Lapis neck piece

A couple months ago, I was browsing flickr and came accross a piece by Cindiesmithdesigns. I was totally inspired by the lovely, lovely shapes created the necklace, and knew I wanted to make something similar in some ways (with my own flare of course!). See inspiration point here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cyndiesmithdesigns/3076304372/in/faves-meisterdalediane/


And here's the finished product! I added many design points of my own, including the entire pendant area and the rivets along the copper.

Here's the back part of the necklace. After rolling over the copper, I hooked in a link and linked it to some chunky chain. It then has a nice toggle closure.

This is the best photo for seeing the pendant. You can see the huge lapis lazuli cab i used on the copper. You can also see the rivet i did to close the filigree together (i later glued a small blue crystal on top, as this rivet was a little messy). You can also see the work i did linking together many jump rings to connect the pendant to the necklace.

Speaking of lapis, I really like the piece I picked up for this project. As you can see in the photo, it has lovely shine and sparkle to it... I can even kinda see my shadow on the surface! I got a pretty good deal on it (i think) from my favorite jewelry salesman. Only 3000 won! (about 3$). I didn't really get into buying stones until after I came here to Korea, but i think the prices are significantly lower here. Anyone else know about how much a 2 inch diameter cab of lapis lazuli would cost elsewhere?

Final photo! This total piece photo shows the work I did on the copper (all cut, filed, and textured by me). You can also see the rivets I put into the copper.

In all, this does not make a 'run out to the grocery store' necklace, but it does make an interesting statement piece. Nice with my little black dress, where it can really gobble up all the attention :)

Ticket to Ride

Have you tried the board game 'Ticket to Ride'? I absolutely love the game, and have wasted WAY too many hours playing this game online.

This necklace i call my 'Ticket to Ride' necklace. When i saw this train picture in an old encyclopedia available for clippings, it immediately reminded me of the game. I knew I needed to use it for something.

After time, i had these large bezels mailed to me, a collection of purple ribbons and beads, a metal corner shape, and this train picture. They all came together with some wire, chain, and resin to make this fab necklace.

Things I saw today

So, I was surfing my blogs, and Michael DeMeng mentioned that his fab book was being sold with Jenny Doh (previous editor of the Summerset Studios magazines). I thought, 'Hey, i haven't seen anything with her recently', so i went off to check out how her new website of her own, 'Crescendoh' is comming along. I was a bit confused, but generally impressed, with what i saw.

I liked a lot of the little links they had on the front page. It seemed they were putting up daily links to 'things they like on the internet'. Some of the links were to their own stuff in the store, but others were to things outside their site.

I liked the cones that they have happening there. They're pretty materials. While i don't find i need the kit, and would prefer to find my own materials, the inspiration is so lovely! I do so enjoy the idea.... It would be great to have a nice string of these in my 'studio'. They could be neat storage for odd objects. A cone full of all the short dowels i've accumulated (more than you think), a cone for pliars, a cone for.... whatever small, strange objects i have many of that need a home. I could definately go for this.

I also really liked the link they put up to the book, shown on flickr (click picture to see). I love the idea of this. The simple nature appeals to me... it's like an outdoor studio, but you could even work through the rain. Beautiful. As a cold-winter saskatchewan girl, i'm not sure how practical, but they are beautiful.

Still figuring out exactly how the site works, and what their layout is, but i like the inspiration links for sure. I think i'll be comming back time to time to see those.

Bead Soup

After simmering for almost a month, the Bead Soup Party has begun! As I was a bit of a late signer-upper, I was partnered with the lovely Lori Anderson, the host of the swap. I mailed off a lovely package of mixed beads that worked together well, with a hand-forged metal pendant and clasp. In return, i received such a lovely box of beauties! This is what arrived at my doorstep a couple weeks ago.

In this box were so many little lovelies! I received lovely two tone 'artistic stone', a pendant and lovely beads of adventurine, a sterling silver clasp, and some great silver beads from Bali. I was so overwhelmed with all the pretty little rocks here! I have to admit, when buying beads for myself I am usually buying fairly cheap ones, so I was awed at the chance to work with so many special beauties!

After much deliberation and hard work, here's the final product! I had not too long ago visited a history museum with an impressively inspiring collection of ancient Peruvian relics, including a lot of gold jewelry. I picked up the middle gold piece there, knowing I'd find a use for it and it's many, many holes. I used all the different varieties of lovely beads Lori sent me and am so excited to still have leftovers of some for later use!!!

Here's some more detailed shots to finish the post off. I would highly recommend joining in on our blog party day today, and checking out what all the other bloggers have to offer! Just check out Lori's post here to see all of our many, many participants in this great swap, and what they created.

Saskatchewan Necklace

I've been trying lately to create necklaces that mean something to me, something that tells a store, rather than simply something that is beautiful. While i want it to also be beautiful, i find that the extra thought and the meaning within the necklace only increase it's beauty.

This necklace was created when cutting a piece of metal, and realizing that i'd inadvenrtantly cut it in exactly the shape of my home Canadian province, Saskatchewan. Now, saskatchewan isn't exactly a difficult shape to cut, but still, it was right on the money. I set that piece asside before continuing with my regular cutting.

The necklace has references all over to what Saskatchewan means to me. From the easily recognizeable reference with the canadian flag peeking through (taken from a Canadian stamp) to the less harder reference of 306 (saskatchewan's phone area code) to the color choices of blue, green and golden brown for the beads and fibers, everything was done with a reason.

Basic technique used: I first fired the pieces of metal, till they were nice and patinated. After, i rolled up the longer piece to create a loop and created a window in the top piece with a screwdriver (who'd have thought?). I glued a stamp in the window, and drilled the two pieces together. Underneath I put a tassel made with Saskatchewan grass field colours. Later on the chain are two brass links, one with some grass from my grandparent's backyard in Saskatchewan, and the other with the numbers 306 rubbed on. Last features include a suede neck cord embellished with six green and blue beads.

This piece was created (late) for a challenge to go through Mary Hetmansperger's 'Wrap, Stitch, Fold & Rivet'. This is the 4th project, Layers Necklace, with my own spin to it.

Gathering ideas...

I say to my honey... "I say ethereal, you say..." He answers "Elves". Hunh. I guess it should be expected when i ask someone who plays D & D?

I'm thinking about a weekly fun challenge i am entereing with the theme word of 'ethereal'. Deciding on some ideas of what to do for this. I don't think I will go the 'elves' direction, as it is not quite what i'm looking for. More of a 'moonlight', selene style i think. Thin looping chain and white stone? We will see.

What do you think of when you think of ethereal?

Hand chain

Inspired by the lovely steampunk jewelry of Melanie Brooks, i have created a 'slave chain'. A slave chain is both a bracelet and a ring combined into one, with chains across the back of the hand. I really am pleased with how this came out.






The challenge at Green Pepper Press right now is to "Make it Your Own'. I really liked this idea for a challenge, as i feel it is so accessible to everyone and open for interpretation. This is my submission for the challenge. I was inspired by the basic shape of Melanie's Clockwork Scarab Slave Chain (seen here) and created a slave chain of my own. While both of these are in the general steampunk style (hers especially), hers goes deeper into the genre while mine is more of a feminine style.

It was relatively simple to create the basic shape. Chain around the wrist with a closure, brass filigree on the wrist, piece on the middle of the hand, thin long filigree wrapped around the middle finger... the concept is very open. It is then open for you to create the theme, colours, and style that you want using the basic ideas.

Anyone else made some of these before? I'd love to see other ideas.

Fabric Nest, and questions about inspiration.

I have really been enjoying the posts on the blog of Nina Bagley lately, on her blog
Ornamental. In this crazy city i live in, it is nice to see that there is a bit of peace out there in the world. As well, Nina makes some of the most beautiful nature inspired jewelry i've ever seen.

Is it bad that when i saw her lovely lovely nest necklace, and couldn't resist trying to make a fabric nest of my own? I was simply so inspired by her that i couldn't help it... the fingers just started reaching for the lace, needle and thread of their own volition. What is the protocol on this exactly? I will definately list her as the inspiration for the necklace, and let her know. I am slightly torn on this, and am wondering what you think out there. On the one hand, I did not copy the entire necklace, just the general idea and then pieced together something of my own ideas from hers. On the other hand, she is a professional artist who earns her living by these designs. I love how genereous she is sharing her lovely designs on her blog. It would be different if this was published in a book (which she is more than talented enough to write!), or in a magazine where she is putting it out there for public inspiration. On the other hand, a blog can be something like this as well... when we put things out here they are officially out in public and anyone can see them. Hmmm.... it is a question i am mulling over in my mind. Any ideas you guys have about this would be greatly appreciated, pro or con.

To be perfectly clear, this necklace is only for my own personal usage (i love it too much to give it away and i am not at the level where i'm ready to sell on etsy just yet). I'll also be sending her a note letting her know how inspiring her blog really is to me, especially that necklace. If i were selling things, this would be a different story altogether.


Without further ado, this is what i created.





I created this fabric nest by first sewing together a long line of different laces, then wrapping them around the wired beads so the different layers show. This is a necklace that BEGS to be touched... the next is very textural. Some of the lace, and also the lace i tied in a knot on the side, is a beautiful gift from one of the street sellers in Dongdaemun. The store specializes in handmade lace for wedding dresses, and when i tried to buy a half meter of it, she said that was too short and gave it to me for free instead. I loved it, and bought a couple other laces there too. Although they did not fit, I have been thinking of making a lacy Marie Antoinette-style choker with varied laces... could be fun.

The acorn was a gift from my mother when i last saw her in canada, which she'd found on the ground. How special, to have an acorn my mother found me in my grandmother's garden... it just adds to the specialness of the necklace for me. The join is a 'trapeeze join', which i learned in Kazmer's book Making Connections.... (i swear the book is amazing). It allows the acorn to spin around it's wire, and swing freely. The chain is from Dongdaemun, as usual.

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend.

Books!

For Christmas, my boyfriend and I each picked out out own presents off amazon. He himself is quite the bibliophile, and I really wanted a couple of books. I got myself Mary Hettmansperger's book 'Wrap, Stitch, Fold & Rivet' and Susan Lenart Kazmer's 'Making Connections: A Handbook of Cold Joins for Jewlers and Mixed-Media Artists'.

I would highly recomend either one of these books, as I am immensely enjoying the both of them. I am loving the ideas and style of Susan's book. It is very found-object focused with STUNNING pictures of projects she has created. Turning bottle caps into bezels, how to create funky trapezes to dangle objects from, pictures of mini-lightbulbs with little paper messages inside... what's not to love? I just wish I had been able to take my 'found object' art supplies with me here to Seoul. I have a whole bunch of stuff sitting in Canada that would be great for this kind of thing but i had to leave my stash behind (but safely tucked away in storage!).

I also am loving the project based aproach in Mary's book. There are many techniques discussed at the beginning of the book and then it turns to project creation. I unfortunately lack many of the tools needed for both books. I sadly still don't have an anvil, a dapping block, or a torch :(. Give me time... and a good hardware store... Mary seems to have a strong following for her book, as I have seen many of these projects being discussed on blogs and such. I am looking forward to getting started, but am still in the material and idea gathering phase for her first project of a 'spinner necklace'.

However, I have created a couple necklaces that use ideas discussed in the technique sections. Mary's book discusses how to create these swirls and pound them flat. Lacking an anvil, i am ashamed to admit i have been using a hard ruler and a towel.... sigh. However, the wire was fairly soft and it worked fairly well for this! This necklace was created while practicing how to make these fun swirls discussed in her book.

Johan Hangaman, and a request for etsy jewlery suggestions

I've been keeping so busy here with doing some sightseeing around Seoul and shopping for things for my new place, and still buying christmas presents for shipping back home. However, i have had some time for doing other things too.

I have finished off another ATC. The background was created about a year ago, when i was experimenting with newspaper and inks. I really liked how it turned out, but didn't have a use for it at that time. I tucked it away for later use (as i do so many other backgrounds). I then was inspired flipping through an old issue of Cloth Paper Scissors (see 2 paragraphs down) and knew it was time to use that background. I sketched the main body with pencil, and then painted it in with acrylic. I cut a square hole in the torso, and then gel medium'd on a small metal frame i'd found at a dollar store. After, i used a packing tape transfer with a picture of a nest i'd digitally altered to make into blue tones and had upped the contrast.

I love using packing tape transfers because they're interesting to look at, simple and very cost efficient. If you have never tried one, they are the simplest thing. Take a laser printed/photocopied picture and burnish on a piece of tape. Put the picture in warm water for 30 minutes and then rub the paper off the tape. The ink will stay on the tape... you now have a transparant copy of your picture to stick wherever you like! I learned this at a mini-workshop, put on by one of my fellow ATC group people back home.

I was inspired on this one by Johan Hangaman's fabulous sculptures shown in the July/August issue of Cloth Paper Scissors, especially 'Ajar'. You can find her main page here or you can skip right to her fabulous gallery (Ajar is the second one)here. I would highly recomend checking otu johan's studio. Her work is so very beautiful, and i find it speaks very strongly to me. I am fascinated by the varied medias she uses to create her sculptures, including cement, wire, beeswax, fabric, and the list goes on. The very idea of working with all those fabulous media makes me drool, but not so much as the idea of seeing one of these in person! If you're in L.A. (or the area surrounding it), she has a spot in the Los Angeles Art Show. Wish i was closer myself. It is not only the media that i find beautiful, but the stunning simplicity to her lovely, lovely sculptures speaks very strongly to me. This is worth checking out!






I also finished off a bracelet. I've worn it a couple times now, and am wishing i owned a blowtorch to 'draw a bead on the wire' like they talk about in the book (i had to leave mine at home, as i don't think they wanted those on the plane hahaha).

Lastly, i've been poking around etsy for a bit... my book loving boyfriend and i have a deal... for our christmas presents (which are late this year as a result of the move) we are to make a wish list of 5 things online, and then the other will ship one of the five things. I am feeling a little overwhelmed at the etsy site... there is SO MUCH fabulous stuff! Unless you know really the type of thing you are looking for, it is a big thing to pick something special! One helpful way is to have a favorite artist or two on there. I know i want to pick up a necklace... but which one? Do you guys have any favorite jewelry artists on etsy? I like things that have a touch of 'steampunk' to them... something with a hint of lovely rust?