August 4, 2011 by bahamadawn

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!

July 21, 2011 by bahamadawn

Bead Table Wednesday ~ work in progress from the classroom

Happy Bead Table Wednesday!

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!

February 21, 2011 by bahamadawn

Creative Project #21 ~ my inspiration for RAW

A few posts back I told you about a group I had joined on Flickr, called RAW (Ring A Week). The challenge in this group is to make a new ring every week. Today the group is having a blog carnival. At the bottom of this post you can see a list of participants and click on their blogs to see what inspired them to join this group. You won’t be disappointed by the wonderful work you find!

I have been making jewelry for years, but until a year ago would just give it away as gifts. I started metal smithing a little over a year ago, and it has been an interesting journey.

At first I was pretty intimidated to post any of my work into this group since the ring pictures in the group are over the top! Then I thought this would push me to try new things especially since rings are probably my least favorite thing to make.

So I joined RAW hoping it would inspire me to try new techniques and get over my fear of making rings.

I make my rings out of fine silver, fused glass, sea glass, antique pottery shards, lamp worked beads. Something I am working towards is making rings out of Precious Metal Clay.

For the ring above I made a silver bezel, filled it with tiny pieces of sea glass and shells, then filled it with resin.

Here are a few with my lamp worked pieces and wire wrapping.

All last night I had an idea in my head for a ring which was a combination of metal smithing and a flame worked bead.

I set out this morning to try it out. I made the silver band but I could not get the part on the top that would hold the bead to work. So I bezeled a piece of antique pottery to make use of the band.

I like the the square pottery on the round silver.

Sometimes the pottery pieces can be tricky to work with. It can chip easily and the pieces are sometimes rounded from the plate or bowl they have come from.

Be sure and check out all the jewelry artists that are participating in this blog carnival.

Here is a list of them:

Marcie Abney – http://www.labellajoya.blogspot.com
Joanne Harrill – www.jojobell.com
Thomasin Durgin – www.metalriot.blogspot.com
Amy Nicole – www.rubymtnbeads.blogspot.com
Janice – www.doxallodesigns.blogspot.com
Aleksandra Micic – www.micicart.blogspot.com
Lana Chu – www.ginkgoglass.wordpress.com
Evelyn Markasky – www.markasky.blogspot.com
Kerry Alice-Twigs and Heather – www.twigsandheather.blogspot.com
Lorena Angulo- blog.lorenaangulo.com/
Kate Jones– www.katejonesdesign.blogspot.com
Maria Apostolou- www.createjewelry.gr/blog
Sarah Small – www.bysalla.blogspot.com
Rebecca Bogan – www.Adobesol.com/blog
Elaine Luther – www.CreativeTextureTools.com/news
Rebekah Timlin Meddles – www.lunasadesigns.blogspot.com
Laura M (Zoeowyn) – http://www.zoeowyn.blogspot.com/
Kimberly (bahamadawn) – www.bahamadawn.blogspot.com
Erin Austin – www.metalmusing.blogspot.com
Catherine Witherell – www.happydayart.typepad.com
Michele Grady- www.michelegradydesigns.blogspot.com
Joan Furilla – jfurilla.wordpress.com/
Kathryn Cole- www.kathryncolejewelry.blogspot.com

February 11, 2011 by bahamadawn

Creative Project #11 for February……a little bit of this and a little bit of that!!!

Phew!!! Today has been quite the day. I have done a bunch of creative things.

First I started to make a silver heart bezel for a ring that has been in my head. With all the filing, polishing, and soldering that took most of the morning.

Then I had to gather tiny pieces of sea glass and shells to fill the bezel.

I was inspired to do this ring after joining a group on flickr called “Ring A Week” (RAW).

You HAVE to visit that page and see the awesome creations that are being submitted. There are so many talented jewelers there that I have been intimidated to post anything.

This isn’t the greatest picture of the ring. The resin in it is still drying, so it is the best shot I could get right now. I will post a better picture over the weekend.

I also have a rack full of quilts to quilt. Quilt tops that others have made and they have hired me to quilt for them. So I knocked one of those out today also.

I also made some new beads at some point today, and some new earrings, but the beads are being annealed and while I write this post the earrings are in the tumbler for their final polishing.

Then I put some time into my swaps…..trying to finish some pieces for an embroidery swap I am in.

I have had a quilt top in my head for a while now that I started picking away at today also!

You can find a pattern for a smaller block here at my friends blog, House of Krom. It is a free pieced block and is tons of fun! I figure if I do a few blocks a day that in no time I will have enough for a quilt.
It has been a busy, busy day! And some people think I don’t work!! HA!

Tomorrow is the big day for my 100th post and giveaway, so come back to tomorrow and sign up to win 🙂
Hope you have all had a Happy Friday!

January 15, 2011 by bahamadawn

Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie

The breakfast of champions!!! Most people I know love sweet potatoes (yams), in fact I don’t think I have met anyone that does not like these little gems. I am not a breakfast person at all. A few years ago if I did a long run, then I might have been hungry when I got back, but that doesn’t happen anymore.

So one day my friend Amy, from Lubbers Landing, told me about this smoothie that she makes sometimes and I tried it and now have been drinking these almost every morning ever since!

Amy has tried it with pumpkin as well and that is also yummy! I started out making about 2 cups of this but now I drink 4 cups and that keeps me full until lunch time.

You will need a juicer and a blender for this recipe.

1 large sweet potato (yam)

2 apples ( i use red delicious)

1/2″ – 1″ piece of fresh ginger (depends on how much you like ginger)

3 carrots

1-2 frozen bananas

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

a large handful of fresh spinach (optional)

Juice the sweet potato, apples, ginger and carrots. This should make about 1 1/2 cups of juice. Add this juice to the blender with the frozen bananas, spinach and the pumpkin pie spice. Blend until smooth. ENJOY!!!

I suggest starting out drinking just 2 cups of this and work up to more. The recipe above should make about that. I add more sweet potato and more carrots to increase the size of mine.

I have been crazy busy getting ready for an art show in 2 weeks and finishing up the last of my orders.

I just finished this ring for a customer with a beautiful piece of amber sea glass.

In a few days I will start to post some pictures of items I am making for the art show. Nothing is completely finished yet, but I am working hard!

Have a great weekend 🙂

August 25, 2010 by bahamadawn

I Kinda Fell Off the Face of the Earth

It is kind of embarrassing how long it has been since I posted. Thank you for the emails asking where I was and if I am okay. It makes me happy that there are people out there that like to read my ramblings! Life has been like a roller coaster. My 10 year golden retriever, Maya, has been sick the last two weeks and needing a lot of my attention, then on Sunday my 17 year old cat passed away.

“Snorkel”

I adopted him when I moved to Abaco, and he was by my side through a lot. It was kind of sudden even though he was 17!

In the midst of all of this I have deadlines looming, and it is not easy for an artist to work when they have emotional and mental stress.

I thought I would post a few projects that I had finished, just so you know I am still around.

“Love Birds”

“Fish Kiss”

“Whimsical Seating”

“Bahama Pottery”

I have more items to show you that I need to photograph and download. Hopefully I won’t be gone so long in between posts this time.
Thanks again to all of you that checked on me.

May 22, 2010 by bahamadawn

What a Great Week!

I love it when my week ends with receiving swap goodies in the mail!

I received my Mini Coin Swap from Terrie……

I was going to crop Trooper’s nose out, but I thought it was cute! He is head of quality control around here….the quilt passed 🙂 LOVE this little quilt! Tiny “coins” of pretty printed fabrics make up the stacks of coins and the quilting on the border with varigated thread is incredible.

Below is the coin quilt mini that I sent to Terrie, She received it so I can blog about it now.

“Scattered Paint Chips”

Then I got my first African Flower crochet block, from the African Flower Swap on Raverly……

….and with it was sent some recipe cards, a stitch marker and gorgeous purple ribbon. I didn’t think it was my month to receive the crochet blocks yet, so I was very surprised!

Can you tell how addicted to these swaps I have become?

I also sent off some quilts this week, and can only show you sneak peeks until my partners receive them.

This one above is for the Anything Goes Mini Swap on flickr.

And the one below is for the Black and White + One Color, Not Square Mini

I was also very excited this week when I was featured on Delphi Glass’ facebook page because of this necklace…..

I submitted this necklace for a competition they are having called Ring of Fire, and they featured it on the page!! I was over the moon! Please go and vote for me on their site 🙂 Just click on the “Ring of Fire” tab at the top right of their home page screen and it will take you to the voting page……I’d really appreciate it!

Have a great weekend!

May 19, 2010 by bahamadawn

And the WInner is……..

Congrats to Amy (During Quiet Time Blog) for winning the Island Birds Journal and the Copper Pendant in yesterday’s giveaway! The winner was chosen by random number generator, and the lucky number was 6 for the 6th post.
Amy, email me your address please 🙂

Thank you all for participating and for all your kind comments! I will be doing more giveaways now that I got the first one under my belt, so stay tuned!

Here is a picture of the entire journal cover for those of you who weren’t so lucky this time….

Also wanted to show you two new pieces that I put up on Etsy.

The first is “Bahama Sunburst”

It is about 19 inches long and is made up of a Jangles pendant and spacer bar, bezeled sea glass, my lampworked beads, silver wire components, sterling silver findings and gun metal chain.

The second one is Owl Love…..

I was so excited the other day when I made that “love” charm. I embroidered the letters and the heart then sandwiched it in between glass and soldered it closed! Very pleased with myself to be able to combine two of my passions like that!

This necklace also has a Jangles owl bead, my lampworked bead, gun metal chain, sterling silver findings and silk ribbon. It is about 22 inches long.

Lorelei had a ribbon tutorial on her blog the other day. You can find her blog in my list of “blogs you should check out” over on the right. I had seen this done before and never tried it. It makes a very comfortable necklace. I forgot I had the necklace on! I always wear my pieces for an hour or so to make sure they are comfortable, hang right etc…

Have a great day!

May 15, 2010 by bahamadawn

Birthday Celebrations!

I went over to Hope Town, a cay a few miles off the mainland of Abaco, to celebrate my good friend Janie’s birthday. Her birthday is not until next week, but today was a good day for everyone to get together.

This card above is a funny card she got. Inside it said “Happy Birthday, your margarita will be ready shortly”!!!

I don’t have to go far to find an animal to drag home……..

This little fresh water turtle wasn’t being cared for so he was delivered to me in a bucket. Poor thing was so hungry that he ate half of my sandwich!!!…..not quite but he ate ALOT.

Look at the beautiful cake….too pretty to cut!!! Made by my other friend Kent, and boy was it ever YUMMY!!! Carrot cake with cream cheese icing……mmmmmmmm!

I have gotten some work finished this week…….

This is called “Sea Glass Love”. It is a mixture of bezeled sea glass, my lampworked pieces, bezeled coral, silver chain and sterling silver wire work.

Those swirled wire links I learned to do from the book “Totally Twisted” by Kerry Bogert.

Anyone that does jewelry needs to check out this book and Kerry’s blog. Very inspirational work!

Have a great weekend!

May 11, 2010 by bahamadawn

Some New T’ings

I have been fiddling around with some new stuff these past few days. Needed a break for my imagination.

First I had to do some potholders for the Potholder Pass in Flickr, and I had this idea in my head to do the free form letters on them. This was the outcome, and now I wish I had a set for me!

“Live Love Laugh”

One of my, many, favorite sayings!

I have also been itching to try some new things at the torch. So I took some time this morning to try out a frog:

I thought it was okay for my first attempt. Here is his back:

And I had tried a hollow bead a few weeks ago, couldn’t get it to work, but I am not one to let that discourage me, so I tried again:

It is not the perfect bead shape….BUT it is HOLLOW!! I know some flame working pros are probably thinking “I can’t believe she is posting these ugly beads”, but since I either figure things out in my head or read a book, I am pretty proud of myself.

Also attempted a heart….this needs work: