My new endeavor - revealed!

All my supplies arrived and I was in the garage practicing enameling!  That's my new endeavor.  I'm starting off with enamel over copper since my practice pieces definitely show that I'll need some time to do it well.  Here is a picture of some domed copper pieces I enameled. 

My attempts to enamel copper washers was quite a flop.  In all cases the enamel would flake off.  I may need to do washers in the standard way - bring the torch to the piece.  I did these domed pieces using the method Joseph Spencer started - bring the piece to the torch.  I learned more about this technique by reading Barbara Lewis' book - torch-fired enamel jewelry. So I'm starting off simple though I am going to try headpins tomorrow ...  With these disks and some equally bright headpins I could make some cute little flowers.  Hopefully by the end of the weekend I can actually enamel some pieces to use in designs.  I'm looking forward to using the glass threads and millifiori disks I got in the designs.

A couple of new designs

I've been reading up on a new design medium and gathering together supplies so I can start making things. I haven't yet gotten everything so I'll hold back on telling you what I'm up to until I can share the beginning creations with you! In the meantime I did make a few new things ...

Black agate, onyx and substantial basketweave sterling silver earrings

 

Hammered, textured and shaped copper, turquoise and sterling silver earrings



Just found out about a cool giveaway!

I'm subscribed to Melissa Muir's blog and just read about the giveaway she's having. She's giving away some cool tools! Since I'm always on the lookout for new tools and free ones are even better I'm getting as many entries to the giveaway as I can. One way is to share her giveaway on my blog - so here it is - I'm sharing! You can read all the details on the giveaway here - Giveaway!. Now if you are going to enter - please let her know that you heard about it from my blog post! You'll get an entry and I'll get one more entry! And while you're over there reading about the giveaway check out all the beautiful designs Melissa makes!

Just a little bit of wire here and there ...

A friend of mine gave me a picture of some earrings she liked, could no longer buy (they aren't made anymore) and she wanted some changes made in the designs anyway ....  So from the picture she gave me I initially made an example in copper with the same size beads that I would use in the final design.  Here's the mockup I made

She approved the mock up design so I then did the final design in gold fill with turquoise seed beads and salmon pink coral drops.  Here's the final design.

I think they turned out pretty nice!  I think I'll make a pair in copper too - since I have half the design mostly done already!

Random new things to start out June

I decided to set some of the pretty opals I bought in Tucson (so it takes me months to get around to things - what can I say!).  Here's a pretty pair in sterling silver.

It is very hard to catch the flash with the camera.  This pair has nice red (actually orange) and green flash in them.  These beautiful opal earrings are available in my Etsy studio.

And I finally got some decent pictures of this pen.  I love the organic look of the handmade lampwork beads!

This organic purple and silver pen is available in my Etsy studio.

And I made these pretty earrings with these gorgeous mint green lampwork beads with little cameo looking roses all around them.

These mint and pearl earrings are available in my ArtFire studio.

Happy June!