Adventures in Handmade Jewelry

I kind of dig these even though they're straying a bit from my usual, style-wise. They are dressy without being fussy. Fine silver hoops and "blueberry" quartz. I really like the microfaceting combined with the texture - makes them dazzle. In the Etsy shop today.

Well I've gotten past the re-fusing thing and went directly to con-fused. Sorry about the fusing jokes. I promise to stop. After messing around with things a bit more, I got some other wire to fuse beautifully and so I think it is contaminants in the quenching and tumbling water that polluted the finish and prevented it from heating thoroughly. That and for anything thicker than 18 gauge, my torch has to be totally full to reach maximum temp, which is a bummer since I really like working with heavier wire. Thanks Kathleen for your kind words. I'm only fusing at this point; no solder or pickle or flux. None needed because the silver is pure and not an alloy like sterling. I think it might be a gateway drug though. I do like the idea of what I can do by heating and fusing and/or soldering metal. One step at a time though. First I have to sell enough to justify spending more. I'm so upside-down in this business that it's really starting to hurt. I put these in th...

I am very frustrated and angry that some of the wire I ordered fuses fine while some (the 16 gauge) just will not. It glows red but either melts and pulls away or just sits there under the heat doing nothing. I just made a wonky little S clasp a minute ago out of 14 gauge wire and it practically caught fire. I'm sure that the 16 gauge is fine silver because it shows no firescale, but it WILL NOT fuse. Melt or nothing is all I get. I am so frustrated and angry that I can barely even look at my workbench now. It's not like it's all that complex or has many variables. I've cleaned and tumbled the rings over and over again. The cut is very tight and very flush. There is NO REASON why those shouldn't fuse but they don't. I've tried over and over. And it's not just the 16 gauge, the 14 won't go either, no matter what. What a waste of time this idea was. OK. So I didn't give up. I had a calming Smithwicks and tried again. This time I trie...

It started with these blue and white porcelain beads with the stylized flowers on them. Then I started thinking of Asian architecture and a way to bring them together. The result was this necklace in sterling and leather cord and coordinating porcelain beads (which I just happened to have in my stash). I had a lot of fun making it (even though the idea of it kept me up one night) and it came together more perfectly than I dared to hope. I really hope someone buys it soon and removes my temptation to keep it! It's exclusively at my Etsy Shop .

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever: Its loveliness increases; it will never Pass into nothingness; but still will keep A bower quiet for us, and a sleep Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing. John Keats' epic poem, Endymion, 1818 A labor of love comes to an end. I'm inordinately proud of this piece and hope someone scoops it up soon; it doesn't deserve to languish without an owner. This is a serious piece. Weighty and solid. I used a ton of sterling and fine silver (made headpins with my new torch for the cane glass beads) and was crazy meticulous about working every technique perfectly. It's bold and contemporary and definitely not for the shy retiring type. Taking photos was arduous as well. So hard to get the feel of the piece captured. The beads are luscious and pick up light beautifully. The silver is polished and dazzling. I think I did ok, but who knows. I took a ton of pictures and rejected most of them. Anyway...I'm feeling kind of...

to those who wait. My torch arrived and I've been messing with it. Have to lock up the cats while I use it since they really like to jump up on my workbench. Just what I need; to set a cat on fire. Pests. Nothing I fused so far is worth using in a piece except some headpins which I'll be using in this - as soon as the jumprings are hard enough to work with (tumbling as I type), I'll assemble and put it up in the shop. Which shop I don't know. Probably 1000 Markets. Etsy won't be neglected however, this piece will end up there. It's a pendant that will be suspended from leather cord just as soon as I get that part done. It came out exactly perfect from what kept spinning around and around in my head as I tried in vain to sleep last night. Still more ideas lurk and yearn for the light of day. I'll be playing with the torch especially since a lot of what I want to do depends on developing my skill with that tool. Speaking of tools, don't you hate wait...

Tom Petty never said anything more true. I'm waiting for 3 orders to come in so I can begin the next phase of my jewelry adventure; fusing. Yes ladies, I'm getting a torch. Granted it's a butane microtorch, but it's still fire and it's still hot. I'm a little nervous, but mostly excited. I've got some weird ideas in my head (to paraphrase Warren Zevon) and want to try them out. Of course there will be a learning curve period, but I hope it won't be steep or long. So far things in the sales department haven't been so terrific. Lackluster I think is the proper word. Some of it is my fault. I don't promote everywhere all the time. I stopped following a bunch of Twitterers and have quieted down on that front directly. It didn't seem to actually work and so I gave it up. Facebook appears to be a bit better of a medium, so I have a Twitter feed directly from my Fan Page (see that up there...go ahead, click it, I know you want to) and tha...

This has been in the works for a while; I couldn't think of how best to finish it. Should I make a chain? Buy a chain? Make a beaded necklace? Nah. Those don't fit right. Nothing seemed to work. Then I hit on it. Leather. Chocolate brown leather. Oh yes. Now it's perfect. Made with aqua terra jasper entirely in sterling silver it will go in the shop tomorrow. Am thinking about earrings and a bracelet as well. I still have some stones left. Sweet.

These are framed and wired in Argentium sterling silver and hung on a sterling silver ear stud. They gently curve back towards your neck in a lovely arc. The dove gray color is very soft, but the design is bold and they're well balanced. Hand hammered and tumbled for strength and shine. In the 1000 Markets Shop today.

I've created a special showcase for fall that I'll be adding to over the coming weeks (at least until I do a winter collection). Link! Here's the newest member of the collection - a very architectural piece with smoky quartz and deep red garnet. The gold wiring really sets off the warmth and depth of the stones. One of my favorite combinations. Because of the way the frame is made, I switched to sterling silver earstuds instead of my usual earwires. They work much better design-wise.

Etsy neglect. Guilty as charged. So here's the first of my Etsy only listings. Smoky quartz so clear you swear it's glass. Chunky and alluring on their own, I instead decided to add tiny aquamarine and amethyst charms. I think they give it lightness and playfulness. All done in Argentium sterling silver and only at Etsy.

I just posted the onyx earrings to the shop a minute ago, but thought I'd give you a preview of things to come. Bunches of earrings and a funky bracelet. Have some new supplies coming (and new ear studs that I think will work really well with some of these pieces) and ideas abound. Just realized the bracelet isn't in this shot. Gah! There's always something. It will be in the shop soon.

In the never ending leapfrog game of online selling venues, 1000 Markets just pulled ahead. If you haven't stopped by in a while, check it out. 1000 Markets The polished look is still in force, but it has more buying cues and has shifted its focus from the seller to the customer. There's a little cart icon at the top of the page as well as a more shopping inducing front page so that folks don't think they've landed on a museum or gallery site. If you have an Amazon account, you're all set to buy here. I sort of wish that were more obvious, but info about payments has improved. Buyers can also build favorites lists - a first for 1000 Markets. For sellers we finally have Google analytics for our shops as well as more control over how our shop looks and our products presented. I've tweaked mine a bit to enhance my overall goal of promoting modern jewelry and sleek, uncluttered designs. We also have a better 'widget' for blogs and other sites; one tha...