Oh god no! Or, where the hell is Scotty when you need him!

Published on 13th January 201513th October 2015 by coldfeetstudio

Again with the empty tank!

Just when I finally seem to have recovered from my last, fraught with danger, danger, Will Robinson, acetylene tank refill trip, the darn thing’s empty again!

What’s up with that!

Surely I only just changed the old one out for the nice fire truck red one.

I thought I was safe for at least another six months!

Yes, there was a slight indication before Christmas that it was empty, but I just couldn’t believe it.

I thought the gauge was wrong. That just because it read empty it didn’t really mean it. That it was just playing with me because it knows how distressing the whole driving it down to the gas shop is for me when I could almost nearly blow up driving there, but more likely probably blow up getting home.

In my itty bitty Mini car which, let me tell you, doesn’t like it either.

Now it seems that I have to be even more super duper distraught because apparently you should NEVER (getting a bit distraughtier now) EVER run your tank when it says empty.

Why though?

The flame is still burning. How empty can it be?

How?

What the hell is burning when I turn it on?

So things came to a head yesterday when I was trying to make this.

Remember.

And the soldering was just being completely, annoyingly, uncooperative.

I could have listened.

I could have saved myself a whole afternoon of trying to ignore the signs.

But, and let me ask you.

Why, if you’re heating the silver, and in fact you’re even keeping the flame exactly on one spot for the whole time and nothing’s happening, would you stop?

Why, when ordinarily the silver would melt into a blubbering heap just for even looking at the flame, would you say to yourself, hang on, something’s not right here?

Why wouldn’t you just give it up and save yourself a whole bunch of frustration and anguish of just knowing that you’ll never ever be any good at this whole soldering thing anyway so why not take up mahjong instead.

There must be a mahjong club somewhere nearby.

Why!

Because I’m bloody mindedly stubborn is why.

So this is where I ended up.

The bottom is not attached yet because of the small problem with the tank, and I’m not so sure I want to put it on there anyway as I feel I’ve taken a beautiful stone and surrounded it with my hideously bulky bezel design.

But that could just be my imminent death issues talking.

Why didn’t I think to make more friends with benefits instead of shutting myself away in the studio. Surely there’s a nice one out there with a truck who’s willing to risk their life for me.

Maybe that neighbour man with the car shop in his garage, won’t mind me giving him a quick chat up.

He knows who he is. I’ve seen his tank…

So again I say my farewells, my nice knowing yous, and I know that you’ll share my regret that even though a lot of the gadgets on Star Trek are now in popular use they never have yet caught on to the notion that a beam it up machine would be particularly handy for some of us, let’s say, more fragile souls out here.

🙁

–

Once upon a time I said I’d show you my doodles…

Published on 12th January 201513th October 2015 by coldfeetstudio

But that I was afraid your computers would explode as I doodle all of the time.

Well buckle up, and perhaps you’ll want to steer clear of any electrical outlets…

This was when I was having a little brain funk.

Working on my font skills.

Now, you might say that they’re all the same, and you’d be right, so I don’t have anything to say about that, except that this is just a fraction of a fraction of doodles in about a couple trillion sketch books.

Before the jewelry was the pots.

Books and books of ceramic doodles.

And yes, even those doodles were similar to the jewelry ones.

It’s kind of nice to see a thread through all of my work, jewelry, pots, quilts, etc., even if they are all of these strange wacky images.

So I think you can see some of my jewelry in these doodles.

This is going to be today’s attempt.

Oh, and this was yesterdays.

But I’m hoping not to make anything like that one again as it’s horrible.

Onwards and upwards people.

We have a world to save…

–

Finally

Published on 9th January 201513th October 2015 by coldfeetstudio

I am back in the saddle.

If you’ve forgotten, here is a view of the central control station.

Where all of the good stuff happens.

And some of the bad.

All nice and tidy and ready and waiting.

I keep thinking I would like to get myself a proper jewelry bench.

I like the idea of getting a benchmate system, and having my work right there in front of me with an area to catch all of the droppings.

new_title_benchmate

But, I like my table, and I don’t think I necessarily want to do everything at shoulder height.

When I do want to do things more at eye level I have my super eye level descending chair to fall back on.

With its cunningly clever descender lever which can instantly take me from this

to this

in the blink of an eye.

A much cheaper solution.

However I might soon have to invest in a more expensive super eye level descending chair as the one I purchased from target for $25 is beginning to adjust itself whenever it chooses to, and I find that unbeknown to me I’ve gradually been lowered at an imperceptible rate until I’m at a, hang on what’s happening here, height to the floor.

Which always surprises me that I haven’t noticed until either P comes in to bring me a cup of tea or, more likely, ask me when the h*@# I’m coming in for the night, or suddenly something just doesn’t feel right.

It’s at this point that I feel either supremely proud of my clever improvisation, or slightly embarrassed as it seems I’ve unwittingly become the height of a small elf…

Here’s the run down on my first day at my table.

If you’re wondering, I’d put too much flux on the piece here.

Veritably flooded it actually.

Oh well… life goes on.

🙂

–

My brain on art.

Published on 19th February 201413th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I had to have a bit of a tidy up yesterday as it was all getting out of control.

Even I can’t operate under these conditions, and, believe me, I tried.

I truly think that this is what my brain looks like. Cluttered with everything going on at once. No wonder I get nothing done.

I have to ignore the outside world just to survive.

Now it looks a little calmer.

I can feel my anxiety settling down as I look at it.

A couple of deep breaths and now I’m ready to perform surgery.

God that’s organized!

Even the, lets pile everything on here because I don’t know what to do with it, table is looking spiffy.

I’ve almost frightened myself now.

Except for this complete and utter mess I could almost consider myself cured.

Oh well.

(No hope for the wicked).

P.S. Just so you know, the turquoise is causing trouble.

To be fair, the turquoise is set nicely, but the design just isn’t doing anything for me.

Have to have a rethink.

However, I did make a nice pair of earrings which I also had a lot of trouble with but I enjoyed figuring out.

I’m never going to make any money from doing this stuff as it takes me all day to make anything worthwhile.

It’s all in the process though, and, (thank heavens), I enjoy that.

–

Here are the earrings.

Every time I soldered something new onto them, something else popped off. I really should start using the medium solder as well as the easy solder. I have it but … (I was going to give you a reason for not using it but honestly don’t have one. It’s hanging on its hook all ready and waiting).

Also, one of the gems popped out when I thought I’d finished with them. I think I’m a little too gentle with setting them. It worries me that I’m going to scratch them. I think the more I do it the more confident I’ll get, however, so I’m not too concerned.

Practice, practice, practice …

–

So …

Published on 18th February 201413th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I’m going to try to make this today.

I started it last night, but it all started to go to pot and I decided to call it a day.

It’s a beautiful piece of turquoise. The colour is just stunning. Seems a shame to mess it up with my design but, as usual, I just can’t help myself.

I’ve made a few other pieces, but have yet to take some pics of them so I’ll get back to you on that.

I’ve started taking Willow into the studio with me because she just barks and barks when I leave her in the back garden, and I can’t trust her alone in the house because Pickles hates her and is on a mission to kill her. But I don’t think she likes it. I don’t know if it’s the noise I make, or that she’s simply bored, but she just sits and stares at me the whole time.

It’s not very relaxing when the dog’s not relaxed, and because she sits so close to me I get worried that I’m going to roll into her with my wheely chair. It’s all worry.

I’ve taken in her bed. Her chews. Nothing works.

It makes me feel bad.

And this cat, one of four strays in the back garden, just sits and looks at me also.

It’s a getting a little freaky.

Look at him. This could easily be a Stephen King moment.

Sooo,

That’s what I’m off to do today. Hopefully the soldering won’t be as completely disastrous as it was last night and I’ll be able to set the turquoise. If not, I’m just going to have to give it up and join the freaky cat and sit in the corner of the garden until my frustration dissipates.

If he’ll have me that is.

Btw. Don’t look him in the eyes …

–

Poor ol’ Wal :(

Published on 16th February 201413th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I thought I would show you a pic of Wally Walnut.

See. Depressed.

P says he always looks like this, but I know better.

Here he is in his go to, I’m feeling low, place.

Here he is looking after his old pal.

Whether he wanted looking after or not.

Now he’s just got me …

And Pickles.

(Pickles doesn’t like you looking at her because she’s a bit fat, but we don’t talk about that.)

Which brings me to.

Don’t you think this looks a bit like the Predator?

DSCN8956

Or is it just me?

–

Shivering in me timbers.

Published on 14th February 201413th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I’ve been cold.

Not quite as cold as some people here in the U.S., but cold enough for me.

I don’t operate well in the cold. I tend to sit and stagnate, and get colder and colder, and more and more paralyzed.

I really wouldn’t survive the End of Days when the ice covers the earth and all that terrible stuff that happens in The Day After Tomorrow. I would just lie down in the middle of the road and die.

Probably get eaten by the starving wolves first.

And then, the very next day, the sun would come out again and melt all of the ice, and if I’d only just hung on, one more day, everything would have been alright, and I would be warm and get on with my life and lived to see my grandchildren, and lived peacefully until the next disaster happened, at which point I would probably lay down and die again.

I’m a bit of a defeatist that way.

What is happening with the weather anyway.

We’re freezing. California’s droughting, and England’s sinking. And that’s not including the rest of the world.

Really best just to stay in bed.

Other news.

I had to say goodbye to Spencer the One Eyed Wonder.

He had a good life.

Look at that eye. He might just have had one, but it was a beautiful one.

And I’ve been painting.

Most of them aren’t finished because I’ve given up painting again.

I’m not good at it.

But look at this one by Jean Miro.

Why is this one good 🙁

I do like Jean Miro though.

joan-miro-artwork-large-75462

Big difference here.

So, it’s back to the jewelry for me.

This is Chrysoprase.

And this stone is Prudent Man Plume Agate.

Great name.

If you don’t hear from me for another long while it’s probably got cold again and I’ve lain down with the wolves.

No worries though …

–

Thank You

Published on 28th December 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I had a little run of sales just before Christmas.

And was able to send $1,000 to Care.

That makes my total to date

$13,500

Onwards and Upwards people

🙂

–

Alarm 1 / Sleep 0.

Published on 2nd December 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I had such good intentions for today.

I was going to pretend I was a grown up and take my jewelry seriously.

(Again)

I was going to quit painting and make beautiful cabochony necklaces and silvery bracelets instead.

But then the power went out at 11 pm last night, which was great as it was so quiet with no a/c, fridge, pumps etc., going. And it was night time, so no need for electricity. Right?

At 4 am the house alarm went off. The electricity hadn’t come back on so I bravely had P go check everything while I had some juice.

It was quite bright as the Christmas lights on the house opposite, where the electricity had chosen not to go out, were shining like a hallelujah moment.

Everything seemed fine.

Just as we settled back to sleep, the electricity man came and parked outside our house. P said it was a slightly early school bus, so I made him get up and look for being so ridiculous.

That will teach him not to recognize the sound of two utility vans with flashing lights and motors running sitting on your doorstep.

I mean what school bus has flashing lights?

I forgave the utility vans as they were saving the world, one transformer at a time.

We settled back to sleep.

Five minutes later our alarm went off again.

And again. And again. And again.

First at five minute intervals then at three until our brains exploded and began to seep out of our ears.

Turns out the alarm had been on the back up battery all night and was now running low and screaming out for a service, which was all well and good but no matter how much we told it to stay calm and that we’d get it help first thing in the morning, it just went on and on with its temper tantrum until we couldn’t go on any more.

We pressed all its buttons, calmly at first in that, we’re the boss of you, way, but couldn’t turn the darn thing off and eventually had to call the nice alarm lady who helped us find its reactor core so that we could pull all the cords out and shut it down.

It was touch and go let me tell you.

So now, I am really, really, tired. Like my face is falling off tired. And all my good intentions have gone out the window.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll be a fearless jewelry maker, but for now I’m going to work up enough energy to get out of bed before I have to take Spencer the One Eye Wonder to the vets.

He’s very, very old and needs lots of love and attention.

So I will leave you with a doodle.

flowerpot

And a pic of Wally Walnut.

I keep telling him that he doesn’t have to bow down to me, that I consider him an equal, but who can stop adoration at its highest.

I do feed him after all.

–

Happening stuff

Published on 14th November 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I’ve been adding new pieces of jewelry to my Tictail shop.

I’m quite pleased with Tictail. It’s easy to use and I think it looks nice. So far not many sales so I guess I’d better get my act together and take my chicken boots off and start handing out business cards. I was going to ask to leave some at the hairdressers this morning, but accidentally, on purpose, left them at home.

No hope for me yet.

But, I did send out postcards 🙂

I think they came out pretty good.

If you need some you can get them from vistaprint

I’ve haven’t seen one in person yet, but you can put the addresses on the card along with the postage which saves a lot of fussing and post officing later.

I’ve always worried about my photographs, but think they’re definitely getting better.

Oh the burdens of being a perfectionist …

I’ve also been working on some rack cards which are longer. I’ve been thinking of leaving them in shops for wholesale, but I haven’t quite got my head around the wholesale thing yet so I keep procrastinating.

brochure

They’re pretty much the same, but I thought I could get more information on the back.

I don’t know, I might just stick with the postcards.

So that’s what I’ve been up to.

That and finishing the quilt.

I think I’ve got about 36 stitches to go then I’m done. I’ve only been quilting in the evenings, but I’ve been dragging my feet over it a little. It’s still in time for Christmas though so I consider that a success 🙂

I also was just able to send $2,000 to Care for the Philippines. So I’m pleased about that.

Oh, and I’ve also been working on my mailing list.

Like a big girl.

HERE

It’s all happening at my house 🙂

What have you been doing?

–

The Green Bellied Corfunculus

Published on 6th November 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I wanted to show you this one’s progress so I started by looking at my doodles.

To get in the mood.

Then I found a stone and designed around it.

And included a little bit of the left over filigree experiment.

I traced the finished shape on some sticky back clear film (which I forgot to photograph) but here’s the general shape

Next I wrapped the stone in bezel wire.

Like so.

And then everything went to pot and I forgot my good intentions of showing you my process and delved into the world of turquoise jewelry design ponderings until –

lo and behold

The End.

So now all I have left is to present you with this.

And its story.

–

Today Marcos Haverbrook, Royal Jeweler to HRH Significanta Regina of the Kingdom of Spry, made this outstanding piece to commemorate the upcoming Festival of Awkward Flowers which is to be held in honour of Cornelius Audenberry III, intrepid botanist to the Queen. Audenberry arrived safely back from his latest expedition to the small islands known as The Bora Kowlandis last month and has since been documenting his discoveries with the aid of Haverbrook, and Trevor de Manous, Royal Painter. The Bora Knowlandis, which are located in the Black Fur Waters of the Jinta Ocean, is home to hundreds of extraordinarily rare botanical species, including the Green Bellied Corfunculus which has been so beautifully captured in Haverbrook’s exquisite work as seen above.

Also to be shown at the festival will be a selection of de Manous’ vivid representations of Audenberry’s field sketches. Including this one of the Startled Bee Trap which Cornelius found growing near the north shores of the third island known as Lower Knowlandis.

The Festival of Awkward Flowers is to be held next month in the Royal Gardens.

–

I’ve been painting

Published on 31st October 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Or rather, oil pastel-ing.

I think this is my favourite medium. The colours are so rich and meaty.

I find it hard to get back into jewelry after an art show. It’s like I’m all jeweled out.

I did fairly well at the festival. I made a thousand dollars, which, with what I already have, brings me to fifteen hundred.

I think this time the money is going to the Water for India thing, and Syria again.

Although I’m going to check out the Indian charity a little more first. I don’t usually give to the smaller charities as they aren’t so well known.

I don’t know, sometimes I get disheartened. It all seems so little for so much, but I can’t worry about it too much otherwise my brain will explode.

And that might hurt a bit.

So, I will leave you with a picture of my son in his halloween costume.

If you see him, please take him directly to the nearest psych ward.

He needs all the help he can get.

–

Well I tried out the filigree thing.

Published on 13th October 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

And I’m not sure I like it.

Granted, I did it my way.

Thick wire, not thin.

But, it’s just not my thing.

I might make another or

I might not.

It needs a little more cleaning by the silver ball, and I did enjoy making it,

but …

–

Good Grief

Published on 9th October 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Just when I thought I was safe.

Just when I was going to buckle down and finish Hope’s quilt.

I had to go and watch this.

(here)

Man!

Well fortunately I’m just an evening quilter so once I get the back done and sandwiched I’ll be able to get back out to the jewelry studio.

Too much to do and not enough time.

Better get started …

–

This is today.

Published on 2nd October 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I finished sewing the flowers on the quilt last week, but then I just had to have a jewelry moment.

Also, a housecleaning moment!

Who knew that would happen. Have to take advantage of that when I can.

I changed my studio rooms around a couple of weeks ago, and am really enjoying not being so cramped.

Of course, I’ve still managed to fill every square inch of space.

I do try, every so often, to clean up a bit though.

See.

I found some old clay pieces.

I particularly like this out of shape, cellulite-y, lumpy woman.

Makes me feel normal.

And I leave you today with

True Love.

🙂

P.S. Off to tackle the quilt border this afternoon.

Happy Wednesday.

–

And what exactly happened here?

Published on 21st September 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

You went into the quilt shop for white background fabric, and?

So you’re trying to tell me that tangerine is the new white?

O.K.

I’ll buy that.

–

Amazingly tidy quilt table.

Look at it now, because it won’t last long.

–

First cup of tea.

(Actually my third. I’d already had two before I even made it to the quilt room).

Then I continued to make flowers and arrange them on the new white background.

I think it’s getting there, but the orange certainly surprised me.

So I had to have another cup of tea.

And I’m still not sure.

So I walked away for the day and went into the studio instead.

And made a bracelet.

I also found a (very) old photograph of me when I was at art school.

Could I look more grubby?

That jacket cost me 50p at the Help the Aged shop in Winchester. It was an old dustman’s jacket. My sister wouldn’t walk next to me when I wore it.

I have no idea why.

–

The line up – revealed.

Published on 18th September 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

But first.

Today’s cup of tea.

Well, one of them. I’m usually a four cup a day girl.

So,

Here are the five great, Hope’s Quilt, bonanza flowers that have made the final cut.

Except maybe this green one.

Which might need a little something more.

See, compared to the others, it’s a little too green.

Then I got a little distressed with the state of the fabric stash. Because it was everywhere. So I took a break to clean up a bit.

I know, shocking.

Then I had to hide away in the studio because the a/c man was coming, and so I made a few pairs of earrings instead while P dealt with the man.

But not to fear.

Tomorrow I will be back on task.

–

New chain.

Published on 16th September 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

1.5″ lengths of 18 gauge fine silver wire.

Wrap around a mandrel as below.

DSCN8770

Join together

Ball up the ends with your torch.

Fuzzy photographs. Sorry.

Give it a friend.

Repeat

Repeat again.

Until desired length.

As this is fine silver the ends ball up perfectly, but the links are very soft.

So, tumble to harden.

By the way.

This is what I did with the other half of the amethyst.

Happy Monday 🙂

–

And now for something completely different …

Published on 13th September 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

O.K. Perhaps not that different.

Click on the image if you really need to know what’s going on here. Remember, you can never undo what you’ve seen once you’ve seen it. Otherwise scroll down to see what magic is going on in the studio this time.

–

O.K.

So you bought this piece of amethyst a long while back

because you made this (below) about six (or, you can’t really remember) months ago and thought you’d have another go.

DSCN8675

But the new piece of amethyst broke before you really had a chance to see what you could do with it.

You wasn’t too upset about it, however, as it was much thicker than you thought it would be, and kind of ugly – ish.

And then you remembered that time when you decided to banish amethyst from your studio completely.

But, when you were cleaning out and moving your studio around you found the piece again, and, as stubborn as you are, you decided that surely you could do something with it.

So not to be defeated you take the smaller half, because you don’t really want to waste that much silver on it if it’s not going to turn out well in the end.

You decide that it is kind of nice after all, in that broken, lonely way that only a broken, lonely piece of amethyst can look. and you decide to make it a collar out of bezel wire.

Just to cheer it up.

Then, you stamp a strip of silver with the new stamp you bought from Larry.

And solder it on to one end of the collar.

Then you do the same to the other end.

You file the ends flush with the longer sides of the collar.

And repeat the soldering process on both the longer ends.

Note: You had to cut the outer layers of silver longer than the bezel wire because the inner collar wasn’t long enough to cover up the ugly stub end of the amethyst which, for some unfortunate reason, also has a large grubby hole drilled into it.

You file everything flush once more, and then solder a fifth strip to the top.

And sigh quietly to yourself when the thing fits back on top of the stone.

Because you really were wondering if it would.

You’re not completely happy with the top edge being visible and wished you’d inserted the top sheet of silver inside the cap so you wouldn’t see it, but, on the whole, you decide it’s not too bad.

You start mulling around ideas of how to make a bale for it when,

Drats!

Those people that live in the house with you have come home from work, again, and now you have to go inside to cook for them 🙁

My life. I’m telling you!

So ….

It’s now tomorrow and you’re kind of thrown off your groove a bit and don’t really know what to do next with your small piece of dressed up amethyst.

So you play around with all sorts of beads and such.

You kind of like the funky look of this yellow lamp work bead that Kim made, but because you’re not absolutely sure you decide to move on from that somewhat strange idea.

You’re going to save that little beauty for another day.

And then, you have an idea.

So you take a lump of silver that just happens to be hanging around on the table.

And hammer it into a disc.

You draw some leaves on it

and place it next to the amethyst to see what you think.

You’re actually not convinced about it, but now you’re a bit fed up with all the indecision that’s been going on and decide to proceed anyway.

So you cut the leaves out.

And because you never know what your going to do before you do it, you now have to cut a slot out of the top of the box you’ve made for the amethyst.

This would have been easier had you planned out everything before hand, but then, that wouldn’t be as exciting.

Far better to live on the edge.

You cut a rough prong out of the disc and now have something to slot into the box.

And, remarkably, it seems to fit!

So you square up and file down the prong to fit flush to the inside and then solder it on to the box.

And slide the amethyst back into it.

But you’re still not sure if you like it.

Oh well, it’s too late now.

The End.

–

Thanks for showing me yours.

Now I’m going to make one 😉

–

It’s going to be a good day …

Published on 10th September 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I’m gradually putting some new things up on Etsy.

I always balk at doing this as it seems to take so long to list everything, but the stuff is beginning to pile up and it’s all getting a bit overwhelming now.

I’m still working on my own website but, again, it’s taking its own sweet time because all this photographing and describing rigmarole simply isn’t as fun as making the stuff.

But look at it.

Who wouldn’t want a little piece of these lovelies 🙂

AND

This time I’ve decided to send my money – here

It’s a little off from my usual choice, but a girl can change her mind, no?

Watch the videos – here, and – here.

So the next $1000 I make is going to India. I’ve already made $400 of it so not much further to go.

Hell, I might even send it now and just wait for the money to catch up 🙂

–

P.S. Studio still in a mess. Please send help!

–

Happy Tuesday everyone!

–

I’m gonna have to get me some new pixies.

Published on 7th September 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I’m in the process of changing around my studio. The jewelry and painting have been nagging me for a bigger space as they’ve decided to sprawl and now take up every available inch of the back room. I love the ceramics and it’s always there waiting for me, but I think it can manage the smaller space.

It would probably enjoy the quiet more.

So I’m in the middle of the great switcheroo. Something that sounds as if it should happen overnight while you’re sleeping, but apparently my little pixie helpers are on strike, so I’m now into my fifth day!

O.K. so I’ve not put in full days as I get put off too easily, but if this whole thing is going to last more than a week, which it looks as though it might, I may well have to start drinking – again!

Either that or sack all of the pixies and get me some more. Forget the picket lines, I’m getting desperate here …

Yes I had to move that big hulking shelf that’s hovering in the doorway all by myself.

Practically, almost there.

(Well, this little corner anyway).

The soldering area is a little annoying as the table legs get in the way, and I’ve enough bruises as it is, so that might end up swapping spots with the buffing machine except the buffing machine is still in big trouble after my latest injury.

No, I won’t take any responsibility. It was all his fault.

I don’t know why Willow’s so exhausted.

She didn’t lift a paw.

Man! You just can’t get the help nowadays …

–

Chasing and Repousse

Published on 6th September 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

For my first attempt

I went with a simple shape.

I’m not really a heart person so I don’t really know what went on here, but it is a simple shape – I guess.

And I worked it until I got to this.

Very, very simple, but it was good to get the feel of the pitch, and tools, etc.

Looking forward to tomorrow when I get to try again.

P.S.

No injuries so far, but I’m not holding my breath …

–

Why jewelry making (for me) should perhaps be a spectator sport.

Published on 5th September 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

This is what happens when your mind wanders for just one nano second while you’re using the buffing wheel.

So take heed new jewelry making people.

This little beauty.

Jewelry-Finishing-Update-5

Can do this.

Soon I will make a booklet of all my jewelry injuries so that you can avoid them.

It should sell for millions.

I can’t give up though. I’ve just bought my first bowl of pitch.

No injuries so far although there were flames and smoke when I melted down the pitch lumps.

Mum always said, Why can’t you just get girly things like normal girls?

Well this is why.

I’m itching to have a go.

Lets just hope I can keep the injuries to a minimum …

–

Everything going at once.

Published on 25th August 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

New quilt design for Hope.

My 5 year old niece.

It’s getting there.

–

Paintings.

Could they be more different from each other?

–

Jewelry.

Charms.

All of which created in a complete mess.

DSCN8744

DSCN8745

But I fixed it.

DSCN8748

Now it’s boring.

Fortunately it won’t take me a nano second to get it back to normal.

–

Moving Becky into her new, horrible, gruesomely tiny, but she likes it, apartment in Austin.

It does have a canary yellow door so how bad can it be?

And,

Working on my website.

website

Didn’t need this in the end. Too much effort.

It isn’t up yet but I hope to launch it by the end of this century.

On top of that.

I made some art cards.

Did some doodles.

Drank a lot of tea.

AND

Discovered a jewelry injury in the shape of a question mark on my hand.

Weird, right?

My passing message to you.

1012662_371100259682679_1526095105_n

Happy Sunday.

–

Time for a new link.

Published on 24th August 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I’ve been off my groove, but now i’m back with a new silver link. So, if you’re in the mood for fiddly, have a go at this. Just remember my disclaimer as I’m not available to tend to any injuries incurred …

First up, and this is very important, put your i pod down the inside of your t-shirt and clip it to one of the belt slots on your jeans. This prevents the ear phones from hanging down front where the dremel and torch like to play as that could get tricky and very painful, and you might have to do the drop and roll thing on the studio floor.

Not cool.

Then turn on your murder mystery, but don’t bother with this one (here) as it was a bit long-winded and boring.

Next up.

Make your jump rings.

I use this.

J10-2

Which is the old version of this

It’s expensive. I don’t know if I would buy it again, but it’s really good at making coils. I’ve never got the hang of using the cutting wheel which might have made the cost more worthwhile, but now the coil cutting holding vise thing has been eaten away by rust so giving it another try is a pretty moot point.

Buy this tool at your own peril …

DSCN8753

Pretty bad, yes?

Anyway …

I turned 16 gauge sterling silver wire on the 9.5 mm mandrel to make a coil.

Which I then taped up with scotch tape (to secure the silver from moving), and used my jewelry saw to cut across the top of the coil to make jump rings.

I then straightened the rings so that the ends were flush and soldered them together.

Next time I’m going to just try to fuse the silver together instead of using solder – just to see if I can eliminate the bump.

I then used a pair of round nose pliers to pull the links into an oval shape.

I use these cheap pliers. The expensive pliers are good (obviously), but for me these work just as well and I like how they fit in my hand. I have two each of the flat nosed and the round pliers. One for each hand, because that’s how I like to roll, and at that price, you can knock yourself out with as many as you want …

DSCN8714

Next, put the link back on the round nose pliers and squeeze the middle together with another pair of pliers.

(Excuse my dirty fingernail. Do you think that blows my chance of being a hand model?)

When you have finished them all take your dremel, or buffer of choice, and brush the centers of the links clean as this is where you will do some more soldering.

You could also put them in the pickle, but I can’t be bothered.

I use a coarse buffer.

Take some 22 gauge wire and wrap it three times around the middle of the link.

I bend the wire first to give it a head start otherwise it can get a bit fiddly.

Once you’ve done them all they are ready for soldering again.

Put a tiny dab of solder on the back of each new coil so that it will fuse to the link.

(Note: I shaped my links so that the middle meets where I soldered the ring together the first time and there was enough solder there to re-melt and attach the thinner wire to the link. That’s probably because I used way too much solder the first time around. (I’ve been working on that). Shaping it this way also stopped the solder bump from being visible at the ends of the link. Remember – always use your mistakes for good – it’s the most useful superhero power you have).

DSCN8717

When all of your links are soldered and you have made sure that there are no sharp ends, get the jump ring maker out again and this time use 20 gauge wire on a 4 mm mandrel to make smaller jump rings .

Tape the coil together as before.

Then put it into this handy, weird, plier thing to saw into rings. This makes you remember (again) that the jump ring holding cutting vise thing that came with the jump ring maker is still rusted, but you’re not annoyed about it or anything like that …

If you don’t have this remarkable contraption, just use a vise or something equally handy.

Next join the links together by soldering two jump rings between them, a little tricky but have some faith, and voilà! you should end up with a complete mess.

DSCN8718

It doesn’t look as bad after pickling, but really? Does everyone’s work look this crusty after they solder?

Here it is pickled.

DSCN8723

I wanted to show you what I made with it, but I sold it before I got a chance.

Once I’d buffed it up it was clean and not crusty, and it was made into a bracelet with other beads and such.

Now I’m just going to have to make another so that you can see the end result.

Happy chain making and, if you can decipher my brilliant step by step instructions, let me know what you make with it.

Note that you probably don’t have to solder any of this chain to make it, however, I haven’t tried making it that way. I use solder because I want my chains to hold up to wear and tear. I also think they’re easier to form, but I could be wrong.

–

When people come to stay with you for three weeks,

Published on 30th July 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

And you can’t go into your studio because that would just be rude,

remember …

STAY AWAY FROM THE INTERNET!

Otherwise things that you accidentally might have bought using that easily abused mouse, come to your door, and keep coming, and you have to put them in a little blue baggy thing,

And hide them away before your, longing to get into the studio but can’t just now, spending habit becomes known to the other people who live in the house with you.

I mean, it’s such a small bag, surely I can’t have spent that much!

Disguised in the blue baggy thing I managed, (just you understand), to smuggle the items, (which, by the way, are still coming) into the studio, but it’s not good. ( I wasn’t in the blue baggy you understand, although perhaps that might have helped) …

The madness has to stop.

Why can’t I just spend the money on new clothes, or something.

Food for the kids perhaps?

We may never know …

–

Well done.

Published on 7th July 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Andy Murray!

77 years since we’ve had a British winner.

I played for the school once or twice, but I don’t think I was as good as he is.

Almost, but not quite.

I did have Fred Perry‘s old carpet though if that means anything.

First married, no money, renovating the house, no phone, no carpet, what’s a girl to do. Beg for carpet remnants from her rich cousin who just moved into Fred Perry’s London flat. It was old, it was threadbare, it was green, and it was in pieces, but it served us well while we saved up enough to buy our own.

Which wasn’t green.

I think my dad still has a bit of it up in the loft.

–

Anyway, I thought you might like to know that the chrysoprase is out of the hospital.

Before

After

DSCN8138

I did think about taking the thing to pieces, but then I decided to see what else I could do with it.

I think I’ve managed to resuscitate it fairly well, but I’ll know what to look out for next time.

–

Amendment.

8th July, 13

(amendment |əˈmen(d)mənt|nouna- minor change in a document)

Actually this is a pretty major change.

“The Andy Murray headlines have ignored the fact that a Briton won a Wimbledon singles title in 1977.“

Bless her heart.

My apologies Virginia.

–

I’ve been.

Published on 2nd July 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Revamping my shops.

Sounds impressive to have shops. I almost feel grown up.

–

Shop 1

Screen Shot etsy2013-07-02 at 9.08.34 AM — Etsy

–

Shop 2

Screen Shot tictai2013-07-02 at 9.14.23 AM — Tictail

–

I spent a lot of time yesterday trying to set up a website, other than Etsy, or Tictail, from which I could sell my jewelry. I already have my own domain website, which I’ve created myself using I Web, which Mac doesn’t support hosting anymore, but is still available to me as a template designer. I use Go Daddy for hosting that.

Wow, it almost sounds as if I’m website savvy. Believe me when I tell you – I’m not.

Here’s my website.

–

Screen Shot website 2013-07-02 at 9.24.02 AM — Mac Version

–

I really like the freedom I have with the Mac. I can do almost anything with it, I have control of how it looks, AND it’s idiot friendly, but although I have access to PayPal shopping carts, etc., it’s a pain in the you know where to add a cart to each and every item on these particular templates. I’m still working on it, and am determined to figure out how I can have it my way, (always stubborn, I know), but for now this website is pretty much just a portfolio.

Insert disappointed sad face here.

Etsy is great. It’s easy to use, using their posting and insurance services is a cinch, but it’s huge and I feel lost there, and although it’s only 20 cents per item to list, it all adds up and I want that money to go to my charities.

Another sad face.

I’ve looked at Squarespace, which looks great, but I’m not ready to spend $8 a month as I’m such a small fry right now.

Wix, which doesn’t look as great.

WordPress ecommerce templates, which never got back to me when I signed up for their free trial.

And yesterday, omg! Shopify. This is the one I wanted – here. Let’s just say that I don’t have a hair left on my head.

I opened up my Tictail shop maybe a year ago, but wasn’t sure about it as it was new, and just looked so low key behind the scenes that it somehow didn’t seem right to me. The themes are limited to about five, or were when I joined. But I found one that is crisp, clean and really quite nice looking. And it’s free. Great for a beginner like me. But I still wasn’t sure.

I couldn’t set up sales tax just for Texas, and got worried about that, but then I found out that it wasn’t my fault (forums are a wonderful thing) and that they just hadn’t got around to doing that yet.

Paypal worried me. I had a friend buy something to check it out, and then refunded her, but she never got the money back. It’s still lurking around somewhere in the depths of the Paypal vaults. I think.

Or is it?

So that freaked me out a bit, I mean what if that happened to a real person.

(Sorry J, I know you’re real too).

Also, I’d have to use a third party for shipping insurance unless I was prepared to charge mega bucks for posting internationally with insurance from the usual suspects. But Shipsurance seems easy enough to use. I just haven’t tried it out yet.

With all that I’ve been ignoring Tictail.

But after yesterday and the whole Shopify drama, I decided to give Tictail another chance. So we’re dating again.

To be honest selling my jewelry freaks me out. I get all het up nervous about doing something wrong, and worse, not living up to the buyer’s expectation.

I feel anxious just telling you about it here.

Where’s that SuperChicken outfit when you need it?

Well I’m not going to worry about it. Tictail and I have kissed and made up, and I’m just going to leave it at that. I just hope it doesn’t mind too much that I two time it with Etsy.

Gosh these relationships are hard.

Now I’ve got to stop worrying about that, and start feeling sorry for myself because I have to clean the house.

My dad’s coming from England tomorrow to visit for a couple of weeks, AND next week my sister’s coming! So the shops will have to be put on the back burner for now.

Blood is thicker than water as they say, and family first, right?

–

If you’re looking for an online shop, go check out Tictail and let me know what you think.

–

By Jove.

Published on 1st July 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I think I’ve got it!

Well almost.

e13

Thanks to Bob.

Who knows just the thing to give my photo’s a little more oomph.

e18a_edited-1

I think Bob is my new best friend.

Until I find another one.

You can try him out for yourself – HERE.

But you can’t have him. He’s mine.

Get your own best friend.

–

Getting a bit ticked off.

Published on 30th June 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I had P buy me a EZcube for christmas a couple of years ago, but because photographing my work annoys the #@^**! out of me and leaves me feeling frustrated, stupid and wanting to pull my hair out, I haven’t used it until today. Because he’s P he also bought me a new flash, a clip on light thingy, and a, I’ve never seen one so tiny before, tripod.

Now, if someone would just come over and use them for me, I’d love them forever.

See what it says?

“The EZcube^® is the easiest way to take great product photographs for the web or print.”

Yeah, right!

So apparently if you’ve got one of these,

You can take really, really, nice photo’s, like these,

Now, whilst I don’t particularly want my photographs to come out exactly like the ones above, I think I’m so far off base with the whole lighting experience that it’s not even funny anymore.

DSCN8285

Maybe it’s the background, but I’ve tried loads of different props and they’re all as bad as each other.

I’ve just spent a couple of hours with my super-duper EZcube and am now getting just a little ticked.

I’m determined to use it so I guess the search goes on for the best background and the best way to light the jewelry.

I feel as though I’ll never get it.

So if you want to come over and do it for me you’re very welcome, and I’ll make you a nice cup of tea.

How’s that?

–

I had a bit of trouble.

Published on 25th June 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Hate it when the drilled hole in the top of a bead fractures. It makes the bead practically useless, and these chrysoprase beads just happen to be my favourite!

So what’s a girl to do?

Pretty much this is the best of a bad job. I just couldn’t do a thing with it except try to hold it with some silver. It didn’t work well as you can see.

I think this piece is about to be disassembled and the chrysoprase placed in the hospital holding cell until I can figure out the best way to deal with it.

I will never surrender!

After the chrysoprase tragedy I made a mini me to go with this big me.

Don’t ask me why.

So, I’m still fed up today. Still homesick. Still failing at trying to appreciate where I live rather than where I think I want to live.

On top of that I can’t keep a darn pot plant alive in the whole house!

Even the flora plots against me.

AND

Somebody finished the last of MY cereal!

–

As I trudge through this dark day I will try to keep my eye upon this beauty.

553087_10151311338518525_766753738_n — Vincent Van Gogh

I believe it’s the only thing that will give me any joy today.

That and my trusty side kick

Wally the Magnificent.

And while I wallow, I will try to remember the words of the wise.

298118_243424445797794_1913325158_n

Except I think he used a dash or two of rum to help him forget his problems.

Don’t have any of that handy.

Man!

–

Why you should never leave the house on a Sunday morning with a credit card and a friend that doesn’t tell you to stop when it all starts to get out of hand.

Published on 24th June 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Save me now.

–

International Gem and Jewelry Show

Click on photographs for gemstone information.

–

Sick and Sorrowful.

Published on 18th June 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

This is what happens when you’re sick.

But, because you still want to play you gouge yourself with one of these.

Things then go from bad to worse until you give it up and go lay down on the sofa to feel super sorry for yourself yet thankful you haven’t cut your fingers off completely.

After a week of putting up with the coughing and aching and nose blowing I eventually braved all the sick people at the doctor’s office and got myself some antibiotics. You know you can get really sick waiting in that waiting room.

Here are some things I attempted to work on in the meantime.

You know, all I can say about the painting is that I really enjoy it.

There’s nothing more redeeming in it than that. My hopes of becoming a good painter are fading fast and I’ll just have to give up hoping to become brilliant at it for Lent.

Oh. That’s passed hasn’t it? So O.K. next Lent.

And here is Spencer protecting the quilt table.

Just when I decide the quilt is back on I find the room filled with kids back home from college stuff. Including a queen sized mattress belonging to the kid that quit her job and decided to come home.

Man. Will I ever get rid of them!

So, mattress picked up and leant against the wall I buckle down to picking up my quilt from where I left off, but Spencer has other plans.

It’s one obstacle after another in this house.

Good job I love him.

–

So I’ve been sick and very homesick. Fairly depressed really. But deep down I know that if I just stopped thinking about what I don’t have I would be able to see what I do have, and start living my life here as if it were my home.

After all it has been twenty-four years now.

Maybe I should stamp this on my forehead.

–

Oh, I made $500 this week for Africa 🙂 Now, that puts feeling sorry for myself into some perspective.

Happy Tuesday.

–

A good day at the art fair.

Published on 7th May 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

The weather couldn’t have been better. Usually I have to change clothes three times (I kid you not), because it’s so hot and humid that I wither away into a pile of wet sludge, which, let me tell you, is not good for business. Actually, in all the years I’ve lived here in Houston, I can’t remember a spring like it. The weather is gorgeous, and has been for way longer than it should be, which leads me to worry about imminent global doom, but, I won’t go there today as it’s too pretty outside.

The weather brought everyone out to play and there were a couple of times when there were so many people in my booth that it was a veritable people-crush. It was like that time when someone decided to see just how many people you could squeeze into a Mini Minor, but a little safer as I wouldn’t let anyone get onto the tables.

images

P’s aunt had one of these, it was like a tin can on wheels.

I sold about $1200 of jewelry, mainly necklaces, which surprised me as they are way more expensive and usually the earrings go first. My first sale was to a man who came in, looked around, and picked up four pieces for a total of $244 before I could even get my Square credit card thingy set up on my i phone. If you haven’t got one of these yet, you should. Absolutely brilliant alternative to the zap thing that we used to use before smart phones got smarter than we did. (O.K. perhaps smart phones have always been smarter than me).

You tell me. Would you prefer this.

images

Which is o.k. except that then you have to go home and input all the credit card information into ProPay, or somewhere like that, including everyone’s zip/postal code. It’s at this point you realize that you forgot to ask everyone for their d*^m zip code, and so you then have to phone everyone who bought from you and ask them to please give you their zip code otherwise ProPay won’t process their payment. Then, after a few days, you have to remember to take the money out of ProPay and put it into your bank. Both Propay and PayPal have the (Square) swipe thingy now, but you still have to remove your money later.

Or, this,

images

Which, I admit is a little disconcerting in that whole, is it really doing what it says it does or have I just given $1200 of jewelry away, department. But, let me assure you, it does do what it says, and the money goes straight into your bank. No half way house, which makes me feel very grown up, and saves my brain a lot of worrying about forgetting things.

–

So, a good day on the whole, followed by utter exhaustion the next day. I am constantly amazed at how sitting around all day, doing nothing much of anything really except talking to people and taking their money, wears me out.

So, today I am painting.

I’ve had a well deserved cup of tea.

From another new mug. (Don’t judge me because I have a mug purchasing addiction).

And now I’m feeling the love.

Except I don’t believe in signs.

Just saying’.

–

Just in case you were wondering the record is now 28 people.

I feel a bit sorry for the woman who says the experience was second best after giving birth to her child, but who knows perhaps finally being let out of a Mini is much the same really – except the other way round …

–

More tea Vicar?

Published on 27th April 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

So I woke up this morning thinking that I’d got it all wrong and the art festival was today after all.

Well, I’d be a bit late that’s for sure.

It all started because, for a month now, I kept telling myself, and everyone else, that the show was going to be on the 27th, but then I got my acceptance letter and it said it was on the 5th of May. Of course, because I just knew they’d messed up, I still worried that it was on the 27th. Yes, I did go to the, maybe they’re trying to squeeze me out by giving me the wrong info, place but, only for a fraction of a small paranoid moment, and then I told all my peeps that the 5th it was.

However, panic set in as I sat here this morning, drinking my tea, thinking about life, the universe and everything, and how much jewelry I have hanging around yet I can’t seem to stop making it, and how on earth will I ever get rid of it all, and will the finale of, The Following, be as good as we expect it to be or just another false alarm, when suddenly I just knew the festival was today and I’d blown one of my only chances to sell some of the darn stuff.

Yes, I only do one festival. Time to re-think that now that I’m a recovering super-chicken.

This, and the bizarro dreams, has led me to believe that I may, perhaps, just a smidgen, most likely have a little, (like this much ), anxiety problem.

Me thinks more tea is in order.

Don’t worry, I checked and it is the 5th.

–

I’m drinking my tea right now out of this,

It’s my new favourite. The size is perfect, the rim is the optimal thickness, it has a pleasing shape, and, most importantly, just look at that bird. As we all know, these are exactly the requirements needed for great tasting tea.

–

Yesterday I cleaned the studio even more than I did the last time by getting out the little blue shop vac and actually vacuuming the floor. Man it was bad. First I had to vacuum the filter of the vacuum. It was so chocked up with stuff from previous, garage related, vacuuming that it wouldn’t suck up a feather. So I got out the big orange shop vac and vacuumed the insides of the blue one. It was kind of like a dad giving his kid a good once over before sending him out into the real world. I have now decided to keep the little blue one for myself. P can have the big one. I haven’t told him yet as I know he’s very possessive of his ‘toys’.

Then I made this.

with a green t-shirt on!

Now, this may not sound extraordinary to you, but to my close peeps, this is huge, right? And, yesterday it was a dusty red one!

Perhaps this is why I’m having the, (this big ) anxiety stuff going on right now.

Maybe it’s back to black today.

Which leads to ….

For your entertainment.

O.K. so perhaps the whole funeral thing isn’t that entertaining, but it’s still good.

Happy Friday people.

🙂

(N.B. So, it’s Saturday. See, anxiety right there ….)

–

Nosferatu, Modigliani, and Inspector Gadget.

Published on 26th April 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Often my unconscious world is an explosion of activity, and I wake exhausted.

Last night, or I should say this morning as that’s when it seemed all the action was taking place, I was back at university. I had no clothes yet a policeman borrowed one of my bras – a mint green one, (don’t ask). I cooked the biggest potato known to mankind which surprisingly fitted into one of my smallest saucepans. I cried over my mum, I chatted with my aunt and uncle, I gave a sofa to a woman having my surrogate baby – she didn’t want it but I didn’t care, the sofa that is. I valet parked at school – shouldn’t we all. I had to explain that my sister was twenty to a weird little creepy teacher who thought she was just a very mature eight year old. (She’s actually forty-eight, but I think that would have freaked him out even more). We laughed at a satellite photo of how one part of our fence hadn’t been re-stained – in a, in your face, protest of the deed restriction nazi neighbourhood people.

Yes, big brother’s been on our back recently for fence violation, and the missing teeny-weeny flower shaped knob on the post box. Man! You’d think they’d have better things to do, especially as the fence looks fine, and, you have to believe me when I tell you, the knob on the post box is about an inch round. They probably had to use their special Inspector Gadget extending eyeballs to see that one.

They probably stole it in the first place.

And so the dream went on, scene after scene, bizarreness after bizarreness. Mostly to do with school, but I believe there was a toilet drama in there somewhere. Thankfully it wasn’t as traumatic as the time I was on a train, in the countryside, in the dead of night, and Nosferatu cycled by and looked me in the eye. That was a little disturbing. Or the time I was Steven Seagal and … O.K perhaps we shouldn’t go there.

Nosferatu_Phantom_der_Nacht

I used to have this poster on the wall when I was at art college. Perhaps it messed with my mind.

Note to self: No more creepy posters. Stick with the distorted female figures of Modigliani. They’re safer.

amedeo-modigliani-portrait

O.K. Perhaps this one isn’t.

She’s got angry eyes. And that double chin isn’t doing much for her either.

So, this is how my mornings usually begin. It’s like I’ve lived the whole day before it’s started. I actually feel worn out and ready for bed now.

But,

New stuff going on in the jewelry department.

DSCN7659 — dinosaur bone (how cool is that!)

Will I be able to cope with this much excitement, I wonder loudly to myself.

I think very possibly I will.

😉

–

I’ve made

Published on 25th April 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

A banner. And it’s really big and in your face and a bit scary.

4′ x 2.5′ scary to be exact.

Banner_Medium –

It’s for my booth at the art festival.

It going to scream, lookee, here I am, and then I’m going to have to talk to people and try to sell my jewelry to them, and that’s why it’s going to be scary.

I’m not good at that bit.

But, as I grow up, and, as in prezbillyjeff’s words to Stephen Colbert, I’d be a slug not to, I am determined to realize goal #2 in my effort to make another $10,000 for charity. So it has to be done people. The fear stops here (maybe).

It’s not going to be an easy feat considering I am the original super-chicken.

Yes, you might well have been wondering why I named my studio Cold Feet. It’s just a more tasteful way of saying chicken sh#t.

Actually it’s served me well. People remember my name, and, if you’re not super-chicken, that’s a good thing, right?

Next up I think I will make me a super-chicken t-shirt. Then I’ll be the whole package.

I’ll get back to you on that one.

–

Dang!

Wouldn’t you know there’s already a super-chicken.

Only I think he has the wrong idea about the whole being a chicken thing.

Oh well. Back to the drawing board.

–

Get your own banner – here, you know you want one. And it’s only $20. How’s that for making an art festival possibly the most uncomfortable attention seeking experience you’ll ever have.

My stomach’s hurting already.

–

And this

Published on 24th April 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Is why I don’t’ like PMC (precious metal clay).

Oh yes, it all sounds good. You can do stuff with it never attempted before, or so the rumours will have you believe, but, look at it. There must be a thousand billion dollars of the stuff on my fingers right here. And all the things I’ve ended up making with it so far are really nothing to do cartwheels over. Most of it I’ve ended up heating down into balls to use in other projects because I’m just not happy with the outcome.

Very distressing, and it makes my fingers look chubby!

After the initial stage of trying to re-condition the dried out clay from my last frustrating attempt to use it, I did manage to get it into a more stable form and not get any on my fingers, but why bother is what I want to know. It’s expensive, it’s fiddly, it’s annoying, and, so far I’ve made nothing I like out of it. So I will finish up using the blob I have and never buy the stuff again.

It’s actually a relief to find something I don’t want to do for a change. I feel a little grieving coming on for an opportunity not fully exploited, but to continue is madness.

I might very well end up in some twelve step programme if I don’t give up some of this stuff now.

–

Did she run out of things to say?

Published on 14th April 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I hear you wondering loudly to yourselves …

I think not!

Today is brought to you from the sofa after a day of wandering happily, and touching carefully, all the lovely art things at the Woodlands Waterway Art Festival, here in TX.

And, it was a beautiful day. It got a bit hot towards the end of the trek up and down the waterway, but we made it back to the car and into the Cheesecake Factory without too much moaning.

O.K. a bit of moaning.

–

Here are some of my favourite artist of the day.

Ronald Linton

Tim Peters

733836_10151532968242180_689970191_n

Alex Horst

547121_10151532444652180_1507373046_n

Brian McGuffey

63424_10151531490402180_110910308_n

Terrell Powell

12510_10151527855112180_1017581657_n

Deborah Bloom

521910_10151521852142180_847880165_n

Michele Ledoux

533892_10151516638772180_2147404283_n Steven and Beth Radtke

544518_10151498369427180_1298634787_n

Denise Greenwood-Loveless

578548_10151482688747180_1849144303_n

Chelsea Stone

226566_10151456967902180_800317371_n

Tanya Doskova

1849_10151441276667180_1221724257_n

And my very, very favorite,

Steven Graber

Unfortunately I couldn’t buy them all …

–

Baking soda, sailing ships and deadly emotions.

Published on 2nd April 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

An update on the acid spill. Not sure if the baking soda is necessary at this point, but it definitely adds to the excitement.

Not just for unclogging sinks, is baking soda the aspirin of the cleaning world I ask myself?

Going to scrub it later.

And now back to Lynley. (I know you were wondering).

One fantastically bright sailing ship docked, or run ashore, whichever you prefer, awaiting me to add its finishing touches.

And this, my friends, is where I mess it up completely and hang up my paint brushes forever – again.

Oh the troubles in paradise.

BUT!

Lynley is finished!

At last.

Unfortunately I haven’t another book to listen to, so today will have to be a silent day. Unless I get out my new, tantalizingly intriguing, self-help c.d. Deadly Emotions.

(Don’t ask).

Why I buy these things I’ll never know. What I really need is another good ol’ juicy murder mystery. Not of the Lynley kind. I suppose a c.d. with deadly in the title will just have to do for now.

–

And here I am still trying out new backgrounds for my jewels.

I call this my Carnival line.

😉

I still think I prefer my original red-dish background, but wonder if it doesn’t compete too much with the jewelry.

And now I’m off to ruin my painting.

T.T.F.N.

–

Just so you know.

Published on 1st April 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

The other day, when I decided to throw caution to the wind and paint again, this happened – but, you’ll be relieved to know that I put a stop to it as soon as I could.

First it became even more hideous – in a mocking sort of way, but I had the last laugh when it found itself in the trash.

Don’t mess with me!

So, coward that I am, I went back to the old faithful.

Which bored me.

And threatened to put me in another funk.

But, I plodded on,

Making stuff just for the sake of it,

Which bored me more.

Until finally I gave up and sulked myself further into the funk.

Is it the same funk? I wonder to myself.

Or, is it allergies? Stranger things have happened. I do live in Texas you know, and suddenly, all that green stuff is laying about, conspicuous in its innocence (to the trained eye), on all available surfaces.

This, and those wind turbine things, remind me of the late great science fiction books. The turbine things are the new and improved War of the Worlds aliens. Sleek in design yet even more sinister in their silent, never moving way. They just bide their time, collecting the wind so to sniff out human happenings, looking, but not looking, and, all the time multiplying until, before you know it, they’re everywhere, like in Sweetwater, TX.

See!

(Actually, that’s not Sweetwater, but yet another example of alien infiltration on the outskirts of a doomed Texas town. Who will be next?).

And the pollen? Well, that’s obviously some kind of insidious microorganism waiting patiently for us to inhale them into our bodies, so that they can use us as a weapon to fight the wind aliens and continue their quest to take over the universe. Some of them will be wasted, of course, but it’s a sacrifice they are willing to take.

For them, failure is not an option …

As for Inspector Lynley, I was finally allowed to see the connection between the baffling – why are you telling me this – sub story, and the main story. I must admit it was in a bit of a ‘duh’ way, like I really should have seen it coming. But, as I’m not really that invested in the story the connection caught me off guard and it ended up more as the ‘boom boom’ part of a bad joke. (Can’t really sound that out in words so you’ll just have to work with me here).

I still haven’t finished listening to the story, but we all have to suffer in our own way.

On a lighter note: I burnt a hole in the studio counter when I put the nitric acid into a ceramic dish, (don’t judge me – it said I could). It was obviously not the right kind of ceramic dish, I think because it was old and crackly. I just thought, wow, that nitric acid evaporates quickly, but no – it had seeped right through the bottom and now I have a humongous area of molten formica counter top to forever flaunt my failures. It’s as though one of those alien versus predator things has dribbled its caustic saliva onto it.

And, the moral of the story is …

Never play with acid when you’re in a funk!

I’m telling you, this mood better change quick otherwise I’ll have no studio left.

–

Be afraid. Be very afraid …

–

Exciting times in the studio.

Published on 27th March 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

There’s been a massive clean up.

Something apparently took over my body yesterday and lo!

Can you say-what happened!

Everything is in its place.

Which is kind of frightening.

In a creepy sort of way.

But, I’m liking it.

From this angle it doesn’t look like I’ve done a thing.

But, it’s my little piece of safe haven.

As soon as I sit down here I’m in the land of, What? You want dinner? Sorry I don’t do that, but you can bring me a cup of tea if you want…

Now I just have to sort out the rest of the studio and the people who live here with me will think I’ve been invaded by the body snatchers-again.

It seems that now the jewelry has apparently worked its way to the top of my creative priorities I do have one little problem to fix.

The extractor fan.

It doesn’t work. Well, it half works in a very noisy, half working kind of way.

P made it for me, (I suspect with only half an effort), but I need something efficient now as the soldering fumes are taking over and my hypochondriacal self is beginning to get all up in my face over it.

Two things I don’t like about jewelry making.

1. wearing a dust mask

2. worrying about the fumes.

O.K., so I don’t like the nitric acid either, or the precious metal clay, but that’s because I haven’t quite got a handle on them yet and so they annoy the hell out of me.

(Yes, I need to know how to do everything, and I need to know how to do it well. What? You don’t?)

So, my next project, before I die of jewelry related fume and dust inhalation, is to make myself a better extractor fan without spending a thousand billion dollars on it.

Because that just wouldn’t be cost-effective.

–

While you’ve been waiting.

Published on 22nd March 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I’ve been in a funk.

It happens.

I’m still in the funk really but I thought you might all forget me so I had to drag myself back from the brink.

I’m not in as much of a funk as Colin Farrell though, he’s having a bit of trouble with his recall at the moment. Yes, we’re watching Total Recall – again. Arnold really couldn’t do the whole, please love me I’m confused thing, as much justice as Colin. Colin has that compelling, oh my god what’s happening to me, let me show you my anguish with my eyebrows, thing going on with his face that just seemed to elude Arnold. P was a bit upset when we first saw it as Kate is his girlfriend and he was kind of put out that they put her in the evil role. I say get over it P. She’s too young for you. What the h*^*! you thinking man …

Now Colin …

I think he likes older women …

And,

here are a few items of jewelry made in the funk phase.

Just can’t seem to get that excited over them though.

Perhaps I can work it out with Farrell. If he can still save the world, or colony, or wherever they are, in his poor me, what’s going on here then, state of mind, then I can wake up funk-less tomorrow don’t you think.

Perhaps I need one of those phasey gun things though, oh, and that hand telephone …

–

Some new work and a plan.

Published on 11th March 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

These are some things I’ve been working on.

I’m interested in developing my silver skills and making more of my doodles.

I like these earrings and think I’ll experiment more with them today.

Don’t ask about the dots.

For some reason this pendant reminds me of the circus.

Not sure about this necklace. I like it but I wonder if anyone else will.

And finally, back to some old basics.

I need to make some more earrings for the art fair this April.

I’ve found a neat accounting site called Wave and have started logging in some of my numbers.

I’ve only logged in my expenses so far which kind of looks bad especially as P the Wonder Boy believes I’m all expenses and no income.

I’m not so sure. Today I will put in the sales and that’ll show him!

Personally, I think I’ve broken near enough even to be quite proud of myself, especially in light of how many supplies I have.

Not a tremendous profit as of yet, but this will be my year, I can feel it in my bones.

Now, you may be wondering where the $10,000 has come from. Well, P just happens to be my matching gift programme (told you he was Wonder Boy). I make my jewelry, sell it and say, hey P, look how much I’ve sold, I’ll send this to Africa I think. And he says, but you haven’t really made any money yet. And I say, stop being so negative, it’s all a matter of perspective.

537199_531742730191950_1814200728_n

But, people, this year I’m all business. My next $10,000 is going to be allll profit. And I might even pay P back his matching gift. Although that would defeat the whole gift philosophy, wouldn’t it …

I’m feeling it’s a great time to start.

I reached my first goal while perfecting my skills, (no matter how I got it). I had a happy birthday to me yesterday with Indian food and champagne. And now I’ve got me a whole new grown up, you don’t really need to be an accountant, really you don’t, money tracking thing.

Writing my business plan, it seems I only have three goals.

1. To mak a profit.

2. To save the world.

3. To win the Nobel Peace Price.

–

It’s doable don’t you think?

It’s all upward from here people. Good things are going to happen.

🙂

–

Done!

Published on 8th March 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

This morning I made my $10,000 goal.

Thank you to everyone that bought jewelry from Cold Feet Studio.

I really appreciate it.

SYRIA_LP_FINAL_IMAGE_2013_03_06 — Click photo to go to Save the Children.

🙂

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Winston Churchill.

–

Now, where were we?

Published on 27th February 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Back to jewelry.

I’ve been making a few things.

DSCN7349 — Sterling silver and Chinese Hemimorphite Druzy

DSCN7353 — Sterling Silver, Lucin Utah Variscite, Blue Opals and Thai Silver Beads.

DSCN7374 — Sterling Silver, Tiger Eyes, Lapis, Raw Rubies and Wooden Beads.

DSCN7375 — Copper, Tiger Eyes, Raw Rubies, Wooden beads.

DSCN7380 — Sterling Silver and Green Opals.

DSCN7387 — Copper, Green Turquoise, Blue Turquoise and Mystic Aura Quartz.

Click on photos to see examples of stones used.

I decided to go a bit bohemian with the last one, but I’m not sure I like it.

I’ve not been in the studio today as I’ve been out and about this morning and decided that I just have to go to see Life of Pi this afternoon before it leaves the cinema without me.

N and I are off in a few minutes. I loved the book, I’m guessing the movie will be good according to the reviews, and Ang Lee is just so cute, isn’t he? He seems like a nice man.

Tomorrow I’m thinking of rearranging the studio. Moving everything around. Touching stuff, throwing out stuff and generally cleaning it all up.

Big job. Not sure if I’m completely up to it.

We’ll see.

–

Studio Time.

Published on 11th February 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Today I made a ring.

And a painting

Now I’ve got to wait until tomorrow until I can play again.

🙁

–

Sigh.

Published on 2nd February 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I’ve been missing in action from the studio scene as I’ve just had to sit down and wallow for a few days.

I felt too deprived to get up and move around too much as it might have made me feel better and I wasn’t finished feeling sorry for myself yet.

You can find out the reason for my woe – here.

Before floating downstream in a stream of despair, however, I did make a few items of jewelry.

And then, a really different set of earrings for a custom order.

Not something I would ordinarily do, but I enjoyed making them.

Right now they’re on their way to London.

I also finished some glazing.

Using my new technique: glazing casual with my legs up. Man, it’s a hard life.

The kilns are on right now. One of them keeps tripping so I’m hoping it finishes.

The ones at the bottom are experiments.

And then there was a painting.

Trying out a method from a class I took.

Not sure I’ll do another.

Tomorrow, I think my little pity party might have to be over.

The studio is calling and if I don’t get up and move I think my legs will forget their job.

–

It’s all about me.

Published on 13th January 201313th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

FREEDOM!!!!

Yesterday was my first day back in the studio.

MIL flew back to England on Friday and so it was all systems go on Saturday.

Well, that’s a small fib really as I didn’t get out of bed until 11, then we sat around watching West Ham take a thrashing from Sunderland until P left for London at 1. (I don’t know why he tortures himself this way.) Of course then we needed lunch, but, by 3 p.m. it was all systems go.

That’s when I kicked myself that I didn’t get going earlier.

In the pottery room I poured water onto the dried out clay. Did I mention I’ve been hearing the pottery call for a while now? And looked around at the green-ware already made.

At the jewelry bench I took my time. I touched all my tools, bounced in the chair a few times, just to remind it who’s in charge, and then I organized all my bits and pieces into some kind of order.

Then, just as I sat down to begin a jewelry order, I looked over at the painting corner and got a bit excited at the prospect of getting out my new Christmas paint brushes and what I could do with the new canvasses P bought me, while thinking about my half sewn quilt abandoned due to holiday visitors that only just went home …

I haven’t even told you about the doll’s house.

Good grief. I think I’ve just thought myself to a grinding stop.

–

I need to stop worrying that I wont be able to fit in all the things I want to do, and just do them.

Man, that Nike girl had the right attitude didn’t she?

The only way to victory is to just do it.

Oh, and get yourself a pair of wings.

–

Being sick and also trapped in the MIL corner was a bit of a bummer in the whole boredom area. It meant a lot of internet browsing and spontaneous, poor me, purchases. Don’t tell P. Hopefully they’ll all arrive before he gets back.

To be honest, he just rolls his eyes. As though there’s no hope for me, or him come to that. But, I know that these beautiful things were made just for me. They were just waiting for me to find them.

I mean, look at it. Don’t you think that was made for me?

I also had to get some more stones.

Because everyone needs one of these, right?

Or four in my case.

And, now it’s time to get back to finishing a bracelet and, hopefully, start on a pair of interestingly different earrings.

–

To all of you reading this. Don’t worry about me … I’m perfectly sane really, I just have a bit of a, I’ve got to do everything because it’s too exciting not to, but how the hell am I going to fit it all in, problem.

Happy Sunday Y’all.

(And now I’m a Texan! Will the madness never end … )

–

Oh no, I did it again.

Published on 9th December 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Is there no hope?

I’m not even in jewelry making mode right now. I’m in quilt making mode with a slight leaning toward painting. To complicate everything, the pottery niggle is getting pretty strong also, but, I can’t cope with thinking about that right now.

So why?

il_570xN.381690857_2ax8 — light red ruby nuggets

il_570xN.315556570 — dark red ruby nuggets

il_570xN.287049876 — unpolished aquamarine

And, (save me now).

All I can say is that I had a bit of a moment on Etsy, and, I may very well have to mini ban myself from ever going back there again.

I bought this also.

(sigh).

But, that wasn’t my fault. I’ve needed this since way before I knew I did. So there was nothing I could do about it.

Look at it.

It’s brilliant.

Wally is trying his best to restrain me,

but, you see, this is what happens when you browse Etsy on a lazy Sunday morning in bed.

I guess it’s time to get up before I do any more damage.

–

Just so you know.

Published on 27th October 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

(O.K. that’s me trying to find the degree sign. No worries, I think I got it).

It’s 46˚ out there today.

Very nice. I feel as though I can breathe.

Although Wally has decided that he’s better off under the bed clothes.

Either that or he’s hiding from the wicked step cat who’s here for the weekend.

Here she is in her exorcist pose.

Freaky cat.

A few things going on right now.

First I found these.

Which I’m really excited about.

You can read about my poached egg trauma here and here.

But, be warned, it includes the word, snot.

I haven’t tried them out yet but today might just be the day.

–

And although I did say there were a few things going on at the moment, I think I lied as I can’t seem to come up with anything else.

I did find this, however,

in the cupboard, which has encouraged me to try a few more.

I’m still reading up on selling my jewelry wholesale, but haven’t got that far with it yet because it involves going out and talking to people. I didn’t know I was such a chicken.

O.K. maybe I did.

I have been listing a few more things on Etsy.

(I didn’t write that Danielle 😉 did I ever mention I was a slow learner?).

And today?

I’m thinking of getting out my PMC and making some charms. Only the stuff makes me really frustrated as all I seem to do is get hundreds of dollars of sticky silver on my fingers which is really annoying and no good for my blood pressure.

Maybe I should experiment with the copper clay first just to get a grip on things.

This is one of my first attempts before I put the stuff away in disgust.

Not very inspiring.

But, other people can do it, so I’m determined I can. Not that I’m stubborn or anything.

–

Or, I might paint.

Let’s just hope the poached egg situation doesn’t put a damper on the whole day.

I will report back …

–

I’ve been

Published on 23rd October 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Listing new things on Etsy.

Man it’s long work.

I also put something new on Tictail but I’m not sure anyone really goes to look at that.

Now I feel like this.

I think I’ll go play with a cat.

–

Saturday

Published on 22nd October 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Was the art fair.

The weather was perfect.

Which is unusual to say the least. It’s usually hot as hell, even though it’s near the end of October.

Here is my booth.

Every year, well twice a year really, after I pack up from doing this fair I swear I’m going to re vamp my booth for the next time.

Make it look more professional.

Something that looks like I know what I’m doing.

And looks as though I’m serious about doing it.

I did do something different with the earrings but the rest will just have to wait for next time now.

I’m not holding my breath.

Here’s my friend Nicki’s booth. She’s an old pottery friend of mine and it was the first time since we’ve both been doing this show that we were placed next to one another.

Of course, I had to buy some of her bowls …

again.

All said and done I made $1,000 for charity even though it was really, really slow in the morning and I thought I’d never get beyond selling two pairs of earrings.

So, thank you everyone that came out to see me yesterday. And, thank you everyone who bought from me off etsy recently.

Getting rid of my stuff means I can make more 🙂

Happy times.

–

It must be Monday again.

Published on 15th October 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

O.k. today’s the day I’m giving up painting again.

This seems to happen on a regular basis now.

This is what I feel like.

Anguished.

Pure droopy melodramatical anguish.

Hence, the above, is a small angusishy photo, because I feel small and anguishey.

(Yes, I know that’s not a word but I’m in too much anguish to care).

I might have to give up jewelry too. I haven’t decided yet, but I think it’s killing me. Slowly. In an anguishy kind of way.

I think definitely a time out is in need.

A time out to clean my studio. To get all the dust out of there. To rethink how to get all the fumes out of there. And to reorganize. It looks as though a bomb has hit it.

All you wanna, need to, I’m new to it all but just have to, jewelers out there, pay attention. It’s a dangerous hobby and could kill you at any time – or cause amputation.

Either way, it’s not good, and is certainly an inconvenience.

Don’t let me put you off though. That weird feeling in my chest could just be a panic attack waiting to happen, or indigestion, but my hypochondriacal self knows those are just lies written to assuage my fear of the inevitable.

That I’m dying.

Again.

–

To help you not die, however, take comfort. I have found this website for you.

You can now rest assured that you do not have to become as anguishy as I have.

There is hope.

–

So, where were we …

Published on 11th October 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

As you may remember I made this link.

Which was all well and good except that the chain I made with it costs 5 billion dollars as it was so time consuming to make the ends smooth enough so that they wouldn’t catch on your clothes. (This bracelet is still for sale btw if anyone has the 5 billion in cash).

So, just in case people couldn’t afford the 5 billion, I made a revised version of the link,

this time with balled up ends.

This one was, by far, faster to make but I’m not sure I prefer it to the first. However, I haven’t made a whole chain out of the link yet so I might like it more then.

See that little divot in the end of the ball?

Don’t laugh, but, I’ve just found out if you use .999 fine silver wire instead of sterling silver the balls come out perfectly. I found the wire to be a lot softer to work with, however, and it has a tendency to kink and bend and basically take on its own shape until you harden it by hammering or tumbling. Is the fighting with it worth it for the perfect ball and the non tarnished finish, I ask myself?

Myself has yet to make a decision on that count.

And, as we’re talking about tumbling …

When I first bought my tumbler a few years or six back I bought the wrong shot and it all went rusty after the first time I used it. But, even though I moaned and grumbled and wondered if I would ever use the thing anyway, I finally bought the correct, stainless steel, shot. Why do they even sell the rusty kind I want to know? When I tried it out a second time I was really put off by how long the thing had to run for it to even begin to shine the silver. I actually ran it for a good couple of hours and when I finally got really fed up with it and opened it up to take a look, the silver was still the same dirty old stuff I’d put in there. And I wont even mention the noise the thing makes, the constant droning, on and on and on, except that it’s really annoying. I even thought about putting it outside to do its thing but it’s that irritating the neighbours might complain.

Fast forward to now when I decided to give the thing another go. It bums me out that other people use tumblers and yet I can’t seem to get the hang of it and so the darn thing has been lurking in the background like a sore tooth, niggling away, and, I swear, just mocking me. So, I braced myself for the noise and disappointment, put some cleaning stuff in there along with the shot and water, and, what do you know, the whole thing leaks. The rubber seal has obviously sat too long in the cupboard. I got out an old empty glaze tub and improvised with that, just to prove to myself that this was not going to faze me, (I’d show it!), but, again, after hours and hours, the silver was still unchanged. I read on a forum somewhere that some people leave the thing running overnight. I just can’t see me doing that. And the bottom line – I don’t even like shiny silver. Must have forgotten that little detail when I bought the darn thing.

I am determined that this piece of no good equipment is going to work for me, however, and so today I am going to give it one last shot. This time to harden my silver, not to clean it, as for the life of me I don’t know if the thing would know how to clean silver if it had to save the world.

–

Here are my newest chain bracelets.

And a tiger eye and silver necklace.

In your face tumbler thing.

🙂

–

I have a new link, and I’m not afraid to use it.

Published on 2nd October 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Start by cutting the wire. This time I used 18 gauge sterling silver which I cut into 1″ strips. This makes a small link just under half an inch long. I did want a chunkier feel but I’ve run out of 16 gauge wire, and 14 seemed too thick. I’m still bummed out that they don’t have 17 or 15 gauge at Rio, they obviously don’t know that I need wire in every size.

Hammer the ends of the wire slightly,

and sand them.

As 18 gauge wire is fairly thin I used this nail file,

which I stole from my daughter. It works perfectly for small jobs, especially sanding the ends of ear wires. I have noticed, however, that the black ordinary ones seem better than these decorative ones. I know, weird, right.

O.K. now follow closely.

With round nose pliers or your super cool multi whatever pliers turn the end of the wire as in the photo.

Now bend the wire in the opposite direction using a slightly larger part of the pliers.

Now do the same at the other end.

Notice that the curve at the new end looks as though I’ve done it the wrong way round. Don’t be fooled.

Now complete the next curve, as you did the second at the other end, to make the link.

Confused?

I’ll draw a picture.

Rest assured, once you’ve done the first one, or three as in my case, it gets easier.

You might find that the link has bent out of shape somewhat depending on how well you managed to push the wire over the pliers with your fingers hurting so much, (there’s just something about bending those hard little pieces of wire that does a girls hands in), but, you can take your flat nose pliers and easily straighten the link up.

Now gently squash the middle part together with your round nose pliers.

and use that special little trick to bring the link together more if the ends don’t completely touch the middle.

Now make it a friend.

I joined my links together with a small jump ring

but you could also join the two together before closing the link.

Then I hung aquamarine beads from it and made it into a bracelet.

But!

Before you get excited,

here’s the thing.

This chain is really nice but I had to do a lot of sanding to shave down some of those curved ends.

See them?

As I ran my finger over it I could tell that without eliminating some of the end curves the chain would constantly catch on your clothing and it would be really annoying. It took me a long while to get the chain to the point where I was satisfied that it wouldn’t catch. As a consequence this bracelet is 5 billion dollars and cheap at half the price. (Does anyone even know what that means … )

As well as sanding I used my flat nose pliers to push the end flatter to the middle part of the link and that seemed to work quite well. I was thinking of balling up the ends of the wire next time to see how that turns out but I’m not sure if I’ll like it as much.

Stay tuned, I can feel in my bones that there’s more link excitement to come.

–

Here’s B beginning her second day at work.

And no, her desk is not in the toilet. At least I don’t think so …

–

Links, murder and Atticus Finch.

Published on 18th September 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Lots happening with the links.

As you can see I’ve made quite a few of them.

If you remember, this was the first piece I made with them.

And the second.

Then I got a bit carried away.

I even made a little something to go with them – just because.

Other jewelry news is that I’ve finally started to pay attention to pricing my work properly.

Thanks to Danielle who is also a jewelry maker and who has helped me begin to see the error of my ways, I have begun to work with a pricing formula. I have to say that this hasn’t been easy for me. Yep, the whole self esteem, lack of confidence, stuff comes back to bite me each and every time, but, and this is an important but, I am getting better at it. The more I work on perfecting my craft and the more I realize that what I want to do with the money I make from it is very important to me, the easier it’s becoming to take myself more seriously. Man, and it only took me fifty years!

Thank you Danielle for your nudge.

In between making the links I finally finished listening to, To Kill a Mockingbird. When I make jewelry I can only listen to audio books with earphones if they’re on my i pod. To Kill a Mocking bird is on c.d. and as I hammer a lot and plug my ears with the christmas gift, I miss a lot of the narrative so this time I could only listen when I was painting.

You wont be surprised to hear that it was as brilliant to listen to as it was to read. Sissy Spacek was the narrator. My favourite part each time is the part where Scout, Jem and Dill go to the court house when Atticus is sitting guard outside. Very powerful. Now I’m back to the murder mysteries, (don’t ask me why, maybe my therapist can enlighten me). Inspector Linley this time. I’ve seen this on the t.v. and have to say that I don’t really care for the actors in it, particularly the sullen side kick. But, she’s exactly like that in the book so who am I to criticize. The audiobook is just o.k. it hasn’t really grabbed me yet, although, again with the female impersonation. Why? is all I have to say. Why does the very nice male listening voice, have to try to play the woman as a woman? It never works. The women always come over as weak, pathetic, whiney, girly, silly people – and not in a good way. Just read me the story will you. I can imagine the rest.

Not that it upsets me or anything …

–

Silver and grunge copper.

Published on 11th September 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

DSCN6758 — sterling silver with opal bead

DSCN6764 — copper with red creek jasper bead

DSCN6763 — copper, sterling silver, and opal bead

DSCN6755 — copper, sterling silver and some bead I can’t remember … sorry

DSCN6751 — copper, sterling silver, czech glass beads and little seed beads

Interested in buying one of these? Just leave a comment and I will list it for you on Etsy.

–

The tale of two links.

Published on 10th September 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Wondering what else you can do with those links?

You remember the ones.

Well fret no more.

To find the post with instructions on how to make these click HERE, however, I will recap.

First make the links.

This time I used 16 gauge sterling silver wire and I worked on them in a slightly different way than the first post – just to keep it exciting.

Cut 1″ lengths and hammer each end as before.

Then bend them over your super neat pliers and bring the ends together with flat nose pliers.

You will notice, with some frustration, that the two ends wont come together completely flat. Things like this bug the bejeezus out of me,

so,

gently squeeze together the round end of the loop just enough to bring together the flat ends.

It doesn’t seem much but this solves the problem. Just be sure not to squeeze the loop so much that you flatten the round end too much, you still want a nice looking loop at the finish.

This is where I changed it up.

The first time I made the links I drilled the holes in the ends before I made the loop. This worked very well for me but you have to make sure the holes line up after you bend the silver into the link.

This time I drilled the hole after I made the link.

Now, apparently I drill the same way I fish.

When I get a bite I reel the thing in as fast as I can until the fish is almost speared on the end of the rod, then I whack the hell out of it with the priest until it’s absolutely dead. Not the mostly dead as in my last post you understand. All dead. I can’t stand playing with it by casually reeling it in. I can’t stand its not knowing I’m going to whack it on the head. I just don’t want it to see it’s coming.

This is why I don’t fish any more.

Back to the jewelry.

When I drill I tend to push that bit down into the silver like there’s a race on. There’s no messing around, I just spear that thing like I don’t want it to see it’s coming.

Yesterday I found out, once again, that my fishing technique is not necessarily the best approach to drilling.

Feel free to learn from my mistakes, they might just save your life someday.

NOTE:

If you are not holding the link tightly enough (I use an old pair of pliers so as not to get my fingers too close) and you jam that bit down like someone who wants to get catching a fish over with as soon as is earthly possible, you will likely take your eye out.

In this instance the bottom end of the link didn’t want to stay put as the drill came down through the first end. Because I was happily going full guns with the drilling the link caught up in the bit and whipped itself out of the pliers. This has happened before (I’m a slow learner), but this time, and I don’t really know how, the link flew off into the room. A Final Destination moment for sure.

I quickly found out that, in this instance at least, slowly but surely wins the race and that, however much I don’t want to admit it, my high school metalwork teacher was right. Always respect the machines, however small and innocent they appear.

Moving on.

Once the holes have been drilled take out your preferred sanding tool and even out the ends into perfect rounds.

This is my tool of choice,

Next you will need some 18 gauge sterling silver wire which you cut into just under 2.5 cm lengths and bend in half.

Thread the loop into two of the links.

Now comes the tricky part, although if I did it, you can too.

Hold the links in your soldering tweezers and ball up the ends of the wire with your torch.

This is only tricky because you have to be careful not to heat up the flattened ends of the links too much else they melt too.

It’s also tricky if you have short tweezers. Then you’ll find you burn your fingers constantly until you wise up and buy a longer pair. Took me a year. Told you, slow learner.

Hold the new link with a pair of round nose pliers and bring together the balled ends slightly with a pair of flat nose pliers until you have a good shape

Carry on joining the links

until you have a bracelet length, or a length for whatever else you want to use a chain for. (See that link that hasn’t come completely flat together? Annoying).

Now, if you had thought ahead you would have already made your clasp before you closed up the last link. If you’re me, however, you wouldn’t have,

so,

find some 16 gauge wire and wrap a small loop from the end of it around the last link.

Solder this together making sure not to solder the loop onto the link. You want it to move freely.

Now make your hook clasp, pickle the chain, dunk it in liver of sulphur and polish to a nice sheen.

A bracelet.

Just for you.

–

Sometimes it’s hard being me.

Published on 5th September 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Especially when I don’t know what I’m doing.

Or rather, I do know what I’m doing but I don’t really want to know.

My acetylene ran out yesterday. It’s been trying to run out for some time now but yesterday it gave a final, (pathetic really), puff and gave out. I made some cold connection earrings instead, but, today I knew I was going to have to go replace the old girl.

The last two I made with my little creme brulee torch.

–

Couple of things I don’t like about replacing the acetylene.

1. What if the neighbours see me lugging that big, somewhat dangerous looking, cylinder around.

2. What if I blow up.

I’m pretty sure the neighbours think I’m strange anyway, so perhaps that isn’t quite as important as the whole blowing up thing.

–

I put the tank in the car, wedging it between the back of the front passenger seat and the rear seat. It’s a sleek operation with all those electrical chair moving buttons gliding the chair into positions it’s never been before. I feel as though I’m preparing for take off or something way more exciting than a trip down the road, even if that trip is fraught with anxiety.

I hold on to the tank all the way to the gas place wondering what it feels like to have your hand blown off, and then I laugh, casually to myself, because that really isn’t going to happen. More likely my whole body will blow up at the same time leaving the hand worry somewhat redundant.

I try to imagine myself in some high trauma job, like bomb disposal, and pretend like I drive acetylene tanks around all day, just because. But, it doesn’t work as I know today is going to be the day I woke up unaware that I’m to be blown to pieces.

I ask S to come with me, but he says no. I ask B to come, but she says no. I feel bad that I’ve asked them. What if I blow them up too. Would that be fair. No. So, instead, I just feel sorry for myself and get on with the job in hand wondering why I have to pick a craft that can kill a person at any time. Perhaps it’s time to take up basket weaving.

Just as I get used to hauling around explosives in the car, I find the gas place has gone. It’s closed down. Abandoned like the Mary Celeste. A ghost shop. I call and they tell me they’ve moved (duh). I download map quest on my phone, (if you haven’t got this, get it, you can find out how to get to the nearest welding supplies shop any time you want with it), I call P when I realize I’ll be diving a fair way further. Does he know how painful it will be to blow up? He avoids the question which probably means very painful.

There’s a bit of a hiccup when the map woman tells me to do a left hand u turn for no apparent reason, but, after a moment of cussing (me, not her) she gives in, recalculates, and I finally find the new shop. I have to admit to the guy that I don’t want to remove the hose and pressure gauge myself as I don’t want to blow up. He reluctantly does it for me. Not in his job description I think to myself.

Now I have to make it home, on the freeway this time, hoping that all the other people on the road wont hit me. I follow a big, chemical tank truck, because it makes sense to me that if I go, we all go, but have to wonder, am I really in more danger than the guy passing me at 85 mph on his motorbike doing wheelies with no helmet, knee or elbow covering. Can you say carpet burn. (I know it will be concrete scrape but just the thought of carpet burns on concrete does my head it).

So I made it home o.k. I did make S take the tank back out to the studio. He moaned the whole way. Apparently it was heavy. Not too heavy for his poor ol’ mum with dodgy wrists though.

I haven’t used it yet. I’m about to go out there now. If you don’t hear from me again, rest assured, it will probably have been quick …

–

How To #4 – More links.

Published on 26th August 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Cut 1″ lengths of 14 gauge sterling silver wire.

This produces a fairly chunky link – you can experiment with different lengths and gauges to suit your taste.

Now put the music on and bring out the christmas present you got from your middle child who thoughtfully wants to protect your hearing from the hammering – that’s if Florence hasn’t got to it yet.

Hammer each end of the wire until flat then take your center punch, punch the silver and drill a hole in each end.

You can use your fordom but I like to use my drill press (so handy).

But, don’t do this,

because it will bug the %^#@*!! out of you that you got the hole off-center and, however much you try to ignore it, you know you’ll just have to start all over again and the top of your hammer will come off for the gazillionth time and it will all be very, very, annoying. Probably because the hammer you bought only cost you $12 and you know you should always invest in the best tools you can afford …

Still, you can whack the head back on and it will be fine but you’ll more than likely be experimenting with some interesting super glue scenarios in the near future.

Don’t let this get you down.

Take a deep breath then anneal the silver.

Because this softens the metal so that you can bend it more easily, and, playing with fire always relieves frustration.

Now get out these really neat pliers.

(If you don’t have these you can use regular round nose pliers. I wont mind).

Center the length of silver across the third or fourth smallest diameter prong,

and bend.

This will hurt your fingers but hopefully you will end up with all those innocent looking little curved silver pieces that are lurking in the background.

Take your flat nose pliers and bend out the very ends of the silver and then close the loop together.

If you have punched and drilled your holes consistently, i.e., in the same position at the ends of each length of silver, when the two ends of the loop come together the holes should line up. You could drill the holes after you join the two ends together. I find this a little trickier. Experiment to find which technique suits you better. If the holes don’t exactly line up you can fiddle with the loop somewhat. If the worse comes to the worse, however, just abandon the whole thing and try again.

What? It happens.

Now, join the loops together as in the pic below.

Voila!

Links.

This is what I did with mine.

And with only the smallest of injuries.

Then, you turn off your torch and go and see, The Bourne legacy.

Which was brilliant.

Enjoy.

–

For more How To’s see – HERE.

Note: The links to the tools used are only examples of the ones I use. There are many different types available of the same tools, some better than others. If you are beginning your jewelry adventure, please don’t just buy the ones in the links here. Research until you feel comfortable that you are purchasing the right tool for you.

Remember the $12 hammer problem?

Disclaimer: I am just a somebody muddling through. This is the way I do things. I am a wing it, try it, do it wrong, try again, sort of person. I do not maintain that I know what I am doing, only that I am trying to do it. Please feel free to enjoy my discoveries but follow your own research for professional advice and to perfect your skills. Above all, enjoy. Life is short.

Really?

Published on 21st August 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I think its going to be a jewelry kind of day today.

I haven’t made anything since my dad was here except to paint. But, I’ve now decided to give up on the painting. Yep, I’ve gone into my, I can’t do it and it’s bringing me down, stage. It generally happens after a few days of, I want to say enjoyment, so how can it go from fun to despair in such a short period of time?

Was it Dick Frances?

I didn’t work on the one with the out of control tree, but, rather, I picked up some half-finished paintings, one of which I actually believe I finished yesterday. My second or third completed piece out of the hundreds (okay, maybe fifty) I have lurking in the store-room. Wowzers. At least that’s a step in the right direction.

And here it is.

in all it’s glory. No windows, sorry E.

And this one, apart from the sky, is perhaps almost as close to finished.

Some windows. Ghost windows, mawahaha. (Too creepy?)

But then I picked up this one – again.

And I think it might just have been the one that finished me off.

There’s something about it that I really like, it’s simplicity perhaps, and the colours, but, I just can’t do it capt’n, I’ve no the power!

Oh the stress in my heart as I think about it.

(O.K. maybe a tad melodramatic).

And then, as if to push me over the edge completely, I found this on Etsy.

hungry bowl — Click picture to find Ariel Schoen

And bought it so that I can put it on my bedroom wall and have it taunt me each day I wake up ….

O.K. I’m going to have to stop now. The self-pity is bringing me down.

Time to move on …

On a good note, the red oil pastel all but came out of the sofa. The only place you can see the remnants of the ‘incident’ is on one of the cushions which can easily be turned over and hidden. The stain on the ottoman was the most worrying for me as there is no turning to do, but, it came out completely, as it did on the other two cushions. Oh, goo be gone, white shaving cream and apple scented washing up liquid, you are now my friends for life. How can I have been so dismissive of you for all these years …

So, jewelry it is. Either that or moping on the sofa – and that’s kind of getting old news now. I have an art festival coming up in October so perhaps I need to make some simple, cheaper, items, but really I want to set some more cabochons. I’m not going to let it bother me though. I’m just going to wing it.

$^$!@!# it’s bothering me already.

Really? Is the whole day going to be like this?

–

It’s O.K. really :)

Published on 16th August 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Update from this mornings post.

–

So, perhaps the hair didn’t come out so well but I had a jewelry sale this morning which topped me close to the $1000 mark.

Okay, so I didn’t really make $1000, as P would be eager to point out to you, as I have never worked my jewelry making as a ‘proper’ business. I pay taxes on the money I receive, etc., but I don’t include my expenses and supplies in that figure – I just get excited when someone buys something from me and then I add up all the money I get for the jewelry and tell P how successful I am :). I consider the expenses and supplies I buy a gift I give myself to be able to enjoy my craft. The other part, the part I ‘earn’, I consider a gift I give back, which in itself is another gift I give myself. One day I am going to get it all together and try to work it properly but right now I am just happy that I was able to send my hard-earned and completely enjoyable, $1000 to Care.

Thank you to everyone who bought a piece of jewelry from me in the past few months.

You are good people 🙂

Oh the problems …

Published on 7th July 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

I only rocked the world a little bit yesterday. P came home early from fishing. No fish he said, which I think is code for, I had nibbles galore but couldn’t catch a thing. But, to give him the benefit of the doubt, there were no fish … in the whole lake, or sea, or wherever he and S went.

Because they came home early, and because I got out of bed late – not my fault, Spencer needed company – I didn’t make it into the studio until 2-ish. I didn’t paint as it was worrying me. It’s like I’m scared of it or something. Another strange but true fact. (I might have to start listing this phenomenon of weird, doesn’t make sense, ness for research purposes). Instead I put chains on all the pendants I’ve made. That’s something else I tend to put off as it really bothers me in case I get the length wrong. I know, how difficult is it? We’ll just have to mark it down as another strange one.

I have a couple of rulers but I also marked out a ruler on the table in front of where I cut the chain. It was annoying me that the thing kept moving as I worked so this is a great solution – except I forgot the ‘0’. Man, I need a whop to the head sometimes … or maybe that’s what went wrong in the first place.

So, even though I thought they looked suspiciously short each time I cut a length of chain, nope, I didn’t double check. You know, the old carpenter’s adage, measure twice, cut once – didn’t do it.

So, all my chains are now 16” instead of 18”. Not a terrible problem to fix but more a slap the forehead, for heaven’s sake girl, what on earth is wrong with you, kind of problem.

One thing’s for sure, I definitely have a reason for listening to my strange truths.

These are the victims,

and here’s a little something else I’m working on,

but I can’t figure out how to fix the clasp yet.

Oh the problems …

–

Friday. Again.

Published on 6th July 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Do you think Spencer One Eye could be more comfortable?

I can’t make the bed until he gets up.

O.K. that’s not true. I probably wont make the bed anyway.

Soooooo, it’s Friday. Again. I’m not up either – only because I don’t want Spencer to feel the odd man out. I’m a good pet parent like that. Always aware of their psychological health.

I have a bit of a headache and I’m still tired from P waking up at 4:30 to go fishing. You couldn’t get me up at that time of day to meet the Queen. She’d have to wait – at least until after I’d had my first cuppa of the day. Also, Spencer has rearranged himself closer and is purring loudly, a cosy feeling not to be taken lightly – I have to soak up the love else it be wasted.

To be honest, I spend a fair bit of time in bed in the morning. I generally wake up at 7 ish. (Recently more like 6 ish, which is a bit of a bummer but what can you do). I try to go back to sleep, but eventually realise that my brain has started to work overtime on all the things it wants to do. I try to ignore it and pretend I’m asleep, but eventually have to give in to the fact that that’s it for me, even if I am tired – which seems like always.

I really need to stop playing wordfued until midnight.

But then I drink the cup of tea that P has made for me, I love him for making my tea, and check my e mails, which are all junk mail!

How is it that I’m getting mail from the scooter store?

At first I thought it was a real scooter, you know like vespa scooters, and mods and rockers and quadrophenia, and all that.

il_570xN.322156869 — From Jolly Edition – HERE.

and I thought, ahh, they must know me.

Then, when I clicked, I found out it was this scooter. (I can’t even post a picture of it, it’s too disturbing).

And I thought, what the #&*%@$! only I used real letters (in my mind) and felt really old and that maybe I would stay in bed for the rest of the day.

A helpful tip here – don’t click.

After the e mails I either surf for a while, or read, or make notes, or just continue thinking until I’ve sorted out the whole universe thing and am ready to start the day. Sometimes I might write a rambling blog post on anything that comes to mind, or a paragraph of a new book I’m thinking of writing, or sometimes I just dwell, in that droopy way I’ve talked about before, on things that are usually not worth dwelling about.

Today is a bit of all of them. But now, I’m ready for the day to begin and I’m thinking I might do some of this

But, yesterday I made this,

which I’m kind of loving …

so I might have to touch these instead.

il_570xN.341843969 — From Silurian Era
click photo

I also bought a new rivet making tool which, as an aside, reminds me of my dad as it smells of grease. My dad was a mechanic and it’s a smell I like – strange but true.

il_570xN.317834477 — From Forgeron on Etsy
click photo

So, I might end up making rivets instead.

What ever it ends up being I’ll not know until I get out of bed.

So, Happy Friday you people out there. It’s time to rock the world.

–

Oops. I did it again!

Published on 30th June 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

Maybe there is no hope for me.

il_570xN.342472589 — Chrysocolla and Malachite

il_570xn-330820081 — Tiffany Stone Bertrandite Opal

il_570xN.344108748 — Mexican Crazy Lace Agate

il_570xN.311805031 — More Crazy Lace Agate

il_570xN.334152969 — Morgan Hill Poppy Jasper

il_570xN.312890256 — Even More Mexican Crazy Lace

You might be able to tell that I have a thing for Crazy Lace Agate. NOT my fault – look at it!

My only hope now is that I might be able to save others.

For all you jewelry makers out there that struggle with cabochon addiction.

Run!

Do NOT click – HERE.

There will be no turning back.

–

Please, don’t let THIS –

turn into THIS …

–

You have been warned.

SAVE YOURSELF.

I made a box.

Published on 28th June 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

And put an amethyst in it.

I know. I said that amethyst was banned from my studio,

See here.

But it seems I am a glutton for punishment.

The design of this pendant is really more a pocket than a box. I’ve been wanting to try something like this for a while now but wasn’t really sure how it would work out. I had resigned myself to having to use glue to keep the stone in place so that it wouldn’t fall out. I thought it would be too tricky for me to get the size just right and that the pocket would either be too large or too tight, but, in fact, the amethyst fits absolutely perfectly – no glue required. I even amazed myself.

Now ask me to do it a second time …

I’m hoping, when I make one again, (because I know I’ll have to), to refine the box a little as I think perhaps it’s a little chunky. But, on the whole, I’m happy with it. I’ll give it a 7/10.

–

African Green Opal

Published on 7th June 201213th October 2015 by coldfeetstudioblog

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