Saturday, March 30, 2013

The 7th Bead Soup Blog Party & The Year of Jewelry Project 2013 - Week 14

Is finally here!!! 

Meet my partner Lyn Foley, an amazing lamp work artist who sent me the most beautiful hand made beads in my favorite color palate of blues and greens. Here's what I received....


As usual, time got away from me and the necklace part of this piece did not get done, but here's what I did with the focal, which my DH suggested might be a Christmas ornament...and no, I did not smack him...
 


The toggle became a "spinner" ring.....

And a few of the beads wanted to become earrings.....
Want to see more? Check out the rest of the Bead Soup Blog Party participants here!

Monday, March 25, 2013

The Year of Jewelry Project 2013 - Week 13

From the UFO file....started 2011....finished 2013....onward.... :-)

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Bling it Sistah!

oh yeah, you can't go wrong with a little bling... :-)

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Back in the Saddle...

......I mean studio.  :-)

After the mad dash of the past few months, finally I can relax and get back to playing with metal. There are a couple of techniques I've been wanting to tackle. First; soldering with copper scraps. Years ago, I bought a pendant from a welder who made little abstract faces from his scraps. Although my piece looks nothing like a face, it has some interesting textural and dimensional qualities, no?

The second "Soldering with Scraps" was a cuff, because as you may know, I have a thing for cuffs. And yes, it really is........
The next set of experiments involves a swirly wire wrapping technique inspired by my friend Szarka Carter. I figured out a rather "creative" way to cold connect the cab and wires to the ring and voila!

Monday, March 4, 2013

The Year of Jewelry Project 2013 - Week 10

The patina used was from a recipe on Sue Lacy Designs.

Tucson 2013 Wrap Up

I know this post is almost a month late, but it has been QUITE a month.  On Jan. 28, I closed my retail shop and on Feb 1, left for 10 days of teaching and shopping at the annual Tucson Gem Show.  Upon my return, the next 2 weeks were spent unpacking, organizing, and getting ready for the Open House, which took place last weekend (see previous post). So now finally, onto the next item on the to do list; an update from this years Tucson Gem Show.....

First I would just like to say that whoever decided to schedule the nations premiere gem show in Tucson in February is a freakin' genius!

Day 1: Here's the Cleveland I left on the morning of Feb. 1....
....and the Tucson I arrived to later that day. 

The week began at full throttle and did not let up much, but  it was so much fun I did not even notice being exhausted...

Day 2: Cuff Luv class in the morning, Birds Nest Rings in the afterrnoon, and dinner with Brenda and Kat in the evening.
 
Day 3: Crystal Cornucopia Class

Day 4&5: Worked the WireKnitZ booth at the To Bead True Blue Show, chatted with lot's of jewelry making friends, and even found time to head over to the Best Bead Show for the Swarovski Crystal Ambassadors book signing party.

Day 6: Shopping, then dinner with Lilian and Susan.

Day 7: Fold Forming 101, Fold Forming 102, then dinner with the Orchid Group, a group of online metal workers.
 

Day 8: Rosette Cuff and Bangle Class, then party at Jodi's.

Day 9: Embossed Cuffs Class in the morning, Fold Forming 101 in the afternoon, then packing up and shipping everything home.

Day 10: Up at 3 am for the 2 hour drive to Phoenix and a 7 AM flight home...remind me not to do THAT again next year... :-)