too. People look but don't buy. I understand the economy SUCKS. So i'm going to do something different there too after the holiday. Until then everything is marked down thirty percent, Actually, I think the scarves are going to http://homelessbridge.blogspot.com/ it's damn cold out.

Well, what i'm going to do is probably going to take till next year but i'm going to start working on it now. I am going to do an all Chain Maille Christmas tree. I will be doing Christmas ornaments all year long, some to sell and some for me.

So thats my plan....

Things To Do...

I have much to do this week. This is the week I send out Christmas gifts. That is including my prize winner. I am really hoping she likes it, but I can't say what it is....it's a surprise. I hope I timed it right so it won't get opened till very close to Christmas....so sneaky.

My dog is doing well after having her eight puppies. I am catching up on Hive activities. Lots going on. We did some work around the house yesterday. Made some chocolate chip cookies. I miss having my dog in the house. She is set up in my shop where it's heated, our house is too small for eight puppies....

I did finish one project in the last week. I made a Helm chain bracelet with the square copper rings I made.

So, i'm gonna get back on the ball now...

I also embedded a partial book at the bottom of this blog on crochet with beads. I plan on trying some of that today. It's cold out and it's a good day to dit in front of the fire playing with beads.

Odds and Ends

Have you praised your child lately?
The link above is a video short done by a college student. I think it was worth watching, hope you do too.


So, i'm working on a few things. Here is a set of earrings I did with the square wire. They need a little bit more work but I love the look of the Jade with the copper.

These will be available on my AF shop tomorrow.
I made jump rings with the wire. It was slow going but well worth it. I've started a couple things with those. Here's one, this is a section of Full Persian. The square wire gives it a nice look and I think it would make a nice mans bracelet.

This is a section of Helm Chain with silver plate and the square copper rings. I think I like this one better. It shows off the copper more.

So thats what i've been doin. Back to it, see you tomorrow..

Sale

Everything in my ArtFire shop is 10 percent off!! Enjoy sale prices through Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

SRobinsonDesigns

Happy Shopping!!

Christmas Gifts in the Works

I was so happy. My step daughter, who lives in Michigan, sae one of the watches I made and liked it. So I got an idea that I could do watches for all the girls. So i'm thinking about this designs and one will be pink, one purple, one blue and one lime green. Yay, got that all figured out. Here's the design. I'll put the star on each side of the face and then the flowers to finish.

So what to do for the boy. The kids are all grown and in college. he does wear some jewelry. But I need to find a 'manly' design. I know that sounds wierd but I don't want to send something and he said what the heck is that?

So thats my dilemma for the day. I am trying out some patterns so we'll see what happens....

Updates

I've added a couple things here, the first being a Join the Hive link. This is a great website where you can get together with other crafters. Discuss your craft, share tutorials, or just what your working on at the moment. Or, discuss the sexiest men alive...lol. You will have to go there yourself and look up the blog post for that one, it was a lot of fun.
The link is on your left.

Next, i've added four links for ring suppliers. The first is one in Canada, I thought that one most useful for our Canadian friends, with shipping and all. The other three are her in the US. But they all supply quality rings if you don't make your own.

Last, I have added a link for CGMAILLE. Ron Olin is the owner of this site. He does excellent tutorials for chain maille. I can say that I have learned all of the weaves I know from his site. Thank you, Ron.

It's 3AM!!!

Yup, every now and then I get a little insomnia. We're night owls anyway but I just can't get to sleep. The watch I posted earlier today sold already...
So I went to beadaholique and ordered square copper wire. I cannot wait till it gets here. Also some jewelers brass, but thats not as exciting.
I made another watch band tonight. This one is Byzantine stars. Will post a pic in the light of day. Thats the only time I can get really good pics.

So lets talk about other things. I love chain maille. It's fun, and I found someone who is at the same level as I am. We are both learning new weaves, we have some of them down and just scoopin up all the info we can.   Dawn  has a wonderful shop on ETSY. I really want to show you her Viking weave though. You should check out her chain maille but this is totally awesome. Here's a couple pics

The weave definitely sets off the stone, and copper is my absolute favorite wire. Not because it's less expensive but the color just stands out I think.
 One more..

How cool and shiny, shiny is this. Such a great centerpiece.

So, anyway, check out her shop, you'll see, her love of the craft shows in the pieces she makes.

See you on the flip side...