Thank you! I got the chance to take the incredible elisem's "wandering wire" class earlier this year. I'm still not too confident about some of it, though wire-wrapped necklaces have become something I can do without really paying attention, if that makes sense? The more inticate stuff just takes practice. Lots and lots of practice. And a fair amount of stuff that you just take apart and start over, with the wire a waste. Oh, and good tools. I found out, a couple years back, why she uses and recommends the Lindstrom pliers. They're pricy, but a lifetime purchase; I've only got the chain-nose and round-nose so far, will eventually get bent-nose and cutters. Also also, I've stopped using craft wire for anything except the bookmarks and cellphone charms; silver is *much* easier to work with - also just *different*. I was trying to make something with brass craft wire last month, and I swear to ghod, it fought back. (Discovered *that* waaaaaaay back when I was a student doing lost-wax casting. Only got to work with gold once, but OMG was that ever easier than silver, which was easier than the pot-metal...)
(Also, if you can ever spare the money, you might think about Elise's Beads of the Month. I *think* tThis is my fourth fifth1 year at it, with a few months snagged in 2006. Even with the "little bitty magpie" selections, it's always incredible stuff, and, other than the pirate treasure month (ask ginmar about that, 'k? *evil grin), very much knowledge transfer comes along with the stones/glass/pearls/metal.)
1Edited to fix that; I just checked my gmail archives. Makes sense, the SSDI was approved in... February? that year, and I went a bit crazy with some of the back pay. (Well, kinda had to; if I had any savings at all I wouldn't qualify for Section 8 housing. Grrrrrr. *suppressed rant*)
(Also, if you can ever spare the money, you might think about Elise's Beads of the Month. I *think* tThis is my fourth fifth1 year at it, with a few months snagged in 2006. Even with the "little bitty magpie" selections, it's always incredible stuff, and, other than the pirate treasure month (ask ginmar about that, 'k? *evil grin), very much knowledge transfer comes along with the stones/glass/pearls/metal.)
1Edited to fix that; I just checked my gmail archives. Makes sense, the SSDI was approved in... February? that year, and I went a bit crazy with some of the back pay. (Well, kinda had to; if I had any savings at all I wouldn't qualify for Section 8 housing. Grrrrrr. *suppressed rant*)
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