by Barbara | Aug 16, 2017 | An Aside, Bead Embroidery, Beading, Beads and Materials, Designer Patterns, Embellishments, Handmade, Inspiration, One-of-a-Kind, Seed Beads, Techniques, Tools, Tutorials
Some of the best finds are in antique stores. I am always on the lookout for items I can repurpose and up-cycle! Recently, I came across two small, very flat wooden cigar boxes that I’ve utilized as portable bead cases that I can toss in a bag at a...
by Barbara | Aug 12, 2017 | An Aside, Beading, Beads and Materials, Components, Delica beads, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Seed Beads, Techniques
The power of color is amazing! How it is used determines what the eye sees. For example, these three geometric warped squares were woven using the same pattern graph design. Each was woven with the exact same palette of colors. What makes each warped square appear so...
by Barbara | Aug 4, 2017 | Art to Wear, Beading, Beads and Materials, Delica beads, Inspiration, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Rings, Seed Beads, Techniques, Uncategorized
This order of Delica beads arrived several weeks ago, but I’ve been so busy playing with resin and making rings that I haven’t had gotten around to doing anything with them. The first step always is to remove them from the plastic containers in which they...
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 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...
by Barbara | Jul 2, 2017 | Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Bead Embroidery, Beads and Materials, Cabochons and Gemstones, Components, Designer Patterns, Earrings, Embellishments, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Rings, Sterling Silver, Techniques, Tutorials
I’ve been playing with resin. These faux resin crystals don’t look like much just out of the mold, but after I clean them up and buff them on my JoolTool they’ll be really beautiful! I have many uses for them in my work…employing them as focal...