Painted Acorn Pumpkin House

Painted acorn by Duane

check out the original painting acorns blog post here

What do you think?

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Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!

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Soldered Alchemy My Second Jewelry Instruction Book!

Im THRILLED to announce that my second jewelry instruction book,
Soldered Alchemy: 25 Jewelry Projects Using New Soft-Solder Techniques 
will be published by F+W Media, Inc. and will be available May 2015! 

This new book focuses on soft soldering, and inside I share lots of brand new 
ideas, tips, techniques, and designs, complete with beautiful full color photos and
easy to follow step by step instructions. There are projects for all skill levels from
beginner to advanced, so whether you are completely new to soft soldering or are 
ready to take your soft-soldering to the next level with new techniques, ideas,
and inspiration, I think you will find Solder Alchemy to be the perfect companion!

Stay tuned to my blog and Facebook page, where Ill be announcing when 

Soldered Alchemy is available for pre-order!

design copyright Laura Beth Love 2014

design copyright Laura Beth Love 2014

Want to make your own jewelry from broken china and vintage silverware?

Then check out my jewelry instruction book, BoHo Chic Jewelry!

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Exciting Announcement I Just Filmed Two New Jewelry Instruction Videos!

I love spreading good news. And boy, do I have some good news! 

Late last evening I returned home to Pennsylvania after flying out to Colorado to film
 two brand new jewelry instruction videos at the film studios at F+W Media, Inc., my 
fabulous publisher! It was a whirlwind three days! Yup, I flew about 3,166.4 miles to
 film two videos, just for you!  I traveled on a Monday, filmed two videos on Tuesday, and
 traveled home Wednesday. Four flights across the United States, four different airports, 
 three days later, and its all done! 

Colorado is a beautiful place, and the landscape is quite different from what I am used 
to in Pennsylvania, so it was a new experience for me in many different ways. This was
 also my first time on camera...I wasnt very nervous, it was more like I didnt know exactly what to expect, exactly what it would be like. Kind of like when youre going to have a baby.
 You can read and prepare all you want, but until it actually happens, you dont know exactly
how its going to be until you experience it for real, right as its happening!
    

Live on the set!

I will write more about the videos in a future blog post, but I will tell you now that the first 
video teaches you how to make an awesome broken china jewelry necklace, and the second 
video teaches you my new technique for combining wire with soft solder to create a beautiful
 and amazing jewelry effect! If you love to make jewelry, or always wanted to learn how to 
make soldered jewelry using a soldering iron, you will love these videos! (the video release
 date is early December, by the way!) 

Lights, cameras, jewelry making!

Well its past my bedtime and I need to get some much needed sleep so that I can get my two
girls up for school tomorrow, but I just had to share the good news with you. 

Enjoy your day! ~ Laura

Check out my new DIY jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

   

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!


My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

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A Look Inside My Jewelry Instruction Book Photo Shoot

Its hard to believe that my first book, BoHo Chic Jewelry, was just released this past March 
2014, and there I was last week, only six months later, flying off to Cincinnati, Ohio for the
photo shoot for my second jewelry instruction book, Soldered Alchemy. I feel so grateful and
fortunate to have the opportunity to share my ideas and designs with the world, and I really
hope that my books not only help to teach people new skills and techniques, but that they
inspire people to explore their own creativity in new ways! 

This was a busy summer! Within a span of less than three months, I wrote an entire book. 
A few people have asked me what writing a jewelry DIY book entails. Do I write the text? Or do I just create the projects? The answer is yes, I do it all. It basically begins with 
brainstorming project ideas, about 25 or 26 projects that all are cohesive yet different from one another, each with varying difficulty from beginner to advanced. Everything has to kind
of mesh together and coordinate in a certain way (thats the cohesion I was talking about) but at the same time, every project has to be unique unto itself, and there has to be a nice
balance of different types of projects. Its not an easy task to accomplish!  

In a nutshell, I brainstormed possible project ideas, and then sat down and designed each 
project. Next I made each project from start to finish. This is when I also wrote the step by 
step text for each project, while at the same time snapping test photos for the step by step photographer along the way. I did this so that once we were at the photo shoot, we would 
know where to stop and take those important photos that displayed what was explained in 
the step by step instructions described in the book. Once all the projects were completed 
(and they had to be perfect, as these were the actual projects that would later be 
professionally photographed for the book), I then worked on whats known as the front 
matter, which is the beginning section of the book that contains the materials and 
basic techniques sections, as well as the introduction and dedication. Oh, and I almost 
forgot to mention, I was working under a deadline! That being said, there is not much time 
to leisurely create. You really have to be focused, have great ideas, and know what youre 
doing to do this type of work! But I love it. 

Taking a moment to recharge before my flight. 

Theres no better feeling than putting your bare

feet in the grass for a few minutes!

Once all of the text and projects are finished, its time to fly to Cincinnati to the publishers

photo studio so that they can take all of the step by step photos that accompany the text in

the book. For this, I have to pack up my entire workshop - all of the tools and materials that

I need to create every project in the book - and ship them out to the photo studio so that

when I arrive we can get right to work! Once I arrive, I unpack everything, set it all up, and

then remake every single project while the photographer takes the photos. 

Sitting in the airport, waiting for my flight.

Yummy bagel I had in the airport.

Goodbye Detroit! On my way to Cincinnati. I flew from where I 

live in Pennsylvania to Detroit and then to Cincinnati. 

Arriving in Cincinnati

"Im in Cincinnati!" Hotel selfie before work to send to my boyfriend hehe...

Arriving in the photo studio the first day...so nice and clean! Just

wait till I get all of my supplies and materials laid out! 

All of my finished projects that I had completed beforehand were

laid out on a table so that I could double check them for reference.

Some of my materials and tools, and in the bags were all of the

parts and materials that I needed for each project. It pays to be organized! 

Here is where I worked! 

My text was put into a layout and I used it as a guide.

In the middle of working on a project.

My fabulous photographer Christine Polomsky hard at work editing the step by step photos.

We worked from Monday through Friday, Christine taking photos at every step while

I made every project. It was a lot of work, but Christine is just awesome and we had a

great time all week! On Friday after we wrapped up the last chapter we packed up all of my tools and materials to be shipped back home to me and then I headed to the

airport to fly home. Next the photos will be edited and put into place within the 

manuscript, and then in a few weeks I will do a review of the manuscript where I

answer any of my editors questions, making any needed corrections or clarifications, 

making sure that each photo matches up correctly with the text. Once that is complete, 

more editing reviews will be done, the beauty photography will be done (those are the 

pretty photos at the beginning of each chapter and on the cover), the fabulous designer 

Brianna will work her magic, and then off to the printer it goes! 

The book shown being created in these photos is entitled Soldered Alchemy,

and it is being published by FW Media, and will be released in May 2015. Once it is available for presale on amazon I will announce it here on my blog! 

Until then, check out my previously released title, BoHo Chic Jewelry!

What do you think?

Learn how to make jewelry from old broken china and

other unique salvaged materials in my new book! 

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Easy Homemade Holiday Thin Mint Cookies

These easy no-bake cookies are perfect for the holidays and are a homemade replica

of Girl Scout Thin Mints cookies! All you need are Ritz crackers, bittersweet chocolate
(or semi-sweet), peppermint extract (make sure you use peppermint extract and not 

peppermint oil), and vegetable oil. 

Ingredients

Ritz crackers 20-25

Bittersweet chocolate 6oz

Peppermint extract (not oil) 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon (per 6 oz of chocolate) 

1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil

Holiday cookie sprinkles (optional)

Other Supplies Needed

cookie sheet with lip on edge (such as jelly roll pan)

wax paper or parchment paper

double boiler

two forks

Directions

1. Line cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper.

2. Melt chocolate in double boiler, stirring until smooth.

3. Stir in vegetable oil and peppermint extract.

4. Place a Ritz cracker into the chocolate and use a fork to flip the cracker, coating it on 

both sides and on the edges with chocolate. This is easiest to do with two forks. 

5. Use a fork to lift the cookie out of the chocolate and while holding it above the chocolate, 

allow excess chocolate to drip from the cookie and back into the double boiler.

6. Carefully slide the cookie from the fork onto the wax paper covered pan.

7. Sprinkle with holiday cookie sprinkles (optional).

8. Place in refrigerator to set. 

Note: if you do not have a double boiler you can melt your chocolate in a microwave in a 

microwave safe bowl. Place chocolate in bowl and microwave for 20 seconds and then stop 

and stir. Repeat until chocolate is melted. Be careful not to overcook.

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Enjoy your day!

Love, 

Laura

Check out my new DIY jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

   

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!


My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Read More..