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.

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...

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....

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..

Viking Weave and Grammies Kraft Kabana

So, today is Thursday and I missed a couple days. I have been trying to learn viking wire weave. It's a very easy weave, my only problem is finishing it. I have tried a couple different ways and I am not satisfied. I guess my only option is to put it down for awhile, I have gone through an entire 24 yd spool of wire, been amazed at how cool the chain comes out, gotten frustrated at how sloppy the ends look and made my eyes go 'buggy' from reading so many articles on the computer. So when I come to this point I have learned that if I put it down for a couple days something will come to me when i'm not thinking about it. Weird...

I haven't posted anything on AF either....so today i'm going to concentrate on new stuff.

I also want to point you in this direction. It always amazes me when people can do things with a crochet hook or a set of knitting needles. I can go back and forth in a stright line but thats as far as that goes. This lady on AF makes all kinds of things, my favorite is this checker board. So try to go look through her shop, Grammies Krafty Kabana, http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&seller_id=41352&op=new&body=1
Her stuff is really reasonably priced, and winter is coming...

You may even be able to find your kids school colors. That always help keep their hats on their heads!!!

Mondays....ugggghhh

I am not feeling very creative today. I should be out working on glass since it's still nice enough to do it without the heat on...I started a new set of windchimes. I have the shapes down but i'm stuck on the frame. I started a new necklace and bracelet, got the colors down, well, you get the idea.
So i'm just lookin around today. I love to see what other people make. I try not to look at a lot of jewelry and glass because I don't want their designs in the back of my mind, but sometimes I can't help it. There is a shop on ArtFire called Gravel Road Jewelry http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&seller_id=12918&op=new&body=1 She makes just gorgeous stuff.

The other one for today is GrandPrairieWoodworks http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&seller_id=38246 Kitchen utensils, gorgeous cutting boards and lamps. I don't know if I would want to use the cutting boards, maybe just to hang on the wall for everyone to see.

Lastly today, my Mom and I used to make grapevine wreaths. They were really cool. But since moving to SC I don't have access to the vines. I had a thought yesterday tho and I need to do some research because it could turn out bad if I don't. There is sooooo much Kudzu down here. It's a nuisance, but the vines grow for miles. So, if I chop em off and let let dry in the woods before bringing them into my own yard, will they still catch and make my neighbors want to kill me or will it be safe? So, i'll let you know...