CWJ's Year of Jewelry 2008

Dingly Dangely

I know it's been a while since I posted "components, but this "dingly dangley" took a while to put together.  The components toog forever to make (although it looks like I went shopping in the trash), but they were cut, forged fired and forged again before adding rivit and more dangelys. The px do it no justice and you can't hear the delightful sounds it makes when you wear it. On the whole, I'm pleased. Inspiration for this came from Susan Lenart Kazmer's book, "Making Connections" which I highly recommend.

Pirate's Treasure

This reminded me of an old bottle, rusted, but with old detail- something Jack Sparrow might hang from his dreads!  ( So love Pirates of the Carribean!). 

"Shiver Me Timbers"

AAAARGHH!!!!!  and Shiver me timbers me hearties!!!!!    Ye see, I'm late posting me Pirate Treasure!!!  There's many a scallywag Buccaneer has walked the plank for eyeing up me Fluorite Beauties for his lass's booty!!!!   So Matey!!!!  What ye be thinken??? 

  The teardrops weigh 60+ carets and have sparkle and clarity.  Because fluorite is easily marred, I was very careful not to scratch the stones.  I added a little foo-foo to the hook and eye clasp.  It isn't easy to see because getting the photo was a challenge. The necklace is 19 1/2 inches and lays just above the cleavage.  The range of color is soft and pastel.

Carolyn   aka Lily and Iris 

   

Week 27 - Couple of Pretties - Randi/Dax58

Continuing with the "that doesn't look like me!" theme... these are 2 pairs of wire wrapped earrings. The bright ones have a center faceted stone of either chalcedony or quartz, and the antiqued pair have a center stone and drop which is peruvian opal. Both have lightly hammered frames in 18g, with 26g used to wrap, and small 2mm silver beads accent the wraps. I'm just trying to use up inventory and regain my wire skills - after being "wireless" for so long, I'm surprised that I remember how!

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

Pirate's Treasure?

This is an attempt to follow Peri's Cretan Braid Bezel tutorial.  I didn't do the math (hanging head in shame).  This stone was really too deep for the braid that I made.  I had to fudge by putting in a round of pearls and then a round of Swars to cinch it in enough to hold the stone.  Making the braid was easy.  Closing it around the stone was not.  I ended up with a mess that I tried to hide under the pearls and swars.

Memorial Gestation: my treasure no pirate can ever touch.

Memorial Gestation . . .Woven to an adjustable frame, copper coils snake around my wrist like a vine of warm memories.  Tiny hematite tubes and copper seed beads flow together into embellished spaces for memories to nest and be nurtured.  The open spaces of this cuff are the passages where memories can be birthed.  Two multifaceted crystals are conductors of light that radiates my energy to and from the cuff. Smokey Quartz provides spiritual clarity to identify memories and resist the lies of history.  Tiny Hematite beads and tubes give substance to the gestation of memories of the past, the present and the future.   With this cuff I wear my memories here at the pulse point of my wrist or at the top of my arm close to my heart. This is my treasure no pirate can ever touch.

MOMMAKAT: copper and sterling bracelet

Again I'm not actually following topic, but I"m continuing my explorations of mixing sterling silver with copper. I've never actually made this type of bracelet before, so I"m very happy with how it turned out, and I think it looks extra special snazzy with sterling accents. I did something which I don't do alot, I followed the instructions exactly, and it came up kind of short.. so I added the change and the hook. ( The directions I had called for 7 inch pieces, in the future I think I"ll try it with 9 inch pieces) I think it looks rather nice even with the chain and hook.

for more pieces please check out my blog at

http://mkpbeadart.blogspot.com/

Pirate Treasure-Would Pirates Want It?-Week 27

This week....the beginning of the 3rd quarter of YOJ, I am still practicing my wire weaving and trying to come up with a new design.  Not too different from my submission for Week 25 but I used a larger bead....Moukite with a matte finish which I really like.  I shortened up the weaved element and used links and a ceramic connector to lengthen it.  I added some dangles and a zig zag component (Sharilyn Miller's design). 

I'm not sure if you would consider this Pirate's Treasure but if they did, I'm hoping that it wold end up on some lovely's wrist.

It's very comfortable to wear.  I was able to figure out the length of 24 ga copper wire for the weaving almost exactly which I was very happy about.

Kitty

Pirate's Treasure

Well, I'm not sure it's exactly a pirate's treasure, but I tried. The unevenness is about the only thing intentional, as the original design just sorta happened on its own. I didn't want anything too oppulent for this. Pirate's might have stolen elaborate and valuable things, but I wanted to think of "pirate's treasure" as something more personal. Something a pirate might actually buy (yeah, right) him/herself for a loved one (again, yeah right- but I'm a romantic).

I'm not sure what the cneter stone is. I bought it at a Holistic Festival and didn't write down the name thinking I'm sure I'd remember, and then I don't. lol. It's a beautiful light blue, almost reminds me of an aquamarine, but I'm pretty sure that's not what it is. Anyway, it's surrounded by a frame of black irridescent Japanese seed beads, to really give it the shine and sparkle I wanted, and then that is framed with hematite and then garnet rounds. It's topped with a black onyx.

I'm likely to make a braided/woven leather necklace to go with this, but who knows when I'll get to it, so I figured I'd post this now. Enjoy

Nik

Week 27 - Pirate Treasure

Well, not sure if this is really a pirate's treasure, but hopefully it will become someone's treasure. :)

Isla de Verde came to mind when creating this piece. Beautiful shades of green and gold all meld together with sterling silver. The focal glass lampwork bead was handmade by my husband in the flame. A large beautiful borosilicate glass lampwork bead filled with shades of seafoam green, golden green and opalescence from the boro glass. The glass bead (as with all of our glass beads) was properly annealed in a kiln for added strength and durability.

This lovely focal has been wrapped from top to bottom in a layer of tiny solid sterling silver Thai beads. At the top is a beatuiful cluster in complimentary shades of green and gold. The gems include facted peridot briolettes, faceted prehnite rondelles, freshwater pearls and tiny faceted songea sapphires. At the bottom the bead is finished with a lovely cap of prehnite rounded with the tiny sterling Thai beads. Clustered below is a beautiful smooth polished green amethyst (or prasolite) briolette. Clustered around the green amethyst are more faceted prehnite briolettes, freshwater pearls and songea sapphires; all wrapped on solid sterling silver headpins.

The chain was also made from scratch of beatuiful faceted peridot coins, sage green freshwater pearls and faceted prehnite rondelles. This is a great length at 22 inches so falls just between the cleavage. As always would love to hear your comments. Thank you~ Laura

For more pictures: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13102834