bead table wednesday

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Bead Table Wednesday ~ i {heart} copper

Happy Bead Table Wednesday!
It is sad how long it has been since I have done a BTW post. I could have been doing them, because my bead table has been a very active place….but…..anyhoo…..I am back this week at least 🙂
I am getting ready for a show next week, so I have been working on some new components.
In this last post about the Woodland Necklace, I discovered how much I love copper……all on it’s own. Since then I have been cutting and hammering and forging and soldering away with copper.  I just love all the colors copper turns under the heat from the torch!
Here is what was on my table today…..

These, very organic copper flowers, for some reason, were very difficult to clean after oxidizing them…..not sure what I did!  My fingers were black!


I have been experimenting with Shannon LeVart’s tutorial, called Turning Leaves, which you can purchase on Etsy. It is a great tutorial which will lead you step by step through creating mixed media leaves. Again, I used copper!  Fun! Fun! Fun!


I’ve also been playing with PMC Clay some more and need to turn these components into some finished pieces of jewelry.



Well, that’s all I got for now.
Back to creating……..

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Bead Soup Party Coming Up Soon!

It’s been like a month since I posted last…..that’s embarassing!
Between lack of internet and Hurricane Irene passing over us I got behind on blogging!
I am taking part in the Bead Soup Blog Party again this year. We are assigned a partner, by Lori at Pretty Things, partners swap bead packages and make something with what was sent to them.
My partner is Karen, from Seattle, and you can check out her blog here.
Karen sent quite an amazing package.
Here are the Focals and the toggle. Karen made these focals!!! The one on the bottom right has a sand dollar embedded in it!! They are all so beautiful and my imagination is whirling thinking about all the things I can do with these.
And then there were all the other extras…..
Look at all these beautiful stones!!!! Karen told me the round disks are fossilized coral….very cool!! These pieces are all new to me since I have never worked with stones like these. So it will be an exciting journey.
The turquoise cube beads above are some of my favorites!
Be sure and come back September 17th, do the Bead Soup Party Blog hop and check out what all the amazing jewelry artists have created.
Well, I’ve got to go get to work, and I promise you I will be back before September 17th!
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Bead Table Wednesday ~ sea glass bracelet

Been busy, busy, busy with orders and fun stuff going on around the house so I havent been posting a whole lot lately.  Actually the *stuff going on around the house* has taken over my life!
Right now, in between everything else, I am trying to finish up the bracelet that I started a few weeks ago.

I still need to add a clasp, secure the sea glass in the bezels and then do a final polishing.


I love all these sea glass colors so much and can’t wait for it to be finished.
Soon!!!
Check out all the other Bead Table Wednesday posts this week and be inspired!

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Bead Table Wednesday ~ work in progress from the classroom

This week I am in the middle of taking a local jewelry class. It is named Sea Glass Class, but it is so much more than that!
Here I am polishing away at my work station….

I have been making jewelry for several years now, and after doing more metal and wire work I wanted to learn how to cut more of my own original pieces from sheet silver and copper. So, about a year ago, I bought a jeweler’s saw which is a hand saw with a very fine blade that breaks very easily. I tried and tried to get that saw to work and just couldn’t! In my frustration I put (threw) the saw aside and out of sight!
Well, the first day of this class we had to use one! After a brief description and demo we were all sitting at our workstations, saw in hand, and I got it to work!! I was over the moon!!! If I didn’t learn another thing this week I would have still been happy!
I had to go home, find my saw and apologize to it!
Here are some bails that I made from sheet silver using the saw….
On one bail I soldered on a small turtle pendant that the instructor of the class made.
These two pieces still need polishing up which I will do tomorrow.
I have also had a chance in this class to use a dual fuel torch for soldering which has made things so much easier…..once you get use to the heat!
I have been using a butane torch and having problems with it lately and it was all because there was not enough heat.
Here are a few more pieces I am working on in class.
I love these pastel colors together. Still trying to decide what to make out of these….a bracelet….a pendant…..a necklace…..any ideas?
I would love to hear your opinions!
Be sure and check out what others have on their bead tables this Wednesday over at the Flickr group, Bead Table Wednesday.
Watch out world…..here I come with my jeweler’s saw!

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Bead Table Wednesday ~ getting somewhere

Remember those components that had me artistically stuck?
Well I am getting somewhere with them this week.
There is also a heart bezel that is filled with goodies and resin which is drying on the side.
I am having a busy week – both emotionally and physically – but being able to create is my solace.  I always seem to be beaming with ideas at times like this.
Happy Bead Table Wednesday!
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~Bead Table Wednesday~

It’s been a busy week here with workmen in and out of the house.  I am surprised I was able to do anything creative.  Two weeks ago, in this post, I showed you a variety of components I was working with.  I am really struggling with getting these to come together right.
BUT…..I was successful with this pendant…..
I love making those fused silver rings, hammering them FLAT…..very therapeutic…..and then stamping them for some texture.

I had a headpin leftover, and it was lonely, so made this simple pendant for myself……….

I have also had my hands in clay and glaze again……

Cant wait to glaze these and fire them.  I love that owl towards the bottom right…..he’s gonna be a cutie 🙂
Right next to him is a bezel box that I cant wait to fill with goodies and resin.
Here are a few glazed beads waiting for something creative to happen to them….

I think they may grow up to be pendants.
Be sure to go the Flickr group, Bead Table Wednesday, and check out what other jewelry artists are up to.
Happy Bead Table Wednesday!!!
What is happening on your bead table?


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B.T.W.

Personally I think a messy work table shows that work is getting done!!!
Right??????
It is a little embarrassing to show this photo, but when I am in a bead making frenzy this is what happens!
And I think most artists are capable of making a real good MESS!!!  I just hate myself when I have to clean it up, and that time is soon coming!
Very soon I will be upgrading to a mixed gas torch and I cannot wait!!  I am just waiting for all the items to get to me 🙂
I am still working with the findings I showed you last BTW.
Here are a few beads that will go with that mix.
What is on your creative table today?
Go here and check out what others are doing on Bead Table Wednesday!