Pages

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Two part Jewelry Clay



Lets just say. This isn't going to be added to my list of materials.

http://www.michaels.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Michaels-Site/default/mProduct-Show?pid=bd1332&start=6&cgid=products-beads-tools



I nabbed some of this thinking, hey its on clearance, and from what I understand 
you are supposed to be able to sculpt with it.
I got a light blue thinking I would use some aurora borealis crystals 
and royal blue mica powders to make some great tentacles.

No.

The two parts mixed up to be a dead grey color. The second part of the mix, 
thats the color not the colored block. The  instructions said use gloves, 
but thats not mentioned on the outside if the packaging. 
I used nitrile gloves and the compound was really sticky to my fingers.
Eventually I ditched the gloves and just used my hands. 
I had to scrub the bejeezes out of them whenit was done.

Well I ended up using the stuff as glue 
for some dorky little toy rings, 
and I did use it to fill bezel channels that 
I ended up coloring with mica powders.
Sculpting never happened. I tried. 
In the end I globbed it all together made a heart, 
shoved a gear in it and mica powdered it copper, 
bronze and green.

If you need epoxy to fill channels, 
or glue stuff together, this seems ok, 
it holds form sort of. 
It is not an alternative sculpting material.
At least not for me

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Hi Im Bob


Hi Im Bob-side view RAW 3/52
Originally uploaded by Zoeowyn
Say Hi to "Hi Im Bob". HIB is a rhino clone. This is only one of many Bobs I intend to make. Bob stands for big obnoxious bling.

I have a list of 30+ Bobs to make. I need to get busy I think

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Its that time of the year!

Yes folks, here in the USA its tax season!
I am not a professional tax-y person, and this information is not to be taken as legal advice. If you need legal advice regarding your tax situation hobby/small business you will need either a CPA or a lawyer, or both.

What I am is a person who does my own taxes. Why? Because I went to Tax blockheads one year, and sat there while some person basically used a proprietary version of Mac'n'tax and charged me almost $500, and still wasn't able to handle my tax situation--I got double taxed on a 401K roll over.

So if Im going to get double taxed on things like 401Ks I can do that my self for just under $100.

Ok so here are my annual tax tips:

• Keep your records, they don't have to be pretty they should be consistent. Meaning receipts need to always go in the same place scrambling for that one receipt is a pain, and is avoidable.

• Get a filing system, it doesn't have to be pretty, it has to be functional.

• Set up a spread sheet to track your income and expenses and mileage. AND if you SAVE AS at the end of each year, and clear contents, you don't have to reset up your spread sheet and you are tracking the same type of expenses each year.

• Be consistent year to year on how you record your information. It really does save time and hassle.

• Try to be consistent in your filing system, use the same size envelopes to store receipts from year to year.

• Speaking of receipts, when you generate a business expense, write on the receipt right then and there how much and for what. Most receipts these days are those heat sensitive slips.

• Have a special place in your wallet/bag/purse where you can keep receipts until you enter them into your spread sheet and file them.

• Track and record your receipts monthly, or quarterly. It will save you a ton of time.

• When you are getting ready to do your taxes take some time to prepare the items you need. Schedule that time. Gather the information and resources, and then at another time do the actual taxes. Trying to get it all done at once is a big set up for frustration.

• Not sure what information you are going to need again this year? Review last years records. Because you have a consistent filing system, locating last years taxes is a breeze.

Those are my ten tips for this year.
Oh and if you end up owing a big sum of money, its not my fault. But keep in mind the government does take payments, so you don't have to break your bank--learned that one the hard way.
And if you are making money, make sure you set aside around 30% or so for your taxes, because no matter what cuts they make to the social security system, you still have to pay into it.

Upcoming earring swap and blog hop




Jessica of Whimsical Monkey is hosting an earring swap blog hop. Should be fun.

Check it out:
http://whimsicalweavings.blogspot.com/2013/04/may-earring-swap-blog-hop.html?spref=fb