Sunday 19 June 2011

What’s Been Going on + New Tutorial

Where do I begin???? I’ve been busy doing bits and pieces…  some custom orders… some classes…  some metal work… and a new tutorial!!!

First of all let me show you how my first pair of metal worked earrings turned out! :-)

copper earrings 01 copy 
Not bad, considering I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing!!! :-)  These earrings are made of copper, sawed, filed and textured (battered) with a hammer and then shaped with a wooden thingy majiggy (don’t you just love my technical jargon!) I think it’s called a dapping die set :-)

What I learnt from making these?  well… I’m not very good with the saw… I am very good at breaking the saw blades…. it’s going to take me a much longer time than I expected to make things… I guess my learning curve is pretty abysmal… I wish I could go to some classes :-)

Then… I got really excited because I found instruction for how to make those really cool leather wrap bracelets… I've wanted one for years!!! and now I have about 7!!! :-) I’ve been making one after another, some for me, some for friends, some as gifts for my son’s teachers for the end of the year…. some still have to be made… but in the meantime here are some of the ones I already made.

wrap bracelets copy
These are soooo much fun to make!!!! and I just can’t stop!!!! I even started making buttons for the closures out of copper…. with my newly found metalwork skills :-)

And finally I taught a workshop last week for my Rosette Earrings and now the tutorial is available in my etsy shop:

 Black Rosette earrings 01 copy

tutorial listing copy

I think that’s it for now… I’m still working on finishing a bead-embroidered bag… I think I’m about 5 or 6 months into it!!! It will be finished soon… I hope! :-)

Wishing you all happy beading! :-)

12 comments:

  1. Nice job. I love the earrings. One thing I learned about metal work, is that there are some things you end up loving and some you end up hating. I hate soldering. I found out early on that I was bad at it. But the skills I learned from metal work really helped me "think" more about how to connect things. It is a valuable resource to learn all you can even if you never use most of it.
    My only regret is that I bought too many tools that I don't use....sigh.

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  2. Everything is very beautiful I really like the copper earrings. Aren't those leather wrap bracelets fun? Looking forward to seeing your beaded bag.
    Therese

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  3. A stunning and unique piece!!!

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  4. Wow, you've been busy! Love all of your new work!!

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  5. Wow you have been busy. Everything looks so beautiful at I expect it to.

    Hope you are all well now.

    Nicole/Beadwright

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  6. Your work always leaves me breathless! You are such an inspiration to me!! I have materials all ready to go to make a couple of the leather wrap bracelets, but just can't find the time :( Keep rockin' it, girl! Love your work!!

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  7. Great work on the copper earings. I am still getting my tools and workspace together for metalwork...sigh....

    I love the leather bracelts - do you have a link for where to buy the tutorial for these?

    Karyn
    Australia

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  8. Everything has a beginning - and from the looks of it, you are doing just fine!

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  9. WOW. I stumbled across your blog, and I am in LOVE. You do absolutely amazing work, and I totally dig your style.

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  10. thank you all so much for your lovely comments!!!

    @Karyn: this is the tutorial I bought http://www.etsy.com/listing/65422587/chan-luu-style-leather-wrap-bracelet but afterwards I found a similar one free here: http://www.fusionbeads.com/beadingfaq/techniques.php?bfid=197

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  11. All things are beautiful, but i like earrings more!

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