UPDATE on METALSMITHING!!!

Here is the update of my metalsmithing journey. With some warmer weather down here in the south (the last week has been 65-75 degrees)our "Warehouse" where we are taking the classes are much more endurable. We just completed week 5 of our 10 week workshop. 3 of the classes have been freezing cold with RAIN!!!! Makes one very cold in an old warehouse without heat. BUT WE ARE TROOPERS AND WANTING TO LEARN ALL WE CAN!!!! So we go without complaint to learn to make MORE JEWELRY!!!! Enough of this......
This photo shows my bottom layer of the pendant which is on the left and is made of brass...and the right photo will be the top layer which is made of copper. The bird took 5 hours to saw and 12 blades....the leaves on the right took 1 hour and 50 minutes and only 5 blades...but whose counting???? Yes, I have improved~~~practice does make one PERFECT!!!! I SO WISH!!! I am such a wannabee!!!! hehe

Here is what the 2 pieces of metal will look once they are connected through a process of "cold connections". But...trust me...there is still lots of work to do on these two pieces before they are riveted. I have lots and lots of filing and sanding. AaRrrrGGGG!!!!! I need to be "Bewitch" so with a twinkle of my nose the not so fun things can be completed FAST FAST!!!!


Yes, this is so exciting....here are my first 2 rings I have completed...well I do still have to polish up the metal...and then they will be completed!!!!
The one on the left is a cabachon that I made and the one on the left is a small dichroic cabachon I purchased. They are not perfect....but still...it was so exciting to learn to make this!!!! The rings are made of brass. The base on the dichroic glass is copper. I like the contrast with the brass and copper on this one.

New Earrings

So this is what I was up to later this evening. I received these antique brass components and much more than what is actually shown. It seems as though I have no time
to actually make JEWELRY anymore.....so I sat down and made these earrings. I will bring these to my bead shop and hopefully sell some for Valentine's Day!!!!

Metalsmithing Workshop

Yes, it has been a long long time since I posted.....shame on me. I have been a busy girl. My newest journey in life is a metalsmithing workshop I started January 21st in New Orleans taught by Steven Donnelly. He is an excellent teacher!!!!!
I started metalsmithing 3 years back...but didn't learn much!!! I have worked with
metal in cold connections for the last 2 years. I always wanted to continue with the metalsmithing and the opportunity came up over the Christmas Holidays.
The ladies I go with to New Orleans is Sheila Smith and Chris Goulet. We have loads of fun finding new coffee shops and restaurants in the Marigny community (right on the outskirts of the French Quarters). I truly am learning more about New Orleans.....I think Marigny is New Orleans best kept secret....anyway, this week I will get pictures of the area and post to my blog.

In our workshop we have some ongoing projects to teach us the techniques.....the second project is what I am working on now. It is going to be a 3 layered pendant or broach....haven't decided yet.



I have sketched out a bird on a limb. You will see this on the first photo.....I still have the tracing paper glued to the design.



At this point I have only broken 12 blades....whooooohooo!!!! I might have set a record!!!



In this photo I have completed the second layer.....the cutting anyway. I will need
to file and sand the edges. This top layer is made of 18ga brass. The bottom layer will be made of copper. I will continue to work on this later tonight.....all the layers are suppose to be cut by Friday. Got alot of cutting still to do.

New Rings with Swarovski Crystal Cabachons

Well, well, well.....I have been making these swirl rings for 3 years now. I opened a bead shop exactly 3 years ago. The problem in making these is that you need a large hole rondelle....well, well, well....easier said than to actually find large hole rondelle beads. I have been seeing some of these rings as of lately....then the light bulb goes off....as to why not make my own beads....so I did that about 2 weeks ago
and then last week more light bulbs went off and I decided to try making these with a little bit of a bling added to them. These are the first 3 I have made.....
I am very happy with the results. Maybe it really doesn't take a whole lot to make me happy.....which is really nice.

I WON THESE!!!

I am so excited. I won these great pieces on October 24.
The group I am member of Beads of Clay (BOC) had an open
Studio Blog Event on that day. All of the participants
were in a drawing and these are the pieces I won.
These are the artists and their items they created:
Mushroom - Summers Studio, LeAnn Weih
Leaf - Mary Harding
Dragonfly - Melinda Orr
Oval Tree - Marsha Neal Studio
Noel - Clayworks of New Hampshire, Lisa Boucher

All of these pendants are awesome!!!

YiPPPEEEE GLazed Pieces

This shows my new raised design. I like how the glazes work on the raised designs much better. I LOVE HEARTS!!!!

I have lots of hearts....some with raised and recessed designs. Some have slip that I have made designs then glazed. I am experimenting with slip. I love the look!!! It really is fun playing, experimenting and seeing how something will come out once it is fired. It can truly be a hit or miss!!!! I take lots and lots of notes in my journal whenever I am experimenting. Sometimes things get so hectic and I can be in such a hurry that I notice that I mess up my notes in that I know what I wrote is so NOT CORRECT!!!! My new thing in life is.....NO HURRY, NO WORRY!!!
Why is this so much easier to think than do!!!!

Here they are.....actually...not all of the 257 pieces. I worked Saturday and Sunday to get these items glazed.

BISQUE BEADS

Wow....I was busy last week. These photos show my bisque beads that I made last week. They are made of white earthenware clay and raku. I fired these this past Saturday. I handformed 257 beads and pendants.



This shows my Fleur de lis Beads and Pendants. I have a new raised stamp. I can't wait to see the glazes on this. I have been using mainly stamped designs that are recessed. I think I will like the new stamp with the raised design. I put a glaze firing on today....can't wait to get these out of the kiln. I am still playing with my bumble bee colors. Also, tried some new things with the glazes....anyway...let me keep on task. I also have a larger heart cutter that I have used. Went to Michael's over the weekend and found some wonderful oval cutters and a larger 2" round cutter. Found these in the Cake Decorating section.




Here are some of my BEADS. In the middle look really close and you will see my one and only snowman!!!! I do believe he will be a lonely snowman....he took way too long to make!!! Bet he is gonna be too cute when he is painted.
As I said earlier in my rambling on....I put on a glaze firing today and will get everything out in the morning. I will show some of my new pieces when I get these.