Long Time No See

I'm still here.

And wow! It's already July!! That's craaaazy!! I didn't realise till I logged into my blog that I'd not written a post in so long.

Poppy turned 1 and is walking. Summer is on her school holidays right now, but as Poppy and I've been sick, we haven't really been anywhere or doing anything very fun. Hopefully all going well next week, I have a couple of outings planned.

On the jewellery making side of things, it has been slow. My creating mojo pretty much died. Completely. I managed to make 1 ring a couple of weeks ago:

But apart from that I've been dead in the water when it comes to making things. I watch everyone else around me making strides in their skills - whilst I fall waaay behind. I really want to make things, but when I sit and look at my stones, I'm uninspired and I can't come up with anything decent or new, so I just don't bother.

I think it's time to start practicing something new. Perhaps that will inspire me to get making again?

Apart from that, there really isn't anything new to write about. Oh except for a couple of months of being obsessed with make up. Yes, so late in life I know. But I've always been a very basic make up wearer. And since having my 2nd child I don't really overly care about putting on make up every time I leave the house. (and by make up I mean a dash of powder and mascara.) But something caught my eye - to do with make up - and ever since I have been collecting it. Hmmmm perhaps that's why I haven't been making any jewellery.....

Anyway, I've been having fun discovering things like Primer - for the eyes and face! - no I didn't really know either existed. And how to apply eyeshadow properly - like doing the crease etc. Oh and I discovered really nice make up brushes (sigma and real techniques). And the most fun part was discovering a whole load of make up brands - Urban decay, Stila, Nars, Too Faced and so on.... you gals in the USA have it SO GOOD! We pay $45 for a Nars blush here, compared to your $30. Make up here is atrociously over priced. Revlon and Loreal etc are around the $20 and up - and I'm not overly a fan of their make up either.

So my obsession is no longer really an obsession, more like an enjoyment now. I have a nice collection of different make up - not in the foundation and powders though - just in eye shadows and blush mainly - and I LOVE both as I'm a big fan of colour.

I hope to get back to my bench again soon. I feel bad just letting everything out there lay dormant - especially seeing I have a nice new computer out there that my hubby bought me! Winter time is usually my favourite time to work at my bench.

Well that's me done for now. Hope you are having fun creating - even if I'm not!

Em ♥

Aaaahhchooo

Yup, I'm sick. 

That's the one thing about having a baby in Winter time - a) you don't want (but would love) to go out in case of catching something, b) you can't do much about it once you have caught something!

I have been wearing a mask when I feed Poppy. I don't know if it would really keep much of my germs at bay, but I have to at least minimise them. I haven't been sneezing much and have only coughed a little, most of which I try to do away from baby and into tissues. I have the disinfectant spray out and ready to spray down the computer area etc when I'm finished here. I can't take anything to help with the cold either - neither can Poppy for that matter :( 

Anyway on a brighter note, I finally finished and listed my first collection. 

It wasn't an intentional one, it just sort of happened whilst I was making something and I couldn't really think of a cool name for the collection, so I went with 'Vintage Lace' as my work kind of reminded me of lace:

*Rabbit & Owl are sold*

Unfortunately the earrings I won't be able to list, as whilst setting the turquoise in one of them, a little piece broke off the top. It's very minimal, so it's not really noticeable, unless you were to say something. I was thinking of offering them heavily reduced on my fan page, as I would hate to see them go to scrap - they're still sweet :) or, I could just keep them for myself ...........

Poppy is now 5 weeks old and is alert and awake for longer periods of time. She isn't afraid of me when I wear the mask whilst feeding, so that's a good thing. She has a good stare at me, but there's no change in her expression. 

Summer starts back at school next Monday - thank goodness! So I may be able to get my creative mojo back on ... though I'm honestly not feeling it right now. I really hope this cold is over tomorrow (for more than the obvious reasons), I really wanted to drive up to visit my parents for the day, they haven't seen Poppy since she was a few days old. And once Summer is back at school I can't go up as it's too far away to get back in time to pick her up. Maybe I can go Saturday - here's hoping!!!! 

Time to cut my nails down I think ... they're getting to that 'could really scratch baby up' length lol

Em ♥

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 ♥

Winters End.

It's lunch time and the last day of Winter :(

As I've been sitting here reading blog posts and oxidizing metal, I can't help but notice the birds are extra vocal. I haven't noticed it before, so I wonder if it's to do with the fact that tomorrow brings the first day of Spring.....or have I just been too busy to notice their constant chatter?

I am on my last sliver of silver.

My scrap has been sent off.

I have 2 pieces waiting to be polished and set. 

And I just had my 90th sale in my Etsy shop ♥

It may not sound like much. But when you consider that I hardly ever have more than 30 pieces in my shop at a time, it's a great achievement for me and I'm thrilled.

Whenever I am down to my last little piece of silver, I find I stumble and my ideas disappear. I know it will be a few weeks before my scrap returns some sheet to me, though I could just buy some .... I want to hold off ... but then again I don't want to be without sheet ...

I am stone hunting again. Though I really shouldn't be. But I look over my stash and feel bored with what I see. Stones I once couldn't wait to get my hands on and create with, stones that cost a small fortune. I wonder if this is why so many of us have such a huge stash of stones? Perhaps I should forbid myself from looking, hence to stop temptation. Honestly though, I don't buy that many stones, I spend a lot more of my time looking, than I do spending any actual money.

Here are a few things I have made lately:

The cuff is the first of it's kind I have made.  A little inspired by Amy who has been making lots of them lately. The stone is #8 Mine Turquoise and I have been pondering over what to make with it for months and finally I used it. 

Last week I had made a nice simple setting for a HUGE round labradorite stone. One of the ones I had to have ground down to flatten. It took a long time figuring out how it was going to be set, so it would be at it's best 'flashing' angle. Finally I sat down to set it and it not only wouldn't fit in - but it broke! I think somewhere along the soldering line, the bezel had gotten out of shape. It was only 1mm(ish) off. And I think perhaps because the stone had been ground down - that maybe it had been weakened - as it seemed to have broken on a fracture line. It was a small little crumb that broke off ... but enough to stop me from wanting to set it. 

I might see if I can't grind it down all the way around and reset it some day. But oh what a disappointing day that was. I was so excited to be setting it too :(

Well I am getting peckish, so I will head off to make lunch and finish some jewellery. I hope you are all having a lovely week so far :)

Em ♥

Grey Saturday.

It's a grey Saturday. Not great for photographing my jewellery. But I did it anyway.

I have spent the better part of the afternoon rephotographing my jewellery for my Etsy shop. I absolutely loved how it was looking, but I decided to have pictures that were more zoomed in than before. 

Hubs likes how it looks now as you can clearly see the items straight away....I'm still not so sure. But it will probably grow on me. I'm quite fickle and never satisfied with how something is .... I'm always changing my mind.

All my supplies came on Thursday and Friday and I'm very happy. 

I have a nice big sheet of silver and lots of chain and wire and findings etc. But I think my muse is on vacation now, as she had to wait too long before I got new silver :(

With my supplies came some new boxes for packaging. I love them. 

And last night I ordered some Luxe Business cards from Moo with matching labels. Can't wait to get those too! 

It seems like it's never ending, the things you need to make jewellery. I've been saving for a little while and just spent it all on supplies :( I look forward to the day when I don't have to spend all of my savings on more supplies/tools. But that day will probably never come, as there is just no end to the techniques to learn, meaning more tools to buy.

Kindy was back on this week as the school holidays are over. But I was bored out of my mind as I had no silver to make anything with. Next week will be better I hope, as Summer has 3 days at Kindy :p

so, please come back muse! Pleeeeeeze!

Em :)

Boring Sunday....

I don't often get bored.

Summer is spending the day at her nan's and hubby is out working. 

I am down to my last little square of silver sheet.

I asked at Rio when they were getting the particular sheet I want. They informed me it won't be until late July now :(

So, it looks like I will have to make the order for some here. But I have no choice. I want to make stuff and I can't, not even with that last little piece ... I just don't know what to make with it lol.

Yesterday wasn't much of a better day either.

Though I did get the dog groomed. I cut all his hair down very short (Took me forever) and washed him and now he's happy. As much as he doesn't enjoy his hair being cut, he definitely enjoys the aftermath. And so do we. If I ever have a dog again, I will never have one with long hair. Way too much maintenance. 

Last night whilst my hubs and I sat and ate dinner, we heard a huge ruckus going on out the front of our house. Hubs went to investigate and to cut a long story short, our neighbour (bout 50yrs oldish, very quiet family man) had been punched in the face by a friend. We were both puzzled as to what on earth had gone down, to encourage this mans friend to punch him. But the neighbour was drunk. So it could have been anything. We are surprised that this went down though, as to look at him, you wouldn't think he would ever go out and come home drunk. Ever.

So that's all that's been going on around here. Summer goes back to kindy next week (YAY!) and hopefully by the end of the week, I shall have some silver supplies?....

Here is what I finished this past week:

You can see most of it's metal clay as I had a couple of packets to use. So at least I got to make something. For the first time ever, I am over the 30 piece in my shop mark! I am thinking of making my own website/shop, but trouble is I would want to put all my work from Etsy on it and I'd want to leave my work on Etsy at the same time. I don't know if that would work? What if just by some random coincidence someone bought a certain item from Etsy AND that same certain item from my webshop??? Then what would I do?? lol

Em ♥

Back At The Bench.

The sun is out and shining! Finally! It feels like forever since I last saw the sun for this length of time. It's been a few weeks almost. So this morning, I took my little munchkin out to the pond to get some much needed Vit D.

We're back home and I've put the air conditioning on to keep the humidity at bay. 

I have actually made some new things at the bench this past week. 

Honestly though with the lack of sales in my shop, it makes me feel like giving up. Though on the flip side of that, I just bought some more tools and a book and silver tubing lol.

I figure I will keep at it. For now.

On my list of things to learn, I want to try my hand at setting another large faceted stone. I bought one a while back, so will have to take a picture of it before I try and make a setting for it. Hopefully this one works out without any issues and I can list it in my shop. I finally bought the Creative Stone Setting book, which might help me the second time round with this setting. I also want to give flush setting a go. I have the burs coming and I have a few very small stones I can practice with, I just need to make a small burnisher first. There are a couple of tutorials out there that show you how to go about making one. 

Above are a couple of simpler things I have made for my shop.

Thanks ladies for giving me your opinion on my new background. I am going to keep the Turquoise box for the big earring shots and the other background for everything else. It keeps things interesting in my shop.

Sadly I am almost out of silver sheet. Which isn't great, as silver prices are on the rise again. Should probably weigh my scraps and see what I have....I've got quite a bit again.

Really I should buy myself some ingots and crucibles and melt it down myself....actually I think I will buy them in a couple of weeks and give it a go!!

I have the scrap and I have the mill, so it makes sense doesn't it?!!

I guess I should go and make some lunch for all now, it's almost lunch time.

I will go and read some blogs now :)

Take care

Em ♥

New Background & Jewellery

Thanks to those of you who gave me your opinion on my background choices...I finally redid all the photography for my shop and I love my new background. I didn't end up going with what I posted about, but it got me to the choice I eventually made. 

It's cohesive, fresh and bright and I love how my shop looks now :)

As much as I thought the grey was for me, I was tired of it. Yes it helped my silver work stand out, but it was kinda lacking that certain something...

I have been trying really hard not to let the lack of sales get me down and stop me from making new pieces. It's damn hard though. When I make a sale it kinda motivates me to make more jewellery......when those sales completely vanish into thin air....well my desire to create kinda goes with it - as I'm sure is the case for many creators out there.

Now I just figure that, I have the supplies there, so I may as well use them and enjoy myself!! And I am definitely working on stocking up to do my first market someday soonish. I think I have an idea how I want to make my set up and once I have that figured, I will be able to see how much stock I need.

Next is a picture of a ring I just finished up this morning:

Yes I have been incorporating my latest skill with my new work lol...so I guess there will be a heap of work with tube set gemstones. I'm also working on my plain bezel settings - I find them the hardest to make look nice as there really is no forgiveness in the edge, not like scalloped or sawtooth or like those fancy bezel wires...you can kinda get away with all sorts when you use those settings, but with plain bezel.....well you can't get away with much at all! The reason I want to do more with this bezel type is I think it gives a more finished look to my work, as much as I enjoy using the fancy bezels, I want the stones to stand out more and the embellishments I use around the stones. I'll still use the other wire...but I want to get this wire perfected!

Apparently it's going to start heating up here this week....not happy....not happy at all. I still hate the heat, as much as I did last time it was hot. I can forsee a huuuuuge power bill at the end of the year :(

Well that is it for now....I have a couple of pieces I need to finish up and photograph and list over the next few days. Oh and I did a treasury this morning...first I've done in aaages. It was fun though and I tried to stick to a colour theme (which I find hard).

Have a great day :)

Em ♥

It has sprung!

Spring that is!!
Today is the first day of the new season.
I am going to miss good ole Winter :(

At least this year we have a lovely new airconditioner. Not that we can go crazy with it considering how much power has gone up! But at least it's there for the unbearable days we get in the Summer time.

Anywhoo...below is a picture of my latest tool! Yes A Rolling Mill. Finally!
I have been planning on getting one since I moved into this house over a year ago...but it never happened. Then when I had money, it always went to other tools/supplies etc. I have been watching this rolling mill for a long time and finally the price dropped to a price I couldn't ignore and I jumped in and bought it. I received it yesterday and it is now in my work area ready to go....I just have to chop up copper sheets to fit and play.



I have some other tools on their way to me for stamping. I hope to get those next week :) and then finally I need to get some crucibles and ingots so I can try and smelt my scrap silver and roll it myself....that part is going to be the hard part...but hopefully the best skill for me to learn, considering how unstable silver prices are. If I can smelt and roll my scrap silver out, it will keep me going in the 'can't buy silver sheet just now' times....kinda like now lol. Silver seems to be staying at the $40 mark right now and I am skeptical that it's going to drop under that any time soon. As soon as it does though, I am going to stock up big time!

Below is a ring I made for myself. I wear the same 2 rings all the time and have been eying this stone up for a while and decided to make it into a simple piece, as I feel the stone is gorgeous, it didn't need anything fancy doing to it. I still have some burnishing to do on it, as I am not well practiced at plain bezel wire...even after all this time. I don't tend to use it much. But I want to start using it more now. I like the clean line it gives and how it frames a stone well.

I have been playing a bit more with the metal clay (which I need lots of practice with still!) I have made a piece with it yesterday and have used a fern stem/leaf?? to imprint it with. I just need to smooth it out and sand it down and fire it etc, I have high hopes for how it turns out.....

Paypal.
When it was a new avenue for paying for things, I was excited. Now, the word fills me with frustration. They are putting up the fees on International transactions. For those of us on Etsy or Ebay or the like, this means loosing more money....or charging the customer more money. I don't know how I am going to go about paying the extra, which is 6% I think, but I am going to have to figure it out. With the price of silver up again and fees going up...I often wonder how long left I have on Etsy before I have to let it go. Oh and the exchange rate of Aus dollars to US dollars really digs the knife in too.

I feel as though I might just have to kick myself in the bum and get to the bench and work like an animal and get to those markets I've been dreaming of. At least there, there will only be 1 fee each time and no postage/packaging/conversion fees etc.

Guess I have to work it out and soon.

Oh I have made my first ever order with moocards.com
I had to place my order with the UK site, but they are already out and on their way to me and I can't wait to see how they turned out!! I designed them myself. I didn't use pictures of my jewellery though. I also made some matching round sticker/labels for my packaging. I hope to get them in the next couple of weeks.

Alrighty. That's all for this post.
Take care all :)
Em.

Show Holiday.

It's the annual show this month and today is one of the show days that the city gets as a holiday, the other is on Wednesday. So I thought today would be a nice relaxing day to do a blog post :)

Below is around 50% of my cab collection...



And of course I am still buying more..as you do. Though it's evident to me since putting these cabs in this lovely box, that I really should start using some of these up...they're quite lovely.

Saturday afternoon, the hubby and I took a trip to the local hardware store and I came home with a lovely new hammer - cross peen.

And below is some PMC3 that I have been playing with. I want to add some more into my pieces, it's just fun to work with.
My head is filled with ideas at the moment...but I just can't seem to rustle up the energy to get to the bench. I have a few pieces that are halfway done too and it wouldn't take much to get them finished. I might attempt it this afternoon. In fact I should probably pull myself away from the computer and go in there now whilst Summer has lunch....

:)

Silver Smells....

Well the price of it does at least! I don't regularly check the price of silver, but every now and again I do and I couldn't believe it was at $40 again last night. I don't want to get all flustered again and go and buy a whole heap, for the 'just in case it rises' situation, but I can feel the pressure mounting again...as I am sure every other person who works with this metal feels.

Enough of that depressing chatter ....

So I went with the hubby and child to the Markets I wrote about in my last post. And to be honest and to the point....they STANK. Really. Yes they were very large markets, but they were not what I am looking for. They were great if you like inexpensive jewellery or knick knacks, clothes and so on. But it wasn't a 'craft/handmade' type market. I had to go and see, as you never know and it gave us a reason to get out of the house and go somewhere new. I was terribly disappointed.

Anyway, it has helped me make up my mind what I want to do. There are some actual craft markets about 10 minutes from where I live. They are held on Sundays only and I think I am going to give them a shot. Right now I don't have anywhere near enough inventory, so I am going to have to work on that first and foremost. I contacted the market people last night and they said you basically have to supply everything yourself and you just pay for the space allocated, which was about $33...not too bad. This of course means now I have to buy a tent/marquee, table, display stuff, a sign, table cloth and you get the idea :) Gotta spend money to make it huh.

I can't, unfortunately, get away without a tent as the sun here can get too hot and I don't want my jewellery to get really hot and burn someone and I don't fancy sitting out in it either (even though it's Winter still). So I have a lot to sort out if I want to go to these markets. There are some other markets about 15 minutes away from here too...so they are always another option if this place doesn't work out :)

So I have lots to plan for.

My custom order was received this morning and the lady was very happy, which has made me happy in return. She now wants to commission me for 2 more pieces!! I've also finished a few new things for my shop, will have to wait for the sale to be over before I list them.

That's all folks....

Em

Things to do...things to do....long post ahead.

It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted, not a whole lot has been going on.
I have rejoined 'Twitter' this past week...I tried a long time ago, but didn't really click with it, so I'm trying again under 'littlecherryhil'.

I have a busy weekend ahead of me. My hubby and FIL are clearing out 'stuff' from our garage and we are having a bit of a 'throw out' session and taking some rubbish to the dump. Then we are going to reorganise the garage and then I want to start on my new antique/deco cabinet (pictured below)

I have no idea what colour I am going to do it yet....I am leaning towards a duck egg grey kind of colour. I'm not one for making quick decisions :(

I am getting a new table today that I want to do up. I will do a post on that another time. And then I have to find some new dining chairs to go with it...I sometimes love Ebay!

Only 2 months now till our lease here is up. That will go quickly! So in the meantime I have to pack and replace some furniture and have big clear outs and find a new place to move to!! Some of the reasons we want to move are, it's a 2 story house and there are only 3 of us...it's too big. It's high maintenance because of it's size...and I just don't want to waste time looking after space we don't use, I can think of many things I would rather be doing :)
I hate the tiles!
I hate the carpet!
And because we rent, we cannot change those things. (I'm not fussy, I just want both the tiles and carpet to look clean...and they don't.....ever....no matter how many times a week I clean them)
And last but not least, the main reason is money. I don't think we have ever had a year since we have been married that rent hasn't gone up. And I'm sure this year will be no exception. So we want to downsize and save some money to boot! Trouble is...I'm kinda picky with lots of things, like I said before, I'm not fussy, but I do like things to be a certain way. So it's not going to be easy to tick all the boxes for the price we want to pay. Another reason we need to move is petrol. Petrol is going up allll the time and we live out of town. Not super far out, but far out enough that if we moved closer, we could save more money just from not using so much petrol.
I will miss it here. I love the high ceilings and the ensuite and the indoor laundry and the bush/rainforest across the street and the space we have downstairs and many other things, but I would be happier to simplify my life.

Below are a few things I have made this past fortnight...I'm not sure of the second piece...I think I might scrap it, I'm undecided. And the last picture is of some of the cabochons I just received yesterday. I have a few more to come and I want to buy more again, but am going to wait....

Well I guess I will leave it here for now. If you've gotten this far, thanks for reading :)
Have a great weekend everyone!

100th Post!

So I've finally written 100 posts!! It took me a little over a year to do it, though it feels like I've been blogging here for a lot longer than that.

Sadly the weather is rubbish here again and it feels like Autumn will never come...nor Winter for that matter. But I am fortunate and grateful that we aren't experiencing what the rest of the world has been. As everyone knows the latest - Japan and now Libya. Things are terrible for a lot of people out there and I can't even imagine what they are all going through. But my heart goes out to them!

Below is my latest work:

The Summer ring is mine. I haven't worn a thumb ring for a loooong time and I felt like making something rustic looking...not pretty...but hard wearing. I am wearing it now and enjoying it..it's quite comfy :)

I have a few other pieces on my desk that just need stones setting and then polishing up.

It's been a tough week and a half.
I started toilet training my daughter.
I tried once before a few months back, but it didn't feel right, so I postponed it and now we are in it for the long haul. It's been hell on earth on and off, but I know she knows what she has to do...she just has to get on with it now...we have given her the tools, the incentives/rewards and now it's up to her to let it 'click'.

I had some trouble with an online service this month and the last couple of days I was trying do sort it out and not getting much help from them AT ALL. Fortunately my parcel has arrived, be it over 6 days late ( it was EMS International) and I am relieved to put it behind me. I don't think I will be using the service again, I don't think the owner will want me to either lol...but I don't really care :)

How has your week been?? I hope no one has any family/friends who've been affected by the disaster in Japan.

A little Change

Yay! The weather has finally taken a little turn towards Autumn! I am so happy and so looking forward to the months that come. For some reason I always feel like I can do anything when the cooler weather comes along.

I have taken a small advert out with a little handmade directory at mumswhomake
it's only for 1 month, but I thought it's time to start spending a little on getting my work 'known'. Now with the weather changing for the better, I should be able to get more things into my shop soon. Below are the 2 latest pieces I have listed this week...

I would like to make more sawn out pieces like my bird and the Silhouette pendant I sold. I like solid silver pieces that can go with anything you want to wear.
I have had a couple of lovely messages to my Etsy Inbox about my work...it's nice to know people can see the love and effort that goes into it.

There are a couple of pieces on my bench right now. One I'm almost finished with and another I'm half way through. I can't wait till I can afford some new stones. I'm bored with what I have (not all...but quite a few). I bought them hastily when I was new to cabochons and got carried away and bought stuff I know I will never use.
Not sure what I will do with them...maybe I will give them away.

That's all I have to write about for now...thanks to everyone who replied to the question I asked in my last post. Sometimes, if someone compliments me on my jewellery I will tell them 'thank you' and 'I made it myself'. Sometimes I end up having big long convo's about jewellery making with that person...sometimes I end up feeling like a total tool having said I made them myself...I am not sure if people believe me or what?! Other times I just thank them and go about my business. I figure that you only have one life and so you may as well get your work out there anyway you can when the opportunity presents itself and sometimes that has to be through self promotion I guess.

Last Post of 2010

It's the last day of the year for 2010, so I thought I would write my last post for the year. It has been a pretty good year. We moved. Summer turned 2. I opened my Etsy store.

It's been quite hot here most days now...gone are those lovely cool days :( But we have been getting a heck of a lot of rain...too much for some parts unfortunately. Hubby is meant to be taking some time off, but because of the unpredictable weather he has to do his work whilst it's hot and sunny.

I haven't used my torch much...kinda scared/intimidated by it. I do try to use it for small things, just to get into the hang of getting the flame right and how to hold it comfortably. I'm just too used to my predictable butane torch I guess.

I got the flu 3 days ago. I just hope that Summer and the hubs don't get it, but who knows.

Below is a chest that I bought yesterday for myself that I am going to restore. It needs the handles to be centered and it has a piece snapped off the front that we have to fix back on, then it needs sanding back and from there I haven't decided what I want to do. So I've put this picture up so you can see it before and when I've completed it, I will put up the new picture.It's Vintage, from the 1920's-50's. I have pictures in my head of what I want it to turn out like, but it all depends on how it 'fixes' up as to what kind of finish it can carry.
It's my project for the new year and I can't wait to get on with it.

Not much has been happening in the jewelry department. I am working on a couple of things and trying out a new wire, but it's going to take time to get it right enough that I would sell a finished piece using it. I sent all my scrap in and am still waiting for them to let me know whats happening with it (I hate this time of year for that very reason - waiting waiting waiting).

It's too humid to be soldering too, so it will be a slow start to the new year jewelry wise.

Well I hope you have all had a good year and I want to thank all of you who have supported me via blogging, FaceBook and my Etsy store. I really really treasure and appreciate you!!!!!

Till next year :p

Muggy.

The warmer weather seems to be making it's way in now....I hate it as much as I did this time last year, though it's not as hot as then....yet.

Below are a few of my latest pieces.


The top 2 are mine and the bottom one is the first piece I have ever made with copper. It was nice to use something different. I will probably use it more, I do have a sheet of brass to try out too. The top ring I wear all the time, I love it.

I got myself a new toy!

Not 100% confident on using it yet....but I'll get it eventually. I still hope to get a rolling mill soonish...but there is always other stuff that I end up buying in the meantime and then have no money left :(

It's my 9th anniversary on Dec 1st. So I think I am going to hold my first ever Etsy sale to celebrate. Maybe I will sell a piece or 2...I hope so, I could really use the moolah to put back into buying more supplies.

I wish it would just hurry up and rain. This weather sucks.

Creative Block, Unblocked.

Finally my creative dry spell has passed me by. The last 2 weeks I have been back at the bench having fun making new things. It was kinda boring there for a while....wanting to make things, but not being able to, for the lack of ideas.

It's 8pm here and Summer is in the lounge room playing a game, so I thought I would get this post started, then I will finish writing it up when she goes to bed.

(off to sit with my daughter for a while)

Okie dokie, below are pictures of what I made last week.

I'm having a blast using the new findings I got from RioGrande. I am going to have to order larger amounts next time...but the cart always mounts up so quickly dollar wise, I have to be careful not to go over the importing amount. Did that once and it wasn't very fun....

I have my eye on new tools and a nice script stamp set. I am also hoping to have a Rolling Mill by the New Year. Just have to stop buying anything else..but it's so hard...there is so much to buy for this hobby it's kinda hard not to spend.

I have made a few new things this week and over the weekend and have a nice shiny new tool to show off, but that will have to wait for another post, I'm still yet to take photo's.

I enjoyed a nice style cut at my hairdressers this afternoon, I got the 'relax' package. The hairdresser massaged my head and I got to sit in a massage chair whilst she did that. I was sooo looking like a dorky daggy mum and I'm so glad I finally got it all chopped off again! It was nice to get outta the house for a half hour by myself too :)

till next time....

bye :)

Finding Findings.....

So I have been searching the net on and off for some of the sterling silver filigree findings I see in so many other jewelers work. And I would like to incorporate them into my own work, to give me some more choice and variety. But I cannot for the life of me find the damned things!!!

It's really frustrating me. I have googled my butt off and have only found maybe one or two of them. If anyone out there feels generous, can you please share with me where you buy yours from?? Puleeeeaase??!!


Anyways, today's weather is really annoying me. It's that gloomy overcast drizzly weather. I did manage to get my floors cleaned, but it took about 40 minutes for them to dry, so Summer and I were confined to the lounge room whilst we waited.

Now I am sitting with a nice mug of hot tea and a shortbread biscuit. It's school holidays over here now for the next 2 weeks, which I am not looking forward to, for several reasons which I won't bore you with.

I haven't been making a whole lot lately, only small stuff, cuz it's quick and simple and I can make it affordable. I am waiting on a parcel of Turquoise cabs, not that I needed them of course.....I just wanted them!

Below is what I have made recently. Of course if you follow me on my FB page, you will have already seen these pieces.

I find resin loads of fun to play with. I hope to incorporate some with some of my PMC, or at least try to anyway.

K, well, I hope everyone is having fun and has their creating mojo with them. I don't at the moment...again....but I hope that will change soon :)