Odds and ends....

can you believe I still hasn't finished this bracelet?? this weekend for sure!!!!

While in Dubuque this weekend, we hit one of the closing Border stores. While it's sad to see a book seller go away, (other than the thought maybe a smaller indie one can step in the market) I cannot resist a sale on books. Among the books I bought is Surface Treatment workshop by artist Darlene Olivia McElroy. Now this is not strictly a jewelry book, it's more of a mix media / painting book, but I'm fascinated by the results from the techniques presented. Just a casual browse I'm convinced I can apply at least some of these to jewelry making. I wouldn't have ever seen this book except it was misfiled in the yarn section, directly overhead the few remaining jewelry books, and the colorful cover just stood out. I anticipate many happy experiments once I'm through with show season..... which isn't very far away at all. In fact I have no shows this weekend. I'm already planning to work on some etching projects, it's possible I can squeeze a surface treatment or 2 in....

I'm also planning on doing, * something * with new key blanks I just got in. These are wonderful Vintaj natural brass in 25 GA. I'm thinking I might actually etch a couple ... I've made a couple of bracelets using brass stamped keys, how much fun would it be with designs and words on them?

I also got another order of aluminum jump rings from Blue Buddha . I've been making some lovely chainmail with rainbow color schemes, and I ran out of orange in 2 different sizes, if you can believe it. Hopefully I'm orange-enabled for some time to come with this order... more rainbows are coming on line soon!

I love Thursdays right now. It's Project Runway and we watch it as a family. It's hard to believe this show has been going on for 9 years now!! We started to watch together as of Season 4, still the best one IMHO. Last year really sucked, the judges so picked the wrong winner. This year the judging seem much more on track, but whether we agree with the judges or not, is so nice to have a regular show to watch as a family every week.