A Work in Progress

I got a request for some bracelets - some of my wire bracelets, so I sat down yesterday to make some. I had a few ideas in my head........pulled out some beads, some wire, played with colors and finally had a couple of plans. None of which worked. Sheesh - finally have some time to work uninterrupted and I can't seem to wring a bracelet out of four attempts - but in the whole mess I salvaged a necklace from which to hang my (domed penny)copper/pearl pendant.

I used 22 gauge copper wire and made some wrapped loops to join some really gorgeous vintage crystal bicones (probably 8mm) and some vintage pearls and 2mm Swarovski crystals. I used square copper wire for the jumprings and connection components and added a really nice antiqued copper toggle clasp. I still don't think this necklace is done yet...........I have an idea for etching the pendant..............stay tuned.......

Black Steel and Brass Wire

Gotta love Christmas - got a bunch of new wire to play with and here are the fruits of my labor. For the first bracelet I used the black annealed steel wire to make some coil components and wrap some pretty pink faceted glass beads, crafted some jump rings and added the antique typewriter keys to spell out A-N-D. I handcrafted a spiraled "S" clasp and added an extender chain and a wrapped bead so it would fit different sizes. I've made a few projects with these antique keys and I love them........but there seems to be no rhyme or reason to what I choose to spell out.........some would say I give my muse too much latitude!!!

In this bracelet I used 18 and 20 gauge brass wire - I love working with brass - some don't like the natural patina it gets (a mellow golden brown), but I do. Besides, it's easy to keep clean - swish it around in a lemon juice and salt mixture and it brightens right back up. Anyway, I found a tutorial on the Starving Artists forum (great place to learn and drool over pretties)for a wire wrapped bead bangle and tried it out. I think because I used some 10mm beads the wire measurements were a little off, but the tutorial is clear and well illustrated and I like the end result. So, because my bracelet was a little short on length, I added some jump rings, a hammered brass clasp and a wrapped bead to extend the length a bit. I made an extender chain so it would fit more sizes.

These two necklaces are some simple ones I made for my nieces for Christmas - the beads are actually small perfume beads from the Netherlands - I found them at my LBS and thought they would be perfect for each girl. I added a hammered and textured silver ring, some silver chain and a quaint little silver heart shaped lobster clasp.

Happy Holidays

Just want to wish everybody Happy Holidays!

I'm So Excited!!!!!

I got my January 2009 issue of Bead Trends Magazine - in which I have two pieces. Even though this is the second time I have been in the magazine, this time is extra special - one, because I have two pieces in it and, two, because one of my pieces is a photo for the table of contents. I am such a geek, I am posting pictures of the "spread" - and then below, the actual pieces as I photographed them.

Finally...........

..........I can post this bracelet. I made it for my sister for her birthday (Happy Birthday Eileen), and through a series of unfortunate events, was delayed in sending it out to her.......but she finally got it so here it is:

This bracelet is actually what started me on the road to heating the pennies on the wood stove (confused?.....see here) before working with them. Initially I was going to use pennies with her birth year on them but then got to thinking that she probably didn't want to advertise her age on her wrist (not that it bothers her, but why have a constant reminder?)so I domed the pennies so they were wheat side up. A penny for each of her children (3 boys - I really don't know how she survives!), with sterling wrapped turquoise (her birthstone)and garnet beads and finished off with a sterling silver lobster clasp. I swished the pennies in a mixture of lemon juice and salt so they came out shiny and brand new looking (really, really hard to capture the pretty pinkish glow of new copper with a camera) - so they blended really well with the sterling silver.

On a side note, once the penny has been cleaned in the lemon/salt solution and put back in the sand filled bowl on the wood stove, they get a really nice shade of red - which is of course cranking up the muse. Expect to see some red copper pennies real soon!