cserpentDesigns Newsletter 01/2020

cserpentDesigns Newsletter

Enjoy!                                                            January 2020                                            Happy New Year! 2020 has begun, my annual Tucson visit is looming and I'm actually getting a newsletter out to start the year! I'm slowly working my way back to playing soccer.  I made it through half a training session this weekend and I'll see how long I can play in a small field game with an over 55 group next weekend.  I'm in the throes of closing the books for 2019 so I'll be ready to add my inventory from Tucson into my database.  I had fun playing with some new enameling techniques so you'll be seeing more designs with my enamel work in them this year.   All my new designs premiere on Facebook since I really like the one-on-one interaction you get with people in the various jewelry groups.  If you want to be the first to see my designs be sure to like cserpentDesigns on Facebook and turn on the notifications.  I update my blog somewhat regularly and I do blog about my new designs there as well.  One big accomplishment last year was to get my own website for my jewelry designs.  cserpentDesigns.com  is open and ready for business.   Since it's January I have to have some garnet designs in my shop.  I'm working on a few more designs with garnet so check back often to see what's new. Ringed Garnet Wisps - Gorgeous artisan lampwork beads, garnet and sterling silver earrings Red Tipped Spikes - Beautiful Sonoran jasper, hollow artisan lampwork beads, garnet and sterling silver If you are on my Facebook page and want to shop just click the Shop Now button. If you're local and are interested in a home jewelry show anytime this year please contact me so we can arrange it. Hostess discounts are available and a hostess gift is always part of the show!   You know I love purple, but I also think kyanite is a gorgeous gemstone.  For this pair I combined the two for a beautiful design.  Available in my studio. Turquoise and Gold Kumi I am doing more Kumihimo weaving with beads, cord and fiber and am adding in larger beads for some designs.  I love turquoise and gold and had fun weaving this beautiful and long necklace. Available in my studio.   Flower Garden Slider I'm designing a new style of bracelet. This is adjustable with a sliding bead so it is easy to put on, adjust and take off. This pretty is available in my studio.   Lime and Purple These earrings use a pair of my enamel drops.  This enameling technique is called crackle enamel.  I layer on multiple colors of glass and a crackle enamel. The crackle enamel causes the upper layers of glass to open up so you can see the lower layers of glass.  I combined the drops with artisan lampwork, Swarovski crystals, Czech glass and copper.  This is available in my studio.

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Weaving away!

I love turquoise and gold and that's the combination I went with for this Kumihimo weave necklace.  I wanted to incorporate some beads into this design and these Kazuri ceramic beads were perfect.  They have a base of turquoise with gold accents.  It takes a bit more work to include beads during the weave but adds such a nice little umph! to the design.  Here's a quick summary of what's involved in the process:

• Cut all the cords
• Thread the beads onto the cords.  Normally you thread on the beads for the entire necklace but since I was adding beads I only added the beads for the necklace section before the bead
• Set them up on the marudai (the wood weaving apparatus)
• Start weaving!

Here are some shots as I worked.

As you can see I had to add a bit more weight (my tools) to keep the weaving balanced :)

And here is an upclose shot of the necklace in its beginning.


And many hours later the beads are incorporated into the design and weaving continues.

At this point I have to add in the rest of the beads to complete the necklace.  So off I go to string them on and finish the weaving.  I'll be back when I'm done.

The weaving is done and now I just have to add the clasp.  I love this color combo!

Art Elements 'white' theme reveal

At the beginning of December Claire from the Art Elements team announced that the themed challenge would be 'white'.  To read the original blog post click HERE

White could have been pure, with accents, in various tones or whatever we decided met the theme.  I designed these earrings specifically for the challenge.  

I saw these gorgeous red creek jasper drops in my bead stash and decided they were a perfect start for the theme.  I combined them with these wonderful lampwork beads with various tones of white and splashes of brick red.  I call these Southwestern Snow and they are available for sale HERE.

But as I look at some of my other new creations I think this theme got a hold of my design muse.  White abounds!

Tutus and Pearls

You can find Tutus and Pearls here.

Goldenrod

You can find Goldenrod here.

Golden Snowflakes

You can find Golden Snowflakes here.

Leaves of Pearl

You can find Leaves of Pearl here.

We don't get snow in San Diego too often but the white theme has been pervasive this month in my designs.

Below are all the guests and Art Elements team members who participated in this challenge. Be sure to click on their links to see what everyone else created!

Guest Artists

Alysen

Anita

Beth

Cat 

Divya

Elaine

Hope

Jill

Karin

Kathy

Laney

Lucy

Rozantia 

Sarajo

Tammy 

Art Elements Team

Caroline

Cathy

Claire

Laney

Lesley

Marsha

Susan

Love these earrings!

My muse was strong last night as I looked through my beads.  I had to come up with a design for the FACE Foundation Bags and Baubles Fundraiser event.  My original thought was to make a pearl cascade using some chocolate pearls and mocha Swarovski crystals.  But, with our 90 degree weather heating things up, I decided I needed a spring/summer design.  As I dug through my white pearls I saw these keishis and and an idea popped into my head and here it is!

Aren't these earrings just luscious?  Once I return from my next round of traveling I'll make more of this style - some with amethyst, aquamarine and sapphires and a matching necklace too!  Here are some new earrings that are for sale in my studio:

Golden Tassels

Green Pinchies

Viva Italia!

I'm heading off on a vacation shortly and will close my online studios while I'm gone so if you're interested in any of these designs - buy them soon!

It's beginning to look like fall at cserpentDesigns!

I have some wonderful fall designs in my Etsy and Artfire shops. Here is a sampling ...