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 | Nov 3, 2017 | An Aside, Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Bead Embroidery, Beading, Classes, Handmade, Inspiration, Jewelry kits, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Techniques, Tutorials, Uncategorized
I had a dream in which I was teaching a bead embroidery class and as in so many dreams one has, it was fraught with problems that must be solved. In this dream (perhaps I should call it a nightmare!), I was teaching my “Six Petal Bloom” project. So far, so good, but I...
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 | Jun 17, 2017 | Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Beads and Materials, Cabochons and Gemstones, Classes, Components, Embellishments, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, Metal Clay, Mixed Media, One-of-a-Kind, Polymer Clay, Resin, Sterling Silver, Techniques
What I liked best about the Bead & Button Show was a class taught by Susan Lenart Kazmer! Over the past years I’ve taken several of her classes and they always inspire me to get back in the studio and work with metal and resin! “Resin, Relics, and...
by Barbara | Jun 2, 2017 | An Aside, Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Beads and Materials, Cabochons and Gemstones, Classes, Components, Delica beads, Embellishments, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Tools
My contest entries have just been returned and thanks to Fire Mountain Gems & Beads and a $150 gift certificate (the silver medal award for the bracelet I entered in the 2017 Metal Jewelry Contest), I’ll be doing a bit of online shopping! Over the past few...
by Barbara | Jan 6, 2017 | An Aside, Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Beads and Materials, Bracelets, Cabochons and Gemstones, Classes, Components, Embellishments, Found Objects, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, Mixed Media, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Sterling Silver, Techniques
Registration is open for the 2017 Bead&Button show. I’ve been perusing the class catalog and there are several classes I’d consider taking if time and money were no object. I would definitely take Celie Fago’s Master Class, but the cost would be...
by Barbara | Jun 4, 2016 | An Aside, Beading, Beads and Materials, Classes, Inspiration, One-of-a-Kind, Tools
“Well, my bags are packed…I’m ready to go.” But I’m not leaving on a jet plane. Thankfully, I don’t have to fly to attend the Bead&Button show. I live close enough to Milwaukee that I can drive there in about three hours....
by Barbara | Jan 5, 2016 | An Aside, Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Beads and Materials, Classes, Components, Embellishments, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, Mixed Media, One-of-a-Kind, Techniques, Uncategorized
I didn’t attend the Bead and Button Show last year and I almost didn’t sign up for it this year. I perused the catalog of classes and wasn’t finding any that interested me. I won’t take beading classes because I never finish the projects and, frankly, I prefer...
by Barbara | Oct 1, 2015 | An Aside, Art to Wear, At the Bench, Classes, One-of-a-Kind, Sterling Silver
Utilitarian items have been on my bench over the years as well…a series of small brass picture frames for one. Then there was the beautiful tiny sterling silver hors’ d’oeuvre spoon capped with a matte onyx bezel-set finial…unfortunately, someone helping with...
by Barbara | Jun 15, 2015 | An Aside, Classes, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Techniques, Tools
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 learning new techniques and discovering time-saving tips. Having been primarily self-taught, I have relied heavily on...
