This is a must-see for any woman with a sense of humour, and thanks to Golden Girl Finance (I live in hope) for the links.
Read Richard Neill's plaint to Bodyform on Facebook about how their advertising had misled him here.
And then watch Bodyform's brilliant video response here.
It's worth watching twice. Maybe I'm the only person on the continent that hasn't seen all of this.
Friday 26 October 2012
Saturday 20 October 2012
Back In The Land Of The Living
Me, who never gets colds or flu has had a stinky cold for over 5 weeks. Although it could be more than one: there were 3 different viruses going the rounds and I could have all three of them playing tag-team. So the poor blog suffered. Not as bad as my house suffered. And still suffers. Much more important to catch up on making things and the blog than catching up with Dewey hair.
I discovered a nifty patina for textured copper! Somebody left a metallic silver sharpie in the store and the minute I saw it, it was in my pocket. Couldn't wait to try it and I'm not disappointed.
It causes an optical illusion in the pictures, because what is showing as little lumps are actually the silver dimples. It gives a silvery sheen to the copper; a really nice glow and as the copper gets its own patina, the silver will look even nicer.
The silver looks different depending on the angle of the earrings, so it will change as the earrings swing.
Wish it looked better in the picture, though, you don't get the proper effect so you'll have to try it yourself.
These earrings were fun to make. Hand cut and textured, a sparkly golden stone riveted over a silver disc and more silver discs below the fine silver ear wires.
This is a very different necklace, with a .999 silver flower in a .999 ring, with a sterling cup and sterling balls in the centre. The colour is enamel. The stones are ruby in zoisite with sterling silver and garnet accent beads. Halfway up the neck, the necklace is caught by lengths of black silk which tie at the back. I like the black silk but made it so that if anyone wanted to put a large-link silver chain on instead, it would be a simple switch.
This is the gorgeous pendant from WindDancer Studios that I won. To me, it is very Etruscan looking and I wanted to continue that look throughout the necklace, but give it a more modern feel. So I hammered and drilled a curved piece of copper, used a heavy copper textured curb chain and wove garnets up the left side. The right side just has a group of three garnets for balance.
Hopefully, I accomplished my goal, but other than the fact that I take lousy pictures, I like it. Click on any picture for more detail. (if it's not too blurry, haha)
I discovered a nifty patina for textured copper! Somebody left a metallic silver sharpie in the store and the minute I saw it, it was in my pocket. Couldn't wait to try it and I'm not disappointed.
The silver looks different depending on the angle of the earrings, so it will change as the earrings swing.
Wish it looked better in the picture, though, you don't get the proper effect so you'll have to try it yourself.
Hopefully, I accomplished my goal, but other than the fact that I take lousy pictures, I like it. Click on any picture for more detail. (if it's not too blurry, haha)
Sunday 26 August 2012
Million Bells Rock!
The store has two big planters on either side of the door and each year I spend a lot on annuals to make them look pretty. This year, it was warm in May which is early for putting annuals out in PEI, and I was at the Atlantic Superstore when I spied hanging baskets of Million Bells (Calibrachoa) two for $25. Couldn't resist - thought that if we had another frost and they died, well, too bad, I was ready for flowers. I didn't even really dig a big hole in the planters because I was in a hurry to do something else, can't remember what it was, but there's always something else that needs doing, just kind of scratched them in and tried to cover all the roots. They get lots of sun and my idea of good care is filling an ice cream bucket with water and a teaspoon of Miracle Grow and dumping half on each. And just look at them! Yes, I'm proud!
I Actually Won something!
I've been a member of the About.com forum for Jewelry makers for a few years now and in that time, you get to know the forum members as friends. We have a giveaway each month; anybody who wants can put their name in the hat and one forum member is the giveaway host. I don't always enter because I don't think it's fair for people to have to pay international shipping, but when Dana of Wind Dancer Studios offered one of her fabulous pendants, I was in like flint and actually won it!
Look at this gorgeous piece of imagination and metalwork! Dana does beautiful, ornate work, wire work that looks like filigree, and jewelry with an almost Byzantine look.
Take a look at her Wind Dancer Etsy shop.
Thanks, Dana, it has been sitting on my kitchen table waiting for my muse to strike because it needs a special setting to show off the special pendant.
Oh and by the way, me who never wins anything - I won this fantastic pendant, did an online survey for a university in New Brunswick and they phoned and told me I won $250 just for doing the survey - WAITING FOR # 3!!
Take a look at her Wind Dancer Etsy shop.
Thanks, Dana, it has been sitting on my kitchen table waiting for my muse to strike because it needs a special setting to show off the special pendant.
Oh and by the way, me who never wins anything - I won this fantastic pendant, did an online survey for a university in New Brunswick and they phoned and told me I won $250 just for doing the survey - WAITING FOR # 3!!
Saturday 28 July 2012
Solar Quartz Has a New Home
Thank you everybody who was kind enough to participate in the Solar Quartz adoption. I very laboriously wrote everybody's names on tiny slips of paper, extra ballots for Facebook or Twitter or blog mentions, folded them all up, put them in a cup and stirred them, shook them and reached in and pulled out.....
Silver Dream Designs!
It would have been so much easier to go to Random.org like Pearl does, but it's so much more fun doing things the hard way. And so much more fun telling about it.
Robbin, if you send me your address, I'll get it right in the mail.
Silver Dream Designs!
It would have been so much easier to go to Random.org like Pearl does, but it's so much more fun doing things the hard way. And so much more fun telling about it.
Robbin, if you send me your address, I'll get it right in the mail.
Tuesday 24 July 2012
A Little Green and Blue To Cool You Down
We've had a fantastic summer here on the Island with hot sunshine, great beach days. But the nights cool down enough to make sleeping comfortable and let you recover for the next day. It's raining today (hallelujah!) but yesterday I had to take a load of ice out to the Malpeque area and actually remembered to take my camera. These pictures are all taken from my truck. I am so lucky. Click if you want to enlarge.
Thursday 19 July 2012
Solar Quartz Giveaway
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| From jewelry june 2012 |
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| From jewelry june 2012 |
Maybe it's tacky to give away a flawed item but I love this piece and would like to find it a good home. I was going to keep it for myself but I have so much jewellery and rarely get an opportunity to wear it. I like long necklaces and they tend to droop in the ice cream when you're scooping.
For anyone who is reading my blog for the first time, I tapped one of the prongs on the piece once too often and a corner of the quartz broke along a fault line. No part is missing and I used E6000 glue so it should stand up to anything unless you shower or swim with it on. In which case you should be ashamed of yourself.
So...hopefully this will serve two purposes. I want to promote my blog and I want to adopt out my pretty solar quartz. Nobody would ever know it was glued unless you told them or for some reason they were taking a magnifying glass to your person. The seam shows up in the enlarged picture but when you go back down to 40 mm, the diameter of the cabochon, it's not noticeable unless you're looking for it.
Leave a comment, an extra ballot each for FB and twitter, and I'll draw on the 28th, a week from Saturday. Make sure you put an extra comment in to tell me about the Facebook and Twitter mentions. And I'll be very embarrassed if I don't get any entries.
Tuesday 17 July 2012
Titanium Druzy Pendant
Druzies are rocks with tiny crystals at their heart. They are beautiful in their own right and I much prefer the natural ones to the crazy never-seen-in-nature colours a lot of sellers are carrying. Titanium druzy is the exception to my natural colour rule because they are just so darned gorgeous. The plain druzy is enhanced by Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) in which it is subjected to a gaseous enviroment that contains titanium. The titanium molecules bond with the mineral, creating a spectacular rainbow of colours.
This is my druzy.
What to do with it was the big problem. I'm not an experienced metalsmith but running a wire through the little hole at the top just didn't seem right.
Since I changed my life and moved to PEI, I basically gave up planning and rely mostly on instinct. Much more relaxing, except when it affects the bank account. But in this case, planning was required. I traced the front and back, sketched my idea for capturing it and laid out a proper diagram. The silver triangle was the base and since I was going to be doing more soldering on top of it, it had to be fused together with medium solder. I would have used hard, but my torch doesn't seem to be hot enough. And I could have just fused it, since it was Argentium, but I was afraid that I'd melt it apart when I was doing the next round of soldering.
It wasn't easy. The prong wires were laid across the triangle, a looped one for the bail and two wires across the triangle for the side prongs. The first go-round with easy solder, the bail wires, bottom wire and half the top wire soldered well. One side of the upper bail was sitting too high and didn't fuse. So...bent the wire down, put another blob of easy solder on it, tried to make sure I heated the triangle first...the wire fused to the triangle but I melted the middle of the bottom prong wires. It might have been an "oh shit" moment, but for the fact that I had planned to saw the middle of the wires off anyway.
The bottom picture shows all the rainbow glory of the druzy, the reason why I just had to have it. I hope I did it justice.
What to do with it was the big problem. I'm not an experienced metalsmith but running a wire through the little hole at the top just didn't seem right.
The bottom picture shows all the rainbow glory of the druzy, the reason why I just had to have it. I hope I did it justice.
Wednesday 4 July 2012
Prong Setting Fail
Jim McIntosh has a great book called Wiresmithing and the combination of wire wrapping and prong setting is a perfect fit for stones that don't need wire covering their faces. I got a gorgeous solar quartz slab from an eBay seller and thought if I was careful, it was the way to go. I experimented with a strip of sterling gallery wire as the centre, creating a bail with the top end of it and it's a nice look.
Everything was going great until I decided the bottom prongs were too long and pried them up and shortened them. When I hammered them down again, the stone broke at a fault line and a piece fell off. E6000 glue put it back together again but you can see the split in the enlarged picture and I can't sell it with such an obvious patch. But it's pretty and I guess it's mine. And I still like the prong setting method.
Everything was going great until I decided the bottom prongs were too long and pried them up and shortened them. When I hammered them down again, the stone broke at a fault line and a piece fell off. E6000 glue put it back together again but you can see the split in the enlarged picture and I can't sell it with such an obvious patch. But it's pretty and I guess it's mine. And I still like the prong setting method.
Monday 2 July 2012
Experiments in Bails
Two pretty cabs and they deserved something more than the regular single wire-wrapped bail. The first is a terrible picture of a pretty translucent sepia colored agate with a blue rim. Plan A was to run two copper and silver wires through, and make a coil at the top. Four wires didn't fit through the hole in the agate, so Plan B had to work. I used a hand drill and braided copper and silver wire, made two coils and threaded a silver head pin through the agate in the middle of the coils.
The second agate is called Sedona, which really suits it. I made a balled silver head pin long enough to do a double loop at the top, wrapped it and spread the loops.
Sunday 1 July 2012
My dog has a better social life than I do
Corky has a regular play date with Bella the boxer down the street. Not only does he have a better social life, he is getting a heck of a lot more exercise, since I don't have to walk him as far to tire him out any more.
Saturday 30 June 2012
Copper Bird Clasps
Doing detail work with a jeweller's saw is fun; soldering the backs on to make them into a clasp or connector is even more fun (fire!) and playing with different ideas to get a nice patina is even more fun. (bubbly mixtures AND fire!)
These birds are all different sizes. Most are too big to be clasps for bracelets but would be great as focal connectors. They'd be perfect for clasps for necklaces.
The patinas were the result of a) soaking them in a mixture of vinegar and peroxide, b) sanding them with a dremel and fine sandpaper which probably removed anything the vinegar and peroxide did to them (it was supposed to be an etchant, not a very good one) and then running the torch over them. The red/orange was longer heat, the silver/gold/rainbow was from the heat being removed just as they started to turn.
These birds are all different sizes. Most are too big to be clasps for bracelets but would be great as focal connectors. They'd be perfect for clasps for necklaces.
The patinas were the result of a) soaking them in a mixture of vinegar and peroxide, b) sanding them with a dremel and fine sandpaper which probably removed anything the vinegar and peroxide did to them (it was supposed to be an etchant, not a very good one) and then running the torch over them. The red/orange was longer heat, the silver/gold/rainbow was from the heat being removed just as they started to turn.
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| From jewelry june 2012 |
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| From jewelry june 2012 |
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| From jewelry june 2012 |
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| From jewelry june 2012 |
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| From jewelry june 2012 |
Sunday 27 May 2012
How Great Leaders Inspire Action
I keep forgetting how much I like Ted Talks. You can check them out on Ted.com and you'll find wonderful motivational, inspirational and just plain fascinating subjects. In fact, you can lose whole days going through their list.
This clip came to my notice in a very roundabout way. On the way to the recycling centre yesterday, I listened to "The Age Of Persuasion," with Terry O'Reilly on CBC radio, one of my favourite shows about advertising and marketing. Terry mentioned a "must have" book by Simon Sinek called Start With Why. When I looked up the book on Amazon, one of the reviews said that the book was good but a person should start with Simon Sinek's clip on Ted. So I did.
This clip should be watched by anyone who sells. Sells anything - goods, services or even themself, as in politics.
Now I have to buy the book and bookmark Ted.
This clip came to my notice in a very roundabout way. On the way to the recycling centre yesterday, I listened to "The Age Of Persuasion," with Terry O'Reilly on CBC radio, one of my favourite shows about advertising and marketing. Terry mentioned a "must have" book by Simon Sinek called Start With Why. When I looked up the book on Amazon, one of the reviews said that the book was good but a person should start with Simon Sinek's clip on Ted. So I did.
This clip should be watched by anyone who sells. Sells anything - goods, services or even themself, as in politics.
Now I have to buy the book and bookmark Ted.
Monday 21 May 2012
HUMANE SOCIETY U.S. EYE-OPENER
Funny, isn't it, when you hear the words "Humane Society U.S." you automatically think of a respected organization with shelters all across the country, saving countless thousands of dogs and cats. "PETA," on the other hand, conjures up visions of slightly flaky people who want us all to be vegans and would eradicate the world of cows and rodeos.
The only time I even questioned my perception of the Humane Society U.S. was when they sent a representative to Canada to protest the seal hunt. I have no opinions about the seal hunt either way; it has been the only means of support for generations of sealers and seems a necessary cull, but I'm not well informed. It just seemed strange that a respected humane society of one country would interfere in the rights of another. You expect groups like PETA and GreenPeace to think globally but not the humane society. It just raised a niggly little question mark in my head, mostly about who was funding them.
UNTIL...this is one of those weird things that happen and mess with your head, especially since it started by hearing part of a song I like on a show that I despise.
The song was Toto's Africa and I just had to hear it again on YouTube. When it started to play, it started with a commercial, as many of them do now, and as my finger hovered over the "skip" button, my jaw was dropping at what I was watching. Just because it was so damned weird. So I got hooked, kept watching and learned a very disturbing side of the U.S. Humane Society.
Watch the video and if you want to learn more, go to: http://www.HumaneWatch.org
Or adopt a lawyer.
The only time I even questioned my perception of the Humane Society U.S. was when they sent a representative to Canada to protest the seal hunt. I have no opinions about the seal hunt either way; it has been the only means of support for generations of sealers and seems a necessary cull, but I'm not well informed. It just seemed strange that a respected humane society of one country would interfere in the rights of another. You expect groups like PETA and GreenPeace to think globally but not the humane society. It just raised a niggly little question mark in my head, mostly about who was funding them.
UNTIL...this is one of those weird things that happen and mess with your head, especially since it started by hearing part of a song I like on a show that I despise.
The song was Toto's Africa and I just had to hear it again on YouTube. When it started to play, it started with a commercial, as many of them do now, and as my finger hovered over the "skip" button, my jaw was dropping at what I was watching. Just because it was so damned weird. So I got hooked, kept watching and learned a very disturbing side of the U.S. Humane Society.
Watch the video and if you want to learn more, go to: http://www.HumaneWatch.org
Or adopt a lawyer.
Friday 11 May 2012
Seattle Children's Hospital Video
This video has probably made its way around the world by now but I don't want to take a chance on anybody missing it.
Produced by a young former Barrie resident who is undergoing treatment for leukemia, his video and the kids and nurses who participated are awesome.
Be strong, guys!
Produced by a young former Barrie resident who is undergoing treatment for leukemia, his video and the kids and nurses who participated are awesome.
Be strong, guys!
Wednesday 9 May 2012
Road Trip
Dewey and Corky, my little white truck and I took a road trip in late April, 3534 kilometres round trip, and an estimated driving time of 19 hours and 30 minutes one way, according to Google Maps. It was an exciting venture, because although I've driven from Ontario to PEI and back, never by myself and never with two dogs.
Because I'm exceptionally directionally challenged, I printed off the Google directions according to my estimated stops: from PEI to Edmunstun, NB, from there to the home of my dear friend Rose in Lanoraie, QC, and the third day to my father's house north of Toronto. And for insurance, I programmed my GPS for the same route.
The first day was a mix of feelings; I was excited to get on the road, excited to go over the Confederation Bridge (13 kilometres long and being in a truck, I could see over the guardrails!) and then pleased to find a 110 km/hr speed limit on the divided Trans Canada but bored with several hundred km. of trees. Once we got closer to Edmunstun, the St John River peeked in and out to keep me happy.
This picture is courtesy of the Friends of the St John River; St John River Society.
Unfortunately I couldn't take pictures and drive at the same time, so there aren't any scenic pictures except this borrowed one.
The Days Inn in Edmunstun was our first stop after 6 hours driving and it wasn't a great choice. It was convenient to the highway but out in the middle of nowhere, so there were no food places nearby. I had packed a cooler with cheese, grapes, sweet potato nachos and a dip tray, so that was supper.
The second day took us into Quebec and the highway immediately went from the beautifully surfaced divided highway to a 90 km/hr one-lane bumpy mess, for 45 long kilometres. The end of that stretch made it worthwhile, because coming into Riviere Du Loup, you get into the edge of the Appalachians and the St. Lawrence River, absolutely stunning scenery. Then it was a divided highway through hundreds of miles of trees again. It was going past Riviere Du Loup that my GPS kept nattering at me and I was yelling at it, saying, "What? What? I can't HEAR you!" Then it shut up and it was several hundred km down the road that I realized I was on Highway 20, south of the St Lawrence, and Rose lived off of Highway 40, north of the St Lawrence. Luckily for me, the only bridge across the river was in Trois Rivieres and I hadn't got that far. Rose told me afterwards that had I listened to the GPS, it would have involved a ferry to cross the river, so I changed my preferences for the trip home to eliminate ferries from the mix. (Actually, I had to get Jamie to show me how to change the preferences.) The bridge at Trois Rivieres was a little scary; really high and old, so I stared resolutely at the road.
Highway 40 is the oldest highway in North America and Lanoraie has to be one of the oldest towns. I thought a great roofing salesman had blitzed the town and sold just about everyone a new steel roof but found out that these were the originals and were all hundreds of years old. Apparently the town is famous for them. Amazingly enough, they look just like the new lifetime steel roofs. Pretty little town and Rose's 175-year-old house is lovely, full of orchids and light. Luckily, Rose loves to walk because the dogs and I really needed to stretch our legs.
The next day was the longest drive. Montreal wasn't too bad because it was Saturday but it seemed to be all construction to the border of Ontario. Highway 401 got interesting once we got into the Canadian Shield and the road dove through miles of blasted rock. Naturally, traffic slowed down as we approached Toronto. It doesn't matter what day it is around Toronto - traffic is either slow, slower or stopped.
This is going to be a book if I don't cut it a little! A little pictorial relief, here:
My father was thrilled to see me and the dogs. He doesn't look bad for an octogenarian!
All dogs love my parent's back yard. It's fenced but the attraction seems to be all the separate areas - behind the house, pond, arbor, veggie garden, apple trees behind the garden - whatever it is, dogs love it. Corky made friends with Dad's dog Rosie and they played long enough to wear themselves out.
Dog beds don't get a lot of use in this house.
Dad babysat the dogs while I made a trip to my son's house for a long-awaited visit with my grandchildren.
This picture of Cian makes me laugh, because he was waiting for his father to look at him so he could cross his eyes. This makes Jamie crazy and of course, his reaction makes Cian do it even more.
Jamie made us a lovely chicken supper.
I wish I had more time to visit with them.
The trip home came all too soon and we did it in two days this time, instead of three. Montreal was not fun on a Thursday afternoon and it was a two hour ordeal getting through the city. I've never seen anything like it: six lanes of traffic with two lanes coming in from the left and two lanes coming in from the right and the road splitting in three directions in front. Of course, everybody on the left has to get right and vice versa. So it's like a mad dance of zig-zag, very slowly. All this with my stupid GPS giving me instructions that I couldn't hear. Good thing I had memorized the Google instructions this time.
One thing that was interesting to me and probably only a rockhound was the difference in the hills the roads cut through. In Ontario, the cuts were through monstrous rock. In Quebec, through the tail-end of the Appalachians, the rock was really old looking and smaller. On the outside of the mountains in New Brunswick, the rock was almost pebbly, and really, really old looking, the dregs of the glaciers. Quebec is beautiful, I'm sure, if you're off the highway, but one of the really interesting highway features is the occasional lump of a mountain, in the middle of nowhere. All flat farmland, and in the middle of that flatness is a...well, a tall lump, for lack of the imagination to come up with any other word. They're quite unique.
And I did manage to get lost. Stupid GPS told me to take an exit past Moncton but somehow I missed it. I was so anxious to get home and within 20 miles of the bridge, I managed to add an extra 15 minutes onto my trip. And that was when I got behind the car full of old people who were going just under the speed limit and slowing even further when they got to a turn. I thought about passing them and then decided I didn't want to get killed for the sake of 10 minutes. Sure was frustrating though.
My doggies were absolutely wonderful throughout the whole trip and now that I've done it, I might just do it again. This time I'll know where to stop to get the good pictures.
Back to reality!
Because I'm exceptionally directionally challenged, I printed off the Google directions according to my estimated stops: from PEI to Edmunstun, NB, from there to the home of my dear friend Rose in Lanoraie, QC, and the third day to my father's house north of Toronto. And for insurance, I programmed my GPS for the same route.
The first day was a mix of feelings; I was excited to get on the road, excited to go over the Confederation Bridge (13 kilometres long and being in a truck, I could see over the guardrails!) and then pleased to find a 110 km/hr speed limit on the divided Trans Canada but bored with several hundred km. of trees. Once we got closer to Edmunstun, the St John River peeked in and out to keep me happy.
Unfortunately I couldn't take pictures and drive at the same time, so there aren't any scenic pictures except this borrowed one.
The Days Inn in Edmunstun was our first stop after 6 hours driving and it wasn't a great choice. It was convenient to the highway but out in the middle of nowhere, so there were no food places nearby. I had packed a cooler with cheese, grapes, sweet potato nachos and a dip tray, so that was supper.
The second day took us into Quebec and the highway immediately went from the beautifully surfaced divided highway to a 90 km/hr one-lane bumpy mess, for 45 long kilometres. The end of that stretch made it worthwhile, because coming into Riviere Du Loup, you get into the edge of the Appalachians and the St. Lawrence River, absolutely stunning scenery. Then it was a divided highway through hundreds of miles of trees again. It was going past Riviere Du Loup that my GPS kept nattering at me and I was yelling at it, saying, "What? What? I can't HEAR you!" Then it shut up and it was several hundred km down the road that I realized I was on Highway 20, south of the St Lawrence, and Rose lived off of Highway 40, north of the St Lawrence. Luckily for me, the only bridge across the river was in Trois Rivieres and I hadn't got that far. Rose told me afterwards that had I listened to the GPS, it would have involved a ferry to cross the river, so I changed my preferences for the trip home to eliminate ferries from the mix. (Actually, I had to get Jamie to show me how to change the preferences.) The bridge at Trois Rivieres was a little scary; really high and old, so I stared resolutely at the road.
Highway 40 is the oldest highway in North America and Lanoraie has to be one of the oldest towns. I thought a great roofing salesman had blitzed the town and sold just about everyone a new steel roof but found out that these were the originals and were all hundreds of years old. Apparently the town is famous for them. Amazingly enough, they look just like the new lifetime steel roofs. Pretty little town and Rose's 175-year-old house is lovely, full of orchids and light. Luckily, Rose loves to walk because the dogs and I really needed to stretch our legs.
The next day was the longest drive. Montreal wasn't too bad because it was Saturday but it seemed to be all construction to the border of Ontario. Highway 401 got interesting once we got into the Canadian Shield and the road dove through miles of blasted rock. Naturally, traffic slowed down as we approached Toronto. It doesn't matter what day it is around Toronto - traffic is either slow, slower or stopped.
This is going to be a book if I don't cut it a little! A little pictorial relief, here:
My father was thrilled to see me and the dogs. He doesn't look bad for an octogenarian!
Dog beds don't get a lot of use in this house.
Dad babysat the dogs while I made a trip to my son's house for a long-awaited visit with my grandchildren.
This picture of Cian makes me laugh, because he was waiting for his father to look at him so he could cross his eyes. This makes Jamie crazy and of course, his reaction makes Cian do it even more.
Jamie made us a lovely chicken supper.
I wish I had more time to visit with them.
One thing that was interesting to me and probably only a rockhound was the difference in the hills the roads cut through. In Ontario, the cuts were through monstrous rock. In Quebec, through the tail-end of the Appalachians, the rock was really old looking and smaller. On the outside of the mountains in New Brunswick, the rock was almost pebbly, and really, really old looking, the dregs of the glaciers. Quebec is beautiful, I'm sure, if you're off the highway, but one of the really interesting highway features is the occasional lump of a mountain, in the middle of nowhere. All flat farmland, and in the middle of that flatness is a...well, a tall lump, for lack of the imagination to come up with any other word. They're quite unique.
And I did manage to get lost. Stupid GPS told me to take an exit past Moncton but somehow I missed it. I was so anxious to get home and within 20 miles of the bridge, I managed to add an extra 15 minutes onto my trip. And that was when I got behind the car full of old people who were going just under the speed limit and slowing even further when they got to a turn. I thought about passing them and then decided I didn't want to get killed for the sake of 10 minutes. Sure was frustrating though.
My doggies were absolutely wonderful throughout the whole trip and now that I've done it, I might just do it again. This time I'll know where to stop to get the good pictures.
Back to reality!
For The Beauty Of The Earth Rosary
I'm not sure if it's okay to name a rosary or not, but the African Opals used in this rosary are so beautiful and look so much like our planet, it kind of named itself. And that hymn ran through my head the entire time I was making it.
Sterling silver rosary cross and connector and fine silver loops on each bead.
Sterling silver rosary cross and connector and fine silver loops on each bead.
Friday 13 April 2012
Gluten Free Mexican Lasagna
As someone diagnosed with celiac disease, I don't find it a difficult diet to follow, since I'm pretty used to quickie meals with meat and salad or veggies. I enjoyed a Dagwood-type sandwich once-in-awhile but it's not something I really miss. I don't miss pasta at all. Chicken wings and beer - that's another matter.
But every now and then you get a craving for carbs and quinoa just doesn't cut it.
I used to be crazy about a frozen Presidents Choice Mexican lasagna that was available from Loblaws but I haven't seen one for years. The other day while I was trying to decide what boring thing to have for dinner when all I wanted was somebody to make it for me, I had a brainstorm. I had a bag of Masa Harina corn flour and made up a batch of small tortillas - took maybe 15 minutes. Put a layer of medium spicy salsa on the bottom of my square 9" pan, a layer of tortillas, had no hamburger so shredded up a leftover chicken breast as the next layer, sprinkled taco seasoning over the chicken, more salsa, shredded cheese, another layer of tortillas, salsa and lots of cheese. 20 minutes in the oven and it was to die for.
I don't often cook anymore because a) I don't need to b) no counter space which is annoying when you try to do creative cooking and c) I hate to do dishes. This dish was typical of what I will cook now - something experimental, creative, easy and quick. I don't like cooking the same thing twice because then you're following a recipe and that makes it work instead of play, but this was so good I had to try it again. This one was a real quickie, with store-bought brown rice tortillas, Frito-Lay salsa, lean ground beef and a mix of shredded blend and mozzarella cheese. A definite success, slightly second-best but still pretty darned good. The chicken is better than the hamburg which surprised me.
If anybody reading this blog needs gluten free cooking and likes the taste of Mexi-Cana, this is really a tasty dish. Probably not low in calories with all that cheese but frankly, my dear...
Oh yeah, the only prep dish is a frying pan for either the tortillas or the hamburg - bonus!
But every now and then you get a craving for carbs and quinoa just doesn't cut it.
I used to be crazy about a frozen Presidents Choice Mexican lasagna that was available from Loblaws but I haven't seen one for years. The other day while I was trying to decide what boring thing to have for dinner when all I wanted was somebody to make it for me, I had a brainstorm. I had a bag of Masa Harina corn flour and made up a batch of small tortillas - took maybe 15 minutes. Put a layer of medium spicy salsa on the bottom of my square 9" pan, a layer of tortillas, had no hamburger so shredded up a leftover chicken breast as the next layer, sprinkled taco seasoning over the chicken, more salsa, shredded cheese, another layer of tortillas, salsa and lots of cheese. 20 minutes in the oven and it was to die for.
I don't often cook anymore because a) I don't need to b) no counter space which is annoying when you try to do creative cooking and c) I hate to do dishes. This dish was typical of what I will cook now - something experimental, creative, easy and quick. I don't like cooking the same thing twice because then you're following a recipe and that makes it work instead of play, but this was so good I had to try it again. This one was a real quickie, with store-bought brown rice tortillas, Frito-Lay salsa, lean ground beef and a mix of shredded blend and mozzarella cheese. A definite success, slightly second-best but still pretty darned good. The chicken is better than the hamburg which surprised me.
If anybody reading this blog needs gluten free cooking and likes the taste of Mexi-Cana, this is really a tasty dish. Probably not low in calories with all that cheese but frankly, my dear...
Oh yeah, the only prep dish is a frying pan for either the tortillas or the hamburg - bonus!
Sunday 8 April 2012
Beautiful Morning (Not!)
The plan: Sleep in and have a lovely, relaxing Easter Sunday morning. The store wasn't opening until noon so it was the perfect opportunity to snooze.
The reality: The wind was howling so hard and loud that it actually woke me up. That was amazing in itself, because it takes a lot to wake me up.
Plan B: Dewey was restless and upset because of the wind and he wouldn't be able to sleep until he peed. So I put sweat pants on and a coat over the nightgown and thought they could have a quick pee and go back to bed.
The reality: The door to my apartment was snowed shut! No snow for weeks, spring weather and all of a sudden we wake up to a couple of feet blowing sideways and blocking my door with drifts. The dogs and I ran through the store and I punched in the alarm code before it woke the neighbourhood and we went out the store door. Dewey did what we went out for so I put him back in and grabbed the snowshovel and went to clear my apartment door with Corky. And since the shovel was out, I did the front stoop of the store. By the time I was finished shovelling and dried off the two dogs, I was desperate for coffee. Of course sleep was out of the question now.
Plan C: The store is closing at 5. Nap!
Right now it's 4:30, the sun is coming out and so are all the customers. If I can close at 5 it'll be a miracle. Go home and have Easter dinner, all you people! The exception would be the man in the green pick-up with the plow on the front who did a drive-by plowing of all the crap the snowplough left, and just left. He can come back as late as he wants. I have no idea who he was, just a Good Samaritan on Easter Sunday.
By the time I close the store, walk the dogs and dry them off, it'll come down to a choice between nap and supper. Sigh.
The reality: The wind was howling so hard and loud that it actually woke me up. That was amazing in itself, because it takes a lot to wake me up.
Plan B: Dewey was restless and upset because of the wind and he wouldn't be able to sleep until he peed. So I put sweat pants on and a coat over the nightgown and thought they could have a quick pee and go back to bed.
The reality: The door to my apartment was snowed shut! No snow for weeks, spring weather and all of a sudden we wake up to a couple of feet blowing sideways and blocking my door with drifts. The dogs and I ran through the store and I punched in the alarm code before it woke the neighbourhood and we went out the store door. Dewey did what we went out for so I put him back in and grabbed the snowshovel and went to clear my apartment door with Corky. And since the shovel was out, I did the front stoop of the store. By the time I was finished shovelling and dried off the two dogs, I was desperate for coffee. Of course sleep was out of the question now.
Plan C: The store is closing at 5. Nap!
Right now it's 4:30, the sun is coming out and so are all the customers. If I can close at 5 it'll be a miracle. Go home and have Easter dinner, all you people! The exception would be the man in the green pick-up with the plow on the front who did a drive-by plowing of all the crap the snowplough left, and just left. He can come back as late as he wants. I have no idea who he was, just a Good Samaritan on Easter Sunday.
By the time I close the store, walk the dogs and dry them off, it'll come down to a choice between nap and supper. Sigh.
Tronex Pliers Update
I said in a previous post that basically, I was just as happy with the cheaper Wubbers as opposed to the Tronex. After making a rosary, I've changed my mind.
For most of my work, I still prefer the Wubbers. As said, they suit my big hands. But doing a million (at least) little closed loops and fitting silver chain on a lot of those loops, I couldn't have done as well without those lovely, fine chain-nose Tronex pliers. My hands and wrists didn't get sore from repetition either. The plier handles are just as big but the nose itself is quite narrow.
So, Tronex company, I apologize for maligning you. When you're doing fine wire work or a million (at least!) little closed loops, the Tronex pliers win hands-down.
If only my eyes were as good as the pliers. It'll take me the rest of the day to be able to see well enough to upload some decent pictures of the rosary. If I got any.
For most of my work, I still prefer the Wubbers. As said, they suit my big hands. But doing a million (at least) little closed loops and fitting silver chain on a lot of those loops, I couldn't have done as well without those lovely, fine chain-nose Tronex pliers. My hands and wrists didn't get sore from repetition either. The plier handles are just as big but the nose itself is quite narrow.
So, Tronex company, I apologize for maligning you. When you're doing fine wire work or a million (at least!) little closed loops, the Tronex pliers win hands-down.
If only my eyes were as good as the pliers. It'll take me the rest of the day to be able to see well enough to upload some decent pictures of the rosary. If I got any.
Sunday 1 April 2012
It Just Doesn't Get Any Better
And I marveled that Charles, a fisherman and on the water his entire life, can still take such pleasure in just being on the water and sharing that with his family and friends. He's taking a crew of divers out every day while they check the Maritime Electric underwater cable between PEI and New Brunswick and that will barely be done before scallop season starts. You'd think that he'd like to spend his Sunday off away from his job but luckily for the rest of us, he loves what he does. He's a remarkable man and he and his wife epitomize the generosity of spirit of so many Islanders. Lucky me!
Thursday 29 March 2012
Fine Silver and Captured Amethyst
Other than the chain and the little tag, all the jump rings are made of fine silver. I couldn't wait to try the captured bead pattern in silver and, in my humble opinion, nothing goes better with silver than amethyst.
Wednesday 28 March 2012
Trivia Fun
"Stewardesses" is
the longest word typed with only the left hand
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
And "lollipop"
is the longest word typed with your right hand.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
"Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Our eyes are always the same size from birth,
but our nose and ears never stop growing. (I definitely knew that, it's become very obvious)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The sentence: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"
uses every letter of the alphabet. (old, everybody knows that)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The words 'racecar,'
'kayak' and 'level'
are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left (palindromes).
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous"; tremendous, horrendous, stupendous and hazardous (I've been called all of them at one time or another)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
And "lollipop"
is the longest word typed with your right hand.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
"Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Our eyes are always the same size from birth,
but our nose and ears never stop growing. (I definitely knew that, it's become very obvious)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The sentence: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"
uses every letter of the alphabet. (old, everybody knows that)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The words 'racecar,'
'kayak' and 'level'
are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left (palindromes).
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous"; tremendous, horrendous, stupendous and hazardous (I've been called all of them at one time or another)
There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: "abstemious" and "facetious."
(It's facetious to think I'd be abstemious)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.
(Me too!)
= = = == = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
A snail can sleep for three years.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.
(Me too!)
= = = == = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
A snail can sleep for three years.
(Me too!)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Almonds are a member of the peach family.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Almonds are a member of the peach family.
(Me too!)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
(Not me, I don't have very big eyes)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.
(Least of all, men)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
If the population of China walked past you, 8 abreast, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Leonardo Da Vinci invented the scissors.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite!
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The cruise liner, QE 2
moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
(Good thing he did that.)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The winter of 1932 was so cold that Niagara Falls froze completely solid. (This year was so cold I froze completely solid)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
There are more chickens than people in the world.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Winston Churchill
was born in a ladies' room during a dance.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Bonus!! All the ants in Africa weigh more than ALL the Elephants!!
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
(Not me, I don't have very big eyes)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.
(Least of all, men)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
If the population of China walked past you, 8 abreast, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Leonardo Da Vinci invented the scissors.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite!
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The cruise liner, QE 2
moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
(Good thing he did that.)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The winter of 1932 was so cold that Niagara Falls froze completely solid. (This year was so cold I froze completely solid)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
There are more chickens than people in the world.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Winston Churchill
was born in a ladies' room during a dance.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Bonus!! All the ants in Africa weigh more than ALL the Elephants!!
Monday 26 March 2012
Good Pliers, a Small Comparison
For years, all my work was done with cheap pliers - cheapies from either WalMart or Michaels, can't remember which, and two dandy bent-nosed pliers from Canadian Tire that cost me all of 49 cents each. The bent-nosed were my favourites but for the past few years the rubber grip kept sliding off the handles and that little annoyance grew to be a big PITA.
Since I was spending so much money on materials, I finally broke down and ordered a pair of Wubbers medium flat nosed pliers and a good pair of cutters.
It was like all of a sudden I was a professional! Perfectly sized for my big mitts, really comfortable and the plier nose was just right, small enough to get into tight spots but big enough to use a bit of force when needed.
These are a really nice pair of pliers and I can't believe I went so many years without them. My old faves the bent-nosed couldn't hold a candle to these for comfort or efficiency. Can you tell I love them?
Now that I had a good pair of pliers and realized what a difference they made, I just had to have more. More...better...even more expensive...if Wubbers could turn me into a pro then Tronex, the Swiss watch or German engineering of pliers could make me even better!
Not. The Tronex chain-nose pliers with ergonomic handles are nice. If I had got them first, I'd probably think they were the ultimate. But when I'm doing chain maille or doing wire wrapping or just about anything requiring pliers, I automatically pick up the Wubbers first.
The Tronex are perfect for getting into tight corners, when you're trying to tuck the end of a wire in under a bead. For everything else, they just seem too...fine is the word that comes to mind. They'd probably be right for a person with a more delicate artistic hand, not a meaty, workman's hand like mine, although the grip is nice and comfortable. When they're almost twice the price, they should be twice as nice, not my second choice.
I love my Wubbers and the next time I get the siren call of tools, Wubbers will be my brand of choice. I'd like the whole set. Time will tell if the handles will hold up as well as the more expensive brand but that'll be an unfair comparison as well, since I'm using the Wubbers a lot more. And at $25.99 (Jewelrytools.com) for Wubbers and $49.99 (Artbeads.com) for Tronex, it can wear out twice as fast and I'll still be ahead.
I have no affiliation with either brand, this is simply my opinion as a consumer. Both pliers were bought and paid for.
It was like all of a sudden I was a professional! Perfectly sized for my big mitts, really comfortable and the plier nose was just right, small enough to get into tight spots but big enough to use a bit of force when needed.
These are a really nice pair of pliers and I can't believe I went so many years without them. My old faves the bent-nosed couldn't hold a candle to these for comfort or efficiency. Can you tell I love them?
The Tronex are perfect for getting into tight corners, when you're trying to tuck the end of a wire in under a bead. For everything else, they just seem too...fine is the word that comes to mind. They'd probably be right for a person with a more delicate artistic hand, not a meaty, workman's hand like mine, although the grip is nice and comfortable. When they're almost twice the price, they should be twice as nice, not my second choice.
I love my Wubbers and the next time I get the siren call of tools, Wubbers will be my brand of choice. I'd like the whole set. Time will tell if the handles will hold up as well as the more expensive brand but that'll be an unfair comparison as well, since I'm using the Wubbers a lot more. And at $25.99 (Jewelrytools.com) for Wubbers and $49.99 (Artbeads.com) for Tronex, it can wear out twice as fast and I'll still be ahead.
I have no affiliation with either brand, this is simply my opinion as a consumer. Both pliers were bought and paid for.
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