New Stuff

This month has been super busy. Between playing catch up with jewelry, doing classes at the knit shop and personal knitting I feel like I've been going non-stop. I am definitely looking forward to the 3 day weekend coming up.

On the knitting front I am still working on that shrug. I hate to admit it but right now it is hibernating. I just can't bring myself to owrk on it right now. This weekend also starts the Gothsock knit-a-long. I have been totally hoarding this yarn here lately and recently picked up three skeins in her shop update AND got in on the sock club that opened up yesterday. I already have the pair of socks I want to do picked out and I also plan on doing some arm warmers since this knit-a-long is from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

As for my shop, sales have been terrific this month which is great but is kind of bad in that if you don't have as great of a month the next month it's kind of depressing. For now I'll take it and be happy though. If next month is a slower month sales wise at least I'll have time to make new things. I ordered some new supplies a couple weeks ago that came in last week and I've been having fun with that. One of the things I purchased were these sterling silver flower bezels that fit 6mm cabs. Here is the first bracelet I made where I set jade and lapis cabs in them.

I sold a lot of wire wrapped pendants this month and am trying to replenish the stock. I also finally found some carved shell cameos for a decent price. Here are the two newest pieces. I love both of these so much, they turned out beautiful.

It's not perfect but it's a start

So, earlier I said I was wanting to get into the metal working aspect of the jewelry making. I ordered some silver sheet and bezel wire and some other needed tools that came in on Wednesday. I was needing some more wire anyway so I picked up these additional things. For a first try at the whole process it didn't turn out too bad.


Of course I NEVER do anything basic or simple the first time around. I didn't want just a plain round bezel edge so of all things I used a pair of scrap booking scissors for cutting out decorative edges...worked great. Since this is just a test piece I decided I wasn't going to make it a pendant and once I was finished thought it would make a pretty nice center piece to a bracelet so I puched 4 holes into it and put the jump rings in. I have some unakite beads in my stash which is what the stone I used is so I'm sure I'll be able to put something together. I still need to get some new polishing tools for our dremmel so I can get it shined and cleaned up a bit more.

Other than that which I did this morning I've been busy wrapping stones. I have to admit that for pendants, I still prefer the wire wrapping method to making them. I really wanted to learn the soldering and metal work for rings and I do think it's something I'll be able to do. Here are the stones I've wrapped so far this weekend.


From left to right, Malachite, Larimar, Labradorite, Larimar and Tourmaline in Quartz.

Circle Update

Last night I did the deed and took my work off the needles to make sure my increases weren't too much. I was quite pleased with the results because everything looked fine and I didn't have to tear back any rows to re-do anything. Right now I'm alternating some purl rows into my work to give some nice little ledges going around. I'm about done with that and have to figure out what the next stitch pattern will be. Tonight I'll dig through some of my pattern books and try to find something interesting yet simple for in the round and increasing.

On the jewelry front I haven't done much. A couple of days ago I wrapped two stones, one completely and the other just to the point that I need to figure out what the design will be with the remaining wire. I also have two dried flower pendants I need to finish with resin. I experimented briefly with the torch last night and made a couple of beads so I've been active, just haven't put the finishing touches on a lot of things. All in good time I guess.

3-day weekend...

It's finally the weekend and I get Monday off for President's Day. Work has been beyond busy this past week as I'm trying to finish up two of my maps as well as coordinate the work out of our unit for an Atlas. So, a three day weekend is more than welcome.

After being sick I've been kind of in a "crafting funk". I make jewelry and do a lot of knitting and the past couple of weeks I just haven't had the motivation, inspiration...something.

Yesterday I got three stones in the mail so I decided to start working on a new pendant for my etsy shop. I work on a lot of my jewelry at our kitchen table and I have a bad habit of while I'm wrapping a stone I'll lean back in the chair. Well, last night I paid the price because I dropped the stone which fell on the tile floor and broke. I was so mad at myself. The only good thing of it was that this stone was the same size of this really nice and flashy labradorite that I have so I was still able to use the wire. It really turned out nice. When I add the drop and get pictures I'll post it.

Also, this morning I went up to my local knit shop. I usually go almost every Saturday for a couple of hours but here recently I just haven't been making my usual trip. I have no ongoing projects I'm really interested in so I took a pattern I have for a head kercheif that I've done probably 4 times and just haven't found the right yarn for. I also just finished a totally awesome blanket for my son two weeks ago and I'm going to do a smaller version in a bright rainbow out of Cascade 220 wool. So, now I'm out of my "crafting funk" and it couldn't come at a better time wth the extra day off.

Oh and I made myself a new heading yesterday. I need to pull the color number of my background so it's not white but it's better than that generic one that I had.