Guess what I'm going to be doing.

My old vamped up headphones have broken.  I'm tired of 10 dollaring myself to death by buying cheapo earbuds, so I got me some good Skullcandy Grind Headphones with the Mic in the headseat.  Yep. 

I'm about to goth these suckers up.  *eyebrow wiggle* 

Chibi Jack Skellington Charm Bracelet

These charms were cute and on sale and in the same lot as the charms for the last Jack Skellington Bracelet.  One great thing about Disneyana (any and all Disney related and licensed merchandise) is that related objects share common dimensions.  The Jack Skellington charms, for example are all about 3-4 cm long and 2-3 cm wide.  So are most of the charms for other characters.

Chibi Jacks

This sort of consistency makes it easy to create patterns and design maps that would fit a wide variety of charms without too much alteration in execution or pattern.  It's a reliable model.  You see, there's a bit of science in every jewelry project.  Physics, geometry, and a host of scientific units of measure come into play.  Jewelry making is architecture. 

It's a charm bracelet.

So the reliable Disneyana metrics have allowed me to design an equally reliable metric for gauging how easily I can take on a new project when I'm suffering from shaky hands.  If I can complete a Jack Skellington or Disneyana charm bracelet in close to my usual time frame, it's good idea for me to start on a more intensive, strenuous project.  It also serves as a good warm up.

I'm sure I'll make more.  I have a ton of charms to burn through. 

Beads in the top right of the picture...  Clearly, there's more to come..

Autumn Colors

In case you all have been wondering why I've been posting a lot of strung necklaces, bracelets and what have you, it is because I'm trying to remain active in my craft in spite of being a little ball of aches and pains.  As I said in a previous post, stringing beads is one of the easiest things to do.  Babies can even string beads.

With my hands deciding to drop the tools whenever they feel like it, the damage and frustration from jewelry making can be reduced by working on stringing.  It's so simple and if my hands decide to cramp, I can just put the beads down on my bead board.  I can even set up my design on the bead board and leave it for a later day when my body isn't hurting and my head doesn't feel like I've been stabbed in it.  Just a note for you folks with arthritis and other joint problems: hot water soaks!  Sooooo goood.

ANYWAY.  Leaving off my 'old lady problems', take a gander at my newest creation.  I made it with my mom in mind and it's already in her possession.

Green, gold, and brown, Oh my!

I was actually basing my design on her color palette that she had done a while ago at the Palmer Pletsch workshops.  She sometimes has issues accessories that blend well into her wardrobe.  Since she's a warm autumn, she's got to have lots of rich, earth tones. 

So, I 'donated' this little baby to fortifying her wardrobe. 

Cognac

This is the third post with a liquor inspired piece of jewelry.  Pretty soon, you guys are going to start thinking I have a drinking problem.  FYI, that's not the case.  I'm a lady.  Ladies are prim, proper and conscious of the image they present to society at all times.  Ladies don't have drinking problems.  Ladies cautiously indulge.

You won't believe how hard it was to find a photo of intoxicated women without a panty shot.  THANK YOU, Inspired Women for classier pictures on your website.

Certain beverages have a long tradition of consumption, special rituals, standards and acceptable flavors.  These beverages tend to be highly regarded and seen as points of sophistication.  They are intoxicating in more than one way.  That sends a powerful and, to some, sensual message.  Much like Jewelry does.


That is why I'm posting this piece that I call 'Cognac'.

It features colors common to this historical brown alcohol from France.  It also has an aura or of power and prestige without being overpowering.

I initially started this project to get rid of some left over beads from Brandy.  I was going to make a simple bracelet and call it a day.  Then, I remembered some polyclay beads I'd gotten from a Jesse James strand and decided to take it a bit further.  Thus, this necklace came into being.

I made the pendant out of some filigree and beads from a different project.  It came together nicely.  Here's a closer shot of it.

All in all, this project came together fairly easily and the experience was rewarding.  It freed up some space in my stash, gave my twitchy fingers a break from trying to work the pliers and generated something that makes me feel good.  That's always a plus.

La Fée Verte

I love emerald greens. They have always exuded an aura of vibrance and nobility.  I always picture rich, well-nourished foliage, copious wildlife and a regal appreciation for all things that walk and crawl.  Also, elves and fairies. 

I swear this is not another Lord of the Rings or Hobbit fan art piece.  I happen to be highly inspired by the Prohibition Era and the green fairy (absinthe).  Consuming absinthe is a ritual.  You start with a fine 'dose' peridot to emerald green liquid in a beautiful, yet simple crystal glass.

Courtesy of the Wormwood Society

Delicately place an elegantly perforated spoon and a sugar cube atop it and drip ice water.

Courtesy of the Wormwood Society

The sugar water falls into the glass, creating swirling opalescent patterns in a sea of verdant alcohol.

Courtesy of the Wormwood Society

That's classy.
You can't help but to be inspired by such a carefully crafted ritual to enjoy a beverage with a lot of tradition, history, mystery and misconceptions.  It was just that sort of feeling that inspired the following design.   La Fée Verte.

Look at that color!

I often pair green with gold.  They aren't complimentary colors, but they do bring out each other's good sides.  I inherited the green glass point from a destash buy from Etsy.  Initially, I had no idea what to do with it.  That's distressingly common with a lot of my pendants.  The little twinge of uncertainty excites me and make me more likely to do something unexpected.

I tend to stay away from side drilled points because they have a nasty habit of shattering the instant you thread something through them or clink a bead against the place where they hole is drilled.  Bails are necessary.  I HATE bails.  They often don't work with beaded chain and force you to stick with stringing techniques.  Also, they tend to have a very large opening that is hard to hide AND balance. 

I hate bails.  Still, I looked at this green point and I said, "I have to do something with you.  Now."  I actually found a solution to the common problems with points through something I noticed about Amy Labbe's line of Art-i-cake findings in Michael's craft stores.  You see it? 

Get Closer.

That sparkling little rhinestone and tendril of silver is part of the rig holding the point to a bail I McGuyver'd out of a bit of filigree leftover from a project.  The filigree actually did not take well to bending into a bail.  I used that to my advantage to ensure that when I wrapped the pendant with wire and a rhinestone, the pressure wouldn't shatter the point.  The filigree pushes away and the wire pulls it back  Tension, baby.  That's PHYSICS!

Courtesy of Funny Junk.

None of the parts directly touching the bead are putting pressure on it.  The key to working with points is indirect pressure.  They have to be cradled, not gripped, like butterflies... or maybe captured fairies.

Legend of Zelda: Navi Necklaces

Hello, Everyone!  The moment you have all been waiting for has now arrived.  Behold, the unveiling of the Ocarina of Time themed Navi necklaces.

First we have the traditional, iridescent blue and silver Navi.  I added some more beads and stainless steel chain to complete the necklace.  The dangling beads represent Navi's light trail as she flies.

It looks magical! 

Hey Listen! 

That's it for the Blue Navi.  Now we'll have the Purple one.  Same concept, slightly different application.

It was difficult to find matching swarovski to bring this one to life. 

However, this Navi still glows with pale light.

It looks positively radiant.

Finally, the crystal Navi.  Since I posted it on my DA page, people have likened it to a 'royal Navi'.  I'm not so sure about that, but it is pretty.

And there you have it.  My Navis. 

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time- Jewelry Fan Art

Does that logo mean anything to you?  No?  Well it should.  It's only the logo of one of the biggest, most iconic fantasy videogame fanchises in history!  LEGEND OF ZELDA!  OCARINA OF TIME!

The first Zelda game came out on the NES console in the 80's, before I was born!  Lucky for me, my mom is a gamer/sci-fi nerd, so I grew up with the console in the house.  Friday nights were for family games of Tetris, Mario Brothers, Ninja turtles and tidbits of the original Legend of Zelda games.

When I got my N64 to play videogames on my own, I found that I was pretty much terrible at everything Legend of Zelda.  I could only go so far before frustration and fatigue got to me.  Still, stubborn to the end, I poked at it.  I never finished any of the games, but I have fond memories of coming upon insane enemies that were either too powerful for me to kill or too terrifying to behold (Thanks for the nightmares ReDeads!).

One of my favorite bits of the Ocarina of Time game was the fact that they introduced Navi, a little helper fairy to give you clues to the puzzles, dungeons, and infuriating quests.  Although, there were points when her catchphrase, "Hey!  Listen!" started to make me bonkers.  Sometimes, I wish there were Navis in real life to give us clues about how to get around real world obstacles....  We could all use a nice, fairy companion, whether we're Zelda fans or not.  That's why I made one....some... 

I started with this. 

I was in Michaels (of COURSE I was) when I breezed passed the instruction books that are so carefully placed within the jewelry supply section.  There was a book suggesting different jewelry making technique combinations.  Their design was a bit...interesting, but it sparked an idea in my head.  Then, I saw a filigree style that I'd seen dozens of times before and had overlooked.  I even had one in my stash that I had been thinking of giving away or tossing.  The fairy wing stamping.  It was PERFECT for Navi.  This is the first one I made.

Ooh lala Swarovskis!

It LOOKS like Navi.  Except you know, the wrong color.  With the success of this little experiment, I sought out MORE SUPPLIES...at the lowest price possible, of course.  It's perfectly fine to give into your excesses as long as it is within reason!  Indeed.  Soon, I'd made another

This time in 'Traditional' Navi colors.

 I'd had to purchase more of the fairy wing stamping.  I found the absolute BEST stampings at DimeStoreEmporium on Etsy.  Not only are their stampings consistent, sturdy and brilliant.  They are SUPERBLY dapped to give the piece more depth and weight.  Check them out when you have the chance.

See the lovely curving details of the wings?

 I even experimented with doing a less labor intensive Navi by using rhinestones.  The rhinestones are cute, but I think I like the first way better.  More sparkle, harder to duplicate, more elegant..  Yes.  I like the first method better....

When it doesn't come out like this...

Still, purple rhinestone Navi is pretty cute.

 If any of you guys are interested, you mosey on over to my Etsy and adopt one of these babies.  Tune in MONDAY for my next post to see what these pendants look like as necklaces!

Thanks for reading!

BREAK!: Hatter madness!

Have you seen the fascinators?  They're everywhere.  Especially now since the Royal wedding.
To be honest, I rather like this trend, but I fell in love with it long before some goofy pampered girl went out looking like she was wearing an anatomy diagram on her head.  That Middleton girl ruined it for me in some ways.  Here's why.

In high school, I was deeply enamored with the goth, yamanba gyaru and gothic lolita movements in Japan.  They're subcultures that cater to intricate attire, accessories, a unique philosophy about life, and a certain fearlessness that only comes with true self-assurance.  Also, they look like thrice damned fools most of the time.
 In Japan, not only is individualism frowned upon, but even though they don't rely on pieces of paper and the internet to filter people out of the workforce (at least not as much as they do in America), the stuff you do on the weekends will ultimately mess with your social and work life.  It's not enough to just randomly toss on an odd accessory and go with it.  You have to go to ridiculous extremes to avoid being recognized.  If you want to wear a big bow on your head and that's not common, you better cover you face in glitter, stickers and false eyelashes.

The true faces of bravery

Actually, the Gyaru movement terrifies me.  Their philosophy of being as fake as possible to exaggerate consumerism as a CULTURE is pure nightmare fuel.  The worst thing about their movement as a whole is that they lump tons of tacky clothes and accessories together with a easy-money-live-fabulous philosophy in a mimicry of AMERICAN TEENS.  It really makes you wonder what depths culture will sink to next and how horribly wrong it can go.  Plus they look creepy.  *shudder*  Ugh!

The kitty hat is just adorable.

Lolita and Goth subcultures sort of struck a cord with me, though.  Idolizing simpler times, recognizing the inevitability of sadness, strife and death, but maintaining low stress hobbies, and a focus on creating an idealized world of safety and comfort for ...well everyone.  It was a very productive and welcoming seeming society.  Plus, they all wore cute little embroidered and bejeweled hats/bonnets to match their outfits.

Who doesn't want to look like a living porcelain doll?

 At any rate.  All that was just to say that I shall be embarking on a fascinator/hat making experience- which I shall post as I complete projects. 

I am so full of angst!

With my jewelry inventory bursting, my Etsy store practically dying, and my need to make room/money, I looked up some boutiques that I could sell my things to.  Many of the shops in my neighborhood shut down because of poor sales during the recession.  Of course, a lot of these small boutiques were where I would sell off my jewelry items after a big convention.  I had a big problem.  So I had to search for new places to hawk my wares.

I did what any intrepid Gen Yer would do.  I turned to the power of the internet!  I found a place called Buffalo Exchange.  It wasn't too far, just a train ride away in Wicker Park on the north side of Chicago.  There were tons of positive reviews about the place too, so I felt it could be trusted.  I packed up my things and headed down there Monday, October 22nd.

 I'd called the boutique earlier to get a feel for what they'd be up for buying- to save myself and my back the trouble of dragging suitcases of crap there.  The sweet young lady on the phone stated that they would buy old clothes, Halloween costumes, jewelry- pretty much everything- store bought or hand made.  Good.  She stated that I would get 35% pay out in cash OR 50% payout in store credit.  Sounds fair.  That's how the merchandise things in big retailers.  I was pretty confident that I'd come away with at least $200-$300 if the boutique was as great as people were saying it was online.    I lugged my stuff down to Wicker Park.

Image Cred: Broke and Chic.com

Now, I'm a smart girl.  I know the signs of a struggling boutique that won't give me much pay out.  There won't be a lot of people inside, the racks will have tons of 'on sale' or '30% off' on prominent display and there may even be a side show clown spinning a sign outside the shop to lure buyers in.  There was none of this at Buffalo Exchange, so I walked in with confidence.

I wish I hadn't. 

It took them a long time to look through all of my stuff.  A very long time.  I brought a lot of stuff, you know.  I brought old clothes I couldn't fit, Halloween costumes I was...bursting out of, and a few accessories that I just didn't like any more.  Only the good stuff, though.  Bringing bad stuff is just bad business.  In the end, I came away with about $150 expected cash payout OR a $225 store credit.  WHAT?!
I was flabbergasted and I asked the nice ladies if the jewelry I'd brought wasn't trendy enough to make the cut because I saw that they'd heaped up a lot of clothes and hadn't finished going through the jewelry yet.  That wasn't the case at all.  They loved the jewelry- just about all of it, in fact.  They loved the details, every little thing about it.

The issue was their pricing model.  They were pricing things that I would sell for at least $60 at a potential retail value of about $30. That's just a little over cost of materials and doesn't even pay for the hours I put into each piece.  It felt like someone was offering me $100 bucks for my left kidney.  Granted, I don't need the kidney to live, but do you realize that this thing is worth 200 times what you're offering me?
F*ck that noise.  I bargained with the ladies of Buffalo Exchange and they were surprisingly amicable about the whole thing.  No one got nasty and they understood the situation.  They even went back into the system and recalculated the items' worth.  In the end, after examination of what they wanted for their store and what I wanted for my work, I came out a little bit above cost of goods sold.  That is, for those of you who didn't have to take accounting and finance classes, BREAKING EVEN.

In the end, I came out with about $70 in store credit and $150 in cash.  It doesn't sound like a big difference, but in total, that's right in the modest $200-$300 payout range I was initially going for.  I would have liked to be paid out MORE, but well, I broke even on my costs and labor and I got a few jazzy clothing items to boot. 

Now, I have to get myself ready for another week packed with job interviews.  Catch ya later.

Babies: The Invasion of Cute

I've noticed something odd and I'm sure that you have too.  Recently, there's been a great rise in the appearance of miniature humans.  Every day you can see them.  You don't even have to go out of your house.  Just peek out the window for a while and you'll see a caravan of pastel colored frippery, being pushed down the sidewalk by a tired, but happy adult as they march to the tune of squeaky toys, jangling sounds and the clicking hiss of rattles.
I'm talking about babies.   Toddlers.  Rosy-cheeked little ambassadors of high-pitched squeals and huge, toothless grins.  Tiny, little humans.  They are everywhere. They're infiltrating the nuances of daily life!  For a while, it was common to see a few strollers while you were out.  On public transportation you could count on seeing at least one baby,  but all of a sudden, whenever I find myself on CTA, I see no less than 3-5 infants in strollers, snuggle carriers or car seats.
When I look out my window, I see parades of nannies, Mommies, and sometimes Daddies all walking along with their caravan of babies.

Just like that.

When riding on the expressway, every other car has a baby or evidence of a baby in its back seat, advertised with glaring pastel banners, baby Winnie the Poohs and stuffed teething rings.  They're everywhere!  It's like a never-ending Parade!

EXACTLY LIKE THIS

I like to think about why things are the way they are, so of course I thought about this.  What changed in the last few years?  I mean, we're still in a recession, folks shouldn't be having babies.  Then, it dawned on me.  I'm in my mid-twenties.  Most people are planning the arrival of or have recently brought forth their first or second child.  I'm also part of one of the largest generations there is.  Generation Y.  The Echo Boomers.  The Millenials.  The Peter Pan Generation.  95 MILLION PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 19 AND 34!  Prime baby-making age.

Well, that was easy to figure out.  But, you'd think that with about 20% of us still unemployed, most of us working a series of temp and part-time jobs because of budget cuts, and our extended stay with our parents we wouldn't be able to care for children.  But some of us are having babies.    It may look like lots of us are doing it, but I'm pretty sure if you play the numbers game, the rates are low in comparison with the rates of previous generations.  There's just so many more of us that it looks like a lot.

Babies.  They're the future of our nation.  It's important to make sure they have a good start in their lives so they can grow up to be the game-changers we need them to be.  Recently, a cousin and a couple friends of mine announced that they are expecting adorable little girls.  I'm excited.  Especially since my realistic assessment of my life has led me to the conclusion that I'll be baby free for a while now.
I  must live VICARIOUSLY.  That's why I'm going to start making a bunch of baby-themed stuff!  My babies (read: babies belonging to people I know) will have hand-made blankets, dolls, and butt covers- because I love them and because I'm living vicariously.  Whatever.  They get to feel special and loved.  The parents don't have to pay a ton of cash for unique baby items and I get to exercise my creativity and create spoiled monsters.

That's right, little diva.

Everyone wins.  Yaaaay! 

Now let me get busy.  


PHOTO CREDITS:
Google Search:  Poor Mojo's News Gallery, B*tch media, Mommyish

Need a pick me up? Have heart to heart with your strict mom.

Yesterday, mom and I got off to a strange start, with her asking me to make sure I scrubbed the pan from the baked chicken breasts I'd made to put over salads (I should probably post that recipe.)  Of course, at the time, I was in my room on the phone with an admissions counselor for a university offering courses that would lead me to a job, certifications, and licenses to mentor, teach, and tutor special ed students as a real job.  I couldn't answer her question about that stupid pan!

Of course, she came to my door with that patented expression of maternal annoyance and, 'you'd better not be ignoring me!'  I pantomimed that I was on the phone and this sparked a whole conversation in silent, expressive gesturing, silly faces and random pointing to objects.  She went back to her laptop to mind the queue for work, granting me enough time to finish with the adviser.

When I exited my room to clean that pan, I wasn't the happiest camper.  College is expensive.  Universities are expensive.  Graduate degrees, even when you're taking all your coursework online, are even more expensive than the four years you spend in a university getting your bachelor's degree.  Even with the scholarships I was eligible for, I still wouldn't be able to afford school without incurring EVEN more student loan debt and I also wouldn't have the cushion of a part-time job helping with my expenses. 

Naturally, my mother's mom sense was tingling!  She asked me what was wrong and I started weeping all over the place.  "Stop that crying!"  She said.  I was too busy being upset with all my short-comings and unemployed status to actually think about what she was really saying. Since we've reached this point where we can seriously talk to each other, she explained herself.

School is expensive- you know that.
Jobs are hard to come by- you know that too.
That job you had wasn't a good fit for you- You were always uncertain of your performance what you were being asked to do.  You recognized that.
It doesn't mean that you're broken or that there is nothing out there for you.
It doesn't mean that you can't find a good or a better job now that it's over.
It just means, you have more time to analyze yourself, to grow into a better and stronger person, and to expand on your strengths.
Don't worry about things.  Stop being sad.  It hurts me when you're sad.

This whole little speech/laundry list of how I should be conducting myself was both uplifting and made me feel a little guilty.  While I was being sad and making ugly faces, I was troubling my mom AND preventing myself from recognizing what's actually good for me.  Jobs are a means to an end, that end being, self-actualization, financial security and overall happiness.
If it is not creating one or more of those ends, it's not worth what you put in.  If it marginalizes your existence, your loves, and your self-esteem, it is completely worthless.  Sobbing over it is also worthless.  Dwelling on what might have been and what you could have done and why you weren't able to be Office Jesus will block out the room you need to seize your real blessings.  Thanks mom.  You're the queen.

I gotta remember this next time I get a application rejection letter. 

Get Yourself Cuffed: The Aftermath

I think that I've been cuffed enough.  

Been buried a week in my craft stuff

Sitting around, I've gained some fluff

And now I'm in quite the huff.  

My patience is thin; don't call my bluff

Else I'll make sure YOU'RE cuffed enough

Moving on!  I'm not actually tired of making cuffs.  In fact, I just prepped some more aluminum bands, pleather, and fabric scraps for the next crop of the adorable little things.  BUT, I do need a break.  I'd just like to stop smelling E-6000 in my dreams.  Before I know it, I'll turn into an E-6000 glue mutant, hell-bent on covering the world with sparkles and rhinestones.  So, for the next couple of weeks, I'll stay away from the industrial strength adhesives as much as possible.

Before I commit to that, I have something to tell you.  I've got commissions and Requests!  Several of them!  There are a few for members of the Haute Couture Club of Chicago.  These gals want some custom pieces to go down the runway with their designs in this year's fashion show.  There are a couple for some members of my church (Already finished), and 1 logo design commission from one of my mom's followers here on Blogspot. 

After I finish my commissions- some of them include cuffs- I'll swear off the E-6000.  I swear it.  But, right now, I'm just excited.

The Cuff Bracelet Phenomenon

Once upon a time, it was cool to wear large afros and day-glo bell-bottoms.  Not so chic today...  Today fashion translates to 'whatever makes you happy'.  Beribboned, beruffled, and bejeweled accessories for all!
All of a sudden, I see opposing subcultures trading beauty secrets like teen girls at a sleepover.  And, they've gotten creating stellar statement pieces down to a science.  Of all that I've seen so far, my favorite is the cuff.  A cuff is a solid band formed into a bracelet.  Typically it's one or more inches wide and decorated with stamped designs, wood, filigree, or inlays.  It's versatile and timeless.

A Cuff by Beth Church. 

Every lady I've ever seen as 'classy' has at least 2 cuffs.  Since the cuff movement made a resurgence, younger women sport the thick bracelets in a variety of styles and materials.   I decided 'I gotta get me some o' that!'  For creative purposes only.  I swear.  Stop looking at me with that accusing expression!

I looked in department stores, but...  It's silly to go to a department store and pay $20+ for a poorly made cuff that isn't to your taste.  It's even more ridiculous to pay $50+ for a higher quality one.  Any self-respecting DIY addict wouldn't stand for it.  I went to my old pal the internet and queried for cuff bracelet blanks and/or tutorials.  Most of the tutorials showed you how to make a fabric cuffs that weren't polished and would disintegrate.  I'm sorry, but when I decide to put a lot of work into something, especially when it involves hand-stitching, I'd like it to be worth my while.  More wear, less tear and preferably something that can be weaponized.  A girl's got to have her priorities straight.

I kept searching.  What I wanted was aluminum (It's lightweight AND flexible) cuff blanks that I could cover with fabric, rhinestones or whatever else I wanted.  I found nothing.  At one point, I nearly lost hope.  The only aluminum bracelets that anyone had available were the finished, stamped and highly-polished ones and, of course, raw sheet metal, but I don't have metal working tools more sophisticated than a pair of pliers!  What could I do with sheet metal?

With proper tools and training, I could do this.

But to do that, I'd need all this...and a blowtorch.

Eventually, I stumbled on a little shop on Etsy that carried pre-cut, pre-bent, and virtually unmolested cuff blanks.  What's more, they had several sizes, ranging from 1/2'' wide to 3 inches wide (That's HUGE!).  My search had ended.  All that was left to do was to acquire the cuffs and ask the shop owner if they knew about covering cuffs with fabric.  Guess what!? ...They didn't.  They'd only ever used the cuffs for stamping and other metal-working...things, things I can't do without the above toolkit..and training...and better safety goggles.  Suddenly buying the cuffs wasn't such a great idea.  I mean, there was a chance that I'd be stuck with product that was only good for a type of jewelry-crafting for which i was ill-equipped.  Maybe I should give up, right?
Right.  Just pretend your brain squirrels went into crazy spontaneous mode.  What would THEY do?  I bet they still didn't do what mine did.  That's cause my squirrels are crazier than yours.  I bought the blasted cuffs anyway, thanked the shop owner and began experimenting.  You would not believe how many rhinestones, yards of fabric, and tubes of glue I went through before I got it right and I made beautiful little babies.  I love my little darlings!  I'll even show them to you tomorrow...BUT FIRST! 

THE ETSY SHOP OF THE WEEK!

This week's feature is the little shop where my cuff blanks were found, Gotta Get A Deal.  GGAD, features a wide range of raw aluinum products for making ornaments, dog-tags, bracelets and regular stamping supplies.  They even have colorized aluminum and solid aluminum blocks.  I've no clue where they get it, but I consider them a 'friend' because they are the only shop I've seen so far with this kind of product line.  I recommend you visit their shop if you use the tutorial I will post tomorrow.  You'll find the product selection very useful.