Disc cutters, metal circles and spirals

Don't waste your scrap!

Use a disc cutter to prep a bunch of circles and keep them by your work top. You never know when you will need one!

Originally published 2-18-2011

Sometimes, in hindsight, I am astounded at the way a sequence of seemingly unrelated events exhibits a logical relationship. Yesterday, a chat with my editor led to a change of plans for my next column in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Merle White (said editor) was concerned that throwing a change at me late in the game would mess up my schedule. It turned out I was happy for the change, because I had been struggling in secret with the idea for the original plan, and I was having a hard time finding a good story angle for it. Once I agreed to the change, so many things rapidly and unexpectedly fell into place. In about 4 hours, we suddenly had a better content mix, and I remembered I had just picked up a new tool in Tucson that would go with the new content, and I got an email from another vendor wanting to send me another tool that would also mesh with the newly changed content. I can't help but believe these things happen for a reason. And now, I've been given a more fun topic, 2 new tools to write about, and we have a logical content mix for the next issue. It was easy. All I had to do was say yes.

So, the message of this? I think it is wise to be adaptable when you can. Sometimes, fighting change is needed. Sometimes, it isn't. Trust your circle, and the spiral path you are on. Unforeseen things will happen and a choice will be presented to you. Try to pay attention to the universe. It will give you what you need.

Today's tip: Save your sheet scraps for a rainy day. When you are in thinking mode, use your texture tools and disc cutter to make a bunch of circles out of that scrap. Try to extract every inch of useful sheet you can. Use the circles as practice pieces, or make work with them. Waste not!