How Many Round Beads on a 16" Strand?

Wonder no more.

The answer is between 34 to 203 beads, depending on the size of the beads of 2mm to 12 mm.

How big is a 2mm or 12mm beads? Well 2mm is tiny while 12mm is about the size of a peanut but this is only my guesstimate. To be exact, get the ruler or caliper.

Anyway, Szarka has a great article on the above at her site.

Head down to Magpie Gemstones and you shall find answers to these burning questions.

There are great conversion Charts by Dr. Karen Meador of Dreamcatcher Designs as well as Madeline Hoffman.

Here is a glimpse of the chart indicating the number of beads on a 16" Strand by Dr. Karen.

For bead strands of less than 16" i.e. 14" and 15", Madeline Hoffman has a chart workout for us.

For anything shorter, I guess we have to count manually....hehehe..just joking.

I actually do this sometimes...lol.

Thanks Szarka and Dr. Karen for sharing this informative article.

Happy Easter!

The Most Important Tool of All in Wire Jewelry is....

...NOT this, this, this, this, this, this or this!

It is the HAND and fingers.

Obviously, but always taken for granted.

I found this out the very very very very very painful way last Monday.

I slipped and fell on my butt outside the house due to slippery floor after the drizzle.

Hurt my hand while trying to cushion the fall and experienced the most excruciating throbbing pain.

Bum is ok (probably I got fat bum as cushion :) but look at my hand.

As if it is not bad enough, this is my right hand, my working hand.

I'd be out of the wire jewelry action for at least 2 or 3 weeks or maybe a month.

Can't hold the pliers anymore. 

Any pressure on that Mount of Venus will inflict pain...huhuhu...

Lesson learned:

• Be extra careful when walking or running on wet floor.
• Don't rush, walk slowly.
• Wear slippers/shoes with good rubber sole (mine is botak - bald)
• Listen to dear hubby! :) don't be stubborn! When he says "don't do" then he may have the premonition...the story - I insisted on making a small rack (carpentry) although he was against it. The fall happened when I went to the back to look for the last piece of aluminium. In the end, hubby finished off the little rack.
• Anymore safety tips? I you have, feel free to share in the comment.

There you are.

No matter what, Hand is not the only important tool.

The eyes, ears, nose, feet, teeth, etc. are all important.

So, do take care.

Murano Bracelet and Car Service

So here I am, at Toyota Service Center waiting for my car.
I have another 2 hours to kill but it will not be a boring 2 hours with internet access, comfortable sitting area and a small table all for myself. With free breakfast, perfect!
Haha! Just joking! Here's a peek of the place.
Pic on the left is on my right hand side - registration area, while pic on the right is in front of me - waiting area.

Back to jewelry, here is a recently completed bracelet. A simple wire wrapped Murano Bracelet for Marcia.
It goes very well with her dress but I didn't get to snap pictures of her wearing both in their rush to a wedding dinner last night. But it really matches her dress!!! Next time maybe.

Added some "LingLingLongLong!" (my interpretation of charms) to give it a bit of...well..charms :)
I love those long straight flattened wires. I was going all out hammering them. Ok, exaggerated a bit there :)
Somehow hammering makes me....hmmm....rather happy. Why is that I wonder?
Maybe I am imagining hammering something else or someone else...LOL...

I was actually at the local bead shop looking for pandora style beads but this one caught my eyes immediately, and I was "Hey! this matches Marcia's dress!!". Get it!!
A pair of matching earrings is next but that will be for later today.
Hopefully we don't have other plans for the day and I don't get distracted.
Seems like this is happening a lot these days - distractions! Those unplanned ones especially.

Anyway, while we are still with Murano beads, here are some of my collection.
I have more actually (show off!!!) but I didn't dig deeper into my chest of treasures last night..hehehe.., so these are the easy to reach ones only.

The glassy and black ones as well as the murano pendants (top left corner, orange and white - sorry! I missed taking a good shot at that one. Must have been sleepy!) are gift from Ahmi. She got them when she was in Europe and they are for keepsake. They are awesome glass beads.
Sometimes, I got lost staring at and within them and wonder how they are made and who are the artists producing them.
That's all for now and I wish all of you a happy and productive weekend.

Szarka! Magpiegemstones - They are here, Clay Jeani, Turquoise & Pearl

The rocks are here :D Thank you Szarka! I love them all especially the Clay Jeanie pendant and Turquoise beads. If you are wondering what I am talking about, they are the free gemstone beads giveaway that I won from Magpie Gemstones, an online gemstone beads and accessories supply shop owns by Szarka, who is also a very talented and one of a kind jewelry designer.

I always drool over her gemstones........you would too if you are at her shop :) .....and today they are here.....Turquoise, Clay Jeani Pendant and Pearl.

Close up of the Clay Jeani Pendant....just awesome and fine workmanship!
I never own anything like this before. So, so, so happy ;D.
Now I got to think of how to wire wrap and assemble them into a beautiful one of a kind piece of jewelry.
Looks like it won't be easy. There are just so many ways and possibilities.
Got to find "that" wrap :)

I got to know Szarka back in 2006/07 when I just got hooked with wire jewelry. Though I've never met her in person, I know she is a very friendly, honest and nice lady...with lots of sense of humor too :)

If you would like to have the opportunity to win some free gemstones beads (monthly) or free shopping spree (worth $200, twice a year) or free jewelry making tutorials, or free information or just want to make friends with Szarka, check them out here - http://www.magpiegemstones.com/freebeads.html

Thank you again Szarka.
Will post the finished piece when I am done with it :)

To all readers, have a great weekend.
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Murano Glass! Murano Glass!

When we hear about Murano Glass, what comes to mind is Venice or the Venetian island of Murano in particular. For centuries, Murano's glassmakers produced high quality glass, refining the glass making technologies including crystalline glass, enamelled glass (smalto), glass with threads of gold (aventurine), multicoloured glass (millefiori), milk glass (lattimo), and imitation gemstones made of glass. Today, the artisans of Murano are still employing these century-old techniques, crafting everything from contemporary art glass and glass figurines to Murano glass chandeliers and wine stoppers - Source: Wikipedia.
Outside of Venice, you can find 100% genuine Murano Glass hand blown in Venice at Murano Glass Gift Co, a company started in 2001 that carry a wide variety of art glass from around the world mainly Murano Glass and World Art Glass.

At Murano Glass Pendants you will find among others this Murano Calcedonia Pendant which has a Milky Way or Galaxy look to it. Calcedonia is an art form of Murano dating back hundreds of years. It refers to glass featuring veins of color running through the dark colored glass. This look is obtained by mixing various metal compounds in a certain fashion to imitate the natural stones such as agate, onyx and malachite.

Florentine Drop in brilliant colors. Something I would wear any day, anytime. Love those spirals. Very inspiring.

Besides jewelry, check out the Murano Birds. The love bird set would make an exquisite gift set. The details of the design is awesome and captivating.
In Feng Shui, a pair (of birds) is for luck. Its the symbol of love and union. Surround your self with pairs of birds, and you wouldn't feel lonely :) That is according to feng shui.  Should we give it a try?

If you are a fan of Murano Glass or unique and beautiful glass creations, check out Murano Glass Gift Co.
They are offering free FedEx ground shipping to USA and Canada.
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Jewelry Storage and Text Link Advertisment Spots

Now that I think about it, I actually never talk about this topic – jewelry storage.
Maybe because I do not have many finished jewelry ;)
That’s why I am more into storing stones and beads.
Storing stones and beads is not difficult. I mostly use plastic containers like these here.

As for finished jewelry, people says it is an art in itself. Some use wine glasses to hang earrings, twist wires to make wire trees to hang necklaces and earrings (ehm! planning to do this), modify old picture frames into jewelry frames, and many many more ways depending on your creativity and of course budget and space.
Mine is quite simple here and rather "artless". I simply throw everything into this individual compartment here ;-)

Psst! I hang some of my necklaces and rings on the clothes hooks too.
This way, I can just choose which one to put on when I change my clothes...for convenient sake.

Of course, if you can afford it, you will be looking at jewelry box like this one at JewelryBoxes123 – soft lined interior, sturdy and with key for security. Very classy and the perfect home for all your precious jewelry.

 

Note: JewelryBoxes123 is my blog sponsor (No! I am not getting any free jewelry boxes from them). Instead, I provide advertising space for them here and hopefully some of you readers will be directed to this site and turn into their happy customers :)

When this happens, I hope they will continue to be my sponsor here.
Find out more about JewelryBoxes123 at their About page here.

This bring me to Text Link Advertisement Spots on my blog.
Currently I am offering Text Link advertisement spots under the heading Places to Visit (on the sidebar).
The charges are as follow:

• Monthly - $20 USD
• 3 months - $50 USD, save $10
• 6 months - $100 USD, save $20
• 12 months - $200 USD, save $40
• > 12 months - negotiable

Email me at meiky6@gmail.com if you are interested.

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WireBliss Logo I & Facebook Fan Page

WireBliss Logo I
This is what I have been busy with today.
Since this blog makeover last Feb, I have been wanting to create the logo with wire.
Finally did it today with several fine copper wires twisted together.

This is "Logo I" as I foresee more to come, till I am satisfied with it ;D

Facebook Fan Page
Finally got this one up and running too (although I created it many many weeks ago)
For those already became fan, thank you! (although I have not send out invitation :))
Now, I am inviting you all to be on my FB Fan Page.
Click on the above link or this link and it should bring you to the Fan Page.
From there just click on "Become a Fan" - at top right hand.
Alternatively, you can do it through the widget on the sidebar of this blog.

At the moment its quite empty except for my blog feeds.
Actually, still figuring out how the page works.

If you do not want to be a fan, its ok, you can still opt to follow my blog or subscribe to my feed to get updates from time to time.

Now! Go ahead and enjoy the rest of the weekend cause mine is ending :(
Time to go to "lala land"....zzzzzzz

Finally Here!

I have been neglecting my blog for almost a week. Been busy with work, went for a short course (work related) and sat for an exam. Feel very drained after that but the arrival of this "baby" two days ago really made my day. One of the happiest moment in my life....a bit exaggeration here but I am extremely happy and please.
My own Canon G11 camera is finally here! Been waiting for it for the last few months and finally its here.
Haven't really got the time to play around with it yet but I will this weekend and shall learn to take better pictures with it.
Here is a quick experimental one taken early this morning, outdoor near the pond, cloudy and overcast.
The left pix was taken with G11 and the right one with my old Cannon Ixus 850 IS. Opps! Old Ixus :) Been good to me though. Really loving my G11. Notice how close I can get to the object - almost touching actually. With Ixus, its about 3 cm.

No cropping involve except for reducing picture size and combining them. Any difference? There should be but I am still getting use to G11.
Have a nice weekend all and if you are curious about the camera, follow the link below.

Canon PowerShot G11 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Stabilized Zoom and 2.8-inch articulating LCD

Wirework "Work Station"

Here is a confession! I am very "envious" of people who have dedicated "work station/ bench/ corner / room" :) That is why I am quite shy to show you my work station.
The truth is I don't have a dedicated work station while making my wire jewelry. Most of the time I am at the inner living room. Sometimes when it is too dark, I move to the main living room but then I will be fighting for space with the boys. Sometimes I work in the bedroom and last weekend I stationed myself in the dry kitchen (see picture below!) as I need the natural light for taking pictures for my up and coming wire jewelry tutorial.
And guess what? I love working in the kitchen! As you can see, its bright, airy and snack within reach :). Outside the window is our orchid garden. So I look out once in a while to rest my eyes. It gets a bit warm and hot during mid-noon though, as the sun would be shining in through the windows. To escape the heat, I will move to the dining table just behind the chair here.


Do you have your own working station/bench? or you are like me - a nomad...LOL.

Happy Father's Day!

I am taking this opportunity to wish a very Happy Father's Day! to all reader who are someone's fathers. Emm...confusing myself.
Anyway, seems like my creative muse still refuses to come back. Here are few items I purchased yesterday - a stainless steel "dog tag" with my name engraved on it (just for fun!), 3 cabs and two key chains each for William and Henry. Got them dirt cheap and engraving looks easy. Gets me thinking of getting an engraver for myself :) Duh!


WireBlissMei

New Pliers, Cutters, "Tea Ring" & Turquoise Bracelets

I am back, kind of! Was away for a very short period, then there was the on and off internet connection, then busy with work and started a new blog which have been put off for a while - http://OrchidBliss.blogspot.com. So for those of you who are Orchids enthusiast, check out our (me and hubby) blog on orchids - wild / species orchids.

Here are my new purchase - can't resist.
Flat nose pliers and a straight full flash side cutter.

Very Smooth!

Got myself a silver ring with my name attached to the top too. Known as "Tea Ring" as narrated by the maker. Some people call it Snake Ring. However mine don't look like snake as my name (MEI) is attached to the top. So what is the story with "Tea Ring"?
Simply, get your friends to reassemble this ring while you are having tea. If they can't do it, they pay for your drinks. That's it. I haven't tried it out yet. Soon....when I need some free drinks...:D

Anyone of you own or ever come across this type of ring? I first heard of this when I was at my parents place last 2 weeks and just got to make one. The man who makes them happened to live close by so I didn't waste my time. Well, actually I have another intention, to find out if I can make one with wire...hehe...

The four rings are linked.

Almost successfully reassembled!

Done!

And here are two turquoise bracelets I managed to whip up for a friend and her daughter.

WireBlissMei

You Were Asking...?

If you are from Malaysia, you would know that it is very difficult to find some of the essential tools for wire wrappers like us. It can be very very frustrating. And we would think twice, thrice...hmm..many many times before deciding to purchase online from other country.

One of these tools is the wire rounder or bur cup. I got mine last month from tooltime. Anyway, no regret and I love it! Only one thing though, it works very well with sterling silver but not stainless steel which is much harder. Guess I still have to use my old file with stainless steel wire.

Anyway, people asked me where I got mine. Unfortunately, tooltime didn't have this in stock anymore. I did a search at etsy and found two shops that has it. They are Nightstar and Romazone. Romazone only ships to Canada and US. Jenny Pong purchased hers from Singapore - Beads.etc. Looks cheaper but not sure about the shipping rate.

Another seller who carries it is Szarka - Magpie Gemstones, I love her gemstones and only discovered that she has it after I purchased mine :) - Opps! she didn't have it anymore! But you can always email her. She is very friendly.

So there you have it. Have a wonderful hols and weekend!

WireBlissMei

Keys

Cool find!
I have seen lots of people making jewelry out of keys - old keys. If I don't make wire wrap jewelry, these keys hold no value and would be useless to me. But now, I see everything old in a new light. You can actually turn something old into beautiful jewelry pieces.
Back to this bunch of key here, they are quite old and I think they are made of brass. Not sure about the darker colored one though.
For now, they are not mine yet but they are in my safekeeping unless someone wants to claim it :)

WireBlissMei

In "Cleaning" Mood Again

Its that time again...I am in "cleaning and clearing" mood again. And the results, I changed my blog layout again. What do you think of the new layout? Personally, this is my favorite so far.

This morning, I took out the river rocks/stones that I have been collecting and gave them a good wash. Feeling happy just washing and looking at them but still have no idea what I am going to do with them :)


Just realized that our kitchen sink is a very good place to take pictures with lots of natural light.



Last but not least, I cleaned and wiped two bedrooms too....and now the weekend is almost gone. Feel very tired now so Good night! for now.

WireBlissMei

Finally Its Here!

:D Waited two weeks for this and today it finally arrived. Funny but on the way home from work I got the feeling that its here....sixth sense? Hmm....

Been looking for this cup bur for a long time. Asked my sister in-law in Calgary to look for it but she couldn't find it.

Definitely can't find in Malaysia. Almost gave up when I came upon tooltime at etsy last two weeks and found what I have been looking for all this while. The rest is just smooth sailing.

If you are wondering what the heck is this for, the cup bur is to effectively de-bur the end of a wire after it has been cut! I have not experimented with it yet so I wouldn't know how good it is compared to a normal file. But I really hope that it is better :)

WireBlissMei

Something for me :) II

The best copper wire so far! Hubby brought this cable home yesterday. He is so supportive of my hobby! :) Wonderful color (for now)....Judging from the measurement I think they are size 15/16ga.
What can I make with this size of copper wire? hmmmmm......Hammer! Hammer! Hammer! That's what I can hear in my head since yesterday......well! let me dream about them first.

Something for me :) I

Can't resist this stainless steel block when hubby took me to the stainless steel shop two days ago. Just nice for hammering. So I got the shop assistant to cut a piece for me - about 1.5 inch thick (2.5 in diameter). Took him about 10 minutes to get it cut.
The shop sells everything stainless, copper and brass except for soft stainless steel wire *sigh*. They do have the hard ones though. But can't use them for jewelry, they are too hard and springy.
While walking around, I saw the square stainless steel flat bar measuring about 2.5 x 4 x 0.4 in. Hm! Also very good for hammering :). In the end I decided to have both of them for RM46.00. Expensive? Well for the love of jewelry making, its worth it.