Tiny Treasure Pendant

Before:

After:

This pendant was inspired by those gorgeous cylinder shaped Bali Silver Prayer Boxes. I've admired them for a long time.
For my pendant I used some copper pipe from the Hardware store, and used the same techniques that I used with my trinket boxes. I've plenty of spare pipe leftover - it was a 1.5 metre length and the pendant is only about 4 cm long. Overkill?? HaHa maybe! Anyway, I hope to experiment some more with the leftovers! I may try etching the next one, and I want to try out some kind of safety catch...and... if I get really adventurous I may try out a hinged version and....Oh well .....we'll see how I go.........     :) Pin It

Success or the opportunity to try again.....

How are your resolutions and goals going?
I'm on target so far - My housekeeping schedule is getting organised and I decided that as the house was spick and span that I'd treat myself to a day of metalwork today.

My plans nearly didn't happen as the postie delivered my late Christmas pressie to myself! I must say I have excellent taste when buying gifts for myself....

This is an awesome book with instructions for making all kinds of boxes and lockets as well as the hinges and catches. There's heaps of jaw dropping gallery pictures to inspire too!  But instead of sitting in the airconditioning reading all afternoon it inspired me to finish my second trinket box that I started last year at Tafe.

I had a few many soldering issues, then torch issues, but remembering Tim McCreight's comment in the book that there are only two outcomes - "success or the opportunity to try again" - I pressed on - trying again and again.......and again... until I finally got it right, all the while, ignoring my urges to go with third option which he never mentioned in the book which was to chuck the whole lot through the nearest window!
Heads up to my friends too - Carolyn for providing the copper pipe I used for the box and to Jane who suggested I check my torch tips for blockages. It did the trick!

Ta Da.....here it is:

 and opened:

and with my first box:

 

Specs for those interested: Copper & Sterling Silver - Its about 5cm (2inches) high including the dome and about 3.5cm (11/2inches) in diameter.

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Happy 2012!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and holiday season! Ours included a lovely day with most of the family and a Christmas lunch at our place, followed by a Boxing day lunch with our youngest who was away at work on Christmas day. The lead up to the New Year has been good, we're on hols from work, so eating leftovers, reading books, catching up with friends and general lazing around has been the focus.

Now the New year has arrived it's time to think about being more productive. I haven't made any resolutions but I have some loose goals and ideas I want to achieve so putting them down here makes me a little accountable.

• I've decided not to go back and start another Tafe course this year, so the extra time at home will be spent creating and making more metal jewellery, so that the skills learned last year become second nature. I hope to devote at least one day each week to my metalwork! 
• I'm happier when my house is in order, so I'll continue with my ongoing decluttering and try and establish a cleaning routine that will work for me. I joined Flylady a few years back and although I don't subscribe now, I've adapted one of their cleaning plans to suit my house and I'm going to follow that to keep on top of things. I just revisited the site and it really does have some great ideas there.  
• Last year, one goal was to sort out the many pre digital family photos, it didn't happen so that's going to roll over to this year. 
• No suprises here: to address my health & fitness! I'm not doing too badly but the body could do with a little more exercise and a little less calories.
• "Being Happy" is a bit vague, so I'll be working on specifics for that one - I'm pretty sure it'll include finding more time for connecting with family and friends but all of the others above will contribute to that too I hope!

Happy New Year Everyone - Hope all your wishes and dreams come true in 2012. 
What are your plans?

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