I’m playing a game with myself. I can’t start any new jewelry project until I finish two old ones. That way, many years from now, I’ll catch up!
This red bracelet is patterned after the one Candie Cooper taught us at the JTV Experience. I’m making it for myself. I’ve ordered tiny tassels to put on the ends. They’ve not arrived so I can’t consider it finished. I guess I’ll need to finish something else’s in it’s place, before I start something new. There’s always a kumicord to work on…
My polymer clay experiment has baked for 24 hours and has still not hardened in the middle. More about this later. 
Here’s the first homemade soup of the season in the first bowl cozy I made. I need to find the tutorial and make some more!
with some lace, and metal flowers!
I hung my metal daisies at Mama’s House, today.
I did some bead sorting and vacuuming and put the tree up. It still needs ornaments, but I am happy with my hippy dippy craft library.
I think I’m on to something adding tassels to my Asian inspired necklaces!
I found little brass blanks I can use to add a pendant loop to the back of my bamboo edged pendant frames:
A little E6000 and a little dry time:
A tassel and a jump ring and I’m in business!
The black tassel is by Bead Landing via Michael’s. The gold one is from a supplier I found on eBay. I will have to favorite them, because it is beautiful and was nicely packaged.
The black and gold necklace is in my shop. So is the blue, but I’ll need to update it! (Since I just did!)
Here are the beautiful enameled pieces I bought with the trunk show dollars I won from Anne Gardanne:
They are awesome!
Laura’s lovely lariat made with leather, assorted beads, sewing charms and a Mardi Gras stone heart:
(She also made the quilt in the background!)
And here she is!
When Laura Sheaffer and I get together, we like to party, and by party, I mean create!
I shipped this necklace to a customer who has a P.O. box at my same zip code. I took it to the post office, thinking it would never leave the building. Wrong!
That could’ve been true if I’d put stamps on it! Because I bought postage at the post office, my package had to go to the processing center. Instead of getting her necklace, today, my customer will get it tomorrow.
Currently, anything under 4oz. mails for $3.50 or 7 stamps. Why didn’t I just buy a book of stamps on the spot? Laura thought of that, but she was in the car. Next time!
Laura’s here for one of our creative get together play dates! Last night, we tried our hands at basic wire weaving. I finally got the hang of the 2-1 weave.
I fooled around and tried to make a ring.
This is something that’s going to take a lot of practice!
We used 18 and 26 gauge silver over copper wire. I will try, again.
Here we are at the braiding!
Your disk should be set up like this. It doesn’t matter what color or kind your 8 cords are, but they should be arranged in pairs, in this, “+” formation.
You can begin with any pair of cords you like. Whichever you choose, start with them at the bottom, or south, position. I’m starting with turquoise and red.
Step 1) Lift the bottom left (turquoise) cord out of its slot and move it up to the slot to the left of the top left (green) cord.
You will have 3 cords at the top and one at the bottom like this:
Step 2) Lift the upper right (yellow) cord out of its slot. Move it across the disc and into the slot just right of the bottom (red) cord.
Your cords should be arranged like this:
Step 3) Turn your disk one quarter turn to the left, or clockwise:
(Some people turn it to the right, or counterclockwise. It doesn’t matter, as long as you are consistent.)
Do not worry that your pairs of cords are no longer perpendicular to one another.
Now, repeat the process. Lift the lower left (orange) cord and move it to the slot just left of the upper cords:
Next, lift the upper right (purple) cord, and move it to the slot just right of the lower (blue) cord. 
Now turn the disk one quarter turn to the left. 
Here we go again!
Step 1) Lift the lower left (green) cord out of its slot, and move it up to the slot just left of the upper left (yellow) cord.
(Notice that once again, you have three cords up and one down. This is the best place to pause if you have to, so when you start again, you’ll know to start with the upper right cord.)
Step 2) Lift the upper right (red) cord out of its slot, and move it to the slot just right of the lower (turquoise) cord.
Step 3) Turn the disk one quarter turn to the left.
Now, repeat these three steps over and over. THAT IS ALL YOU DO! It seems too simple to be true!
Step 1) Lower left (black) cord moves up:
Step 2) Upper right (blue) cord moves down:
Step 3) Turn your disk:
DO IT AGAIN!
Left up:
Right down:
TURN!
Keep going; up, down and around! You can use this mantra, “Left up, right down, turn.”
Sometime, when you are in the 3 up, 1 down position, 
turn the disk over and admire what you are making:
Some kumihimo kits will include a weight attached to an alligator clip. Some people clip or add a weight to the knot to provide tension to the braid. Some people do not use a weight at all. That’s a debate for another post. In this case, the mouse tail has enough structure that I don’t need a weight.
Now, turn the disk over and pick up where you left off. Keep going till the braid is the length you want, or you run out of one of the cords.