Bracers, Greaves, and a...Helm?

I am working on a set of Bracers and Greaves to go with the Red Viking Dragon Armor. These pieces are pretty easy, simple to do.  The challenge piece is also creating a helmet to go with! I am aiming to bring him all three things for the Saturday of last weekend of Fair - which gives me a week to go from Zero to helmet.  Wish me luck?

Making Armor and a Review

I thought some of you might be interested in hearing more about the process when I create an armor set. 

Tuesday Teaser

Tomorrow you will get to hear about making my second full set of armor - and a War Skirt...and adventures in sizing :)

All tomorrow!

On Fire Again

Here I am, hauling arse on this leather armor commission, and suddenly my surrounding area is on fire again! Don't worry, my house is well out of all it, but my day job has had me involved in a variety of ways.  It just means that the armor that is cut, tooled, and ready for dye - has just been sitting there.  SITTING THERE!

Hopefully This week I will have some time to get it finished. It's going to be awesome.  Seriously, AWESOME. :)

Armor Progress - with PHOTO'S

This is my carry box

Now that my hands have healed from the great rush job I am back to working on Galen's armor. 

 Tonight I pulled out the box of pauldron lames (individual pieces) and crafted the articulation, designed the attachment, tooled the axeblade pieces that will go on top, finalized the tassetts, and cut and placed the tassetts as well.

WOOT!

Boon wants the armor

The whole family likes to help - from the beloved daughter helping me by being a mobile armor stand, husband helping with design issues, and even the cat! The dog ignored us, there wasn't food involved.

Doesn't it look great?

After fiddling with the Axeblade piece for thirty minutes or so Ray and I were able to come to an agreement on how they would attach. I love how this is looking! It is actually coming together really nicely. 

Of course, once I got everything cut out, tooled, and pieced together I get to take everything back apart so that I can begin the dye tomorrow. If I am lucky I have enough black on hand to get this all done.  It will be black with green details on the tooling and the pauldron (shoulder) edges. 

The rear and left side

Of course, I was still working after 9 PM, which means my cute helper crashed out next to me. Here is the pic of her as I type up this blog :) 

Sleeping baby...and armor

Earing Swap Blog Hop - Part 2!

So, The US Postal service decided it didn't want to give my partner the earrings I sent her last week.  So, I made her a new pair!

I will add tracking to these! Let's hope they make it to her :)

The Great Earring Blog Swap - Reveal

One of the local shops that I try to support on Facebook is Whimsical Monkey, she makes neat things and is a craftsman located in my region. She posted about an Earring Swap Blog Hop in April and I thought that sounded like a great deal of fun. Here are the rules for the swap.

Rules: 

 1) Everyone must be paired with one partner. In special cases where there are an odd number of participants, they can be my partner or I will assign a group of three (but no more than one group of three). Partners will be randomly chosen.

2) You must create a pair of earrings. Any theme, any colors, any supplies, etc. Standard piercing sizes please (i.e. 18-20 gauge wire or earring hooks), no plugs, gauged spirals, etc. (Faux gauges are ok though). Clip on is allowed if your partner cannot wear pierced. 

3) You must have a blog or a Facebook business page for your reveal.

4) You must notify me 2 weeks before the reveal date if you have to cancel. This gives me enough time to find a new partner.

There were a lot of us who signed up! 

~Links of those participating. Check back on the reveal date (May 20th) and see what everybody made!~

Blog:

Inge von Roos: ingetraud.wordpress.com

Nancy Smith: wirednan.blogspot.ca

Marianne Baxter: http://www.simplyseablimejewelry.blogspot.com/

Leah Tees:  mybeadylittleeyes.blogspot.ca

Andrea Trank:  www.heavenlanecreations.com

Miranda Ackerley: http://blog.mirandack.com/

Cheri Mitchell-Reed: http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/

Susan Kennedy: http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/

Michele Dotson: http://star-jewels.blogspot.com/

Deanna Cox: www.deannaaki.WordPress.com

Shelley Graham Turner: www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com

Ingrid McCue: www.wrappedinsilver.com

Lennis Carrier:  http://windbent.wordpress.com

Ginger Davis Allman: http://thebluebottletree.com/

Mary Anne Flesch: www.handcraftedserenity.blogspot.com

Nicole Valentine Rimmer: www.nvalentine.blogspot.com

Stephanie Weiss:  uniquelymebwd.blogspot.com/

Silvia Sernicola: http://pipa-the-latest.blogspot.it/

Karla Morgan: www.TexasPepperJams.blogspot.com

Kay Thomerson:  http://KayzKreationz.blogspot.com

Paula Hisel: http://simplybeadiful.weebly.com/simply-stated.html

Carol Dillman:  http://dillmansdallies.blogspot.com/

Spun Sugar Beadworks: Spunsugarbeadworks.blogspot.com

Tara Plote:  http://newbiebeader.blogspot.com/

Rachel Baron: http://rbarondesigns.blogspot.com/

Laurie Keefe:  http://treeofliferootedinmysoul.blogspot.com/

Kashmira Patel: http://sadafulee.blogspot.com

Gina Hockett: http://www.freestyleelements.blogspot.com

Shellie Grindy: http://www.creativeeclectica.com/

Shai Williams: http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/

Dyanne Cantrell: http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com

Mimi Gardner: www.OtherCuriosities.blogspot.com

Jessica McMullen: http://pheonixgatedesigns.blogspot.com/

Jennifer LaVite: www.drygulchbeadsandjewelry.blogspot.com

Laura Medeiros: http://zoeowyn.blogspot.com/

Alenka Obid: www.pepita-handmade.blogspot.com

Elsie Fonseca: http://www.ladelizchica.blogspot.com/
Cheryl Dunham: www.renaissance-jewelry.blogspot.com

Sandra McGriff: http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca
Tania Spivey: http://moobiegrace.blogspot.com/

Facebook:

Beccy Peterson: Beccy's Baubles

Ani Forsyth: Veil Dancer

Mowse Doyle: https://www.facebook.com/MowseMadeThis

Mischelle Fanucchi: www.facebook.com/micheladasmusings

Marde Lowe: FanciMar Designs

 

I was matched with  Kayz Kreationz - http://KayzKreationz.blogspot.com  and I had to laugh - I, who am pretty much blue all the way through, got matched with someone who doesn't like blue and doesn't wear it.  It made me smile...and made this hard!

but...I gamely pulled out my beading supplies

 And got out the "Special Box"... :) And starting coming up with ideas.


The golden ones one the left were, pretty...but I couldn't get the attachment to the earring to look professional because the are beaded...and I didn't want to send something half-done - plus they would look much better on brass or gold colored hooks.  The white stars were pretty...but I had the same problem...I couldn't get the attachment to the earring to look right,  and ended up sighing in exasperation and frustration. 

So I walked away for a bit.  Several hours. And I did research online for how to attach earrings...and still couldn't find anything.  So I started messing around in my box again and somehow came up with these.  These I could send to someone...a pretty purple opalescent bead, silver chain, and some quartz crystal...I like them! So...off they went - I hope Kay likes them!

I got my package from Kay and she sent me TWO pairs! Check them out! I love the pair on the right extra for the pretty hooks and the lovely colors.  I am so glad I did this and I hope others also enjoyed the blog.  Even though I think Kay did a much better job of her send out, they looked awesome.