Class was A Blast!

My Saturday afternoon chain mail class was a lot of fun and we had a great time.  There were only two students (myself included) and the teacher, Vanessa, who was very nice and easy to learn from.

We learned two chain mail patterns, the Box Weave and Byzantine.  These are actually two related patterns so once you know how to make one, the other is just a minor adjustment in the weave. 

I brought a focal bead that I'd wired up with silver wire as a focal for use in the class.  It's a bead I made back in June at Bead and Button, and intend to keep for myself once he chain is created.

I'm afraid the size of the rings used for this particular chain were much smaller than I had envisioned.  I'm not sure if I will be completing the chain in this size or upsizing the rings a bit for a more robust (and much faster to make) chain for the bead.  

I've got to order some tools and rings before I can complete it, but I hope to have them on order this week.

More grapevines coming!

I followed my bliss today on the torch and created more vineyard focal beads.  Most of the focals I created today are intended for use in wine stoppers and are much larger than my recent grapevine offerings.

In addition, I've adjusted the designs a bit and have some surprises for you when the beads have completed annealing. 

Tomorrow's new listing in my Etsy shop, continues the grape theme with this bashful focal bead entitled "Vines De Mure".

These purple grapes, are hanging in front of a pastel pink background that is streaked with silvered ivory accents.  The background is encased in a clear layer and then decorated with the vines, leaves and succulent grape bunches.

This little beauty will be added to my shop in the morning, and I hope you can stop by and take a look.

Have a great night and a terrific week!