Donna Gunn--jewelry, handbags, and other things to keep my hands busy

Cowgirl Style

2012-01-18T10:01:00.000-08:00

Thank you Renee for including my denim purse in this treasury. Be sure and check out Renee's jewelry on Etsy.

Deja Vu--There Goes My Baby

2012-01-05T11:25:00.000-08:00

Noah left home for San Antonio, Texas today. He will be completing his engineering degree at UTSA.

He's happy and ready for the adventure and, maybe, a little sad. I'm happy for him and a lot sad.

So...there goes my baby.Bye, Noah. I love you.

"I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance

Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin'
Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin'
Don't let some Hellbent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to sellin' out, reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance."
--from I Hope You Dance by TIA SILLERS and MARK D. SANDERS

Spring 2012 Color Trends

2011-12-29T15:27:00.000-08:00

It is time once again to start thinking about Spring/Summer creations and the Pantone color report is always a good place to start.

I am not as inspired by these colors as I was the colors from Spring 2011. I prefer colors that are clearer.

What do you think? Do you have a favorite? Let me know in the comments section below.

More 101 Uses for Your Old Jeans. Recycle.Reclaim.Upcycle.

2011-12-21T21:42:00.000-08:00

Well we are on the count down to Christmas. Here are some ideas for handmade denim Christmas gifts. And it is not too late to make any of these.

24. Christmas Stocking. A very nice pattern for a Christmas stocking that you can embellish to reflect your style.

25. Christmas Tree Ornament. Too cute! I can see a little tree covered in these beauties.

26. Gift Tag

27. Lunch Sack. Great idea, by using the pant leg you have very little sewing to do.

28. IPod Cover. Now is this cool or what and it is made by a guy! However as I was looking through the tutorial I thought the fingers of the person sewing looked like a girls...so I'd say he cheated. Also he said take the smallest seam possible. In my experience, when working with denim, it is better to take a wide seam. Cut your pattern wider to take into account that you will be taking a wider seam.

29. Coffee Cozy. I worked these up one afternoon using one of the cardboard cozies from the coffee shop as my pattern. In four easy steps your done.
Step 1. Open the cardboard cozy at the glued point.
Step 2. Double your material (denim) front sides of fabric together, trace pattern onto wrong side of fabric, cut out.
Step 3. Embellish front side with stitching, paints, beads, etc.
Step 4. Put wrong sides together so front sides are out, stitch around edge leaving raw edges, overlap ends 1/2 inch stitch top to bottom.
Voila you have a cute, eco-friendly, coffee cozy. Make several to carry in your purse and car.

30. Draft Stopper/Snake. Make a tube from the legs of an old pair of jeans and stuff with batting or better yet old t-shirts. And of course you will want to embellish it to coordinate with your decor.

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-24T07:11:00.001-08:00

The First Thanksgiving 1621 by Jean Louis Gerome Ferris.www.historicalstockphotos.com

Despite the economic turmoil there is still so much to be thankful for from the generosity of Squanto and the Native Americans who helped the Pilgrims survive in the new land to the genius of the Founding Fathers in forming a Constitutional Republic to our loving God who sent his Son to redeem the sins of the world to caring and supportive family and friends.

Yes, there is so much to be thankful for in 2011.

Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Denim Fix

2011-10-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

Here's a little denim fix from the Etsy treasuries until I get through Village Venture. By the way Village Venture is this Saturday! I look forward to seeing you there.

The treasury was curated by Cecraft. Check out the chair in line four. Isn't it stunning? Could you see a denim chair your living room? Let me know what you think in the comment section below.

101 Uses for Your Old Jeans. Recycle.Reclaim.Upcycle.

2011-09-26T23:55:00.000-07:00

Did you think I had given up on the 101 project? I haven't. I was just distracted by other things... you know--family, work, fun.

Today we begin with number 19 of our 101 uses for your old jeans.

19. Halloween Mask. Isn't this gorgeous?
Makes me wish I had a masked ball to attend.

20. Corsage. A new trend for prom? I bet you could come up with several ways to wear this sweet little flower or make a bouquet of denim flowers.

21. Slippers. 21Century Dressmakers has two tutorials for slippers. The ballet slippers are definitely calling to me. How about denim cowboy boot slippers? Might have to work on that too.

22. Flower Pot Cover. Paired with a potted plant what an awesome Christmas or birthday present.

23. Bind an Art Journal or Your Bestseller.

Here is my latest journal with a denim spine and page marker. The denim is from a pair of overalls worn by my Great Uncle the dairy farmer.

Craft Stew has the ultimate collection of bookbinding techniques and tutorials, head over there when you start your bookbinding journey. I'm warning you though; it is addictive.

How are you coming on your denim projects? Take a minute and share what you are doing in the comments section below.

Roadrunner

2011-09-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

utsa school of engineering

Come spring Noah will be a Roadrunner!

He just found out he has been accepted to the University of Texas at San Antonio, College of Engineering. His major is Mechanical Engineering with an emphasis on automotive design.

Noah has been designing motorized things since he was a little guy. So no surprises there.

Hmmm...San Antonio is not far from Austin. Hmmm...think he'd mind if I came for a visit during SXSW?

Remembering 9/11/2001

2011-09-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

bigstockphoto.com

House Hunting

2011-09-06T20:17:00.000-07:00

Visited Wild Thing this weekend to celebrate her 18th birthday!

We went out to breakfast and afterwards stopped into the Flower Sports nursery and I caught a few pictures of these guys.

They had lost their former home, a milkweed plant, and were looking for a new residence.

Village Venture 2011

2011-09-01T16:07:00.000-07:00

I received my acceptance package from the Claremont Village Venture today!

Plan on joining me at Booth 179 (Bonita Street just east of Yale Avenue) on Saturday, October 22 for a day of parade watching and shopping and eating. And did I say shopping?

If you have never been to Village Venture you NEED to put it on your calendar. No...you MUST put it on your calendar.

Village Venture features over 400 vendors selling handmade goods of every kind. I, of course, will be selling my jewelry and purses.

Village Venture is a great place to kick off Fall and start your Christmas shopping.

See you there!

Reckless

2011-08-31T12:21:00.000-07:00

As you may or may not know I LOVE horses. So I had to share this story with you. The story of Reckless the war hero.

What is your favorite horse story--fiction or nonficition it doesn't matter.

Seabiscuit
Black Stallion
Flame
Smokey the Cowhorse
Secretariat
Black Gold
Black Beauty
Horse Whisperer
Other

Leave your vote in the comment section. I can't wait read your comments.

101 Uses for Your Old Jeans. Recycle.Reclaim.Upcycle.

2011-08-18T23:19:00.000-07:00

Jeans we all wear them and they all wear out in the most inconvenient places---knees and derriere. And they accumulate, take up space. It is time to give all that denim a new job. So (drum roll) may I present the next 6 uses for your old jeans.

13. Pillow. Pillows add a homey touch to your space. Look at this cute one from Yellow Bug Boutique.

14. Pocket refrigerator magnet. Cute, I think I would put a couple of magnets on the back to keep it nice and secure. And of course you can decorate it any way you like...to reflect your style.

15. Key fob. And isn't the gift box unique? Wish she had included a pattern for it.

16. Backpack. Wonderful for kids...durable, eco-friendly and a fashion statement.

17. Rice pack. This is another great beginners sewing project using the legs of those old jeans. And who couldn't use a rice pack to relive aches and pains.

18. Apron. My Byrd House is all about aprons including several cute denim aprons with tutorials! (It however, has one of my blogging pet peeves--background music. If that bugs you too quickly scroll down to the bottom and turn the music off).

I sewed these three aprons--the apron on the left is from the back of a pair of my son's jeans and the right most apron is from the front, and the apron in the middle is from a vintage pair of my great uncle the dairy farmer's overalls. The aprons are embellished with vintage fabric, hankies, and rickrack. Click on the picture to be transported to my Etsy site.

Are you inspired to upcycle your old jeans? Tell me about your jean projects by leaving a comment.

There Goes My Baby

2011-08-11T20:09:00.000-07:00

Wild Thing left home for college today.

She's happy and a little bit sad. I'm happy for her and a lot sad.

So...there goes my baby. Bye, Wild Thing. I love you.

101 Uses for Your Old Jeans. Recycle.Reclaim.Upcycle.

2011-08-10T13:55:00.000-07:00

Are you dying for the next six uses for your old jeans? Here they are!

7. Quilt--Denim Quilt 2000 (Isn't the shading spectacular!)

8. Skirt--flared skirt, straight skirt (and remember leaving the hem raw and allowing it to fray during washing is very stylish)
9. Book cover--a no-sew version
10. Rug--crocheted, braided, sewn (I am going to make this one it is just my style)
11. Embellishment--flowers, roses, Johnny Patches
12. Donate to a thrift shop

I searched Etsy for you and found these awesomely wonderful examples of upcycled, recycled, repurposed jeans.

Wonderful Upcycled Denim

(If you are an Etsian and you know how to embed a treasury in your blog please let me know I am very frustrated that I cannot figure out how to do it! I want pictures!)

Staying Cool

2011-08-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

Staying cool--a subject that is always on my mind this time of year. I hate electric bills so the air conditioner does not go on until we run out of ways to escape the heat.

Here's an Etsy take on staying cool.

How-Tuesday: How to Stay Cool from Etsy on Vimeo.

How do you survive the dog days of summer?

101 Uses for Your Old Jeans. Recycle.Reclaim.Upcycle.

2011-08-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

I love denim, especially denim jeans. The more worn, the more loved, the better. And I love taking those old jeans and giving them new life. I have been recycling, reclaiming and upcycling jeans since I was a teenager (and that has been awhile).

A couple weeks ago I made a list of 101 things to do with an old pair of jeans. Here are the first six items on that list.

Mend or patch your jeans. As a teen this was my favorite thing to do with my jeans.
Restyle your jeans. Check out Pimp My Jeans!
Cutoff into shorts.
Placemats.
Drink coasters. Check out MyRecycledBags for a coaster pattern that uses the hems!
Potholders.

I will be making some of the 101 items on my list and sharing the instructions with you (also I will be offering most items I make for sale on my etsy site).

Today's tutorial is making denim potholders.

Click on the picture to zoom in.

DENIM POTHOLDER WITH FRAYED EDGES

Difficulty Level: Easy, beginner, great learn to sew project.
Materials: Denim jeans, old cotton clothes or calico, matching or contrasting thread
Tools: Scissors (sharp), ruler, sewing machine
Optional tools: Cutting mat, rolling cutter

Step 1.
Using the legs of a pair of jeans, cut two 8-3/4 inch squares and two 8 inch squares. If you have a cutting mat and rolling cutter use them there is no faster way to cut straight lines. If not, just measure and draw the square on your material with a Sharpie and cut out with scissors.
Step 2.
Cut two 8-3/4 inch squares of cotton calico. I used material from my extensive collection of quilting fabric. However, in keeping it green you could just as well use old cotton clothes. Make sure you don't use fabric with polyester in it. To test for polyester burn an edge of your fabric. If it forms little hard balls around the edge it has polyester in it.
Step 3.
Stack the larger pieces of material (like a sandwich) with the denim in the middle and the calico on top. The right side of the material showing on both the front and the back. At this point you can sew across the diagonal to stabilize the sandwich, if you want.
Step 4.
Position the smaller denim squares on the front and back of the sandwich so they are framed by the larger squares.
Step 5.
Sew the stack together by stitching across both diagonals.
Step 6.
Sew a seam around the edge 1/2 inch inside the edge of the smaller square. Sew a second seam 1/2 inch inside the first seam. Your seam should be even on both sides of the potholder.
Step 7.
Throw your potholder(s) into the washing machine with a load of towels, dry (I use a dryer but I think hanging them on a clothesline would work), trim any long straggly threads and voila! you have denim potholders with frayed edges.
Options
Embellish the top denim squares with patches, embroidery, rickrack, etc. prior to Step 4.
Use contrasting thread.

I searched the internet and found other patterns for denim potholders that called for aluminum coated batting in the center for heat resistance. I have not found that to be necessary.

This tutorial could also be used to make placemats and coasters, just adjust the size of the "squares". And in the case of the placemats make rectangles instead of squares.

Feel free to share my tutorial (it's not rocket science), and spread the green crafting word.

Let me know if you try making a denim potholder (or placemat or coaster) using this tutorial. Was the tutorial easy to follow? Any suggestions for making it better? I didn't take pictures because this is an easy pattern? Do you think I needed pictures anyway?

The Trip Home

2011-07-24T15:11:00.000-07:00

Our route home was through the southern Colorado Rocky Mountains, Four Corners, across the Navajo Reservation of northern Arizona and back to I-40. Along the way we stopped at Mesa Verde National Park, Four Corners National Monument and the Grande Canyon National Park. Definitely a whirlwind as we were home in two days.

And now the last pictures from our trip.

Wild Thing at Spruce Tree House,
Mesa Verde National Park

Wild Thing exiting a ceremonial room at Spruce Tree House,
Mesa Verde National Park

Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park

Wild Thing in four states (Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona
and Utah) at one time, Four Corners National Monument

Me and Wild Thing over looking the Grande Canyon from
the South Rim, Grande Canyon National Park

Wild Thing and I agreed that we need to return to Mesa Verde National Park and Grande Canyon National Park for a minimum of one week at each park.

Are you taking a vacation this summer? Where?

Let's Finish This Vacation

2011-07-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Canon (pronounced Canyon, the spelling is spanish) City later that evening and spent the next five days eating, visiting with family and friends, sightseeing, and eating and visiting with family and friends.

A few pictures of our days.

Painted wall at cafe on Main Street in Canon.

Wild Thing and new friend on top of Skyline Drive.

Antiques shopping in Florence, Colorado.

Taos II

2011-07-12T11:09:00.000-07:00

So after touring the pueblo under the direction of a cute, knowledgeable young man (aren't all youngsters cute?), we did some shopping and eating. It is absolutely essential that Fry Bread with honey be eaten at every opportunity which Wild Thing, a pueblo dog named Rollie and I did. Yum!

We visited the studio of artist David Gary Sauzo. He paints vividly colored scenes of the pueblo and Taos area. Luckily, Mr. Sauzo was at the studio and we got to talk with him about his art--inspiration and techniques, how he promotes his work and his children. "Pueblo Stars" is now a part of my art collection!

Acrylic on handmade paper.

It was time to leave Taos and continue on to our destination, Canon City, Colorado.

Looking for Highway 64 we found this local cemetery (believe me I am not obsessed with cemeteries). Doesn't it looking like a picture from the Old West? There was even a gentleman tending the graves. After a little wandering and backtracking we found Highway 64 and were on our way to Angel Fire, Eagle Nest, and Cimarron, and the treat of beautiful mountain scenery.

Taos, New Mexico

2011-07-11T11:43:00.000-07:00

After leaving Gallup our next stop was Taos, New Mexico.

The highlight of the Taos stop was touring the Taos Pueblo.

Join me on a short pictorial tour.

The tour begins at the St. Jerome Church.

Stained glass window from the
exterior of the church,
no pictures are allowed of the
church's interior.

The original church (built in the 1600s). All that remains
is the bell tower. The church now sits in the middle of the
cemetery.

Adobe ovens are still used to bake bread
especially for feasts.

The creek that divides the pueblo into east and west.
The creek is, of course, very important to the pueblo as the source of
life for the people, their crops and livestock.

Gallup II

2011-07-06T11:27:00.000-07:00

After breakfast we walked along I-40 Frontage Road window shopping.

We chose a large gallery store to go into...wow...such awesome jewelry, rugs and pottery. I could have spent my life's savings here.

However being a somewhat frugal woman of Scottish heritage I bought one pot, an etched horse hair pot signed Heather Sam, Navajo. I picked it for the blue and green colors and the fine etching.

Happy Independence Day 2011

2011-07-04T11:53:00.000-07:00

Wild Thing at the City of Ontario
California 4th of July Parade 2011

How are you celebrating our declaration of independence from taxation without representation?

Gallup, New Mexico

2011-07-02T11:52:00.000-07:00

Our first stop during the trip was Gallup, New Mexico. We started with breakfast. Wild Thing picked a cute straight-out-of-the-1950s diner. One of our goals for the trip was to eat as much local cuisine as possible.

One might think that mexican food was the same throughout the southwest US but it is not. California mexican food is very different from that of Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado.

Wild Thing with blue mush

So back to our breakfast. On the menu was "blue mush". We questioned the waitress "What is blue mush?". Turns out it is a hot cereal made of blue corn. We could not pass up the opportunity to give it a try.

And...after adding lots of sugar...we gave it a thumbs up.

Sterling silver and Kingman
turquoise by Al Lasiloo

During our breakfast we met Zuni carver and jeweler, Al Lasiloo. Mr. Lasiloo showed us this beautiful sterling silver and turquoise cross which, of course, I had to buy. Mr. Lasiloo's Zuni fetish carvings can be seen here.

Back Home

2011-07-01T14:32:00.000-07:00

Wild Thing and I pulled into home late last night. We were definitely ready to be out of the car and sleeping in our own beds. I found I did not have my settings correct in Blogger so I was not able to post on the go. Over the next week I will share some of our experiences, and show you the art we bought and some of the people we met along the way.

Veteran's Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Vacationing with Wild Thing

2011-06-28T13:22:00.000-07:00

Wild Thing and I have been on a road trip from California to Colorado the last 9 days. Our destination was a family reunion in my hometown of Canon City, Colorado.

We spent three days traveling through Arizona, New Mexico and southern Colorado. We both agree that New Mexico is enchanted.

This first picture is of the Taos Pueblo...

and here is Wild Thing in the doorway of the Catholoc Church at the Taos Pueblo. The Taos Pueblo is a much recommended stop.

We also spent time in Gallup which we thought was a great place.

Tomorrow we head back to California; we will be traveling through the Colorado Rockies and into Arizona. Along the way we plan to stop at Mesa Verde National Park and Grand Canyon National Park.

A Little Mother Daughter Time

2011-06-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

Wild Thing and I went riding, something we have not done in over a year. Here's Wild Thing on her favorite horse, Kidd. Kidd is a spirited cowpony who belongs to our friend Mary.

I rode my little girl, Breezy and ponied Max. Max and I are finally making head way and I am looking forward to trail riding on him soon.

On the metal front I am learning to fold form! I can't wait to show you what I am working on.

Graduation 2011

2011-06-10T08:26:00.000-07:00

"My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too..."---Rascal Flatts

Wild Thing graduated from high school last night! Congratulations!

She is off to junior college and then to nursing school.

Watch out world.

Relay For Life 2011

2011-06-06T18:16:00.000-07:00

The 9th Annual Upland Relay For Life is fast approaching. Saturday June 11 is the big day!

Relay For Life is the premier fundraising event of the American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service.

Click here to make a donation.

Fall 2011 Color Trends

2011-05-31T15:02:00.000-07:00

Total excitement...the Pantone fall 2011 color report is out. The colors are being called sensible and spirited.

Yes I can see it.

Sensible because they work well with the colors from last fall and even this spring.

Spirited because the colors are clear, happy and invigorating.

Once again turquoise is present as Deep Teal (my favorite), a lovely chocolate with Coffee Liqueur, and as a continuation from spring Honeysuckle.

I approve. Now how can I use the colors in my fall collection...hmmmmm?

Do you take into account the color report when designing a new piece of jewelry?

You can get a pdf of the fall report at Pantone.

Where are my horses?

2011-05-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

This time of year my beautiful horses....

Turn into MULES!

I'm a Winner

2011-05-13T11:14:00.000-07:00

Last week one of my favorite bloggers Carol of Red Dirt in My Soul had her monthly QandA; as an added bonus she gave away one of her Wyoming Wildflower mugs. And the luck winner was me!! Look what I received in yesterday's mail.

Carol lives on a centennial ranch (that is a ranch that has been in the same family for 100 years or more) in northern Wyoming. She photographs and blogs about her life as a ranch wife.

Thanks, Carol, my coffee was especially good this morning as I drank it from my lovely new mug. Great pictures.

I encourage you to check out her blog; you will find it to be an enjoyable read.

Cymbidium Orchids

2011-05-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

Because my Cymbidium loves me, even though I do not show her much love, she gave me one beautiful stock of blossoms this year.

International Charm Day at Garden of Beaden

2011-05-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

Irene of Garden of Beaden hosted an International Charm Day Charm Swap on Saturday, May 7.

Look at all the lovelies I received!

Renee etched and fabricated the perfect little heart. Both sides of the heart are etched with different patterns! I can't wait for her to teach this class. Gorgeous!

Diedre also etched her copper tab charms and embellished each of them with a resistor and shell. One the back it says "Create". Sweeeet!

Irene not only made each of us a copper bracelet! but gave us these lovely "Garden of Beaden" charms (we got to choose a flower or butterfly). Score!

Crystal's charm is a vintage watch face and mine says "Only TIME will Tell" on the back. She said she had a hard time parting with the watch faces; I can see why I would too. Awesomeness!

Jessica made her charms from a vintage map of our area. The map is from her personal map collection and it was made in the year of her birth. Very special! Also her presentation was stunning; she painted a map on the card that each charm was attached too.

Omzahara made two charms (overacheiver!). She upcycled beads from an old necklace and used them to embellish an old coin and a wire wrapped heart. I love these charms.

Dawn, a master seedbeader, made a butterfly with a chaton in the middle. Dawn did the charms in different colors so we got to choose our favorite. Wonderful use of components! Very lovely!

Tara began with a metal stamping painted the patina on it and embellished with a tiny brass bee. She did three different versions so we got to choose the one we wanted. Tara also had an awesome presentation; each charm dangled on a piece of vintage seam binding. Most of us tied a little piece of the binding to the bracelet; me included. I love her choice of colors and collaging of the components.

Linda, another master seedbeader, made the lovely butterfly with 15/0 Delicas...WOW! And, of course, in my book turquoise is the best. I am in awe of the perfection of this little butterfly.

I made the little leaf charm. One of my goals for 2011 is to become proficient at soldering and riveting so I incorporated both techniques along with fabricating the charm from copper sheet. All in all I am pleased with the results.

We had two ladies that could not make the get together on Saturday. I can't wait to see their charms. Dara and Brit we missed you.

I hope this becomes a tradition at GOB.

Did you celebrate International Charm Day? If so, how?

A Republic

2011-04-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

I have alluded, in a past post, to the fact that our form of government is a "Republic" not a "Democracy" as so many call it. Today I read a good article on just that subject and had to share it with you, my gentle readers.

The article is entitled "A Government of Laws and Not of Men: The Electoral College" by Nancy Salvato.

The Founding Fathers were brilliant in their understanding of tyranny and how government and its people work together to create tyranny. We are moving dangerously close to becoming a democracy.

"Democracy >> Mob Rule >> Anarchy >> Tyranny, under an Oligarchy"

Gentle readers I implore and encourage you to educate yourself on the constitution and its background. An excellent way to learn about the reasoning of the Founding Fathers is to study the Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist Papers. You can even study them through SparkNotes!

My question for you today, gentle readers, is "Have you read and/or studied the Constitution, and the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers? And if you have did you do it in school or on your own?"

I will make my own confession here and now. I do not remember studying the Constitution in depth, much less the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers during my years in the public school system. As such, gentle reader, I vow to rectify this atrocity starting today. I will start at SparkNotes and then move to reading the original texts.

Women's Boutique Fund Raiser for Team Jean of Upland Relay For Life

2011-04-25T12:22:00.000-07:00

You are cordially invite to the Women's Boutique, Saturday April 30, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 10249 Effen Street, Rancho Cucamonga, California

What is the "Women's Boutique"?
The Women's Boutique is a fundraiser for the Upland Relay For Life sponsored by Team Jean. And your opportunity to buy all kinds of products, many of them handmade, from independent businesses. 25% of all proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society to further their mission of education, research, advocacy and service.

Who Will be Selling at the Women's Boutique?

ME!!! I will have my handmade jewelry and handbags for sale.

I hope to see you there. If you cannot make it but would like to help go to my Etsy store and I will donate 25% of any purchases made on April 30 to Team Jean.

Resurrection Day

2011-04-24T22:35:00.000-07:00

A Snapshot of My week

2011-04-16T17:44:00.000-07:00

I am spending a lot of time in the studio working on riveting and soldering. My goal for 2011 is to master these metalsmithing skills. To that end I am teaching riveting and soldering lots of bangle bracelets.

Nothing takes your skill level up a notch like teaching. Teaching forces you to examine each step of the process so you can relay the information to another. Yesterday I taught two lovely women--Aleta and Terry--wire riveting. Here's what they did in class. Awesome work.

And today we had a rummage sale for the Relay For Life teams. Three teams participated and each felt it was a good way to fund raise.

Are You a Patriot?

2011-04-04T10:28:00.000-07:00

Every American ( and especially Baby Boomers) needs to read "The Truth about Social Security". What is your gut feeling about the article? Denial? Anger? Agreement? Resolve? I believe your reaction defines whether you are a patriot or a leech.

I don't care what your political affiliation if you are not willing to reform Social Security and Medicare in a meaningful way--raising the retirement age, limiting benefits based on need, allowing our young working Americans to have private accounts, paying for at least a portion of your health care costs--you are a leech.

I know all the rationalizations for justifying receiving your monthly SS check and Medicare benefits, and demanding that it continue until your death. "The politicians stole the money". "I paid in for 10... 20...30...40...50 years." "They said the money would be there when I retire." "It's a Ponzi scheme."

I also know that if "We, the Baby Boomers" do not step up, act as patriots, and demand meaningful reform we are denying our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren the opportunity for "pursuit of happiness".

My definition of a patriot is a person who is willing to give everything for the Republic (please note the use of "Republic" not "Democracy" ...oh well, I digress). Everything means just that everything; security, possessions, and, if necessary, life. We have many examples of patriots in our history: the founding fathers, those who fought in the Revolutionary War, our veterans, our all volunteer military, and even a few politicians. Now "Boomers" it is your turn.

Patriot or leech; it's your choice.

Iditarod '11

2011-03-09T10:49:00.000-08:00

I am not much of a sports fan but I do love sports that involve partnerships with animals, especially horses and dogs. One of those sports is the Iditarod which is running now from Wasilla, Alaska to Nome, Alaska. The following video is a glimpse of that partnership.

A Page from My Art Journal

2011-02-26T17:33:00.000-08:00

Sew, Sew Finale

2011-02-23T12:23:00.000-08:00

Finally, I whipped up this little number.

No pattern...I just cut and sew until I get a shape I like.

More old jeans, vintage rickrack and lace, an old belt, a recycled zipper, and lined with an old patchwork cotton skirt.

The front pockets are not functional but the back pockets are.

And the fly is a zippered pocket!

Hanging from the zipper is a tassel of multi-colored ribbon and an animal print scarf torn into ribbons.

Wild Thing nabbed this bag but I will be making more for sale. If you want one of your own you can always contact me with a special order.

Sew, Sew II

2011-02-21T13:00:00.000-08:00

This hobo bag features a reproduction mid-century atomic bark cloth with a nubby texture, more of the vintage lambskin leather, and a funky leather and torn silk fabric tassel. The colors of this bag make it very versatile.

Check out this lining! New cotton fabric; this will be some of the last new fabric I will use in my purses. I have been bidding on (and winning) vintage fabrics for my future creations. Soon all my purses will be from upcycled and/or vintage fabrics.

If you are interested in this purse you will find it here.

Sew, Sew

2011-02-20T16:24:00.000-08:00

This past week, inaddition to nursing a cold cast upon me by my evil children, I have been designing and sewing new purses for spring.

This a structured satchel made from a pair of my daughter's jeans and embellsihed with gorgeous lace from a vintage wedding dress and lambskin leather from a vintage coat.

The jean pockets are still functional and very handy for the cellphone, business cards, and keys.

Check out the lining. It is a vintage cotton with a western motif!

And the bottom and handles are lambskin leather.

I have claimed this one for my spring bag but I will be making more; each will be a one-of-a-kind creation--different jeans, different embellishments!

Headpins

2011-02-09T11:09:00.000-08:00

The last few days I have been making 20 gauge headpins with red brass (bronze) and copper wire.

I became mesmerized by the melting metal.

I didn't want to stop.

I made several hundred of these ball-end red brass headpins.

One hundred are on their way to Canada.

Next I hammered the ball to make these flattened paddle headpins.

I loved the paddle headpins so much I made them into a pair of cute little earrings.

And finally I tried my hand at making rosey copper ball-end headpins.

Did you know that the color of the copper ball depends on how you quench them? To get the rosy color you immediately quench in water and to get the black ends you let them cool in the air.

Want some of your own? The headpins can be purchased at Watergirl Studio and the earrings are for sale at Donna Gunn Metalsmith.

Canvas is ready

2011-01-27T12:29:00.000-08:00

The canvas for my saddle blanket project is ready to go. The inserts are sewn in, I opted to hand sew them in, and the canvas is painted, I used acrylic spray paint.

I had concerns about the blanket fitting Max, he has very high whithers. At the suggestion of Carol I fit the canvas to Max prior to completing the sewing and found that the instructions fit him perfectly. I decided to try the canvas on Breezy, too; she is the one I will have to modify the instructions for. Breezy has no whithers I think I will not put any inserts in her blanket, if and when I make her one.

I took it back out to the corral for Max's approval.

Check out the whithers on this boy!

"I approve."

Now comes the hard part, committing to the first color. Right now I am leaning toward red. Followed by a thin strip of ecru. Decisions, decisions!

Narcisstic Tendencies

2011-01-21T10:13:00.000-08:00

The narcissus are blooming! One day there were none and the next they were everywhere.

Spring 2011 Colors

2011-01-15T20:21:00.000-08:00

The Spring 2011 colors are out...ok so they have been out since September. But really who was thinking about spring in September; I was just beginning to think about Christmas!

THE color for spring is honeysuckle; a gorgeous red pink.

My favorite is Blue Curacao. I can't get enough of turquoise.

I also like Coral Rose.

All-in-all another great season for color.

What is your favorite color from the Spring 2011 collection?

Bronze?

2011-01-10T22:00:00.000-08:00

With the ever increasing cost of silver many jewelry artists are using more copper and its alloys in their designs. One of the choices is bronze.

So what is bronze?

Wikipedia gives the following description of bronze. "Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive, but sometimes with other elements such as phosphorus, manganese, aluminum, or silicon. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, giving its name to the Bronze Age. The discovery of bronze enabled people to create better metal objects than previously possible. Tools, weapons, armor, and various building materials, like decorative tiles, made of bronze were harder and more durable than their stone and copper predecessors. The earliest tin-alloy bronzes date to the late 4th millennium BC in Susa (Iran) and some ancient sites in Luristan (Iran) and Mesopotamia (Iraq)."

The melting point of Bronze varies depending on the actual ratio of the alloy components and is about 1742 oF (950 °C).” The melting point of sterling silver is 1650 oF (899 °C) and the melting point of copper is 1984 oF (1084 °C).

The bronze used for making jewelry is approximately 85% copper and 15% zinc. Jewelry grade bronze goes by the generic names of Rich Low Brass, Jeweler's Bronze and Red Brass and the brand names Nu Gold (or NuGold) and Merlin's Gold. They are all the same metal. Confused? So am I.

Bronze is fairly resistant to oxidation (called patina by artists and tarnishing by others), but will form a patina with the application of such chemiclas as hot liver of sulfur or Jax Brown-Black.

Are you using less silver (sterling or fine) in your designs?

What are you replacing it with?

Adventures in Dyeing

2011-01-05T20:01:00.000-08:00

As promised here are the pictures of my adventures dyeing the wool roving. Really it was pretty mundane and straight forward. Last evening as I was cruising the internet I thought "why don't I dye another half pound of each color". So I did. Now I have a full pound of each color, enough to get started on the hooking.

Weighing the roving.

Soaking the roving.

Prepared dye and aicd (vinegar).

Dyeing on the stove top.

Roving drying.

Here are the colors I chose plus the natural ecru color.

Next step prepare the canvas.

The Saddle Blanket Saga

2011-01-04T18:37:00.000-08:00

My husband's Christmas was the stuff to make a hooked wool saddle blanket. I follow the blog of Carol, Red Dirt In My Soul and she posted a link to a hooked wool saddle blanket tutorial at the blog of Linda, Just Another Day On The Prairie. Of course, I decided immediatley that I was going to do this; my hands are happiest when they are busy and this looked like something I could easily do while watching movies at night. Most of the components for the blanket were readily available at my local Micheals but the wool roving was a different story.

First I went to the website Linda recommended for wool roving which is located in Canada. I picked out 4 lovely colors and got ready to purchase the wool only to be shocked by the shipping charges...$250!!! Needless to say I went searching for a US vendor. After looking at many internet sites, I decided to go to eBay. On eBay I found the seller awayathome and purchased 8 pounds of undyed wool roving.

Next I researched dyeing wool. Which lead me to Jenn, Wind Rose Fiber Studio, who had a tutorial for dyeing wool roving and she sells Jacquard Acid Dyes (and lovely dyed wool roving and yarn) on Etsy. I ordered three colors and began the wait for everything to arrive.

That is the backstory.

Today I dyed 1.5 pounds, eight ounces of each of the colors; I was anxious to try dyeing and to see the colors on the roving. While rather time consuming, the dyeing process was very straight forward (thanks, Jenn) and the colors are awesome. Tomorrow I will post pictures of the process and the dyed roving.

Happy New Year...2011

2011-01-01T10:35:00.000-08:00

http://www.cmaxnews.com/

Another new year...I have one resolution this year to declutter my life; to let go of the things that are holding me back, to provide room for new opportunities, to realize of my dreams.

Thank you to those who visit my blog. I appreciate that you take time from your day to spend a little time with me.

Images of Christmas

2010-12-27T10:33:00.000-08:00

I love taking pictures of lights and of course Christmas provides lots of opportunities.

Still Raining

2010-12-21T11:09:00.000-08:00

The weather service is saying this is a once in ten year rain event for California. Thank God.

Yesterday my back yard was under water.

Today the rain let up a bit. The lake in my backyard soaked into the ground. The river in the street subsided to a creek. The dogs went out for a much needed romp. And I'm going to venture out to get chicken feed and supplies to finish up my Christmas sewing.

I'll be so glad to see the sun on Thursday.

Hope you are staying warm and dry.

Rain, rain go away

2010-12-20T00:08:00.000-08:00

It is raining. The torrential rain, river in the streets rain that hits southern California at Christmas time most years. I hate it. After one day I am grumpy and after two days I am grumpier. The weather report is prediciting rain through Wednesday; by then I will be grumpiestest!

If you are not from so. Cal you probably think I am a whinny wimp and you are right. I am so conditioned to hot and dry that all this wet stuff is overwhelming and besides it makes the horse corrals stink.

Please...rain, rain go away!

So what is your weather like and how does it make you feel?

Pomegranate Jam

2010-12-15T11:42:00.000-08:00

From this...

to this.

The stocking were hung....

2010-12-13T19:21:00.000-08:00

Today I sent off my fifteenth cross stitched stocking (I stitched thirteen and my mom stitched two for me). This one went to Jason's new wife Jaime. All of them have been labors of love and have gone to family members.

The pattern is from Shepherd's Bush in Utah. I love their primitive folksy designs. I stitched the first stockings, for my kids, in 1996; good thing they keep making new designs. I have made some of the patterns more than once but each time I change something--different colors, different border.

Does your family hang stocking for Santa to fill? Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

What I Did Over Thanksgiving Break

2010-11-30T11:14:00.000-08:00

Over the long weekend we loaded up the family and horses and headed to Yuma, Arizona. My SIL, Denise, and her hubby, Jeff, have a place on the Colorado River. On Thanksgiving we had a wonderful traditional meal prepared by Denise; most of us promptly fell into a turkey coma or pretended to watch a football game. The youngsters had clean up...yes!

We boarded the horses at the Crying Coyote Ranch. On Friday we took advantage of the round pen and arena at the ranch. Max was a little freaked out by the new surroundings so it was nice to have the opportunity to work him in a controlled environment. Even with that he gave Don (my hubby) a wild ride; side stepping and bucking. Max is a beautiful horse, has a sweet personality but his lack of confidence can make him a challenge to ride.

Later on Friday we all piled into the 4-wheelers and hit the hills along with several other families. Noah, my son, was behind the wheel of the Jeep with Don as navigator, and Jeff the Hummer. This was Noah's first time driving on the Jeep trails; as we are driving along Jeff commented that theses trails were not "Offroading 101".

Here's Noah's reaction.

Looks like he didn't mind the advanced course.

At the end of the trail we had a bird's eye view of the river.

In my opinion this is one of the best times of the year for enjoying the desert; the other is in the spring when the flowers are in bloom. Many people like the summer for water sports but I am too klutzy for waterskiing and it is just too hot for me.

Amazing Video of Rescued Baby Hummingbird

2010-11-17T11:49:00.000-08:00

This video is a must watch!

Isn't that incredible? Have you ever raised a wild animal?

First Shipment to Little Dresses for Africa

2010-11-10T10:11:00.000-08:00

Today I am mailing 3 dress to Little Dresses for Africa thanks to Irene, Katherine and Britteny of Garden of Beaden and a fourth that I made. My goal is to double the number of dresses (and add shorts for boys) in our next mailing.

If you would like to become a part of our effort to assist Little Dress for Africa in bringing hope to the orphans of Africa contact me by leaving a comment here or at dgunn43[at]aol.com or go directly to the Little Dresses for Africa website for more informtaion. And you don't have to be a seamstress to help you can provide material, supplies or money for shipping.

I can't wait to see the next batch of dresses and shorts!

What are your favorite charities and how do you participate?

Catching Up!

2010-11-03T22:23:00.000-07:00

It has been a hectic ten days. Village Venture has come and gone. It was a great success. I sold several pieces of jewelry and a purse, met a lot of nice people and gave out a bunch of business cards. The day was cool, perfect for an outdoor art faire.

I took this picture of my booth with my cellphone so the quality is lacking; maybe someday I will move up to an IPhone.

A special thanks to Denise, my sister-in-law, who came from San Diego to help me at Village Venture. She is a great saleswoman and just plain fun to spend the day with.

The next day I packed the camper and headed to LV to run a well capacity test for one of my water company clients.

I spent the week...

Running tests.

Camping out.

Taking water level measurements every half hour.

Taking water level measurements every hour.

Taking water level measurements every 4 hours.

Reading.

Playing with wire.

Watching movies (aren't mini-DVD players wonderful).

Getting up at 1 a.m (Yuck, such an ungodly hour).

and

Talking to Jazzy (she thinks I am a great conversationalist).

It was fun to be away and working.

However, as Dorothy said "There's no place like home."

More Handbags and Toads

2010-10-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

I made three more purses and that will be it for this art fair. I hope they sell because I want...need...to buy lots of wonderful, quirky, retro, vintage material. And buttons. And ribbon.

Check out the button (double click on the picture to enlarge) on the red handbag. It is the weirdest old button and it was made for this retro mid-century atomic tiki barkcloth.

Out of no where we have toads. Cute tiny toads. Unexpected. I wish I could get a picture of them but they hide out behind cans and rocks and things. And they are driving Jazzy crazy; she is obsessed.

Earrings, Earrings, Earrings

2010-10-12T20:37:00.000-07:00

In case you are wondering whether I followed my schedule and made earrings or deviated and made purses, I followed the schedule.

And here they are.......

This week's project is purses, purses, purses. One down, five to go!

What is your project for this week?

Donna Gunn Handbags

2010-10-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

I spent last week making handbags; I'm very excited about them. You can see them in person at Village Venture.

Hobo Bags from Donna Gunn Handbags

The purse on the left and in the center is made from upholstery material and the one on the right is upcycled from a jacket (I used the material that was left from the first purse I made).

Each bag has coordinating cotton lining with a large pocket, a D-ring for hanging your keys and is embellished with MOP or metal buttons from my collection.

Remember the handbag that I entered in the LA County fair?

(Here's a picture of it. )

It received a blue ribbon! I'm excited about that too.

Are you thinking "I have the perfect piece of material for this handbag; I want to make it myself"? You can get the pattern from JCaroline Creatives.

And, of course you can always buy one from me at Village Venture or contact me at dgunn43 at aol.com.

The cowgirl material has arrived and my intention is to make hoop earrings this week but I can't get that material out of my head.

Will I give in and make the cowgirl handbag or will I follow my schedule and make earrings?

What would you do?

Barkcloth

2010-09-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

I got up early this morning, 5 a.m., to clean the horses' corral so I wouldn't have to do it once the sun came up. (Yesterday is was 110oF in lovely So. Cal. and today the forecast is 108oF.) Oddly it was nice being out at that time of day. Just enough light to see what I was doing, a warm breeze and three of my favorite companions--Max, Breezy and Tank.

I then got on the computer and bought these fabrics from Etsy for handbags.

They are reproductions of barkcloth designs popular in the 1950's.

Can't wait for them to arrive so I can sew them up.

This one is my favorite, cuz I wanna be a cowgirl!

Do you have a favorite? Which one is it and why?

New Autumn Designs

2010-09-26T16:12:00.000-07:00

A preview of new designs I am making for Village Venture...is it already less than a month away?

I love charms and the autumn season so I have been rummaging through my bead boxes for beads and such to make into autumn charms for necklaces. I scored the mother of pearl leaves from a round robin bead box and the vintage brass chain from Etsy. And aren't the bronze pearls awesome?

Hope to see you on October 23 at the Claremont Village Venture.

Are you working on new designs that celebrate fall?

I joined the Etsy Holiday Boot Camp

2010-09-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

I, Donna Gunn, pledge to participate in the Etsy Success Holiday Boot Camp to the best of my abilities. I vow to check in every week, do my homework and support my fellow Holiday Boot Campers. I will read the weekly newsletters and blog posts, check in on the weekly forum thread, read the weekly blog post, check off the checklists and salute the mascot. I promise to share what I've learned with those who need it, support my fellow Etsy indiepreneurs and, most of all, have a positive and persistent attitude. I understand that together we can spread the word about our handmade and vintage goods, making this holiday season a more unique and meaningful one to gift givers and give-ees everywhere!

Yes the holidays are just around the corner. In the Etsy Holiday Boot Camp spirit...repeat after me. "I pledge to do my holiday shopping on Etsy for handmade and vintage treasures."

Wild Thing and Sweet Thing

2010-09-18T07:35:00.000-07:00

This summer, it seems so long ago, my niece, Sweet Thing, spent a little time at the beach with us. Wild Thing and Sweet Thing could have been sisters...even twins. They look alike; they act alike.

Then.........................and........................Now

I have always loved the picture of the little cousins hugging, now I have two pictures to love.

911

2010-09-11T10:36:00.000-07:00

World Trade Center Lights Tribute

Take time today to remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 and to pray for those who hate personal liberty so much they would commit such an atrocity.

Village Venture, Claremont California

2010-08-29T22:45:00.000-07:00

I have been anxiously awaiting notification from the Claremont Chamber of Commerce as to whether I had been chosen to particiate in the 2010 Village Venture on October 23; to my great joy I received a positive response this weekend.

Village Ventrue Arts and Crafts Faire is a juried show so I was required to send pictures of my work with my application and, of course, fees.

I will have lots of jewelry for sale and will be previewing my new line of handmade purses.

Here's a sneak peek of a couple of the items I will have for sale.

The lampwork beads are by Dana Ivory, wire work by me.
This is one of my favorite pieces.

I love the primitive style of this material.
I embellished it with vintage rickrack, buttons and beads.
This purse is entered in the LA Couty Fair

I guess you know what I will be doing the next seven weeks--makeing new inventory! How exciting!

I look forward to seeing you at Village Venture Arts & Crafts Faire, Booth 178 on Saturday Ocotber 23 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Rain or Shine!

Bush Babe Comments

2010-08-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

Bush Babe, the winner of the blue lampwork earrings, has a nice post on her site about receiving the earrings.

While you are there check out her photographs of life on a ranch (I think they call it a station) in the Austrailian bush.

I'm hooked.

Wild Thing

2010-08-06T18:32:00.000-07:00

I've noticed that the blogging community tends to use nicknames for their friends and family.

I decided to start with my daughter, Malora.

I also noticed that the nicknames tend to be terms of endearment but none fit Malora. Now don't get me wrong I have terms of endearment for her but she is so much more.

She is ...

spirited and emotional,

helpful and irritating,

funny and confident,

and headstrong,

beautiful and independent,

empathetic and blunt,

daring and lazy,

and headstrong,

determined and curious,

animal lover and avid reader,

libertarian and boy savvy.

And did I say headstrong?

Today she was playing the old Troggs song "Wild Thing" and it hit me she is "Wild Thing". Henceforth, on this blog Malora, my beloved daughter, is "Wild Thing".

Weekend in San Diego

2010-08-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was in San Diego teaching at Bead Gallery. Bead Gallery is a wonderful store with an equally wonderful proprietor, Dolores, and staff. The store is packed with beads and tools, and handmade jewelry!

My first class was on Friday evening. Lidia joined me for an evening of earring designing, unfortunately I did not get pictures of this class. Lidia is fairly new to wire work but she did a great job and I look forward to seeing more of her work.

My second class was all day Saturday and three ladies: Janet, Roma and Jacqueline, joined me for an adventure in rivetting. The Riveted Heart class is a fairly technique intensive class but these riveters were very enthuasitic and their excitment was contagious.

Jacquline's Project:

Roma's Project:

Janet got away before I thought about taking pictures. Darn!

I mixed pleasure with business and spent the off time with my sister-in-law and her family. On Sunday we took a couple of her horses to Cuyamaca for a trail ride. This is my trusty borrowed steed--Chico. He is an elderly Azteca, gentle and surefooted.

I took this picture with my cellphone; it was terrible quality.
This prompted me to do a little experimenting with some of the features in Photoshop Elements.
I like the results.

I took a book making class...

2010-07-26T16:45:00.000-07:00

from the lovely and talented Dana Primavera. The books are tiny 3 inches by 3 inches.

The cover is hammered and torched copper.

(I used my new planishing hammer!)

The pages are aged heavy art paper with ripped edges.

(Next book I will stain the pages with tea.)

The closure is a silk ribbon with beads.

If you want one of your own Dana is teaching another class at Garden of Beaden in August and she is selling them at the Glitterfest October 2nd 2010.

Changes to my blog

2010-07-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

I am exploring Blogger and found that I can have pages on my blog. Wow! I immediately added several pages...Artist's Statement, About Me, Tutorials, Metal Quotes and more. The pages are listed as tabs below my banner.

I am most excited about the "Tutorial" page. I will be posting general information about wire, wire wrapping technics, metalsmithing and tools on this page, soon.

Wrapped Washer Class II

2010-07-23T20:16:00.000-07:00

Nancy C., Michele and Diedre

Paige and Topsey

Nancy R.'s bracelet, lovely patina and texture

Also in class were Lisa and Peggy

This is the largest class I have ever taught with 8 ladies. A fun, determined group. We had a strange reaction with our washers that slowed the class down. Our washers were from China via Harbor Freight and when we tried to heat patinate them we got a wierd black coating that came off when we quenched them. However when we hit them again with the heat they did not always give the lovely colors and some turned black again. We concluded that they had some kind of coating and we found if we removed it prior to heating we got more consistant results. I think I will look for US made washers in the future.

Fall Colors

2010-07-21T14:41:00.000-07:00

The fall colors from Pantone are out. I always enjoy looking at them and sometimes even take them into consideration when I am designing. I like this fall's colors very similar to the spring colors.

My favorites are lagoon (of course, I love any color that allows me to use turquoise in my designs), purple orchid and lipstick red. Truly theses are gorgeous colors and great names.

What's your favorite?

New Tools

2010-07-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

The big brown truck delivered new tools today, what a delight to unwrap them, touch them and give them a test drive. When making my purchase I had two criteria.

Function
Cost

Function

Is this tool designed for small scale work? Is the tool well made? Will the tool last? Where is the tool made? Is the tool made in a country known for quality craftsmanship? Has the tool manufacturer been recommended to me?

Cost

This one is obvious. Can I afford it?

I had the opportunity to talk with Jackie of Sylas Studios about tools. Her recommendation for hammers was repurpose old tools (old means 50 years or more) as the steel used in the past was better than modern steel or hammers from Peddinghaus. And to look for tools from Germany, Sweden, England, and even the USA.

I'm not quite up to repurposing old tools...yet, so I decided to buy them pre-made. What I bought was a 6 oz. planishing hammer from Peddinghaus. The Peddinghaus hammers are mid-range...some manufacturers are more expensive and lots are cheaper. And medium and long round nosed pliers from Rio Grande that are made in Germany. I had a pair of the long nosed pliers before (but lost them), I was very satisfied with the quality. The Rio pliers are also mid-range.

What is your favorite tool and who is the manufacturer?

2010-07-19T19:29:00.001-07:00

Listed numerous charms and beads on Watergirl Studio today, most were Christmas themed.

And the Winner Is...

2010-07-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

#3 Bush Babe (you can email your address to me at dgunn43@aol.com). Congratulations.

Are you wondering what my answer to the question is? I'd say I'm a 5. I have lots of earrings (most of them made by me) but I tend to have a favorite pair that I wear constantly until I find a new favorite pair.

Thank you to all who entered the giveaway. I will do this again in the future so please check back for new chances to win a piece of my jewelry.

Summer is for Earrings!!! Earring Giveaway.

2010-07-10T16:22:00.000-07:00

Summer is definitely here and I think everyone needs some new summery earrings. To help you with that goal I am giving away these earrings ...

to one lucky person.

A little background on the earrings. The beads are lampwork from a very talented artist (I wish I could remember her name...Dana ?) and the metal is sterling silver forged by me. I love the Caribbean blue of the beads and the lime green accents.

HOW TO ENTER

To enter the Summer Earring Giveaway answer the following question in the comments section of this post.

Are you an earring addict? Rate your addiction 0 = I never wear them, 1 = I always wear the same pair, 10 = I have multiple pairs of earrings for each outfit.

THE RULES

One entry per person.

Entries will be taken until Noon Pacific Time on Friday July 16, 2010.

One winner will be randomly selected from the entries.

Winner will be announced on Saturday July 17, 2010 before Noon Pacific Time.

Good luck.

2010-07-10T08:51:00.001-07:00

I now have the capability to post blogs from my phone. I love technology.

Images From My 4th

2010-07-05T11:42:00.000-07:00

Old Glory flying over Upland Christian Church...

Lunch with my church family....

Dinner with friends...

Waiting for the show...

The show...

A truly spectacular show this year. We had three fireworks displays going on at the same time!

The Sacrifices

2010-07-04T13:46:00.000-07:00

An excellent discussion of the sacrifices made by the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Again I ask "Could you be a signer of the Declaration of Independence?"

Independence Day 2010

2010-07-04T08:22:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrate the 234th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Do you think you have had the "stuff" necessary to sign the Declaration of Independence? Having the luxury of hindsight I say "Yes, I would have signed the Declaration of Independence" but without that luxury would I have been willing to brand myself as a traitor, to put my life and fortune on the line? As you celebrate your freedom today give thanks to the brave men who did sign the Declaration and who did make the sacrifices.

Take some time today to learn more about the history of the Declaration Of Independence and to join the signers!

And enjoy your friends and family, the fireworks and your freedom! Happy Independence Day!

Special Request Class

2010-07-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I held a special class for Peggy, Melissa and Kay. Thank you for requesting the class I am always willing to do special request classes at Garden of Beaden as it gives me an excuse to be there and hang out with the wonderful people who frequent Irene's shop (including the GOB staff).

We used copper washers as the basis for the bracelet and embellished them with fire patina, wire and beads. The bracelet was inspired by the copper washer bracelet in Contemporary Copper Jewelry by Sharilyn Miller.

Aren't their bracelets lovely?!

The class is also scheduled for July 22 at 6 p.

Fresh Veggies

2010-06-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

This morning as I was out feeding my critters I peeked at the garden and found two zucchini ready for picking and a handful of cherry tomatoes. I love veggies fresh from the garden. And I'm thankful my husband takes such good care of the garden, I'm a terrible gardener if I was in charge everything would die from lack of water.

Going Riding!

2010-06-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

It has been over a month since I have taken the horses out for a ride. First I had the Relay to get through, then the Allison transmission on my truck decided that it needed some TLC. Now all of that is behind us and it's time to hit the arena and trail. YEEHAA!

Rosey the Riveter

2010-06-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

or should I say Nanci, Nicki and Kathie the Riveters! These three kindred spirits joined me on Saturday to learn the ins and outs of riveting. We conquered our fear of power tools and the temperamental jeweler's saw. I can't wait to see their future riveting projects.

I will be teaching this class again at Bead Gallery in San Diego on Saturday July 31.

Anodized Aluminum for Coloring

2010-06-26T07:42:00.000-07:00

Today I am teaching the riveted heart class at Garden of Beaden. In addition to riveting I am teaching how to stamp/color on aluminum. In preparing for the class this week I learned several things.

First not all anodized aluminum is suitable for stamping/coloring. Several years ago I bought a large supply of colored anodized aluminum sheet in awesome bright colors. Who doesn't love the idea of adding colored metal to your jewelry? But when I used it in my project the ink rubbed off. What's up with that?

And second when in doubt go to the manufacturer. East West Dye Company is the manufacturer of the anodized aluminum I bought and also manufactures a product call Ready For Color Anodized Aluminum. Of course, I thought all anodized aluminum was created equal. In my discussion with the manufacturer I learned that the anodizing process fills in the pore space of the aluminum which makes it corrosion resistant and this filling in of the pore space makes it so inks will not stick to the surface. To allow the aluminum to accept stamping/color they etch the surface after it is anodized. I also learned that East West Dye is temporarily (maybe up to 2 years) not manufacturing any anodized aluminum including the Ready for Color. Oh no! Panic! Then the helpful representative suggested that I could etch the anodized aluminum I have with vinegar. Really?

I had to do a little experimenting to get it to work but it finally did. The tricks are to soak the aluminum in undiluted 5% vinegar for at least one hour, throughly dry the aluminum, stamp it with StazOn permanent ink and finally heat set the ink with a hairdryer on the "High" setting or an embossing gun.

Father's Day 2010

2010-06-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

For Father's Day I made my dad a tie chain. It has a bracket that goes behind the tie and fits over a button, and the chain that goes around the tie. I don't often make men's jewelry. It is fun to do something different once and awhile.

The tie is from my wow-isn't-this-a-neat-silk-tie-maybe-i-can-do-something-with-it collection.

Happy Father's Day to all you dads.

2010 Relay is a memory...

2010-06-14T18:35:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken Sunday morning and dedicated Relayers were still walking the track, taking a stand against cancer. We raised almost $41,000 to help the American Cancer Society further its mission of "eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service". We'll take a break over the summer and then start planning the 2011 Relay! Cancer never sleeps so we mustn't either.

I'm in mourning...

2010-06-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

my favorite Cole Haan sandles meet with an untimely demise...they were eaten by a predator. Well they were eaten by one of my dogs...personally I'm blaming Tank because my much beloved Jasmine won't think of committing such an atrocity. As you can see I'm a little over the top about shoes...seems to be a common affliction of females. (You will sometimes notice this affliction among men when cowboy boots are involved.)

So my sandles are going to shoe heaven...the dump...today. I hope they meet up with my Ariat mules that were also eaten by a predator.

Ready, Set, Relay

2010-06-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

Upland residents, cancer survivors, health care givers, students, and business and community leaders will gather for the Eighth Annual Upland Relay For Life on June 12 at 9 a.m. at Magnolia Park at 15th Street and San Antonio Avenue, Upland. Relay For Life is the 24-hour signature fundraising event of the American Cancer Society. The funds raised are used to further American Cancer Society’s mission of “eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy and service”. In 2009 Upland RFL raised over $50,000 for ACS programs, this year the goal is $52,000. The theme for the Upland RFL is “A World with More Birthdays”.

The Upland RFL will begin on June 12 at 9 a.m. with a Celebration Ceremony and the cheering on of our cancer survivors during the Survivor’s Lap, the first lap of the Relay For Life. Throughout the day as survivors, caregivers and team members walk the track there will be music, dancing, team raffles and a birthday party. Then at 9 p.m. we will pause for our candlelight Luminaria ceremony, this is a time to remember those who have fought the cancer battle. Upland resident Frances Ladner will speak about her family’s many battles with cancer followed by the Luminaria lap. The Luminaria lap will be lead by bagpipers from the UHS Pipe Band. And at 7 a.m. on Sunday morning Relayers will recommit to fighting cancer everyday during the Fight Back Ceremony.

There is a $10 registration fee for this event which is open to the public.

Riveting Test Drive

2010-06-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spent the day with my friend Melissa at our favorite bead shop, Garden of Beaden, test driving my new riveting class. Thanks Melissa for being my guinea pig...I learned lots that will make the class better...less frustration = more fun. And thanks Irene for allowing us to work at your shop

First, stop being a cheap little Scottish girl...not being convinced that StazOnTM was the only ink to use on metal I had to try another (cheaper!) product...well it promptly rubbed off...I had an engineering professor who's mantra was "don't reinvent the wheel"...when am I going to heed those words. I'm also a Missouri native...you know the "Show Me" state...skeptical coupled with cheap...not always a good combination.

Second, this is not a beginner's class...being comfortable with tools is essential.

Third, take your time with the fit and finish of the rivets.

I will be teaching the riveted heart at Garden of Beaden on Saturday June 26, 2010 11 a.m. to 4 p.m....it would be awesome to have you join me in the class.

New Etsy Store

2010-06-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

I have a new Etsy Store--Watergirl Studio, http://www.watergirlstudio.etsy.com/. I was the lucky reciepient of the stock from a crafter that changed her focus--from beads and barretts to candles. I am posting those supplies currently. I am also cleaning out my studio and will be posting orphan beads and the like. Many of the supplies would be great for school fundraisers or scout projects.

Memorial Day 2010

2010-05-31T08:35:00.000-07:00

Take time today--amid the BBQs and family gatherings--to reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day. Take time to appreciate why our young men and women go into battle. Take time to thank our military for loving the freedom we too often take for granted. Take time to comprehend the sacrifice that so many Americans have made and continue to make.

For myself I thank every American who has served for your willingness to stand tall and proud for your country and mine. And for your willingness to give your life if necessary. You are true American heros.

(The picture is of Arlington National Cemetry.)

Tornado Bead Earring Class

2010-05-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

Learn to make these fanciful earrings this Friday May 28 at 11 a.m. at the Garden of Beaden in Upland. The class includes making the bronze ball-end headpins and earwires.

I can do anything better than anyone!

2010-05-21T09:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'll bet you've seen Jessica on YouTube, don't you think we all need a heaping dose of her optimism and can-do spirit. Repeat with me "I CAN DO ANYTHING BETTER THAN ANYONE!"

Relay For Life

2010-05-20T20:24:00.000-07:00

A organization that I am passionate about is the American Cancer Society. For the past five years I have either been on a team or on the Planning Committee for the Upland Relay. I have had two very good friends die from this terrible disease...like so many other relayers I relay so one day, in the near future, no one will hear the dreaded "you have cancer". Join the movement for more birthdays...checkout a Relay in your area at http://www.relayforlife.org/.