Week 3

So it's week 3, and I'd have to say I was productive with my day off (i say day because the first day is for resting and playing and the second is for being productive).

Earlier in the week our neighbor/landlord asked if i would fix a ring for him- it was a big chunky cast silver ring and the band had broken. Since i had very little fear of damaging it and was fairly certain i could fix it i said yes. I did burn myself on my torch (clumsy me- it wasn't even on, just hot), but it was fun taking his extremely tarnished and broken ring and giving it back with a solid band and a mirror-like polish. No pictures- i was too excited to give it back. I didn't ask to be paid for fixing it, but he gave me $20 anyway, and that's just a little exciting.

I always feel kind of awkward asking family/friends to pay me for making them something. I don't feel as awkward about pieces that are already made- i think maybe it's the fear that my work won't meet their standards, and i would hate to be paid for something they really weren't happy with. When the piece already exists, I know that they know what they're getting when they buy it.
I made the above pendant today- nothing special, it was a quick pendant with some wirework- what IS kind of special about it is that i added a stone, which i almost never do. It might be amethyst, it might be tanzanite- it's a deep indigo purple color that came in a lot of mixed gems.
I made this glass for my little sister. Her 21st birthday is on Easter Sunday and I like to give glassware for the big 21. It's painted with tree branches- a style I've done before and she happened to like. Ignore the smudge at the top of the glass- it's a soccer ball in the background.
Headbands! Okay, so headbands aren't really a big deal and I made these 4 for myself (which is part of why i made so many things this week- at least 1 has to be something i'd part with). I've made a few headbands for myself in the past, but this is the first time I bothered to sew the fabric (usually i just press the rough edges under and go), and I can totally see myself adding these to a store/my etsy shop. For roughly $.75 each, I can make a headband out of any fabric i think is pretty(see stripes at top of picture). I wear them a lot at work to keep my bangs out of my face. If/when I experiment with making them for sale, i will make a few with elastic- i currently tie them in a clever way and they're really one size fits all (about 45" long) and can double as a waist sash/belt. I don't mind tying them the way that i do, but I think other people might or just might find it difficult to get the hang of and would appreciate an elastic option.

Well...that's all for week 3 of the Xarata project- haven't lost my steam yet! 49 weeks to go!