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Saturday, January 8, 2011

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.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

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.