Week 20-Chain Accents

I'm late this week and I needed to get something posted on YOJ before I took off for a show this weekend. These were made from some soldered frames that I had in my spare parts box and I've always wanted to try wrapping the edge with small rolo chain. I've observed that the artists who use this technique attach the chain with about a gazillion wraps of tiny 30 gauge wire. I didn't want to do that and you might suspect that laziness was the reason. Although you wouldn't be totally wrong, the real reason is that I'm trying to keep the price of my jewelry affordable. I think I would have liked them better if I had spent the extra hours to entirely wrap the frame. But my observation at the shows that I've done so far this year is that people are still buying as much jewelry but their price points are lower, and I'm making attempts to adapt to the state of the economy in Michigan. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :D

Week 19-Apatite Earrings

I have four shows coming up in the next few weeks so I've made a number of things this week but haven't gotten the pics taken yet. Plus I'm STILL trying to use up little wrapped stones from pieces that I've taken apart. So these are my homage to Courtney of Passementerie jewelry-similar style, much cheaper stones. :D The large drops are apatite. The small rondelles are apatite, blue topaz and green mystic quartz. The earwires are handmade from 21 gauge full hard sterling.

Week 18-Skeleton Key Jewelry

This bracelet and necklace are made from part of a collection of old skeleton keys that belonged to my grandfather. The metal is coppper with a little sterling thrown in for interest. But what I'm really excited about is that I learned to create an embossed watermark in Paint.Net. That took longer than actually making the jewelry. :D

Week 17-Gemmy Chandeliers

I don't seem to be paying any attention to the themes lately. These don't fit any of the themes that I could find and we don't have a Bollywood theme this time. It's just something I wanted to do while three movies started and ended on the TV. These are the most over-the-top earrings that I've ever made but I love the way they look in the ear. The total length is 2 1/4" and they consist of lemon quartz brios with little rondelles of lemon quartz, rhodolite garnet, an orange-y mystic quartz, and yellow tourmaline. The top sections are soldered 18 gauge wire and they are woven to the bottom scrolly part. The shape of these may have been influenced by something I've seen before but I can't remember where so apologies in advance if I owe someone a credit.

Week 16-Sunstone Bracelet

I'm still trying to use up the ton of little beads from the bracelet I took apart over two months ago. So here they are in their latest incarnation with sunstone nuggets, a Hill Tribe bead and an Israeli silver toggle.

Week 15-Key #3

I'm still on my key kick trying to decide which one would be the easiest to recreate as I'd like to do a tutorial on one. I still have one more on the drawing board. This one is a bit bigger, 2 3/8" long and 1 5/16" wide. The stones are green mystic quartz and garnet.

Week 14-Another Key

I seem to have given up trying to follow the themes. I'm still playing with keys. This one started out as a simple celtic knot at the top, then I wove the ends together and embellished the top (not as neatly as I'd like). After a couple of hours of staring at bright silver, the old eyes get tired. What I still haven't worked out is a good way to finish the end. But I have a another one on the drawing board that may work out better so tune in next week.