Computer Woes

Just when I was feeling better and ready to get going on my blog and my etsy shop, computer woes struck!

The hard drive where my pictures are stored stopped working.  Actually, it's a bit more complicated than that. I wont bore you with details.

You're welcome.

But we're up and running again, so let's have some jewelry content, shall we?

This is actually a necklace I made a while back, and even tho it's made from lesser materials, you know I love it!

It's the crystals, of course!

And those flat head pins are pretty interesting, too.

It's just a cluster of shiny round things!

The foot is doing much better, thank you, but I have occasional twinges.  I am ready to get back to work!

Moonstone Necklace

I bought these moonstone beads while I was still living in Singapore.  I haven't seen anything like them since I've been back in the states.

I always struggled with them because of the way that they are drilled.  I'm not sure this pendant is the best solution, but it does work.

At least, it works for Shubert.

Isn't she photogenic, though?

I must apologize for the brief hiatus in posting.  Wednesday night last week, I stepped off the curb into a sewer inlet that was both several inches below where I thought the street level should be, and also angled so that I came down on my left foot hard and twisted.  I didn't break anything, but I was sore for several days and didn't feel like doing anything.

After a lovely long weekend spent sitting on the porch and reading for several hours each day, I am feeling much better.

For the Love of Crystal

I've always loved crystal.  Something about it being clear, but refracting the light into rainbows thrills me.

This particular bead isn't actually clear.  It has what is called an aurora borealis coating on it, making it more rainbowy.

But that iridescence just is way too cool for me.

The beads in the chain also have the ab coating, but they don't show as well in this picture.

Sometimes I worry that my tastes aren't sufficiently sophisticated, but then I am reminded that diamonds also are clear and refract the light in much the same way.  But without needing any coating.

Urgent Need to Create

I have so  many older pieces that I intend to blog about and then list in my etsy shop, but last night I really needed to make a new piece.

I had been thinking about this square frame idea for some time now.  I had seen similar earrings made in some other metal, and they had fringe made from some fiber hanging off the bottom.  Looked like hair to me, and it did not appeal.  The other pair also had a bead wired between the two loops at the top of the square, and I've sworn off beads for the time being, so...

..I sat with the squares for a while and finally came up with this solution.  They kinda remind me of wind chimes, altho they are silent when worn.

The Wire-Only Challenge continues!

Another New/Old Piece

Here is another piece I made a while back.  I was just getting the hang of making a beaded chain with this one.  I used some of my favorite swarovski bicones in the chain - I think there are 3 different colors.

But I hadn't yet learned how to make a wire wrapped beaded chain.  Those are a little more secure than this looped version, but I still like this version.  

The star is deliberately wonky, and this was made before I had my torch, so it is just folded over itself and hammered.

New Props, Older Pieces

 A couple of weeks ago, I retrieved some pieces I had made earlier this year from a little shop in town that had been selling them.  

I had some moderate success early on, but no sales at all in the month of August.  The owner of the store suggested perhaps my prices were a little high for their clientele, and maybe I should think about rotatinging my stock.

I decided to just list the pieces on etsy, instead.  I might consider lowering some of the prices, as these pieces were made while I was still just fooling around, and of materials that are not the finest.  

I also decided to change the way I photograph my jewelry.  I'm done with the light green background for now.  I went out and bought this black wire dress form, which is actually for displaying jewelry.  

And I bought a bag of black river rocks.

Not sure if Shubert will continue to be used as a prop.  She's not entirely cooperative.

And the last purchase was a display board, like a student would use, as a back drop.

I've move the whole she-bang out of the studio onto the dining room table.  I've taken so many pictures and uploaded them to my computer, and now the computer is acting a little weird.  Need more disc space!

Working Improvisationally

When I got into my studio last night, I was a bit lost as to what I would work on.  Lacking inspiration a bit.  So the first thing I did was to buff this pendant.  I haven't figured out how to get a picture of the mirror finish I am putting on these pieces that I buff, but this one is really shiny.

My wire supplies are running low again, but I had it in my head to challenge myself to make some earring designs using only wire - leaving the beads out.  I love beads, but sometimes I feel like they lack sophistication.

I don't usually spend a lot of time planning what I will make - I call this working improvisationally.  I just make it up as I go along. So, using only wire without a net, I came up with these earrings.

I like the way they feel, the weight of them is nice.