Mystery parts earrings...

not in a gabby mood guys, sorry.  These are retaining rings from the hardware store,  and some strange springie things that are possibly ? came in a big mix lot of stuff, and these came in metal tin box, no idea what they are but very cool looking.  The earrings have serious dangle factor... fun to wear.  Any ideas what the parts are?

Art deco style pendant

this is what my work desk looks like most of the time.. actually this is pretty cleaned up.  I have about 3 projects going in this pic.... 

This isn't true Art deco of course... but the watch case made me think art deco... all clear stones in a geometric style.. very art deco... and every sparkly!   So I went with it.. Overall I liked how it turned out and I"m hoping to get a few more pendants based on watch cases done.. like everything else bouncing around in my brain, 2 many projects and not enough time.

Close up of the innards - I put a mucha pic in the back ground, I thought that went well with the art deco style of the watch case... and some gears, crystals and little opal like flakes.  going for glamour here baby! 

Took me forever to get the cupchain to lay right.. I tried to glued, wire wrap, and a couple of other things.  Ended up sewing them on a bit of vintage ribbon.. which worked pretty great actually.  The necklace part is woven wire.

more clock pendants

Here are a couple more clock pendants.... another sparky one and then one with a dragonfly wire wrapped on it.  Today I'm trying to update my Etsy stores, and hopefully update my show schedule -- and if i can get all of that done, for a treat I'll make some bracelets.  I have several started, and others that I'm in the "contemplation" stage.... aka still figuring out if the design will work or not.

lightbulb earrings

I wish I could claim this "bright" idea, but actually the concept of using lightbulbs and adding paper to decorate them is from Susan Lenart Kazmer's book Making Connections.    

Great book for mix -media type artist.

The Rhinestones are my idea though.  

I predict more of these in the future, at least until my small stash of lightbulbs disappear.  She uses lightbulbs in all kinds of projects including bracelets... I have fears of them breaking, so I"ll probably stick to earrings for the most part, though I might try re-enforcing them , maybe dip in resin first? she actually mentions this somewhere in the book but now I can't find where... oh well I guess  I'll have to read through it thoroughly again.... such a hardship!

clock, camera and watch earrings

I love that these earrings incorporate materials from a clock , a 1930's 8mm film camera and watch parts.  I used Niobium ear wires because I thought the black looked the best.. it matches the gunmetal camera disks thingies.

This weekend I'm in the studio, mostly cleaning and organizing my travel supplies.  When we do shows I always take a stash of materials with me, so I can alter sizes or even create new pieces if I have time.  I am also working on another batch of leather cuffs and I'm having a great time planning these out.

I'm completely reworking my selection of chain to travel, I'm hoping to add more but I don't have the space to go completely nuts.

I carry a plano box of mixed beads, cabs and rock pendants.. I think that's going to go entirely because that was mostly for wire-wrapping.. which I'm just not doing so much anymore.  I'm going to add more clock and watch vintage parts in the travel stash, and keys and such... but I'm still going to carry my emergency crystal stash... you never know when you might need a crystal or 2!!

I'm going to cut down on the sterling supplies and increase the base metal copper, antique brass, etc instead.  and carry more copper/brass/bronze and black wire.

I haven't had time in the last several years to really modify my bag, I've just added in extra stuff to the point it's so heavy I worry about my husband lifting it, let alone myself.  My style has changed significantly in the last 3 years, it's time to really acknowledge that in what I carry around. So hopefully I'll get it to a more manageable weight while really concentrating on the items I need to carry to successfully adjust sizes and swap out chains when needed.

chainmaile flower earrings

OK, do these work or not?   I can't decide.....

Girl's Weekend vintage broach bracelet

OK I'm stupid, I should have gotten pictures of all 3 bracelets.. but I didn't.  rats.  So I'm only presenting mine.

My finished piece..the crystals are vintage as well.

Back story on this:  For Christmas I bought 3 day by day jewelry calendars and gave them to Cathie, Sue and myself.  Since we can't be together everyday, I figured at least once during the day we would think about each other... and our love of jewelry and making it.

And maybe some of the pieces would prove inspirational.  One of the calendar pieces we all liked was a very simple looking chain bracelet with a big jewel cluster on it by the clasp.  It made all 3 of us think of vintage broaches.. so when we went antiquing we each got a broach and challenged each other to make a bracelet based on the calendar one.  All the bracelets turned out great, and all different because the broaches were so different in character.  I have several really nice vintage broaches hanging out in the studio.. I might have to explore this concept some more.  I also left my broach usable.. partly because the pin back on mine was in perfect working condition.  ( not something you see on all vintage broaches)

I used layers of filigree to both hide the pin back but also protect it... so it's still usable as a broach.

Keepers

 I feel like keeping some of the jewelry I make, but I'm very disciplined and the customer usually comes first.... So I will put that piece in inventory like a good little jewelry artist. ( while secretly hoping maybe it won't sell and at the end of the season I can keep it !  Usually that is the piece that sells at the first show..... )

And then I make something and it's like, no no no hell no... I'm keeping it!!!

That would be these earrings!  But...... you can buy the pair below!

Leather cuffs for 2016

while I make some of the leather cuffs for my jewelry, some I use pre-made blanks... high quality leather.... 

 Last year I started to experiment with leather cuffs, and I'm continuing them, because they are popular.. or maybe its the eye appeal of the metal tags from old mechanicals.  This batch is a mix of sewing machine tags, toy tag, battery charger and of all things the timer from a insurance company. (maybe for a safe?? no idea.. we bought the timer all beat up and really the only thing usable on it was the tag)

really nice and secure snaps on these babies! they cost more but the quality is really outstanding.  I just wish I could get these in more colors... but for tag bracelets the black leather works nicely.

See the last pic for where little tattler comes from.... 

One thing I really like about these black leather cuffs are men like them too.  For the most part I make jewelry with the intent that woman will wear them, not because I'm against making men's jewelry but it just hasn't been my aesthetic up to now.  But with my Mechanical Romance line, several pieces I've made appealed to people of either sex.. and that's just fab!!   So I've been thinking about it more, jewelry made for either sex.

Would you believe this is a 1920's toy??? it's better made than any headset I've ever had..... 

Recent Earrings

All of these earrings have vintage watch or clock parts involved.

Love how delicate these are.  Little bitty Watch parts, yum!

I'm hoping this week I'll finally get my schedule for 2016 shows posted, but I will tell you my first one is April 30th in the Amana's during MayFest   We are in the barn.. should be a blast.

So this weekend I hope to go through my jewelry thus far and figure out if there are any glaring holes in the inventory... like watch face earrings, chainmaile bracelets or clock gear necklaces.

I'll probably figure out a rough layout using the new displays I've purchased over the winter as well.

I don't have as many shows this year, but I'll still put in the hard work of getting things ready!

Clock pendant

This is a very neat clock piece.. it was part of the pulley - weight system of large clock movement - probably a grandfather clock.  So you can't tell in the picture, but the gear is 3D, not flat, and it's mounted so it freely spins.  Originally chain or rope would fit in the grove that is all around the edge of the gear.


I added vintage bling to it, and a chain.. very simple but wearable history.

I'm Backkkkk!

Vintage Optometrist lens, with brass charms and chain.

I got back Sunday, and since I get a lovely day off on Wednesday I figured today I could - in a thorough, clean up as I go along kind of way - put my studio back together.  I had hopes of updating my website with new pictures and work on my show schedule.  I figured I would take pics of all the jewelry I made during girls weekend and do a blog ( or 2 ) on that.  I figured I would have plenty of time to start laying out more projects and maybe just maybe try out my new torch set up- finally!

Instead I spend most of the day at the VA hospital with my hubby's Dad and Sister.  I don't regret going to help them ( and everyone is OK now- no worries!) but it does put me behind my time table for the week.

And Then I remember that I don't have to stress about it this year.  So what if my studio isn't put together until the weekend? That means I won't probably work on anything this week - and it's OK.

Instead I got to spend time with my family at a time they really needed it.. and I don't have to feel stress about making that a priority -- or guilt if I didn't.  I can take a deep breathe and not worry about it.

Strangely enough, it makes me want to go make something...