by Barbara | Feb 7, 2018 | An Aside, Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Cabochons and Gemstones, Classes, Components, Designer Patterns, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Jewelry kits, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Rings, Sterling Silver, Techniques, Tools, Tutorials
Call me lucky! Look what just arrived on my doorstep…a goodie box from #Rangerink containing new offerings from Susan Lenart Kazmer’s #Ice Resin product line! Upon opening the box I’ve found a nifty tote bag, a collection of Susan’s latest #Runes Bezels, a...
by Barbara | Oct 29, 2017 | An Aside, Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Cabochons and Gemstones, Components, Designer Patterns, Embellishments, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Rings
Last August while on vacation in California, I purchased some wonderful natural crystals from which I created molds. This collection of blue and teal faux crystals were created from those molds. I have a theory as to why some of the faux crystals come out crystal...
by Barbara | Oct 13, 2017 | An Aside, Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Beads and Materials, Cabochons and Gemstones, Components, Designer Patterns, Embellishments, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, Mixed Media, One-of-a-Kind, Uncategorized
The deadline for latest Fire Mountain Gems contest featuring Swarovski Crystals was October 8 and I finished this neckpiece just in time to enter! I had been so busy finishing up my latest geometric beadwoven bracelet that I’d forgotten the contest was closing....
by Barbara | Oct 6, 2017 | An Aside, Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Cabochons and Gemstones, Components, Designer Patterns, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Resin
I love Autumn! Daylight now has a different glow with the sun lower in the sky. The prairie is awash with brilliant shades of yellow as goldenrod, native sunflower, and black-eyed Susan are in full bloom. Trees are sporting leaves in shades of gold and crimson. The...
by Barbara | Aug 19, 2017 | Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Beading, Beads and Materials, Bracelets, Cabochons and Gemstones, Components, Found Objects, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Seed Beads, Techniques, Tutorials
While vacationing in California over the past two weeks, I did find some time to work on a beading project and that was something I hadn’t done in a while. But I also found time to stop in an antique store in Paso Robles and look what I found! These crystals, rocks,...
by Barbara | Jul 29, 2017 | Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Cabochons and Gemstones, Classes, Components, Designer Patterns, Embellishments, Fine Silver, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Patina, Resin, Rings, Sterling Silver, Techniques, Tools
I took a class taught by Richard Salley (great teacher BTW!!!) and learned to make the “Ketoh Bracelet”…typically a wrist guard worn by Navajo Indian archers to protect their forearms from the snap of their bowstrings when shooting arrows. It was a...
by Barbara | Jul 24, 2017 | Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Cabochons and Gemstones, Components, Designer Patterns, Embellishments, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Rings, Techniques, Tools, Tutorials
There used to be a TV show back in the 1950’s called “You Asked For It”, but in this case I am referring to the tutorial I promised for making “Resin Faux Crystals and Druzy Cabochon”. I’ve had several requests for a tutorial and...
by Barbara | Jul 15, 2017 | Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, At the Bench, Cabochons and Gemstones, Components, Embellishments, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Sterling Silver, Techniques
This ring started with just three pieces of silver…a bezel, backing, and ring shank. Having hammer-textured the silver, the bezel join was soldered and then all three pieces were soldered together in one step. This is the ring fresh out the pickling solution....
by Barbara | Jul 12, 2017 | Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, At the Bench, Beads and Materials, Bracelets, Cabochons and Gemstones, Components, Embellishments, Handmade, Inspiration, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Rings, Sterling Silver, Techniques
Can you tell that I’m having fun? All beading and polymer clay projects have taken a backseat to resin for the moment. I’m still exploring faux crystals made of resin and have just finished making a simple emerald-green resin faux crystal bracelet charm....
by Barbara | Jul 7, 2017 | Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Beads and Materials, Cabochons and Gemstones, Components, Gemstones, Inspiration, Jewelry kits, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Sterling Silver, Techniques, Uncategorized
Whichever way you choose to spell it, I find Druzy to be dazzling! If you haven’t a clue of what I’m referring to it is a coating of fine crystals that appear on a fractured rock or within a geode. The crystals sparkle and glisten, especially if they have...