Wire hell!

Yes, you read that right....Wire Hell. There is such a place, and I have been there this morning. UGH.

Normally I use brass wire for my projects. I also use gold-filled, but since that makes my prices about twice as much for what I currently charge for an art jewel, I have recently been sticking with the brass (gold colored wire) for my projects to keep pricing lower for my customers.

Different brands have different looks. I don't know what brand our Hobby Lobby is, but I hate the look of the metal, so I won't use it. Another store here actually carries a brand which has a very nice golden color - but I can only use one of the gauges they carry, then I have to move up to a thicker gauge I don't like.

So I go online to Fire Mountain Gems to order the Colourcraft wire, which is available in the gauge I need. I also love this brand - the gold color is very rich and elegant. So the webpage for the gauge I want shows a SPOOL and says SPOOL in the text. Last time I ordered this gauge of that wire from them, it didn't come in a spool - it came in a ring, clipped with two plastic clips which had to be cut off....and what happens when you clip them off and unravel the wire ends? This "ring" of wire EXPLODES and goes everywhere. Which is why I wanted it on a SPOOL.

I thought maybe that last time was a fluke...I looked carefully to make sure the page said SPOOL - it did. And I need quite a bit of this wire for this year's projects. I was planning on ordering a large quantity - but - remembering my previous experience, I decided to order just one for right now and see if it came on a spool.

Well it didn't, and I opened the package this morning, and within 3 seconds, I was sitting in a pile of wild wire which had exploded - again. I proceeded to spend the next 45 minutes untangling, and then spooling it myself onto an empty spool I had here. What a mess....it was truly wire hell!

This is one of those moments I tend to rethink what I'm doing and wonder why do I put myself through this? LOL

The good news is yesterday was productive - I've come up with a bold necklace design I'm pleased with for the 2006 Impressions line. I'm still working out the best way to do the bails on my pendants though. Maybe today I'll figure that one out! Now that I've had my wire emergency today, surely the rest of the day will go smoothly.....one would hope!

Jai