tinkertoday

My Review

2012-01-07T17:18:00.001-08:00

We now import the plump and delicious squash seed, also known as the pumpkin seed, special from Israel. Roasted and salted to perfection, we're certain you'll enjoy the natural goodness and flavor of this tasty and fun to eat Middle Eastern delicacy - our crunchy, salted squash seeds.

HUMONGUS Pumpkin Seeds!

By tinkerSue from Long Beach, CA on 1/7/2012

Pros: Jumbo Size, Did I say JUMBO Size, Great flavor, Easy to Crack Open

Cons: zero, Nada, none

Best Uses: Ingesting

These are the BEST Pumpkin Seeds I have ever eaten. If you are used to "David" Pumpin Seeds...these blow them away.

(legalese)

mac 'n cheese fork pendant

2011-11-07T20:36:00.001-08:00

mac 'n cheese fork pendant
Originally uploaded by tinkerSue at Tinkertown

when I was a little kid (ok...it's true now that I'm an adult too),
I would put each piece of macaroni on the tines of my fork then lick them clean of all the yummy chemical cheese before eating them.

each "macaroni" on this pendant rolls independantly.

the fork is approx. 2" and polished to a mirror shine
the macaroni are frosted.

Welcome DOMO!!!

2011-11-01T19:15:00.001-07:00

Welcome DOMO!!!
Originally uploaded by tinkerSue at Tinkertown

Babo is so sweet to welcome little pink Domo to the family. Then again, maybe he thought cookies would be involved.

I've wanted a Domo for the longest time. When I happened upon little pink DOMO, I had to have. YEAH!!

beavis!

2011-10-14T19:27:00.001-07:00

beavis!
Originally uploaded by tinkerSue at Tinkertown

viewed during my daily walk.
gone the next day.

can't wait for their debut October 27!!!

sidewalk art

2011-09-07T16:54:00.001-07:00

devil

approx. 1"
viewed underfoot while walking the LB Bluff
________
Originally uploaded by tinkerSue at Tinkertown

you're stressing me out

2011-07-26T15:02:00.000-07:00

I was rummaging through some old files on my computer and came across this little ditty of our Magilla (click on his picture below).
How we would love to have him still stress us out to this day.
Enjoy the ones you love and let them know all the time.

whippersnapper

2011-07-14T19:55:00.000-07:00

I need to exercise....BLECH!!!

So...I decided to start walking.
I live in a beautiful area of Long Beach, CA.
I can walk to my heart's content, right along the edge of the earth.

Today, while walking the bluff, I came across Whippersnapper:

If you can't tell from the photo, he is at least 4 feet long (including tail).
His owner was cool enough to let me take his picture.

Long Beach Wildlife!

All spruced up and ready to go!

2011-07-11T16:23:00.000-07:00

Mr. 4 Eyes had his new photoshoot!

Check him out at Tinkertown!

A couple of updates

2011-07-01T19:03:00.000-07:00

New photos of some good friends:

Miss Ruby Cheeks and CY are available at Tinkertown on Etsy

The Babo of my dreams....

2011-06-30T13:34:00.000-07:00

I'm in looooooove!!!

finally.....

2011-06-06T18:27:00.000-07:00

The shark has been jumped.
I joined Facebook.

I also created a "page" for my shop!
Since I am still learning my way over yonder....it isnt fully up to speed.
No fear! It will be soon...

tinkerSue's Facebook fan page

feel free to "like" away!!!!

it's springtime and the birdies are singing

2011-04-01T21:51:00.000-07:00

Our mourning dove family has come home to roost!

Every springtime, a pair of mourning doves takes up residence in a planter in front of my neighbor's door. (As seen through my kitchen window. The yellow arrow points to their nest.)

A little closer:

This year, things have changed a bit. My neighbor decided to move to San Diego. Unfortunately, her move coincided with the dove pair laying their first clutch (two eggs) of the season. Dove eggs take 14 days to hatch. Her moving day was on the 12th day. Since they chose a pot right in front of her unit, we knew the nest was going to have to be moved, albeit just for the day, while the movers came and went with big pieces of furniture.
There just wasn't enough room to get around them.
With her breath held, my neighbor moved the plant, with the nest and two eggs, downstairs to the middle of the courtyard, while the movers moved. Momma bird was freaking out! She was flying all around the complex, but didn't go near the nest. We thought for sure that either a crow would see it and swoop down (no!!!!!!!) or Mom and Dad would abandon the eggs.
After the moving was complete, we put the planter back where it was...

...and waited.

Fortunately, it didn't take too long. Within 5 minutes, here comes Momma bird, swooping down from the sky and landing on the balcony rail, about 10 feet away from the nest.
She sat there for what seemed like eternity! Looking all around with her little birdie eyes. When she finally felt safe enough...she walked along the rail, over to the nest, and plopped right back down on her eggs.

Everyone let out a deep sigh of relief.
Now, we just hoped that the eggs didn't get fried, during their adventure, down in the courtyard.

It was meant to be!
2 days later, the eggs hatched!
Mourning dove babies grow up in 14 days.
These pictures were all taken on their 12th day alive.

Mealtime

Fly like an Eagle!

Check out my flickr page to see them practicing their little wings.

Today, they left the nest around 10am.
Tonight, they were a big happy family, hanging out in the courtyard, eating seeds!

Job well done, little birdies!
Til next time.

a kinetic challenge

2011-03-29T19:50:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a ring that moves?
Nobody....that's who!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
kinetic [kɪˈnɛtɪk kaɪ-]
adj
relating to, characterized by, or caused by motion
[from Greek kinētikos, from kinein to move]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Ring-A-Week group that I joined on flickr has incorporated "challenges" into our weekly submissions. The first one is "kinetic."
Here is my contribution for Week 12...only two days late.

I posted a video on flickr that can be viewed by clicking HERE.
I decided not to upload it here, onto my blog, since I found out that it takes FOREVER to load and for many people, doesn't load at all.
Check it out and watch my little starburst come alive!

sterling silver
recycled gold
dichroic glass cabochon 13mm

size 8 1/4

all caught up!

2011-03-17T19:55:00.000-07:00

In my attempt to catch back up with my Ring-A-Week submissions, I decided to include one of my favorite -and simple- ring designs and re-work a ring I created a few years ago.

RAW52 #10 Submission:

When I first made this ring I called it a "love knot" ring. However, the more I look at it...I think it looks more like a hang-noose.
I guess one could say it is a "love me-love me not ring". It's all in how ya' look at it and your mood at the time.

Hand-wrapped by me
size 6 1/2

RAW52 #11 Submission:

Originally, this ring was finished with a mirror polish over the entire piece. The flower looked too odd all shiny. I decided to rough up the petals a bit by using a diamond bur. I like it a bunch more now!
The ring shank is hammered to create a grass-like texture and I kept the high polish finish.
The stone is a beautiful 4mm orange sapphire and bezel set.

Also handmade by me.
size 8

Both modeled:

see more pictures in my flickr photostream!

put on a happy face!

2011-03-09T19:41:00.000-08:00

Ring-A-Week #09

The price of silver is reaching historical highs.
Just today it reached over $35 an ounce!

As a result, many artisan jewelers are starting to incorporate different metals and materials into their creations.
While the amount of copper I used in this week's ring submission isn't much, it was still a fun addition.
I hope it makes you SMILE!

Hand fabricated by me out of sterling silver and copper sheet.
The happy face was "engraved" into the copper using diamond burs.
Silver solder was flooded into the etching and then it was sanded flat. The smiley face was domed and soldered into a bezel.
That part was then soldered onto ring shank.
The ring was finished with a soft matte finish using a satin wheel and maroon scotchbrite.

happy face: 14mm
bezel height: 5 mm
ring shank: 6 mm

size 9 3/4

ring a week EIGHT

2011-03-03T18:33:00.000-08:00

I'm still a week behind but I have two rings in the works that should be done over weekend. That means next week I will be able to catch up!

*fingers crossed*

My submission for Ring-A-Week
Week Eight:

Labradorite Teardrop
~14mm x 11mm
Sterling Silver

~scalloped bezel

~beaded shank

Size 5 1/4

available

modeled:

the name's bondage...

2011-03-01T19:36:00.000-08:00

James Bondage...

Who, you ask??

Allow me to explain:
I am part of a non-team team on etsy called chattymetalsmiths.
We talk about metal, techniques, food, people, anything really that comes to our minds throughout the day.
I LOVE IT and all the wonderful metalhead friends I have met.

We decided to implement monthly challenges.
I can't remember if we had a January challenge. Probably...but I didn't partake.
February....I'm IN!
The theme was "bondage."

Well, once I got James Bond...age...on the brain, I couldn't relinquish the thought long enough to think up something else. As pretty much any metalsmith will tell you, once the idea of a new creation formulates in the gray matter, it's hard to do anything else until it has been created.
At least that is how it is for me.

Sterling Silver
Resin
2" x 1.25"
Hand pierced and fabricated by me.

Additional pictures HERE

ring a week SEVEN

2011-02-22T21:12:00.000-08:00

Better late than never.

I have had this little kitty head for quite a while now.
Just sitting on my bench.
I cast it from a plastic "lucky cat" using Delft Clay.
It was one of the first objects I cast. The body ended up in the scrap pile, but after decapitating the little guy, I came to like the little head.
He just sat there....staring at me.

And now he can stare at me all day long because I finally made a ring that fits ME!
YEAH!

The little "collar" spins around and around and around....

I will be creating more of these to list in my shop, Tinkertown.
I have a couple of other "little head" ideas, so stick around!

My Ring-A-Week submission for week seven.
Only a few days late.
My excuse: waiting on my new photography lights.
They are fantastic!

Fabrication:
Sterling Silver Square Wire Band
Cast Sterling Silver Kitty Head
Sterling Silver "collar" that turns around and around.
Riveted.

OOOPS!

2011-02-18T11:34:00.000-08:00

Dee De DEEEEEEEE!!!!!
While perusing all of the wonderful Ring-A-Week submissions over at Flickr, I noticed submissions for week seven and I started to wonder how I got behind by a week.
I've been creating and posting each week.
Was I abducted by aliens? eeeeek!

Did I warp through a time tunnel and back without ever knowing it?
Did I hitchhike and get picked up by Micheal J Fox in a DeLorean?
Has the earth rotated off it's axis for no one but me?

Or...could I have possibly listed one of my Ring A Week submissions as the wrong week?
Who me?
Miss Organized and Proud-Of-It Girl?
Yup....me

DOH!!!
I named my Ring A Week Four as Ring A Week Three.

I'm so ashamed (ok...not really...just feeling kinda stoooopid).
No one will ever know now that I have renamed everything....here and on Flickr.
So long as noone reads this post....I'm as good as gold...or silver!

tap, tap, tap...

2011-02-17T18:04:00.000-08:00

Waiting impatiently to receive my new photography lights and backgrounds in order to shoot my Ring-A-Week submission.
Tracking says they will be here tomorrow....

"All good things come to those who wait."

tap, tap, tappity-tapping my fingers...

a fun thing would be

2011-02-11T20:01:00.000-08:00

This idea has been floating around in my brain since I first caught a glimpse of this beautiful stone.

Right away, I started thinking of an "earth-inspired" idea. I am sure you can see why.

I also wanted to create a ring with "meaning." I see so many thought-provoking back-stories that artists have associated with their creations...so I thought, "Why not me?"

Well...for one thing, my goodies tend to have a fun, light-hearted feel to them. Nothing too serious. Oh, trust me, I've tried to create moving, spiritual pieces. They quickly wind up in the scrap pile. I guess my heart isn't in them.

People always say, "find what you're good at it and 'own' it." It appears that I am good a happy fluff. So I'm gonna OWN it!

With that, I decided to give this ring a story that appealed to me.

Now, whether one chooses to identify with my chosen poem/quote/missive is up to them. Maybe "A Fun Thing Would Be" means something totally different to them when viewing this ring. It could mean how fun it is to spin the moon around the earth...over and over and over. Maybe it means how fun it is to wear a conversation starter. Maybe it's silly...or stupid. I guess it is up to each of us to make that decision on our own rather than having a meaning attached aforethought. But I did it anyway...so there!

Here is what I chose:

"I bet a fun thing would be to go way back in time to where there was going to be an eclipse and tell the cave men, "If I have come to destroy you, may the sun be blotted out from the sky." Just then the eclipse would start, and they'd probably try to kill you or something, but then you could explain about the rotation of the moon and all, and everyone would get a good laugh."
~Jack Handy

Fabricated totally by my own two hands and almost without my right index finger, which I managed to mash with my hammer right before setting the main stone.
*sterling silver
*natural moonstone cabochon 6mm
*Pisco Blue Gem Chrysocolla cabochon 16mm
(purchased from CreativeCabs)

The inner ring shank is stamped with, "A FUN THING WOULD BE"
Oxidized with Liver of Sulpher
The little "stars" behind the orbiting moonstone were created with varying sizes of round burs.
The "moon" floats above the sky backplate. It doesn't touch it at all.
Little silver washers were riveted in between the backplate, the "moon" and the "earth."
The finish on the backplate was created with the notion of "rotating/shooting" stars.

My Ring-A-Week submission for week six.

This is also my first attempt at filming and uploading my little "ooooohh...watch it rotate" snippet.

Please enjoy at your own pace. Hee!

I see stars...well one star

2011-02-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

It's Turdsday once again so get ready...
It's time for Ring A Week!

With that, I humbly submit the following big ass ring made by yours truly (that would be me):

It is a total of 28mm (1.1")

and is a size 8 3/4

The blue star and its white background were cut from Pearloid Fender Guitar Picks.

What is Pearloid, you ask?

It is a plastic that is intended to resemble mother of pearl. It is commonly used in making musical instruments, especially for pickguards, electric guitars, and accordions. Pearloid is produced by swirling together chunks of celluloid in a solvent, then cured (from Wikipedia....but I still believe it).

After sawing the star out of a blue guitar pick, I then "inlaid" it into the white background so that it would be flat. I then placed it in the bezel I made out of plain bezel wire and gallery wire. Once in place, I set a 25mm (1") clear glass cabochon on top of it and then secured it by traditional bezel setting methods (yeah, I pushed the edge over).

The ring has a very modern brushed matte finish.

The shank is also wide, measuring in at 8mm (.31").
That's the name given to the part that actually goes around your finger...sounds kinda dirty to me and I always hesitate when saying it out loud.
"Uh Huh Huh...she said shank."

Right before I set the star and cabochon in place, I realized that, once again, I forgot to put my stamp on it. This is a continuing issue for me. I always forget!!! So, I improvised and made a little disc with my "S" and "925" and hard-soldered it to the back. I really like how it turned out. I may apply this method of "signing" my creations more often.

Here it is modeled, on my hand, to show you how large it really is...my fingers are quite thin but my hands are large (the ring is too big for me):

I hope you like it.

Eventually, I will list it for sale in my shop, Tinkertown.

If you are interested in purchasing it, please feel free to convo me through Etsy's convenient "conversations" feature or leave a comment here, on my blog!

aspirin, anybody?

2011-01-27T19:12:00.000-08:00

ugh...

I woke up with a headache.

I do believe I will be going to bed with one as well....

But...

before I do, I will be posting my 4th submission for Ring-A-Week.

handmade by me, tinkerSue

from:
sterling silver
rubber doll shoe

it is:
my first "found object" creation.
when I visited my mother last month,
she found a tiny baby doll shoe in our hotel room at the casino.

The previous visitor not only lost their shoe
but maybe their shirt too....we'll never know.

stars or steelers?

2011-01-20T20:46:00.000-08:00

Log this one under "unintended consequences...!"

Now, I'm not a HUGE Steelers fan (unlike my husband), but somehow, somewhere, this:

wound up in my subconscious.

I didn't intend to make a ring that looked like the Steelers logo.

I like stars.

I like glitter.

I really like glittery stars!

Silly me, didn't even realize how much it looks like their logo until I photographed it.

* * * * * * *

I have been on a "SuperHero" kick lately. Maybe it has to do with my nerd/geek-like qualities, maybe it's because I feel like I have my grubby hands in one too many cookie jars at the moment. And every cookie jar is scaaaa-reaming for attention...way more attention then my span. Hence, the need for a SuperHero to come along and make life easy.

But alas, that is not going to happen. So instead, I will learn to enjoy the hectic turn I made and long for a return to boredom. Yeah...that's it!

* * * * * * *

This ring is my "RAW52 03"

Otherwise known to the outside world as my 3rd submission for Ring-A-Week, a flickr group that I joined to challenge myself into keeping to a regularly scheduled program. So far, so good!

Now, if the Steelers win, I just might have to list this ring at tinkertown and try to make a buck or two (maybe even three...it did take a while to make)!

Entirely constructed by little ole me:

sterling silver

double half round shank

beaded bezel

hand pierced stars in sterling silver

epoxy resin mixed with glitter

cured then set underneath a 25mm clear round glass cabochon

size: 7 1/2

Have a happy day!

☺

mucha ring

2011-01-13T18:08:00.001-08:00

This is my Ring a Week, episode 02.
(check out all of the awesomesauce artists taking part: http://www.flickr.com/groups/ringaweek/)

I have had this one percolating in my brain for about a month and half!
Originally, I was going to create something with this stone, a beeeeoooootiful chrysoprase from cabbing rough, along with three little light purple chalcedony pyraminds. I just couldn't get it right. Nothing seemed to work.

I soldered together the ring shank from some gallery wire and then carved the edges to follow the floral motif.

Then I was stuck. As they say, my muse went for a very long walk. So I put the ring shank and the stones off to the side on a little furry pad that I keep for just these "special" occasions. "Maybe something will come to me later", I said to no one in particular...which is kind of normal for me since I am the only person in my studio!

Then, a few days ago, I decided to take some pictures of my bench and work area for all to see on my flickr page. It was in the midst of taking said photos that I noticed the neglected Alphonse Mucha poster that I have hanging on the wall to the right of my workbench.

The style of the gallery wire and the green color of the stone, coupled with the artwork of Mucha inspired me. So, two nights ago, I created what you see here. It all came together perfectly. No broken sawblades, no soldering issues (I thought FOR SURE the leaves and flower would never work the way I saw it in my head)...even the oxidation process didn't leave me gasping for fresh, non-rotten egg aromas. I guess the three lavender incense sticks helped in that regard.

I couldn't wait to take these photos. Even the photography session wasn't all that bad....
and I DREAD taking pictures!

It was all a pleasure.
I love me some Ring A Week!

number 1 no 1

2011-01-06T19:23:00.001-08:00

As promised...to myself....here is my first contribution to the "ring a week" group on flicker ( http://www.flickr.com/groups/ringaweek/pool/with/5330242884/ ).

I really enjoy piercing.
The fine sanding needed to clean it up afterward...
not so much.

My goal in making this ring was to saw out the design and then not do any finishing touch-up sanding to the letters and number.

I did sand/finish the shank and originally created a mirror high polish on the outside of the ring. However, after it looked all shiny, it was kind of difficult to read what it said. So, since I was no longer in the studio, but getting ready to take this picture in my home, I whipped out one of my white sanding blocks that you get when you purchase a fake nail kit and...voila!!!

Instant brushed matte finish!

Much easier to photograph and now legible as well!
Woo Hoo!!

a big hearty welcome to 2011!

2011-01-01T22:50:00.000-08:00

Well...it's the start of a new year.
That either means more procrastination or getting my behind in gear and really diving into my metalsmithing addiction full force (at least for me)!

I joined MASSC (Metal Arts Society of Southern California)
I made a resolution (ugh...grrrr....meh!...blah....arrrgh!)
to join Ring a Week on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/groups/ringaweek/

I have high hopes for sticking to it and really trying to create new rings with new inspirations...and maybe even a few new techniques.

So...with that....let's sail into the New Year with a bag ass smile like Little Calvin here...

Little Calvin the Pirate

the universe is a big place

2010-10-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

This is my newest creation.

From the moment I first saw this beautiful dichroic glass cabochon, I was entranced.

Handmade by glass artist Nathan Kjernisted ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/FabBeads?section_id=5407055 )

I couldn't WAIT to create with it....lucky for me I have another one.
to be continued....

(currently available: http://www.etsy.com/listing/60314374/a-space-odyssey-dichroic-glass-sterling?ref=cat2_list_16 )

ionlylikemonsters: Monster Jewelry!

2010-09-18T20:03:00.000-07:00

ionlylikemonsters: Monster Jewelry!: "If you are like me, you want to have your monsters with you everywhere you go. However, not all occasions allow for a fuzzy monster, an..."

Throw me the football...I'm ready coach!

2010-09-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

Puff Puff (aka: Babo's Bird) is ready for some football!

New Goodies

2010-06-18T12:11:00.001-07:00

Haven't blogged in quite a while...been sooooooo busy!
New Car!
New Goodies!

Check out my flickr and etsy for fun new pics and schtuff!

Thanks!

Happy Holidays!!!

2009-12-20T18:32:00.000-08:00

A Toast to a very Merry Holiday...whatever it may be!
Enjoy life and be safe.

Gobble Gobble!

2009-11-26T14:55:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone...

Have a Fantastic Day!

Thank you for your wonderful thoughts!

2009-10-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

No need to be sorry...

They had long wonderful and incredibly SPOILED lives!

Sam K Pissy (aka: Sam Flohen for free product samples! She gets lots of free stuff in the mail!) was 15 years old and Moe (aka: Magilla) was 17 years old. They passed away a few years ago (Sam died 3 years before Moe).

They loved each other very much as did we.

Nothing but awesome memories (and pics)!

Magilla loved the camera!

You can see more pics of these neato kitties at: tinkertown pics

Missing you

2009-10-28T21:06:00.000-07:00

Uploaded a bunch of kitty pics to Flickr.
Got me missing them terribly.

pics of our dear departed babies

Moira and Plunko

2009-10-14T20:59:00.000-07:00

What a pair!
I just had to show off my newest acquisition!

The awesome ring, "Moira" is being modeled by Plunko...the fabulous surprise goodie that Corybethy included in our trade!

Check out Corybethy's awesome handcrafted jewelry. The eyeball rings are her specialty and very well-priced, I might add.

He will be smelling like lavender and snuggled with at bedtime!

WOO HOO!

New goodie at tinkertown!

2009-10-11T20:44:00.000-07:00

I listed a new ring at tinkertown today!
It has a pretty rutilated quartz cabochon that I have yet to see in other creations.

Flickr pics!

2009-10-08T21:15:00.000-07:00

Figured out how to upload to flickr and get a widget on my nifty blog!

WOO HOO!

Finally...

2009-10-07T14:48:00.000-07:00

Tinkertown now has its very own blog!

YEAH!!!!

Now, I only need to think of something to post about!

Stay Tuned!