Wire Wrapping Tutorial on You Tube

You Tube has some terrific instructional videos on all sorts of things. The nice thing about reviewing other jewelry making tutorials is that you get to see how other people tackle the same problems.

I have a strand of cranberry colored pearls which would make terrific Valentines' Day gifts. It's been a while since I've used briolettes, so I got onto youtube to refresh my memory. There were actually several different techniques demonstrated, some of which are obviously new to me. :) So, I'll have to play with some of those ideas and see how they turn out.

Meanwhile, here is a really good tutorial that I found on wire wrapping briolettes, using a basic technique. This is how I learned to do them at the local bead shop. :) Have fun!

Yep, it's official...

Roxy got her paw x-rayed and it turns out she has a hairline fracture... the vet tried splinting but ended up putting a cast on her. Not that Roxy cares, but it's neon pink and kind of cheery and cute, I guess. Poor baby.

Roxy is not thrilled. Since she loves to jump around, we have to crate her until her leg heals... 6-8 weeks. This also means moving her out to our dog-free zone, where she won't have to run up and down stairs in order to go potty... speaking of which, it's a good thing I don't have a job yet, because someone has to take the dog out. And since it's rainy, that means a plastic bag for the leg and one for the poop.

I have to think up a way to decorate that cone. Bright flower stickers or something. Haha, I should get some flatbacks and bling that thing out. :)

Houdini Breaks a Paw

We decided as a family, that this past weekend would be a "do nothing" weekend. The holidays are crazy when you have a baby, not to mention we do have a "blended" family, so between soccer season, school, and everything else, well, it's been crazy since October. :) I'm sure you can relate. So yesterday, my son and I were having fun setting up the XBox to play some Rock Band... suddenly, my fiancee opens the door, says, "The dogs are loose and going after the labs!" Mind you, my fur babies are wimpy goofballs- not vicious guard dogs. They were tearing after these two labs who walk past the house to go to the park everyday. Although they weren't going after the labs to bite or attack them, I'm sure it's intimidating to see 150 pounds of German Shepherd barreling down at you and your dogs. (Fortunately, we know the guy with the labs. He walks past the house everyday and sometimes we're out there.)

Anyway, earlier in the day, I washed both dogs and tied them out in the driveway to dry. Although I normally sit out in the driveway with them, when my son asked for some mom time, I decided it would be ok... after all, we would be in a room where we could see the dogs. We didn't even have the first song queued up before my fiancee stuck his head in with the announcement. By the time I ran out the door and down the driveway, my two furry nutcases managed to clothesline another neighbor's mailbox and toppled it... poor Roxy was crying and the guy with the labs was lifting a stack of bricks (which was holding up the mailbox) to free her paw. I felt so bad.

First of all, I should know better than to tie my dogs out. Dogs get injured while tied out all the time. Second, I know that despite my efforts to train them, they charge other dogs. I'm not worried that they'll maul other dogs, but they will run at other dogs, barking. Thank goodness it was the guy with the labs. It could've easily turned into a huge pack fight. Some of the other people on this street don't train their dogs at all, and we all have big dogs. (Sometimes I walk my dogs past their house and they will run up and bark too, but at least our dogs are more or less friendly dogs.)

Roxy is walking around on 3 paws today, whimpering whenever we make her go outside to potty. However, I haven't taken her to the vet yet because when she thinks we aren't looking, she will put that paw down. I'm sure it's hurt, don't get me wrong, but the dog loves attention. She just LOVES sitting in my lap when I apply ice packs to her foot. She is also using the paw when she sneaks up on the couch at night. (She actually lies in our bedroom until she thinks we're asleep, then moves to the couch.) So anyway, we're keeping an eye on her. There's some swelling in her "middle toes" but it's not too bad.

We ended up completely replacing the neighbor's mailbox. Fortunately, he was happy with that. The old one was there when they moved in, over 30 years ago. It really wasn't stable, either. The rebar was rusted through and there were shims which were obviously recently added below the stack of cement block. Quite frankly, it was a hazard. You'll see their front retaining wall is also collapsing. Everything around here is built on clay, and all the older retaining walls have that problem. I am sure the cement "footing" around the original base was added after the fact, after the ground shifted. So, I'm hoping the neighbor isn't too upset with the new mailbox. Maybe I'll make them some cookies or something. And some for the guy with the labs, too.

How to increase Etsy Sales

Here's an interesting post in the Etsy forums regarding how to increase sales via Etsy.

Will be searching for more posts/blogs to bookmark...

More pictures of the speedy baby

We hear a lot of *slap* *slap* *slap* *thump* *thump* around here. :) Don't ask me where the past 6 months went or where my little eating-sleeping-pooping machine went, but apparently, the worst possible punishment for a baby who just figured out how to move around is to put her in a pack-n-play. Only slightly less horrible is to take items of interest (remote control, dog toys, cell phones) and place them out of reach. Speaking of which, I'd better go chase down my little speed demon. :)

Kassidy's Kreations

For today, here's my friend's shophandmade store:



Cute, yeah?

Sunny Day!

I'm so grateful for a break in the weather... and a spare moment to take advantage of the natural lighting conditions! Honestly, nothing beats natural light when taking photos of jewelry. Everything else just ends up distorting the color. And because color is so important when selling jewelry online, I don't mess with the photos except cropping and straightening. I could think of nothing worse than someone deliberately manipulating a photo to the extent where it no longer accurately reflected the actual creation.

Anyway, I hope these photos are a little better than the ones I posted earlier this week. With some work, maybe I'll get some new things listed on Etsy. It's just so hard to keep up these days, now that I have a speedy baby!

Sari Ladder bracelet

I think this bracelet has an interesting color combination. It reminds me of a sari, with the rainbow type sheen on the hot pink beads. This was put together using bugle beads in a ladder stitch and some Delica seed beads for embellishment. The end result is a ribbon for your wrist! If I had enough of the bugle beads, I probably would use this color for an embroidery project. Unfortunately, I only bought one gram, and when I went back to Bead It, they didn't have the same beads anymore.

I'm playing with different colored backgrounds before listing on Etsy. Eh. Yellow on yellow doesn't seem to work so well. Back to the drawing board!

Valentine's Day Czech Flowers

Here's a twist on the popular Czech Glass Flowers! These are drilled differently, so that they form a fuller garland when strung together. I love this bracelet, from the beautiful blossoms to the dainty little Swarovski crystal bicone accents! The inspirational plate is made of pewter and sealed. Everything is double-strung to ensure durability.

Fishy Earrings

I love these little glass fish beads! These cute earrings are made of glass and freshwater pearls, with some sterling accents and handmade Bali Silver spacers. They were kind of a pain to wrap because the headpins are so tiny. But anyway, they're a fun pair of earrings which have about an inch and a half of dangle to them.

More pictures coming!

Baby on the Run!

I can't believe she's almost 6 months old, but she's sitting and low crawling like a pro. The "fun factor" is quickly increasing, as I chase the run-away baby around the living room, trying to get the dogs' toys out of her way faster than the dogs can bring them back to her. Here she is, trying to get into the basket of work out gear that I haven't touched in several months. Ummm... yeah. Maybe I should bead less and get out of the house more.

Fish & Flush

Well, here's something that combines a couple of hobbies I've had... fish and home improve- ment. How weird is this? I guess it makes fishy funerals easier?

The New Adventures...

One of my best friends and I joke about the PTA mommies on a certain sitcom. Except that we are the PTA mommies. Sort of. Neither of us is a bleached blonde, or especially gossip-y, but we both volunteer at our kids' schools.

So anyway, my son is at a new school this year. I volunteered to get to know some other moms. Silly me, I figured an annual fundraiser would be a relatively simple way to break into the PTA mommy circle. I should've known that this school would host a black tie event in a place like this:



Nobody hosts black tie ANYTHING in Hawaii... even weddings don't get that formal.

A Worthy Cause

You may recall that a few weeks back, I started going through my beading supplies and picking out things I wouldn't be using. Although I tried listing some silvertone stuff on Craigslist, there really isn't much market for silvertone. It really is best for folks who are learning new techniques and skills, so you can mess up the cheap stuff instead of precious metals, which are far more costly. Anyway, in the Etsy forums, there is an organization soliciting donations for beading supplies. Basically, a group of kids are going to be learning to bead and using their projects to start a small business. So, you betcha... I'm sending this stuff to them!

If you also happen to have stuff to donate, let me know and I'll email you the mailing address separately.

Baby Bling

Ok, my fiance thinks I'm a little nuts, but I couldn't resist making up a cute little bracelet for the baby. It's strung on 7 strand 44lb test jewelry wire, double crimped on each end, and has a magnetic clasp for safety. The magnetic clasp is terrific for people who don't like messing with clasps (arthritis, carpal tunnel, etc), and also for wearers who may get snagged on something and need a safety release (babies, small children, animals).

Speaking of the baby, guess who's awake! :)

Hawaiian Hiking Guides

I grew up on the Big Island (Hawaii), where you can still find good (safe) trail hikes which aren't crowded with tons of joggers, dogs, and other hikers. As a teen, I went on lots of hikes with friends and through school. Hawaii is beautiful, but the Hawaii you see when you hike to less accessible spots is WAY MORE BEAUTIFUL than what you'll see if you stick to the developed/resort areas. I couldn't even begin to describe what it feels like... and although there are trails which are hardcore (like a 3 week hike up Mauna Kea), many trails take only a few hours to complete and are safe and short enough for older children.

Of course, rule #1 is to go with someone who knows where they're going, and not to go alone. So what are you supposed to do if you're new to the area? Back in the day, you had to ask around. Now, you can hire "ecotourism" companies to be your guide. One such company is Hawaiian Walkways. What is appealing about this particular company is that they are truly ecoconscious. Most ecotourism companies on the Big Island use ATVs and other vehicles to transport people who want to see nature, but don't want to hike, for whatever reason. Only problem is that driving through these places ruins them. Not to mention, the best spots are still only accessible on foot. So, suck it up a little, get some exercise, enjoy the fresh air, and go see the real Hawaii! I promise, it's worth it.

Driven to Distraction

Forget hours of painful introspection or $$$ psychoanalysis! Here's a pig personality test! Draw a pig, gain insight into what makes you tick. ;) All in good fun, of course.

Just a photo today...

... because spring soccer just started.

My first cluster ring...

These days, it seems that every accessory store has some type of cluster/dangle/motion ring. They're really fun pieces and I'd have a bunch, except that the stores charge an absolutely ridiculous amount of money for a piece of jewelry that uses a relatively low amount of materials. So, before you know it, I'm muttering, "I can make that for less!" And off I go...

This particular ring uses faceted two-toned glass beads, freshwater pearls, and sterling silver. I love the way this ring turned out, so I'm keeping it. Haha. I do have enough material leftover to make another one to list on Etsy. Due to the nature of freshwater pearls and the way these glass beads are made, it's impossible to recreate the exact thing. Just as well, since the whole point of creating is to create.

I'll add pictures once I figure out what's wrong with Blogger.

Don't Just Sit There!

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is cracking down on lead in children's items, and a new law was passed last November which banned sales of all items intended for children which were not certified under 600ppm. Well, the way the law was originally worded, it would've banned handmedowns, kids stuff on eBay, garage sales, consignment shops, and donations to places like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. As you can imagine, this news didn't go over too well with most commonsensical folks, particularly in this economy.

Here's just one of the many websites collecting signatures for a petition to stop the new law from taking effect in February.

Today, the CPSC released the following "clarification" to their new law:

The new law requires that domestic manufacturers and importers certify that children’s products made after February 10 meet all the new safety standards and the lead ban. Sellers of used children’s products, such as thrift stores and consignment stores, are not required to certify that those products meet the new lead limits, phthalates standard or new toy standards.

The new safety law does not require resellers to test children’s products in inventory for compliance with the lead limit before they are sold. However, resellers cannot sell children’s products that exceed the lead limit and therefore should avoid products that are likely to have lead content, unless they have testing or other information to indicate the products being sold have less than the new limit. Those resellers that do sell products in violation of the new limits could face civil and/or criminal penalties.

You can read the entire update here.

An interesting ad for a rusty old wheelbarrow...

So, I was checking Craigslist for a jogging stroller and patio furniture. I found this ad for a rusty old wheelbarrow which is, well, very creative, shall we say? Anyway, for those of you who struggle with the copy for your listings, this could be amusing. (Not a picture of the actual wheelbarrow.)

Spiral Lanyard

Ok, so here's another ongoing project... a spiral using 5 different beads in 3 different sizes, which started out as a bracelet and got out of control. I made three trips to the bead store to resupply so I could make it longer.

Ultimately, this (I hope) will be a custom lanyard for my security badge, if I ever manage to get hired into my old line of work. The only thing holding me back from finishing this project is deciding on how I plan to attach a security badge holder to the beaded necklace. Due to my pack-rat-iness, I have several different options available. :)

When I was in uniform, I used a retractable clip reel style badge holder, which attached to my pocket. Most women's clothes do not have convenient places to clip something like that. Rather than walk around with a shoelace around my neck, I thought this might make a nicer statement. I guess I'll have to make a couple different colors to coordinate with different clothes, huh? Well, I don't think I'm making another spiral lanyard. I found some tutorials on Russian and Dutch spirals, which would make some really pretty (read: sale quality) bracelets.

Happiness

It occurs to me that I haven't actually posted about beading in about 3 weeks. Part of that is because I've been busy, part of it is that I rely on natural lighting for my photos and it's the rainy season. This is a stretchy bracelet. I have to admit that I started out with stretchy bracelets because they were easy and didn't require special tools. Then, as I got into more complex patterns, the stretchy projects fell by the wayside.

Anyway, I've been trying (and failing) to capture the crackle in the crackle glass beads used in this bracelet. The beads are also very subtly colored in light and cheery shades of yellow and lavender. Unlike the earlier versions I made of these bracelets using glass chips, these are rounder and smoother, and feel more like sparkly and cool glass pebbles. Since they are heavier, I strung them twice. You can see this with the double (parallel) seed bead spacers... if only I could capture that detail with the lousy lighting conditions. Oh well!

Businessweek article on Twitter

Hmmm. One of the tips on Etsy to generate more traffic and sales is to use Twitter to update folks on various new listings and whatnot. Personally, I find it irritating to get two dozen daily updates on stuff someone else is listing on Etsy, multiplied by the hundred or so "Etsy Tweeters" that I follow... so I use Twitter to update my Facebook status and blog.

Here's an article in Businessweek about CEO's who use Twitter for business applications. Thought it might be of interest to freelancing friends who also use Twitter.

Upcycling Heaven

I don't do Aloha Wear. Maybe it's because my grandmother bought me mu'u mu'us for Christmas as a young child when all I wanted was a Strawberry Shortcake doll. Maybe it's because I couldn't wait to leave Hawaii as a teen. Maybe it's because I'm petite and shy and don't like bright colors or loud prints. Anyway, when I heard about a store which took old mu'u mu'us and made them into peasant tops and skirts, I thought it was a bit odd. I mean, those were items I wouldn't have been caught dead in the first time around... but after they'd been sitting in a plastic bag in someone's closet for a decade?

Anyway, there's a store in Kailua, barely 5 minutes away from my house called Mu'u Mu'u Heaven. It's been open for a couple years, but I never went in because, well, I don't do aloha attire (except on one occasion, when I was teasing some horribly cheesy colleagues in the military, who dressed like they were color blind twins). Not to mention, it's a boutique. The last thing I wanted to do was pay boutique prices for dresses in patterns I loathed in the early 80's! I guess they've expanded since the last time I read an article on them, upcycling old sundresses, not just the nasty old Hilo Hatties touristy crap you get in the local thrift stores.

Apparently, President Elect Obama and his family have taken several of his late grandmother's old mu'u mu'us to the ladies at Mu'u Mu'u Heaven. They are designing some upcycled items for the Obama's to remember her by. Here's a link to the news clip. Just thought it was a neat idea, and inspiration to my crafty mom friends. I have lots of great dresses sitting in my closet which don't get worn. Maybe the baby will be the most stylish little girl of 2009. You never know!

So here's your picture for today...

Can you tell I haven't recovered from the holidays just yet? Here's a picture of the kids on Christmas morning. Notice that while my son is smiling nicely (so that he can open his presents), my daughter is looking at me like, "Why on Earth did you wake me up so darned early???" Not to worry. She quickly learned that the best part about presents is eating the brightly colored wrapping paper.

Hearts for sale...

The latest victims of my "beading housecleaning." I bought a dozen of each style of heart charms/pendants, intending to make a charm bracelet. They were too big for a charm bracelet. I did make a cell phone charm for my old phone, though, and you could easily add a jumpring or bail and turn them into pendants. I'm keeping a few to play with, but am getting rid of the rest of these. Since they're pewter, I'm going to sell them in lots of 4 and list them on Craigslist first. If they don't sell in a week, I may list them on Etsy.

My Blog Resolution

Someone announced on Twitter that their goal for the year is to post one new photo on their blog everyday. I can't promise I'll keep up with one photo every single day, but I can post 365 photos this year. They just won't be all about beading.

This is a picture taken at mochitsuki (aka pounding mochi, making mochi, etc). My father's family pounds mochi on the Sunday preceeding New Year's Eve. When I was younger, my grandfather used to host the entire family at his house. Now that my grandparents are in their 80's, we gather at my dad's house instead. It's a royal pain in the butt, so many families just throw their rice in a mochi maker (very similar to a bread maker), but mine insists on doing the whole shebang.