CREATION AS IT COMES...

A mix of projects.  First, this beautiful "Solange" pendant designed  by Anna Bawden and showcased on the cover of the April/May 2019 Beadwork.  It took me awhile to figure out how each of the 3-hole copper BowTrios fit together.  Yes... it took me a couple of tries cuz I was having severe brain failure that day... :(  They were a bit cumbersome for me at the beginning, but then they fit right in with the right and left ZoliDuos.  Those need attention as well, for proper placement.  There definitely is a right and wrong way to string them.  And, I had this beautiful Golem cabochon in my stash, which I substituted for the pressed-glass cabochon called for in the pattern.   This is a much richer look I think, although it does add a bit more weight.  The turquoise necklace was part of my stash, so that's what's working right now.  I also made a siri silk version for a softer drape.  

Below, a wonderful project  from a class taught by The Moods of Eve jewelry designer, metal worker and creator Beth Routhier.  This bracelet is aptly named "Slick Slider".  Beth is a wonderfully patient instructor, and so kind to assist when I'm struggling with sheet metal, or using my fingers, instead of the tools!!!  Ha!  This pattern started out with a flat piece of copper sheet metal and after hammering and punching holes, and rolling and forming forming into these tubes, several strands of 1" or 1.5" leather were added (I used a variety of colors in the copper/silver/grey/brown range), and then the metal was carefully closed.  The clasp included some wire wrapping for a finished look and rondelles for some bling.  Thanks Beth!  Always enjoy you and your classes.

  

A JDreams earring design below.  I used already made and hammered brass loops, and then wire wrapped 4mm fire polish, 8.0 seed beads and 4mm swarovski crystals around it.  The colors were incredible!  

Some Easter earrings I made at the last minute.  Life has been so full lately, I hadn't made anything for that Holiday, so found a perfect pattern at Fusion Beads.  Brick stitchin' some eggs just in time for the Easter bunny!  

and, another pattern from Fusion Beads' Inspiration page called "living coral".  These are fantastic.  Lots of time invested in these little rows back and forth I must say, but so fun to wear.  15.0 round seed beads and 11.0 delicas in galvanized gold. I changed pattern ever so slightly and used delicas on the ends instead of rounds.

BACK ON LINE W/SOME METAL PIECES!

The faster I run the behinder I get!  I have several wonderful creations of late to post, but getting them photographed and ready is another matter and takes me some time.  Enjoying the last of the perfect weather, outside temps and sun seems to take priority this time of year.  But, I'll slowly get back to it.  Here are just a couple... 

The first pic shows 4-tiered earrings, which started as a sheet of 26 gauge copper.  Beth Routhier is a wonderful teacher - and, thankfully, she does not mince words, especially when she tells me to quit using my own fingers to mold the wire or metal.  USE THE TOOLS ... USE THE TOOLS.  Ha.  I love learning something new and this was just that -- cutting out the metal, sanding, embossing with a design, and dipping in patina for just the perfect color effect, more sanding, shaping so it slightly domes, more sanding and then assembly.  You can see that mine are not perfectly cut... I was not providing enough pressure as I was hammering to punch out the shapes, so I have some learnin' to do.  These are so light and dangly - fun!  

Another metal creation, but I purchased all the parts precut.  All brass Vintaj, including the chain. I added my own combo of Vintaj paints to give the sun flower and earring rounds some pop with fall colors.  The options are absolutely endless on coloration...I also added some crystal and pip bead dangles to the chain to give it some movement and to the earrings some lucite flowers with crystal rounds and 1-hole lentils, again for some movement.  Very easy piece to wear!

COLORING, PAINTING AND MORE HAMMERING...

Love everything about this finished piece - truly!  Love the fun of making it by assembling from different creative inspirations.  The lovely therapeutic hammering of wire  (yes, again and still...) from Heather Powers and the coloring / painting prowess (one of her many talents)  of a metal piece, in this case Vintaj, by Beth Routhier.  We started out using colored pencils... yes, exactly!  So fun - and the blending was so awesome.  Unfortunately for me, as I was a newbie at this coloring on metal, I spent much time getting it just so right and then rubbed too hard for the next step and a lot came off, so it was back to square one.  Learning these lessons... an ongoing thing for me.  But oh so much fun.  I did end up adding some Vintaj paint at the end to try and make it pop, which I think I accomplished, and I wrapped some 16 gauge wire around the hammered 12 gauge for fun.  I love it and think that's my signature for hammered pieces going forward.  It just softens it slightly and provides bit more interest to my eye. Also added a few dangles and loosely wrapped the larger blue/green leaf, which is something new for me and something I'll be doing a lot more of.  Isn't it pretty?  And, then too, some fire polish dangles on the chain to pull it all together.  Love it.  Oh, did I say that already?  Thank you to Heather and Beth for providing me the inspirational tools for this creation.

 Some darlin, simple little earrings added as the last pic to wear with...

 

THE GIFT OF BEADS!

My friend Aimee brought me back some wonderful ceramic artisan beads (African Kazuri beads) from her vacation on the Oregon coast (what's a better vacation destination than that I ask!) and I've been saving them for just the right artistic moment.  Well, I had the moment and here's how it turned out.  I made the beaded necklace first, using superduos and 11 sbs, (thank you Sandy!) and went from there.  The colors in the necklace are slightly different, but really melded with the beads!  Then I did a little wire wrapping to attach the pendant (thank you Beth for helping me to remember I can [I think I can... I think I can...] work with heavier wire).  I added a few butterfly charms, swarovski crystals and a wonderful czech flower, and here it is...one of my new favs. 

LEARNIN' ME SOME MORE METALsmithing!

In my ongoing process of learning about metal and all those new jewelry creation horizons, I enjoyed another fun class with Beth at Bead Street.  Her Passion Flower design, her embossing machine and some 26g copper blanks (and several wire wrapped glass beads, leaves and flowers later) helped me make my leaf bracelet below.  I slightly altered my bracelet design (hard to imagine, I know!) because the original design had all the wrapped dangles on one side of the metal bar, which was beautiful, but on my wrist just wouldn't stay in place.  So, I went back and refined it for me ever so slightly by adjusting some of the dangles to the other side, so both were more weighted.  Now, it wears a little better for me.  I am also still messing with the metal colors... I can't seem to leave it alone, or to get it exactly where I want it, but this is the latest version.  More to probably come, as just this morning before I left for work, I was taking off old and adding new paint for a different look. See the last three pics below for newest coloration (more turquoise!)

FIRST METAL SMITHING PROJECT!

What an exciting project - starting with a flat piece of copper metal, and, ending with a lovely pendant.  It's unlike anything I have done, so it was a learning experience for sure.  Taught by Beth at Bead Street aptly called "Pod Pendant".  It took me some time to get past my initial mind block.  Beth asked us all to draw an oblong form on the metal and then start cutting it out with metal shears -- say what?  Free-form a design? On metal?  Again... what?  ha ha. The best part of this creation is that everyone in the class had a beautiful pendant at the end of the day, and we all had our own method of inspiration and metal working.  As we found out, the copper metal is very forgiving and this project very "organic".  Even if you have no clue, the key is to just keep working on it, and eventually it will turn into something incredible.   Soooo, here it is - my first attempt at working with metal, and I must say, I am proud of myself and ready for the next project.  Thanks, Beth!  It was a great afternoon. P.S.  The incredible purple beads are druzy quartz beads from Bead Street.  They are such an "eye catcher" in the right light.
  

THE THRILL OF WIRE!

 

I do quite a bit of wire wrapping, but there is ALWAYS so much more to learn.  New ways to do things, new tools to use, etc.  So, I had a free Saturday and Beth Routhier was teaching a dainty wire wrap "Floating Infinity" design class @ Bead Street so I joined the group!  It was definitely a learning curve for me, just holding the pliers so as not to mar the thicker wire took some time - I bead tight - but it was oh so fun and I did learn so much.  I learned about bail making pliers, and how to patina.  I've wanted to know that technique for so long, and now I know (really, enough to be dangerous!)  Love this pattern - thank you Beth!  I went home and finished the hook closure, even though I originally thought that type of closure would be too difficult for me to connect on my wrist, but it was a cinch!  I also made some darlin' butterfly earrings to match.  As time permitted over the weekend I made a second bracelet in blue hues.  I'm now hooked on using 16 and 18 gauge wire (I usually work with 20-24 gauge), and using these bail making pliers in differing sizes.  PLUS the patina process - love how it makes the copper wire look, without having to wait so long for the natural aging process.