My Studio

This is my studio and believe it or not I just straightened it up.  It is still in need of some major organization, but who has time for that when there is jewelry to be made?  Last year I purchased 4 of these 9 box cubes to organize all my creative things and put them on top of a sturdy table.  You never know what your going to find that is part of the fun in coming up with something new. I will be looking for a certain item(s) and come across something I forgot I even owned.  Then It will end up in a piece of jewelry.  There is stuff packed under the table in bins and another shelf full of all types of vintage findings.  I did not dare take a picture of my metal working table as it is still a mess from the stuff I created last week.  What I like is I can just close the door and forget about it.  The only problem with that is next time I get ready to make jewelry I usually have to straighten up a few things up.   I guess that can be a little daunting at times.  I am thinking about painting the studio this year in a vibrant color like Turquoise, but will probably opt for a soft gray.

Vintage Key Necklace

This is one of my favorite necklaces that was in the June 2010 issue of Belle Amoire Jewelry.  It is made from a vintage skeleton key and then soldered onto copper.  I then applied a patina to give it an old world look. I used vintage findings and  some old chandlier crystals.  I have been really busy making and designing jewelry. I am getting geared up to go to the Art and Soul retreat in Las Vegas in Feb, and can hardly wait.  I will be taking some classes from Sally Jean who was the person who inspired me to make soldered jewelry after I bought her book "Pretty Little Things." She opened a new world for me and I am finally going to have the opportunity to take some of her sought after classes.  I have done most of my soldering with a torch, so using a soldering iron to make soldered glass jewelry is going to be a little hard to get used to, but a lot of fun.