An Experiment

When I finally figured out how to get my butane torch to work on making sterling silver ball head pins, I went hog wild. My heart skips a beat when I see that silver melt into a little ball and start crawling up the wire. (I LOVE FIRE.) I already had a pile of my steel "barbed wire" rings (with which I had also gone hog wild), and had an idea. I've seen other metalsmiths do amazing things with double ended ball heapdins, wrapping them hither and yon onto their jewelry to make really stunning pieces, and I thought I would wrap such things onto my barbed wire rings to make all manner of jewelry components. I love the dark annealed steel with sterling silver. The earrings below were originally intended to be connectors in a necklace with a larger, similar component for the pendant, but there was just too much going on. They became earrings instead. The pendant was awaiting some pewter beads from Happy Mango Beads, which I got today in the mail. So hopefully the pendant will be strung and completed tomorrow.



I will probably do this again with copper (unless you all say "Um, WTF?"), once I get my propane torch going. It's still in the box in the bag. I'm a little chicken. I'm not going to say I'll fire it up this weekend because I said that last weekend and I think the weekend before that. I'm just going to wait for the propane to call my name.

My New Local Dealer Lampwork Provider

I was feverishly scrabbling through Etsy the other night looking for a place to get my next lampwork fix some beads (I like to spread my business out between dealers artists, you know, so they don't think I have a problem feel all pestered) and lo and behold there was a lampwork artist in the town where I work. Holy crap, I said. Score! I said. No way! I said. I wonder if she's still awake right now? I said. Etc.

So I sent her a convo asking if I could shop with her in person. Of course she said yes.

Everybody, meet Pat Redinger of BeingBeads! As described in her profile, she is a self taught glass beadmaker and has studied with Kevin O'Grady, Al Janelle, Andrea Guarino-Slemmons and Jim Smirchich. She has also studied wire work with Lynn Merchant. I have no idea who any of these people are but I am sure you glass types will be impressed. She is also a delightful lady, and I'm not just saying that because she has boro beads.

I arrived at Pat's house a little after noon on Friday, and after pawing through her stash, I clutched the beads below to my breast and wrote out my check with my other now less trembling hand. I drove back to work, with the beads clutched tightly in my hand (it was kind of awkward because I drive a stick), enjoying a mellow glow. The glow lasted well into the afternoon (these beads pack a punch), until I saw Barbara Lewis' enamel giveaway. Then it was shot all to hell. Thanks Barb.







Loving this "lizard skin" pattern. I love lizards.





I forced myself to buy these blue ones. They're gorgeous, but I'm at a loss with blue. Might have to just hoard them.



Fortunately, taking photos of them brought some of the glow back. This instant gratification shopping--being able to actually fondle the beads BEFORE you buy them, and WHILE you're buying them, and then IMMEDIATELY AFTER you buy them--is beyond compare. I highly recommend it. Pat is going to make me a special set for a project I have in mind. But shhhh--I'm not telling you what it is. I don't want you all breathing down my neck if I don't do it right away. You're like that.

Just When I Was Enjoying My New Lampwork Addiction

Along comes Barbara Lewis with a new kind of crack for me to try. Enamel Crack. She and Kelley Wenzel went to the same Crack Dealer School. Send the kiddies free crack, get 'em hooked, and then they'll pay you whatever you want for it. For the rest of their miserable lives. This is the fiendishly sly ploy behind Ms. Lewis' giveaway.

Well, fine, Ms. Lewis. I'll take your free crack. And I'll be back for more.

Here's a photo of the free sample of "Mandarin Orange" up for grabs:



Soooo pretty. Something so pretty must be harmless, surely? But it's not. No. It's. Not. You'll cash in your 401K to get this stuff; run right over the top of your own grandma on the way to the Enamel Crack Store; hock your diamond wedding ring to get more. It's dangerous.

But I don't care. I don't care I tell you!! I want it!!! I WANT IT!!!! I WANT THE ENAMEL CRACK!!!!

Please, pick me. Please? Pretty pretty please? I mean, I need something to tide me over between the boro beads. You know, man? I'm in bad shape. Bad shape. I haven't bought any lampwork in like four hours.

And apparently my readers need to become followers of Ms. Lewis' blog so I can get the enamel. So, hey, buddies of mine! Hey, do a girl a favor--follow Barbara's blog! I'll share the Enamel Crack with you, I swear.

My New French (Speaking) Lady

I was delighted to discover the other evening that my blog has acquired another French (or French-speaking) lady. I love French (and/or French speaking) ladies. I would like more. A French man would be very nice too. Yes indeed.

Welcome to Isabelle di Martino! I poked around on Isabelle's brand new blog and her shop to find out more about her, but to no avail. She may be Swiss. Or perhaps Belgian. Or perhaps Senegalese. Dying to know!!! I need a Belgian lady. And an African lady. And a Swiss lady. I don't think I have any.

Anyway, I invite you all to stop by her brand new blog and give her a follow! She has some very unique and exquisite bronze and copper pieces on display, with a really modern, organic flavor to them; her post of today includes some really beautiful pieces (I especially love the first one, pictured below, with the mother of pearl insets).



I hope Ms. Di Martino isn't upset that I put one of her photos on here. Looked for a way to contact her but I would have had to set up an account on the site where she has her shop and there was just too much French. I didn't want to accidentally subscribe myself to the Crepe of the Month club or something.

I've Been Featured!

Carol Grand of The Grand Design favored me with a Valentine's Day feature on her blog! She chose my convertible necklace-bracelet in red glass hearts as her topic. Carol regularly features artists on her blog, and also has her own Etsy shop, also called The Grand Design. She has some VERY cool steampunk flavored items in her shop. These glass fuse earrings are one of my favorites:



Aren't they cool? Thanks to Carol again for the mention! Stop by and visit her blog and her shop!

Not What I Had Originally Planned

Well, this wasn't at all what I had started out to make. I was determined to use my bronze Summers Studio pendant, but it just didn't work out. So I will continue to hoard that one until I can devise the PERFECT setting. I was so looking forward to using that, I almost gave up halfway on this one. I hate having to start over with a design idea. And I wasn't thrilled with this disc of chrysocolla, it was just so plain. In the process of creating a bail for it I got carried away adding gewgaws to it (there was epoxy), and I like it a little more. (For more info, CLICK HERE).



I had started out with bronze-colored chain (I left my brass chain in the ammonia fumes for a LONG time, until it turned sable brown), so I decided to stick with that. Used some of my hand-forged beadcaps that I had also bronzed in the ammonia fumes, and then spent ALL day trying to figure out what else to do with it. Finally settled on these great wood wheels from Beads and Pieces (fabulous wood bead selection). And of course, being me, I had to add just one more thing. So I dangled some little turquoise glass roundels partway along the chain to keep it from being too naked. I did have some brass spirals on there too, but then there were just too many curlicues everywhere and I took them off.



Didn't have time for the new torch yesterday. Frankly, I'm a little nervous. Making fire with something that's delivered in a truck is a little daunting. My cigar lighter torch is much less threatening. Bic is harmless. You light them at concerts. Unfortunately the thing I just made (above) was not on my to do list, so I can't cross it off. So the list is the same length. Long. I guess I should add it on there and THEN cross it off. But my list would still be the same length. Damn.

All the Charm of Barbed Wire, But Without the Pointy Parts

I saw a nifty pendant somewhere (can't remember who did it, or I'd give her credit) where the artist had made some simple ring-shaped connectors out of wire. Looked sort of messy, like a bird's nest with an unfortunate big hole in the middle. I wanted to do earrings with them, so yesterday on my lunch hour I set about figuring it out. I couldn't get that same messy look, although I was able to make a ring shape. So to bump up the messy factor (judging by my house and my car and my hair you'd think I'd be really good at messy wire work) I sort of wrapped the end of the wire around in an irregular fashion. Well I'll be darned if that doesn't look like barbed wire, I said. Hmm, not quite the nature-inspired look I was thinking of. More a self-mutilation-inspired look. But people are into that, right?

I had been wanting to combine some vivid teal green/blue colors with the steel, so this is my first pair. Going to do it again with fuschia, and white and amber, and green, and...