Shopping Harbor Freight Tools for Jewelry Tools

Harbor Freight Tools is a great place for a beginning (or even experienced) jewelry maker to stop in once in a while.  I am lucky to have one very close by, but I try not to go there too often.  I tend to over spend whenever I'm there.  They have what I believe are predominantly Chinese made, off-brand tools and hardware - as well as some home goods, gardening supplies and hobby supplies.  It's like the dollar store for men - but obviously most things cost more than one dollar!

Since I went there on Friday and stocked up on some new tools, I figured I would share some of the things I

How to Make Simple Copper Stacking Rings

I don't feel like I've been very productive lately.  I've spent a lot of time on jewelry making the last couple of week's but have very few complete projects to show for it.  I hope I'll at least be able to look back on this time and think that I've learned a lot.

In any event, I am trying to learn.  I watched a free micro torch soldering tutorial on Craftsy earlier this week and decided I really wanted to give it a try.  I started crafting when I was in high school by making stained glass - so I don't feel intimidated by soldering, but I'm used to

Free Class on Learning to Solder Jewelry at Craftsy

 

Have you heard of Craftsy yet?  I signed up for a class over the summer, but I really haven't had much time to try the projects.  Today, I went to their site and noticed that they have a free class called Micro Torch Basics.  I'm not sure it's a great name for the class.  Yes, it does introduce you to using a micro torch - but what are you using it for?

Custom Garnet and Peridot Gemstone Earwires

Well, I knew I needed these beads for a reason!

They are perfect for the handmade ear wires that I love to make.  I've already made 5 pairs and

Gemstone Beads from Etsy Seller Tiger Bead Store

I really didn't need more beads, but I saw Tiger Bead Store was having a de-stash sale and figured I would browse the selection.  I have never purchased from this Etsy shop before - and I'm not even sure how I heard about them, but I am friends with Tiger Bead Store on Facebook.

I'm very happy with my purchase.  The prices were good, the quality is very good and the service was excellent - my beads arrived very quickly!  They were well packaged too.   Plus, I always like it when I learn a clever new trick from a seller.

Setting Up Shop on Etsy with Paypal

One of my goal's last year was to start selling my jewelry online - not just at craft shows and jewelry parties like I have been doing.  I set up my Etsy shop NotaMona and I'm happy to say that I have had quite a few sales. (Yay!)

This year, my goal is to expand my online sales to include jewelry supplies, findings, and who knows, maybe tutorials.  One of the great things that came from my focused effort on jewelry making last year is

Baroque Pearl Drop Earrings on Labradorite Custom Earwires

I went into the Woman Cave yesterday expecting to make an updated version of the gemstone cluster earrings I made over the weekend.  I wanted to make the dangles closer to the ear wire and also play with some different size and shape gemstones.  My muse had other ideas,

Good Wire Cutter + Memory Wire = New Wire Cutter

I was cleaning out my shop yesterday and found this old pair of wire cutters.  They are at least 10 years old - probably more like 15.  But way back when, they were my 'good' wire cutters.  Memory wire bracelets had just become popular and I wanted to try my hand at them.  Yes, I knew that you should buy heavy duty wire cutters for it, but... well, ya know, sometimes you just have to find out first hand.  And so I did!

For whatever reason, these wire cutters have been kicking around for all that time in one of my boxes, but they are totally worthless.  Besides the divots in the metal, the jaws don't close evenly any more so you can't even use the good corner.  They are no longer in one of my tool boxes, but I figured I would at least share my lesson learned (the hard way).

And I never made very many memory wire bracelets either.

Gemstone Cluster Earrings

The Year of Jewelry Project (YOJP) has begun again - and I'm going to really try to stick with it for the whole year this time.  (easy to say the first week of the year!).  This time, the year of jewelry has moved to facebook.  I think that will be a really good place for it.  It is easier to post the pictures to facebook than the blogs we used in the past - and getting feedback or 'liking' an item is natural in that environment.  I'm going to be interested to see

December Holiday Earring Swap

 For earring swaps, I almost always try to learn a new technique.  I don't know why I put some poor stranger through my learning curve, but I do.  I guess I enjoy being surprised as much as they do.  This time, I wanted to try my hand at seed beading - something that I do VERY rarely, but really love the look of.  These earrings are inspired by the work of Miguel Ases.  I don't think his patterns are as unique as his use of color - but a 'real' seed beader would probably be a better judge of that than me.

For my first attempt at a finished pair of earrings, I think these came out pretty well.  I made a couple of