Showing posts with label metalsmithing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label metalsmithing. Show all posts

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Wire that Wows!

As any jewelry lovin' artsy craftsy gal knows, there's about a million ways to make jewelry - metal clay, beads, shrink plastic, polymer clay, soldered glass, fused glass, metalsmithing, nuts and bolts & bubble gum. OK. Maybe not the gum, but you get the idea that there's lotsa ways to make bling.

Just about all of the aforementioned methods for making jewelry call for incorporating some form of wire work on occasion, either to enhance the appearance or for function. It may be as simple as making a loopy bail, earring hooks or wrapping a stone, but wire has always been an important element of jewelry making. Wire even stands on it's own as a primary jewelry making medium. Take a look around your local craft store and you will find there are many kinds of wire and tools to make it do something funky.

OK. I do about every craft known to woman so why have I not got in to wire more? Well, because a lot of what I have been exposed to in craft and bead stores, while fun, is also semi gaudy or seems to be geared towards kids or casual looks that's just not me. However, I have stumbled on some truly inspiring wire work from a fellow Etsy artist that is elegant and creative. I just have to share some of this awesome work with you.

Here are some pieces from
juliadesigns. Please visit her online store to be wowed further. She even offers tutorials so you can create some pieces for yourself:


Saturday, September 27, 2008

Featured in more Etsy Treasuries this week...Thanks!

Hello, Just learned that some of my work has been featured in a few Etsy treasuries again. A treasury is a collection of like items that are pulled together by an Etsy member and featured as a group. Sometimes they get selected for the front page of Etsy, which is great publicity and a nice honor. I keep my fingers crossed that I will be lucky enough to be on page one some day.

Thanks for selecing me
PoliticalPooches. My pendant is the one on the lime green polkadot background below. See the full shot here http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=11046

And here is another one by Floralia. Mine is the crow in goggles... 2nd treasury it has been in this week. Thanks Floralia! See the full shot here http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=11517



Always a nice surprise to be picked by someone! =o) Thanks again.


Saturday, March 15, 2008

Metalsmith With Natural Found Objects

Hello,

Just a quick post for now...

Here is a video that is a short introduction to jewelry artist Laura Crawford of "Tangerine Tree House" that I found featured on Etsy.com. It is showing how she became inspired to move beyond bead stringing into something that she felt allowed her to be more creative...metal smithing. I like the video because it is well done and because I can sort of relate. I recently found that I was ready to move beyond regular beading into something a little different too. For me, I selected silver metal clay as a new form to explore.

Laura is inspired by found objects and nature. I am inspired by nature as well, so again, I related to her story.