Jun 30, 20151 min read
It’s a metal clay play day!
I’ve already sold out of the collections of fine silver metal clay Ammonite components I listed several days ago so it’s time to make...
Jun 24, 20151 min read
Like Christmas in July!
Look at the goodies that just arrived from Potter USA. I can hardly wait to play with these! There are two flower-shaped pancake dies, a...
Jun 21, 20151 min read
Happy Accidents...
Amazing what you can do with things that didn’t quite turn out as planned. I hadn’t used my hydraulic press in some time and I forgot how...
Jun 15, 20151 min read
There's always something new to learn!
The scope of what can be done with metal is vast and even though I have been a metalsmith for well over twenty-five years, I'm always...
Jun 6, 20151 min read
The latest from my workbench…
I’ve just finished a somewhat ambitious project…a very large pendant measuring 65mm in width by 130mm in length. The substantial disk...
May 25, 20151 min read
My muse is in overdrive!
She's dancing the Tarantella, turning cartwheels, rushing to and fro, bombarding me with ideas for new jewelry pieces. Lately, my mind is...
May 7, 20151 min read
And here it is...
Remember all those cast twigs, silver wire, drilled pebbles and pyrite nuggets shown in my previous post? Here's the finished piece!...
Apr 25, 20151 min read
One cuff made with more to go!
I’ve been working along to Bill Fretz’s instructional DVD, “Basic Jewelry Hammering and Forming” and have just finished my first piece…a...
Apr 19, 20151 min read
Whew!
The cleanup of my workbench is completed and I’m ready to start creating with metal again! I’ve made some recent tool and equipment...
Apr 16, 20151 min read
With the money I've saved...
By not going to Bead & Button this year, I'm able to upgrade some of my jewelry-making tools! Having perused the Fretz tools webpages on...
Apr 6, 20151 min read
I needed a break from sorting beads so...
I’m tackling the task of cleaning and reorganizing my metals studio. I have the TV rolled up to the door so I can listen and occasionally...
Mar 23, 20151 min read
After twenty-five years of metalsmithing...
My original set of disc cutters, which has served me well, has seen better days, so I've treated myself to the "king" of disc cutters...a...
Mar 1, 20151 min read
I finally “bit the bullet”!
I had been coveting an Ezel Beading Pal for the longest time. The folks who make the Beading Pal had a booth at last June’s Bead and...
Jan 2, 20151 min read
A new tutorial to start 2015!
I’ve just finished writing a tutorial for a mixed media bangle I’ve titled “Climbing Roses”. The bangle armature is made of 16 gauge...
Jul 19, 20141 min read
The tutorial is finished!
I love when I wrap up a project and finish a tutorial! My “Forbidden Fruit” Drop Earrings tutorial is now listed in my Etsy shop. A...
Jul 12, 20142 min read
Photographing jewelry can be a challenge...
I am by no means a professional photographer, but I’ve learned a lot since I started photographing my work. I’ll admit I know next to...
Jul 7, 20141 min read
It seems like it's taken an eternity, but....
It's finally here...I'm perusing Jean Power's long-awaited "Geometric Beadwork - Volume 2"! For those who like beading books that contain...
Jun 23, 20141 min read
More handmade Czech Spike beads!
I've added additional colors to the Czech Spike beads and " Baby Spike " beads listings in my Etsy shop. Silky Matte Gold (which ranges...
Jun 9, 20141 min read
Post Show Treasure!
I never know what goodies I’ll come home with from Bead & Button! Besides purchasing a new Fretz hammer with interchangeable heads, this...
Jun 2, 20141 min read
In light of the fact that...
I'm taking a metals class from Jeff Fulkerson at Bead&Button, I'm packing my travel case with the required hammers (ball peen, chasing,...
