So? Am I a photographer yet?

I've been playing with our new digital camera and my new light box trying to figure it all out so I can take good pictures of my jewelry.

So? What do you think? This is a pink and blue stretchy chain maille bracelet. I've had a difficult time getting the pink to show correctly. Still not quite sure I've got it right, but if you click on the picture, it will open to a larger size that shows the colors better.

Comments are greatly appreciated.

Success! And a gift for you

I'd like to thank the tech support staff at Coffee Cup Software for their assistance in solving my web page problems. It's still not perfect but at least I can update it now.

Because I'm so pleased to have this problem resolved, I'm offering 10% off on all purchases if you let me know you've read my blog. If you see me at a show or at the Community Market, let me know you read about the discount in my blog. If you aren't local, you don't lose out on the discount. Since my shopping cart still won't process orders properly, just send me an e-mail with your order and let me know that you read about the discount here in the blog and I'll take 10% off your total. We'll work out payment arrangements when I respond to your e-mail.

Sometimes I just forget to think

I have been fighting for months to get my shopping cart on my web site to work properly. No success so far.

I have been fighting for days to get my updates to show up on my web site. No success so far.

It finally dawned on me that, while I can't put a shopping cart on my blog, I can put the updates here. The only real change to my home page was my show schedule for the rest of this year. So, for anyone who might be local and interested, here's where I'll be:

November 1 & 2 Bedford Women's Club, Bedford Elementary, Bedford, VA
November 8 Fray Educational Center Winter Festival, Rustburg, VA
November 15 Smith Mountain Lake Fall Craft Show at Mariner's Landing
November 21, 22, 23 Festival Of Trees at Amazement Square, Lynchburg

As always, I have my spot at the Heritage Crafters Gallery at the Lynchburg Community Market. I try to be there personally on Wednesdays and Fridays between 10 and 2 and will be there on Saturdays in December. Remember, I don't have to be there for you to make a purchase or take a closer look at something you like. Just go to the cashier's office in the back (by the Christmas tree) and ask for someone to open the case for you.

I look forward to seeing some of you at one of the shows or the Market. If you go, let me know you read my blog and you'll get 10% of the total of your purchase. (Unfortunately, this offer is not available at the Community Market unless I'm there personally to assist you.)

Home Away From Home

I'm back in my hometown visiting my mom for a few weeks. I haven't been "home" in about a year so figured I'd make the most of this visit. It's not really a vacation because I brought my computer and am working while I'm here. I'm also making chain maille jewelry like a madwoman. Mom's going to have an open house for me on Sunday and I think she invited everyone she knows. She also makes me show my jewelry to everyone, even the waitress at Dennys! Maybe I should hire her as a salesperson or PR or something. She hasn't seen all my pieces yet so it will be interesting to see her reaction when I set out my display on Sunday.

He's in the Army now!

Ain't he handsome?

This blog post has nothing to do with jewelry, chain maille or otherwise. It's been almost a month since I attended the boot camp graduation of my #5 son and I still get choked up when I think about it or see the over 100 pictures Hubby took. On Thursday, there was a Family Day event. After some speeches and a presentation, they set off a variety of colored smoke bombs at the edge of a woods. Through the smoke the graduates marched, to very moving patriotic music. No words can do justice to the sight. Whether or not one had a loved one in that group of soldiers, I dare anyone to not get at least a little misty eyed or feel a lump in their throat when viewing something like that. It was impressive, to say the least. I don't cry easily, but the closer they got, the more freely my tears fell. By the time they let us onto the field to meet up with our kin, I could barely see through the tears. Hubby got to him first but I will never forget seeing him for the first time, standing there in his uniform. I swear that he's never stood so tall and straight in his life.

We got to spend that whole day and the next with him. He had 2 buddies whose families were unable to attend the graduation, so they became our sons for those 2 days as well. What's 2 more when you already have 6? We loved every minute of those 2 days and the tears threatened again when we had to say goodbye. Our son is now in training in Arizona. He's going into military intelligence. It will be November or December before we see him again and then he will most likely be deployed overseas. I try very hard not to think about that too much.

Please keep all of our soldiers in your thoughts and prayers. Whether or not you agree with what is going on in the world, these men and women are risking their lives for our country and I'm proud and grateful for all of them.

How does your garden grow?

Even in the heat wave we've had the past week, some of my flowers are blooming. Despite the lack of rain, I have some pretty pink roses from a bush I thought was dead. You would understand my surprise if you knew my history with gardens. I very definitely do not have a green thumb. I've often joked that the only thing I'm good at growing is children.

However, I've recently discovered that I can also "grow" chain maille flowers. I absolutely love this bracelet that I call Flower Garden. Only in chain maille would I be able to plant flowers that would grow in such nice neat rows.

How about you? Have you had success with flowers? Do you have any advice for someone who can't tell the difference between a weed and an azalea?

(If you'd like to see more views of the Flower Garden bracelet, please visit my Etsy shop).

To Toggle or Not to Toggle

When I first tried using toggles, I hated them! I didn't trust that they would hold a bracelet securely and I had trouble putting the bar through the hoop. I've since learned a lot about toggles and they are now one of my favorite clasps.

There are a couple of ways to make sure the toggle will keep your bracelet securely on your wrist. First, the bar should be twice as long as the inside of the hoop. Second, the bracelet should fit well. If it is too big, the toggle won't be secure.

Toggles can be the easiest clasp to use if you don't have anyone to help you put on your jewelry. Just make sure that any beads or chain close to the bar will fit through the hoop along with the bar. With a long bar, you won't be able to fit it through the hoop if you can't fit a little of the bracelet through with it. I often add a couple of small jump rings between the bar and the rest of the bracelet so the toggle will work properly.

Don't shy away from a toggle clasp. Make sure the bracelet is well constructed and fits properly and you shouldn't have any problem. A good toggle can even be a great design element. I've sometimes used a really cool one as a focal point in a necklace. Clasps don't always have to be hidden.