Monday, October 17, 2011

Day 10 - Painting With Fire Virtual Book Tour!!

Welcome to Day 10 of Barbara Lewis's "Torch-Fired Enamel Jewelry: A Workshop in Painting with Fire" Virtual Book Tour!  I'll be your tour guide today :)

Back in March 2010, I had the great pleasure of taking Barbara's Painting with Fire Workshop.  That one workshop pretty much completely changed my jewelry designing outlook!  I totally fell in love with the technique and immediately started incorporating my enameled components into my designs.

Some of my 1st enamel attempts!

This past July, I was thrilled to be able to take a 2nd class - "Enamel Explorations"  This class took everything a step further.  We painted beads with liquid enamels, used decals, stenciling and much more!

The master at work!

Enamel Explorations

Imagine my excitement, when Barbara asked me to participate in this virtual book tour!  I am so honored to be a part of this celebration of such a fabulous book!  And believe me, the book is fabulous!  The projects are unique and inviting and include a wide array of techniques and styles.  There is something for everyone here.  Barbara incorporates lots of fibers and other components in the projects, which give the pieces a wonderful organic feel. My review? You need this book!

I had tried my hand at stacking some enameled components using cold connections, so I was eager to try Barbara's "heat rivet" techniques.  These are some very cute charms I created for last month's ArtBLISS charm swap using this technique.  The base of these are old copper pennies!  I think they were a hit!


I was immediately drawn to some of the other "stacked" component projects...especially the Sprout bracelet on page 37. Here is my version of that project...another thing I love about this book and the projects is that there are clear instructions for creating the exact piece on the page, but they are written in such a way that the reader can figure out how to revise and embellish to make the project their very own...I hope I was able to do that here!


Would you like to win some earrings?  These are cool long brass beads I enameled with clover pink and mandarin orange to create this cool peachy color!  They are embellished with Czech glass flowers, copper and hand wrought sterling earwires!


Here's how to win them...There are prizes throughout the book tour plus a grand prize at the end! The more you spread the excitement, the more chances you have to win some of the goodies our bloggers are giving away!

1. Leave a comment on this post and become a follower = 1 chance.

2. Tweet, facebook or blog about the giveaway and leave a comment at this post: the original Virtual Book Tour post = 1 additional chance.

3. While you're at Barbara's Blog, if you become a follower or say that you're already a follower in your comment = 1 additional chance.

So, you can earn up to three chances per giveaway. A winner will be selected by 10 p.m. eastern time and be announced the following day. You can check back at Barbara's blog for the name of the winner or at any other of the participating blogs.


The Book!

So you don't miss out on any of the blog posts, here is the list of hosts for you to follow:



October 6, Mary Jane Dodd

October 7, Gaea Cannaday

October 8, Linda Larsen

October 10, Andrew Thornton

October 11, Lori Plyler

October 12, Diane Cook

October 13, Lori Anderson

October 14, LeAnn Weih

October 15, Jen Judd Velasquez

October 17, Melissa Meman (that's me! yay!)

October 18, Lisa Crone

October 19, Shannon LeVart

October 20, Cindy Wimmer

October 21, Laura Twiford

October 22, Erin Prais-Hintz

October 24, Jennifer Cameron

To thank you for following along, Barbara is offering a  BONUS PRIZE at the end of the book tour! All of the entries will be included in the drawing for a kit containing all the elements of "Floral Cascade," one of the projects in the book. You'll receive everything you need to make the necklace, including the chain, jump rings, clasp, enamel beads, and head pins!


But that's not all! Really? Seriously? Seriously.


For a chance to win the Grand Prize - a Torch-Firing Kit (or $110 shopping experience atwww.paintingwithfireartwear.com) - please leave a review at Amazon.com by November 24. Remember, leave an honest review... the book must stand on its own.


Thanks for playing along! 

P.S. Unfortunately,  the giveaways are restricted to U.S. residents. Winners should contact Barbara  with their name and address through her author website: www.torchfiredenameljewelry.com so that you can receive your prizes!

31 comments:

  1. Your 'Sprout' bracelet is just the sweetest!!!! I have purchased the book, but as of yet I don't have the equipment. I hope to remedy that very soon!

    I would love to win the beautiful enameled earrings.

    I am a follower of your blog.

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  2. Pennies! So THAT'S what I can do with all those annoying things cluttering up my piggy banks! ;-) Love your bracelet too. Wow. Beautiful. I will definitely be following. ~ Mo

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  3. That bracelet is just seriously cool! Love the earrings, the color combo os luscious. I'm thrilled to have found you and now to be following your blog! Thank you for the wonderful giveaway!

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  4. love the charms on copper pennies! And I'd love to win the earrings--beautiful!

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  5. Wow that bracelet is just luscious I love the mix of the metal and enamel with the delicate 3 wires:) Can't wait to see more of your work.......

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  6. Your enamel penny charms are so clever.

    Beautiful earrings.
    Everyone has so many great ideas on this "book tour'.
    I am a follower of your blog.

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  7. Lovin that sprout bracelet Melissa! All your enameling is wonderful, as well as your designs! I have this book and love it, it is so beautiful ans such an inspiration. I am not that great at enameling, but I admire all those that are!

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  8. I just love your little charm pendants and I completely agree with "You need this book."
    Your bracelet is gorgeous and so are the giveaway earrings.
    I think you've just inspired me to go play with the torch today. Thank you!

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  9. I am now a happy follower of your blog.
    Love that bracelet. And the little charms are cute too!
    I already have the book and the kit, so what am I waiting for? (courage?)

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  10. Oh my, pennies! Great idea! Your Sprout bracelet is adorable and those earrings are to die for! This blog hop is sooooo inspiring but I won't be home to try anything until the end of Oct. bleech. :(
    Doreen aka LuniLadi

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  11. Hi Melissa,

    What great inspiration and I love owning the white charm from ArtBliss. I just got my PWF kit and am giving it a go this week. Love the braclet and earrings. Your work is outsatanding!!!!! Following and blogging about it!!

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  12. Wow, this is really great work. I am now a follower!

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  13. I love your bracelet! You have inspired me to try the heat riveting. When you say old pennies do you mean pre 1981 or 82 when they changed the copper content? I am now a follower.

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  14. That bracelet is super cool. I would love to win and I am already following the blog!

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  15. I love the charm I got from you at the charm swap! You are doing fantastic work! thanks for the chance to win. I am a follower!

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  16. I love the bracelet and earrings! Thanks for sharing and having a fun giveaway!!

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  17. Melissa...your sprout bracelet is just gorgeous =) And, the charms you made for the Charm Swap are simply the cutest! I bet they were a big hit at the swap =))
    Love the color of your give-away earrings!!

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  18. Barbara is great - so glad she wrote this book.
    I am now a follower of you and am already a follower of Barb - thats two right?

    thanks!

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  19. I love the charms you made with pennies!

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  20. Barbara's book is so inspiring - I can't wait to try my hand at enameling. That bracelet is darling! Love those earrings too - I want in on winning those! I'm following you :D

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  21. Hugs from Hampton! Hope you have a great week!

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  22. Love the earrings

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  23. I love your pieces with the old pennies. Those are great. And the earrings are so cute. I'm so excited reading all these reviews and waiting to get this book. I follow your blog through networked blogs.

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  24. And I follow Barbara's blog. (didn't know if I was supposed to comment that here, but I did on her blog, also.)

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  25. Love your copper penny charms! Loving this book tour - thanks for the chance on your lovely earrings!

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  26. Would love to win - those earrings are wonderful!

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  27. I Love that sprout bracelet! You really have the technique down melissa! I am the happy recipient of one of those cool charms from Artbliss and love it! I didn't realize it was a penny though, still on the card, have to go look now!

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  28. Very nice mix of metal and beads...love the mixing of various textures to create the pieces of jewelry.

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  29. Oh wow I love your stacking! This tour is so awesome and I am so happy Shirley won this giveaway.

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  30. Melissa, I really enjoyed your book tour post! We go way back don't we, meeting for the first time in that first class you mentioned with Barbara! The thing is though, you went on to perfect your enameling technique and I'm still in the admiring versus doing stage! :-) Your "Sprout" bracelet is absolutely gorgeous!! That happens to be one of my favorite projects in the book. And I simply loved the charms you made for the ArtBLISS charm swap...I can truly appreciate the time you put in to making each one. I count myself lucky to own one & I cherish it!

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I love reading your comments!!!

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