One of my Etsy Friends: DoubleDDesign

Normally I don't feature other artists on my blog, but I have become such good friends with another artist that I just couldn't help wanting to show off her stuff and help her out.

 


We first met when I bought a couple of packs of loose stones from her about a year ago. I didn't realize she was having a sale, so I went ahead and paid her full price. A few minutes later I received a note from her saying that she had refunded part of my purchase price because of her sale. I was touched by her honesty because I have known many other artists who would not have made such a caring gesture.

After that we just went our own separate ways. Then a couple months later she contacted me again. She wanted some custom pendants made as gifts for her friends and family.

Through that sale we became good friends. I have since learned that she is a caring person, both in business and her personal life. I believe that when a person is good, it comes through in their work. It certainly comes through in Michelle's work.

Her shop on Etsy, DoubleDDesign, is filled with wonderful works of art. Her jewelry is both subtle and bold. Each piece seems to tell a story. Her attention to detail, even on the smallest pair of earrings, is a testament to the wonderful person that she is.

Blog Spammers

Recently I have had a lot of spam comments left on my blog posts. I do my best to delete them as soon as possible, but to be honest, I hate having to do that.

I just want to take a moment to remind people who are rude enough to spam other people's blogs that it is not a good way to advertise your products/business. All it does is clutter up people's comment areas. It's aggravating to the person whose blog you are posting on, and it is annoying to the other people who are reading comments that actually pertain to the blog post. Annoying people will not attract customers to your business. It drives people away!

I love it when people make a comment that relates in some way to the content of the blog they are commenting on. Even if it's just a couple words to say they understand, or they agree/disagree with something that was said in the post. But to do nothing more than post a link to some other site after an extremely generic comment is unacceptable.

I don't like having to turn on comment moderation. To me, it makes it seem like I don't trust my readers. However, because of the few people who have been spamming my blog lately, I'm turning it on anyway.

Ammonite Wrap Pendant

This is just something I've been experimenting with. My daughter loves things shaped like ammonites, so I thought she'd like a pendant like this. I've got the front to where it looks decent, but I'm still having a little trouble with the back (last photo). I'm not so sure I'll be able to get the back to look the same as the front, but I'm going to keep trying a few more times anyway, I think.

Spiral Button Post Earring Tutorial

I have my third tutorial up in my Etsy shop.





This tutorial teaches you how to make a delightfully versatile post earring finding (instructions for the teardrop charm are included for those new to wire work).

Ahh, Sweet Time... Alone!

Right now I am enjoying one of my rarest pleasures.

Time alone.

A chance to be all by myself and not have to deal with hearing the TV, kids nagging, screaming, running through the house. The phone ringing every five seconds.

I had forgotten how good it feels to wake up before the sunrise and just be alone. I used to do this all the time. I would wake up and immediately start working on my jewelry. For over a month now I haven't had any time to be alone and clear my head. My work has seriously suffered because of it. I haven't really been able to make anything new that was worth listing in my shop because of this. Hopefully that dry spell will be over soon.

For now though, I think I will just be content to drink a cup of tea and watch the cats sleep.

Tutorial #2 - The Caged Bird's Song - Wire Pendant

I finally finished my second tutorial.



Click on image
to go to tutorial.


The Caged Bird's Song has been one of my most popular pendants on DeviantArt.com. http://sylva.deviantart.com.

Because it has been so popular I have decided to make a tutorial teaching how to make this beautiful pendant. This tutorial features full color photos and clear step by step instructions, as well as a few extra tips.

This pendant works well with round beads. It is also an excellent way to cage irregularly shaped tumbled stones that have not been drilled.

I still have a few more tutorials I'm planning on releasing. As soon as I get them done they will be posted here. I am also open to requests. If there is something in one of my shops, or on my deviant art page that you are interested in learning how to make, just let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Next in line? Button post earrings that can be worn as they are or used as a base for other designs.

Have fun creating. *s*

My First Tutorial

I've been meaning to do some wire work tutorials for a while but kept procrastinating. Now, I finally have my first one up. It's a simple one for a "Wrapped Mosaic Link" jewelry component. It's a versatile piece that is easily adapted for many different designs.


Click image for more information

I used this tutorial to create the earrings below. The bracelet focal was made using this tutorial as well, with a few modifications.



I think I procrastinated for so long because I was intimidated by the whole process of putting it together. Now that I have this first one done, the others I had in mind will be coming out soon too.

Tortured Innocence

Click on image for more details.


An innocent soul tormented by it's cage.
Whirling, twirling, metal swirling round and round.
Closer, closer, spinning closer.
Light is growing faint.
Hope disappears into the night.
Will the spinning ever stop?


Whirling copper coils surround a pink lepidolite stone.

I oxidized the copper with Liver of Sulfur.I didn't want the copper to turn black, so I left in for only a couple of seconds. Then I used a brass brush to clean up just a few small areas to highlight it. It gives this piece a polished look, while keeping the dark, ominous feeling, creating an interesting contrast with the pink stone.

Memories

Click on the image for more information.


I decided to go in another direction with this necklace. It's a little bigger and more involved than most of my other work.

An oxidized sterling silver frame filled with cloudy blue aquamarine nuggets, watermelon tourmaline and a sprinkling of tiny labradorite rondelles. The wrapped link chain is also studded with these beautiful beads. The beads used in this piece have a wonderful organic look and feel.

I named it "Memories" because it reminds me of a place we used to go when I was a child. While my family was still living in New York there was a park we would go to that was close to the ocean. My father and brother would skip rocks accross the water while my mother and I would sit on the swings. Near the fence to the park were some tiny colorful flowers. That park is one of the few things I remember from that time.

The focal piece for this necklace is 5 1/2" wide and 2" tall. Including the top edge of the focal, the necklace is 23" long. Because the top edge of the focal is a straight line, the necklace hangs a little bit higher than most necklaces of this length.

Click on the image to go to the listing for this piece in my etsy shop if you'd like to see more pictures.

There is also a pair of earrings to match this necklace. I made miniature copies of the focal for the necklace and suspended them from the handmade ear wires with simply coiled "hangers".


Click on the image for more information.

The Beauty of Imperfection

A while back I was looking at some beads to buy. There were two strands left of the same kind of beads. After inspecting them both for a while I took one of them and left the other one for someone else to buy.

When I went to pay for them the person running the booth asked me why I chose the beads with so many imperfections when both strands were the same price. I simply said, "Because I like them better".

You see, to me, a perfect stone is too easy. You don't really have to work very hard to make a perfect stone look good. Life isn't that easy, so why should art be that easy?

I like the little inclusions and blemishes in some stones. They remind me of all the people I've ever met. Some people try to hide their flaws. Taking great pains to make sure that one little bitty mark isn't noticeable. Sometimes they hide it by covering it up. Sometimes they simply turn their back on it. But it will always be there. It's part of them, it makes them who they are.

Some people simply ignore their flaws. They just pretend they don't exist. But they are still there for everyone else to see.

Better yet are the people who embrace those flaws. Those little imperfections that make most people cringe at the thought of the world seeing what is really there become the one thing that people love most about those with the courage to make their flaws their calling cards. To these people life isn't just a show. It's truly living.

When I buy stones for making jewelry I look for these flaws. I use those imperfections as much as I do the stone itself to create designs to reflect those of people and the way we use our flaws as part of who we are.