On Hiatus!

See you all April 3!!

Dual Jewelry Deuling Armor - Just what the doctor ordered

Yesterday, I was prescribed bilateral carpal tunnel wrist stabilizers, and I was totally shocked! Apparently, slight numbness, tingling and cold hands, are signs of over use and repetitive strain, I had always thought it was a shooting pain that I had to look out for... so I wasn't expecting to have to ever use splints, needless to say for both arms!! I was totally bummed. :(

Taking them out of the boxes and putting them on was quite a lot to handle. I went from tiny 6 inch wrists to robotic looking 9 inch thick monster things!! But after getting more used to them, and wearing them for the last 15 hours I've got feeling in my wrists and the tingling is almost gone! Yay! It also helped that my boyfriend said my new arms reminded him of one of his favorite video game characters- Tifa from Final Fantasy 7! (Which is a pretty huge deal! She is probably his most favorite of all time!)

So I see the doc in a month, and I am supposed to wear these for almost 24 hours a day until I see her, exceptions being showers and hand washing or splint washing, I even get to wear them to bed! So I'm brainstorming about all the cool things I could accessorize with, like anklet length bracelets or just embellishing my straps with Swarovski crystals... Might as well make them part of my outfits, no need for my new arms to make me look shabby!

So I now consider them my Jewelry Making Armor. Not to mention how super advertising these seem to be!!! It's almost like wearing a uniform that people are pretty curious about. "What happened to your arms?" Then they are begging to see your work and take a business card, instead of thinking oh she just makes jewelry :) I could do that.

So I'll be taking a few days of rest, and I'll also be away from my work computer from March 20 - 30 visiting family, advertising and other non-hand heavy work and celebrating quite a few birthdays, including my Mom's on the 20th and my own on the 27th!!

I'll still be able to answer questions and send out tutorials, just a little longer of a delay than usual! Oh, and the little earring is from my 3d bicone star tutorial, I'll be finalizing it over my little hiatus.

Have fun everyone, I'm sure I'll have tons of post-birthday news to share! Take care of those wrists!!

One Fish Two Fish Loose Knots Tutorial!!

A lot of work, but a lot of fun! The cover art shows 2 totally different looks, but both pieces are made using my one fish two fish knotting method. Just changing the materials or the number of strands will give endless options for style.

The tutorial is available through my etsy shop or you can contact me via email directly @ DianaNorman@gmail.com

The Price: $9.00.

What you get:
The tutorial is packed with 41 color photographs plus a printer-friendly page full of easy to follow diagrams to get you through these bracelets, one fish at a time!

If you run into trouble, I'll be glad to walk you through the steps,you can email me anytime if you have any questions!

The techniques from this tutorial can be translated into a variety of styles with almost any kind of material that can be knotted. The end product is adjustable when made with flexible materials like fibers or bead strands, but quite sturdy and rigid when made in wire.

If you can tie shoelaces, you can learn this technique. If you've had trouble in the past with following knotting techniques, you'll find this one easy to learn and fast to master but with endless possibilities.

On the horizon -- Jewelry School!

I'm in the final stages of production for 5 tutorials! Sure it would have been easier to produce just 1 at a time, but once the muse starts calling and says it's time to make this, this and this... I can't say wait a minute let me write this up!

Kits may be on their way as well, as more than a few have been asking about those famous flower pendants!

Tutorials in the next installment:

• Woven Swarovski Star
• Golden Helix Stitch
• Editing photos like a pro for FREE
• 2 Tutorials-in-1 --Knotted Bracelets --- Both Beaded and Wired!!
• Knotted Copper Charms
  

Work in Progress? Or is it finished?

I've had this piece looking at me for a while. Technically, it's finished, but even though I know less is more, things still feel missing.

Plus, I can't decide if this is a front clasp piece that needs something like a pendant, or if it wants to have loops and drops added across the entire bottom row... or...

Any ideas?

Pink Flower Pendant with Peyote Frame

I am going to have to brush up on my flower names! Somehow Pink Flower just doesn't seem to do this pendant justice. ^_^ This pretty twisted pink nylon didn't want to stay still for complex Chinese knotting techniques but the pendant is detailed enough that a simple knotted cord was just right.

This necklace is currently listed in my etsy shop.