Enameled Bangle Bracelet Sets

I don’t know why I decided to make these when it’s the hottest time of the year. It takes a while to torch fire a whole bangle in the garage with no air conditioning. Especially when I have to redo one because I don’t like the way the enameling turned out. Sometimes I don’t get the enamel melted in smooth and I don’t noticed until after it’s cooled off and I pick it up and find a rough spot.

I usually use pearls where the little rock is but I ran out of rice shaped pearls so I used little drilled rocks instead for the wire bracelets. I sell these as a set because I think it’s cool to wear both together.

Published in: on August 18, 2012 at 11:21 am  Comments Off on Enameled Bangle Bracelet Sets  
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Almost All Glass Bead Necklace

I’m naming this necklace – Prima Donna, for Donna Conklin that taught me how to make these beads. Or at least most of them. She made a necklace similar to this one and I just loved it so I finally got a chance to make my own.

The only bead that isn’t glass is the pewter Green Girl bead on the left. The rest are all glass.

Published in: on August 4, 2012 at 1:58 pm  Comments Off on Almost All Glass Bead Necklace  
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Laurel Burch Etched Pendant

I bought some Laurel Burch rubber stamps eons ago and loaned them to my friend to use so she could use them to etch copper. She gave me some of the etchings. I made this simple pendant with one of them today.

I didn’t have a lot of excess copper so I couldn’t get a better shape. The copper is riveted onto a back of sterling silver and the bail is soldered on. I also added a little cab for interest.

Published in: on August 3, 2012 at 7:19 pm  Comments Off on Laurel Burch Etched Pendant  
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Red Cord Flower Necklace

I like the way this one turned out. But then I like red and pink. And on a black dress or top, I think it would look great.

I did this one a little differently. Not that anyone can tell. I made the flowers with a hole all the way through, instead of making them on a copper wire. I sewed them directly onto the cord. I thought it would be easier to place the flowers but it’s still a little difficult to get them where I want them.

 

Published in: on July 25, 2012 at 8:34 pm  Comments Off on Red Cord Flower Necklace  
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Lariat Style Cord Necklace

I won’t really have much to say about this piece. I made the glass components and sewed them onto the cording. I found this one a bit harder to do than the one I made earlier with the thicker cording. This cording is thinner and longer so I was able to make it into a lariat type necklace. Here’s two different views of the same necklace:

I haven’t decided whether to dye the cording. I like the different colors I get when I dye them but the dye tends to make the cording a lot darker. Not sure if all the glass components will show up very well on a darker cording. Still thinking about it….

Published in: on July 19, 2012 at 8:27 pm  Comments Off on Lariat Style Cord Necklace  
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Porthole Pendants Galore

I finished up an order for several porthole pendants. I still have one more to do, just didn’t get the end caps and button clasp made last weekend for it.

These are tough to get a good picture of since they have a glass domed cab on the top. I did all the same end caps and button clasp on all of them so I’m only going to show one since they are all the same except in different colors to match the silk ribbon.

And since I’ve never shown the back of one of these, here’s a picture of one.

I use etched copper sheets for the backs. I’ve etched a bunch of copper sheets with different designs on them to use for different projects.

 

Published in: on July 16, 2012 at 9:43 pm  Comments Off on Porthole Pendants Galore  
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Another Ladder Bracelet

I got an order for a ladder bracelet. I decided to use my new flower implosion button on it. I used a bunch of leftover semi-precious gemstone beads from previous bracelets I’ve made. I thought about doing them in some kind of order or pattern but went with the easiest way – to mix them all up.

Published in: on July 1, 2012 at 2:08 pm  Comments Off on Another Ladder Bracelet  
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Totally New Necklace

I’ve been working on making the glass components to use in some necklaces and I finally got one assembled. It took me all morning to sew on all the components, then when I went to glue the end caps on, I got glue on the fabric cording. Yuck. The only way I could think of covering the glue up was to dye the cording. I used Ranger’s Adirondack Alcohol Inks. They are supposed to be permanent. Guess I’ll know once I wear it.

I make the components on the ends of copper wire so technically they aren’t really beads but more like decorative head pins that I make a loop on the back so I can sew them onto the cording.

Published in: on June 23, 2012 at 2:46 pm  Comments Off on Totally New Necklace  
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Pokeweed Lariat

I go to the High Sierras every year for a week vacation. It’s nice fishing and making something that I don’t get a chance to at home. Working with seed beads takes a lot of concentration for me and this is a time that I can spend long periods concentrating.  This is one of Laura McCabe’s kits. I always buy seed beads kits. It’s easier than designing something myself which would take me longer to make a piece. With a kit, I get the instructions along with all the beads. I don’t have to shop to find all the needed supplies. Laura’s kits are awesome!! She doesn’t fudge on details in her pieces and her instructions and well written and understandable.

Sorry about the bad picture. I took it with my cell phone camera which always gives me blurry pictures. It’s hard to see all the little size 15 seed beads in the piece. It took me three days to make the spiral lariat part and after I finished, I wish I made it about 2 inches longer so I could double wrap it around my neck if I wanted to wear it shorter but I didn’t realize the embellishments on the ends would go up the lariat so far. It’s impossible to add more length without making a HUGE mess. This piece took me 6 days to make, working on it about 6 – 8 hours a day. I did spend some time trout fishing in my spare time. Freshly caught and cooked fish is just the best!!

Published in: on June 10, 2012 at 11:13 am  Comments Off on Pokeweed Lariat  
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Bracelets And Key Chains

I’m now stuck on leather. I’m really liking working with it. Especially the distressed leather.

This one is similar to the other two I made previously. Just used different beads. I made the glass ones in this bracelet.

This is a multi-strand bracelet with big holed pearls and sterling silver. It has a magnetic clasp.

Some key chains that I just finished up making.

Published in: on May 25, 2012 at 12:02 pm  Comments Off on Bracelets And Key Chains  
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