I'm Published

I’m so excited to share this news!!! Last week I was contacted from the editors at Art Jewelry magazine that my Viking Knit tool was chosen for a product review and… they loved it!!! The review will be published and featured in the April – May issue of Art Jewelry magazine which will be on the news stands April 5th.

The old way on the left and my new Viking Knit tool on the right with no more setup..

I have been making jewelry for about 15 years now..I learned wirework years ago from Lynne Merchant, she is such a great teacher. I took a class several years ago from Tracy Stanley to learn Viking Knit, I just loved it. But to start it the old way you have to wrap a piece of copper around a piece of cardboard then center it on top of a dowel and spread the loops out even and tape them so they didn't move..Oh my gosh that isn't fun..well after all these years I finally designed a tool where there is NO more set up, can you believe that..it is the most awesome tool, I just love it..I can't imagine anyone ever doing it the old way again..Anyway I have a website where you can order it, so hurry over and buy one you are going to love it..http://vikingknittool.com/index.html Look at the beautiful Viking knit on these bracelets I made....Terri Brush is having a class using my new Viking Knit Tool on Sept. 12 hurry over and sign up for it http://www.terribrushdesigns.com/index.html More later, Barbara

Actually I decorated the kitchen months ago but I never took a picture of it..So today I decided I am going to update my blog and show everyone my pretty kitchen..I just love how it turned out.. I promise I won't take months for my next post, I have been working on my studio and hopefully it will be finished soon..I just need to strip some furniture and repaint it. I want the colors to be black, off white and pink..I just painted a table black that is going to be my computer desk..I bought a old dresser I plan to strip and paint black, I will put the printer on top and use the drawers for all the stuff that was in my other computer desk..my other desk was to much like a office desk not the look I wanted...Then I have a really nice dinette set with a round table I plan to paint the table black and the chairs white and give them that antique look..and I'm hoping for handpainted roses on the backs..I'm changing my window valances to a beautiful pink fabric and I just made them not that long ago with a really pretty yellow, oh well....I will try to be better at posting from now on.........Barbara

The new kitchen

We finished our kitchen just in time for Thanksgiving..

This is a quick update on our house...We are now working on the inside, the wiring is almost finished and ready to be inspected...then insulation....That is Cole in front of our house, he's our 6 year old grandson...Well have to run, Cole has a class..When I get back I will show you some pictures of Cole at his class..Bye for now.

Well here it is....Yesterday and today we were putting shingles on the roof..we have just less then half done..We also put some trim up in the corners and did some work on the garage door...You can see my garden in the front of the picture..Everything is up and doing real good, this is the second year I've had a garden and I love it........Well I'll update you again soon..

Surprise

Well awhile back I told you I would have a surprise for you in a few days...Well he was late but here he is...Isn't he beautiful?..He is a reg. Shetland colt out of a multi champion stallion...Soundviews Cinn City....He was born last night which would have been my mom's birthday, that made it very special to me....Also I wanted to mention the progress on our house. I didn't realize we were going into a holiday weekend so the kids wanted the weekend off so they didn't work..then Burt's sister came for a couple days and that means golf. Well we love to play golf so while the kids were playing so were we...Anyway I will show you a picture Sunday night..We are all ready to put the shingles on and I will show you how far we get by Sunday night..I'm hoping the weather doesn't rain, that could slow us down but whatever happens I will take a picture for you...Have a great weekend everyone...

Our new house..

This is a picture of our new house we are building...Our goal is to have the sheeting, shingles and siding on within a week..I will post another picture in a week and we will see how close we come to our goal...Our daughter Lori and grandson Clayton are helping us, what can I say these are great kids......Now you can see why we haven't been making beads, we are trying to get the house done as soon as we can..but he will be making more in a few months and I will have my new studio for my jewelry classes..I am so excited I can't wait...

I taught a class

Yesterday I had the best time I taught my first wire jewelry class. I was a guest artist at my friend Terri's..We all made beautiful wire bracelets with soldered charms, I taught the wirework and Terri taught the soldered charms it was soooo much fun, everyone went home with a awesome bracelet.........We just sold our home at the lake and are building our new home mile out of Elma, WA...My husband Burt has designed a large teaching studio for me, I can't wait to start teaching I have so many ideas to share with all of you that can come..As we build the house I will share pictures with you so you can see the progress..and in about 6 weeks I will show a picture of a little surprise we are expecting, I will save it for a surprise...I wanted to share this picture of the bracelet I made for the class yesterday..Have a Happy Easter everyone.

Jan. 20,2009
I have to tell you guys what happened the other day..I was at a new friends house Terri Brush we were making jewelry together she makes the most awesome soldered glass necklaces and also bezeled necklaces that just knocked my socks off when I saw them..Anyway we had got together and she was giving me a class in making her soldered jewelry and I was giving her a class in wirework..We had a wonderful day Terri is a wonderful teacher and anyone interested in these beautiful necklaces need to sign up with her for classes..While we were playing with our jewelry she asked do you have a blog and I said no but I really wanted to have one..she emailed back saying "I can help you make one" well what a nice thing for her to say and I thought one of these days I will have her show me how...Well we emailed back and forth and then came this email that said " YOUR BLOG" I clicked on the email and there was a link to MY BLOG..OH MY GOSH she made me a blog she designed it, named it, even gave me a password..I was soooo happy, what a surprise, now I have a blog..oh my then I started getting nervous, what do I say, I think I'm afraid of my blog..Well it's been several days of hiding from my blog and today I decided I have to write something........I am a artist that makes wire jewelry, I've been doing it for over 10 years and my husband makes lampwork beads....We just sold our house yesterday and plan to move to our other property where we own 3 Shetland ponies..We will be building our own home and I will show you pictures as we build it..After our home is built I plan to give classes in wire jewelry and hope maybe someday I can meet a few of you in a class....