New Toys....I Mean Tools

I love a new hammer.  Can't have enough shiny pliers for every jewelry making job, and my new Dremel tool, well let's just say we have a relationship that's a little unorthodoxed.  But the newest toys...I mean tools, in the toy... I mean tool box, are amazing!!  This is my new punch tool for those copper blanks I love to use:

And finally I broke down and purchased a multi tasking texture hammer.  It has like 10 different texture blanks.  And yep, I've been hammering away this morning, trying each out.

I think my favorite though is the one above with the little square grid.  I love the way the darkening catches as much or as little of the squares as you want.  Ooooweeee...this is going to open up a new avenue for me. 
Oh, and should you feel the need to add these toys to your box, you can find them in the lovely Hodgpodgerie's etsy shop.

The Right Tools

Have you been reading my blog long enough to remember when I did made this booboo?

Yep.  I drilled right through that magic finger.  It was stupid....seriously.  I was holding a quarter size copper blank with my left hand, drill in right.  No pre-set hole, no stabilizer, notta.  Just stupid.  And man it HURT.  Like I've had natural child birth, and this was close.  So last week was jewelry making week and the thought of once again drilling the copper was freaking me out a tinge.  See all these blanks that need holes?  And most require 2 holes!

I decided to take my little self to Home Depot armed with a blank and the bit and ask for expert advise.  I had the best help from Justin....and together we decided this was the equipment I needed to buy to make those holes in the blanks and not my magic finger.

I bought the newest Dremel 4000 and Dremel work station.  Basically I've made a miniature drill press station.  And man.....I could drill some serious holes.  It was actually fun!  Notice my left hand is not holding the copper disc, but rather my bench block is?  Smart girl.  You guys like my safety glasses?  Billy was like why aren't you just using saftey glasses?  Umm...I think these are cooler(and I was too lazy to search for them in Mailey's room).    All I needed was a metal shard in the eyeball to make my day bright...So the sunglasses worked to prevent this.  Jewelry is now done, yipee skippee feeling for sure!! 

It is amazing what having the right tools will do to make me not only super happy, but super productive!  Now I have a few days to get displays ready for the Norcross Show.  It's getting super exciting around the studio!

Friday Favs

Hey again! So this week I want to share a few of my favorite TOOLS. You know, tools aren't just for men. I bet I know my way around Lowe's much better than my dear husband. Even though he calls the shiny red toolbox in the garage his, everyone in this household knows who uses the contents more frequently (and tends to misplace them more frequently too, oopsy!). Anyhoo.....who doesn't love a new cordless drill. Which has not left the kitchen island since I got it for Christmas. Love it. So does Ellie it appears. These are tools that I use in my artwork. The left item is a dry point needle. Originally I used it to etch into metal plates like Durer did during the Renaissance times. Being a modern renaissance woman, I use mine for carving into the goo on my wood before painting. Durer probably is rolling in his grave right now. hehehe... Middle is a new favorite, a wood burning tool. Which has never gotten to burn wood. It's used for line carving in roofing felt and soon into some wax. And last, the Dremel. Oh....the tools in my caddy for this could just about do anything. Seriously. Great tool for every artist. So many more....but these are the top 4 right now. BTW, the wood, roofing felt and goo also all come from Lowe's. I have a really big puffy heart spot for that place.

And lastly a tool that was not purchased at Lowe's, and really is not mine. I borrowed these from Valerie awhile back and said to her just this week, "I may need to think about paying you some rent on those letter stamps, or maybe just buy them from you." I really enjoy stamping. Not that I do that much, but when I find something I really like, and can combine it with my words, birds and nests, I am all over it. And right now I am all over these bracelet samples I made.

So here they are...ta da! Oh, and the fabulous mallet helped make these too, can't forget him, and I don't mean the rubber kind either.

So my motto of the year...be incredible and artsy mom. I am in love with this design, and have all sorts of ideas to make more. Just anxiously awaiting the blank ID tags to arrive. I plan to put all sorts of fun words on them. I'll be listing them in my etsy shop and will be sure to give you an update when I do!!