Beading - Not Making Beads

I've been a busy beading maniac. So why no new beads??? I haven't been making any! I've been working on my niece's wedding projects and I'm sure in the coming month there will be a slew of wedding posts here. So if you find wedding bling and how to save lots of money on a wedding interesting... do check in!

This is one of our latest projects - a work still in progress. The niece is the only girl with lots of aunties who love and spoil her and she is SO not Bridezilla. She just trusts us! (Silly girl!) Seriously though, her aunties are all very talented and creative and one (our fearless leader) has a background in fashion and graphic design.

Since we may have a limited load in time at the location and we are doing all of the decorating ourselves, we are building vignettes for each of the tables (Candy, Sweethearts, Memorial, Guest check in) and taking pictures and storing everything for one table in a box with the pictures so that any "elves" (i.e. cousins and bridesmaids) that show up to help and look and the photo and set up the table.

This piece is probably going on the candy table as it has such a girly sense of whimsy! We found the ballerina on sale at Ross. It had hideous pink plastic drops with large brass split rings dangling from the skirt.

I removed those and started making heart shaped drops with Swarovski crystals...which got a little complicated. I shape one side of the wire in a swirl, hammer and texture with both side of a chasing hammer, add an 8mm crystal, round the top of the other side of the heart, more hammering, add another crystal and wrap onto the skirt. I quickly decided to do every other loop of the skirt!

 The bestie had these plastic (but adorable) red drops from the cake stand project she did. I added them to every other loop of the skirt in both the large and small sizes.

Finally, I could NOT leave the bodice plain! I'll be filling that in with more Swarkies. I have my work cut out for me!

The Engineer's Tool Box

I stumbled over a website that I just LOVE the other night and just had to share it! It's called The Engineering Toolbox.

I love engineers! I love the way they think and how they see the world so differently; I love that they see possibilities everywhere. They are truly artists in their own right.  I think that if I had understood what an engineer does back in the dark ages when I went to college, I would have become one!

So what on earth would a jewelry designer find useful on a website geared toward engineers??? For me, it started with this necklace:

It's a beauty, right??? No, I didn't make it. It was made about 50 years ago back when my best friend's little brother was born. He was the fourth child so we all find it somewhat remarkable that Grandma was given this beautiful Swarovski necklace and bracelet set for giving birth to him. Even more remarkable: this baby boy would father the only girl in the family. And that girl is getting married. Since it's the only wedding my best friend, her sister or myself will ever get to plan...we are over the moon!

Naturally, grandma wanted to pass this necklace down to her only granddaughter. Only...the length is about an inch or so too short for the neckline of the chosen dress. Since back part is wired loops (not even wrapped) and I have a stash of AB crystal Swarkies... it's easy enough to fix. But what gauge wire????

I took out my calipers and determined the diameter of the wire to .5 MM. That's great but now what??? So I googled MM of wire gauges... and found THE MOST AMAZING CHART!!! It's something every wire jewelry artist will want at their disposal. I've printed and laminated one!

Have a wonderful weekend!