Thing-a-day.com

I love jewelry, but I am so NOT a ring person. I wear them, but I always wear the same ones. My sister Liz is the exact opposite. She collects beautiful and unusual rings, often as mementos of her travels, and she frequently changes the ones she wears. Her hands were made for rings.

The last time I ordered supplies, I ordered, on a whim, some ring findings. I liked these because they looked like they’d accommodate peyote stitch.

So tonight I finally experimented with one. Here’s the result. (A hand model I am not. I have hideous hands, with my crooked fingers, big lumpy knuckles, and gnawed nails. Hmmmm. “Could your feelings about your hands be the reason you’re not a ring person?” asks the psychotherapist. “Well, like, DUH!” says I.)

The ring’s a lot cooler IRL than in the photos.

The inspiration was “Forged with honesty.” I wrote it in Violet (I find it easier to write fiction in colored pencil.) It’s a freewrite. ‘Nuff said.

EDIT: This was actually yesterday’s, but I saved it as a draft to check the formatting and forgot to publsih it. >_<

Here. Oh. It’s, er, a ring. I forged it out of honesty. I hope you like it. It’s not quite perfect, but I thought it would fit best.

            Oh wait, don’t touch it quite yet; it’ll—well, just wait ‘til I’m gone. I’m afraid you won’t like what it says.

            I never really know what to say or how to say it. I’m not great with communication, I guess. Even symbolism is lost on me. But when I saw the instructions browsing Wikipedia through Random Page, I knew I had to try.

            I never could find that page again.

            I’m sorry it took so long. It’s overdue, I guess. But there were all these complex directions, like catching a passing thought and letting it stew in a hot bath for three hours, and lighting a page with my favorite poem on fire—it took long enough just to find the poem, let alone somewhere I wouldn’t get in trouble for smoke fumes, and—I’m talking too much, aren’t I?

            I’m not really one for words. I didn’t know if anything outside of pure, concentrated honesty could tell you well, the truth.

            Just, wait to put it on, please? I’m not sure if I want to know what it says, either.

But I have been working!

 Friday my 8 year old daughter and I made polymer clay beads and baked them, then made jewelry.  Her beads came out WAY better than mine and I’m currently wearing a bracelet she made me. 

 Saturday, we did our cookie booth and sold 30 more boxes for her Girl Scout Troop!

 Sunday, I made it a point to carve out some special time with my husband.  We snuggles on the couch, ate sushi, and watched the LOST episodes we have missed this season.  We really, really needed that.

 Yesterday, my daughter and I delivered all the cookies ordered in the neighborhood.  It was a feat.  I stacked all the boxes in the stroller and strapped the baby to me in the Snugli.  We walked probably three miles that way.  It was an undertaking, to say the least, lol.  I was overly ambitious…but we did get them delivered to all but three houses!

And today I made this as a promo for my shop:

I made these today…

 And yesterday, I made this:

I’ve been making bunches!  I have some really cool single beads though that are coming out great as rings.  I’m excited about an order I’ve got in with a glass artist who does amazing work…can’t wait to get those beads!!

 This one is for sale in my Etsy shop by the same name.

Today I messed around with making rings out of hookup wire. I need to get used to evenly pounding copper flat without making it too brittle.

I saw these little stones at the bead shop yesterday and just had to have them.  The colors are amazing! 

If this set sells, I’m making one for myself, lol.

Would you believe it…the baby has taken a decently long nap today.  I was able to make two things and now I’m eating my lunch in peace!

Can we do this every day, baby?

Today I made a sterling silver band. I applied a super-secret finish that makes the surface texture both shiny and matte.

This one is a size 7 and it’s available here: http://tinyurl.com/2mut2m

I made this today…

I also wrote a tutorial on my brand new blog, so if you want to make your own rings, read up there…  http://caseyacrossthepond.blogspot.com

This one’s not for sale because it’s not as perfect as I’d like it to be, but I’m putting more up in my shop soon!

I’ve been lazy about posting, sometimes I don’t feel like scanning or taking pictures. Whatever. Here they are, I’ve been trying real hard to do something, at least a little bit, everyday. It’s a lot harder than I thought it would be. I think one of my goals would be to organize my room. It is an absolute mess. Anyway….here you go.

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Today I made this ring.  I think it came out gorgeous, and I’m so happy I pushed myself to do this today.  Now I’m all revved up for the rest of the month!