Too Hot!!!

It's killin' me.

I can't even contemplate going to the bench and attempting to make anything :( 

I would just melt away.

Granted it's not as hot as some parts of Australia, but still this is as much as I can take.

We got the new quick release handle onto my flexshaft, but I haven't been out there to take advantage yet. 

What's on my bench: 

no idea when I'll get this all finished.....

Above is a bracelet I made, instead of a necklace. It's nowhere near the completed stage, lots of filing and cleaning to do yet .... maybe next year LOL.

I'm getting to the point where I think of bringing my metal out to the kitchen to work on. It's air conditioned in the house (watch out electric bill - Yikes!!). I could solder in the hot plate area, as it has the vent above and possibly I could file and sand over the sink. Desperate? Yes. If it's like this for the next 2 months then I am going to have to seriously consider this. I am falling waaaay behind. I haven't had a sale in a while - but again, I'm still not promoting myself and I don't renew much and I certainly am not making enough new work to attract new customers. Basically I'm getting out what I'm putting in ....... which is nothing much really :(

Went outside just now to see to the pets and this little guy was in my dogs water bowl having a soak:

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Don't often see them in the daytime - they're more nighttime lurkers round our parts - but it's been so hot. I don't like toads. At. All. Love frogs. But you never see them ... only hear them.

I really really really really hope it rains. This weather freaks me out, as we live across from the bush and it's weather like this that brings massive bushfires - super humidity, dry and windy. Not a good mix.

Well that's all for now folks.

Oh I decided on a new logo - thanks to the help of all my friends and family and helpful fans on my facebook page. I am pondering a new backdrop in the new year and I want to incorporate my logo too.

Take care :) And have an awesome holiday season!

Em ♥

Procrastination

Yes. That title describes me down to a tea at this point in time. 

I have pieces I need to get finished. 

It's too hot.

I've some new materials I want to try and techniques.

It's too hot.

The days are going by too fast.

And it's too hot.

Did I mention it's hot??? lol

Yeah it's getting pretty gross out by my bench. Like I said in my last post, I really need that screen door. Last night hubby found a small toad hopping around in the lounge room....YUCK!!!!! And it probably came from the garage :( 

So now we need to be extra careful. I've no idea how it got in the lounge room unseen though.....

I woke up to a sale this morning :)

I am working on something beaded for myself....I haven't beaded in years. I'm not really enjoying it either haha. But I know it'll look nice when I'm done, I've been working on it in the evenings whilst watching the idiot box. It looks so simple, but it's been a bit of a pain in the bum to make - for me anyway.

The desire to buy new stones is scratching away in the back of my head. It's been a while since I really bought any - if you don't count my stash of little faceted stones...I have bought quite a lot of those. And I do have a lovely larger faceted stone on it's way to me.....actually it should have been here by now, so kinda getting worried about that. 

Anyways I haven't really purchased any cabochons in a while. I do not need them. Not at all. But I fancy looking at new stuff. As much as I love the bright coloured stuff, I fancy some more natural stones now. Though to be honest, right now is probably not the best time of year to be waiting on parcels from overseas as it tends to get slowish.

Well that's about it I guess. I'm so grateful for the airconditioning we have in this place and the great insulation and extra high ceilings!!

Have a wonderful day all 

Em ♥

Broken Record.

It seems that all I ever do is write about the hot weather on my blog these days.
Well the weather is still absolutely horrid. It's so humid I am struggling to get absolutely anything normal done, let alone jewellery making.

It's driving me CRAZY!!! It is s'posed to rain this afternoon and start to cool down....yeah I will believe it when I feel it. Till then I am just sitting at the computer scrolling through a million bags on Ebay, as it's time I bought one that was a decent size (I have only got smallish bags), enough to fit things in without them spilling out each time I open my bag cuz it's too small.

I am just going to try and get all my washing done today and not worry about the rest of the housework. It's too hot to vacuum and my mop broke again, I'm on the second one at this house.

Anyways, here is what I have finished up lately in the jewellery department:

My first saw pierced and riveted pendant. It turned out okay. I am not super impressed by it, riveting is kinda tricky (for me) at the moment, having only ever done it this one time. I am not sure I want to continue doing it either. Hubby thought it turned out quite good (bless his cotton socks), but quite honestly it was a pain in the a** and I don't think I have the right hammer for it. But I did buy myself a tiny little riveting plate/stake thingy, so I might give it a go again. I did like how the pattern I sawed out looks.

This ^ is more my thing as far as sawing out is concerned. I love this piece. It looks awesome in real life, very vintage. I haven't put it up in my Etsy shop yet, but I will try and get around to it this week. I have plans to do more of her, but will have to wait and see if this one finds a new home first. I want to do a nice bird like this too. .. .. if only it would cool down enough....

I am so very pleased to see that Kim from KSK
is back on the Blogging Wagon! I can't wait to hear what she has been up too! Welcome back Kim!

That's all I have to write about ... boring huh!

Hope you are all enjoying lovely weather.

Come Back Winter!!!

I can't stand this muggy weather.....as I am sure I have told you that mannnny millions of times before lol. It's muggy/humid right now, but I know that down south they are getting it much worse than us. So I am grateful that we don't have a heatwave.

It 4pm and I am in the middle of making Bolognaise for dinner with Garlic Bread. I was going to cook a meat pie with mash n veg, but it's too hot to be hovering round a stove/oven, so I took the simple option.

I sent in my silver scrap to my metal supplier just before Christmas and it took soooo long to get it processed and for me to get new silver supplies (I received them this afternoon). So now I have loads of silver sheet, but no mojo haha...again.

I don't push myself when it gets like that tho...cuz that's how I end up making mistakes or making something I don't particularly like, so it ends up a waste and we all know that mistakes/waste is too expensive nowadays. Below is a picture of what I have made so far this year...it's not much.

I haven't listed any of them yet...but hope to soon, just have to pay my fees tomorrow and then I will. One thing I am finding frustrating about Etsy, is the lack of feedback I am getting from customers. I need that feedback. But I don't want to push people to leave it for me either :(

Below is the cabinet that my hubby and I finally finished a few weeks back. We love it. I am on the lookout now for a dining table and chairs (don't have to be a set) that I can do up for when we move this year. I am hoping for a dining table with Queen Anne legs and dining chairs that I can reupholster the seat part.


I am also on the hunt for a proper but basic jeweller's workbench. I know that RioGrande have them on sale right now, but I don't know if they will post it to me and how much it would cost if they do....so I've emailed, just waiting for a reply. I emailed a Jeweller's Supply shop in my local city too...I hope that they get back to me with something reasonable.

Well that's all for now. I really would like to go and play with my new supplies, but it's too darned hot and it makes me extra lethargic and I just want to flop in front of a fan and not move all day... :P

Hope you are all having a great start to 2011!!!

Almost Over.

2010 that is. But that's kinda obvious :P

The lovely cool weather we were having here, is now gone. Well and Truly.
It's so muggy here again. We've been getting a lot of rain on and off too. And a couple of storms with more on the horizon. Fortunately where I live, there has only been 1 very humid evening. Hubby spent last weekend installing air conditioners in the master bedroom and our daughters. I love air con. I hate what using it is doing to the environment (along with every thing else I use) but I couldn't live without it. Not in the Summertime anyway.

I have lots I want to do in 2011. Thinking of Goldsmithing school (night lessons). Thinking of purchasing new tools to learn new techniques - chasing & repousse, etching, tube setting gemstones and the list goes on. I am pondering a rolling mill too. I have the opportunity to get one right now, but not sure if it's worth it yet.

I have a new tool:

An Orca Torch. My hubbzie bought the gas tank for it yesterday, but as it's been too humid and I've had a lot to do round the house, I haven't yet played with it, but plan to on the weekend.

My first ever Etsy sale went fabulously!!! I haven't yet filled my shop back up yet, but that's a good thing :) I've placed my 2nd order with RioGrande this week, which I hope to get on Monday (just in time to play over the christmas holidays). And I am going to send in my 1kilo of silver scrap - that took me an entire year to accumulate - to my silver suppliers to get credit to buy more supplies. I don't have enough to get refined and I will need more sheet soon, so it's the only way for me to go right now.

Well my old mans home and he's brought lunch with him (YUM) so I'm going to leave it here and go and enjoy it :)