Annual February Ice Storm Hits Missouri

Well, Old Man Winter must like the Show-Me State - he's sure hanging around this year. Since moving to the KC area nearly 4 years ago, I've been under-whelmed by the winters....until 2010. We have truly had winter weather this year - not just once, but repeatedly. Today is no exception - freezing rain, ice coating the blades of grass, the dogwood tree buds, the willows and the fences.

 

I didn't sleep well last night - waiting to hear the crashing of broken ice-laden branches which are often the result of winter ice storms. But so far, the streets have stayed wet and the trees have held up under the ice. That could change tonight, with colder air, wind and continue wet stuff falling!

So I am officially ready for this winter weather to be finished and spent yesterday in my studio, making jewelry with GREEN polymer beads.

  

  

And copper wire, of course. Since my fractured arm still hurts, and I'm not supposed to hammer metal, I used my torch to ball up the ends of copper wire and made jewelry with tangled wire beads.

Its fascinating how a little torch fire can melt the ends of wire into little balls or tear drops, often leaving them a great rosy red color. These wire tangles go great with other colors too. All-in-all a productive day, today I'm giving my arm a little rest.

  

  

 

It's Spring Down Under!

In the midst of our wintry weather and bare trees, its hard to imagine setting up little faerie gardens in the back yard . . . but that's what's happening in Australia. I recently sold a couple of my faerie garden gates to Etsy customers from Australia. Perhaps simple things just make me happy, but it was a thrill to ship off my handiwork to the Land of Oz!

The first gate went to a creative mom, planning a faerie birthday party for her 6 year old daughter - complete with faerie invitations, costumes and a new gate for the real faerie garden in their back yard. Check out their wonderful faerie birthday party and more at http://liscassey.blogspot.com/. (Lissy's a scrapbooker and a VERY creative mum!)

The gates are about 4" x 5" and usually made from copper, steel and/or brass tubes and wire. Sometimes I also make wooden gates, like the faerie beach-house gate below. I used recycled slats from a salvaged old rolled blind that I just couldn't throw away when we moved cross-country. Dale thought I was dingy, but those thin wood slats work just great and are better off in a faerie garden than in a landfill in Calfornia!

 

Basic Wire Wrapping Class

What a great time we had yesterday in my first Basic Wire Wrapping class at Vintiques in Kansas City. (Check their upcoming classes.) Two great students, a few beads, wire and tools made the afternoon fly! We used bits and pieces of old jewelry, 20 - 22 gauge craft wire and designed components built with "wrapped loops." Students learned some basics about working with wire, and the tools that help (bench block, bench pin, rotary tool, center punch, rawhide mallet, round nose & chain nose pliers, crimping tool and flush cutters).

We practiced making wrapped loops, learning to manipulate the wire with pliers or fingers, first following the rules, then breaking the rules on purpose. I showed them a custom wrapped loop hook clasp (download my free tutorial) and

how to improvise a closure using existing bits from old jewelry. We also demonstrated making a wire spiral, work hardening wire with a rawhide mallet. It was great to see how different personalities,

styles and stashes produced such different results.