Tool Review

What's this new tool that I have been having fun with?
It's called the EZ Earring Tool and it's made by
Metal Designs. It's a jig for making your own earring wires.
The original one I got for a Christmas present from my
sister (Bev-No Easy Beads). That's the one pictured on the
left, regular fishhook wire earrings. I made some in copper.
Price on that is $25.97 from Widget Supply.

The EZ Earring ll is for french hoops. Made those from Vintaj Bronze
wire I got from Jeanette Blix shop. The jig came from Widget Supply.
They are a "hard tool to find" place and have all kinds of craft and
jewelry making supplies. Fast on the shipping too.
The price on the french hoop jig is $19.97 plus shipping.
These tools are well made and the instructions are simple.

That's a Wrap!

After spending most of Saturday cleaning out pots of old flowers

and vegetables. I took a couple of pictures of the changing of the

leaves for my sister Beverly. Sorry Bev, it was the wrong time of

day and they didn't turn out as good as I wanted them too. But

there's more on my Flickr.

So after working, I decided I could play and I spent the rest of the

weekend mastering the skill of wire wrapping. They say practice

makes perfect, and I needed a lot of practice. I think I have it

pretty "wrapped" around my brain now. I learned too, that like in

working with seed beads, its better not to scrimp on the thread

and have too much, than to have to little. It works the same

way with wire. I wasted more wire (and time) trying to save wire.

I have some of the best wire that I got from Jeanette Blix...its

from Vintaj and its just the perfect shade to go with the chains you

can get now.

At the top of the picture, using Blue Seraphim's

(Jeanette Jennings) disk beads, I tried the method out of

the July Bead Style issue.It was from Heather Boardman's

disk bracelet article. The lone little pink bead was from

Tammy Powley at About.com Jewelry Making. It was the

easiest and I really liked that one. Last was just wrapping

using headpins...lots of headpins! And in my honest opinion,

I prefer the look of brass and gunmetal to sterling silver.

Its a lot easier to keep clean and if you mess up the wire it

doesn't cost you an arm and a leg!

So that's a wrap and I am out of here!