jewelry

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Decisions….Decisions….

Hello!!
A few weeks ago I was inspired to make a necklace I had seen on the Fusion Beads Inspiration page.  You can find the link here.  They call it “Garden of Love Necklace”.
I have been searching for new techniques, ways to incorporate fiber and fabric into my jewelry and possibly less expensive options for my customers.
This technique uses the Diva Cord Maker, which I love and will be using again and again!
So now I have this awesome cord made for a necklace, but I can’t decide what type of pendant to use.


Since I finished the cord I have had tons of ideas.  Here are a few of them…..(just a few!)


For several days I just kept pulling different pieces to try and help me make a decision.


Above is a bezeled piece of antique pottery off of the beach.


In this above picture is a lavender glass glob that I thought about making into a pendant like the green one to the right.  The green on would be too small for this cord.


There was this bird toggle that I made out of silver which could be a toggle and a pendant, all in one.


Or I could use one of my glass pendants.  I even pulled out my stained glass, from YEARS ago and thought about making a copper foiled heart that was pink on one side and lavender on the other.


Finally, there is this fine silver flower pendant that I made.
And yes, there were more ideas.  I was literally paralyzed with ideas.
I THINK I have made a decision……but what do you think?
I’d love to hear your feedback.
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Brave Heart Pendant ~ Pay it Forward


{Have you ever heard about a situation and it just breaks your heart and you feel like you HAVE TO do something about it?
A few months back I met a lady, Lovely Reckley, and she told me how she goes to four different schools in Abaco and feeds 85+ children that would have otherwise had no lunch. For some of these kids, this is the only meal of the day.
Lovely even takes food to some of them when school is out.
That really broke my heart. I mean, I know there are kids all over the world that are starving, but when I realized there were children right under my nose it killed me. I kept wondering what I could do. I thought about offering to help cook, but cooking for so many mouths really overwhelmed me. Then I realized what a COMMITMENT this awesome woman had made to these children…..EVERYDAY!!!
At Christmas, instead of giving gifts I gave a donation to her organization (and to our Humane Society) instead of buying things that people really didn’t need.
But it kept tugging at my heart. So, I decided for the month of February I would post several heart themed items to my blog. They would be for sale, and I would give 25% of the cost of the item to Lovely, to help with her costs.
I may post an item everyday or I may post several items a week…..I am really not sure, but 25% will go to “Feed the Children” in Abaco, Bahamas.
I CANNOT imagine going without food, or only having one meal a day that I had to rely on someone else to bring to me, and these children shouldn’t have to deal with this either, so please help!}

Good Morning!
My heart item for today is this Brave Heart Pendant.


It is made from copper, fine silver and one of my glass headpins.


The copper heart I cut out of sheet copper, stamped, filed and textured it.
The silver tear drop is made from PMC3, which when kiln fired turns into fine silver.


I finished it off with one of my glass headpins. Connecting them all together with fine silver wire.


This pendant is $48, the chain is sold separately.
If you are outside of the Bahamas, you will be able to purchase it from my Etsy store, HERE!
25% goes to help “Feed the Children in Abaco”.
Thanks for stopping by!
Go out into the world with a brave heart today!

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i {heart} hearts

I am not sure what has gotten into me lately, but I have been totally smitten with hearts for several months now. I think I have been trying to repress this also, but I no longer can. They are sneaking out into my work like I have no control.
My style really seems to be changing, but I am enjoying the transformation, and just creating from my heart.
As you have heard me say, I am getting ready for a show next weekend. I am trying not to show too much of my new work. For one, I want people who come to the show to be able to see new things, and then I get in a pickle if someone wants to buy it and then I am short of stock for my show.
B U T……I just have to show you a few things that I am so proud of!
First this set of jewelry….heart of blues…..


Then this journal that I made after reading a bible verse on Pinterest (yes, i am addicted to pinning also!)
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” Proverbs 4:23
WOW! That is the perfect verse for an artist!
Here is the journal I was inspired to make after reading that verse.



I love the texture in this……



If it were my journal I wouldnt be able to stop touching all the textures and frays.



I hope this journal gets a really special home…..

and that the owner of this journal remembers…
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” Proverbs 4:23

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Woodland Necklace

Hello!
Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!
Remember my post, *Coming Soon*?
I was awaiting the arrival of a copper leaf clasp from Daisy Chain Designs in England. That tiny envelope took almost 2 months to get to me!
Now that the holidays are over and my house is empty again, I had a chance to make a piece using this beautiful clasp.
There were five jewelry designers that participated in the challenge, so be sure to check out their blog posts if you didn’t already, right here.
While I was waiting the arrival of this package my lampworked owl was born, and I thought he would be perfect with this clasp.



This is the first time I have done a necklace completely out of copper wire and chain, and I really like it.



I have had this chain for quite some time and wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it.  It works perfect with this necklace.  Heavy enough to add to the design, but not so heavy that it takes away from the oak leaf clasp or the beads.
Mr Owl has a birdie friend accompanying him also.


Hope you like my Woodland Necklace!
I think I am keeping this one for myself 🙂


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Recycled Glass Jewelry

Happy Friday everyone!
Over the last few weeks I have been working on and off with making glass beads out of used bottles, that would have otherwise been trash.
The beads aren’t perfect because I am not working with a rod, the glass isnt perfect, but I think the imperfections add to the uniqueness of the pieces.


Sometimes pieces break or crack, but I am pretty happy with the finished jewelry pieces that have been created as a result of this glass that could have been garbage.

I still have more photos to upload and edit, but wanted to show a couple of the most popular pieces.
Have great weekend!



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Thank You & Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!
Like most people I am trying to figure out where 2011 went!! It was a whirlwind. A fun and exciting one though! Thank you to everyone who reads my blog, buys my creations, supports me at my shows, and encourages me along the way.
You have been with me through my new vegan journey and at my first vegan Christmas dinner last year!  This year was the second!


You cheered me on to finish UFO’s, and there are some that still aren’t done and some new ones for 2012!
I shared recipes with you from my vegan journey and I hope they were helpful to you. You encouraged me when I came up with new ideas and had art shows to attend.
You read my posts in February as I did a Creative Everyday Challenge. That was a great challenge and one I need to do again!


You have listened to my dog stories and looked at my agility trial pictures.


Watched me struggle and enjoy swaps. The last part of 2011 I didn’t do any swaps but will be getting involved again in 2012….i missed some of those gals (and guys!)


In May I thought my life was slowing down, but that wasn’t so, things got really busy around the house, and I really slacked off from my blogging. But during that time my husband and I have been working on a classroom for me to start teaching quilting again, we built a guest cottage and a storage shed and dealt with Hurricane Irene.


You also cheered me on with my Paint Party Fridays, which I also miss and want to start doing again. Bead Table Wednesdays were fun and kept me motivated.
You listened to my stories about my online classes and encouraged me with my new lampworking skills.


So thank you, thank you, thank you!  Thank you for your ear (or your eyes since you are reading!), and I hope you will continue to follow my creative journey into 2012.

In 2012 I want to keep creating and get all these new ideas out of my head!
Of course finish some more UFO’s; do more pottery {i have a potter’s wheel again ~ woohoo!}, continue to improve my lampworking skills, make more jewelry components from ceramic clay and do lots more work with Precious Metal Clay. I just love that stuff and when I work with it I always ask myself why I don’t work with it more!

Here are a few new pieces that I finished today…..

The textured circles on these earrings were made from Precious Metal Clay, and have my glass headpins hanging from them.


Potcake Necklace…….

Potcakes are our local mixed breed and there are many strays.  When I make these pendants I give $20 to help the animals of Abaco.


Have a happy, healthy, exciting and creative 2012!

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The Journey of an Owl

Today has flown by! Probably because I have been on the torch most of the day.  It has been the perfect day for it…..it is 71 here with a brisk breeze, so having the toasty kiln on & sitting by a torch feels good for a change!
(Yes in the Bahamas we consider 71 cool!)
I told you in my last post that I had the pleasure of having Cassie, from Glass Beadle, here to help me with my bead making.
When she came I had a list of beads I wanted to learn how to make. An owl was on that list, but the three days went by so quickly that we never got to it.
I wasn’t worried, since she had taught me some great skills with sculpting so I figured I could figure it out on my own.
That little owl took several tries…..four to be exact….
Just for fun I thought I would share the photos with you.
The very first one broke – after the annealing, while I was cleaning him!! I was devastated!



It took me a few weeks to try again…..so here are Mr Two & Mr Three….
They were better, but still needed some work to get rid of the wonkiness!



And then success today!!! WOOHOO!!
I am pretty proud of this little guy!



Sorry for the terrible photo, but I couldn’t wait to share him with you!
Tomorrow he will become a pendant.
Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!


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Busy, Busy Christmas


I am not sure where the first two weeks of December went, in fact, I am trying to figure out where 2011 went! I sure have stayed busy!
Wanted to do a quick post to show you some new things I have been working on.
I also, finally, created a Facebook for Bahama Dawn. If you scroll down this page you will see the button on the right. Click on it & *like* it please. Right after Christmas I am going to be running a discount special specifically through that page.
Back in November the awesome Cassie Donlen, from Glass Beadle came to Abaco and spent three days helping me with my glass bead making. I can’t thank her enough! She was awesome and I learned TONS of great tips and tricks. It was my first real class in lampworking! Before that I had fumbled along, taught myself, and made a lot of mistakes.
Thanks again Cassie!!!
So here are some of my new creations……
These are just a few of the beads Cassie and I made together.  Some are hers and some are mine in this photo.



I learned how to make these hearts which have been very popular and I LOVE making them!



I am also having a blast stamping on metal, especially creating little scenes.  Will have lots more pieces with these stamped pieces as I get a chance to put together and finish pieces.



Also having fun making these puppy pendants!! Need to work on a kitty pendant also!  I am selling these for $20, and all the money goes to help the animals of Abaco.



Tree of Life Pendants are another new creation which have been popular also.



My final little show and tell are these sea glassy beads.  I make the bead, then etch it and it looks like sea glass!



Thanks for stopping by to see my new goodies!!
Have a great week!


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Coming Soon……..

Hello!!
First of all, today I am supposed to be a part of a group of bloggers taking part in a challenge with beautiful oak leaf copper jewelry components from Jo at Daisy Chain Designs.
Unfortunately, I am stilling waiting to receive my package, with the oak leaf, that seems to be delayed in the mail.
These are the beautiful copper pieces I am waiting on…..



In the meantime, please check out the Daisy Chain blog & website, as well as all the bloggers participating in the challenge:

Jo Tinley of Daisy Chain Designs
Melissa Meman of Art, Life, Love
Niki Sayers of SilverNikNaks
Amber Boorman of Larksong Studio
Rebecca Anderson of Songbeads
As soon as my oak leaf arrives I will post my design. I have had a design idea in my head since I saw the oak leaves on Jo’s blog, so I cant wait to get started!

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Experimenting……

Over the last few months I have been experimenting with some new materials, trying out new ideas, taking some online classes.
I am not doing any Fall shows like I normally do.  Instead I thought I would have an open house in December with lots of new items.
Here are some sneak peeks from classes I have taken and some new products I have tried out.
This heart charm was from an online class I took at Beaducation, in PMC. 
I had worked with PMC (Precious Metal Clay) before but hadn’t really pushed myself to make anything like this.  It is 2 hearts joined with copper spacers and brass hex nuts, then riveted.

The class gave me a lot of confidence with the PMC and some great ideas for new pieces.
I put the piece in Liver of Sulphur to age it, and then was sorry I did since before that the metals were bright and there was a lot more contrast.
I am still happy with it!

I have also been playing around with some enameling.

Those are some of the first beads I made.  I am using Barbara Lewis‘ kit and book, “Painting with Fire”  and it has been very helpful.
Yesterday I got into a bit of an earring making spell.
Here are two pairs….I cant show you everything….need to save some for the open house!

I love the enamel earrings, below.  They remind me of the ocean.

I’ll pop back in soon to show you some more experiments and some new things!
Have a great week!