Tutorial Tuesday is back!

YAY!

There are a few things I had to take a break from and TT is one of them. I've received so many inquiries though, and so many notes from people who loved all the tutorials - so I'm going to try to bring it back regularly. I am not sure I will get one EVERY Tuesday, but I'll try!

First, flu update. My little piggy seems to be MUCH improved. He went back to school yesterday. YAY! And did not get sent home. DOUBLE YAY! He still has a TON of head congestion but his temperature is normal and he isn't hacking all night. That said, a lot of people are still struggling with H1N1. We are really blessed that we didn't have it worse. Please remember to wash your hands and avoid people who aren't feeling well (as much as possible).

Now some tutorials.


I have just posted this one:


(Click on photo to go to Tutorial)

Keeping with Etsy, here are some other tutorials:

Wire -
Victorian Key Pendant
SS Scalloped Chain

Beading:
Crochet Bead Rope

ENJOY!!!

And have a happy and productive day!

~Janice

TT - Streeeeeeeeetch

I like to stretch myself and so I'm always trying new things. BUT, I also like when I can take one thing, and 'stretch' it to apply it to something else. That's what the tutorials today are about. Techniques that can be used in fiber or metal and beyond. My hope is that looking into these tutorials will not only provide some new ground in terms of the methods presented 'as is' but will stir the imagination to look for ways to incorporate the techniques across other artforms or by introducing new materials into jewelry making.

Have fun. :)

FREE:

Crocheting flowers with wire

Crochet with wire and beads

Weaving with sheet and wire

Video

Viking knit:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfsyTn9XCsE

http://www.diynetwork.com/videos/knitawildwirebracelet/3954.html

PURCHASE:
Crochet wire from Johanne Brunet

ENJOY! :)

Janice

TT - "Fairies and Photos"

So, its tutorial Tuesday and I am going to share some photo tutorials. Since many of those who read here are my jewelry making buds, we are all concerned with images. Good photos can make or break our online presence/business.

I do ok with my photos - they are 'so-so' - not stellar, but not bad. Currently I am just editing in picasa. Its basic stuff. REAL basic....crop, lighten, darken, sharpen, done.

A lot of people use photoshop - but I have never purchased it and don't know anything about it. There is also paint shop pro - which I used a LONG time ago but don't really remember much about. I have a photo editing program that was given to me a while back, but I've never installed it on my computer and I can't recall what its called. I intend to install that, its just that I never get around to it. I will. One day I will. In the meantime, I had downloaded GIMP a long time ago and never did anything with it. I think I am going to learn how to use it, and today I found some tutorials for using GIMP as I was scrounging the net for something else, so I thought I'd share. :) GIMP is a free download and looks pretty promising.
GIMP Tutorials

I also came across Photoscape which is a free download and looks really interesting, though I know NOTHING about it, so I can't vouch for stability or anything.

Besides editing our photos, we need to take good photos to begin with, there are lots of free tutorials on light boxes out there, here are a few I had bookmarked long ago:

$5 photo set up (video tutorial)
Build a light tent
Booth Systems: basic set ups for jewelry and product photography (by Charles Lewton Brain)
Photo Tips by Cynthia Eid

If you've had trouble with photos in the past, I hope you find something useful in all of that!

On to fairies......

I've been meaning to post about a little fairy I have - I have a coffee fairy.

Each morning, Monday through Friday, as I'm in the bathroom brushing teeth, or applying fake-up, or drying my hair - a cup of coffee 'magically' appears on the bathroom vanity.

True. I kid you not.

I turn around or blink and when next I look - voila its there.

Piping hot and not too full, lest I spill it.

mmmmm. I'm spolied, I know.

Well, my fairy flew the coop for a few days and this morning I had to brew my own pot of coffee and pour my own. Not like its any big chore, but it adds time to the morning routine and reminds me how blessed I am. :) My son was watching tv yesterday and out of the blue said, "We've got a good life don't we?"

I said we sure do hon, we sure do.

I don't know what my son had in mind when he said it, but we really do have a good life, and when my coffee fairy returns I'll make sure he knows how much we know it and how much he contributes to it. :)

~Janice

TT - A little late

Tutorial coming - pics of 'fold and gold' for now.....

Yes, Tuesday Tutorial WILL be posted today, but its going to be a LATE date post - well, more like a night time post. :) Hope you'll come back tonight or check in tomorrow. I'm having a good time posting metalsmithing tutorials that I find and also sharing those of friends.

In the meantime, I said I'd try to grab a photo of the fold and gold ring now that its oxidized. I didn't get to it last night - swim team is going to be a killer! Yesterday was our first practice. My father was good enough to take LG to the pool at 5pm at which time we found out he'd be in the 6:15-6pm group. They decided to stay and wait it out, so I ran home and picked up little Lisa and took her to the vet. I returned home with Lisa around 7pm and little guy and Pop-Pop pulled in a bit after 7:15. Needless to say, dinner was on the late side last night, little guy needed a shower after being in the strong chlorine, and after he went to bed, I crashed.

Ohhhhh, No, scrap that. I did go to the bench - - got started with the 14k gold bezel - on a lovely little triangular (trillian) cut aquamarine cabochon. After fiddling with that a bit - I then crashed in front of the tv for an hour and went to bed early. (again!)

So I snapped these photos on my way to work this morning and now that I'm taking my lunch break have uploaded them.

Whatcha' think?

I don't really like the way the LOS was left on there....I may redo the LOS and use pumice instead of steel wool, but my pumice doesn't arrive until Friday, so the ring is going to stay as is for now.

:)

Don't forget to check back for the Tuesday Tutorial - if all goes well it will be up whilst its still actually Tuesday!

Oh, and for fun, here's little guy playing Ultimate Frisbee at the school fair this past Saturday.

Isn't he just too adorable?

~Janice

Manic, Marvelous -Monday?? (TT)

errrrrrrrrrr, oops, not ! Its Tuesday. Guess that means this is really Tutorial Tuesday.




I don't deserve a day off. It apparently just confuses me.



A little over a year ago I did a TT on enameling. With one pathetic link. Wait, let me back up - the link itself was not pathetic. Not at all. In fact, it was a really cool link. Its the AMOUNT of linkage that was pathetic. One link. Thats it.



I've been wanting to go back and redo that TT -- but seeing as it was 14 months or so ago its not likely anyone would be browsing that deep - so, I'm having a do-over. Today's tutorials are on enameling. And we've got lots of linkage and a couple of different ways to go about it.



Torch firing enamels



Torch fired enamel beads (pdf download)



Forge and Fuse Technique



Trinket Kiln



Enamelling



Enjoy!!

TT - Earrings

Today is Earrings day. :)

Forged Earrings by Elizabeth Scott

ROUND Earwires by Deryn Mentock

Creative Earwires - from Orion

Fine Silver Earring posts - from Deb Fitz (fine silver and metal clay)

Wire Earrings by Dianne Karg Baron


I selected each of these tutorials because, #1 - they are offered free and I LOVE a Pay It Forward spirit, and #2 because I think they offer something that can be built upon in a number of ways. So be inspired!

Oh - and a special shout out to Columbia MD! Berger Rd.... :) Helloooooooooo! :)