Workshops & jump rings

I've had a busy week this week. A youth group workshop on Tuesday, my sterling silver pendant workshop on Wednesday and a workshop for Spice Art Gallery Thursday evening. I really enjoy teaching people to make their own jewellery - it's definitely more enjoyable than teaching at a school! I really enjoyed Wednesday's in particular as it was the first time that I had taught a full workshop on this technique, and I was really pleased with what the girls made. My friend Katie was one of the students, and has asked me to oxidise her pendant and earrings. I thought I'd take 'before' and 'after' photos to show you, so here is before:

The photo definitely doesn't do her work justice as the light was really bad today - I'll be so pleased when my light box arrives! I'll show you the change in the pendant once I've oxidised it!

Most of my beading time this week has been spent cutting jump rings and weaving chainmaille, partly for a commission and partly for up coming craft shows. I thought I'd show you some photos of the process - I start with a reel of sterling silver wire, coil it round mandrels, cut the coils using my lovely koil kutter, tumble the cut rings (the wire through the middle of each bundle is supposed to keep them together in the tumbler, but one of the wires broke and so T and I spent far too long last night picking tiny jump rings out from the steel shot in the tumbler!) and finally weave them together. The weave here is Byzantine. It whole process takes a while, but I enjoy it! Mind you, I didn't enjoy it quite so much before I had a koil kutter as sawing all the coils by hand hurt!

Well, I'd better go and get B's tea ready - he's got a cold, poor love, but I bet he's feeling warmer than T who is on a canoeing weekend - yes, I do know he's mad! My brother is due over later for a visit. He's staying until tomorrow afternoon, and I think he's really coming to play with B rather than to see me!

have a good weekend!