I'm on Fiyah!

I am an embarrassingly bad blogger!!! So to recap since whenever it's been... I had shoulder surgery shortly after Christmas. All went well, and I should be pain free in about 2 more months. My doctor was so impressed today with my range of motion, he's not even sending me to physical therapy. Hooray!

I've still been keeping up with my jewelry, though maybe not at the speed I have in the past. I've got a bunch of new stuff to deliver to the salon tomorrow - I've had nothing there since the beginning of December, which is inexcusable.

Now I must show you what the wonderful and uber-talented Susan of Libellula Jewelry did. Several months ago, she offered to make me some copper tags for my jewelry. I know she did it for a couple of others out there too - Keirsten and Brigitta at least. She sent them to me before Christmas, and I have neglected to blog about them. They're wonderful and I can't wait to start using them! I just haven't made any copper necklaces that hook in the back since then. She sent them bright and shiny, and I immediately dunked them in the LOS. I've buffed a couple, but figured I'd do the rest on an as-used basis. Pardon the indoor, Ott-lit, iPhone photo of them, but you can see how fabulous they are! And if you are tempted to order some of your own, she would be happy to design some for you!

I also had the chance to meet and hang out with her over the holiday season. She's super cool and so easy to get along with. She was in town again last weekend doing a table at an Art Market in the hipster part of town, and she asked if I wanted to split a table with her next month. Apparently that market encourages people to split tables; so I agreed to do it. It's a weird weekend to do a market, i.e., Mardi Gras weekend. So I'm not sure how many people will be attending it rather than parades, or if those who do go will even be looking for jewelry - since it's touting that weekend as Last Minute Costume Sale - the Bywater hipsters are massively into fabulous DIY costumery. No matter what, it'll be fun and it'll be good exposure for both of us. I also kinda sorta think some of the artsy folks who attend that market will likely be more my demographic than the last several markets I've done. So crossing my fingers and toes for that!

Did I mention that I got a torch for Christmas? Of course that led to: oh, and I need pickle. and a pickle pot. and crosslock tweezers. and copper tongs. After I finally managed to get all that, I spent the better part of last weekend making ball end headpins and a few clasp hooks. It was SO MUCH FUN! And another friend who has a tumbler offered to tumble it all for me, and of course I let her keep some for her trouble. Weirdly, they all curled up in the tumbler. I guess I cut them too long? Or is that the usual?

Not really a problem, as I can straighten them easily enough, and some of them are halfway to being earwires anyway! Notice the two sterling ones in the bottom of the picture. They did not curl. All of this is 20g.

So yeah, I'm gonna need a tumbler now. All because I wanted a torch! How it grows. Surely it'll be a kiln soon, and a new place to live so I have room to store/use all these things.

Here's a necklace I made last night featuring one of my fancy new hook clasps!

I love it! The heart, in case you didn't know, is from Nancy Schindler of Round Rabbit fame. So that sorta matching bead on the side there? It was all white carved cinnabar so I took some black acrylic paint and rubbed it in there, and sealed it with renwax for good measure. How perfect is that? I suspect I'll be doing that again, 'cos I got another one of these hearts in teal.

Now for some earrings made with my exciting earwires:

Note the teeny 24g headpins holding the green garnets. I am awesome. Haha. Really though, I'm so excited about all this.

I will be back to blog again soon, I promise!