Finished Farthing in an Oil Slick Bracelet - COM Update

Last week I posted about my Art Jewelry Elements Component of the Month for July, but I ran into some complications!  I had to redo my bezel, and just didn't get finished.  Well, I had hope to work on it over the weekend, but that didn't come into fruition, so I picked it back up this week.

All the components...copper bezel, connector rings, farthing clasp by Niky Sayers, and gorgeous lampwork by Sue Kennedy.

Fast forward, I not only ruined the 1st bezel attempt, while trying to solder on the connector rings on this one, totally melted the silver bezel again! Note to self...attach copper connector rings first, since they need much more heat than the fragile fine silver bezel! Duh!

Anyway, I finally got it done and am really pleased with it!  I textured the backplate and ditched the little silver balls...too fussy, I think.

I love Niky's farthing clasp right next to Sue's big flower cab!

You can really see the iridescence of Sue's beads in this light!

I curved the connectors slightly so it would lay on the wrist better!

This beauty is already listed in my shop!  Hey, did you know I was offering 30% off everything in my shop?  We have had a hard summer financially...healthcare costs and just blew our rear wheel cylinder on our main vehicle and had to spend money out the wazoo to fix!  Now, school is about to start and those back-to-school supplies are killer!  Use coupon code BRAKES30 at checkout for a limited time. I am going through and listing other inventory that has never seen the light of day, so keep checking back!

Thanks for stopping by!

February 2015 AJE Component of the Month...featuring Metal Clay Morsels

by me!  Yes, it is my honor to have provided metal clay components for the design team in copper and white copper.  Read about my design process for them here.

I chose to make a pair of earrings with a couple sets of my left over components in white copper.  I used larger circles that were stamped with the very center of the carving, and small circles stamped from the swirl.  I connected them with Czech glass flower beads in a pretty cornflower blue shade, then added sterling ear wires that have been embellished with more Czech glass.  

I hope  you will go and show some love to those who have created designs using them!  Here are the participants.

Guest Participants:

Michelle Mach

Patty Miller

Divya N

AJE team: 

Jennifer Cameron 

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Susan Kennedy 

Melissa Meman...you are here!
Rebekah Payne

Lindsay Starr 

Kristen Stevens

Francesca Watson

Lesley Watt    

February 2015 is my month to contribute a Component of the month for  the Art Jewelry Elements blog hop challenge!  I have the honor of providing this month's component. After polling the group, I decided to do some metal clay.

I am new to the medium, but as I talked about in previous posts, love it and strive to find my voice with it!

These are all copper, using the same original carved stamping by me.  The dots around certain designs are actually holes through the design, hard to see in the photo!

Go to the blog for a chance to win!

Blue Bird on a Snowy Day

So, my last post was my December 2014 AJE Component of the Month piece, featuring a sweet white snowflake by Diana Ptaszynski of Suburban Girl Studio, LLC!

If you remember, I got behind and didn't finish it.  I wasn't really happy with the layout and the clasp either.  This is the before shot...

Since then, I have done a little renovation and am really happy with the end result!

Here is the after..."blue bird on a snowy day".

I changed the juxtaposition of the copper snowflake to be above the blue bird, added a couple more copper beads, some winter flowers and leaves with curly tendrils.

I swapped out the original clasp for one the is a bit smaller and with a little more interest.

Of course, the LOS to add an antiqued patina makes the whites pop (just like a few of you said it would)!

Thanks for encouraging me to finish it!  I will be listing it at Melismatic Art Jewelry hopefully today!

December 2014 AJE Component of the Month

Our lovely components this month are from Diana Ptaszynski of Suburban Girl Studio, LLC.  We had our choice of stoneware snowflakes.  I chose a white one.

As per my usual modus operandi, I waited until the very last minute, then some family dynamics prohibited me from completely finishing mine.  The chain needs to be secured, it needs LOS and a tumble, and I may completely redo the clasp.

Along with Diana's sweet focal, I included a cute blue bird by Caroline Dewison of BlueberriBeads, a white lampwork bead from Mermaid Glass, one of my own copper metal clay components (it started out as a flower, but I filed it into sort of a snowflake shape!) a Czech glass flower, and some cool brushed-finish copper beads from my stash.

I really like the monochromatic effect of all the winter white, with the one pop of color Caroline's sweet bird adds.

I may add some more beads and completely change the design...stay tuned!  But first, go see what others have created!  Thanks for stopping by...

Monthly Winners

Dana Hickey

Cate Van Alphen

AJE Blog Team

Lindsay M Starr

Linda Landig

Lesley Watt

Caroline Dewison

Susan Kennedy

Jen Cameron

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Melissa Meman

Kristen Stevens

AJE Component of the Month for August - Leather Feathers!

This month, our component comes from the talented Rebekah Payne of Treewings Studio.  She created these fun, organic leather feathers...she talks a bit about the process here!  We had our choice of an earring pair, or a larger focal feather.

I opted for an earring pair and received a gorgeous set with purple, blue and metallic designs!  I knew that I wanted to create a copper backing to somehow attach the feather to, but it took going to BeadFest this past weekend to solidify my idea in my brain!

Gorgeous lampwork headpins by Jen Cameron and Sue Kennedy!

See the ones circled in yellow? Yep, the orange swirls with purple stripes!  As soon as I saw them, I knew what I was going to do.  I set about making my copper back plates, adding texture, measuring, punching holes and creating balled headpins and earwires.  The plan was to rivet the feathers to the copper piece using the lampwork headpins at the bottom and copper balled headpins at the top.  The tips of the leather would be folded over so the copper headpins would go through twice, making a loop for the copper jumpring.

A not great photo of everything all laid out after I patina'ed and tumbled the wire and metal...except for 1 stupid jumpring that flew out of my hands never to be seen again!

Ta-Da!

The design itself, I really like...I wish my construction had been a bit neater.  I had a mishap with one of Jen's headpins...I started swirling the back and couldn't get it straight for some reason, so I gently straightened it back out, hoping I hadn't work hardened the wire too much.  When I went to try a second time, the wire snapped.  Luckily, there was enough left to work with to get it riveted fairly tight, but I may go back and add a drop of E6000 to make sure it holds.

Thanks, Rebekah for the challenge of working with a new medium for me!  I can't wait to see what everyone else created.  Here is the list...

Guest Artists

Karin Grosset Grange - http://ginkgoetcoquelicot.blogspot.com/

Ann Schroeder - http://beadlove.wordpress.com/

Claire Lockwood - http://www.somethingtodowithyourhands.com/

Toltec Jewels - http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/

The AJE Team

Jen Cameron - http://www.glassaddictions.com/blog

Diana Ptaszynski -  http://www.suburbangirlstudio.com

Kristen Stevens - http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com/

Lesley Watt - http://www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com/

Jenny Davies-Reazor - http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog

Francesca Watson - http://francescawatson.com/

Linda Landig - http://www.lindasbeadblog.com/

Sue Kennedy - http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com/

Rebekah Payne - http://www.treewingsstudio.com/

Caroline Dewison - http://blueberribeads.blogspot.co.uk/

AJE Component of the Month for May 2014

The gorgeous components this month are created by the talented Sue Kennedy of SueBeads.  She gave us the choice of one of her amazing pressed glass cabochons and several of her new pressed bead design...chiclet beads!  It was a really hard choice, but I chose a cabochon and received a gorgeous purple one!

I first thought that I would practice my soldered bezel setting skills, but kept trying to think of something different.  I settled on creating a woven wire "lace" bezel against a copper flower back plate.

I wanted to keep the necklace simple, but wanted to incorporate some different color than the copper and purple of the cab.  I remembered these sweet little Czech glass "twin" beads I bought a while back.  Not sure what I was thinking...am not a seed beader!  I devised a way to wire-wrap them into a chain though and they work perfectly with the purple cab.  I added a second strand of copper "hammered bar" chain I had in my chain stash.

Wanted to add a dangle beneath the flower, but couldn't figure out what.  I remembered some Czech glass teardrops I had bought and they really complemented the purple cab and the Czech glass in the chain. I oxidized everything with LOS and let it tumble for an hour or so.

This was such a fun piece to make and you all know by now that I am a sucker for Sue's lampwork!  In fact, I purchased one of the 1st pairs of chiclet beads she posted, and just last week, swooped in for 2 more pairs!

Thanks for stopping by!  Go show some love to our guest designers and the AJE team!

Guests

Shai Williams

Erin Prais-Hintz

Kari Asbury

Carolyn Lawson

Merja Sundstrom

AJE Members

Susan Kennedy

Diana Ptaszynski

Linda Landig

Lesley Watt

Caroline Dewison

Francesca Watson

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Rebekah Payne

Keirsten Giles

Kristen Stevens

April AJE Component of the Month

The very sweet and talented Lesley Watt of Thea Elements and Thea Jewellery is this month's component host and designer and she did not disappoint!  Lesley created some very cool ceramic button clasps!

I asked for a surprise and received a fun organic stoneware one with pretty green glaze.  I decided early on that I was going to make a bracelet.  A couple of weeks ago, I made my first viking knit and decided to use it in my design.

I had some brass caps that I torch-fire enameled with sapphire enamel...my new favorite color!  

I cut a copper oval and textured it by running it through my Sizzix Big Kick...I really like the result! And, surprise, surprise, I added some Czech glass flowers!

Thanks, Lesley!  I had fun creating with your cool button!

Here is the list of other participants...go and show them some button love ;)

Guests
Johana Nunez
Leah Curtis
Perri Jackson

AJE Team
Lesley Watt
Keirsten GIles
Caroline Dewison
Rebekah Payne
Jenny Davies-Reazor
Jen Cameron
Diana Ptaszynski
Kristen Stevens
Francesca Watson
Melissa Meman - me!
Linda Landig
Sue Kennedy

May Component of the Month, featuring SueBeads!

It is that time of the month for Art Jewelry Elements' Component of the Month blog hop!  It seems that I am only getting the chance to blog when I have a challenge deadline, lately!  I was able to sneak in a more personal one yesterday, sharing some photos of my boys, though.

This month, our lovely components were created by Sue Kennedy of SueBeads.  Sue is an amazing glass artist, and if you are familiar with my work, you will see that she is one of my favorites!  Her beads are always consistent and lovely! Expecting nothing less for the challenge components, I was thrilled and excited to receive mine!

I have to admit, I went through about 5 designs before I decided on a necklace, but once I decided it would be a focal pendant on a chain, it sort of made itself!

I had an etched brass disk, just waiting to be used, and I decided I wanted the pendant to also be a toggle, so I punched out a 1/2 inch hole with my disc cutter, then riveted the lovely bead with one of my double headpins swirled around in the back.  To bring out the pretty purple Sue edged the bead with, I dangled a small amethyst briolette from the bottom.

Unfortunately, I didn't punch in the spot I had measured and it sort of hangs a bit wonky, so I may have to play around with figuring out how to fix!

There you have it!  Go check out what others at AJE and the winners of Sue's component giveaway came up with!


Guest Bloggers

Lorelei Eurto   http://www.lorelei1141.blogspot.com/
Birgitta Lejonklou   http://lejonklou.blogspot.com/
Heidi Post   http://www.expostfactojewelry.blogspot.com/
Lola Surwillo   http://beadlolabead.blogspot.com/
Kay Thomerson   http://kayzkreationz.blogspot.com/

AJE Team

Jennifer Cameron  http://glassaddictions.com/
Jenny Davies-Reazor   http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog
Susan Kennedy   http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com/
Linda Landig   http://www.lindasbeadblog.com/
Melissa Meman    http://melissameman.blogspot.com/
Rebekah Payne   http://www.treewingsstudio.com/
Jo Tinley     http://daisychaindesignsjewellery.blogspot.com/
Lesley Watt    http://thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com/

AJE Component of the Month Blog Hop - April Edition!

Hello out there!!  Today's post showcases lovely lampwork headpins, created by our fearless leader over at Art Jewelry Elements...Jennifer  Cameron of Glass Addictions.

I was thrilled to receive 2 pale blue transparent headpins with swirled copper wire inside!  You know me and swirls!  She indicated that we didn't have to use both headpins, but how could I resist?

I have been holding onto some special brass flowers to add to my enamel arsenal, and I decided they would be the perfect component to pair with the headpins.  I enameled them in a base of robin's egg blue, then dusted some orchid into the folds and torched.  Then, for good measure, added a bit of transparent raspberry!  I totally love how these turned out and have a few more sets of these that I will be playing with and offering for sale.

I decided to make some tiny caps for the headpins in the same orchid/raspberry hue.

Finished with some of my hand-wrought sterling and copper earwires, and embellished with Czech glass flowers, these awesome earrings measure about 2.25 inches.

Thanks for stopping by to see my creation!  Go see what everyone else came up with...you'll be glad you did!

Guest Designers:

Erin Prais-Hintz

Kathy Lindemer

Alice Peterson

AJE Team:

Susan Kennedy

Francesca Watson

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Lesley Watt

Melissa Meman...you are here!

Linda Landig

Jen Cameron