House Update

The floor bearers are up! Next the main frame

Cold and More Stuff

Sometime during the night, the first cold winter winds arrived. Sweeping around a vast high pressure area cell, drawing the cold from the great Southern Ocean and Antarctica itself. And, you guessed it, blowing straight into the shed, wherein the 'Grunge Studio' is located.

Behind the pile of boxes, crates  and other items, waaaay in the back, sandwiched between more boxes, is my little creative bolt hole.

A stitched together photo series show just how small it is. Because of the lack of 'put down space' I tend to work in chaos, pushing things to the back until there is no more workspace left and I am forced to tidy up. 
So there I sat crouched down trying to avoid the icy tendrils of wind, that snuck down my neck and nipped at my ears and nose. A beanie on my head and a ratty pair of fleecy tracky-daks over my jeans.


First came these. . .

Then these. . .

And with my muse griping and complaining about how cold her fingers were, and how hard it was to twist metal and how could you expect her to possibly handle all those tiny jump rings, came this
Not sure where I will go from here with this.
One earring?? necklace?? Will have to wait 'til my muse defrosts no doubt.
OK 
ENOUGH!
I'm off to light the pot belly stove and stir the homemade pea'n'ham soup that has been simmering all afternoon
YUM!

Gainfully Employed

During the Computer Blackout did I fret, champ at the bit, winge, and sulk? (yes, yes, yes and yes)
But I had something else to occupy my attention.
Look at this, one of 40

Then there was this

Yes finally, FINALLY we have started building our house!!!!!!
(Insert wild,outrageous, outa-control happy-dance)


I even managed to squeeze these in as well

 I wonder if my muse will pour cement?
 

Who Turned Out the Lights?

My computer recently decided that it would no longer 'speak' to the AC adaptor. So bought another but to no avail the charger connector on the laptop had died.
Now one of the disadvantages of not living in even a small country town is the length of the line of supply. Luckily I had the service of a 'phone-a-friend' and my daughter was able to get a docking station for the Dell which arrived today. Wooohooo back in the world again.

2 Metres of Wire . . .

That's what it took to make these.

So about now you are thinking just how big are these earrings? Or, more likely, you are nodding your head knowing what is to come.

Yep these were the earrings of indecision.

Love the scarabs, especially the soft green. Love the creamy shell and sequins. Had a lovely handmade lampwork round with a spring green core and clear surround. Strung them up, and fed the wire through the scarab and made loops on the ends of the wire. Attached the top section to the loops, but the scarab kept rolling on the pin.

Nip Nip undo

Re did it with the top loop threaded through the scarab which stopped the rolling, but and was umming and ahhhing about the size of the bottom loop.

Nip nip undo

Remake with smaller loop, but dissatisfied with the size of the lampwork bead and how the whole design sat.

Nip nip undo

Discard lampwork bead and find clear glass drops in stash. Rework bottom loop so wire wrapped drop can hang. Re thread cream beads/sequins.

Make two loops in top wire, overlap loops and try on ear wires. Nope no likee that. Needs more green and the overlapping loops pull apart

Nip nip undo

Re do bottom with green glass pearls - much bedda

Re do top wire with different loops, try earwire and pearl - looking good.

Nip nip undo WAIT WHAT ARE YOU DOING!

Recut all wire and reshape so both earrings are the same-ish. Rewire bottom loop. Rewire top loop, apply dark patina add earwires and FINALLY satisfied.  

Whew think I need a coffee.

These earrings however, took very little wire at all.

 Source of the Nile and Silk Road both in my Etsy shop
 

Coupla Newies

Barbary Coast

The Barbary Coast was the term used by Europeans from the 16th until the 19th century to refer to much of the middle and western coastal regions of North Africa – what is now Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya.

The name evokes the memories of the Barbary pirates based on the coast in Tunis, Tripoli and Algiers. They attacked merchant ships for their rich cargoes and coastal settlements in the Mediterranean and North Atlantic for slaves.
Today the Barbary Coast is a romantic exotic memory full of rich fabrics, golden treasures, fabulous tales, wooden ships and iron men. 

Ur

Ur was a supercontinent formed about 3 billion years ago during the Archeon eon. In the early period of it's existence it was probably the only continent on Earth.
Ur joined with other continents over the eons to eventually form the supercontinent Pangaea.
Rocks that made up Ur are found in Australia, Africa and India.

Purloining the Pig

 

Green Heart Trade beads with lovely crusty bits

Tiny clay tube beads                      
Indonesian glass beads in mottled matte green

    Antique pink Indonesian glass
                     

More Indonesian glass in a soft dusty mauve

All the above from geographicformations

                 
  A humungous pile of leather pieces from Eugenia Transylvania 

                           

Red Yak bone prayer beads

White Yak bone prayed beads

Ceramic scarabs

All from By Roberta Supplies

 

 Turkoman stamped squares

Turkoman buttons

All from UberKuchi

 

Mexican  Milagros from alamo2003 

 

 A bunch of silver bangles from hinic1 

Alas my piggy bank now looks like this . . . .