A Mish-Mash of Goings On....

Well, my Fundraising efforts on behalf of Miracle Horse Rescue have yielded just over $2,500 from September 5 - October 31st - $2,543.00 to be exact!  Thank you to everyone who shared my photo bombs on Facebook, including my Sales Ads!  

I have decided that I want to continue my efforts, and revamped my listings a bit.  From now on, 50% of all proceeds from sales in my shop will be donated to Miracle Horse Rescue.  Except, items made from the generosity of those artists who have donated beads to me - I am donating 100% of the proceeds from those sales.  Many thanks to Jan Onipenco of Molten Mayhem and Jeannie Dukic of  Jewelry by Jeannie!  

I am very slowly working through my stash of lampwork beads from Jan.  Specifically, this set:

The focal bead is quite large 1 1/4" - and the colors are just fabulous!! I made a necklace with  - yes - a link from Cindy Wimmer's new book, The Missing Link.

This link is the Corona link - I love the bare wire and coils together in one link!

I had EXTREMELY bright sunshine this morning - so taking Lolita outside for a photo session was not going to happen.  So instead, she stood in front of my closed basement door in natural daylight - I think this picture looks passable!

Yep - I made earrings with the two smallest beads in the set - these are so lightweight!

I have managed to carve an hour here..an hour there...to make other items as well.  I have 3 shows coming up, so time is of the essence!

Cute little lampwork birdie and matching beads by Donna Millard.

This sweet bronze flower charm by LeAnn Weih was begging to be attached!

I added another link from Cindy's book here - it's double hoops wrapped together.   In her book, the links are larger - these are teeny tiny!

Matching earrings with hand cut bead caps. Love the rustic finish on these beads.

I finally made the ear wires for my fold formed leaves!  Those are actually garnets nestled inside the leaves - another stone that just not photograph well!  They are actually a deep, deep red.

Tiny (4mm) Sun Stone cubes.  I added a teeny weeny tendril in copper.

More gorgeous lampwork from Donna Millard.

Instead of plain hoops, I added coils to these - very small!  The rustic rounds are by Jody Brimhall of Inspire Glass Studio.

I had two of these lovely, turquoise lampwork beads by Lynda Cogbill of Lyndas Lampwork left over from my bracelet I gave away a couple of weeks ago.  This is my favorite style of earring, made from heavy gauge wire and a large loop at the top.  Perhaps I like this because I get to bang the metal and let out any frustrations...I dunno...

I still cannot believe it is November 2nd!  Halloween was a relative bust in my neighborhood.  Although the forecast was for rain to hold off until well after 9:00 PM, it starting coming down in buckets by 6:30 PM.  Poor kids! And, someone had the audacity to post on Facebook that there are only 9 Sunday's until Christmas!  Ugh.....

Well, I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

It is finally my favorite season!!

Fall!  Actually, my favorite season is winter.  But, Fall will do!  Although in my neck of the woods, Northern Virginia, the maples have not turned quite as red as I like, it is still full of color...and inspiration!

I purchased a tutorial on Etsy a few weeks ago from Linda Aspenson Bergstrom on how to make leaves from copper.   I sat down at the bench on Saturday and played with some copper sheet - 22 gauge to be specific.  

These are pendant size- oh my, I had so much fun!  After fabricating, I tossed these in a bath of liver of sulfur, buffed, and tumbled.  The copper was gloriously shiny!  But then I added just a touch of golden gilder's paste - I wanted them to resemble the falling leaves in my backyard.

After showing these to my mother, she said those would be pretty smaller, as earrings.  So, back to the bench...

But this time, I skipped the Liver of sulfur.  I colored with the flame from my torch and added the tiniest amount of gilder's paste.  Most of these have the color on just the edges.  I am still experimenting.

The picture above shows the size comparison.  I added a few coats of Permalac to seal in the color.  I have actually made two pairs of earrings already, but the ear wires have to take a tumble before final assembly.

In the meantime, I wanted to use one of the leaves.  So, I whipped up this necklace using ....you guessed it...another link from Cindy Wimmer's new book, The Missing Link!  I was going for whimsical here...not sure if I achieved that exactly, but I still like this chain!

This is a very cool link - looks just like a light bulb!  Cindy had a tutorial  a while back in one of the wire magazines - it was either Step by Step Wire or Easy Wire - for the light bulb clasp.  I have actually used made these clasps before, but it has been awhile.  I couldn't find the tutorial (my magazine collection grows like my bead collection...ugh...I cannot find anything when I want it!).  So, I just followed the link design, but made the clasp in a heavier gauge - 14 gauge.

I wanted to use a copper leaf as a charm, so I made one of the light bulb links in 14 gauge, and strung a sweet little ceramic leaf charm by Karen Totten of Starry Road Studio, and the CUTEST  bronze squirrel charm!  This charm is very special, as it was made by LeAnn Weih of Summers Studio.  LeAnn has been learning the art of Lost Wax Casting - and this is one of her first charms!   I cannot explain this artform and give it justice - suffice it to say it is arduous!  I was - and am - extremely honored to have received this little beauty, which I think completes pendant...don't you?  Thank you again, LeAnn!!

Isn't he adorable!  I strung some tiny little jasper rounds on top of my copper leaf....I believe that little squirrel thinks those are food related!

Yes - again, I stood on a chair with a photography lamp in my left hand, camera in my right, and I am so proud that I did fall off that chair!  (There has GOT to be a better way to take pics of Lolita wearing necklaces...I just do not know what that is yet)!

That was my weekend.  I hope yours was just as wonderful!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

xo

Patti

Thank you to Jeannie Dukic!

Another wonderful artist has yet again donated to me some gorgeous handmade beads!  These beads will be hopefully finding their way into one of my jewelry pieces, and proceeds from the sales will be donated to Miracle Horse Rescue.

Artist Jeannie Dukic contacted me last week and offered to send me some beads.  Heck yeah!! Jeannie  makes the most incredible polymer clay beads. Peeled paint, faux stoneware, faux basha beads, charms, pendants - the famous gin blossom - and now, her newest creations which she has entitled Polarity.

These babies will fool your eye for sure - they look just like lampwork!  

Look at the incredible depths of color and the shine!

I am a sucker for blue and green!

I just love the texture on the pendant above!

Look at the gorgeous metallic finish on the Eternity Charms above!  You would swear they were a copper bead that had a liver of sulfur bath and went through the buffing and tumbling process to achieve that gorgeous color!

I actually finished one piece of jewelry already, as I could not wait to see these beads in a necklace!

I generally do not sketch - I cannot even read my own grocery lists, much less draw out a design.  I usually just sit down at the bench with my beads of choice (that is half the battle, as my stash is huge and I want to use every bead RIGHT NOW!!) and start bending wire.  I could not do that with these beads, as I tend to add patina to my wire AFTER my design is complete. I did not want to ruin the polymer, obviously, so.. I sketched! Kinda.  Then, I made my links, jump rings, lengths of wire, etc., gave them a bath in liver of sulfur, buffed until my hands were black...I even tumbled the wire prior to final construction.  Then I prayed.  

Why yes, that happens to be a link from Cindy Wimmer's new book, The Missing Link.  That is one piece of wire all swirled into one link.  Very cool link, Cindy!!  It looks delicate, but that's 18 gauge wire and once it is tumbled and hardened, that baby keeps it shape!  I love that link!

The best part about this necklace is how lightweight if feels when worn!  I made it choker length - so it could peak out from the collar or lay right atop the neckline.

I dragged Lolita outside for her model shot late this afternoon, as there was still a bit of sunshine.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Jeannie, for your generous contribution for my efforts to raise funds for Miracle Horse Rescue!  The equines thank you, too!

Please be sure to visit Jeannie's shop and grab some of these beauties - you will NOT be disappointed!  Her shop can be found by clicking here. 

Thanks for stopping by today - have a wonderful weekend!

xo 

Patti

Bubbilicious and More

I have made another small dent in the goodies gifted to me from Jan Onipenco of Molten Mayhem. Jan donated these beads to support my efforts for my fundraiser for Miracle Horse Rescue!  First up, these deliciously colorful beads.  I named that focal Bubbilicious - I still cannot believe that is one piece of glass!

I sat down at my bench with Cindy Wimmer's new book, The Missing Link.  I made 7 different links that I thought might work with the focal bead.  Here is a bad IPad picture of 5 of them.  

I love each of the links, but did not feel they would be substantial enough to work with the focal.  So, I ended up with these.

I made a small bail to mimic the marquis- shaped beads.  The focal is wired onto heavy, 14 gauge wire.

Lots of time was spent buffing the patina on this baby!  My hands were black! But, well worth it - I love how this turned out!

I still have not found the perfect location for Lolita - my model.  This picture was taken in my basement - Lolita is standing in front of a white backdrop with 3 photo lamps, one of which is in my left hand, while the camera is in my right - and I am standing on a chair!

Matching Earrings too!  I am really loving the colors in these beads!

Next, I pulled out this beautiful bead.

I lost count on how many colors were swirled together!  I thought about combining some gemstones to make a necklace...but, I ended up with a "simple" chain.

The focal "bail" is a soldered ring of 14 gauge copper.  After soldering, I took two lengths of 20 gauge copper and balled the ends in the flame, and coiled them on opposite sides.  

Sidenote: I have tried copper solder in the recent past and it was an epic fail!  I had made 20 soldered rings and when I went to texture the rings, every single one split at the join.  I now have a 15 pound coil of copper solder that is going to be sitting in a draw unused!  This particular copper solder claims to be a better color match to the copper-it isn't!  Due to the metal content, the copper solder has a slightly gray color after soldering and pickling. I tried electro-plating the piece (adding a piece of steel to the pickle), but it was not working.  Two-toned metal rings is not the look I was going for.  So, my solution is these little coils to disguise the join.   I know...TMI!

I made a bead cap for this beauty, and wired it to the ring.  

I added some smaller soldered rings throughout the chain, to match the focal, and yes, there is another link from Cindy's book - Curlicue!   Love this link!

This one looks awesome when worn - well, except on Lolita!  Anyway, the drape is beautiful, even if my picture is not!

These creations will be in my Etsy shop - all proceeds will be donated to Miracle Horse Rescue.

Thank you again, Jan, for the beautiful beads, and Cindy for the wire inspiration!  I have six more sets of Jan's beautiful beads to go!  

Hope you all have a great day - thank you for stopping by!

xo

Patti

Winner!

My last post stated that I would be picking a winner BY Thursday....so the winner of this bracelet, with the gorgeous lampwork beads by LyndasLampwork, and the Stitched Infinity Link design inspired by Cindy Wimmer from her new book, The Missing Link....

is.....

Sherry Stokey!!

Sherry, please send me your mailing address (pattivan@comcast.net) and I will get this out to you pronto!

Please check out Linda Cogbill's Etsy shop here - it is full of gorgeous handmade beads!  

Many thanks to everyone who has shared my posts, "liked" my pics on Facebook, and purchased from my Etsy shop. My 20% off sale continues through Halloween - October 31, 2013.  All proceeds from sales in my shop will be donated to Miracle Horse Rescue! Oh, and the equine residents of Miracle Horse Rescue thank you, too!

Have a lovely day, and thank you for stopping by!!

xo

Patti