DECEMBER 31 , 2013 - HAPPY NEW YEAR

May it be filled with fun and happy crafting
 I want to wish all my lurkers and my followers a very Happy New Year 




I find that 2013 went by so quickly  and reflecting back I did not get the things I wanted to get done in the way of crafting - so many unfinished and never started projects .  I was going to make a list but  having a list jut reminds me of not meeting the standards I set for myself  and keeps me inside the box -  so  I will leave my options open and my crafting ideas free to wander where they may for 2014  but I do know that I will be pushing to do more crafting this year including more how to videos and step by steps on the blog .

Again I wish everyone a Very Happy New Year !

Dec 30 only 1 day left of 2013

My house has turned into knitting, looming and crochet central - we all decided to work with wool this past week- I bought some and then went downstairs where I knew the knitting needles were and the extra wool

My daughter is knitting a scarf  , I made 4 hats and a cowl with the looms  and now my grand daughter is using the looms - she wants to make her own hat  and I've moved onto crocheting a scarf
such concentration

These looms are cool and really work up fast but I want to try the square and the long looms out there

I still need to get back downstairs and torch - and grab some wire from the studio and start wire weaving..... so much to do so little free time

Finished the Cowl and Hat

Stayed up late and finished the cowl and matching hat

It even fits !

I'm ready for the cold  (the color above is closer to what the actual color is ) 

New Additction - Like I need another

So off I went today  (needed to get out of the house) to find some wool to finish the scarf to match the hat I made on the loom
Of course no stock at michaels - but I went a bit overboard as they had a sale

Already started - as I said it works up fast 

1 hour working on the largest of the circle looms for a cowl

so I'll keep going till its done tonight and probably start on the matching hat 

and I picked up more rubber bands for my granddaughters loom addiction as well 

Boxing Day Boredom

I was up till 2pm last night waiting for my daughter to come home from hospital with my sick little granddaughter - some sort of stomach flu and for a couple days throwing up -  at least they gave her something to get it stopped

So pretty tired when I got up at 8am to walk the dog and come back in to see if they needed anything - sat with her for hours - and she was getting better

so after a while bored and I grabbed the looms I bought about 5months ago  and started working on a hat- after watching some you tube videos it was easy (I think playing with the rainbow rubber band loom that got me thinking to finally work with these )

I used the purple loom

took me a few hours but finished it 

Now I need to go to Michael s and get some more wool for a matching scarf 

Merry Christmas Day

Yawn.....  got in early last night  from my daughters house  where we did dinner - had lots of fun
then 6am this morning to go back to her house so they could open presents (1/2 hour drive)

came home and cooked a turkey just cause I didn't get one at Thanksgiving and we do prime rib for Christmas eve dinner.  Ymmmmmmm

The only crafting I saw or helped with was playing with my granddaughters rainbow loom - the elastic band loom -we were doing all kinds of patterns - was fun

she made me this one

ITS CHRISTMAS !!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL !!!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Hope Santa is Good To You

I did torch last night - forced myself down stairs - was tired but I really wanted to try the stars again 

which I think I'll work on for the rest of the week when I have time - I forgot how much fun they are 

Stars will lead to starfish I hope 

 My goal was to fill this container before the end of the year - well I've done that and with a week to go

1 More Day Till Christmas

O so cant wait - tomorrow  is a partial day and then off to home grab all the gifts and fixings for Christmas Eve dinner

I did these beads yesterday- havnt got them all cleaned yet
a star (haven't made in a long time)  some net beads  and again some ocelot ones but I used the dark amber instead of the light amber so you cant see the spots very clearly  - so they are dark amber beads -played with turquoise and ivory

I amgoing to dig out one of my hot plates tonight and maybe work on some flowers 

2 More Days till Christmas

Doesnt seem like only two days left
The weather here is so bad - ice - ice - ice - everything is covered in it

Have stayed in for two days now - dont want to go out there  so I hope it quits by end of today

I did do beads yesterday and I even did some today ( two days in a row ) (again they are in the kiln annealing)

Yesterdays beads - just making basic beads for now

was using some gaffer frits - top left is ruby pink -  morretti adventurine, denim blue and tangerine on white

Played with some raku

and some ocelote spots (val cox mix)  this is on white with clear - today I did on white with amber so I'll have to wait for them to come out of the kiln

some filler beads 

3 More Days Till Christmas

Well I feel much better - not completely over my flu but getting there
I had some umph today- got all the laundry done, the floors, the bathroom, the kitchen, the living room the bedroom all cleaned up.  then decided i was going down stairs to torch.

I started with some copper wire  head pins - then I decided to put some glass frit on them to make the heads larger and colored for flower centers - not sure which flowers but I'll have them ready

I used to make bigger flowers and came across them stored downstairs 

 unfortunately the box has been dropped few times  and they have been broken

I just might get out my hot plate and start making some new ones 

I really want to make some more irises 

but I did make up some beads today so they are in the kiln annealing

I had to say when I started I stared with a messy table 

but when \i was finished

Ta Da !

4 More Days Till Christmas .......

Yes only 4 more days  till Santa is on his way

thank goodness two of them are shopping days

I found this great round ( lentil?) (since I have a ton in my bead box)  wire wrap tutorial - based on the current wire  weave fascination I have

http://flight-fancy.blogspot.ca/2010/07/wire-wrap-woven-pendant-tutorial-part-1.html

On my list of yet another thing to to  soon .........

Turks Head Knot - Ring or bracelet in wire or cord

In my search for patterned braided wire I came across this blog showing a Turks Head Knot ring


http://www.mailleartisans.org/board/viewtopic.php?t=15427&sid=e4f3e0913e8111f89408b9295db11ece

I was thinking it was braided but it is  wire woven  and looks to be a fun task to try

I found the website she refers to for the instructional dvd and other tutorials

http://www.golden-knots.com/kits_tools_order.html#about_dvd

and I have a few hits on how to do the turks head knot with paracord or other materials - and may try it with both
http://www.mailleartisans.org/articles/articledisplay.php?oldkey=20054    (really like this one  )
http://www.animatedknots.com/turkshead/
http://www.folsoms.net/knots/turkshead.htm

I have cable as well and this looks like a neat bracelet to make

Ah yes I am starting to feel better

New Tools wish List - #1 item for next year

so now I'm starting my new tools wish list for next year

As much as I want a Rolling Mill -  I want a to also get a mini wire rolling mill such as this
the larger roller has designs on

on sale on ebay for 390 and another 100 to ship - I want to make my own wire  with designs for braiding /soldering into bracelets or added embellishments on my etched work - if you already had the rolling mill you can get the roller seperate too  for about 70.00
KARAT MINI ROLLING MILL 5 ROLLERS COMBINATION FLAT WIRE & PATTERN DESIGN ROLLER
http://www.ebay.com/itm/KARAT-MINI-ROLLING-MILL-5-ROLLERS-COMBINATION-FLAT-WIRE-PATTERN-DESIGN-ROLLER-/360807915728

I'm checking around to see what else there is in comparison but this looks to be what I need (noticed I said need) to do the bracelets I've been wanting to do for years - combines  silver/gold or copper wire and flat pattern wire bradied and soldered at each end - I did a class and have a necklace and bracelet that I made and I love them and have always wanted to make them

5 Days Till Christmas

Yes only 5 days to go  of which two of them are weekend shopping days  - Yipee !
Were evidently headed for some severe storm weather from tonight till Christmas - Ice and snow - yuck

Now if you were looking for that one special gift category  - I found it

MiniMetalMaker - A small 3D printer that fabricates with metal clay.

It does not exist yet but someone is working on it 

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/minimetalmaker-a-small-3d-printer-that-fabricates-with-metal-clay

very interesting 

wonder how much that will be - May go on my dream wish list 

checking out Kate Ferrant Richbourg  upcoming classes online 

http://katerichbourg.blogspot.ca/2013/11/upcoming-classes-online-and-in-studio.html

gotta do the course for sure -  In an earlier blog I showed the soldering book from her I got through Kindle 

and love it 

Surfing the web for something to do ......

I know I'm starting to feel better - I'm surfing the web looking for things to try

One item is to find twisted wire  - I saw a class I would like but unfortunately cant get away to take  with

Kate Ferrant Richbourg

 you can see the results at her studio facebook page studio as well
https://www.facebook.com/KateRichbourgJewelryEducator?fref=ts

beautiful bracelet class -


I also found this blog- shows how easy it is and to add design to the twist - but dont you just love the simplicity of it !

http://taigoostudio.blogspot.ca/2012/08/how-to-making-decorative-twist-on.html

gotta try this  (in the blog they say about 10G?  but Ill try a few to see how hard it is to put the pattern on )

if you have ever twisted square wire you get a great twist design for your wire wrapping-  but the taigoostudio blog adds some design before you twist - its not very hard at all \

6 Days to go !!!!!

Only 6 more shopping days till Christmas - and I think I'm going to need most of them

The flu is getting better so the plan to rest first and deal with it is working better than working through it and having it linger for weeks . I hope to feel 100% by the weekend and for Christmas ! YEAH

I'm even starting to feel the itch to go down to the basement and torch -

I hate it when I get down there and cant figure out what to make - sort of puts a real damper on the mood

Last night I attended my Grand daughters Christmas recital for the grades K to 8  -   its was a hour long and very interesting
you sit (if your lucky) on those uncomfortable fold out chairs , your winter coat bunched around you because its so hot  (came in from snow and cold) smile and listen to jingle bells to the beat of a funeral dirge,  the off key and sometimes forgotten words to Frosty the snowman, the beating pots and sticks to Feliz navidad, ,   I absolutely loved the bell ringing ,  my older granddaughters group (7 &8's)  did  "What did the Fox say "   in French no  less - and they lost the accompanying  music just after they started and they didn't miss a bead and completed the singing of the song without it  and the final from the kindergarten- singing  I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas  and we wish you a merry Christmas  where my youngest granddaughter looked like she might throw up seeing all those parents in the audience - till she heard my daughter yell her name and a big smile came on her face.
Was a really great concert  and all the kids did so well.   The weather was awful and it was snowing on the way home as well (1/2 hour to my house) and in the boonies and back roads in 4wd all the way

Yes getting in the mood to play- finally  .........

8.....7 Days to go till Christmas

I'm still sick  but  this time I stayed home in bed all weekend to get better at the beginning  rather than go to work and dragging it on for 3 more weeks - back to work today but still  sick ......

9 Days till Christmas

Seems the days are going even faster. -sick with the flu -staying in bed in hopes to get rid of it faster
Lots of snow falling.
So I mentioned staying in bed which means no torching.
I truly want to be flu free for Christmas
If I can get through this week I think ill be in a great position to play on my days off

11 days till christmas - 10 days till christmas

oops
missed posting for a day  - but thats becasue I'm sick with the flu - first bout this year  and hopefully the only one
I stayed home for a change to get rid of it right away  rather than try and work through it  and get worse

I plan on torching this weekend at least once  so I hope I feel better soon

Only 10 days left -

12 Days Till Christmas

Only 12 days left till I get a couple days off  - cant wait
Its so cold here  only 7 degrees when I got up this morning - pretty frosty

My daughter stared the day by skidding into the ditch and taking out her driver mirror front light and back light and some huge scratches and indents on the driver side of her car as she drove into the ditch took out one fence post and slide along the rest  - she is fine but who the heck needs this before Christmas.

I only got as close to beading last night was fondling the already made beads in my yogurt container - thinking - I should make some necklaces -   that thought vanished quickly

I really need to torch.....  (I seem to say that everyday) by the time I get home I'm too bushed to go out turn on the propane and make my way downstairs to the sudio..... Maybe tonight........

Anyway - hope everyone is finished shopping or at least down to the small stuff  - not much time left

My blog is suffering with boredom as well - I need to make something - anything

On another note -

I currently have a credit card - machine - old style from  the credit card company and this costs me alost 100.00 a month to maintain - even though at the beginning it was to be 30.00 plus 10 for the sliding maching now it has rissen up and of course I want to cancel but - theres a contract -  but guess what they automatically renewed - so I have to pay a penalty to get out of it - anyway

I got my paypal  pay here dongle for my iphone last year  and it works great - I use it and funds go directly to my paypal account

this week I got my square reader - another dongle for the iphone  - and it puts it right into your bank by next day - which is great  - both easy to get

The only issue I have is that some customers are a bit afraid of digital transactions on the phone and getting email receipts -  so I'll track down a wireless printer to take with me to the shows and then I can print their receipt right there

so I guess I'll work on getting rid of this antiquated credit card machine
and its overhead costs

13 Days Till Christmas

and yet still no torching this week - too busy with home, work  and family

I was disappointed this week to find out that the Neocounter from  Neoworx that runs the side counter is no longer around
unfortunately I paid for a year  just a couple of months ago for their pro version - wasnt much but I hate these places that just go out of business - no notice nothing - although I read some people got emails appologizing -   I really liked my counter ........     by Nov 29th I had 35461 unique hits to my site from 153 countries  since Jan 2012- going to really miss that

I really need to relax so maybe tonight I'll torch  or go up to the studio and grab some wire and try those wire wrap earrings from the new book - that I still have to try .

My shopping is almost done - I figure this Saturday finishes it - and then I can do whatever I want to relax  and play

14 Days Till Christmas

14 Days - just two weeks left and I'm almost finished my shopping

so many personal things going on  hard to take the time to play and I'm tired when I get home
and as the song goes  "Baby its cold outside"    I was talking to my Nephews wife yesterday in San Diego and it was about 30 degrees F  there as well - all frosty - at least she had palm trees

I've been looking to see about a present for myself (other than the new Surface 2 I bought mysleft a few weeks ago- chose that over the iPad  and love it )

I have my eye on a Durston Rolling Mill - and why ?  I've wanted so bad over the years but then push it to the side -  but I saw one of my fav bloggers got one - Cinnamon Jewellery  - a great blog
http://cinnamonjewellery.blogspot.ca/

so now I am checking them out again - although it may not happen before christmas

so I sit and stare at the picture on the Rio Grande Site http://www.riogrande.com/Product/Durston-100mm-Combination-Rolling-Mill/113512?Pos=18
not sure which model but boy I really would like one

Dear Santa
Deb would really really like a rolling mill

15 Days till Christmas -

O boy - other than the  two Saturday torch sessions I really didnt do much for Sunday

Spent the rest of the time  with my daughter and the grand kids making some Christmas snowflakes (my thumb is sum what numb from cutting with a bad pair of scissors)   and some paper chains for the tree on Saturday - which lead to just resting on Sunday with a quick trip to our local grocery to pick up prime rib on sale (we have that instead of turkey)

I brought down some more glass (red and Green)  maybe make some beads for the season (probably a bit late but what the heck)

16 Days Till Christmas

Did another torch session last night - still in the purple passion mode

Almost filled the yogurt container