YOJ Week 5-Embroidered Cuff

The theme for week 5 was the Bronze Age. When I did some research on jewelry of the bronze age, I found that they were pretty accomplished jewelers and used techniques such as filigree, granulation, repoussee, and lost wax casting. Since I can't do any of that stuff, I just went back to wire. The basis for this cuff is from a tutorial by Julie Sigmund of jewliebeads. Then I was further inspired by Perri's Week 4 piece to up the ante on the embellishments. I found out that it's harder to do than it looks without distorting the weave underneath. The cuff is made of copper and the coiling is 30 gauge silver. I used a large labrodorite bead in the center and tiny apatite and peridot beads for the embellishment.

The Heimlich Maneuver

We pretty much all know how to do the Heimlich Maneuver on people but did you know you should learn to do it for your dog? I would have lost my little Mickey this afternoon if I hadn't learned to do this prior to needing it. I was sitting at the table wiring tiny beads when I heard something fall nearby. I turned around and found Mickey laying on the floor, panicking, unable to breathe at all, turning blue, and evidently choking on something. After being unable to feel anything in his throat, I did the Heimlich on him several times and he was able to start breathing again. For once, I was glad I played hookie from Curves. Don't wait! Learn to do this simple move here.

YOJ Week 4

For this week the theme was Memoirs of a Geisha. Although it's one of my fave movies, I didn't really follow the theme unless you imagine that these are vaguely in the shape of a pagoda. The rectagles are cut from copper sheet. Then I drew the design on with Sharpie markers, and etched them in a ferric shloride solution. Finished with fine silver scrolly shapes and green amethyst beads and oxidized everything in liver of sulfur.

Kyanite and Iolite Earrings

And last but not least from my earring frenzy series...kyanite ovals and varying shades of iolite rondelles.

Mystic Topaz Earrings

And another entry from my earring frenzy weekend. I would have put them all in one post but can't figure out how to format the text to go next to the picture. :P These have cool mytic topaz briolettes accented with mystic quartz and sapphire rondelles.

Lemon Quartz Earrings

More from my earrings frenzy weekend.

Earring Frenzy

Every once in a while I get the urge to make something out of teeny wire and beads. So I delved into my gemstone stash and that's what I did this weekend. (I know--I have to get a life.) After this I'm ready to go back to something big and chunky.
Beer quartz briolettes with mystic quartz and iolite rondelles.

Week 2-Stone Age

The theme for this weeks Year of Jewelry was Stone Age. I doubt anyone wore jewelry during the stone age-they were probably too busy trying to survive-but this bracelet does have a stone and I aged it. It's a big giant chunk of citrine and the smaller stones are pale faceted smoky quartz. See all the gorgeous work here

Year of Jewelry Week 1

I decided to join the Year of Jewelry through the Creative Wire Jewelry forum this year. The challenge is to create a piece of jewelry a week for a year following a different theme for each week. The theme for week 1 was the film "Gone With the Wind". Jewelry made from hair was popular during that time period but I don't have enough hair to spare. So I made some "ear bobs" that I thought a girl of that time might wear. These are lemon quartz and 4mm lab alexandrite. The stones aren't really representative of that era but they're my favorite colors.