Mar 13, 20142 min read
Do you make or buy ear wires?
I personally don’t care for the majority of commercially mass-produced ear wires. Many look flimsy and/or the finish is too bright for my...
Jun 9, 20131 min read
Goodbye Milwaukee. Goodbye Bead and Button!
The last five days I've spent at the Bead and Button Show have been fun-filled, exhilarating, exhausting, and awakening. I've met with...
Jun 6, 20131 min read
I'm so tired!
Being at Bead and Button can be exhausting! I had a class last night and one today and this afternoon the floor show opened. As much as I...
Apr 15, 20131 min read
Like Dim Sum?
I just couldn't resist these! Do you know what they are? They are sold as novelty erasers, but if you are a beader, they serve as a...
Aug 8, 20121 min read
a new jewelry-making tool!
This tool will come in very handy when I need to put a curve in metal. I found this reasonably priced forming block at the Euro Tool...
Aug 3, 20122 min read
I'm a huge fan of anything that saves time!
I've been making jewelry a long time. Having learned with basic hand tools, I was happy enough to use them until I started doing shows...
Jul 27, 20121 min read
You know...
Those bronze metal clay stars that I’ve been making are coming in handy already. I had made this bracelet a while ago, but I always felt...
Jun 29, 20121 min read
Experiments with Polymer Clay…
Color and design can be carefully planned, but I tend to love playing with Polymer Clay in a purely serendipitous fashion. In the past,...
Jun 25, 20121 min read
Step two in the pebble bead saga…
Now that my polymer clay pebble beads are finished, I’m working on a collection of bronze metal clay beads to match. I’m just giving...
Jun 9, 20121 min read
Farewell Milwaukee...adieu Bead & Button Show!
After a pleasant and thankfully uneventful drive home, I'm back in my studio and ready to get to work! You can bet I'll be putting the...
Jun 7, 20121 min read
More fun at Bead and Button!
Robert Dancik's class today was a blast. I'd post a photo of the piece I made, but although my iPad takes marvelous photos, it won't let...
Jun 6, 20121 min read
Toolmaking 101
Richard Salley's class was great. I made eight tools and I'll post photos of them when I return home. I'm looking forward to Robert...
May 26, 20121 min read
My bags are packed, I'm ready to go...
It's still a week away, but never one to procrastinate, I've already packed all the tools, materials, and various doo-dads that I'll need...
May 18, 20121 min read
Like putting the cart before the horse…
Perhaps because I’m so eager for the end results, I often tend to do things backwards! I’m lucky to have an innate feel for color, so...
May 16, 20121 min read
Like practicing yoga and listening to soothing music…
For me, carving polymer clay is so relaxing and such a meditative process. With my work situated at the proper height on the carving...
May 11, 20121 min read
More fun clay covered tools...
One just can’t have too many jewelry making tools! These polymer clay-covered tools are some of my favorites. A little green lizard...
May 9, 20121 min read
One of my favorite mediums is…
Polymer clay – I’ve been working with it for the past few days. I admit that I'd like to spend more time playing with this very...
May 7, 20121 min read
Another epoxy resin clay piece...
I’ve titled this mixed media brooch “Faux Fossil”. I’ve sawed a cutout on the backside of the brooch to expose a peek at the texture and...
May 4, 20121 min read
More epoxy resin clay pieces to use in jewelry!
I’ve used my entire tube of epoxy resin clay (note to self: must get more!) and I love the “cement” look and color it imparts. I’ll use...
May 2, 20121 min read
Last week was really busy...
After working in the garden for several days, then traveling to Chicago for the weekend, I am once again back in the studio playing catch...
