Creating with Cabochons

Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime is hosting yet another creative challenge - Creating with Cabochons. Any medium.

I have admired the fantastic bead weaving techniques of so many talented designers.  Sally was most kind and provided several video tutorials on bezel setting a cabochon...with my arch enemy...seed beads.  I have not finished this technique yet, as it apparently requires one to have excellent vision, which even with bifocals, magnifying glasses, and 4 ott-lights pointed directly at my work...do not.  However, after several broken needles, lots of choice words, and breaks between each seed bead row, here is where I stand so far:

I WILL finish this and post a pic when hell freezes over that day comes.

I did manage to complete a few more cabochons, using some silver sheet.  This cab is a beautiful Peacock Mine Turquoise.

The next cabochon is a Labradorite - small, but beautiful colors in this stone.

A couple of months ago, I purchased some heavy, 8 gauge silver to make bracelet bangles.  I had a couple of inches left over - not enough for a bracelet - and played around, added a couple of tiny Lapis Lazuli cabochons, and make the funkiest ring...I have ever had on my hand!

This was probably the hardest project (not including the beaded bezel of course)! 8 gauge silver, wrapped around a ring mandrel, requires annealing after each bang of the hammer! 

(Note to self - apply hand lotion and get a manicure before you use the macro setting while taking a picture of your own hand..ugh).

My last project is my favorite.  I purchased a most lovely set of lampwork beads and coordinating lampwork cabochon from Sheila Davis (Stone Designs by Shiela on Etsy).  The bicone lampwork beads are quite large...and oh so pretty!

Of course I made a bracelet, and earrings, too.

Thank you so much for pushing me - yet again - Sally!  Your hops always challenge me!

Now - let's see what everyone else has made!!!  Thank you for stopping by!

Sally Russick - Our lovely hostess!

D Lynne  Bowland

Alicia Marinache           

Lynn  Jobber           

Jenny Davies-Reazor           

Jo-Ann  Woolverton           

Marde Lowe           

Dawn Doucette           

Mary K McGraw           

Gloria Allen           

Cheri  Reed           

Sonya Stille           

Elizabeth Owens Dwy           

Veralynne   Malone           

Tania Hagen           

Lynsey  Brooks           

Christina Miles           

Holly  Westfall           

Kathy  Lindemer           

Patti Vanderbloemen   - That's me!        

Therese Frank           

Adrienne Berry           

Liz   E  

Tanty  Sri Hartanti           

Ginger Bishop

Renetha Stanziano           

Marlene  Cupo           

Sandi Volpe           

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson           

Niky  Sayers

Mischelle Fanucchi           

Tracy  Stillman           

Skylar Bre'z           

Ann Schroeder           

Paula Kramer

Jess Green           

Susan Kennedy           

Stacie  Florer           

Cathie  Carroll           

Susan F.   

Michelle Caballero       

Sabine Dittrich           

Kristina Johansson           

Kimberly Sturrup-Roberts           

Melissa  Meman           

Cheryl McCloud         

Michelle  Timms           

Cindy  Pack             

Lynda  Carson

Cynthia  Machata           

Julia  Harris           

Karin  Slaton

Ingrid  Anderson           

Karin Grosset Grange

Jasvanti  Patel  

Inge  von Roos

Molly Alexander

Toltec Jewels 

Designing in Black and White - Blog Hop Challenge

The lovely Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime is hosting another challenge - design a piece of jewelry that uses only black and white in the design - the exception being any metal of choice is acceptable.  (I tried to copy Sally's B&W Badge for this hop, but Blogger is giving me fits)!

Personally, I would fill my entire closet to mimic the attire of Johnny Cash - I LOVE black and white!  So much so, that I did not even have to purchase new beads for this challenge - I just went to my stash and actually had CHOICES!  Yay me!

I purchased three beautiful lampwork cabochons made by the lovely Kerry Bogert a while ago - all with a black and white theme.  I am trying to practice my soldering skills, so I bezel set the cabochon in sterling.

I did not want a single bail at the top - I knew I was going to wire wrap some beads and chain to the sides and I wanted two separate connections.  After I was done setting the lampwork,  a flash of Mickey Mouse and those ears of his came to mind...oh well...it's done.

Source:  family.go.com

Anyhow, I paired this new focal with gorgeous corkscrew lampwork beads by Alisha White.  The beads are made with clear glass with white and/or black stripes added.  These have awesome texture as well.  However, no matter what surface I used as a background, my pictures of these beautiful beads do not show how pretty they are in person!

See?  You can barely see on the black bead above the clear base, but trust me, the artist did a beautiful job!

In my quest to continue to make each piece of jewelry created entirely by hand, I added some handmade chain in sterling.  Just love making this!

I am not happy with my pictures, but I am pleased with how the necklace turned out!.

Of course, I made matching earrings!

I have made this style once before - I finished all ends of the wire by balling it in a flame - I "messy wrapped" intentionally to mimic the stripe in the pretty beads.

Thank you so much Sally - I have not been joining Blog Hops lately and I most certainly needed a push!

Please be sure to visit the blogs of all of the participants listed below.

Sally Russick

Monique Urquhart

Patti Vanderbloemen <----- That's me!

Veralynne Malone

Duane Clark

D Lynne Bowland

Michelle Buettner

Pam Sears

Therese Frank

Dawn Doucette

Nicole Rennell

Cynthia Machata

Alice Peterson

Carolyn Lawson

Evelyn Shelby

Ailsa Cordner

Michelle Escano

Mischelle Fanucchi

Jess Green

Adrienne Berry

Lynsey Brooks

Kashmira Patel

Ann Schroeder

Marlene Cupo

Susan F.

Susan Kennedy

Kathy Lindemer

Paula Kramer

Lisa Johnson

Sandi Volpe

Donna Bradley

Karin Slaton

Jasvanti Patel

Stefanie Teufel

Liz Engriser

Christine Altmiller

I love to read your comments!  Thank you so much for stopping by today!

--Patti

Focusing on Life - 2/52

This is week 2 of 52 for Sally Russick's Focus on Life challenge.  This week's photo prompt is to take a picture that represents our "single word" or "resolution" for 2013.  My Word for 2013 is Fearless.

 

My chosen Word is truly not just a Word to me - it is more of a feeling, a direction in which I want to take my life.  I am also not a Resolution kinda gal - I prefer the term goal.  And my goal -not just for this year-is to become more self confident, to be less of a "naysayer", to not second-guess every little thing, to not constantly weigh the pros and cons ( the cons always seem to win).  I want to follow through!  I want to see where this journey - my life - can take me.  I want to be more positive.  About Everything.  I don't want to look back and have regrets about "what could have been".  I just want "to do".

 

This quote I found on the Internet sums it up for me - I wish I could credit the author - but there was no link (if anyone knows, please advise!)

 

BE FEARLESS - If you could make only one resolution this year, let it be to live boldy.  You control THIS moment.  Rather than cautiously test the water, dive straight into life with freeing abandon.  Imagine the person you want to be, and the life you want to live, then simply commit to them.  Believe in yourself.  Embrace your beauty.  Discover a new passion.  And, whatever you do, wherever you go, don't be afraid to make a splash.

 

 

In trying to come up with a picture that synopsizes my word - I looked around my little world to try to find something that relates to Fearless.  Steps - where can they take me next?  Who knows? !  I just know that I will be taking them.

Thank you Sally!  Please be sure to stop by Sally's blog for links to this week's participants.

Thank you for stopping by!

Focusing on Life - 1/52 Pictures

I have mentioned my admiration of Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime on my blog before - she is a woman of many talents!  Her jewelry designs are no less than brilliant and her range of media astounds me - wire wrapping, leather, SEED BEADS (ugh!  I cannot do this AT.ALL.), enameling, etc., etc. etc.  She is also an excellent photographer.  She posted a new challenge on Facebook - "Focusing on Life - 52 Photos".  Once per week, she sends the participant a prompt, and we are to take a picture to post on our blog, Flicker, or Instagram.

 

Well, my photography skills are pre-beginner - at best - but I signed up anyway.  My word/mantra for 2013 is "Fearless"...so what better way to rally to the challenge?  I carefully chose "Fearless" to combat some of my low self esteem and lack of self confidence issues. Ha! I about died when I received my prompt for the first photo - Self Portrait. 

 

Have you ever seen a picture of me on my blog?  NO.  A picture of me on my Facebook page?  NO.  My Etsy Site?  NO. That little photo to the right on my blog sideline is of my long lost best friend Sam.  Ask anyone in my family - I tend to disappear at "family photo time". 

 

Well, Sally, I took 127 photos.  Yes 127.  Glasses on.  Glasses off.  Smiling.  Not smiling.  Black and White.  Color.  Ugh.  I did learn from Sally tips that my camera has a self-timer feature! Ha!   Who knew? At least I learned something!

 

Anyway - here it is.   I really do smile alot in "real life", but here I look so pensive.  Appropriate pose for this post.  'Nuff said.  Except, I can't wait for next week's prompt!

 

 

 

Seriously - I thank you Sally.  It took everything I had just to TAKE the pictures, much less post one! 

Please be sure to visit Sally's blog here to see the links of all of the participants.

Thanks for stopping by!

Color of Spring Blog Hop, with Sally Russick - enhanced by Donna Millard and Summers Studio!

Sally Russick, of The Studio Sublime, is an extremely multi-talented artist...she not only creates fabulous jewelry, but is also a mighty fine photographer!  She created these fantastic enameled bisque beads, and offered up a blog hop.  I purchased some of these beads last year and fell in love with them - they acquire a cool crackle finish during the enameling process.  She used the Pantone Colors of the Year for her color inspiration - I chose purple (Bell Flower) because it is my Mom's favorite color! These are the beads I chose:

I  recently purchased the most beautiful lamp work beads from Donna Millard - her work is fabulous!  I mean, look at the swirls of color in these beads!

So, after much pondering, I retrieved my wire and everything sat on my table for a week. I vacillated between silver and Vintaj....Vintaj won, though the effect is much darker than I wanted....not very spring like in my eyes!  I also wanted to use the purple, enameled lentil bead  as a focal in a necklace....and finally the design came to me. Without further ado, here is what I created!

I chose some beautiful, bronze star bead caps from Summers Studio to further enhance the focal bead. 

Thank you for hosting this blog hop Sally!  And, I love my beads!!!

Please visit the other blog hop participants, listed below.  Thanks for stopping by!

Host: Sally Russick
Margarita
Therese Frank
Kim Bender
Cabaret
JLynn Jewels
Christine Altmiller
Sweet Lilac
Cherrie Fick
Jenny Vidberg
Driftwood
Sabine Dittrich
Hope Smitherman
Solar Power
Nicole Rennell
Erin Fickert-Rowland
Bell Flower
Patti Vanderbloemen (You are Here!!)
Kristi Bowman
Starfish
Shannon Chomanczuk
Elisabeth Auld
Cockatoo
Alice Peterson
Donna Bradley
Sodalite Blue
Kristi Harrison
Cilla Watkins
Tangerine Tango
Lesley Watt
Maryanne Gross
Susan Kennedy
Courtney White Breul