Year of Jewelery - Week 5 - Deja Vu

The challenge this week is deja vu.  This bracelet is a design I originally did for the blog hop Memories and Thanks - for that bracelet I used aquamarine rondelles and the fine silver coated pennies. My sister loved the bracelet and asked me to make one for her using the colors of the Baltimore Ravens football team.  I made that for her last week and she wore it to work for her firms "Spirit Day" - which netted two more orders. (for those that may not know, the Baltimore Ravens are playing in the Super Bowl this coming Sunday - which may or may not be attributed to the wearing of this very special bracelet)

I used pennies once again - this time I used fine silver wire to coat the top of the pennies - I think I like this treatment much better than the PMC coating.

I used 18 gauge sterling silver wire for the coil connectors

I wrapped about 1,000 (okay not really - more like 50) 4mm and 6mm Swarovski crystals in black and purple (I made the head pins using 22 gauge sterling silver wire)

 

I created a clasp using 16 gauge stering silver wire - I balled both ends of one piece of wire and made a hook and out of the other piece made a ring; hammered it for texture and strength.

 

I hope the recipient loves it - more imprtantly I hope it brings the Baltimore Ravens much luck in their football game on Sunday.

 

 



Year of Jewelry 2013 - Week 4 - "Not from the Mall"

This weeks challenge was to make a piece that you wouldn't be able to buy at the mall.  I had been percolating an idea all week about links - big giant copper links - something that involved hammering and fire.  I tried a few different designs, used a LOT of 14 gauge copper wire and finally came up with this link.  It is a simple design but it's elegant in its simplicity.

I cut the wire to length, torched one end of each piece - then (using one of the arms on my wine opener - yes really!) formed each ring. 

 

 

I then connected each link

 

 

 

created an hook clasp and "O" ring for closure

 

 

 





Finally I gave it a bath in Perma Blu to patina it, buffed the bracelet to highlight the copper and it was done.  I had great fun creating this piece that surely you would never find in a mall!

Year of Jewelry 2013 - Week 3 "Music"

I am woefully behind on this weekly challenge.............I am still working on week 2 - "Grace" - but until I have it done, here is week 3 "Music".

This bracelet is musical.  It is almost like a charm bracelet in that it makes "music" as you move.  I used 5 pieces of leather cording (to represent the Staff lines present on sheet music), I added some 14 gauge copper rings that I had torched to create balls on each end, twisted them into a ring and strung them on.

 I added two of these rings to each cord, some small copper beads and then made spring coil ends and a hand forged "S" clasp.

 

 

Memories and Thanks

First of all I want to thank Lori Anderson for being the hostess of this amazing Blog Hop.  If you are just happening upon this post and do not know about the Memories and Thanks Blog Hop you can read about it here.

This was a bittersweet project for me, as I created this bracelet in memory of my niece, who I miss each and every day.  She was the first child born of my siblings, and as such, created and maintained a very special place in my heart.  I was there the day my sister gave birth to her (I actually drove her to the hospital while she was in labor); after she came home to live, I was in charge of the midnight feeding - a lovely quiet time of the day when it seemed as though we were the only two in the world awake........we talked about everything in those hours.......but mostly my hopes and dreams for her future.  Although I moved away, my bond with her never wavered - it was always a joy and a blessing to see her and spend time with her.  I watched with pride her grow into a beautiful young woman, one who was sweet, kind and so very loving.  We lost her when she was so, so young and I miss her big wide smile every single day. 

That smile was the thought behind every single wrapped aquamarine on this bracelet.  Her smile was as bright as a beautiful blue sky - it brought joy and brightened every corner of me.

The silver discs are actually pennies that I fired with some silver PMC - I love the texture of them - sort of rough but shiny - which is also reminiscent of my niece's personality.

 They are not dead, 
Who leave us this great heritage of remembering joy.
 
They still live in our hearts,
 In the happiness we knew, in the dreams we shared.
 
They still breathe,
 In the lingering fragrance,windblown, from their favorite flowers.
 
They still smile in the moonlight’s silver, 
And laugh in the sunlight’s sparking gold.
 
They still speak in the echoes of the words we’ve heard them say again and again.
 
They still move,
 In the rhythm of waving grasses, in the dance of the tossing branches.
 
They are not dead; 
Their memory is warm in our hearts, comfort in our sorrow.
 
They are not apart from us, but part of us,
 
For love is eternal, 
And those we love shall be with us throughout all eternity

-Anonymous

Please visit the other participants in the blog hop:

Hostess, Lori Anderson       Pretty Things

 Adlinah Kamsir                   Dream Struck Designs

 Aimee Biondolillo               Aimee's Jewelry Treasures

 Alicia Marinache                 All the Pretty Things 
 Andra Marasteanu               Handmade by Indra Marasteanu 
 Andrea Trank                      Heaven Lane Creations
 April Grinaway                   Brooklyn Bead Goddess

Barb Solem                         Vivi Magoo Presents

Becky Pancake                    Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Beth Emery                         Stories by Indigo Heart

Bonnie Coursolle                Jasper's Gems

Cassi Paslick                       Beads: Rolling Downhill

Catherine King                    Catherine's Musings

Cece Cormier                      The Beading Yogini

Chandra Leitz                     Juniper Goods

Charissa Nesler                   FireStorm Designs
Charlie Jacka                       Clay Space

Christina Hickman              Vintage Treasures Jewelry

Christine Murrow               Charis Designs Jewelry
Christine Stonefield            Sweet Girl Design

Chrizette Bayman               Bead Soup Mix

Cindy Wilson                      It's My Sea of Dreams

CJ Bauschka                       4 His Glory Creations by CJ

Crystal Thain                      Here Bead Dragons

Cyndi Lavin                        Beading Arts

Debbie Rasmussen             A little of this, a little of that

Denielle Hagerman             Some Beads... and other things I like
Diana Gonzalez                  Arte y Poemas

Diane Hawkey                    diane hawkey

Dita Basu                            ankarshilpa

Donetta Farrington             Simply Gorgeous

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell     Deeliteful Jewelry Creations

Emma Todd                        A Polymer Penchant

Erin Kenny                         beadiful therapy

Erin Prais-Hintz                  Treasures Found

Gina Hockett                      Freestyle Elements

Gloria Allen                        Innovative Dreams Jewelry

Heather Marston                 CSW Designs

Inge von Roos                    Inge's Blog

Iveth Caruso                       Creative Atelier

Jacqueline Marchant          Fiddledeedee Jewelry

Jami Shipp                         Celebrating Life!

Jean Yates                          Snap Out of it Jean, There's Beading to Do!

Jennifer Reno                     Musings of a Crafty Jenny
Jenny Robledo                   Peppa's Dream

Jennifer VanBenschoten    Jewelry, Art and Life
Jessica Klaaren                  Cellar Door Jewelry

Jessica Murray                   Whimsical Monkey

Joan Williams                     lilruby jewelry

Jo-Ann Woolverton            It's a Beadiful Creation

Joanne Browne                   josjewels1

Jodie Marshall                    Jodie Marshall Lampwork Beads Wearable Art

Johanna Rhodes                 Fire Phoenix Creations
John Rasmussen                 Rasumussen Gems and Jewelry LLC

JuLee Wolfe                       The Polymer Penguin

Julie Bean                           Blue Pig Blog

Karen Mitchell                   Over the Moon Designs

Karin King                         The Sparklie Things Blog
Karin Slaton                       Backstory Beads

Kat Douglas                       Washoe Kat's
Kay Bolton                        Toodles and Binks

Kelly Hosford Patterson     The Traveling SideShow

Kim Ballor                          Vitamin C ... A Daily Does of Creativity

Kim Dworak                       CianciBlue

Kim Houston                       The Pink Martini
Kym Hunter                         Kym Hunter Designs

Laren Dee Barton                Laren Dee Designs

Lea Avroch                          LA Jewelry Designs

Leanne Loftus                      First Impression Design

Liddy McLaughlin               Liddy McLaughlin Art

Linda Florian                       Lily's of the Valley Jewelry & Creative Creations

Linda Inhelder                     Must-Haves Jewelry

Lisa Hamilton                      Simply Irresistable Jewelry
Lisa Suver                            Fancee That

Lori Bowring Michaud        Artfully Ornamental

Lori Poppe                           Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

LouAnn Elwell                    Southpass Beads

Mandi Effron                       Craft-o-licious

Marcia DeCoster                 MadDesigns

Marcia Dunne                     The Alternative Foundry

Marie Covert                      Creating Interest

Marjorie Savill Linthwaite     bennubirdrising

Marlene Cupo                        Amazing Designs by Marlene

Martha Aleo                           Ornamento

Marti Conrad                          Marti's Buttons -n- Beads

Mary Ellen Parker                  BeeTree by m.e.

Mary Govaars                        MLH Jewelry Designs

Mary Lindell                          Mary Lindell Artisan Jewelry

Maureen Connolly                 Mrs Beadsley's Workshop

Maybeline Tay                       The Jewelry Larder

Melissa Elgin                         The Addicted Beader

Melissa Mesara                      one-eared pig beads

Menka Gupta                         Menka's Jewelry

Michaela Pabeschitz              la mar de bonita

Mischelle Fanucchi               Micheladas Musings

Mona Rae Baroody               Who Does She Bead She Is?

Nan Emmett                          Spirit Rattles -- Spirited Earth

Nancy Pedersen                    Something Heartfelt by Nancy

Natalie Davidson                  NorthShore Days
Nikki Douglas                      Bead It and Weep

Pam Farren                           re-maker

Pam, the Crazier Sister        The Crazy Creative Corner

Pam Traub                            Klassy Joolz
Priya Krish                           Hellopalz 
Rebecca Anderson               Song Beads

Rebecca Sirevaag                 Becca's Place

Robin Kae Reed                   Artistry HCBD

Rochelle Brisson                  a creative chelle

Rosa Maria Cuevas              Helena de Troya

Sabine Dittrich                     perlendschungel

Sandi Volpe                          Sandi Volpe

Sandra McGriff                    Creative Chaos

Sarah Goode                         Pookledo
Sarah Singer                         String a Song of Sixpence

Serena Trent                         All Things Made Jewelry

Shai Williams                       Shaiha's Ramblings
Sharon Palac                        Sharon's Jewelry Garden

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson    Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections

Sheila Davis                         Stone Designs

Shelley Graham Turner        Fabric of My Life

Sherri Stokey                       Knot Just Macrame

Sherry Baun                         Unicorns Jewels

Skylar Bre'z                         Brising Beads

Stephanie Haussler              Pixybug Designs

Tania Spivey                        Moobie Grace Designs

Terri G.                                Blooming Ideas

Terry Carter                         Tapping Flamingo

Terry Matuszyk                    Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Toltec Jewels                       Jewel School Friends
Tracy Kruse                         Goldkisses Art

Tracy Martin                        Nutkitten's Jewelry

Zia Parks                              Anzi~Panzi's Work Shoppe

Zoe Marcin                          Beads, Tea and Sweets

Experimentation

I saw a post on Facebook in one of the jewelry groups I belong to.  It was a pair of earrings that had been torch fired with enamel and with silver.  It got me to thinking about silver on a penny - I wondered how that would look in place of the enamel - or maybe even with enamel.  No experiments are out of order in the workshop!

I wanted to try it but knew from my research on the subject of soldering silver to copper, sterling silver will not stick to copper unless there is flux and solder present.  But, I wondered about fine silver.  I know you can fuse fine silver to itself and wondered if it was the same with fine silver and copper.  I have no fine silver wire or sheet but I happen to have a package of precious metal clay that I got back in August of 2005.   Yes. Seriously.  I had never used it - I opened it and looked at it but then chickened out and put it all back.  Wrapped it up tight in three ziplock bags and the original protective bag it came in and put it away.  For all these years!  When I took it out this morning it was still moist.  Really!  I was so excited!

I experimented with three pennies - on the first penny I just put a lump of the clay on top of the penny and tried firing it from underneath, like I would with enamel, but even though the penny got red hot nothing happened to the lump 'o silver.  I applied the fire directly to the clay and lo and behold, it melted onto the penny.

Lump of clay - penny after being cleaned

With the second penny I crumbled some clay on top and then fired it. 

Crumbled on top - penny after being cleaned

Before firing the third penny I took a small chunk of clay, mixed it with water and made a slip of the silver; painted the penny and then fired it.  I LOVE how this one came out.  I like how it looks craggy and wrinkled.

Silver Clay mixed with water then fired

This is just the beginning of the experimentation.............

Year of Jewelry 2013 Week 1 - "Renewal"

Once again, I am embarking on the year long project called Year of Jewelry.  I participated a few years ago and found that it instilled some discipline in my creative process, well as much as you can discipline creativity, as well as keeping me on track just simply designing, making, and more importantly, finishing a piece.  At the end of the year it's always interesting to take a look back and see how my work has grown and changed from the challenge.

The theme of the week is "Renewal".  I walked around saying the word and trying to envision what it meant to me. The recurring thought for me was "Spring" (possible because it's winter and all around me is bare trees and frosted grass!).  So, when I finally had the opportunity I sat at the bench, pulled out the beads and copper and came up with this design.

Renewal

I cut a leaf shape out of my copper sheet, shaped it, domed it and etched it

used some of my 12 or 14 gauge wire to make some swirly connectors 

wrapped some beautiful blue Peruvian opal beads and some luscious wine fluorite rondells 

crafted a nice clasp for it (again with the 12/14 gauge copper wire)

It's been patinaed with Perma Blue which adds a really nice contrast.

Renewal