The Mailman brought me treasure

Been waiting for my delivery  of my new Nimbus Cloud Dome  for my iPhone , some brass washers and some copper mustaches -- not in time for my show but something to keep me busy after

I love that they are thin and will look great etched 

I started playing  and taking some pics

they suggested a couple of new apps

Camera+  and Snapseed

pretty good apps

I took a pic of a bead - to see if I could pic up the colour 

impressed - after the show I'll be adding new items to Etsy and I hope to at least have some better pics 

100 Followers - YEAH (actually 101) - November is Give-A-Way Month

I thank all my blog followers - I have finally reached the 100 follower mark  and welcome you all to my blog and hope you enjoy what I post and that it helps you.

Just so everyone is aware -  November is Free Give-A-Way Month  - (every other month )  I have a show this weekend so I am a bit behind   - in fact I am not sure what I am giving away just yet as pretty much everything is packed - but I'll pick something  nice so it will be an early Christmas present when I send it to you in December -  once I unpack for the show I hope to take some pics and post from my iphone.

So keep posted  -   dont miss out - best to subscribe to the emails that way you will be notified when it goes up.

Borrrrrinnnngg....... but still fitting in some play time

Its not that I have not been doing anything - its just that I have little time to really play and post
I have been fitting in lampworking over the past week  -  and this last weekend was teaching at the Toronto  Creative Festival - was lots of fun  and some really enthused students making some really great beads for their first time .  I did not take many pics of the show as I sped around looking at all the great new sewing and embroidery machines and anything else that caught my eye.
I bought my grand daughter more elastics for her bracelet loom  - I bought it about 6 months ago but it seems to be the new HOT item for kids
was really busy around their booth
bought some thread so I could kumihimo some thinner cords  - cant wait to do this - I typically do while watching tv or relaxing

and I've made more spacer beads this week nothing spectacular - just some beads Ineed for assembly of jewellery

I did have something that was pretty amazing for lunch on saturday -    a Pulled Pork parfait

Yup - a pulled port parfait 

pulled pork, mashed potatoes, more pulled pork, more mashed potatoes , more pork and topped with beans 

was actually delicious 

Continuing playing with wire weaving

I had a freind over  and we played with some wire ( I also got some beads done on saturday) - I coiled the ends on the practice sample ones I did finish and made another one and put a bead on it

was so much fun that today I decided to make something bigger 

its not finished or even close to being finished 

want to use a piece of dichro - hopefully I'll finish tomorrow 

Even better I filled the kiln today with beads - which I havnt done in quite some time 

cant wait to clean up the beads tomorrow 

In pursuit of wire weaving - do two

Pattern #2 is a two wire 16g  with 26g wrapping wire -  two wrap on one wire and three wrap on another
I'm finding the pics do not get as detailed - I am using my iphone -  I should see if the camera can show the different patterns more clearly

1 & 2 are pretty similar  your modifying by only wrapping the 2nd wire a third time 

Patterns 1, 2 & 5 

In pursuit of wire weaving - Part - Do (yup do)

I jumped to pattern #5 cause it looked cool - and I am finding that with the simple instruction really is simple and the wire wrapping easy to do and doing the short 5-6" sampler really does teach you by the end of the piece

Here is pattern # 5  - its a three wire 16g and using 26g wrapping wire  -  its a three wrap around two wires at a time alternating - really nice pattern

mixed with pattern #1 sampler 

this is getting really cool 

In the Pursuit of Wire Weaving ...

In my recent passion for  wire weaving I Got my book from chapters


and instructions are great so I tried Pattern 1 of 5  patterns  using 16g and 26g wire
this worked out better the the last time I tried

I spread the wires apart at the end just to see what happens 

This is pattern #1  which is a two wrap 

only 4 more to go 

Once I"m done going to do each of the samples of jewelry 

Thanksgiving Weekend- didnt get much done

Lovely long weekend spent more time babysitting than playing in the studio. Thanksgiving dinner saturday got postponed till sometime this week as my daughter wanted to get her upgrades done this weekend to the house - new granite counter,  new granite pad for wood stove,  sanded the main house floors and stained and finally getting 3 coats of varathane onto them -  she has done a lot in lat two weeks. I babysat for saturday (took the kids to the movies) came home to cook but we postponed.  Sunday was another babysit day and Monday I made chicken marsalla for dinner .

I was able to get some beads done today but then switched to working on the house moving furniture around- got my set chores done that \i wanted to do - but did not do my bathroom floor - that I'll save for next week - maybe.......

I did order this just to see if I cant get some items up on etsy since I hate my camera.

Its the cloud dome  for your Iphone - so I'll have to see if that works
I have the cloud dome from a long time ago for my old Sony cameras and they worked wonderfully \(that could be because I actually set up proper lighting )

Played with the  metal washers- had some brass wire in my hand so I tried it out
nothing serious just played to see results - I can undo and retry

Making spacers and a few other beads - want to make some bracelets etc..\

Getting some goodies ready

Getting Ready for the show - trying to torch each night something - spacers and some other beads - I'll show on the weekend
I ordered my books on wire weaving  through Chapters - even though its not out till mid November
 and ordered another one  which I"ll get earlier so still working towards playing with copper wire hopefully this weekend

I got my goodies (notched washers) from beaducation to do the wire wrap to make a spiro pendant 
http://www.beaducation.com/online_classes/168 video to show how to wrap

I am thinking one of my beads - but not sure yet I really may get those gems as I really like the pendant results 

Wire Weaving Freeform Wire Jewelry by Kaska Firor

On the hunt for tutorials and anything for wire weaving and guess what -  Firor Kaska  has a book coming out mid november - she is offering signed  pre sales on her etsy site
https://www.etsy.com/listing/162336147/weaving-freeform-wire-jewelry-book-wire?ref=related-4


going to get one of these for sure !
wont be out till mid November

Update - keeping busy

Fitting in lampworking as much as possible - making spacer beads in prep to make some bracelets and some party beads just for something to do . (I'll show later )  but have become obssessed with wanting to do some wire weaving and possibly wire wrapping -  (this weekend was put up new drapes and shower curtain in bathroom,  which lead to the kitchen, which lead to the living room but still fit in some time at the studio

If your not familiar with wire weaving - I've tried from one of the magzines
Its quite interesting  but until I get the hang of it can be a bit tedious and confusing
I found a great site for tutorials -  you have to purchase - but to have access are amazing  - run from about 3-10.00  which is not so bad

I bought these to give a try
 and the site is http://www.de-cors.com    and there is http://www.jewelrylessons.com/
Has more than just the wire weaving - quite a few other tutorials that look interesting

One of my other fav sites is the https://www.etsy.com/shop/twistedsisterarts
amazing stuff - love the eyes- so you can see why I like that second pattern  I bought

I hope I can spend some time this long weekend with some wire

September Give-A-Way Winner IS !!!!!!

Almost forgot  so I had to remember to pull the name tonight

I wrote all the names and made a pile -

Closed my eyes





and the winner is :


Lois Shaw - I will be in touch  and get your mailing address
you can email me at dread@deborahread.com

Congratulations -  next Draw is in November