A plethora of pendants

Just looking at my newest batch of pendants makes me smile. I said I'd let my own style guide what I make and damn if this isn't dead on -

Going from left to right there's a Swarovski crystal, a matte finish carnelian rondelle with gold beads, also wired in gold, a malachite bead wired in gold and a turquoise rondelle wired in brass with a little square bead on the front as a button to secure it. I wired it in brass just to see if the technique would work and I think it will. It adds a bit of a steampunk feel to the piece. And I LOVE the red leather cord. I knew when I found them that I'd pair them with turquoise. The malachite is on a sterling box chain, but I think it's a little too thick for the pendant so I'll swap it out for a smaller one the next time I put in an order. The carnelian is on some faux leather and the crystal is on some silk. All the frames are pure silver and are fused and shaped rings.

So that's what I've been working on besides the line for the salon. It's been pretty fun at the bench. More to come!

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Jewelry Making Tools

Part of the mystique of jewelry manufacture is the tools. I admit it, I love new tools. I love good tools. Finely worked tools that have special and often obscure purpose. Sometimes I just go through catalogs looking at stuff and wonder what the hell a person does with such a gadget. I remember spending a lot of time as a little girl at my dad's workbench, messing with his tools (lord help me if I misplaced any). A while back while on a visit to my folks' house I spied dad's coping saw (frame saw/jeweler's saw) in his workshop and told him I coveted it. He laughed and said I could buy one for about $10 at Lowes. He's right of course, but that old one looked sweet. My own tool collection is modest and consists largely of the inexpensive variety. Until this craft starts to pay off, I can't justify the expense when money is put to better use buying materials (Christmas is coming and you never know what Santa will bring – Lindstrom, hint hint). But every ...

Paid Advertising

It's been something I've been contemplating for months now as it seems I get more and more lost in the sea of online jewelry sellers. I've read every online handbook, marketing blog, thread, website and tip sheet I can stand, have been doing as they preach and it hasn't made a difference. Views at both shops are low no matter how I massage my descriptions, keywords and tags or participate in the venue's SEO efforts. Direct emailing didn't work out. Optimizing the way this blog is seen by Google hasn't made a noticeable change, although that does take some time I'm told and I could be condemning it prematurely. Back when it was available to the individual, Google Base didn't work. Participating in online fashion and shopping communities hasn't made a dent. Tapping into online communities in which I am a member, but not as an artist hasn't worked either. Ditto my consignment efforts that I was so excited about. Plus there's the whole t...

Good things come

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...

Adventures in Handmade Jewelry

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