Pulled out the copper wire (16 gauge round and 18 gauge square for the flower and 14 gauge for the free-form bracelet)the other day and decided to try a couple of ideas that had been floating around in my brain for a while. I made the free form bracelet first - I used a length of the 14 gauge and made some squiggles which I then beat flat with the hammer. (I highly recommend this for taking out some frustration!!!) I had some (17mm?) cobalt/copper swirl beads in my stash so I used those to join the squiggles, made a simple hook and ring clasp and...........Voila - a bracelet is born. It's a solid, big bracelet and not for the faint of heart, but I really like how it turned out.
The flower was born from 16 gauge round wire that I handformed into a flower shape - and I wanted the hint of a stem so I coiled one end of the wire over the other end for the join. (also, I have not yet had the soldering lesson!!!!) I beat this piece with the hammer, too (oh my poor dogs!) and then created an infinity chain link for the necklace. Once it was together I thought it looked too plain so I wrapped some beautiful faceted blue briolettes into a flower shape and wrapped it onto the flower as center petals. I added two briolettes from the "stem" and now it doesn't look too plain at all!!!
