Old Mine Cut Diamonds

I had the opportunity to help repair and reconstruct a 1930's pearl and diamond bracelet. The diamonds are old mine diamonds or European cut. I asked what the difference was compared to a precision cut stone. Old mind Diamonds were cut by hand in the mine. This was done to maintain control over the cutting and possession of the stones. You can read more about the history of diamonds here. To an experienced beader you might look at this bracelet and think what is so hard about that? It looks like netting. The bracelet had been repaired several times. Holding it in your hand you could tell it was loved and worn often. It is a family heirloom. On the last repair the pearls were sewn to the clasp with thread. On the other end of the clasp the thread was broken and some of the pearls were missing. Art of beading verses The Fine Art of Fine Jewelry Making I understood the thread path and Tammye knew how the attach the five hole Diamond clasp. We had to find a way to make the two techniques work together. Tammye used a size #1 silk beading cord and french coil to protect the silk cord against the metal on the clasp. Armed with her optivisor and fine tweezer Tammye was able to repair the bracelet. Tammye was New Orlean's expert on Jewelry repair. During her career in New Orleans Tammye assisted in repair and purchasing of fine jewerly. One of several changes after Hurricane Katrina, Tammye now resides in Indiana along with her husband and two cats Romeo and Frank. This last week my friends who owned Planc Coffee & Tea sold the shop and now reside in Plano Texas. So many changes are still taking place 19 months after the storm. I really miss my friends who have relocated.

Spring is in the Air

In a small corner in front of our patio the Azealas are blooming. You can feel spring in the air and the warmer weather is not far behind. I took time to smell the flowers and enjoy the beauty of the color they presented for my plearsure. I haven't made time for beading this week. I have been working on my To-Do list. There are not many things left to check off. I may actually live up to daughter's advice and have everything done for the cruise with out rushing around the last day trying to get it in order. This afternoon Sally and I worked on making kits for the classes. We put a huge dent in the amount of work that needs to be completed. We ended the day getting our class project together for our next bead society meeting. The New Orleans Bead Society blog has been updated. Now I just have to get the emails out. Here is a picture of the beautiful Sue Rose we will learn how to make next weekend.

To-Do-List

I am not a very organized person. I work better when things are scattered all over. That is the old me. The new me is trying to focus and get organized. My daughter Heather is very organized. She has To-Do lists and keeps a journal of ideas and sketches. Sometimes those list can be a litle daunting. Here is my To-Do list for the month. 1. String a bracelet to crochet this weekend. 2. Test a pattern. 3. Tidy up my instructions for the Mayan Treasure Bracelet and print for the cruise class. 4. Finish putting kits together after the beads arrive. 5. Update my website. It is long over due for a major over haul. What is on your To-Do list?