منتديات نت تآيم: April 2010

Friday, April 30, 2010

PhotoHunt Theme # 211 - "Black"

This week's PhotoHunt Theme # 211 is "Black". The first thing I think about is my BLACK cat Cajsa, who is my first cat, born on Maj 29th, 1999, came to live with me when she was twelve weeks old and has been my special feline friend since. This is to you my sweet black kitty!

In keeping with my ambition to stick to my subject, jewellery-making I would like to show a black stretch necklace, modelled by my niece Laura:

I make these stretch chokers in two lengths: 16½ inches and 16 inches.
Where are these sold? Right here.

Happy Weekend!
Anna

First Commenter: Sparkle the Designer Cat

For more PhotoHunters click here.

PhotoHunt

Thursday, April 29, 2010

O as in Open, Obsidian, Onyx - abc Wednesday, round 6 - O - and Alphabe-Thursday - O

Today is already Thursday (well actually it's Friday) and once again I am wondering if I will be able to post anything for the two alphabet-memes that I have been playing the past ten weeks or so. This week, both abc-Wednesday, round 6, as well as Mrs. Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday, have the letter "O". I love the letter "O" and there are so many interesting O-words.

In keeping with my ambition to choose jewellery-related words, my first O-word is "open squares". This photo above shows some Czech pressed glass beads that I like very much. They are called "Open Squares". Here are some earrings that I made with some open squares:

This is what is looks like when I plan my earrings. I simply put the beads on brass head pins to see if I like the combination before using real sterling silver wire. Sometimes the warm browns and reds of brass and copper look so nice with some colours that I use the brass or copper instead.

My second O-word is "Obsidian" which is a volcanic glass that can be made into beads and jewellery. These beads below are made in China. I haven't decided what I will make out of them. Perhaps a necklace.

My third O-word is "Onyx", which is also a volcanic glass that is often dyed black to cover its white stripes. Here are some pieces of antique jewellery made with faceted black onyx. They were worn by my grandmother.

I wanted to include the stone "Opal", which is also used in jewellery. But I don't have any jewellery with an opal in it. So I only have three O-words this week, "Open Squares", "Obsidian" and "Onyx".

Best wishes,
Anna

For more O-words at abcWednesday please click here.
For more O-words at Mrs. Matlock's Alphab-Thursday please click here.

First Commenter:
Roger Owen Green
Ramlin' with Roger

Spring-cleaning on Anna's Blog - A non-meme-week?

Normally, I would be doing an alphabet-meme yesterday or today. Both abcWednesday and Mrs. Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday are doing the letter "O", a letter I love and have lots of ideas for and even images to go with them. But in the last minutes, I've decided to not post anything for these really fine memes. I am just too tired to do a good post. It's a pity, because I really like these memes and the people that play them. You are all wonderful people.

These past few days I have been trying rearrange my blog so that it will be easier for visiters to find the "Followers box" and "Search this blog" and the widgets to my shops. A few days ago I received an e-mail from someone (Alesa Warcan) who thought that my blog was too cluttered. So I am trying to clean it up a little.

There are a lot of things happening in my off-line-life that make it difficult to blog as much or as often as I would like. Maybe I will be able to write about these events at a later time, but right now, I am too tired to explain.

Thank you for visiting!
Best wishes,
Anna

P.S. The picture is a recent photo of Cajsa Cat enjoying the spring weather.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

This week on Entrecard - April 20th to 25th

Thanks to blogging friends who have advertised with me on my EC-widget this past week April 20th to 25th. Please visit these great sites :

Tuesday, April 20th - Maitri's Heart

Wednesday, April 21st - A Second Cup

Thursday, April 22th - It's A Woman's World

Friday, April 23th - Equine Epiphanes

Saturday, April 24th - Mariuca's Perfume Gallery

Sunday, April 25th- Grampy's World

Best wishes,
Anna

First Commenter: Petula

Thursday, April 22, 2010

"N" as in Nuts, Nuggets and Necklaces! - abc-Wednesday, Round 6 / Alphabe-Thursday

"N" as in Nuts, Nuggets and Necklaces!

It's Wednesday today (well, actually it's Thursday in this part of the world) and time to continue our stroll through the alphabet. This week, both abc-Wednesday, round 6, as well as Mrs. Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday, have the letter "N".

My N-words are Nuts, Nuggets and Necklaces! Just above this text, we have a hazelnut that Elisabet is holding in her hand. Hazelnuts are edible and even good to eat, but are not used in making jewellery, so let us continue to the next nut, which is the betelnut. Here is a string of betelnuts that could be used to make a piece of jewellery:

My second N-word is Nuggets. Within jewellery-making Nuggets are small to medium-sized, irregularlly-shaped chips of stone or glass that are polished, drilled and strung. Here are some Autumn Jasper Nuggets :

My third N-word is Necklace! You can make all kinds of necklaces with nuggets and beads. Here are a couple of necklaces made of the Jasper Nuggets mixed with glass beads and freshwater pearls:

You can make necklaces in different colours and materials:

Did you know that necklaces have different names depending upon their length? The different names for necklaces are "Choker", "Matinee", "Opera", "Princess", and "Rope". They are not N-words, but fun to know. This information with illustrations is from Fire Mountain Gems and Beads' "Jewelry Maker's Library" and "EnclycloBEADia":

Choker - A tight-fitting necklace that is worn close to the base of the neck. May be plain or with pendants or ornamentation. Measures 16 to 18 inches. (40,7cm to 45,7cm.)

Matinee-length - A single-strand necklace ranging from 20 to 25 inches in length. (51cm to 63,5cm.)

Opera-length - An especially long strand necklace. Length is 26 to 36 inches. (66,1cm to 91,5cm.)

Princess Length - A 17- to 19-inch length necklace. (43,2cm to 48,3cm.)

Rope Necklace - A long, single-strand continuous necklace, 37 inches or longer. (94cm or longer.)

My beaded necklace below is Matinee-length: (Or is it? Now that I see this photo here, it almost looks more like a Princess-length, or perhaps something in between?)

These pictures showing the different necklace-lengths were borrowed from this page here. (For those that use the metric system, I have added the approximate lengths in centimetres.)
Best wishes,
Anna

To visit more sites with N-words at abc-Wednesday Please click here.
To visit more sites with N-words at Mrs. Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday please click here.

First Commenter:Vicki of Vicki's Place