Have Yourself a Maille-y Little Christmas

I've just added TWO new kits to the Make Something Projects menu!
Can You BeWeave It? Snowflake Ornament Kits
in Japanese 2-in-2 and Byzantine Chainmaille

Make them to brighten up your own holiday
or someone else's.

What the Fuchsia?!

After I regained my sight from basking in the wirey glow, I looked on the packing list and saw that fuchsia was not currently available. Bu-but fuchsia is one of the colors I need for "Bloody Yell." I dropped to my knees, threw my palms up to the sky, and in my best Nancy Kerrigan scream, I asked, "Why wire people have you forsaken me?!" I may be exaggerating a smidge, but I was disappointed. I have a backup source I hope comes through. Is it too much to ask to have wire available in every color I want? Is it really? puh.

Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

It's driving me absolutely crazy waiting for the rest of the wire colors to get here so I can start on Bloody Yell. In the meantime, I made a simple frame with a rod to weave it while it's hanging. I think it's a lot easier that way. For the first, I just used a thick piece of wire, but this one needs something a little more substantial.

Monkey helped when she wasn't hiding in a grocery bag and jumping out to attack me as I walked by. She thinks she's a lioness. She takes Biggie down like a young gazelle and he's at least twice her size.

Chainmaille Inlay #2 "Bloody Yell" Inspired by Edvard Munch's The Scream

After getting distracted with a bunch of different projects, I've revisited doing my next chainmaille inlay "Bloody Yell" inspired by Edvard Munch's The Scream. Maybe it's the Halloweeny spirit that seeps into me every October, but I thought this would be a great time to work on something kinda creepy.

My first chainmaille inlay, "Ol' Blue Eye," was inspired by M.C. Escher's "Eye." Inlay #2 will be around 4½ times the size of the first. "Ol' Blue Eye" has 4720 rings and "Bloody Yell" will have 22,400. I already have the frame, light, and hanging rod for it. It's much easier to find the frame I like and size the maille to it rather than the other way around. I'd ultimately like to find someone who's handy with their wood [ :) ] to make me custom frames with the lighting built in. If anyone knows of someone who'd like to work with me, let me know! I have ideas incorporating LEDs and other extras for a more cohesive presentation. Maybe for inlay #3...

I finished the pattern last night and tonight I'm putting in my wire order. As soon as I get all that pretty metal, I'll be sliding on a new sawblade and going ring-cutting-crazy! For inlay #1, I posted the pattern first, but this time I thought I would keep some mystery and just post the progression pics. Stay tuned to watch the bloody unfolding...

Channeling My Inner Hooters Girl

On my last visit to the motherland, a lady showed me her owl pendant that had lost its tail somewhere along the way and asked if I could make a piece to finish it. I hadn't seen the original, so it was an interesting challenge to add to the existing parts and make it look like it belongs. This is how the finished project turned out. Whooooooooo...

Time for hot wings!

Tag It and Bag It

I'm laboring this weekend getting a head start on miscellaneous Jingle Bash preparation. I'm usually a big ol' procrastinator, so I'm pretty proud of myself. Maybe if I start now, I might actually be ready by Nov. 21st (mark your calendar and add to your phone scheduler or whatever--do it). This morning I finished tagging some cool, black gift bags, so you Bashers can carry away your e-maille goodies in style.

Here's a Flickr link with photos of what things will be there to give you a teensy taste of the goodness. It's gunnuh be fuuuuunnnnn.

Mark your calendars for Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash 2009!

Come see me with my e-maille
goodies at the Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash!

See more information about the Bash at the Etsy Dallas website.