Swirly Square Pendant - Not as Easy as it Looks

This swirly wire wrap square pendant looks easy to make but this is really one of the more difficult one.
Wasted lots of wire on this.
This final pendant is the 4th try.

This is done freehand-no mandrel.
Main tools are flat nose and round nose pliers. Oh! hammer too.
The most difficult part is getting the sharp bend for all 4 corners and ensuring the same for every round of wire.
Well, it doesn't have to be 90 degree but as sharp as possible would be best to get the squarish look.

The first try ended up like half round, half square - not square and not round!
After some hammering, the bends do look a bit rounded but thankfully still squarish.

Back of the pendant.

One of the casualties.

HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Murano Bracelet and Car Service

So here I am, at Toyota Service Center waiting for my car.
I have another 2 hours to kill but it will not be a boring 2 hours with internet access, comfortable sitting area and a small table all for myself. With free breakfast, perfect!
Haha! Just joking! Here's a peek of the place.
Pic on the left is on my right hand side - registration area, while pic on the right is in front of me - waiting area.

Back to jewelry, here is a recently completed bracelet. A simple wire wrapped Murano Bracelet for Marcia.
It goes very well with her dress but I didn't get to snap pictures of her wearing both in their rush to a wedding dinner last night. But it really matches her dress!!! Next time maybe.

Added some "LingLingLongLong!" (my interpretation of charms) to give it a bit of...well..charms :)
I love those long straight flattened wires. I was going all out hammering them. Ok, exaggerated a bit there :)
Somehow hammering makes me....hmmm....rather happy. Why is that I wonder?
Maybe I am imagining hammering something else or someone else...LOL...

I was actually at the local bead shop looking for pandora style beads but this one caught my eyes immediately, and I was "Hey! this matches Marcia's dress!!". Get it!!
A pair of matching earrings is next but that will be for later today.
Hopefully we don't have other plans for the day and I don't get distracted.
Seems like this is happening a lot these days - distractions! Those unplanned ones especially.

Anyway, while we are still with Murano beads, here are some of my collection.
I have more actually (show off!!!) but I didn't dig deeper into my chest of treasures last night..hehehe.., so these are the easy to reach ones only.

The glassy and black ones as well as the murano pendants (top left corner, orange and white - sorry! I missed taking a good shot at that one. Must have been sleepy!) are gift from Ahmi. She got them when she was in Europe and they are for keepsake. They are awesome glass beads.
Sometimes, I got lost staring at and within them and wonder how they are made and who are the artists producing them.
That's all for now and I wish all of you a happy and productive weekend.

Offwire: Picnic, Stream and Pebbles

We were back to our favorite weekend spot last Sunday - a small stream in Borneo Highland, about an hour drive from the city. This time around, we did more planning (Yeah! most of the time we don't plan. We just decide on the spot and jump into the car). So, instead of the normal junk food (chips and more chips), we decided to do a bit more this time - Barbecue! Just need more preparation the night before such as marinating the chicken wings, prepare the charcoal, drinks, clothing, etc.etc...In the end, everyone enjoyed the trip.

The gang on the way to the other bank.

Starting the fire and the yummy chicken wings, potatoes and buns (not in pix) and sausages :). They are really yummy especially when you are hungry...Too bad we didn't find any sweet corn at the market that morning.

For all the planning, we forgot the cups. So ended up using the polystyrene cover as replacement!

While the rest went upstream to the hot spring, I stayed behind to look after our belongings.

What else can I do? Well, I did a bit of camwhoring...hehehe....

The water is only knee deep, very clear and lots of pebbles. Collected some but didn't take any picture.

On the way home, we stopped by a Bidayuh longhouse. Marcia took picture next to a cage full of skulls. Souvenirs from the head hunting period, probably more than 100 years ago.

Some villagers on the way to church, probably in preparation for the coming Christmas celebration.

Winner of the $65 Gift Code Giveaway

We have a winner!
The recipient of the CSN Store giveaway worth US$65.00 is "Quara"
Congratulation Quara and thank you for joining this giveaway.
I shall email you the details right after this :)

Thank you all for participating.
Hope there will be more giveaway like this :)
Have a great weekend!

Sparkly Bracelet and Ring

Don't forget to follow and comment at $65 Gift Code from CSN. You may be the lucky one.

Just a short post tonight as my hand (right hand) feels very tired and numb.
Too much typing during the day maybe.
Just post pictures of a recently completed double strand wire wrapped bracelet and ring.
This is a second bracelet for the same person as she lost her first one :(
Both are wrapped with 14k gold filled wire.
Do enjoy and have a great week!

Giveaway Time - $65 Gift Code from CSN

GIVEAWAY!
This giveaway is sponsored by CSN Stores.
Named to the Hot 100 List of online retailers for 2009, CSN Stores comprise of more than 200 different shopping sites. With such vast selection, I am sure you will find something there to your liking including jewelry :) Just on time for Christmas shopping!

About:

This giveaway is worth US$65 (Gift Code).
This giveaway is open for US & Canada residents only.
Yeah! I heard you non-US and Canada residents but can't do anything about it.

How to win:

**FOLLOW this blog, then leave a comment with your name or email address.
To follow this blog (in case you are not sure how), go to the right column, scroll downward till you see "Wonderful Online Friends". Click on the "Follow" button and follow the instruction to complete the follow. **

**Already a follower of this blog? Then, just leave a comment with your name and email address.**

**Extra entry each if you Tweet, Buzz, Facebook, Stumble, Digg, etc about this Giveaway. Don't forget to come back and leave comment about them here.**

Winner:
I will pick one (1) winner using Random.Org and announced on 10th December 2010.

That will give the lucky winner ample time to shop for Christmas :)

Don't forget to let your friends know about this Giveaway as well.
Now, Lets begin! :)