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Post by susand24224 on May 15, 2024 16:12:30 GMT -5
Very pretty, Susan! I think you have it down now. Thank you, Tela, the tutorial explains it quite well but I of course struck out on my own on the first one and ran into problems.
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Post by susand24224 on May 15, 2024 16:11:28 GMT -5
You got those waves down pretty darn good I am also impressed you coiled all that wire so nicely twice !!
Good thinking on the patinating before assembling. I'm not sure if I would have thought about that, so thank you for mentioning it and putting it in my brain to TRY and remember.
What did you do for a catch, BTW ?
Patty
No catch as of yet--it's stiff enough to hold its place without one, but the tutorial has one (rather ugly) that's optional. I may add one, though. And thank you!
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Post by susand24224 on May 14, 2024 19:56:17 GMT -5
Just for you, Patty liveoak . First, I did indeed photograph both sides. And a word on these glass cabochons. They are *cheap*. I think they were $2.95 each. The boy riding his bike on the moon rather looked like a dot in the tiny cabochon and was oriented incorrectly--so I decided to use him in a different orientation, perhaps shamelessly copying the bracelet you made. The cabochons, however, are backed in what looks like coated cardboard so it didn't use up much gray matter to decide I shouldn't be plunging them into boiling hot water. Thus, I had to antique everything, including the back thingy and the binding wire prior to putting in the stone--and the back got rather irritated at me poking wires around and through it. Still, I like it!
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Post by susand24224 on May 13, 2024 17:34:41 GMT -5
Whoa ! Now that's quite a nice transformation, Susan ! susand24224 You just proved that we shouldn't give up on things too quickly.
The stone swap made a world of difference, and somehow you magically fixed your waves, that I wouldn't believe it was the same one from before. In fact, I went back and looked at the old one.
All the coiling might have been a PITA, BUT it looks great . Nice one ! Patty
Thank you so much, Patty liveoak . Actually, this is the same bracelet. I didn't fix the curls--I just didn't photograph the side where they are, uh, "creative." But, the antiquing helped a lot. This bracelet is about a size 8, and I actually completed the other one last night, which is about a 7. That's how much I "overspread" the wires on the first. Good news is I have a friend with large wrists who fell in love with it so it will make a friend smile. I really do like this design--it was a worthwhile tutorial with new stuff that I likely will use again.
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Post by susand24224 on May 12, 2024 18:31:44 GMT -5
The April challenge is done! I forgot I had these little lapis cabs that I purchased for another project that were exactly the right size, but I found them *after* I ordered the boy riding the bicycle on the moon and started a new bracelet (which is almost done). I've added a photo of Ms. Bracelet, the back thingy that attaches it (I'm not sure how I feel about this thingy except that it may be an interesting connector for a multi-strand bracelet) and a close up the waves after I figured out how to do them. The new (and improved) bracelet has all waves semi-properly done. I'm still waiting for the cab I ordered for the May challenge, so it may be posted in June (sigh).
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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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