Electroforming finally

I finally got my electroforming equipment set up.  I learned the process from Kate Fowle Meleeney late last year, and I finally had some time to try it out, although I had to clean off a flat space first.  I tried it on a few beads that I didn't particularly like.  They didn't come out quite how I expected, but I think I know what I did wrong.  The Berks Bead Bazaar is this coming weekend, and I had hoped to have some electroformed beads to show, but I ran out of time.   The beads on toothpicks have been painted and are ready for the process.  Just the paint is stunning!  There are also a few of Yvonne Irvins My Elements components to be done yet.
After the paint is dry, the bead is hung in the acid solution between two copper strips and the wires connected for current to flow, and copper is deposited onto the conductive paint.  If the solution is new, the process takes 8 hours or so, and as it gets older, it takes much longer.  Only one bead at a time can be electroformed, so I doubt if I will ever have too many beads.

This is a bead out of the solution, all bright and shiny.  I can leave it this way, or I can patina the copper.  So many possibilities to try!

Thanks for sharing your knowledge, Kate!

January is over

January is over, and 31days2organize per Peter Walsh is over.  Spending only 10 minutes a day on an assigned task every day in January has made a huge difference in my house and in my attitude- I feel lighter!  Many jobs, like cleaning out the garage, seem overwhelming, but breaking them down into 10 minute segments make them manageable.  I won't hit the garage until spring, though.  It is too cold out there!  There have been many bags of trash and donations taken out, with more to go, and I didn't even touch my studio.   Tomorrow I am organizing my show crates so they are ready to go, and then I am lighting my torch!  Shows are coming up fast!

Organizing 10 minutes at a time

The month has slowly been improving, or at least not getting worse.  I have been spending at least 10 minutes each day doing daily organizing tasks suggested by Peter Walsh, starting on Jan 1.  I have been keeping up with it and even added some jobs of my own.  It has made me feel like I am accomplishing something each day, instead of focusing on the sad events of earlier this month.  Only 10 minutes a day is not bad, and it really adds up!  I made a commitment to stick with it for the 31 days in Jan, and then I will start working in my studio again with a clear conscience.  Hopefully the weather will warm up- it gets cold in my dungeon and I can't work longer than a hour or so.  When my knees start feeling numb, I know it is time to go upstairs.

Tough start to the year

It has not been a good new year so far.  Two dear friends have passed away, and my much loved 17 year old kitty is now gone.  My mood has matched the gray and drizzly skies.  I have been trying to keep myself occupied, and found 31days2organize by Peter Walsh on facebook.  He posts a 10 minute task for each day in January and I decided I could manage that.  It has given me a sense of accomplishment each day when I finish the task, and bags of things have been taken out to the trash, donated, recycled, etc.

January is a month of cleaning and organizing for me, a purging and renewal.  When Feb gets here, I will start working in my studio again with a clear conscience.

Resolutions 2013

Resolution time.  This year I have so many things I should do that I can't decide on which ones to focus on.  I have been working on simplifying my life, but for each step toward that goal, it seems like life takes me two steps back.  Maybe I should work on not stressing over the little things- that seems more manageable.  Life is too short to wear tight shoes!

Bead room clean-up

With family coming for the holidays, I had to clean off the sofa in my bead room so someone can sleep there.  Usually it is piled with boxes, display items, and lots of miscellaneous stuff, but now someone could actually sit on it.  It was a good reason to spend some time organizing all the stuff that has been piled up for the last few months.  I even ran the vacuum and heard lots of little click, click, clicks.  I know the sofa won't stay cleaned off, but it feels good to have at least that part of my bead room all spiffed up! 

Santas are out!

Over the years my Santa collection has grown.  It wasn't planned, it just happened all by itself!  They are very special to me because they are all handmade and I know the artists who created each one.  The tallest one is very special.  It was created by Silvia Hendershott, and she has retired as a craftswoman. 

This is just a small portion of my collection.  I don't plan on adding more because I am running out of space!