Another day drenched in alcohol...

...alcohol ink, that is. Made two sets of 4 matching marble coasters, one set of 2, and 4 larger trivet size marble tiles, plus a bunch of 4x6 starting images, either for decorating boxes, books, or whatever else seems interesting at the time. I also applied a cover to a lovely little Moleskine journal, will need to do the final cutting and trim work after glue is completely dry tomorrow. Previously with "recovering" books, I've had some issues with page curl/crinkling from the moisture that seeps out from the glue. I decided that if I used a totally waterproof layer between the cover and the inner pages, the moisture would not be an issue, and it's not! Excellent.

The images in this blog show the set of matching earrings and necklace that I made for my friend Barb. Yes, I'll have to agree with her that making matched sets will likely increase the marketability of some of my individual pieces. For her lovely suggestion, she'll be getting 2 pairs of earrings--one with posts and one with earwires. Good suggestions should not go without reward!

Quick solutions...

Sometimes innovation is due to necessity. I found that the shelf that I had over at Indigo Coffee and Tea was a little smaller than I expected, and the location was not amenable to the earrings that I was hoping to display. So, with a little bit of sawing, drilling, and glueing, there is now a sweet little earring tree placed on the countertop over at the coffeehouse ready for their opening day on Monday, April 2.

And if you want to build a quick earring tree for foldover earring cards, just pick up a couple of things at the hardware or sundries store (or root through your existing supplies): two wood screws, some 1 x 1 square wood (I used a foot length), 3 foot dowels about a quarter inch in diameter (I made 6 branches about 8 inches long each from 2 dowels with leftovers), a wooden plaque (I added a photo frame around the plaque) to use as the base, wood glue, and some cork (or felt). You'll need a drill and a drill bit suitable for a pilot hole for your wood screws and one that's the same size as your dowel, and some kind of saw to make 90-degree cuts. First mark you foot-long 1-inch stock 1 inch, 3 inches, and 5 inches from the top (centered to the 1-inch width), and then rotate the stock a quarter turn and mark at 2 inches, 4 inches, and 6 inches from the top. Drill holes the size of your dowels straight through each of the marked locations on the face of the stock where you marked. Use a saw to create either 6 equal dowel lengths (8 inches) or 2 each of 3 graduated lengths (8, 10, and 12 inches), or be even more creative with 6 different graduated lengths (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 inches). Begin assembling the tree by inserting each of your branches through the drilled holes (adding a touch of wood glue to the drilled hole before inserting the dowel or to the dowel itself before positioning it in it's final location). Flip the trunk of your tree upside down and drill pilot holes for 2 screws in the what will be the base. Drill the same configuration of holes in your wooden plaque base. Screw both screws flush or countersunk from the bottom of the plaque base through and into the tree trunk base. Two screws will help prevent rotation... Glue cork or felt to the bottom side of your plaque base, allow the glue to dry, and you've got a lovely jewelry tree!

Of course, I shoulda taken a photograph of the tree, but I need to build a couple more, so as soon as they're built, I'll add photos here!

26 divided by 2 is lucky 13?

It's been a beading-kind of day. First, I had to run out to find a specific small gold bead, but had to make 3 stops before finding what I wanted. Had I selected the counterclockwise route, I would have stopped at this store first, but then would have missed an opportunity to stock up on my wooden box blanks, and find a box style that will be just right to contain a set of 4 marble coasters (and save me from constructing boxes this week). In my mind, I really wanted to make a trip up to Baraboo and Turtle Island Beads, but, then, that would have been an expensive shopping trip!


Today's beading frenzy led to creation of 2 pairs of earrings designed to match a lapis lazuli necklace that was purchased with a request for matching earrings, 1 pair of extra long (at least for me) Crazy in Purple and Pink Long Dangle Earrings that are now up for sale in my Etsy shop, and 10 pairs of earrings that I'll be dropping off for consignment a little later this week. Hmmm, I wonder if leaving the production end today with 13 pairs is wise, or am I just being mildly triskaidekaphobic? ; )

Tomorrow night's slide viewing will tell whether my joint application with Stephanie Funck (http://www.handmadebaskets.info/) for a spot in Art Fair Off the Square will end as a successful acceptance. We have joined together in the past for gallery shows, and have created a pseudo-entity for this year's application as a team named "B-ware" because our booth will be filled with baskets, boxes, books, and, if you haven't figured it out yet, things that begin with the letter "b".