Slowly getting some things done

Here and there playing and getting  back into things
Last week set up my torch and got a couple of beads made

then I played off mandrel with some copper wire

thinking of making some corsages or necklaces something 

I got detoured thinking of ways to strengthen my wrist and arm and pulled out my archery equipment that has been sitting since I came back to Canada - I used to go every weekend when I lived in the U.S.

I shot all of 6 arrows and was in pain - but if I do it each week maybe I'll have strength sooner 

I even got my granddaughter hooked and she loves it and got her a bow  - something we can do together - this year its lampworking too for her 

Free Give-A-Way final Day !

Don't forget to leave a comment  on the give-a-way post ONLY TODAY  LEFT 
  - find the post (BELOW)  and just leave a comment to sign up for the give-a-way - I will mail anywhere in the world - no charge to you - so take a chance and you could win the set of Zentangle, copper etched earrings

I know your lurking  out there - but just say hi and get a chance to win !

FREE GIVE-A-WAY - DON'T FORGET

Don't forget to leave a comment  on the give-a-way post ONLY TODAY AND TOMORROW LEFT 
  - find the post (BELOW)  and just leave a comment to sign up for the give-a-way - I will mail anywhere in the world - no charge to you - so take a chance and you could win the set of Zentangle, copper etched earrings

I know your lurking  out there - but just say hi and get a chance to win !

DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A COMMENT FOR THE FREE GIVE-A-WAY

Don't forget to leave a comment  on the give-a-way post  - find the post (BELOW)  and just leave a comment to sign up for the give-a-way - I will mail anywhere in the world - no charge to you - so take a chance and you could win the set of Zentangle, copper etched earrings

BEAD SOUP PARTY - YEAH !!!

I just joined my first Bead Soup Party with Lori Anderson

http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.ca/2013/01/get-your-bead-soup-cooking-now-and-what.html






Sign up are from Jan 25th today to the 27th - so join up

I really need this to get the juices flowing and I get to pick out the beads to send this weekend - I cant wait to see what I get to play with

Don't forget to leave a comment for Give-A-Way

Don't forget to leave a comment  on the give-a-way post  - find the post and just leave a comment to sign up for the give-a-way - I will mail anywhere in the world - no charge to you - so take a chance and you could win the set of Zentangle, copper etched earrings

Copper Wire Weaving -

Since I got the Art Jewelry March 2012 Magazine I have so wanted to do this

Wire weaving  - it is so cool
I had seen other weaving and was intrigued but when I saw this by Kaska Firor in the magazine it blew my mind on how beautiful the weaving was that made these bracelets.

You can get a back issue from Art Jewelry http://art.jewelrymakingmagazines.com/en/sitecore/content/Magazine%20Issues/2012/March%202012.aspx

So I ordered and got my wire in 1000ft 26g, 1000ft, 1000ft 24g, 22g, 1000ft 18g plus I have my reel of 16g that I used for my other projects - so I am ready - I've read the article over and over, watched some you tube on similar weaving.  So I will give this a try this weekend

January 2013 Give-A-Way

The first give-a-way of 2013 - all you have to do is leave a comment  and on Feb 1st I will put each persons name into a draw and randomly pick - you do not need to be a registered follower (but I would love you to be ) -  I will ship it anywhere in the world  via regular post
Here is the prize:  A pair of etched copper earrings with my Zentangle design and sterling silver wires

Basement Studio Up and Running

I finally finished cleaning and dragging tools, and stuff down from the big studio so that I can sit in the basement and lampwork -Oxy set up , propane set up , kiln set up -  I want to get some things done over the next few weeks for the may show so if I stick to my schedule I'll acutally have some new beads to sell .
Its not huge but it does the job - my orginal stainless steel tables  I love - I actually did about 5 beads that I'll show tomorrow.  The basement was the original set up till I had my studio built so I had electrical put in properly to support my oxy cons, a couple of kilns and put in overhead lights

 still a bit of a mess but the work area is cleaner - each time I go down I'll clean another area 

With old houses (mine built 1885) the wall mortor is crumbly and leaves dust all over so each and every time I have to clean 

THE FIRST FREE GIVE-AWAY OF 2013 IS COMING !

Will be posting this weekend the item for the free give-away - same as last year - just comment in the comment section  and I will do a draw on Feb 1st and send regular mail to anywhere in the world
So stay tuned and keep returning  - you do not have to join my blog  (although I would love you too)

Conjuncivitis - or simply Pink Eye

YUP - A girl in the office came in friday and let me know she thought she had pink eye (after I worked on her pc ) and when I got home yesterday my right eye was full blown weeping and yucky.  This morning it was sealed shut and the left eye was weeping and yucky and sort of shut .  As I made my way to the bathroom all I could see was a blurry image till I could soak my eyes open.  Got my daughter to drive into work and then I waited a bit and ran off to the drug store to get some Polysporin eye drops.  The right is not so bad now but the left is really weepy and yucky and sore  but I think after 2 hours the drops are starting to work  - the right is pretty good and the left not so sore (the gritty feeling is going away ).  I look like I have been crying for days.   Evidently only lasts a short time long as you wash your hands, wash your eyes and apply the antibiotic drops - was worried this was going to affect my weekend plans of lampworking and other projects.

Getting Ready

My projects for this week are to move my torch and kiln to the basement studio
Tonight I disconnected my torch from the oxy concentrators and propane in the main studio (where its freezing)  and brought the hoses and torch down and set up - of course my table was full of dust, cobwebs - glass rods and junk since I have not used it in over 1-1/2 years so I ended up cleaning that up too.  So tomorrow is bring down the kiln  and make sure its all ready to go for the weekend - of course I'll have to bring down more glass and tools as well but I am ready to go

I also brought down my two sheets of dicro ready for engraving zentangle patterns (I broke my wrist  right after I made them and never got them finished ) so I want to get those done - I can do that in the kitchen and cut them up later (that I can do in the kitchen too if I have too)

Getting worked up over getting to work in glass again 

New Chain Mail Book

I am trying to get inspired - a bump start for 2013 - so I bought myself a new book
playing with wire was fun and I do love making chain mail too


Already eyed a couple of patterns in the book  to try but it means making jump rings and then cutting them

So Inspiration is going to make me work and get some rings wound (have a new reel of copper so it will be easier to wind - I hate the small coils  )  and then I can break out my Ringinator again - I probably only do this twice a year - need to make coloured aluminium  copper and  possibly some regular silver  aluminium ones too

Now - I just need to stop feeling tired from the flu (again) and get my butt off the couch

I've been wanting to bring down a torch and kiln from the big  studio to my basement studio - so I can make some beads but that has not happened either - I keep saying there is time before the next show and the next thing you know there is only 2 weeks left and really what can you do in 2 weeks .  So this weeks resolution is get started

Yup - Another one - Croc Ridge Weave Bracelet - added 20g brass

using the 16g copper and silver I added two wires of 20g brass and worked them in

The weather is not too bad so tomorrow off to the studio to do some soldering and making some flat silver and copper wire to work into the next ones

4 More Croc Ridge Copper Weave Bracelets

Prepping some bracelets for the weekend - want to add solder to them instead of the ball beads to give them some more 3d and surface texture
I cant seem to stop making these -

Various sizes and openings  - cant wait to play - I also want to flatten some wire and mix it into the weave to see what that will do to the design.

Yet Another Croc Ridge Copper/Silver Weave Bracelet

Sat down and could not help myself  - one more Silver/Copper with Brass and Copper Balls

Getting easier and easier 

I know what I want to do next - but I need to go to the studio so it will have to wait till the weekend - its supposed to warm up plus its brighter and I dont have to rush 

It has to do with replacing the balls with solder drops 

Glass on Metal Magazine - Dec 2012

I have to show an article that the December 2012 issue

You can get a subscription or just one magazine from 

http://www.glass-on-metal.com/subscribe/index.htm

This site also has basic how to on enamelling - a great site 

 by Tom Ellis - its amazing
Using .010 (30g) copper foil - can be cut with scissors -( I put 40g in earlier post and  realized typo but it shoudl be 30g )

 this article shows how he makes his 3D effect - one piece - by folding down the malleable metal to give the 3D effect

includes some patterns to try but gives you an idea on how to make your own 

  There is hammering and bending involved using forming tools
to get the 3d effect

-  I cant wait to try this out - (I dont have 30g so I have to get some - I have 36g that I use for microfolding) so I'll have to get my order in this week so I can start to make the patterns then enamel either by torch or by kiln

Last One for today - plain silver and copper

I'm done for the day - my hand is cramping from twisting so much

I really like the combo wire best 

Two days of playing in between being sick, trying to clean up my kitchen (I just wanted  to find my kitchen table and counters - over the past weeks I've just been dumping things as I come in )

Silvrer & Copper Croc Ridge Weave Wire Bracelet

O yes I really like this combo and I added some copper balls and brass  balls as well
I tightened up the hook end so it did not extend - I think I'm getting close on how I want to make them

Silver wire Croc Ridge Weave Bracelet

Another - with Silver wire and silver plated balls

was easy to incorporate the balls 

I like the round start but I'm not quite happy with the ending wires - I like the end wrap but not the single wire to cover the hook - going to have to work on it 

next - copper and silver mix 

Aluminum Wire - Croc Ridge Wire Weave

Here is the colored aluminum - was easier to twist but its very light - I like the copper as it keeps it shape better  but could be good for connections etc..

next some artistic wire and copper 

Modified Croc Ridge Wire Weave

Terribly addicting and easy to do I decided to add some copper balls just to see what I could do - I think I'll mix up the next one with some silver

Like I said addicting

I went for another walk to the studio to get some colored wire 

I need to take a break - 

evidently  the cat - Bailey's food bowl is empty and he is wasting away 

Yet Another Croc Weave Wire Weave Bracelet

Another - getting better - I am thinking this is 16g and 12 or 14 would be kind of cool too - I'll have to check it out

Croc Weave Copper Wire Bracelt-

Another - they are getting addictive - this one fits better but not exact I'm trying to work out the length I need
but the ends are getting finished better

Copper Weave Bracelet - Croc Ridge Wire Weave

I tried last night to follow the pattern and got this

WOW - was I out of it - I packed it in (was not feeling good with the flu) Just could not grasp the pattern 

what a mess - see that Mars bar - made me feel  a bit better 

So I got a good sleep - did my chores  dropped my sales from Etsy to the post office 

I got back and decided to give it another try

I think I was really tired last night as I started to get it right away 

Its pretty ugly but I figure out what I had to do 

Next one was better 

Stages - practice makes perfect 

Next one better  so I tried finishing 

the ends were not great but I figured the next one would be better and I needed it to be longer for it to fit me

I made it a bit too big - so I'll have to make another 

I love this little gadget that is part of the Cindys wire weaving kit - holds the wire perfectly so I can weave evenly I can c-clamp it to any table wherever I am  - 

can be found at : http://www.cooltoolchick.com/weaver.html

2013 - What to do , What to do

So were at day 3 of 2013 and I have not worked on any projects -  I like to blame my hand but with the Christmas season and running around for work and home I really have not had much time.

When in that mood I typically surf and checkout what everybody else is doing or find some project I might like to work on.

I found a cool wire design bracelet that I downloaded the pattern to last night  and it will be good therapy for my hand (my hand is not in too bad shape - I can type, I can cut with scissors pretty good, , write, and draw again (started a zentangle last night ) there is limited movement - you dont think when you say palms up  - I cant quite do 1/2 turn as yet  but I am getting doors knobs open better - time is what it will take and use)

back to my plan for therapy - want to do some hand stitching, wire wrapping etc.. I entered braded bracelet and got the following pic - I loved it .

http://abeadedaffair.com/tag/bracelet/
an amazing bracelet by wire jewelry artist  Dianna Wolfe. on her site 

this is called croc ridge braid

So I searched and searched for a pattern and found

http://www.jewelrybylinda.com/Step-by-Step%20Instruction%20for%20the%20Croc%20Braided%20Bracelet.htm

Its a purchase instructions - reasonably priced for a 37 page 130 pictures on how too.
there is also another instruction on a basket weave bracelet as well - have not downloaded that yet !- but looks interesting



Now I also have Cindy's wire weaving kit I need to bring out and work on as well


can be found at : http://www.cooltoolchick.com/weaver.html

so this weekend its bring out the wire and sit (since I once again have the flu which I hope does not turn into pneumonia)  to work on wire projects and some zentangle - want a new stamp for 2013