Ripple Wire Gadget & More

When you get to be 70+ you have a lot of life adventures... my latest is dentures.  I got my new pearly whites yesterday. They look good, I never had straight teeth and now I do.  Of course eating is another story.  I drool a lot, I bit my lip several times and my tongue doesn't know what to do with itself.  I'm not sure I will ever get use to having all this hardware in my mouth!  I can talk okay though, a little lisp but not bad so that is a good thing.  

I had several people ask me about the gadget I used to make the ripple wire.... here it is, a "tube wringer".

Click on the photos for a closer look.

The tricky part is applying the right amount of pressure.... to little and it doesn't ripple evenly, to much and it makes weak spots in the wire and it breaks....  First you position the wire then hold it together with one hand and turn the crank with the other... take it slow, stop when necessary and reposition the wire in the center, it has a tendency to move to the side as it goes through.

The magenta wire is 20 gauge and the lavender  wire is 18 gauge.

Here is a wire and bead pendant I made using "ripple wire" from the tube wringer.  For this one I used 20 gauge yellow wire and wrapped with 28 gauge Peridot green wire to secure the yellow seed beads.

And I played a bit with clay. I made a polymer clay pendant using my last cane and combined it with matching solid color clay that I textured with a simple design. Swarovski rhinestones add a bit of bling.

I love the textured end pieces of Skinner blend canes... I used one on this pendant and made a couple "snail" beads with scraps.

Had to show you great granddaughter Lily holding Heather's big old cat, Dobie.  Heather has 3 cats and a dog, all the other critters run for cover when Lily enters a room, but not Dobie.  Lily loves Dobie and apparently Dobie loves Lily, he is very tolerant of all the "loving" she gives him.... but I think he is most likely relieved when she goes home.

Back to the dentist later today to check for pressure areas... so far I don't think I have any.

My next project is a Fairy Door for the latest swap on Flickr. And I have to make something for the next PCAGOE challenge.  The theme this month is "monochromatic".  I'm trying to decide on a color, maybe green, I haven't done green lately.

That is it for today.... thanks for stopping by.

Mixed Media Fun Stuff: Polymer Clay, Wire & Beads

 I often forget to let folks know I sell most of the jewelry I make so I'm doing a little self promoting today.

My life has been so much happier since Heather took over the job of managing our shop, Knightwork Studio, on Etsy.  She takes all the photos for the shop, does the actually listing, packs all the order and sends them on their way.  She recently listed this necklace and several more...

I take most of the photos when I'm blogging.... I know.... not as good as Heather but they will have to do. She is not here when I want to blog.  The light box is down stairs and I'm pretty sure she doesn't want me messing with it.... she'd never say that... but I don't like folks invading my territory so I try to respect theirs. Plus hauling stuff up and down stairs while using a cane gets complicated so I just do my picture taking my studio (or as Lily calls it "my play room")

Click on the photos for a closer look.

I made these wire doodads with one of my gadgets, added some beads......

here's a closer look

I then used them to string fold-over pendants.  I'm still trying to decided how to string this particular pendant.... I kinda like this.

Here's what I made for the other beaded wire. The links are for another necklace but I will made similar   ones, only with gold wire, to go with this necklace.  The texture on the pendant is from a ribbon and then cut out and folded over.

Close up of the pendant.

I have also had several pieces of my jewelry featured in  ETSY Treasuries in the last couple days.

All the items featured in the Treasuries are made by members of the Polymer Clay Artist Guild on Etsy   better know as PCAGOE .  If you'd like to see more of their work just do a search on Etsy for PCAGOE.

I have a bracelet in this November Blitz  Treasury by Jackie

I have a brooch in this Feeling Blue Treasury by Beth

 I have a necklace in this Giving Thanks to Etsy Treasury also by Beth

 and a necklace in this Asian Flair Treasury by Line.  Most of the items in this Treasury were in the POAGOE challenge but I haven't listed my journal cover yet so she used my double heart necklace.

Time to go.... I have to throw some food together for my hubby, shoo him off to work,  so I can watch my sunday night tv shows.  I also have to gather up things to sand and put together the beads and wire to finish my necklaces.  Gotta run....

Thanks for stopping by.

Polymer Clay Canes & Things

The voting for the Polymer Clay Artist Guild on Etsy Challenge begins today. This months theme is "Asian Inspired". Please take a moment to look over the entries and vote for you favorites.  The form for voting is at the bottom of the page.... and you could win a prize!! Three voters will be winners of  prizes made by the talented guild artists.

Here is what is on my work table this morning.  My muse is on vacation again.... I spent yesterday making this assortment that ended up in a rather odd cane.... not what I had in mind but that is the way it goes sometimes.  I like the mirror image.

Close up of the cane.... kinda quirky.... but it grows on you.

This pendant has been sitting on my other work area for several days now. I've been trying to come up with a bail.  Sometimes a photo helps.... while looking at it it occurred to me  that I can make a coiled wire bail either in black or silver.  That should work don't ya think?

Okay, I am off to play with clay again.

Don't forget to VOTE  in the  PCAGOE Challenge

Which reminds me, we have an important election coming up... please make your selection with care DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!

Thanks for stopping by