Jewelry Tool

3 step loop pliers for wire wrapping

My grandmother passed down a pair of round nose pliers, I loved them dearly. One day my rings started turning oval, they were no longer round- they had hit the dust… worn down from so much use.  I tried a pair of 3 Step Wire Looping tool. It was the BEST thing I ever did. I love this new tool as my wire wrapping loops are coming out exactly the same on both ends. Even though I read that one could use a sharpie line on your present pair of round nose pliers. This particular pair of pliers is a success every time. So stop  getting frustrated and pick up a pair of these. You’ll wonder how you ever got along with out them!

Mary O. @ Prairie Pine Peddler

Connect with nature, wear down-to-earth jewelry!

Shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/PrairiePinePeddler

My first attempt

Been intrigued with those wooden spools that have been made into necklaces. My daughters birthday is on Monday, so decided to make one for her. While I’m at it, I decided to make one for myself too .

 

Here are some of the supplies needed for this project: scissors, ink pad, rubber stamps of your choice, strips of paper to wrap around the spool and some tacky glue, beads, and charms of your choice to dandle from the bottom.

I am using some scrapbook paper, then I measured the width of the spool and used a paper cutter to cut my strip. I cut three strips. One for a pattern and other two for the two spools I am making.

Then I decided to rubber stamp before gluing the strip around the spool.  For this particular spool, I had rubber stamp that states it is New York  stamped both ends of the spools with this stamp. See below –

 I thought it made the spool look more authentic.

Next I  added a  gold tone metal leaf,  a brass bird and it needed one more thing so I added some gemstones i had sitting around. All the charms hanging have been wire wrapped so they can’t fall off. I thought some matching earrings would be nice too. So used the same leaf that was dangling from spool and made earrings. See below-

 

 

This is what this necklace looks like – I used a black round cord, I placed two knots at each end but thought she could decided what length she would like…

 

 

I decided to be creative with wrapping it. I used a match box and covered it with brown paper, lined it with a napkin and here is the wrapping paper I am going to use.

 

If we will use it

I am trying new things in jewelry making for instance, I purchased a couple of books on art of wire wrapping. I can’t get over how easy it is to wrap wire when you have the right size wire gauge. I am also wanting to engage or have love affair with copper etching and patina.

Yesterday while working someone brought in a 2 foot twisted round coppper wire for me. I told them sure I would love to try my hand at flattening or creating with this wire. I am anxious to get started. Will have to wait till iI have enough time to tackle a project with this wire. Meanwhile my mind starts thinking and planning out things in my head.

Every once in while my journal will have neat quote –

“When so rich a harvest is before us, why do we not gather it? All is in our hands if we will but use it.”  ~ELizabeth Seton

 

I

Pinterest Pinning

This is  how I surf on  Pinterest.

When I am on a board and looking at all the neat ideas. This is what I like to do.

If I find one that I want to pin to my board.

I click on Pin.

But when the board comes up that it came from, if it looks interesting (cover page) then I will right click on the picture and open it up in a new tab.

Then after I am done viewing that page I will go to each of the tabs that I selected to open up and view them one by one and do the same thing to them. In this way I think you can cover more territory.

But of course you do have to have a lot of times on your hands.

Happy Pinning!

Advanced Searching in Pinterest

Another way to search in Pinterest?

This is quick crash course and will save you time.

I would like to share a technique that I use.  I use this a lot at work and home when I am searching for solutions on the web. This is what I do when I am pinning on Pinterest.

Here is example: let’s say you just pinned your favorite item. ok I pinned a bracelet to one of my boards.

• As soon as you click on the Pin it button
• Right after that a dialog box – showing you that you successfully pinned
• comes up.
• 
• at this very point is where I like to put my mouse cursor over the photo
• Right click on the photo (see illustration below)
• Menu comes up – you’ll want to select “Open Link in New Tab”
• Then you will Left click on it.

• The purpose for this is so when you are finished searching on the page, later you can go to any of the windows you have opened up in New Tab and go thru them the same way you did with the previous page.
• Please note I only do this if the artist site is intriguing
• This can be done continuously so that you can have many windows ready to view when you are finished looking at the  the board you are on.
• I find this both helpful and a time saver as well. As you don’t have to go back thru the item to find them again.
• If you find that you like at least 3/4 of their page, it is good idea to just follow them -Instead of having to pin everything to your board.
• At least that is my take on this.
• Please Note this does not work if you do it on the actual picture as it will only open the picture in new window and the picture will be enlarged.

If you have questions don’t hesitate to ask me if you don’t understand, hope this is helpful. I love this and use it all the time.

ttyl Mary O.

Pinterest Editing 1

Did you know that you can change  your categories within a Pinterest Board?

I found this out just today. I was messing around with the EDIT  button.

I had put one item in my JEWELRY IDEAS BOARD when I really meant to put it into my JEWELRY POLYMER BOARD.  

• First click on  EDIT button (it looks like a pencil),
• The board description dialog box comes up – see illustration below
• Where it states board name, there is drop down arrow on the right side
• Click on the drop down arrow and all your boards names come up
• Scroll down to the board you want it to be in
• Then click on the Save Button.
• Your item will move from one board to another!
• I think this is neat feature!!!

you can view my board at http://www.pinterest.com/mairby/

Thanks for looking till later Mary O.

Listening Pays Off

I must say when I was growing up, my mother use to tell me that I didn’t listen very well.  But now that I am older and wiser… listening has paid off in some aspects. But in other parts of my life, I have not listen well but was able to find solutions that may not have come if I had listen.

Here is an example. I often help others with their genealogical brick walls. I had a man contact me about 5 years ago looking for his great grandmother. She supposedly had lived in Galva all her life and died there. After looking in varies resources, this lady could not be found. So I didn’t think any more about it.

Then one day this man makes a visit to the library where I work in. He is still looking for this same person. So that day instead of listening to him about how his grandmother lived in certain town, I thought to myself, this town didn’t have hospital, so if she did take ill, she would have to go either to south into the next county or stay in this county and go where a hospital was.

Sure enough she was found in the next city west as to where she grew up. I didn’t listen to this man this time, I kind of went on instinct and so when mother said I didn’t’ listen very well, she was right.  I have found answers from not listening to the bare facts. So if you are going to be a genealogical  detective you will need to look at all the angles and all the items that are not visible as well.

It is very important to be good listener and not talk all the time. If you find yourself talking then you are probably not listening to those around you. When you stop to listen be sure to observe how things are accomplished. I recently received a compliment for being a great observer.

Sometime this summer, one of my coworkers knows I make jewelry. She mentioned she saw this really cute key chain that had chunky beads and she would be interested in something like that sometime. So last night I started thinking back on this conversation and was able to put together a key chain for her. She likes purple so that became my theme. I took it to work to show her today and i didn’t expect her to purchase it but she did.

I often listen to my customers that come to my table during craft shows. Listening has helped me to know what they are wanting or looking for;,some want long earring, some want clip on dangling earrings, some like all black, some like purple.

I have heard comments like “Oh, there are dangling earrings on Clip On”. I have so many people thanking me for having clip ons. So listening and observing helps you to  know what to carry in your shop. Here is one of my recent keychains I made. 

created by Mary O. @ Prairie PIne Peddler

As you can see I am some what of a night owl….

Ok, I get my ideas late at night. I guess after I unwind a bit, get dinner for everyone and then get to sit down and create and before I know it, It’s late. I just posted an article about polymer clay projects that I hope to start but probably won’t be until after Christmas.

I am in my fifth year of selling jewelry. This past weekend I did a show at a Catholic School. They have this every year. I choose to be in the gym as baby strollers and such can get around a bit more easier than in the crowded hallways. Plus this is my second year and I was able to obtain the same spot I had last year. To top this off I had great turn out and most of my jewelry was sold this year.

I split the booth with a friend. She makes goat soap. Anyhow, we are suppose to do another show in December. She saids to me are you going to have any jewelry left? I said well looks I will need to start making more jewelry before then. But just wanted to brag a little and just say I had great day and successful day on  Saturday.  I started out making jewelry and still do that. But then I got interested in making candy and flower arrangements. I am on Pinterst at  http://www.pinterest.com/mairby/prairie-pine-peddler-mary-o-designs/.( I have board with my creations on it.)  The number one thing that is always being pin is my Father’s Day Bouquet. It was an inspired piece. It is called the #1 Dad. It always exciting to see people pin this. I am thankful someone appreciates this. I recently used this same design and made a Happy Birthday out of this same type of design idea.  Till later,  Mary at Prairie Pine Peddler.

 

Polymer Clay

Polymer Clay has been kind of on the back burner for me. I purchase some Femo a few years back, but was not impressed at all. It was so hard and I wasn’t sure what to do with it. So recently, I have a new coworker and she makes polymer clay jewelry beads. So I have been discussing with her the different aspects of this craft. I asked what kind of clay she uses, as there are several different kinds on the market. Just from memory there are about three of them that are made in Germany. Then there are some that are made in USA. I prefer to support the USA, so many people need jobs over here. Anyhow through conversing with my coworker she suggested I start out with Sculpey iii.  Its’ even package right here in  Illinois. I purchased mine at Hobby Lobby.

The next step was to see how this was going to react. I don’t own a pasta machine presently. I wasn’t sure how hard the clay  was going to be to roll around in my hands. So I took a section off and just kind of held it in my hand to warm it up before I got started. Then when I started kneading it, I could not believe how soft this clay was. So I rolled it into a ball. Then flatten it out I had gathered some items in my house that had textures or designs on them. The reason I did that was I read that you can also use craft rubber stamps to create embossing into the polymer clay. I was really excited about that as I love texture items and couldn’t wait to try it.

Here is good explanation of the types of polymer clay: http://www.jaedworks.com/clayspot/polyclay-faq/mixing.html

When I go to bake this it has to be place on card stock on 275 degree oven. My friend suggested that I use a turkey bag to bake it in the oven. She recently made the remark that after it comes out of the oven,  it rather smells up the house, so she takes her items outside for a bit.

Here are a few of my first impressions that I searched for in my house. I used the end of spool of thread it came out looking like a flower. I have purchased some delicate cookie cutters at the Colony Store in Bishop Hill, IL. It’s in Swedish village. Oh and at work we run receipt printer for the library books we checkout to patrons. The paper is on a plastic roll and has a neat end for stamping into clay as well. And texture buttons would be another source.

Our maintence man at work is amazing. He is the type of guy that is very resourceful and can take things apart and make things you couldn’t image. The one thing that he made that sticks out in my mind is: he took the fan out of an old microwave. Then he took a number 10 can and put the fan in the back end on brackets and then he hung  over his work bench. The things he did for me recently he had taken apart a printer and the roller end had this neat groove in it.
I will be able experiment with this as well.  It’s like being on  a scavenger hunt for newly found objects that you use for your Sculpey projects.

Here is website I came across

http://craftstew.com/category/polymer-clay

and here is neat photo I came across recently:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Probably will not get to work on any of this until after Christmas. The holidays are upon us and I have family coming on both sides. So I will be busy. Till later. Happy Thanksgiving.

Marketing Yourself

Are you the type of person that likes to figure things out for yourself? There was many a Christmas that I would put something together for my daughter and just look at the picture and start using the screwdriver. It’s a famaliar story we have all been there at some point. But blogging isn’t that easy nor is marketing. That is new ball game for many of us. I don’t want to just jump onto any band wagon for this. For instance, if you were trying to figure out how to blog would you go to the internet or would you visit a book store to see if there were any type of material there to help you? I actually had someone come to the library where I work and teach a one hour class on how to sign up and post on a blog. They didn’t go into all the different aspects but they gave you taste of it. That is how I got started.

Beings I am somewhat of a researcher, I just stared doing some research on the web to see what others are saying how to market yourself. Here is one person ideas that worked for them: http://www.copyblogger.com/the-two-most-important-words-in-blogging/ or you have heard that its’ all in the timing well here is webpage on that too and there are plenty others out there that will give you their two cents 🙂 http://www.copyblogger.com/email-marketing-timing/

After figuring out what keywords will work for you -or sometimes after reading other people’s blogs I will find a different keyword to use in the search engine. It’s just a process. Just keep working at it. For instance, I was able to find a book called “Web Marketing for Small Businesses” just by using a keyword search

I recently commented on someone’s blog and then was able to email some questions. I was not able to explain everything that I wanted to do, but I really appreciated speaking to a human.

But after that, then I decided to investigate some items on WordPress called the widgets and after dinking around a little bit I finally was able to move things around on my blog. I felt quite proud of myself. I am not stupid after all. Just took some doing to understand what I did. Then later in the day I was thinking about some of the things I had changed and decided I should take that part out. So I did and then I felt better. Kind of felt like I was thinking through what I had done and decided I didn’t need to show everything if you know what I mean?

Seems to me life is like a puzzle and we are all trying to figure out how to find the pieces that will fit together. So I have been running a jewelry business for the past 4 years along with doing some picture framing. I’ve been inspired to start making custom candy and flowering bouquets.

Now I am have been reading and thinking more about how to have more visitors to my sight. Most of my clients are not into the computer nor out on the web as much as I am. I use the internet an awful lot for work and researching. I have been trying to figure out how to market myself better. I have been wondering and observing how others market themselves as well.

Since I work at a library, I have been reading books on marketing and how to craft a business. Recently, I picked up a book and finally one part in it made sense and the light went on. So now I see and understand why one needs to have a focus and marketable plan or business plan if you want to make anything of yourself or have an actual income. I might be a late bloomer but I finally got it. So all I can say is I have work to do. But I don’t know everything so don’t get me wrong I am still at the learning stage.

ttyl Mary O @ Prairie Pine Peddler