Baby...it's hot outside!

94 degrees with a dew point of 72 - that is hot!  Sticky, thick, hard-to-breathe-outside, nasty Summer.  Not my favorite Season (at all).  So I am hunkering down in my basement studio with a sweatshirt on - so cold in here!  But, adding layers of clothing for warmth is so much better than taking the layers off!

So, I made this bracelet last week...and it sold very quickly.

Lovely lampwork by Maryse of GlassBeadArt.  And, I have been having so much fun with my torch (seeking warmth in the basement?  Possibly)!  I soldered and textured the links for the chain.  Adjustable bracelets made easy!

I replicated this design in copper, with some gorgeous Lapis from Happy Mango Beads.  There is also a colorful Tibetan Bead in this mix.

This next bracelet features gorgeous lampwork DONATED to me from Mallory Hoffman (Rosebud on etsy).  I am calling the colors Coke Bottle Glass (obviously, not the correct name, but, you got a visual of the color, didn't you?!)  This was VERY HARD to photograph - I typically take my photos on a large slab of granite and the colors just blended with the background.  So, I pulled out my photo Gray Cards...much better!

I had on hand one last orphan bead from Basha Beads that perfectly matches these lovelies. 

 I made a pair of earrings as well.

Mallory very generously sent me a HUGE package of lampwork beads - she knows that I donate my proceeds from jewelry sales to Miracle Horse Rescue and wanted to assist me in my efforts.  I am humbled by her generosity!  Thank you so much, Mallory! (here is a link to Mallory's shop on Etsy). I hope to be listing more jewelry made with her lovely beads in the near future! :)

I have also been practicing my silver bezel setting skills - I have this awesome lampwork cab made by Sue Kennedy.  It's not perfect and I am not "there" yet, but, the fact that I have not burned up any bezel wires makes me think I am slowly getting "it"!

I am telling you, working on this pendant - in particular, the sawing (ugh) - has made me appreciate even more how much work goes into these pieces.  I hope to perfect this skill...one piece at a time!

Well, it is supposed to cool down a bit before this Friday, the 4th...keeping my fingers crossed!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

xo

Patti

Played with some metal today

So last week, I read this post on the Love My Art Jewelry website (love this site...so many tips and so much inspiration).  I had read eons ago how to successfully twist wire, and put that on my long list of "must try this".  Karen McGovern posted her tips on twisting the wire (great tutorial, for which she gives credit to The Ganoskin Project). So yesterday and today, I did!

I have made quite a few solid copper and/or silver bangles before - but never twisted the metal.  Now, Karen says it's "easy peasy", and it was!  The bangles above are made with 10 gauge copper.  I actually pulled out my copper solder (of which I still have pounds of coils sitting in a drawer).  It still solders with a silver tone, but the liver of sulfur helps to mask that silver streak a bit.

I used 14 gauge copper for the earrings above.

Silver hoops above made with 14 gauge wire.

Then I went on to other things.  In the past, I had a serious problem with filing away excess solder on my pieces.  But Joanne Tinley was kind enough to leave a comment on my blog with a link to Rio Grande for these buffing wheels for use with a flex shaft or Dremel.  I decided to become friends with my Dremel, and I am so happy I did!

I was able to successfully file away the excess solder used to attach that ball of silver at the bottom of the hoops.  I feel so accomplished by this tiny little task that was driving me bonkers!  Many thanks to Joanne for the link!!!

The last pair is possibly my favorite - just hoops that I soldered, flattened and textured on the bottom.  I added the most luscious freshwater pearls (from Majestic Pearls). I was so excited to find quality pearls with large holes - let's face it, I'm a metal wire girl.

Thanks for stopping by today - have a wonderful week!

xo

Patti

Dreaming of Pastels

One year ago yesterday - I bought these beads from Donna Millard - and they are so special!  I have kept them on my desk, in a handmade ceramic bowl for a year now, where I smile every time I look at them!  The colors of these beads emanate from the inside out.  Soft pastels, with specs of color, in a chunky nugget shape, with a soft, matte finish.  Ahhh....

It was time I did something with these beads.  I have a dress that has all of these colors.  So, I made myself a necklace.  Something I NEVER do, as my jewelry box is stuffed with jewelry from more talented artists!

Anyway, I soldered a few rings from heavy silver wire and added texture.  Some of these beads have actual gold leaf on the outside.

I am not normally drawn to pastels - I am more an earth tone, blue jean kinda girl.  But these beads...

Made a simple pair of earrings with the purple beads, too.

I would normally add patina to the silver, and throw the whole thing in my tumbler.  But, I had concerns that the finish on the beads could not handle the buff and tumble.  So, I kept it shiny.  I made a toggle clasp from one of Cindy Wimmer's design from her book - The Missing Link.  This will be worn with the clasp to the side, as opposed to the back of the neck.

I believe Donna has outdone herself on these beads.  My only sorrow is that now I have to visit my jewelry box to look at them, instead of my ceramic bowl on my bench!  I think I can handle that!

On a side note, I am running a special sale in my shop - hay prices in Nevada have gone sky high.  So, all proceeds from my shop will be donated to Miracle Horse Rescue so they can feed these special, rescued furbabies.

Thanks for stopping by - hoping your last weekend of Spring is wonderful!

xo

Patti

Made a little progress on my bead stash....

In my last post, I showed pics of my latest hoard purchase of gorgeous beads from Happy Mango Beads.  This is what I have made..so far.

First up, I made a pair of earrings with these lovely lapis chips and ancient chevron beads from Nepal.  I had a hard time deciding on silver or copper...I obviously picked copper! 

Next, I paired the Burmese Jade Chips with these gorgeous hand formed porcelain leaves from Scorched Earth.  My goodness, the colors in these leaves are just stunning...blues...greens...pops of gold!  These earrings were a bear to photograph!

Keirsten Giles recently posted a wire wrapping tip on the Art Jewelry Elements blog - you take heavy gauge wire (in the case below, 16 gauge), flatten it, and just make simple loops.  This is quite effective when using large holed beads, such as the recycled glass I used in this necklace.  I will not lie - this took a long time to hammer, wrap, file the edges smooth, trip the edges, file again, wrap.  Repeat.  But I love the look!

In fact, I loved the look so much, that I made a longer necklace as well.  This one uses the same gray sandcast beads as the short necklace, above.  But I added complementary recycled beads to pull the colors out of those awesome stripes.

While making this necklace, I was craving root beer hard candy!  Anyone else remember those root beer barrels?  Loved them!

This was made with no clasp - just slips over the head.   

The picture below shows the two necklaces worn together.  I might add, this picture was taken in natural light outdoors. My photo booth tends to make those yellow beads look a tad on the neon side - trust me - they are not neon! I think the two look great when worn together.

This last bracelet I made this weekend features gorgeous - and I mean drop dead gorgeous - lampwork beads by Beads and Botanicals.  They are tiny - but each one is truly a genuine work of art.  

I took a picture of the beads in my hand so you could see how small they are.  I added tiny (3mm) bone beads to the mix, also from Happy Mango Beads  and a tiny artisan copper charm by Kristi Bowman Design..

I don't often make multiple strand bracelets - they are difficult for me!  But I love how this one turned out.  

My hands are still black from buffing all the liver of sulfur off of the copper!

So...that was my weekend.  I did also take time to spend outdoors - the weather was absolutely fantastic here in Northern Virginia.  Not for long...humidity starts tomorrow.  Ugh...

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

xo

Patti

I may have gone just a tad overboard.....

It's never a good idea to shop for beads...from your IPad...late at night...sitting on the couch....when it is quiet and you are bored....or is it?

Well, I did just that two days ago...at Happy Mango Beads.  And I received the biggest package in the mail today (TWO DAYS!!!).  Want to see my loot?

Look at all that lusciousness!!  Here are a few close-ups of my favorites (okay...they are all my favorites!)

I have been totally enamored with recycled glass beads (above).  They are handcrafted and are not perfectly round - love that organic feel - but they are perfectly frosty and matte.

Lapis Lazuli Chips - these are quite large - one of my favorite gemstones.  The beads in the middle of the above picture - with the unique striping are Sandcast Glass beads - made from crushed glass.  The bottom lentil shaped beads are also recycled glass - love this shape!

Burmese Jade discs - I am in love with every single color here!

This last pic features Russian Amazonite (third strand from the top) gemstones in a lentil shape and old Chevron Beads from Nepal - those may be my favorite of the whole bunch!

Now, if I could just find the time to make something with all these beauties!

Tomorrow is Friday - can I get a collective YEAH???!!!

Thanks for stopping by today!!

xo

Patti