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 21, 2017 | Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Components, Embellishments, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Rings, Sterling Silver, Techniques
I’ve seen it and even took an early morning bike ride downhill from Haleakala on one of my vacations to Maui. This latest resin ring so reminds me of a volcano glowing with shades of bright fire surrounded by red-hot embers! What gives it this magnificent glow?...
by Barbara | Jul 19, 2017 | Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, At the Bench, Components, Embellishments, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Rings
I’ve finished another! This third in a series of resin faux crystal rings is titled “Faux Beryl Crystals Ring”. Measuring 25mm in height from the base and 30mm in width, the oblong ring sits at a 45 degree angle. Hammer-textured 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....