by Barbara | Dec 27, 2015 | An Aside, Materials and Supplies, Seed Beads, Techniques, Tools, Tutorials
Santa was certainly good to me this year! Besides several sweaters, a lush scarf, books and CDs, he brought me the items shown in the above photo. A wonderful new Fretz – Todd Reed Goldsmithing Hammer…it’s incredibly beautiful! The weight is...
by Barbara | Dec 20, 2015 | An Aside, Art Jewelry, Embellishments, Fine Silver, Handmade, Inspiration, Metal Clay, Patina, Polymer Clay, Techniques, Tools, Uncategorized
FYI usually means “for your information”, but in this instance it is the brand name of “For Your Inspiration” Silver Metal Fine Clay. Because I’ve made a new batch of silicone molds using pods and other objects provided by Mother Nature for my polymer clay work, I...
by Barbara | Dec 14, 2015 | An Aside, Art Jewelry, At the Bench, Beads and Materials, Components, Handmade, One-of-a-Kind, Polymer Clay, Techniques, Tools
You can probably tell from my messy work table that I’ve been busy creating beads and sculptural components for necklaces and bracelets. With all these distractingly colorful elements, it’s becoming difficult to locate anything I’m looking for amidst...
by Barbara | Nov 17, 2015 | An Aside, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Tools
I think everyone would agree that one can never have too much storage, especially if you tend to collect a lot of tools and equipment used to create art. If you keep an open mind, you’ll be surprised how many household items can be facilitated for this purpose. Take...
by Barbara | Sep 22, 2015 | An Aside, Delica beads, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Techniques, Tools
It didn’t take long for me to decide what I wanted…actually needed! Every geometric beadwork design I’ve created uses thousands of Delica beads and the color I use most is DB0022 Metallic Bronze. My supply was running low and I needed these to fill beading kit...
by Barbara | Sep 13, 2015 | An Aside, At the Bench, One-of-a-Kind, Tools, Tutorials
Summer heat is transitioning into warm days and cool nights with the onset of autumn. The green leaves of summer have begun their transformation to intense shades of gold, red, and rust. Even the air seems to have a different scent…a crispness that is sometimes...
by Barbara | Sep 1, 2015 | Art Jewelry, Cabochons and Gemstones, Components, Earrings, Embellishments, Handmade, Inspiration, One-of-a-Kind, Sterling Silver, Techniques, Tools
You may have already guessed that my first project using the new star-cutter set I recently purchased would be another pair of earrings…and yes, this pair features die-cut hearts (I just love heart-themed jewelry!). The top layer of each earring is made of...
by Barbara | Aug 29, 2015 | Art Jewelry, At the Bench, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Techniques, Tools
I had lusted after one of these for some time, but a set of shaped cutters are a bit of an investment so I waited and when I saw that Otto Frei was offering a discount on them, I nabbed one! The stars range in size from 15mm x 15mm up to 23mm x 23mm. Granted, I have...
by Barbara | Jul 27, 2015 | An Aside, At the Bench, Beads and Materials, Components, Embellishments, Equipment, Found Objects, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Techniques, Tools
If you’ve been following my blog, you probably know that I never throw anything away that can be reused or repurposed. Here are four ideas that may be helpful to you… For optimum performance, it’s important to keep tools sharp and if you create jewelry and use...
by Barbara | Jul 22, 2015 | An Aside, At the Bench, Faux Bone™, Handmade, One-of-a-Kind, Techniques, Tools
Well, that depends. The answer is actually one…unless you are a tool junkie like me! The classic jeweler’s saw at the far left in the photo above has been with me since I first started making jewelry over twenty-five years ago. It has served me well and will continue...