Burnt Offerings!!

I had planned to show you some really cool bracelets today.... bracelets made from old recycled toothbrushes. I came across a tutorial on All Free Beaded Jewellery last week and I thought I just have to try this. It looks so easy to do and it packs a real punch! You've just got to check out the tutorial . But, things have been going haywire in the kitchen today. Tonight, the microwave (just out of warranty) gave up the ghost whilst I was steaming the potatoes for dinner. Which brings me to the first pic. The microwave just didn't seem to be cooking the spuds so I swapped the microwave for the stove top and promptly forgot to add water and here's the result of that little oversight....... Burnt offerings! The saucepan is a bit worse for wear but it will live to cook another meal. But this one below? Well, I'm not so sure! See that black gap? That's not supposed to be there. The bottom of the pan is beginning to peel away from the pot. And how did this come abou......

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Mixed Berries Cha Cha Bracelet

Remember this pic from a couple of weeks back? I was telling you about the things that I can't get by without in my studio?...... and also how much I love turning loops. At that stage, my Cha Cha bracelet was jut beginning to take shape. My bracelet base has three rows with a total of 144 individual loops. And because I like turning loops so much, each one of those 144 loops is a wrapped loop to make it really secure..... I mean, you don't want to go doing the cha cha and find the beads go flinging off onto the floor now, do you?! I got quite carried away putting this bracelet together and I couldn't stop at just one bead per loop. There are 3 and even 4 on some of them so it is a really plump bracelet and you can't see the base at all. It still jingles the way a cha cha bracelet should but it's just really chock full of beads! I didn't count how many all up but I know there are more than 300. This is the perfect project to complete in front of TV......

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8 Great Ways to Use Filigrees

I love metal filigree stampings; their intricate patterns and designs, the variety of shapes and sizes available and their vintage style give them timeless appeal. I'm always on the lookout for new ones to add to my collection because they offer such a diverse range of looks to your jewellery. They can be both vintage as well as strikingly modern. And no longer are they just available in brass; they now come in a range of different coloured metals as well as bright enamels - it's no wonder I love them so much! Here's eight great ways to incorporate them into your jewellery designs: 1. Use a filigree as the focal in a necklace and then attach dangles through the open lace edges. 2. Use them as connectors. Just thread them onto an interchangeable earring finding . You could make a few different dangles and change them up for a new look each day. 3. Try bending a filigree into the shape of a ring using a ring mandrel. If the filigree is soft enough you might be abl......

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