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Post by susand24224 on May 3, 2024 16:52:01 GMT -5
Yes! There's one I've already purchased a tutorial for, and I *think* I have an appropriate stone. It was meant to be a gift long ago, but now it will be a gift this month (hopefully).
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Post by susand24224 on May 2, 2024 15:51:55 GMT -5
Yeah, thanks for posting those Susan. Some great ideas in there! Also like the tip on the baseball bat. Go for a softball bat if you can, preferably oak. The baseball bat will work but doesn't get large enough for larger wrists. Pre-bat, I saved various sizes of bottles and wrote their "size" on with a magic marker. The bats are much better; I think I paid $4 for my softball bat, as opposed to $50 for a good bracelet mandrel. And thanks for the compliment!
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Post by susand24224 on May 2, 2024 15:45:12 GMT -5
Thank you for sharing these, Susan. Very nice bracelets - lots of inspiring ideas here. I might have to shamelessly copy one- I love that third one ! Interesting variety of catches.
I really like your hammered coiled one.
I also see a simple detail on your third bracelet, especially nice,
making the loop for the hook squared off, is a subtle variation that I really like.
But I do find it interesting that you have at least one hook pointing in.
Have you found making it more flattened makes it comfortable when it's that way ?
Patty
Thank you, Patty. The third one was a tiny bit tricky since the outside wires were already hammered and they have to line up up exactly with the inside weaving for it to work--it helps to cut them a bit long so you have some "screw-up" flexibility. On the inside weaving, I used cheapo craft wire--I actually think I bought it at Walmart. I prefer clasps going downward when possible so they don't catch on clothes, but often one can't do it for fear of cutting a vein and losing a friend/customer. This one, though, is very structured and stiff, and the clasp is fluid, so it simply lines up with the remaining lines of the bracelet. The key (for me) is to have a clasp that can easily move up and down and to not create too much of a "nub" on the end that can dig into your skin, although this can't always be done. Please copy, alter, and most of all, share your improvements! I'm sure there was a bit of copying in my brainstorming anyway. BTW, it as partially hammered on my Junion Louisville Slugger softball bat.
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Post by susand24224 on May 1, 2024 19:49:51 GMT -5
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Post by susand24224 on May 1, 2024 17:07:09 GMT -5
Would it be helpful to others if I post some "fastener" photos of things I've made and/or pilfered? Also, for sizing--wander down to the local thrift store and get a (preferably) oak softball bat. Makes a great bracelet mandrel for a few bucks and you can hammer your heart out on one.
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Post by susand24224 on May 1, 2024 2:58:38 GMT -5
rockjunquie Tela, thank you for the compliment! And I am actually in the process of wrapping another 144" of 28-gauge wire; every time I walk by the kitchen table I do 100 more times around the 22-gauge wire. I'm excited at the idea of finishing it, or them, whichever it will be. rockbrain Gary, thank you as well! I don't have that much patience, but I am capable of being quite lazy, and all that coiling allows laziness with purpose, so I'm at it again. BTW, I love your bracelet. It is simple and sweet, with just enough "oomph" to make it fashionable and unique. It never fails to amaze me what can be done with wire just by altering the gauge, hammering, etc., and you have reminded me of that versatility. liveoak Patty, I think your idea of twisted square wire would have worked but I didn't have enough in 22-gauge to do it. I don't think I could have done it with a larger diameter wire, just don't have the strength to make those curls with hardened wire. But--it's definitely an idea for next time.
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Post by susand24224 on Apr 27, 2024 16:05:49 GMT -5
So I am following up Patty's exquisite wrap with my partially done, tutorial-based bracelet to be! I followed (or more accurately, tried to follow) a tutorial by "Erika" at Wire Art Tutorial. Here are the problems. I KNOW that I should try out intricate parts of a design in advance, but of course I didn't do that. So the "waves" on the left are rather skewed, but by the time I got to the right side I had it figured out. I also figured out that the stone I chose (Biggs) wasn't terribly suitable for the wrap. This is an old cabochon by Ralph Siler, and being Ralph, it has a perfect girdle, a perfect dome, etc. etc. but this design will work far better with a cab that has very slanted sides, i.e., a sloppy cab. I have plenty of sloppy cabs, but not one small enough, so I stopped and ordered one. It is highly unlikely that it will arrive before the end of the month. If I wanted to be more of a perfectionist I would redo the bracelet but I can't stand the thought of wrapping another 144 inches of 28 gauge of wire around a 22-gauge wire--I think it took a significant portion of my remaining life, and am afraid to "drill wrap" with such a small gauge. I really do like the *potential* for this design, and will post it when my glass cab arrives, I finish the design (it's a blue glass cab of a boy riding a bicycle across the moon) and decide what to do with the clasp. The stone will be held with a twisted 18 gauge hammered wire across the back which is used to secure it in place with 26-gauge wire around the sides of the wire oval. (The tute calls for 28-gauge but I don't trust 28-gauge to hold much of anything, so I will change that part intentionally. Someday I will create this design again--as soon as I forget how tedious wrapping all that 28-gauge wire was, and hopefully before I forget how to make the waves! Apologies for the crappy photo highlighting where I accidentally dropped acetone on my oak table. . .
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Post by susand24224 on Apr 27, 2024 15:48:37 GMT -5
liveoak, a lovely completion! I think what you did was extraordinary; it even looks comfortable to wear. The wrapping is great, as is the remainder, and the stone looks perfect in this setting.
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Post by susand24224 on Apr 20, 2024 22:35:35 GMT -5
Attempt? Hardly--I'd call it a success. Nicely done, perfect necklace, beautiful stone--what else could one want?
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Post by susand24224 on Apr 18, 2024 1:12:37 GMT -5
I wonder if we were grandfathered in during the changes. I know I have had an account there at least 24 years. I never had a business account that I know of because I didn't buy in huge volumes. I was happy with the price breaks to the public. That would be my guess as well. I've bought from them for years, and sometimes fairly expensive stuff, but never more than $1000 in a year. I don't recall them ever trying to upsell me (except to tell me that I only need $750 more to get free shipping) but that happens in so many places I may just be automatically tuning it out. Berkshire Hathaway took them over a few years or so ago and there have been some complaints about pricing since then, but not on anything that I routinely buy.
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Post by susand24224 on Apr 17, 2024 16:12:18 GMT -5
Are you logged in? For a period of time, I would get those "wholesale only" tags if I wasn't logged in; now that doesn't happen but *sometimes* I receive a reduced wholesale price. I haven't completed any of the steps Rio currently requires for wholesale" status. Why not call them and see what's up? Are you logged in? For a period of time, I would get those "wholesale only" tags if I wasn't logged in; now that doesn't happen but *sometimes* I receive a reduced wholesale price. I haven't completed any of the steps Rio currently requires for wholesale" status. Why not call them and see what's up?
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Post by susand24224 on Apr 14, 2024 0:38:28 GMT -5
Wow! Somehow I overlooked these before, but I think both are phenomenal. Not only are they creative, but they both highlight the stone perfectly.
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Post by susand24224 on Apr 12, 2024 16:37:42 GMT -5
I strongly suspect that much from India is really from China. I know that Chinese beads are all over India, and the tariffs are much less on Indian products than on Chinese ones. . .
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Post by susand24224 on Apr 6, 2024 17:08:40 GMT -5
I just love it when the chain shows off the wrap more, and yours more than qualifies. Great job all around--thanks for adding an updated photo.
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Post by susand24224 on Apr 4, 2024 15:11:18 GMT -5
You don't need to do all that work. If you want to be ultra careful, put it on your taxes then fill out Schedule C (it's not hard). I'm not looking at Schedule C right now, and don't recall if there is a specific place for refunds, but if there's not, just write it in under "other." Thanks Susan. I hope H&R Block online can handle it. What I would do is simply ignore it and do nothing, but keep the documentation where the money was sent and also returned. The IRS *might* send you a letter asking for clarification, at which point you can send a letter and your documentation. They certainly aren't going to audit you over $601. At worst, they would send you one of their infamous letters saying you owe the taxes on $601. At that point, you have a right to challenge their assessment and send your documentation. Either of these scenarios is unlikely, but possible--it simply isn't worth their time--but it could happen. The Schedule C stuff is for *only* if the above two scenarios are more than you want to deal with.
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Post by susand24224 on Apr 3, 2024 15:14:32 GMT -5
Well, I waited to call them until it might not be too busy and I got straight through to PP. The lady spoke good enough English. She found in my record where no money changed hands. BUT, they can't do anything about it. The solution was for me to have my tax professional contact them. We're talking about 601 dollars. Seeing a tax pro would cost more than the taxes I would have to pay. So, guess who is going to hand the Government money for NOTHING?? I'm so pissed. Take a look at this link. It appears to have info in the article about what to do if the 1099K is incorrect. Hope this is helpful. www.paypal.com/us/cshelp/article/help546You don't need to do all that work. If you want to be ultra careful, put it on your taxes then fill out Schedule C (it's not hard). I'm not looking at Schedule C right now, and don't recall if there is a specific place for refunds, but if there's not, just write it in under "other."
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Post by susand24224 on Apr 2, 2024 16:55:03 GMT -5
I've got to love your enthusiasm, Susan ! I think I've started 3 different wire wrapped bracelets & put them down, I guess this is the time to finish one ! Patty I hear you--and mine may suffer the same fate. Looking forward to trying, though, and living by my motto of "if at first you don't succeed, fail, fail again--until you don't."
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Post by susand24224 on Apr 2, 2024 0:37:30 GMT -5
Perfect! I was wanting to play with a bracelet--perfect opportunity!
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Post by susand24224 on Mar 31, 2024 15:07:09 GMT -5
Thank you, Tela! I appreciate the thorough comments and know that there are some areas that need to be tweaked although that may not be possible because I've reached the point where if I move one wire something else unintended moves as well. I've also work hardened this so much trying to tweak that I believe I have altered the chemical composition to steel or something worse. BTW, I looked at the website that you posted the link to and I can certainly see why you like it so much! It will be revisited by me soon. (I'm reeling from the shock of taxes, medical stuff and upcoming property tax currently.)
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Post by susand24224 on Mar 31, 2024 15:03:43 GMT -5
I guess you must be feeling a little better, susand24224 to pull off a nice wrap. It's very graceful, I like it !
It has a light, airy look to me, not overwhelmingly frou-frou at all.
I like how you tied in the loop on the bottom with the hold downs.
Nicely done.
Glad you made the party Patty
Thanks, Patty! I am much better, almost human the last few days. Still coughing and whiny, but part of it may just be allergies. The loop at the bottom is actually the only part that was planned, although I planned to dangle something from it, I didn't know what. I really appreciate the critique; I haven't been very good at returning that the last few weeks but I will make up for it.
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