I’ve decided to offer something pretty big this month – a $40 gift voucher to my Epheriell shop! You can use it to buy multiple cheaper items, like this…
or put it towards something more expensive…
“How do I enter?!”, I hear you shouting in breathless anticipation…
Seriously, it’s pretty easy. Anyone who signs up to ‘follow’ my blog, or who subscribes to my RSS or e-mail updates during the month of July, will go in the draw to win. You simply need to leave a comment below this post stating that you have subscribed.
“But I already love you and subscribe!!” – hang on, do you think I’d forget my loyal readers?? Never!
All you have to do is refer someone else who subscribes! When they do, just leave a comment stating that you sent them my way, and you go into the draw, too. And by the way, you can comment for every person you refer! So if you’ve got a big network and refer 10 people (or 100, I can dream…), you can leave a comment for each one, and you go in the draw 10 times!
Entries close midnight 31st July US Eastern time And they open right now!
Welcome to How-To Tuesday – a new regular feature on Epheriell Designs. Each week I will publish a video showing you a skill or technique to help you with your jewellery making.
Video Tutorial
Text and Picture Tutorial
Tools & Materials:
Sterling Silver wire
Soldering torch and gas bottle
Matches
Soldering tweezers
Quenching water
Wire cutters
1. Cut an appropriate piece of wire. 2 inches is a good standard length. Make sure to have your soldering torch, tweezers, and quenching water ready. Oh, and make sure to tie back long hair!
2. Next, use matches to light the torch, and make sure to be careful! Pick up your silver wire with your soldering tweezers (not normal tweezers – soldering tweezers have a wooden handle so you don’t burn your fingers). Make sure to hold it near one end.
3. Turn your flame so it is pointing directly upwards. Then turn your wire vertically, with the longer end downwards. Place it in the flame. Make sure the end of the wire is resting in the hottest part of the flame – where the light blue flame comes to a point.
4. As soon as the wire heats enough, it will start to bubble and form into a ball. Hold it in the flame until the ball is the size you want, then take it out of the flame and put it straight into the quenching water. Be careful not to overheat the metal or it will melt and run!
5. Voila! Place your newly made headpin into pickle to remove the black firescale, and then it’s ready to use.
I use these to make things like this!
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So today I woke up and found that the cold I hoped I didn’t have has come about. What is with getting sick as soon as you go on holiday?
Anyways, I had a lovely surprise today when my latest Peppermint magazine arrived in my mailbox! I had been thinking that I wanted to get the latest Frankie mag to read, so the delivery (and feeling meh) clinched my decision to buy some mags to chill out with.
You have two ways to view this post! I was so excited I did a video blog about it…
Or the more traditional text and photos.. (with some witty and intelligent insights that only came to me after filming the vid.. so you should probably read this too!)
Now, I almost NEVER buy magazines. I see most of the mags on the market as a complete waste of time and money. So how happy am I to have found a few gems that are certainly worth both!
First, as I mentioned, Peppermint. Now this is a magazine produced right here in Brisbane, by the lovely Kelley and Ben (whom I met at the Brisbane Stitches and Craft show, and I’ll be seeing Kelley again this Saturday at our Brisbane Indie Designers Market). I have to admit I subscribed sight-unseen to this one, simply based on the ethic of the mag (eco-fashion, handmade, real people..) and the recommendations of a few online friends.
I love it.
There is a gorgeous blend of little snippets and longer feature articles – the best one in this issue is all about the handmade revolution, and it’s more than well worth a read if you can get your hands on a copy (it’s only sold in Aus as far as I know though – sorry international readers!).
My second choice was Frankie – a well established fashion, art, music, lifestyle and craft magazine with a definite young indie vibe. I have yet to read this one.. but it looks great!
My last pick was based purely on flicking through it at the newsagent – Corduroy. It is completely gorgeous. It is filled with small and longer features on interesting designers, musicians and actors, and a number of stunning photo essays.
Check out just a snippet of the photo essays…
It’s a seamless blend of art and fashion. What struck me was the gorgeous aesthetic of the mag – and it didn’t strike me until I had read the whole thing why it was so coherent. There were no ads throughout. Only on the inside of the front cover and the last two page. The rest was pure content – almost like a gorgeous coffee-table book.
I definitely recommend picking it up!
So, as my cold settles in for a few days, I will have some awesome reading material to curl up with. (Oh, did I mention that I also bought the latest New Scientist? Yes, I am a science geek as well, but you’re not here to read about that, are you… )
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Jessica
I love to explore the handmade and indie art and design world and share my discoveries with you all. I also make jewellery and numerous other crafty things - just don't ask me to sew anything...
And they open right now!
