tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16172624677297155912024-02-19T14:45:08.260-08:00Hobbits, Horses, and HandcraftsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-61327481031108230482014-08-31T19:24:00.003-07:002014-08-31T19:24:51.998-07:00Building a Portable Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Building my garden this year was challenging to me for two reasons.<br />
<br />
First,
this is my first garden! Sure, I always helped my mom garden, but our
gardens were never huge. We usually stuck with just some tomatoes and
green peppers. This is the first garden that I have grown all myself, so
I am still trying to figure out the best ways to do things.<br />
<br />
Second,
this whole year has been a huge transition for me, having just gotten
married. My husband and I have been trying to find a house to buy, as we
are renting now. Really anytime now we could move, so when spring
rolled around, I was unsure of what to do. Should I plant a big garden,
and risk having to leave it behind? Or not plant at all, and not have
any juicy, garden fresh tomatoes?<br />
<br />
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<br />
Neither
seemed like a good option, so eventually I made a decision to
compromise; I would make a portable garden! Then, if we moved in the
middle of the season, I could take my garden with me. Basically, that
meant planting most everything in containers. <br />
<br />
Most
things went in pots as large as I could find, and when I ran out of
those I started using five gallon buckets, and when I ran out of those I
started using feed sacks from our chicken feed. When I ran out of those
I planted the rest in the ground.<br />
<br />
Peppers went in buckets. <br />
<br />
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<br />
Sweet potatoes went in feed sacks.<br />
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<br />
And the dill.<br />
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This tomato plant randomly sprouted up in the same bucket as my peppers. This is probably because a rotten tomato got thrown into the compost bin at some point, and then the compost was used in the garden. I call these volunteer plants.<br />
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This cantaloupe plant was also a volunteer!<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
The
spaghetti squash, cucumbers, and the tomatoes (not pictured) got
planted in pots or buckets. As they got bigger and needed support, I put
up a temporary fence next to them made of a section of welded wire
fencing and t-posts, and tied them up with baling twine.<br />
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After
I ran out of containers to plant in, I decided to go ahead and plant
the rest of my garden in the ground, even though I might not be able to
take it with me, at least I could bring some.<br />
<br />
Pictured here are the corn, beans, carrots, and rhubarb.<br />
<br />
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<br />
In
this pot I planted mint, but this came up instead. I don't know what
happened, but it sure is a cute flower! I looked it up, and I believe it
is called torenia.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Overall,
the container method works well as long as you have large containers
and water everyday, especially in hot weather. It is portable, so I
could take my garden with me if I needed to, or just move it to a more
sunny part of the yard. <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-67942116985849086462014-05-01T11:05:00.001-07:002014-05-01T11:05:49.923-07:00Hatching Chicks with a Broody Hen, Part 3: Setting up a Broody BoxSo your hen is broody for sure! Congrats, you're going to have chicks!<br />
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<br />
Now, there are two different ways that people usually care for a broody. Some people will leave her wherever she decides to make her nest. I have tried this, and it never worked for me. If she makes her nest outside the coop, this is not even a viable option, since she could be exposed to the elements and predators. If she makes her nest in a nesting box like mine did, other hens will try to lay eggs there as well. You can try marking the eggs that your hen is incubating and removing the ones that the other hens lay, but pencil marks wear off easily and I don't really like the idea of putting marker ink on my eggs since they are porous. There is also the chance that the eggs that the other hens lay in the nesting box with the broody hen could start developing an embryo if you leave them there too long. Unfortunately, what could also happen is that when the other hens force the broody hen off her nest to lay their eggs, she may get confused and go sit on a different nest!<br />
<br />
Really, your best option is to separate her from the others. A good way to do this is by making a cozy nest for her inside a dog kennel placed inside the coop. If you don't have a spare dog kennel or can't find one to buy, you can make something similar by framing out a cage with 2x4 boards and chicken wire, or welded wire fencing. If you do this, keep in mind that day old chicks are small enough to squeeze through both of those types of fencing, and you will need to add hardware cloth (a wire mesh with very small holes) to at least the bottom half of the cage. Be sure to add a door!<br />
<br />
I call this cage for broody hens the broody box. Inside you will need to put a pile of straw, wood shavings, or your preferred bedding for her nest, a small feeder and waterer. You may or may not want to put some of the bedding inside a bottom of a cardboard box, so that the eggs do not roll out of the nest. Just be sure that if you do that, you make the edge very short, so that the newly hatched chicks can get back to mama if they should wander out of the nest.<br />
<br />
New baby chicks, during the first few hours of life, are very uncoordinated, weak, and chill easily. They should remain under mama until they are fluffy, fully alert, cheeping, and walking around. Don't leave any corners in your box, where a clumsy chick could get stuck away from mama, if this happens he could chill and die. <br />
Here is a box I set up for my Black Langshan hen:<br />
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Once you have your broody box set up, wait for night. This is very important. The reason why some people choose not to move their broody is because if you disturb her too much, you could cause her to leave the nest permanently. By waiting for night, you can move the broody hen at a time when she is sleepy, and less aware of what you are doing. Chances are, if she is a good broody, and you quietly move her during the night, causing as little disturbance as possible, she won't even realize that she was moved.<br />
<br />
When you take her off her nest, be very careful that neither of you bump the eggs. If she is too alarmed when you take her off, she could smash the eggs. Put one hand under her body, letting her legs hang down between your fingers, and use the other hand to hold her wings down to her body. Then hug her snugly against your body. If you do this properly she should struggle very little, if at all, especially if she is accustomed to being held. Put the hen in the nest first, then tuck her eggs under her. If you put the eggs in the nest first, there is a greater chance of them being smashed. <br />
<br />
If all goes well, all you have to do now is keep her food and water filled up, and wait 21 days! Often, eggs hatched by a broody will hatch a day early, so I would mark 20 days from the time she started sitting on your calendar. Here are some cute chicks to keep you going until you have your own!<br />
<br />
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Happy hatching!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-27917183927540738892014-01-10T15:40:00.001-08:002014-01-11T18:46:52.293-08:00Hatching Chicks With a Broody Hen, Part 2: Is My Biddy Broody?In order to hatch out chicks without an incubator you must first have a broody hen, unless you happen to be a female and have a strong enough maternal instinct to try <a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/609915/bra-incubator" target="_blank">hatching chicks in your bra</a>! So how can you tell if your hen is broody? While she may or may not start getting nauseous in the mornings and craving pickles with ice cream, she will most certainly let you know she wants to start a family!<br />
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Many hens will linger for a while in the nesting box if they feel like it for whatever reason. Broody hens, however, will never leave the nest, except to eat, drink, and release the most explosive, vile and fowl-er, I mean foul- smelling poo you have ever seen. Some will not get up at all!<br />
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When you try to gather eggs from a hen who is not broody, she may or may not give you a warning squawk, as if to say, "Hey, those are my eggs!" But, if your hen is broody, it will sound more like a violent shriek, hiss, or growl. Her intent is now not just a warning, but a threat. It means, "If you touch my babies, I'll rip your throat with my bare beak! GO AWAY!" If you are foolish enough to try to reach her eggs or touch her, your hand will be viciously attacked. She will puff up her feathers to make herself appear larger and more intimidating. When left alone, she will flatten herself in the box and stare off into space. Some have described it as a concentrated, zen-like expression.<br />
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It is a lot easier to get a broody hen if you have the right breed. Over the years, many breeds of egg layers have had the tendency to brood bred out of them. On a commercial egg farm, broodiness is a bad characteristic that is culled, because when a hen goes broody, she stops laying eggs as soon as she has a clutch. She will not resume laying until after her chicks are grown enough to reach independence from her. So, if you want a ton of eggs in as little time as possible, broodiness is a bad thing. Hens that went broody were culled, and the eggs from hens that didn't go broody were artificially incubated to produce a bird that almost never went broody.<br />
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Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule! Sometimes they will go broody no matter what their genetic makeup is, although if they are a breed that does not usually go broody and they do start setting (brooding), they may not be as good of a mother as a breed that usually goes broody. There are good broodies and bad broodies. A bad broody has little function in the flock. Because she is broody, she is not laying eggs, but because she is not a good mama, she may fail to hatch any chicks, or if she does manage to hatch them, she may not know what to do with the chicks once they hatch! Here is my White Leghorn who went broody once(she was not the best broody). <br />
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On a small farm, having two or three good broody hens is always a good thing. For a while, I did not own an incubator, but I wanted baby chicks very badly, so whenever I had a hen go broody, I would jump for joy!<br />
I still have all five of these chicks hatched by one of my Turkens. They are all beautiful adults now!<br />
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Here are some breeds you should look for if you want a broody hen.<br />
Breeds that will consistently brood: Old English Game, Silkie, Cochin.<br />
Breeds that will probably brood: Australorp, Brahmas, Sussex, Shamo, Orpington, Naked Neck/Turken, Modern Game, Langshan, Aseel, Chantecler, Rhode Island Red, Dominique, Dorking.<br />
Breeds that almost never brood: Leghorn, Ancona, Andalusian, Campine, Hamburg, Production Hybrids, Minorca.<br />
This list is not all-inclusive but it will give you a place to start!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-78229158792217790872013-10-16T07:49:00.001-07:002013-10-16T08:02:35.064-07:00Hatching Chicks with a Broody Hen: Part 1, The Pros and ConsThis summer, I've had lots of hens go broody and hatch their own chicks! This is really the easiest method of raising chicks, so if you want to do it mamas way, I'll give you a rundown of how it's done. This will be part one of a series of posts on how to raise chicks using a broody hen instead of an incubator. <br />
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First, lets make sure you know what you're getting yourself into.<br />
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Pros of hatching chicks with a broody hen:<br />
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1. Mama does all the work. She sits on the eggs for 21 days. She (sometimes) pushes bad eggs out of the nest. She turns the eggs. She shows the chicks where the food and water is, finds them tasty treats if free ranging, and teaches them everything from dust bathing to roosting.<br />
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2. You don't have to worry if the power goes off or if you got all the temp and humidity settings right on an incubator.<br />
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3. Chicks are usually healthier raised naturally. You don't usually have to worry about pasting up, spraddle foot, and the like. <br />
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4. Chicks raised by mama are also protected by her, so you can let them out in the pasture as early as you wish, which helps them learn all of the chicken behaviors that they need to know in life, like how to forage, dust bathe, and heed the rooster's warning calls of predators. She will protect them fiercely against other chickens and even predators, keep them close to her side, and warm them if the temperature outside is chilly.<br />
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Cons of hatching chicks with a broody hen:<br />
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1. You can't have chicks whenever you want. If a hen is broody, she's broody, if she's not, she's not. You can't make a hen hatch chicks.<br />
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2. You can't hatch as many at a time as you can in an incubator. A standard size hen can only keep warm about a dozen or so eggs, less if she's a bantam.<br />
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3. If you don't have a rooster, you may not have fertile eggs available when your hen decides to go broody.<br />
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4. Not all hens who go broody are good mothers. Some are horrific mothers. I have many examples of this. Some of my hens wouldn't leave the nest at all, which meant that they used the bathroom right there on top of their eggs. The eggs were then so dirty and bacteria filled that they never hatched. I even had a hen once who was great at incubating the eggs, but once they started hatching, she went homicidal! I've had hens accidentally step on chicks or sit on them too hard and squash them. I've had one who stopped sitting on her eggs only two weeks through the incubation period. <br />
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5. Sometimes, mama can accidentally push a good egg out of the nest, and if it is out there too long, it will cool and die.<br />
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More later on hatching chicks with a broody hen, so keep watching for the rest of the series!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-89096984858476890522013-10-15T09:22:00.000-07:002013-10-15T09:22:18.193-07:00I'm Back!I am pleased to announce that, after a long hiatus, I am back to blogging! <br />
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I have one big, huge, important, loveable reason for my sudden and unexplained departure, and that is this guy. <br />
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Yes, he has a ring on his left hand. Yes, he is mine! (And so are the chicks, by the way, but I'll write about that later.) My boyfriend became my fiance, who became my husband. That's why I've been so busy and have had no time to blog! Now I have lots to write about. Since my last post, I got engaged, planned a wedding, got married, went on a honeymoon, my family moved out of my house and my new husband moved in, and I have started to learn how to be a good wife. It's a lot of work. But definitely worth it. Oh, and also my chickens went broody and hatched chicks the entire summer! I have learned so much about chickens that I have had about a million or so blog posts stewing in my brain for the past few months, but I haven't had time to write them yet. Do you know how distracting it is to have a million blog posts stewing in your head all at once, just simmering for months? So, bring on the blogging!<br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-57143235083669857152013-01-08T12:25:00.001-08:002013-01-08T12:25:45.168-08:00My First Eggs! On Jan. 3, one of my chickens laid their first egg! The silly bird laid it outside the coop on the ground, so I didn't find it until the next morning. It was a white egg, somewhat small, and it had frozen and cracked open due to the cold temperatures outside. That same day, I later found three more eggs, all of them in the nesting boxes, and not frozen. <br />
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I think the first eggs were laid by one of my White Leghorns, and one of my Turkens (or Naked Necks), since they were taking a lot of interest in the nesting boxes. A White Leghorn:<br />
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And a Turken:<br />
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Here are my fresh eggs next to a store bought egg (on left) for size comparison:<br />
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As you can see, they are a bit smaller than the store bought egg (I always call store bought eggs tortured chicken eggs, because of the horrible conditions that most hens from commercial egg farms are kept in, but I'll save that soapbox for another time.) They are smaller because my chickens are still young and have not perfected their laying skills yet. They will get bigger as the hens lay more eggs. Since then, I have gathered over a dozen more fresh eggs from my hens.<br />
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Fresh eggs from my own hens are so much better than store bought eggs! They have seven times the Beta Carotene, twice the omega 3 fatty acids, three times as much Vitamin E, 1/3 less cholesterol, and 1/4 less saturated fat than store bought eggs. Also, they are so much more delicious! They have a hearty taste that is noticeably more rich in flavor than store bought. You can tell just by looking! The yolk of a store bought egg is typically yellow, whereas the yolk of a backyard egg is orange. The darker color indicates that it has more vitamins and nutrients, much like a darker vegetable indicates the same. <br />
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Normally, most hens do not lay eggs in winter, or at least not very many. However, I did some things to encourage my girls to start laying even though it is winter. They were about laying age (approx. six months old), and I couldn't wait for eggs to start appearing! The first thing I did was to provide them with additional calcium. My birds are currently eating a feed designed for all stages of growth, and so does not provide adequate calcium for laying hens as too much calcium is detrimental to the birds who are not laying. I added free choice oyster shell, which should provide enough calcium for my layers to make good shells for their eggs.<br />
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Here you can see their ten gallon feeder which my boyfriend made out of two five gallon buckets, a garbage can lid, and various other items he found in my garage. In the left hand corner is the feeder for the oyster shell, and just above that is the container for kitchen scraps that I feed daily.<br />
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I added a light on a timer to stimulate a longer natural day. Chickens need a long period of light each day (as long as daylight would naturally occur in summertime) to produce eggs. The timer turns the light on at four in the afternoon, when it starts getting dark, and stays on until nine in the evening. This essentially tricks the chickens body into thinking that it is summertime and time to lay even in the dead of winter. <br />
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My boyfriend also made them new nesting boxes, also out of five gallon buckets (There are a million and one uses for five gallon buckets!) and some lumber.<br />
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The day after he made these nesting boxes, a hen started laying, and some others have started now too. <br />
I am hoping that in a few months when their eggs start to get bigger, I will have enough to sell. I am also hoping to hatch chicks in the spring, enough for myself and some to sell.<br />
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I currently only have brown egg layers and white egg layers. But there are other colors of eggs as well. There are chickens who lay blue, green, olive, chocolate brown, and even pink tinted eggs! I really want some blue, green, or olive eggs. I have one chicken who is an Easter Egger- a kind of chicken that lays blue, green, or olive eggs, but unfortunately he is my rooster. He is a beautiful rooster, but he won't give me any blue eggs.<br />
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However, if I breed him with my hens and hatch out enough chicks, I may get some chicks who will lay pretty colored eggs. That's what I am hoping to do this spring!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-75038796423780718692012-08-06T17:48:00.001-07:002012-08-29T12:08:51.330-07:00Chicks Have Belly Buttons, And Other Random Chick FactsI just received 27 baby chicks in the mail! I ordered them online, at <a href="http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html" target="_blank">Murray McMurray</a> hatchery. I ordered 25 of them, but received two extra, all healthy and chirpy. Ever since, I have been doing tons of research on what it takes to keep little baby chicks healthy and happy. Here are some of my chicks:<br />
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As you can see, I got quite an assortment of beautiful chicks. I ordered "Rainbow Layers" which is the hatchery's choice of laying birds that lay all different colors of eggs. I do not yet know what breeds they are, but I am trying to figure that out. When they are very small it can be hard to tell the breed, so I may just have to wait a few weeks to know for sure. <br />
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I do know for sure one breed that I have; they are called turkens. Contrary to the name, they are not turkeys at all, they are 100% chicken. They are very distinctive, so I can tell them apart immediately. They have no feathers on their neck!<br />
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One thing I found out about them is that chicks actually have belly buttons! You don't generally think about birds having an umbilical cord since they are not mammals, but they do have one to connect them with the inside of the egg. I, at least, had never thought about this before.<br />
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Another fact about them is that while they have no teeth as adults, the newborn baby chicks have one tooth. Technically, it is not a real tooth, but it is a hard point on the tip of the beak that the chick uses to break out of its shell with while hatching. The egg tooth, as it is called, soon falls off after hatching, but I noticed that a few of my chicks still had theirs when I got them, so I took pictures. <br />
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Can you see the egg tooth on both of these chicks?<br />
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Another thing I discovered while doing research was that like any other group of people, people who raise chickens seem to have their own dialect! I had to learn new words, like Alektorophobia (the fear of chickens), bantam (a miniature chicken), Crop (a sac at the base of a chicken's esophagus that stores food), and many more. The word "buff" means a golden brown, not a rooster who is exceptionally muscular. Here's a real "buff":<br />
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I call these chicks the "chipmunk" chicks, because that is what their color reminds me of!<br />
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Something I've seen from watching the chicks is that their motto seems to be, "Don't stop until you drop!" Their daily activities look like this: cheep, eat, drink, poo, cheep, chirp, flap, dash, flap, eat, eat, eat, drink, poo, cheep, drop. Then repeat. It is very funny; they can be running around having fun and then suddenly, kaplunk! Instant sleep.<br />
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Sleep, that is, until five seconds later another chick jumps on his head!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-20521642705958786952012-07-25T23:49:00.000-07:002012-08-29T12:10:08.711-07:00Tutorial: Squiggle Wire Wrapped Beach Stones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNF8B0fFKSajrgKqzXB_p_0AVzz-V28wU5r1mqCAozwI648VmgG0vKnQ__ebZmWZPn05oa1sdWT_7y6YYe-JYubYJPbPnWs5j0CcwzC8jyh3NZSGRPlVQMEt5X3U4O6C_yeVCbdN4muVWn/s1600/P7250034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNF8B0fFKSajrgKqzXB_p_0AVzz-V28wU5r1mqCAozwI648VmgG0vKnQ__ebZmWZPn05oa1sdWT_7y6YYe-JYubYJPbPnWs5j0CcwzC8jyh3NZSGRPlVQMEt5X3U4O6C_yeVCbdN4muVWn/s320/P7250034.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yes, another beach stone jewelry tutorial. I just have so many lying around now that I am finding more and more creative ways to put them to good use! Although honestly, I like this design the best of all of them so far. <br />
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Here's what you will need for one stone link:<br />
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A round, flat stone (I used a tan/brown stone this time)<br />
20 gauge wire, your choice color<br />
Clear nail polish<br />
Flush cutters<br />
Round nose pliers<br />
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This is for just one stone link. If you want to make a necklace out of them like I did you will also need chain nose pliers, chain, a clasp (unless you make it really long), more stones of gradually smaller sizes, and you will need to make some <a href="http://hobbitshorsesandhandcrafts.blogspot.com/2012/07/tutorial-make-your-own-jewelry-chain-in.html" target="_blank">figure eight links</a>.<br />
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Here's how to make one link. First, coat the stone with clear nail polish and let dry.<br />
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Then cut a long length of wire, maybe about a foot long (that's about 30ish cm). Starting in the middle of the wire do this:<br />
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Weave the wire through the jaws of your round nose pliers, forming an "S" shape. I like to pretend the wire is a horse pole bending :) Do this multiple times until you have a big squiggly line, like this:<br />
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Then, as you see in the picture, squash it a little with the pliers so the squiggles are skinnier. This helps you be able to fit more squiggle on a small stone.<br />
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Place your squiggle at the center of your stone. You want to leave a bit of space on both ends of your stone, so make sure the squiggle is not so long that it covers the entire length of the stone. I was able to fit four little loops on my largest stone, but only three on the smaller ones. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTt9iHaVR5Xdgl8TBKNFMsvp_SpDoKLaFNikZxbqCmuawthT_rWyw-dMtttKFgz9zh7I19-4fR0VZ2hFSRH82R2iTPC9I4_xj3kythV8T4epxek5ogbaYKgjk49LO6_oG7cT9pN2cpwyX3/s1600/P7230024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTt9iHaVR5Xdgl8TBKNFMsvp_SpDoKLaFNikZxbqCmuawthT_rWyw-dMtttKFgz9zh7I19-4fR0VZ2hFSRH82R2iTPC9I4_xj3kythV8T4epxek5ogbaYKgjk49LO6_oG7cT9pN2cpwyX3/s320/P7230024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Wrap the remaining wire around the ends of the stone like such:<br />
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The wire should be as tight as possible. <br /><br />
Trim down the wire a bit one the ends, but leave enough for a loop. Then use your round nose pliers to make a nice round loop on either side.<br />
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And here is your completed wire wrapped stone link:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xsC4UmnTbtiIpp9qWCdZtKHyKuOBifZb2hy1yPU2WAawZpCb2k9xZ02OqFS_3QawGT6m2EHad8szEhO7o9IvhyqJdB_PedOVsBhg8loIS2FNEd5WH4UwxU4S4tQ7TZNZdnBMalJIIl-y/s1600/P7230043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xsC4UmnTbtiIpp9qWCdZtKHyKuOBifZb2hy1yPU2WAawZpCb2k9xZ02OqFS_3QawGT6m2EHad8szEhO7o9IvhyqJdB_PedOVsBhg8loIS2FNEd5WH4UwxU4S4tQ7TZNZdnBMalJIIl-y/s320/P7230043.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I made a necklace out of the stones I wire wrapped. If you want to do the same, make several more, arrange them as you would like and connect them with figure eight links. Then add chain on either side of equal lengths, and attach a clasp. <br />
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Here is my necklace: <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-71470489903593133712012-07-19T21:29:00.001-07:002012-08-29T12:10:08.721-07:00Tutorial: Make a Wire Swirl Beach Stone Pendant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iQdqsi-9uSGeCJpNyX5nElS_buMTCEik6Lz2CGtuwhiU4bun5YgdgumvUdsMvSz_Co54xRZdlLsWAwT3F035bz-JMJvuOoRv-vaaF26rSJCbaGhpLn9AKtxkx77XJbpLukrKTUp-icPb/s1600/P7040105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iQdqsi-9uSGeCJpNyX5nElS_buMTCEik6Lz2CGtuwhiU4bun5YgdgumvUdsMvSz_Co54xRZdlLsWAwT3F035bz-JMJvuOoRv-vaaF26rSJCbaGhpLn9AKtxkx77XJbpLukrKTUp-icPb/s320/P7040105.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This smooth stone started out as an ordinary pebble. Years and years ago it had many rough edges; some people may even have called it ugly. But throughout time, this stubborn little pebble survived the merciless poundings of the waves and sand upon the beach of Lake Michigan, until finally it emerged as this beautiful smooth stone. Now you can carry this symbol of resilience and hope around your neck in the form of this small pebble, wrapped with a wire swirl to remind us of the waves of life that sometimes trouble us, but should never defeat us. <br />
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I'd like to teach you how to make this pendant that I have sold from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/DragonInDixie" target="_blank">DragonInDixie</a>, and which will soon be available again for purchase as a complete necklace. Here are the things you will need:<br />
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Clear nail polish<br />
20 gauge wire<br />
One round, smooth, dark colored beach stone<br />
Round nose pliers<br />
Nylon nose pliers<br />
Flush cutters <br />
Chain nose pliers<br />
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First, choose your stone. I got mine from Lake Michigan. I stashed a bunch when I went so I wouldn't run out for a while.<br />
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Coat your stone with the clear nail polish and let dry. I already have this step completed.<br />
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Now, make a tiny loop in your wire with the round nose pliers. Continue to wrap it around itself one time like this:<br />
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After you've begun wrapping it around, you can continue with the nylon nose pliers. Grasp the swirl of wire firmly between the jaws of the pliers, and slowly wrap it around, turning it and adjusting it as necessary.<br />
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You can make your swirl as big or small as you'd like. When you've got it the right size for your stone, put the swirl on top of your stone, and bend the wire behind it.<br />
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Figure out where you want the top to be, then bend the wire horizontally across the top, and bend it back across the back, crisscrossing the last wire.<br />
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Don't worry if you can't get it as tight as you'd like, you'll tighten it later. Now bend the wire across the front again like you did the before, but this time at the bottom. It should look something like this:<br />
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And the back should look like this:<br />
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You still have a loose tail of wire sticking out, so take it and pull it underneath one or both of the wires on the back, so it comes out at the top of your pendant.<br />
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Cut the wire down a bit, leaving enough to make a loop on the end. Then make the loop for a chain to go through with the round nose pliers.<br />
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Here's the part where we tighten it. Your stone may still have a little more breathing room than it needs, because after all, it's a stone, and stones don't breathe. So, take the chain nose pliers and get a firm grip on one of the back wires. Holding the stone in your other hand, twist the pliers (and the wire in its grasp) so that there is a little kink in the wire. This should make it tighter. Do that with the first two wires that you crossed, but not the one with the loop. <br />
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It should look like this:<br />
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Here's the finished pendant:<br />
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To make it into a necklace, simply put it on a chain with a clasp. Or if you used very small pebbles, you could make earrings, or a key chain, or a bunch of other cool things! Just use your imagination! <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-70055494320986939962012-07-17T12:33:00.000-07:002012-08-29T12:10:08.718-07:00Tutorial: Make Your Own Jewelry Chain in Five Easy StepsI was bored last night and had some gunmetal toned wire laying around, so I decided to make myself some chain. After all, when you make jewelry, you can never have too much chain. I frequently run out, so it's useful for me to know at least one or two different methods of making my own.<br />
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Now, I don't have the tools or the know-how to make as fine a chain as comes from the store, but I still like my home made stuff. Since I used gunmetal toned wire, I will probably use this piece for a more rustic necklace. If you want a more refined look, you could use a different kind of wire, perhaps silver. I think copper would also look really nice with this design. <br />
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Here's what you need:<br />
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Needle nose pliers<br />
Round nose pliers<br />
Flush cutters<br />
A ruler<br />
Your color choice of wire (20 gauge) <br />
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1) Use the ruler and flush cutters to cut many equal lengths of wire. How long you cut it will determine how big the links in your chain will be. I usually cut them about an inch long. It is especially important with this that you make sure the edges of your wire are not sharp, and that they are tucked in so they can't snag on anything. I accidentally cut my finger with a sharp wire during this project and made myself bleed! After that happened I double checked all my ends to make sure there was nothing sharp. So tuck the ends in nicely, and file the ends if necessary.<br />
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You will need a lot of these links, especially if you want a longer chain. Pictured here is a finished link, and the length of wire you will need for one link. <br />
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I call these pieces figure eight links, and I also mentioned them in <a href="http://hobbitshorsesandhandcrafts.blogspot.com/2012/07/tutorial-make-necklace-out-of-beach.html" target="_blank">this blog post. </a>In that project I used them to link something else together, but this time they will form the entire chain.<br />
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2) Take the one inch of wire that you cut, and make a loop with the round nose pliers like this:<br />
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3) You should have a little tail left at the end of the loop. Use that tail to wrap another loop in the opposite direction. If you want your links to be smaller than mine, simply cut shorter links and use the tip of the round nose pliers to make the loops, instead of using the base as I did. <br />
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4) After you have made many of these, connect them all together and clamp them shut with the pliers so there are no gaps. Here is the finished chain:<br />
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5) When you are ready to turn your chain into a necklace, just attach a pendant at the middle, and add a clasp on the end. <br />
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This is a very simple project, but very time consuming. There are many other ways to make chain out there, but I wanted to give you one that was simple enough that almost anyone could make it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-12038339407805020882012-07-16T19:23:00.000-07:002012-08-29T12:10:56.052-07:00Another Day on the FarmThis Sunday I was able to visit the Shock farm, where I received my chicks earlier this summer. I of course went outside to see all the animals and take pictures.<br />
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Mrs. Shock keeps milk goats and uses the milk to make soaps and lotions. She sells them on her website. I have tried them and absolutely love them! They smell good enough to eat. She has a blog about her family farm <a href="http://www.oursimplefarm.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. While reading her blog, I was delighted to find that she has posted videos on how she makes her goat's milk soap and lotions! I hope to try <a href="http://www.oursimplefarm.com/p/free-videos.html" target="_blank">her recipe</a> someday when I have my own goat(s). Here are a few of her many goats:<br />
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Now, I know what you're thinking. Why in the world don't these goats have ears? Were the poor thing's ears cut off? Before you get all upset, let me explain. These goats are LaMancha breed goats, and they are born with very tiny ears, as you can see in the pictures. The breed originated in America, and lactating does (a female producing milk) can produce 1/2-1 gallon of milk a day. Also, contrary to popular belief, they will not eat garbage or tin cans, although they are easy to keep and do not require a lot of land.<br />
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Here is her buck(the male goat):<br />
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I also said hello to the horses. Here is Tigger, one of their Haflingers, and Addie, a Quarter Horse. <br />
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When Addie noticed me taking pictures of her, she got curious and came to see what I was doing!<br />
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Their roosters are stunning, dignified creatures.<br />
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Dignified, well, except when it's windy out.....<br />
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One of the many chickens(I think this one is a Black Australorp):<br />
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Some beautiful sunflowers in her garden:<br />
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I was amazed at how well her garden was doing, despite sandy soil and the drought we've been having. It was so dry, the cacti in the field were thriving.<br />
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In the evening, we helped with milking the goats. Here I am with one of the goats, and a pail of frothy milk! <br />
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And yes, I am wearing the necklace I made the other day for <a href="http://hobbitshorsesandhandcrafts.blogspot.com/2012/07/tutorial-make-necklace-out-of-beach.html" target="_blank">this blog post. </a><br />
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I snapped a closeup shot of one of the guys milking:<br />
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Since we weren't saving the milk for human consumption today, we gave it to the animals.<br />
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My dog, Daisy, also enjoyed it.<br />
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One tired puppy at the end of a long day:</div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-45082366406635390582012-07-11T12:29:00.000-07:002012-08-29T12:10:08.714-07:00Tutorial: Make a Necklace Out of Beach StonesThe past two weekends I have been able to visit Lake Michigan. I swam and took pictures, and had a lot of fun! <br />
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My favorite part was collecting smooth, brightly colored beach pebbles, just like I used to do when I was a little girl.<br />
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However, unlike when I was a little girl, now I can make something with them instead of just admiring them. I have always been captivated by simple beauty, much like I see in these small stones. A stone is a simple thing, and very common. But it can be, and often is, beautiful. <br />
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Here are the things you will need for this necklace:<br />
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Needle nosed pliers and round nosed pliers<br />
Wire (I used 20 gauge)<br />
Chain<br />
Pretty beach stones, ranging in size from about the size of a bean to the size of a quarter.<br />
Clear nail polish <br />
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First, choose which stones you are going to use, and coat them with the clear nail polish. Did you ever pick up a beach stone as a child? Weren't you so excited at its vibrant color, only to discover with dismay that when it dried it would look very un-magical? A quick coat of clear nail polish will make those stones look brilliant and wet again, this time forever! See for yourself! <br />
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Now that your stones are magical again, you may proceed. Take about 6-8 inches of wire (That's about 15-20ish cm for you metric folks) and bend it in half around one of your stones. Remember that it is better to have too much wire at the end than not enough, so I am very generous with my wire. It actually helps if your stones aren't completely smooth and still have some small edges here and there.<br />
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Next, start wrapping. You want your wire to spiral around the stone. You're starting in the middle, so you're going to go from the inside out, first one half, then the other. You may need to practice a few times before you get one worth putting on
your necklace. My first two or three stones didn't turn out very nice,
so I put them aside to take apart and re-wrap later. This is harder if you use hard wire like I do. <br />
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Although it makes my job harder, I think it's worth it to use hard wire because it makes my jewelry very sturdy. I'm a cowgirl, a rough and tumble kind of girl. That means my jewelry has to be as tough as I am. I can't wear anything fragile, and if I wouldn't wear it, then I wouldn't sell it to you from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/DragonInDixie" target="_blank">DragonInDixie</a>, or anywhere else. <br />
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When you finish wrapping your stone, you should have enough wire left at the end to make a loop with the round nosed pliers.<br />
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I used eight of these wire wrapped stones for my necklace, but you can make as many or as few as you like. If you use slightly bigger stones, you may try only three for a different look. It's up to you. <br />
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The next thing you will need to make is what I call figure eight links. these will help you connect all your wire wrapped stones together. Here is one completed figure eight link and the approximate length of wire you will need. <br />
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Cut a piece of wire about an inch long and then make a loop with your round nosed pliers like this:<br />
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You should have a little tail left at the end of the loop. Use that tail to wrap another loop in the opposite direction.<br />
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Use the figure eight links to connect the wire wrapped stones.<br />
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I arranged my stones in order from smallest to largest, but you can play around with it however you'd like. Maybe try doing a pattern of big, small, big, small.<br />
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Then attach the chain to either side of your wire wrapped stones to form your completed necklace. Depending on how big or small the links in your chain are, you may need to use a couple jump rings.<br />
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I decided not to add a clasp to my necklace, simply because it is already big enough to fit over anyone's head. That and if the necklace slides a little off center, the clasp will probably show. Here is the finished product:<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-75526257299681703342012-07-07T02:35:00.000-07:002012-08-29T12:10:08.723-07:00Tutorial: Make an Upcycled Computer Key NecklaceI must admit, I am a bit of a geek/nerd. I like sci fi and fantasy, I have a big vocabulary, and I know a lot about some pretty strange and obscure topics, such as why you should never keep a goldfish in a bowl. Ask me about that later. And all that is only the tip of the iceberg. So, to celebrate my geekiness and nerdiness, I decided to make this upcycled computer key necklace! Now, upcycled is simply a new word that means to recycle something old into something better or cooler than it was before. This computer key had functional quality before I upcycled it, but now it has ornamental and symbolic quality.<br />
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Here's what you need for this project: <br />
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A lighter (Yes, there is fire involved!)<br />
Needle nosed pliers (My round nose pliers are also pictured here because I use them for everything, but you only really need one pair.)<br />
Computer Keys<br />
Chain<br />
A thick needle or thin nail<br />
Jump rings and a clasp<br />
Not pictured: A serrated knife or saw <br />
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I got my computer keys from a keyboard I got at a garage sale. First you need to take the keyboard apart (some keyboards are different, but this will probably involve unscrewing the back.) and remove the keys. Now, you may notice that the back of the key is not flat, but looks like this:<br />
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Since this shape doesn't make for a good pendant, we need to get rid of that obtrusion on the back. I simply hacked it off with the serrated blade on my pocketknife. That may not have been the most efficient method, but it got the job done. <br />
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Now I'm going to cheat a bit like they do on the cooking channel, and show you a different one that already has this step completed.<br />
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Since the enter key is longer, it had two parts that needed to be sawed off.<br />
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Next is the part where we can play with fire! Take the lighter and heat up the end of your needle (or nail). Once it is hot enough, find the spot where you will want to attach the chain, and push the needle through. It should melt a clean hole all the way through. Repeat from the other side of the hole so it is even. It shouldn't take too long to heat it up, just long enough that it's too hot to touch. (Don't try to touch the hot end to find out. Please use common sense and don't hurt yourself.) Remember, you just want to get the tip hot, not the whole needle! Once you are finished with the first hole, make a second one on the opposite side.<br />
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You can now attach a jump ring to each hole. <br />
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Now take your chain and measure how long you want the necklace to be. After you have this length of chain, you will need to divide it in half exactly. <br />
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Then attach each length of chain to each jump ring on your computer key, add the clasp on the end, and presto! You have a wonderfully geeky computer key necklace!<br />
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After I finished this necklace, I decided I wanted to make another with a bit more of a girly flair. The first one is great for guys or gals, but I really like this second one the best. This time I used a backspace key.<br />
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The only thing different for this necklace is that you will need some headpins and beads of your choice. I used glass faux pearls and hematite beads, because I really like that combination. You will also need to melt three additional holes in the bottom of your key, the same way that you did for the top, and make sure they are evenly spaced. If you have a regular size key (a number or letter instead of a long one like backspace) you may only need one or two holes. Arrange the beads however you wish on your headpins, and make a loop on the top of the headpin. Slip them onto the holes and make sure they are closed completely. <br />
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I'm also planning on making different versions of this necklace, like using the letter keys to spell textspeak or short words, or using ctrl+alt+delete, and more. Do you have any good ideas about how to combine the keys to make a witty necklace? Feel free to leave a comment if you have ideas!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-71816682770790736312012-07-02T20:02:00.000-07:002012-08-29T12:08:51.327-07:00Pix of Six Chicks!I recently visited a friend's farm. Their family has horses, milk goats, dogs, and many chickens, and since it is summertime, their hens had tons of cute babies. I got to hang out with them all day, and ride their horses, milk their goats, and learn about their farm. I loved it! I am a country girl at heart, and I hope someday to have a farm myself. I have been wanting to keep chickens for a long time, so when they offered me six of their chicks, I couldn't say no! I now have three black chicks, one light brown, one dark brown, and a white one. I still call them chicks, although they are probably old enough for me to be calling them pullets (females under a year old) and cockerels (males under a year old). <br />
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For a week or so, I kept them in a wire dog kennel during the daytime(minus the bottom so they could eat grass and bugs), and then at night put them in a cage in my garage. They are still small right now, so they had plenty of space.<br />
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Here they are in the dog kennel:<br />
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I put a small wood box in the kennel so they could have some shade. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5MChUUZOTfaSYZMBQ1VpDdiR24Is1uHniynQTPE8x0CDpxSpab4L3vy4iQcJfLiAIGcaw51ATaVkRo-R6vO7Pde8hyphenhyphenARRu30zJuV0f2RXj7U3kkrGztI0Lk2LyEu8IzbPdFgiRLyL8Tt/s1600/P6270048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5MChUUZOTfaSYZMBQ1VpDdiR24Is1uHniynQTPE8x0CDpxSpab4L3vy4iQcJfLiAIGcaw51ATaVkRo-R6vO7Pde8hyphenhyphenARRu30zJuV0f2RXj7U3kkrGztI0Lk2LyEu8IzbPdFgiRLyL8Tt/s320/P6270048.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
After that, a friend of my dad came over and built them this amazing chicken tractor!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpoFF1AxuEOMZmHQBo6VkohbF_mhWQm9VYNejO8n6Mxxj7l10PrIRzalwGpeIPJpGHi0llhzxpi6zgqN4BeDcwB_Vxx2nmK2ScNeMXA25TVIYazp6TS4kHuwSBu_zhTjL38uFOOtX13j3/s1600/P7020002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpoFF1AxuEOMZmHQBo6VkohbF_mhWQm9VYNejO8n6Mxxj7l10PrIRzalwGpeIPJpGHi0llhzxpi6zgqN4BeDcwB_Vxx2nmK2ScNeMXA25TVIYazp6TS4kHuwSBu_zhTjL38uFOOtX13j3/s320/P7020002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Now, I know you're probably thinking that this contraption looks nothing like a tractor. I can explain. Well, actually I can't, because I have no idea why it's called a tractor. It looks just like a moveable chicken coop to me. It also has no bottom, so wherever I want to move it, the chickens can have new grass and bugs to munch! This is great because I can move it to whatever part of the lawn I want fertilized, since chicken droppings make egg-cellent fertilizer. <br />
Here they are enjoying their new home!<br />
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Stretch!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1617262467729715591.post-76767995646152822392012-06-29T13:42:00.002-07:002012-08-29T12:10:08.725-07:00Broken and Mended Heart Pendant Tutorial<br />
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Here is a tutorial to make my broken and mended heart
pendant. I have a finished necklace for sale on Etsy <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/103074194/broken-and-mended-heart-necklace">here</a>. Here’s a photo of one of the finished
necklaces:</div>
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Cold porcelain, in case you didn’t know, is a home made
modeling clay made from ingredients that you may already have in your house. It
is made mainly from cornstarch (note: NOT corn flour!) and Elmer’s glue or
regular white school glue. It is very easy to make, albeit very messy. It is an
air dry clay, which makes it very simple to use since it requires no baking.
All you do is mold it, let it dry, then coat it with a sealant. I looked up all the recipes on the
internet that I could find and <a href="http://www.noadi.net/tutorial/cold-porcelain/">this one</a> is what I ended up using. </div>
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You may want to buy a small pot and spoon from a garage sale
or thrift shop just for this purpose because it is very sticky and sometimes
you can’t get it all off the pot. I
always soak my pot and utensils in hot soapy water immediately when I am done
so none of the glue dries on my pot. Then I wash it outside because if any of
the glue gets down the drain it will clog the drain. </div>
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Once you have your cold porcelain made, you can color the dough
with just about anything. I use acrylic craft paints, which are very cheap (you
can buy a small bottle at Wal Mart or a craft store for under a dollar). All
you do is put a small drop of paint on your clay and knead it through the dough
until the color is even. I usually only color a very small portion of my clay
at a time unless I am making something very large, because for most pendants
you only need a very small amount of clay and it stores longer without the
paint in it. You can also color your clay with food coloring, markers, powdered
makeup, etc. However, don't add too much coloring, or it will actually alter the recipe enough that it causes your clay to crack when it dries or just become very difficult to mold or sculpt properly. </div>
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Once you have colored your clay, take a small piece and roll
it in the palms of your hands until you have a ball. </div>
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Make an indentation in the middle to begin forming the two sides of your heart.</div>
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Flatten your clay and mold into a heart shape that looks
good to you. Here I am molding it on top of an upturned bowl. It’s a smooth
surface and easy to work on. </div>
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Next, add the cracks in your heart. I used a tool
specifically for clay ( I found three of them at a garage sale for 50 cents)but it doesn’t really matter what you use. If you don’t
have the tools you can just use a butter knife (the flat edge) or whatever else
works for you. Add as many or as few
cracks as you like. Note: do not actually cut all the way through the heart,
just make shallow indentations or your heart won’t stay together! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-7w0If21tcVhlrH24g3y_6spC1FiaRIa0_tcVpq6njm__QINRDW3lU6sCAXaLVx6Vr10py__kCYyuAvxveDXp2kY12ZCxtVmxXMpJKoZ_ARbJqnqZ7BWxaUBvRDFaMpfHr5qMFbozf65/s1600/P6290241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-7w0If21tcVhlrH24g3y_6spC1FiaRIa0_tcVpq6njm__QINRDW3lU6sCAXaLVx6Vr10py__kCYyuAvxveDXp2kY12ZCxtVmxXMpJKoZ_ARbJqnqZ7BWxaUBvRDFaMpfHr5qMFbozf65/s320/P6290241.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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After that, I added the wire stitching. This is much simpler
than it looks, since I did not actually sew the heart together. First, I made small
“C” shaped hooks with my round nose pliers and wire cutters with 20 gauge wire
and 28 gauge wire. </div>
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I then put the 20 gauge wire hooks into the middle cracks in
the heart, and the 28 gauge wire hooks into the smaller cracks on the side,
making it appear to be stitched together. I also inserted an eye pin into the
top of the heart so I can attach it to a chain later. </div>
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Note: If you use a lot of wire in jewelry making as I do,
and if you like a more rustic look, you can get a lot more wire for a much
cheaper price if you buy galvanized steel wire at the hardware store instead of
getting it at the craft store. </div>
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Now you just need to let your pendant dry, and then coat it
with Mod Podge or another sealant. Typically I find that my pieces can dry in
about two days, but it depends on the air humidity and the thickness of the
pendant. Once the top side is dry, I usually flip it over so the other side can
dry faster. Also keep in mind that your
pendants will usually shrink about 15-20% when they dry (this is what keeps the
wire and headpin from slipping out). If one or two of your wire pieces do slip,
don’t worry, just put a tiny bit of superglue or jewelry glue on the wire and
slide it back in. After it dries it should stay securely. </div>
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When you are finished you will want to store the remainder of your clay in plastic wrap and zip baggies until further use to keep it from drying out. </div>
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You have now completed your pendant! Yay! </div>
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