I got a bonus this weekend.  Because I’ve been such a good sport (yeah, right)  about going with my husband to install his concrete steps at various job sites, I decided that this was the weekend he needed to take me to Freeport to the Beadin’ Path.  DEFINITELY worth the trip.  I was quite overwhelmed when I walked in.  A whole wall of Lucite, a whole wall of glass, etc etc.  They have a corner with a couch, tv, and toy box, which is where Pete kept Isaac occupied for awhile so I could shop.  Next time I need to go with a better idea of what I want to pick up. I definitely needed sterling wire to complete a pearl bracelet I started a few days before.  About a zillion wire wraps  (or at least it seemed like it).       Love how it came out, but probably won’t be doing another one again any time soon.  At any rate, I listed it on Ruby Lane today.

I also received some absolutely delicious chalcedony from Uncommon Beads on Etsy, which have already been transformed into delicious earrings.    

   Rosa Rugosa

We took Isaac to Parson’s Beach in Wells (or is it Kennebunk???) a week ago.  It’s a little gem of a beach, with very limited parking, and unless you know it’s there you’ll miss it.  At first he was a little nervous, but by the end he was barging his way through the water.  I tried to stop him to show him shells, crabs, etc., but he was freeeeeee!!!!!  Along the path to the beach were thousands of beach roses in varying shades of white and pink.  As soon as you step out of the car the combined scent of the ocean and roses hits you like a brick. 

Anyway, the color in these beads reminded me of the beach roses.  The pendant was an aborted attempt to complete a tutorial by WireBliss for a wire wrapped donut.  The colors I had just weren’t working, so I removed the donut and wandered off on my own.  It does make for a feminine pendant.  I can envision it in a multitude of colors…..where to begin?

  I’ve had a week of minimal usefulness.  The shop was closed this week for vacation, so I was sans workspace.  Plus, Isaac was sicker than a dog for the first 3 days of vacation, so nothing got done.   I was desperate for some workspace at home; a place where I can work and then just close the doors when the rugrat gets up from his naps (which, by the way, are getting shorter by the day).  I was supposed to get the spare room, but hubby’s stash of stuff is still in there, despite the fact that he’s got his own garage.  I had a brainstorm one day and decided to use my computer armoire.  After about a week of trying to get it moved into the living room, it’s finally there.  When I’m done for the day I can leave my project out, just push in the keyboard tray, fold up my chair, and shut the door.  All at the same time as watching Red Sox, Scrubs, or My Name is Earl.   Now if I can just get the dining room table cleaned off….

      This was a case of glancing at the pearls and suddenly knowing what I was going to do with them.  It doesn’t happen like that often.  Usually I have to rearrange beads and wires, add, subtract, substitute, etc., but this one came together in less that a couple of hours.  The clasp was inspired by a project in Bead on a Wire by Sharilyn Miller.

Have I said before that I don’t like wire wrapping?  I have to work from the spool in order to do them, because my hands just can’t take working with short pieces of wire.  So what did I do on this necklace?  27 wire wrapped loops.

Yesterday I made a rose quartz bracelet; today I restrung it with different beads, as it was too stiff.  Originally I had 5 rectangular beads, plus some rounds and sterling spacers, but it just wasn’t working.  Today everything seems to be coming together.  (So far) I’ve made 2 pairs of earrings, restrung the bracelet, and made another necklace (admittedly I did all the wire wrapping on the beads last night watching the Red Sox).  Pictures coming soon–I tend to do pictures in batches, since I have to edit them and have to be in the mood.

I also had my first sale on Ruby Lane this past weekend.  That took one week, as opposed to Etsy where I was on there for 5 months before I had a sale.

  That strand of pearls has colors ranging from purple to copper (I think they called them peacock pearls). 

Now that I’m on Ruby Lane I’m going to make what I want to make, rather than try to fit into a certain price range.  We have a motto at the shop: Buy in what you like, because you might have to live with it.  So there will be a necklace.  Soon….

 Well, the past two days have been an experiment in getting myself more productive.  I’ve decided I need to do things in batches (even if they aren’t the same design).  I made earrings last night (while watching the Celtics kickin’ comeback).  I make my own headpins, so I can design right on the spool of wire. I end up stringing them on the wire from top to bottom, so that I make the head of the pin last.  Snip, then a loop on the top (plain or wrapped, depending on preference).  I’ve found I have a much easier time doing a wrapped loop when the wire is still on the spool, since the extra length of wire gives me more leverage.  I make a bunch of dangles in a row this way, then later I can decide what kind of ear wire to attach.  I’ve also found that I cannot make ear wires at night–I can’t get the consistency in the sizes unless I’m fresh. 

So it seems like I don’t get anything done, but then when I attach ear wires, I’ve got three or four pairs of earrings ready.   Fab!   Then I do my pictures in batches when I get down to the shop.  I have photo lights and a light tent down there.  Now if only I could remember to charge the camera.

I just received notification that I’ve been approved for a shop at Ruby Lane!  I’ve been setting it up since last Saturday, and I just received final approval.  I’ll continue to list supplies at Etsy, but I think I’ll be moving the remainder of my jewelry items over to RL.  My first 10 items are already up, and I’ll be adding more tomorrow.  Check it out!     Until tomorrow!

Sorry I’ve been absent for the past week.  Between the heat wave we had last weekend and working on another webstore, I just haven’t had a chance to get back to the blog.  But I have been creating.  I made a bracelet with matching earrings out of some lampwork beads I received from Debby Gwaltney of Starlight Designs.  They are a beautiful violet and green on a white background.  I combined them with Swarovski crystals and Jablonex Czech glass flowers.  All the metal is sterling.  As soon as I get approval on my webstore, I’ll be adding these to it and making an announcement on this page.

I feel like I spend more time editing photos than I do creating anything.  Jewelry is so hard to photograph well!  I can’t swing a new camera with bells and whistles, so I work with my Sony Mavica and Photoshop Elements to make the pictures presentable. 

 I suppose I need to get a schedule going (ie jewelry making M, W, F; photos and webstore T, R), but sometimes things are just up in the air.  I try to do batch photo editing, but after about the 10th photo, it gets old.  I suppose I should just be grateful for any time I have to work.

I have a hutch at the shop that I finally fixed up last week for my jewelry.  Boy, put the stuff in a lit case and people are all interested.

Until next time….

  Here are some earrings I made the other day, during Isaac’s (shortening) naps.  They are hung on handmade sterling silver headpins, then attached to sterling silver ear posts.  

I spent the better part of today working on some ceramic pendants and beads.  I have a huge kiln, and it will take a long time to fill it unless I get some other, larger pieces made.  I’m trying a new clay which is giving me fewer problems with warpage; I’m also sandwiching the flat pendants between boards. 

  I love pearls.  I find it fascinating that something that started out as basically an itch in a mollusk shell could come out so lusterous.   I received my first pearls, a set of large pearl earrings, from my sister when I graduated high school.  When I was 26 I bought my strand of pearls which I eventually wore on my wedding day.  I had no idea at the time, though, that pearls came in so many colors and shapes. 

 Pearls are the birthstone of June (alternate June birthstones are Moonstone and Alexandrite).   They are seen as a sign of purity (hence the “Pearly Gates”).  The ancient Greeks believed pearls were actually the tears of Aphrodite, while the Chinese believed they originated from the brains of dragons.  For many years only the wealthy were allowed to own pearls, as they were a status symbol. Cleopatra once made a wager with Marc Antony that she could host the most expensive meal in history.  He was impressed, but did not believe that the meal was any more extravagent than any other she had hosted.  Cleopatra then removed one of her pearl earrings, worth a fortune at the time, and dropped it into her wine,  which she proceeded to drink as the pearl dissolved.  Antony conceded defeat.

 Naturally formed pearls are relatively rare today, so if you have a strand handed down through the family, cherish them. Most pearls available in the trade today are cultured, either freshwater or marine.  They are available in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and can be bleached white or dyed virtually any color of the rainbow. 

  Even if you’re not interested in wearing a “classic” pearl strand, the variety of shapes and colors means that virtually everyone should be able to find a style to suit them.   They are suitable for birthdays, graduations, shower presents; you name it, pearls are a wonderful gift.  For jewelry designers, the possibilites are endless.

Sorry if you visited my site this afternoon and, well, couldn’t find it.  I think I have it straightened back out.  Tried to move my blog up as my home page.  Obviously didn’t work.

I spent last night flipping back and forth between Home Shopping Network and QVC.  Jewelry nights on both.  On HSN there were some gorgeous picture jasper pendants and earrings.  I can’t really remember what I saw on QVC (it was late and I was enjoying my Benedryl).   The night before Tori Spelling had some attractive pieces on HSN as well.  I never used to watch those stations until I started making jewelry; now sometimes I set the timer on the tv.

Yellow gold is big again.  And is it just me, or are there an awful lot of crosses being created?