New Stuff and Old Stuff Revamped

I have a spot on the Just Jewels showcase tomorrow on Etsy so I was busy trying to get two more pendants done tonight. I know alot of people say the showcase spots are a total waste but I try to do one Main showcase a month and all of them have given me quite a few hearts, views and even sales either that day or people that hearted me came back and bought something. As I said, I prefer the Main showcase spots but the Thursday that they came open (the same as the Just Jewels one) I forgot and this was the only one that had spots left when I finally remembered.

These are the latest two pendants, a larimar and a labradorite piece. The larimar is pure perfection for me. The frame turned out great, the bail is fantastic and the design even surpised me as it just fits. I don't draw out or plan out most of my designs, I just pick it up and start turning the wire. Don't get me wrong, I love my labradorite piece I just did but the larimar one was just natural. It was like I started it and I was done with it, just like that.


As for my "revamped" part of my title, that's probably a bit over stated. Close to when I first started my blog I posted some pictures of my first attempts at making glass beads. Well I've FINALLY gotten around to doing something with a few of the firsts ones I made. I've started making a bracelet with them. I love how it's turning out so far and the only thing I really have left to do is add some chain to make it adjustable and to figure out what I'm going to do about a clasp. I really want to make my own hook type clasp out of wire but clasps are far from my specialty. For now I'm happy with how it looks and will be looking for some ideas on what to do to finish this piece off.

New Glass

This past weekend I got a chance to really play with my new glass. I am now in love with CiM glass rods. I bought several different colors to try that included, Bordello, Celadon, Glacier, Simple Berry, Evil Queen, Poi, Ginger, Canyon de Chelly, Hades, Desert Pink, Comando and some clear. I've tried out all the colors to some extent and here is a photo of my creations
I am extremely proud of the two flower ones as they were my first attempt at doing flowers.

New Pendant and Just Stuff

I got 2 new stones in the mail today. One of these being a labradorite stone. This one has a flash that is beautiful at the angle when it's worn but a bit tricky to photograph in my usual way. I could take a photo of it on my mannequin bust but it just wouldn't looks as nice as the wood grain/bamboo look my usual photo background does. The supplier I buy from gets this shape in quite often and I have to say that whomever is cutting these always does a beautiful job of cutting the piece so that you get the best flash at the perfect angle for a pendant. I love everything about these stones from the shape to the color and amount of flash that are in them. Each one I make I end up loving more than the last. Here's a photo because as I write this it just sold.
I also ordered a bunch of new glass rods today by a different manufacture I wanted to try out. I'm hoping they will be here by the end of the week. I have lots of really neat beads made, just haven't been in a stringing type mood when it comes to jewelry creation. Also, I want to make some beads that will fit the Pandora style bracelets for the craft show coming up in October. I'm sure there are a couple people around work that have these type bracelets so it wouldn't hurt to have some and see how/if they sell.

The Eve of a 3 Day Weekend

I am so looking forward to this three day weekend. The only thing I have planned is to take new pictures of practically everything in my shop. Or at least the shawl pins and the wire wrapped pendants. I've been working on my website and decided that I need to retake ALL the pictures for it so I'm hoping the weather holds out this weekend and is nice enough.

Other than the photo taking I have a couple of earring orders to work on as well as catch up on some of my jewelry. I have the neatest wire wrapped pendant/necklace but it's sort of an odd color so getting a matching stone/bead for the drop is proving to be sort of a pain. I'm serously considering making a glass bead myself that would go with it. I also plan on getting my kiln up and running and get the multitude of beads that I have made annealed. I have quite a few bracelet ideas for them and am just waiting for this one step to get done.

Speaking of glass I got larger mandrels in the mail this week and some new glass. I'm still getting used to the larger mandrel, they're the size that you use to make beads that fit a Pandora style bracelet. I love working with the larger mandrels just quite haven't got my rhythm using them down yet. I did make two last night that turned out pretty good size and even wise though so I'm making progress.

Play toys

So, last Friday I broke down and ordered my kiln and I am super excited about it getting here. I already have a ton of ideas going throuhg my head and have boughten quite a few smaller cabs to try my hand at making some rings and pendants with the PMC clay. Of course the kiln hasn't arrived yet but still I'm anxiously waiting.

I also ordered a glass kit on Friday that will be here tomorrow. So by the weekend I hope to be making me some glass beads. Dave and I were talking last night about how cultural Orlando tries to make itself out to be but it's sometimes hard to find places that cater to these type works. I found lots of studios but I had a hard time finding a brick and mortar store I can walk in to and buy glass rods or some other type equipment. When I was thinking about picking up hand throwing pottery I think I only found two places I could go and get clay but only one was really near to where I live. It can be annoying sometime when I want to go out and get something and not have to wait.

Anyway, with any luck I'll be posting pictures this weekend of my new glass beads. Yay!

Getting a kiln

I am super excited because next month we get our incentive bonus at work. This will probably be the last year we get one for a while so I'm planning on enjoying mine completely. I have been wanting a kiln for a while so I can start doing some stuff with PMC clay. After looking and comparing for weeks I've finally decided on this one, the Paragon Caldera.

The nice thing about it is that it's small, reasonably priced and it fires up to a cone 10 which means if I ever want to actually get into some pottery and ceramic type stuff it should get hot enough to do just about whatever I want that will, of course, fit inside the kiln. Also, I'm getting the bead collar extension on it because I've always been a bit of a pyro and I have been amazed by glass work ever since the first time I saw someone doing a glass blowing demonstration when I was in highschool. I'm not interested in blowing glass but doing some torch work looks intriguing and from what I've read and seen I think I could do it. I'm starting off with soft glass so I can start off small but maybe someday I'll work up to the boro glasses. So any tips or recommendations on torch work are more than welcome.