CWJs...'Year of Jewelry' 2007

My son's teacher had left me (last fall, duh!) an old necklace that she didn't like anymore and never wore, asking me to create something else out of the green tubular beads. I went through my stash and found fused glass, cat's eye and black onyx beads that matched beautifully, and decided to crochet a pendant using a matching green glass glob and black artistic wire.

She hasn't seen it yet because her arthritis and other problems prevented her from getting out of her house very much with the harsh winter we had here in Quebec, and she stayed home as much as possible, going out only when she really had to.  However, I had shown her the partial sketch I made, and she had loved it, so I figure that the finished piece will please her as much as it pleases me! 

Now, I'm going back to work on week 28, and when finished, I will be proud of myself for having made all 52 pieces, not on time or always on theme, but all of them will be there! 

Johanne from Quebec
My web site  http://www.bijoudecameleon.com
My blog   http://4saisons.canalblog.com/

I made this pendant for a aquintence of a friend who is going through a heard time. Somebody gave her this Amethyst freeform cab and she wanted to wear it but had no idea how (no holes in there). So my friend told her about me and I met her and offered to make a pendant out of it. She was so happy with it. It made me just as happy giving it and seeing her happy face and how she showed it to everybody the ere.  She even made me a card all by herself and she never does anything creative and that was so moving. The Cab. has the word Wisdom carved on one side and has a engraved Coil on the other side. That is way I decided to keep the bezel simpel and used Eni's tutorial.

Sorry for the bad pic- I finished this about 1 hour before we went out for the evening on New Year's. The focal was done, but the actual necklace and clasp took a little time. It was a definite hit.  Thanks to everyone who has looked and supported me this year. It has been a year full of extemes for me - and all of you help in both. Thanks and congratulations to us all!  Perri

Yeah, late, but I finished!!  This last piece was difficult because I wanted to do something spectacular to finish this YOJ.  It was frustrating and I now have a graveyard of unfinished and dead pieces.  Someday I'll do a spectacular piece, but for now, my style is simple, its what I'm most comfortable with.  Hmmm...maybe that's why I didn't grow this year, I stuck with comfortable.
Anyway, I used 20 gauge sterling silver for the frame, 26 for wrapping and 1.8mm beads.   The stone is a beautiful Imperial Jasper.  I oxidized to finish.
Such wonderful and inspiring work by everyone this past year!  I'm so glad I participated!  Thank you to everyone.  -Nancy

Ok, I'm going to cheat and use this piece to cover 7 weeks- but seeing as it took me since November 2006 to bead I think it justifies it!
It's the latest piece in my Geometric Beadwork Series and started out slightly differently. But I felt that it was too similar to my other triangle bracelets so varied it by mixing in two different sized triangles.

I'm glad to have finally finished it!

Jean Power

Happy New Year's Eve everyone!

I finally did it, and what a good feeling! This riverstone and sterling bracelet is my last post of '07, completing the three quarters that I signed on for this year. This took me weeks and weeks to complete, and it really stretched my skills in a new direction. I love how this bracelet articulates. It's got soldered on prongs and tubing, to connect with the 14g jump rings. I definitely learned so much making this and I can already see how I will improve next time!

By the way, notice the awesome amethyst geode my husband gave me for Christmas. I've wanted one of these for as long as I can remember, so I was thrilled when I opened the package. This is a particularly nice specimen with large crystals inside. It's going to serve as a backdrop for a lot of my jewelry photography in the coming year!!

I really want to thank everyone here from the bottom of my heart for a truly fabulous experience in this year in jewelry. I certainly have grown as a direct result of your generosity in sharing ideas and techniques. This forum is truly one of the best uses of the Internet that I can think of. It's a wonderful way to get to know members of your own creative tribe, who live all over the world!! I am looking forward to the next year of exploration. Wishing you all a prosperous, healthy, and creative New Year!!

My last post of 2007! I have actually posted something for every week in the 2 quaters I signed up for, but most of the posts have not been on time even though the jewellery was made on time. I'm going to have to speed up my photography in the New Year!

I had to make something fresh and green for the renewal of life theme, and these beautiful pale jade faceted beads fitted perfectly. I think the sterling silver coils prevent the bracelet from looking too heavy, but I need to change the clasp - it's too small to balance the piece.

Thanks for looking, Jo x www.daisychainjewellery.co.uk

My piece symbolizes, plain and simple, the sun.  Living in Maine, I am ever aware of how short the days get as we wind down the year, and being the sun worshiper I am, I am so glad when we pass the Winter Solstice and the days start to lengthen.  This bracelet is the sun.  I wanted a piece that would shout out that fact.  So, of course it had to be gold and it had to have a LOT of gold making it up - so I created a gold bracelet with a little bit of sun in each charm.  The charms are some really nice flat square beads and some topaz Swarovski crystals that I wrapped with gold filled wire and dangled from the bracelet.  There are about a thousand of them (ok, not that many but it sure felt like I made that many)so the bracelet is nice and full and really glints like the rays of the sun when in the light.  I used a nice gold toggle clasp for the closure.  You can read more about this project on my blog .

On a personal note, I want to thank everybody that supported and encouraged me in this weekly project - it has been an unbelievable journey and a true learning experience for me and I am very grateful for the opportunity to participate.           mrs beadsley 

Again... this is a project I will be teaching, showing beginning soldering students how to layer hammered wire pieces to create easy, but striking pendants. The one on the right has an added iolite bead, which has been wire wrapped (no soldering) after the pendant was created. Both are LOS'd, but I think they look pretty good with a high silver shine, so I will make a few more like these before class for samples (I'm sure I'll be posting them here in 2008!).

Congratulations to all of us for participating and contributing to such a fabulous year of projects!!

Comments are always welcome... check out My Jewelry Blog for more on my FSOJ projects, and check out My Website for more of my jewelry.  Thanks,  Randi

Wow A whole year! I made it. I have more than one piece a week, but that is a very good thing. I am so glad that I did this challenge. I have grown so much in the past year. Thank you all for the comments and support you have given me. I am really glad that I got to do all of this. I am sorry that I haven't been as available to comment as I once did. I hope to have more time this next year to do that again.

This piece is very special to me. I actually have 5 pictures of it on my design journal so you can see all the details. Today is my Angel Kelsi's 3rd birthday. So this piece is made in honor of her. Around the edge of the pendant is stamped with the words "Forever My Angel" On the back I have stamped her name and dates. Inside the pendant I have created a small foot and butterfly with PMC. They sit suspended in clear resin.